Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Giving Pointers
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Basics among basics, yet they don't even know mana refinement techniques. How do Earth's awakeners manage to carry mana in their bodies and fight?
Not only can't they contain natural mana in their bodies, it's like trying to drink from a water tank full to bursting without a faucet—just scooping it out directly.
In short, the height of inefficiency.
No wonder their mana leaks out like this every time they fight.
I let out a small sigh as I watched Jeong-woo, who firmly believed mana capacity was innate.
"Wh-why? Don't tell me... you can increase mana capacity after awakening too...?"
Jeong-woo stared blankly at me for a moment before leaning in close to whisper in my ear, as if afraid someone might overhear.
"I'll explain later, so let's head back for now."
"For real? Please tell me, seriously. I'm desperate here."
He repeated "seriously" three times in one sentence and finally wrangled a promise out of me. With an expectant look on his face, Jeong-woo sat up straight and still.
"By the way, have you eaten?"
"Huh? Not yet... Wait, don't tell me eating increases mana capacity?"
What was he on about now?
I'd only asked because the sun was already dipping low in the sky.
"...Yeah. So go eat quietly and head back."
"Seriously?? Then what's good for mana?"
I gave a half-hearted yes out of annoyance, and suddenly he was grilling me like I was some fitness trainer.
"Sigh... Kimchi stew's good."
"Kimchi stew? Oh...! That explains why Korea has so many awakeners on average..."
Jeong-woo muttered to himself for a bit, then nodded as if he'd figured something out all on his own.
I brushed off Jeong-woo's pleading to join him for food and asked the driver to drop me off first at the White Wolf Guild dorms.
After prepping for the press conference this morning, spending time in the gate with Jeong-woo afterward, my body felt utterly drained.
As I stepped out of the car and rummaged in my pocket for the keycard, I spotted an unfamiliar woman noticing me from afar and running over breathlessly.
"Th-that! White Fluff... I mean, Hunter Seo Ar, right? I'm a huge fan!"
"Mm. That's me, but what have I even done to earn a fan like you?"
"Ugh—! I just love you for existing... Please, just one photo..."
A fan, huh...
Back in my hero days before letting the Demon King slip away, I'd had plenty in Elantara too.
The voices chanting my name and cheering along every path I took had eventually faded almost entirely.
Of course, my prickly personality during that time played a part...
I snapped out of reminiscing about bygone days to see her gazing at me desperately, clutching her phone with both hands.
It'd be rude to turn down someone so eager. I met her eyes, nodded, and she beamed as we took the photo together.
"Thank you so, so, so much... I'll treasure this forever."
"No need to go that far. I'll be off then."
"Yes! I'll cheer for you forever!"
Forever.
'I hope it turns out that way this time.'
I gave the sparkling-eyed woman a bittersweet smile and headed inside the building.
The elevator took me to the eighth floor. Opening the dorm door revealed an empty living room that felt oddly lonely.
To shake off the unfamiliar sensation, I slipped into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and let hot water cascade over me.
Being able to shower with endless hot water without mana cost for a whole year was nice.
After finishing up, I glanced in the mirror—my silver hair, wet from the water, gleamed dazzlingly.
In Elantara, we'd scrubbed with ash-water soap at best, so modern shampoo made it shine extra bright.
Every little thing kept bringing back unfinished stories.
My body was on Earth, but my heart was still trapped in Elantara.
"Uuum..."
Even the shower I'd chosen to clear my thoughts ended up like this.
I channeled mana to dry off and flopped face-first onto the bed.
It was still too early for sleep.
'Should've just eaten with Jeong-woo after all.'
Elantara.
My second world.
The endpoint of my failure.
When would I shake it off? Probably never.
A bit saddened, I rubbed my face into the blanket.
The soft texture enveloped my cheeks.
Turning my head, I spotted my phone tossed on the nightstand.
'Come to think of it, what did I use to do with my phone back then...?'
Still face-down, I rolled over twice, stretched out, and grabbed it.
Powering it on, a green phone icon caught my eye.
I pressed it, and the saved contacts appeared.
'Seo-yoon♥...?'
She'd said she only saved necessary numbers, yet prettied up her own name like that.
I wasn't the type to get lonely usually, but today I craved someone's voice. I hit call.
The ringing tone droned on for a bit.
Soon, Seo-yoon picked up.
"Hello? Ar?"
"Mm. It's me, Seo-yoon."
"Ar~! Why're you calling? Everything okay?"
Hearing another person's voice eased my mind a little.
"Nothing like that, just bored—"
As I started to chat, a clattering noise came through from Seo-yoon's end, followed by someone calling her name.
"Hold on! Sorry, Ar! I'll call you back later."
With that, the call cut off abruptly.
...Yeah, she could be busy.
I'd called out of the blue, after all.
Seo-yoon always had a lot on her plate.
I knew that, but it still felt unfair somehow.
"Tch..."
My lips kept wanting to pout.
Shouldn't she have talked a bit longer, since I—the much older one—called first?
Even long-discarded Confucian ideas bubbled up.
Irritated, I closed the phone app, revealing a familiar red video platform icon.
Seeing it stirred up old memories.
Staying up till dawn, endlessly hunting for new videos without noticing time pass.
Drawn by the recollection, I opened the app and searched for trending videos.
"How to clear a B-Rank Gate like it's cake...?"
Hitting play, it skipped a simple intro to show mana beasts battling a hunter in gauntlets under cover fire.
"Uuum..."
Watching made my chest tighten with frustration—not just one or two issues.
Fighting like that was a sure way to die...
Maybe I should leave a comment with some pointers.
"The punching form... isn't bad..., but handling mana... leaves much to be desired. First, concentrate it more precisely... at the target point... and thrust."
I considered more detail, but typing each letter on the unfamiliar keyboard felt too time-consuming, so I stuck to the essentials.
This much should spark some realization.
I browsed more hunter videos, offering pointers to each.
In Elantara, countless people begged for even a word of my guidance.
Getting advice like this so easily? These hunters were lucky for sure.
I nodded smugly to myself and closed the app.
Felt like I'd killed a good chunk of time, but no call back from Seo-yoon.
Fiddling with the phone, thinking of her brought back memories of first getting it after returning to Earth.
'Hunter Gallery'
The place Seo-yoon had begged me not to visit.
'But why should I listen to her?'
A bit miffed already, the thought made me want to check it out.
I opened search and typed in Hunter Gallery.
Right away, big buttons for 'All Posts' and 'Quality Posts'.
All Posts seemed straightforward—everything.
'Quality' probably meant more standard stuff?
Separate categories, so some difference for sure.
I tapped 'Quality Posts' straight away.
'Mm. No clue what's what.'
No enticing titles, so I scrolled down until a familiar name jumped out.
Just when was this photo even taken?
The post with Hyun-woo's name showed a picture of us together.
At least the comments circling it had nothing on me directly.
'That "white fluff" isn't me, right...?'
Feeling oddly unsettled, I scrolled through the comments.