Get Some Fresh Air (4)
"We will now begin the scouting interviews~"
The fifth stage of the monster hunt had concluded. As expected, only a select few had cleared it: Kang Hyun, Lee Jun-ho, Seo Ji-woo, Ryu Yeon-hwa, Kate, and Jo Woon. The top six.
"Sabu. That was so close. I could've cleared Stage 5. Was it by five seconds?"
Lim Hae-jun had his right arm in a cast. He had cleared Stage 4, but a bad landing had broken his arm.
This guy gets injured somewhere new every time an event ends.
"Right now, scouting offers have been sent to seventy of you through NaN's system~"
Room 17: Jepheral
I had exactly one offer: Jepheral.
You'd think there would be more, but it felt as if a certain talkative fellow had gone around telling everyone he was going to pick me, scaring off the rest.
"Oh! Hyung! I got one from the Taebaek Sect!"
Lim Hae-jun's face lit up.
"Really?"
The Taebaek Sect was a martial arts school based in Mount Taebaek. While not a world-class Tier 0 organization like the Murim's Nine Great Sects and One Association or the Rocky Mountains' Brotherhood, it was a traditional, orthodox Korean sect that sat comfortably right below them. They were especially renowned for producing top-tier archers.
"Whoa, I'm so nervous. Hyung, I'm getting dizzy. The Taebaek Sect..."
Ordinary people who didn't know much about the exploration industry often conflated guilds, magic academies, and martial arts sects, but they were entirely different entities.
Guilds were corporations that contracted explorers to form teams for dungeon raids or managed their public image and likeness. Academies and sects, on the other hand, were the "roots" that defined an explorer's fundamental discipline.
Of course, major guilds often partnered with specific academies or sects to secure promising prospects early on, but they rarely interfered with the development of fully grown explorers.
Guilds merely brought in the work; an explorer's actual growth happened within their academy or sect.
The problem was that corporate guilds vastly outnumbered legitimate academies and sects.
Over seventy percent of explorers had no proper affiliation, occasionally auditing open lectures hosted by academies or sects.
Because of this, Labyrinth Exploration NaN made an effort to bridge the gap between explorers and these foundational institutions.
This was the In-Camera Scouting segment—a traditional courtesy of the Labyrinth Exploration series.
"Where did you get scouted from, Hyung?"
"Me?"
The other contestants nearby, pretending not to listen, perked up their ears.
Should I brag a little?
"Jepheral."
"...Come on, Hyung. Stop lying."
"What do you mean? It really is Jepheral."
"Ah, sure~ I mean, you're amazing, Hyung, but why would Jepheral... Ah! You're just jealous of me, aren't you~?"
Lim Hae-jun smirked, playfully raising his eyebrows.
"Well~ Hyung, I'm off to my interview with the Taebaek Sect~"
"Just go already."
"Hehe. If you're jealous, you can just say so~ I'm leaving~"
Lim Hae-jun sauntered off, glancing back at me with a smug grin. I, too, began to move, leaning on my cane.
Toward Room 17, where Jepheral awaited.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Jeong-uk, a high-ranker from the Jepheral Academy. You probably know my name, right? There were articles recently about my high-quality clear of a B-class labyrinth. Well, I didn't come here to brag about myself, so let's leave it at that..."
The man who introduced himself as Kim Jeong-uk talked a mile a minute.
"...The point is, the Jepheral Academy wants to scout you. As you know, Master Jepheral commands the wind. Wind. Doesn't that sound familiar?"
"Exactly. Broadly speaking, your Magic Bullet is of the wind attribute. Bullets fly like the wind, don't they? What do you think would happen if your Flame of Cognition and our wind created synergy?"
"That's right. We can pave a smooth path for you. So you can soar like the wind."
He didn't give me a single moment to speak.
Regardless, Jepheral was an excellent academy. Even as countless other schools crumbled and faded over the decades, they had consistently maintained their Tier 1 status for nearly seventy years.
"...I'll be honest. I saw a glimpse of a true Mage in you."
A "glimpse of a Mage" was a cliché phrase used to praise a spellcaster's talent. It was better than nothing, but since tens of thousands of people never progressed beyond that mere glimpse, there was no reason to get overly excited.
"Of course, you might think it's too late since you're in your mid-to-late twenties. But what if, after this show ends, you grow under Jepheral's support in our workshops and universities?"
Tsk. Kim Jeong-uk clicked his tongue.
"It's not impossible. That is, if it's true that you've only been a spellcaster for seven months. By the way, that's not a lie, is it?"
"...Yes. It's true."
Kim Jeong-uk's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion.
"Really? What were you doing before that?"
"Rehabilitation."
"What kind of rehab?"
"I was completely paralyzed."
"......"
Kim Jeong-uk fell silent. He ran a hand over his slicked-back hair for no particular reason.
"So you had an alibi? Ahem!"
He cleared his throat and asked again.
"So, what's your answer?"
I answered without hesitation.
"I'm sorry."
Kim Jeong-uk's expression stiffened.
Jepheral was a third-generation Mage. But even among Mages, there were tiers.
When a Mage easily ranked in the global top thirty was lurking right here on this show, there was no reason for me to look elsewhere.
"Is it because of Spellcaster Yu Yul?"
I remained silent. It was a quiet affirmation.
Kim Jeong-uk let out a hollow laugh.
"Oh, Spellcaster Seol Ha-woon. If you let personal attachments sway you, you won't even make high-ranker, let alone Mage. Right now, you probably think you can achieve something on your own—or with just the two of you."
"It's thanks to Mentor Yu Yul that I—"
"I know. I heard she taught you Mana Breathing first. But our academy's know-how and a Mage's teachings are on a completely different level from an ordinary spellcaster's. Even I only became a proper spellcaster after joining Jepheral."
Kim Jeong-uk crossed his arms.
"An opportunity like this doesn't come often. We don't usually take in rookies these days, but Master Jepheral's daughter happens to be a huge fan of this show, which is the only reason this is even happening."
"I appreciate the offer, but..."
I let my voice trail off.
Reading the rejection in my tone, Kim Jeong-uk gritted his teeth.
"Sigh."
He let out a deep sigh, then suddenly turned toward the cameras.
"...Cut."
Then, he suddenly pointed a finger at me.
"Hey. You're really not going to do it?"
The atmosphere shifted, feeling as though a barrage of harsh words was about to fly.
"Yes."
"Are you hoping for another academy? Like Lamierre or Belphesh?"
"No."
"Good. They don't have any interest in you anyway. They're going all-in on Seo Ji-woo and Yoon Hwa-rim."
Ah, I see.
Kim Jeong-uk swept his slicked-back hair once more.
"So the only reason you're turning down Jepheral is purely because Yu Yul is your mentor?"
"...Yes."
"Wow~ You're quite something. But look, I've actually spoken with Yu Yul before. She doesn't even—"
"I know. She probably doesn't even consider me an acquaintance, let alone a disciple."
Kim Jeong-uk's eyes widened, his jaw dropping. He looked utterly flabbergasted.
"...Fine. Honestly, I get it."
He patted the back of his neck.
"Then let's do this."
He glanced at the production crew in the room, then pulled out a business card.
"We'll make it look like I'm just handing you my card. Our academy has its pride to maintain, after all."
"...Excuse me?"
"Hey, crew. Make sure you edit this properly. You remember the conditions for the Jepheral Academy's appearance, right?"
The PDs and writers gave wry smiles.
"Alright. Let's go again."
Kim Jeong-uk adjusted his suit. In an instant, his expression turned dead serious.
The lighthearted demeanor from a moment ago vanished completely, replaced by the heavy, dramatic presence of a seasoned actor.
"...Spellcaster Seol Ha-woon. We at the Jepheral Academy highly value your talent."
Is this guy a professional actor or what?
"However, we feel it may still be somewhat premature to bring you into our academy."
He extended his card.
"Keep striving. We will be watching your efforts."
I accepted the card and looked at it closely. Since Kim Jeong-uk was playing his part so seriously, I had to play along.
"Alright, cut!"
He suddenly sprang to his feet.
"Now, you just need to act like you're agonizing over the decision. Make it look like you desperately, desperately want to contact our academy, but you're choosing to stay loyal to that mentor—Yu Yul, or whatever her name is. It's a good narrative for both of us."
I let out a dry chuckle.
But honestly, it wasn't a bad angle.
"Yes. Thank you for understanding."
"Great. Ah, our doors are always open. Contact us whenever you want. Just don't go back on your word. You're really not joining any other academy, right?"
"Jepheral is a top-tier academy. Having rejected them, where else would I go?"
Only then did Kim Jeong-uk's expression soften.
"Good. Then... I'll be keeping an eye on how this is edited. I wasn't joking when I said Master Jepheral watches this show, you know. His kids are huge fans."
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"Excuse me, Spellcaster Kim Jeong-uk. Just a moment."
A figure emerged from among the staff. It was PD Kim A-rang.
"I'll talk to him. If you could wait outside for a moment..."
"Sure. But it probably won't work."
Kim Jeong-uk waved his hand as if he knew exactly what Kim A-rang was trying to do, and walked out.
PD Kim A-rang turned off all the cameras and glared at me.
"...Ha-woon."
"Yes?"
"Are you really not going to do it? It's Jepheral."
"Yes."
"Because of Mentor Yu Yul? When it's Jepheral?"
"Yes."
You guys might not know, but I have a lot more to extract from Yu Yul, one way or another.
"I'll be honest with you. Mentor Yu Yul really doesn't care about you at all."
Of course she doesn't.
And the feeling was mutual. I had absolutely no desire to serve Yu Yul as my master. Just as she was deceiving everyone else, I was simply trying to deceive her.
"You're basically throwing away a winning lottery ticket for a scratch-off!"
I looked at Kim A-rang in silence.
"...Fine. Do whatever you want. I guess this is your narrative too."
PD Kim A-rang waved her hand dismissively, clearly annoyed.
"Filming is over, so you can go."
"Alright."
I stepped out of Room 17.
Thump, thump. I was about to make my way down, leaning on my cane, when I noticed Kim Jeong-uk still standing by the window. The breeze flowing through the open window ruffled his slicked-back hair.
"Spellcaster Ha-woon. Come over here and take a look."
He called out to me, gazing into the distant sky.
I stood beside him.
"Look over there. Right in the middle of the sky."
I looked where he pointed. "Something" was condensing there.
The invisible wind had formed a ring along the path of mana.
"Now."
Tsk. He clicked his tongue. The ring scattered in all directions, unleashing a sudden gale.
A high-level spell that bloomed in an instant to dominate the heavens and earth.
"Think about it. What if you combined your Magic Bullet with that wind?"
I imagined it for a moment. The Magic Bullets dispersing along the grain of the wind. Their speed would be incalculable, their trajectories completely erratic. It would become an unavoidable spell of mass destruction.
"It would only kill more people."
Kim Jeong-uk paused. He shifted his gaze to me.
"I heard you were a soldier. Do you still think like that often?"
"...It's the truth, isn't it?"
"Come on. You could use it to sweep away monsters, not people."
I looked at Kim Jeong-uk. His expression had softened into something warm and gentle.
"Seol Ha-woon. I get what you're thinking. But you know, if it weren't for bullets, guns, and weapons, this society—this world—wouldn't have survived."
Tsk. He clicked his tongue again. It seemed to be a habit of his, perhaps a form of self-suggestion as a spellcaster.
"It's a necessary balance of power. How could ordinary people stand against superhumans who wield mana? If those superhumans multiply by the thousands and tens of thousands, and the only way to stop them is each other, why would they ever obey the law? The entire world would just turn into a playground for mercenaries."
Kim Jeong-uk continued.
"If there's anything to blame, it's only our human nature. The desire to possess. To take from others, to protect what is ours, and ultimately, to place others beneath us... those beastly instincts."
His voice sounded like a sigh.
"Hey, young man."
Kim Jeong-uk turned to me and smiled, his eyes crinkling warmly.
"So, your fault is..."
He let his voice trail off before finishing.
"...minimal."
Minimal.
I felt something stir within me at that word.
"If I said you had none, you wouldn't believe me anyway, would you? And the people you killed with your own hands wouldn't accept that either."
Kim Jeong-uk leaned against the window frame.
Looking at him again, his sturdy build and large, scarred hands were far too suspicious for him to be a mere spellcaster.
"But we still have to move forward, one way or another. PTSD isn't just panic attacks, anxiety, or depression. Standing frozen in one place is also PTSD. It's the past holding us captive."
He might be right.
I had changed my profession, and I had grown as a spellcaster.
Yet, that was all it was.
The human being named Seol Ha-woon was still sitting in the exact same spot.
"But you know, if you overcome that, there's something called PTG. Post-Traumatic Growth. It's about discovering your true self through the struggle against the self within."
In that moment, I was certain.
"...Were you a soldier?"
Kim Jeong-uk burst into a hearty laugh. His large, expressive features made it look somewhat greasy, but it was equally boisterous.
"You only realized that now? You should have thought a bit deeper about why I was the one sent to win you over."
He pulled out another business card. This time, it wasn't the academy's, but his own personal card.
"Anytime. Our doors are always open. Keep up the good work."
He grabbed my hand, placed the card on my palm, and brushed past me. He didn't forget to wave his hand over his shoulder in a showy gesture as he walked away.
I looked down at Kim Jeong-uk's card.
"...707."
An involuntary smile crept onto my face.
The 707th and the UDT were rivals, both in the domestic media and within the military itself.
"Interesting."
The world of spellcasters was desolate and cold. It was common for a Tier 1 academy from ten years ago to suddenly go extinct, or for some obscure school to overnight become the talk of the mainstream.
In such a turbulent world, I felt I finally understood how the Jepheral Academy had maintained its Tier 1 status for three generations.
They had an eye for people. They knew how to move hearts and how to deploy the right person in the right place.
That alone was enough to sustain an organization for a very long time.
"Ha... Fuck. This is unbelievable."
Upon reaching the rooftop, Kim A-rang immediately lit a cigarette. Honestly, she was annoyed. Seol Ha-woon had just kicked away the ultimate narrative.
Starting from 96th place and joining the world-class Tier 1 Jepheral Academy?
That was headline news material.
Jepheral's headquarters was in New York. The center of the world, the capital of the United States—well, that was Washington, D.C., but whatever.
The point was, Tier 1 academies based in megacities like New York could be counted on one hand.
"...Sigh."
Nothing could be done about it.
You can manipulate the editing, but you can't manipulate the person. That was Yoon Sa-hyeok's philosophy, and Kim A-rang followed it religiously.
Without a script, you had to take responsibility for whatever scenario unfolded.
"Looks like it didn't go well."
A figure approached from behind. It was Yoon Sa-hyeok.
"...PD-nim. How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"That Seol Ha-woon would kick Jepheral to the curb."
"I didn't."
Yoon Sa-hyeok handed her a cup of instant mix coffee. Kim A-rang stubbed out her cigarette. Accepting the paper cup, she placed a fresh cigarette between her lips.
"Still, Seol Ha-woon is exactly the kind of person you'd like, Yoon PD-nim."
"Indeed. Who would've thought he'd prefer a scratch-off over a winning lottery ticket?"
Yoon Sa-hyeok chuckled. Kim A-rang's lips twitched.
"Are you unhappy with Seol Ha-woon?"
"...No."
Seol Ha-woon. He was showing her far more than she had ever anticipated.
"An ordinary person like me could never turn down Jepheral. That place used to be my dream, too."
Kim A-rang, who had once aspired to be a spellcaster, slumped against the railing. Draped over it like laundry, she smoked her cigarette.
"But because of that... I've become even more certain."
She let out a laugh that sounded like a sigh.
"Seol Ha-woon is all or nothing."
"All or nothing?"
"Yes. I just have a feeling."
Puff... She muttered, blowing out a cloud of smoke.
"He'll either die young, or become a Mage. It'll be one of the two."