Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The 400m Dash
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"Alright, to the starting blocks."
The students, including me, took our positions at the starting blocks. Today's class was the 400m dash. Grades would be determined by individual times.
Next to me was Park In-hwan. He glanced my way. His gaze wasn't friendly at all.
What's his deal?
"Hey."
Park In-hwan, who'd been staring at me strangely for a while, finally spoke up.
Come to think of it, this is the first time he's ever talked to me.
"What?"
"Why haven't you changed your main specialty?"
"It's my choice."
"You've got no talent in Manifestation anyway. Pick something you're good at. It's frustrating as hell."
Park In-hwan bent at the waist from his starting block position. I watched him for a moment before replying.
"Mind your own business."
"I just can't understand guys like you. Why Manifestation when you've got talent elsewhere? You think Manifestation is a joke?"
True to his role as the early-story psycho antagonist, Park In-hwan picked fights for no reason. It was masterful.
I almost wanted to give him an award.
I was about to snap back when Jang An-cheol's shout rang out.
"Get ready!"
I shut my mouth and pressed my feet to the blocks, leaning forward.
Yeah, no need to waste emotions right now.
With grades on the line for every class, I had to focus.
I gathered mana and concentrated it in my lower body. I could feel the muscles there slowly hardening. I placed my fingertips on the ground. Then I waited for the starting signal.
Jang An-cheol raised the signal pistol toward the sky.
The tense moment.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the shot.
Bang!
"Hup!"
All the students kicked off with mana-infused feet and burst forward. I shot ahead just like them. My mana-reinforced leg muscles swelled.
For Enhancement, the key was distributing and maintaining mana evenly across body parts.
In a race like this, you had to concentrate mana in the thighs, calves, and toes without letting it leak to other areas or dissipate outward.
I kept pounding the ground and pushing forward.
I'd trained Enhancement as my sub-specialty for so long that I was confident in a simple sprint.
And after running for who-knows-how-long,
The finish line was right in front of me.
Beep!
"Kim Sun-woo! 24.03 seconds!"
Hah!
The breath I'd been holding burst out as I skidded to a halt. I released all the mana from my lower body and collapsed onto the ground.
Agonizing pain spread through my legs. As expected, my underdeveloped muscles couldn't keep up. I'd overdone the mana.
I clutched my thigh and grimaced.
"Ugh... It hurts like hell... Hah..."
I glanced around. No one else was there. Did I take first?
Beep!
"Park In-hwan! 25.75 seconds!"
Park In-hwan arrived shortly after. He too panted heavily as he slumped to the ground.
"...Hah... Hah."
Park In-hwan sat on the ground, glaring at me. His eyes burned with anger.
Park In-hwan ranked 5th overall in the 2nd years.
His main specialty was Manifestation, but he had some talent in Enhancement too.
He probably never imagined losing first place to me in a sub-specialty class.
Beep!
"Chung Se-chan! 30.23 seconds!"
Other students began crossing the finish line one by one.
As if on cue, everyone collapsed the moment they stopped and stared at me weirdly.
"Hah... Hah... How... is the school-wide loser that fast..."
"Hey... what are you? Why not go Enhancement?"
First Support, now Enhancement.
"You barely hit 24 seconds for 300m. What Enhancement?"
"...24 seconds? ...That's insanely fast."
The student catching his breath reacted with shock to my answer.
This was slowed down because my leg muscles aren't developed yet.
If they heard my pre-regression sprint times, they'd faint.
"Fast? 24 seconds would only get you mid-to-upper tier in Enhancement."
"...Dude... mid-upper tier a joke to you? ...Your Manifestation is dead last."
Couldn't argue with that.
After class, in the staff room.
Kim Yun-jin sat at her desk, lost in serious thought alone.
"Hmm..."
As she pondered, Kim Yun-jin summoned a hologram displaying school info into the air. Then she accessed the teacher student info system.
[2nd Year Class A]
[Kim Sun-woo]
"Hmmm..."
Kim Sun-woo's personal info showed nothing particularly special.
Last year's grades.
Practical: bottom tier.
Theory: bottom tier.
Among the four systems, Enhancement was barely mid-to-lower tier, and everything else was rock bottom.
"...There has to be something special."
No, he was special now.
Last year he was like that, but this year he's like a completely different person?
"It's definitely weird."
She rested her chin on her hand, thinking.
"But his Support talent is real."
There had to be a reason.
Why Kim Sun-woo, with such outstanding Support talent, had no choice but to pick Manifestation.
"...Rich family?"
Maybe he was born into extreme wealth.
So loaded that 50 million won in scholarships didn't matter.
Maybe he just wanted to coast through life comfortably.
As Kim Yun-jin scanned Kim Sun-woo's info, she spotted something odd.
"...Huh? No family?"
That ruled out rich family.
No family records at all suggested no inherited wealth either.
Then why wouldn't he be tempted by 50 million won?
But Kim Sun-woo wasn't.
To him, more important than 50 million won was...
The title of once-in-history Support genius.
Something even more important.
And that important thing was something he couldn't achieve with Support as main.
"...This is ominous."
Something unachievable with Support as main.
Something he had to do alone.
"...Something he can't rely on others for."
Kim Sun-woo.
What kind of story does that student have?
Late at night in the mana training room.
I finished about two hours of mana training and opened my eyes.
[Mana increased by 0.02.]
[Blessing of Great Nature adds 0.03 mana.]
[Blessing of Great Nature proficiency up 12%.]
"Hoo."
Same message every day, nothing special.
I dismissed it and stood up.
Ugh, tired. Wanna head back and rest.
As I stretched lightly and headed for the door, suddenly a pure white light poured from my body.
"What the?"
The light vanished in an instant.
Then a message appeared.
[Trait 'Blessing of Great Nature' level increased to 2.]
[Trait 'Blessing of Great Nature' usage effect unlocked.]
[Can now use 'Heart of Great Nature.']
Usage effect unlocked?
Lying in my dorm bed, I checked the trait window.
[Blessing of Great Nature (A)] [Level: 2 (0%)]
[Passive Effects]
> Blessing of Great Nature
During mana training, gain extra mana. Up to 160% extra based on surroundings.
> Rest of Great Nature
Mana recovery speed +60%.
[Active Effects]
> Heart of Great Nature
For 1 minute, mana recovery speed +1000%.
*Cooldown: 24 hours
The trait leveled up, unlocking the previously locked 'Heart of Great Nature' active.
Passive effects got a slight boost too.
The active matched the original work exactly.
A buff massively increasing mana recovery by 1000% for 1 minute.
With this, even in mana shortages, I could spam spells freely for a minute.
"Perfect timing. Nice."
I closed the trait window and thought about next steps.
"Hmm."
Tomorrow starts a two-day weekend, Sat-Sun. My first 48 hours of free time.
How to make the most of it.
Couldn't just rest and waste it. Had to achieve what school couldn't offer.
"What about tomorrow's Demon appearance."
I already knew the location.
Demon Jang Han's appearance was covered in the original story.
But jumping into the main story out of nowhere made me hesitate.
Worried my intervention might derail future events completely.
'He hid like that and Lee Seo-jun died...'
Even if not fully intervening, better to watch from nearby.
'Yeah, observing from afar won't change much.'
Can't act carelessly thinking Lee Seo-jun dies in 7 years and cause another incident.
Watch the situation, then snipe support attacks from distance to rack up contributions.
Gotta earn points anyway.
Speaking of, to go out this weekend, need money...
How much do I have now?
"Not much, probably."
Remembered checking my account back then and being disappointed.
Not expecting much, but let's confirm.
I opened my student handbook and checked my personal account.
Only one account when I first arrived here, so easy to find.
Wonder how much.
[Kim Sun-woo]
[Account Inquiry]
[30,200 won]
Total assets: 30,000 won.
Expected it, but this little?
Pretty disappointing.
"...What can you do with 30,000 won."
Public transport for the weekend would eat over half. A couple meals and it's gone.
School's free everything, no money worries inside, but weekends need cash for activities.
"Where to get money."
Lying in bed, I thought slowly.
'Buy money with points?'
...No.
Exchanging points for cash isn't efficient. And points are too valuable for my current money needs.
Money can be earned anytime with time.
So, earn it directly.
Basic ways mages make money: two main ones.
First: Dungeons.
Clear dungeons, kill monsters, get mana stones or rare items, sell for cash.
Great income, but downside: hard to find dungeon locations.
Not a problem for me. With future knowledge and novel content, I knew several hidden dungeon spots.
'...Still too early for that.'
Solo dungeoning? My low mana holds me back.
Dungeons I know have decent difficulty baseline.
With incomplete mana pool now, solo high-difficulty runs too risky.
Second method: Climbing the Tower.
Towers have fixed difficulties, so low-level ones feasible for me.
But big issue: need Pro Mage license to enter.
Pro Mage license only after adulthood. No matter skill, underage me barred.
"Ah, the scholarship..."
Remembered the 50 million won scholarship offered this morning.
That could've been starter capital to build on.
Tsk. Bitter taste.
"...Huh?"
A brilliant idea hit me.
Can't climb Tower without license? Just make a new one!
"Wow. How'd I miss this?"
I immediately activated 'Outsider's Benefit.'
[Entering Point Shop.]
[Activating search function.]
[Searching 'Identity.']