Chapter 332
Chapter 332
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 333
Chapter Title: Mana Field Breakthrough
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The reinforcement training ground was equipped with all sorts of physical conditioning facilities.
Around seventy third-year students had gathered for the advanced reinforcement class, measuring records for the "Mana Field Breakthrough" training.
A mana field was a mass of thick mana clumped together like a curtain, and the test awarded high scores to those who passed through it quickly.
To explain it simply, it was like a test to escape rapidly from the deep sea.
While watching the other students' tests and waiting for my turn, I heard groaning from somewhere.
Turning my head, I saw Yun Hayoung shuffling toward me like a zombie.
Then, with a flop, she collapsed next to me like a wet towel dropped on the ground.
"Ugh... I feel like I'm gonna get motion sick. So tiring..."
"Drama queen."
I looked at Yun Hayoung's record on the electronic scoreboard overhead.
"Nice record. Isn't that your personal best?"
Mana Field Breakthrough: 15.67 seconds.
That was top-tier school-wide.
She'd probably rank within the top six fingers.
Considering she was around 80th overall just at the start of last year, it was tremendous progress.
Not quite on the level of Lee Seojun or Yoo Ara's talent,
but she definitely had monstrous talent of her own.
"Yeah, it is my personal best."
Yun Hayoung followed my gaze to the scoreboard and replied.
Her mouth corners subtly lifted—she seemed pleased.
Right then.
"Woooaaah!"
A huge cheer erupted from somewhere.
Turning my head, I saw all the students gaping in awe around Lee Seojun, who had just passed through the mana field.
"Whoa, what was that? He went through in a flash."
"How many seconds?"
"Lee Seojun, 6.32 seconds!"
The instructor's shout rang out loudly.
Lee Seojun stared at the scoreboard with an expressionless face.
Even with that overwhelming score, he didn't look satisfied.
In contrast, Yun Hayoung blankly muttered, "6 seconds...?" her earlier excitement gone.
"...Overwhelming. To shave off two whole seconds between semesters."
The instructor looked shocked too.
Lee Seojun nodded and walked toward us.
"...A shame. If I hadn't messed up my mana control mid-way, I could've cut another second."
He plopped down next to me and asked.
"When's your turn?"
"Dunno. Shouldn't be long now."
"Yeah?"
Lee Seojun nodded.
"Oh, right. You hear about the midterm?"
"Ah~ The Abyss Exploration thing?"
Yun Hayoung answered Lee Seojun's question.
"Yeah. Abyss Exploration."
The main event of this first-semester midterm: "Abyss Exploration."
Since it was a test I knew nothing about, the name alone gave it a profound vibe.
"I wonder what kind of test it'll be. Can't get a read from the name."
Yun Hayoung muttered blankly.
"I heard it's some kind of test made for overcoming trauma."
"Overcoming trauma?"
Yun Hayoung asked.
"I don't know the details either. Rumor has it it's related to the unconscious."
Overcoming trauma through the unconscious...
Something like Nightmare Mist?
"It's a weird test. But Seojun, how'd you know about it?"
At Yun Hayoung's question, Lee Seojun shrugged.
"It's not now, but Abyss Exploration used to be a pretty traditional test held every year."
"Really? First I've heard."
"Yeah, it got discontinued 30 years ago."
Yun Hayoung blinked at Lee Seojun's words.
"30 years ago?"
"Yeah. Apparently, there was some accident during the test. One student died, and it got axed after that."
I fell into thought listening to their conversation.
30 years ago...
It felt like a familiar number.
Then, something suddenly flashed in my mind. I narrowed my eyes.
"Wait, 30 years ago?"
Yun Hayoung turned to me at my mutter.
"Why?"
"30 years ago—that's Jin Cheonwoo's generation."
If my memory was right, it was when Jin Cheonwoo was a freshman.
"...Jin Cheonwoo?"
Yun Hayoung looked startled at the name.
Lee Seojun, who already knew, just nodded without much reaction.
"Yeah. The accident happened the year Jin Cheonwoo took the test, and it got discontinued."
"Hmm..."
Not just any time, but during Jin Cheonwoo's era—it felt off.
Maybe there was some secret I didn't know hidden there.
While I was lost in serious thought alone.
"Third-Year Class A, Kim Sunwoo."
The instructor called my name.
All the students' eyes turned to me at once. It was my turn for the Mana Field Breakthrough measurement.
Yun Hayoung smiled faintly at me.
"Go for it."
"Yeah."
I stood before the mana field.
A long tunnel wrapped in blue light stretched before me. Inside, mana clumped like jelly was visible.
"The method is simple. Enter the tunnel and pass through as fast as possible. The countdown starts the moment you enter, so go whenever you're ready."
I nodded at the instructor's words.
"Hoo."
I exhaled softly and slowly loosened up.
Then, I gradually drew up my latent mana, coating it over my skin.
It was prep work to resist the mana field's elasticity.
Ready.
Here goes.
Flash—
I kicked off the ground and charged into the mana field.
Immediately, immense elasticity hit me as the mana's energy pushed my body outward.
It felt like I'd be flung out any second, but I gritted my teeth, tore through the mana pushing me, and kept running.
"Huat!"
I burst out of the tunnel in no time. I'd expected at least some gasps of admiration, but it was dead silent, like a morgue.
Wondering what was up, I started to look around when the instructor's shout came.
"Kim Sunwoo, 5.34 seconds!"
"...Insane."
Cheers were replaced by awed curses all at once.
After all classes ended, in the post-class manifestation magic training ground.
Having finished all personal training, I checked today's results.
[Wind attribute control becomes more proficient.]
[Wind attribute proficiency increases.]
[Wind Attribute Control Technique] [Rank 0 (94%)]
"...Whoa. It's really close now."
After a solid month of just wind attribute training, proficiency had reached 94%.
Just 6% left.
Without the [Heart of the Storm] from Han Seyeon, it would've been impossible.
Might need to get her a thank-you gift soon.
"Anyway, what's next?"
Wind attribute mastery was near, so time to plan the next one.
Remaining attributes were just flame and ice, plus minor ones like earth and water.
First that came to mind was ice, obviously.
Reason was simple.
Superior utility and stability from solidifying mana.
Sure, it differed from existing spells, so it'd take way more time and effort to build proficiency...
But I had an outsider's advantage.
If I used the shop effects right, there might be a way to ramp up ice proficiency fast.
Well, plenty of time, so I'd think about the next attribute slowly.
"Yaaawn."
I stretched big and headed back to the dorm.
"Nyaang!"
The moment I entered, Gretel's welcoming cry rang out loud.
There she was, even bigger after just a few days.
At least 4cm taller than when we first met.
I picked up the now-heavier Gretel and pretended to stroke her branchy head while peeking between the leaves for any new fruit.
"...Nyaang?"
Then, sensing my killer intent(?), Gretel shoved me away with a flap! and escaped my arms.
She even did a flashy backflip to put distance between us.
"...Tch. This got annoying."
Gretel read my emotions via our bond and fled fast.
No choice but to wave the white flag.
"Gretel, it's not like that. I was just checking if any fruit had ripened."
"Nyaang."
But having already read my emotions, Gretel didn't drop her suspicion toward me.
"Seriously, I swear?"
"Nyaang."
Still on guard.
No point talking—she wouldn't listen anyway—so I gave up.
"Is Gretel hitting puberty or something...?"
Come to think of it, her affection toward me had dropped lately.
She used to be all cuddly every time.
Was it because I'd gotten too comfortable with her, or some other reason? I didn't know.
"Bittersweet..."
Leaving the wary Gretel be, I flopped onto the sofa.
As I was about to close my eyes from fatigue, my smart student handbook chimed with a message.
I checked it right away.
[Aporia shift date set. This Saturday.]
"Hoo..."
Finally, the key main story was right around the corner.
Waves crashed on the coast.
A man disembarked from a boat onto land.
Looking up, he saw massive walls and a fortress protected by countless magic tools.
"...Always so grim here."
The man muttered, stroking his scruffy beard.
He slowly approached the wall gate.
As he entered, a gatekeeper appeared. Not just any gatekeeper.
The faint mana emanating from him marked him as a monster near S-Rank.
The gatekeeper looked startled upon seeing the approaching man.
"...Choi Ilhyeon?"
At the question, the man—no, Choi Ilhyeon—pulled a paper from his pocket.
The gatekeeper took it.
"Permission from the Chairman."
"...Verified. You may enter."
Creak.
The gate opened, and Choi Ilhyeon entered, looking around inside.
"As expected of Aporia... No sign of life anywhere."
Muttering blankly, Choi Ilhyeon walked on with steady steps.
How far did he go?
He entered a massive stone building at the center of the walls.
First thing inside was a maze-like space.
Choi Ilhyeon kept moving.
-...P-Please, kill me.
-...Heh heh. Gah...
Dying voices echoed from somewhere.
Voices of criminals imprisoned in Aporia.
-...Y-You... Choi Ilhyeon.
At the voice calling him, Choi Ilhyeon paused.
Turning, he saw someone with eyes covered by an eyepatch, body wrapped in chains.
Starved of proper meals, his frame was skeletal, head bald from hair loss.
-...I-I remember... your breathing... Ever since you beat me...
"...Blood Ghost."
S-Rank wizard, Blood Ghost.
Infamous murderer who massacred countless 35 years ago.
"Tch. Rotten luck."
Choi Ilhyeon resumed walking.
After a long trek, he descended stairs to the basement.
How deep did he go?
At the center, something like an altar surrounded by countless spells came into view.
In the middle, gray smoke-like stuff floated.
Choi Ilhyeon stood before it.
Gazing at it with mixed eyes, he spoke heavily.
"Long time no see."
At Choi Ilhyeon's mutter, the gray smoke twitched faintly like a living thing.
It was the sealed soul of Jin Cheonwoo.
"No matter how many times I see it, it's just pathetic. All you got for killing Yoon Kyung was this..."
The soul didn't react to Choi Ilhyeon's words this time.
Staring silently at the soul, Choi Ilhyeon sat on the floor.
"Jin Cheonwoo. I've been researching nonstop to destroy your soul. As long as it doesn't vanish, you'll try to revive someday."
A flat, pressed voice. But deep rage simmered within.
"Fortunately, progress has been good. Traveled tons of ruins, got some key clues. Well, with your loyal minions supposedly storming Aporia to rescue you, who knows what'll happen... But this I promise."
Choi Ilhyeon glared at the soul.
"For Yoon Kyung's revenge, I'll destroy your soul no matter what it takes."
With that, Choi Ilhyeon stood.
He turned to climb the stairs again.
Then, something flashed in his mind.
"Oh, right. One thing I wanted to ask."
Choi Ilhyeon turned back to the soul.
"Who the hell is that Kim Changhyeon guy? He's been causing a stir lately."
At that exact moment.
Jin Cheonwoo's soul began trembling violently. The smoky soul scattered, turning pure white.
Choi Ilhyeon watched the soul with brief shock.
That reaction meant the guy was deeply shaken.
And from his form, the emotions were clear: anxiety and fear.