Mana Equipment
"Yoon Han-gyeol! How about this condition? There aren't many places offering this much—actually, there are none at all. You don't have to accept outright; just consider it."
"No... I'm already with Seoul Hunter Academy. I told you not to keep pushing..."
"We'll cover the contract fee and even the penalty for breaking your current one. Just trust us once."
"I'm good. I don't think there's anything more to say, so I'll head out first."
Yoon Han-gyeol left the private room with those final words. So many scouts had shown up that he couldn't ignore their sincerity and had agreed to meet, but now it felt like he'd given them a chance only to snatch it away, leaving him even more unsettled.
Was she watching from somewhere? A chill ran down his spine at the text from Yoo Hye-ju.
Haa... Well, she wasn't wrong.
Of course, he wasn't so stubborn that he'd never consider switching teams... but none of the offers tempted him. The treatment, the special options—they were all standard stuff he'd mulled over at least once.
More than that, where will that guy end up...?
His thoughts drifted elsewhere instead. That guy was practically Korea's first "demotion specialist" in the Hunters League. It was time to admit it honestly. To acknowledge, coldly and clearly, how exceptional he was.
And naturally, that sparked a desire to run alongside him.
It stemmed from the most recent incident, above all.
To pull off such precise shots in a situation where even moving was tough...
In the recent Recapture the Stronghold elimination mission, something utterly unexpected had happened. He'd figured the dust alone would make those shots impossible. Without a skill, it was beyond human limits; with one, it marked top-tier talent with at least two skills.
Still, in a way, it was a relief.
Losing to a guy like that makes it easier to accept.
He could even rationalize his defeat in the survival game now. It wasn't that he was inadequate; the opponent was just superior. That eased the sting a bit.
By the end, he was even wondering what it might be like to be on the same team. Yoon Han-gyeol, always aiming higher—it was inevitable.
After that guy finishes auditions... 3rd Division. No, even higher. If I could run with him then...
It'd be fun.
Maybe because, deep down, he strongly believed that guy would etch his name into Hunters League legend. Who knew.
The maintenance bay at the Hunter Union Training Facility. That was where Lee Chang-hyun and Kim Do-jun headed after fielding offers on Scouting Day.
"Why the maintenance bay all of a sudden? Something broken?"
"Well..."
Lee Chang-hyun shot Kim Do-jun a look like he'd spotted something unbelievable. But then again, he might not know. Academy kid or not, he was still an amateur.
"You have to tune up for the finals if we're doing 7v7. Not thinking about mana equipment?"
"Mana equipment? Aren't Air Anchor and Air Beat enough?"
"Haa... What exactly do you watch in pro matches...?"
He knew about mana equipment from class, but the varieties were vast. Excluding rare custom jobs, there were tons. Mastering gear tailored to opponents and situations was practically a measure of skill.
"Anyway. If you don't know, just watch what I pick and copy it."
"Kya~ Lucky me, good friend's got my back. Mana gear tuning on the house."
The scouting rooms and the Hunter Union Training Facility's maintenance bay were all in the same complex, so it wasn't far. They soon arrived at a massive glass-domed building—the maintenance bay.
"Whoa..."
Kim Do-jun gawked like a kid at a new amusement ride. Well, I'd been the same on my first visit pre-regression. The geometric design was pretty striking.
"First time here?"
As they ogled the building, someone approached from the desk. Spotting newcomers, she was offering a guide.
"What's the purpose? Mana equipment maintenance? Weapon repair? Or... since it's your first time, maybe getting new mana gear?"
"Spot on. The latter. Oh, and add one total noob with zero mana gear knowledge."
Kim Do-jun glared at the "noob" jab, but... facts were facts.
"Then I'll explain the basics before you choose... Let's see. You know Air Anchor and Air Beat, right? Super versatile, everyone uses 'em... But there's way more mana gear out there."
The guide led them to a room lined with display cases of neatly arranged mana equipment.
"Mana gear falls into four main categories. Offensive, defensive, and mobility like Air Anchor."
"That's three?"
"The last is more of a catch-all for uncategorizable stuff—the 'specialty mana gear.' So varied and custom, hard to detail everything."
"Oh... So we're here for specialty gear?"
Kim Do-jun interrupted, eyeing me.
"...Obviously not. Didn't you hear? Custom means narrow use and tough to make. We go for the most common, versatile ones."
"Makes sense?"
The guide smiled faintly.
"Exactly. Specialty's for specific strategies or counters. Basics like Air Anchor? Anyone can use effectively."
She picked up a hexagonal blue gem-like device right in front.
"This is Mana Shield. Deploys a mana barrier around the user."
"Whoa... So with this, no attacks land? Wait, no... I don't see it much in matches."
"Right. Once broken, it takes time to recharge. For emergencies only."
"...Dude. You really know zilch about mana gear."
Kim Do-jun looked sheepish. He knew his gaps.
"No chances to try it yet."
"Ranged dealers use it most. Melee have their own defenses, but ranged/mid often don't. Buy a round to counterattack."
"Oh..."
"Understand the principles. Which fits which dealer or style. How to link them like gears in a machine."
After that, they wandered, testing gear hands-on. The bay had a practice area ready for it—no issues.
They grabbed a pile and experimented one by one.
"Like... this."
I hefted an explosive mana device—a Mana Bomber. Ranged dealers attached these bombs to projectiles to amp blasts.
Charge mana like filling a pouch, hurl it.
BOOM!!
A massive crater scarred the impact spot.
"..."
"Who'd this suit?"
"Hm... Looks attachable. Ranged sticking to arrows? Dude, on your guns? Total cheat mode. Missiles!"
"No way... My guns can't fire that. Too big for bullets."
"Ah... True."
Still, a new idea sparked.
I'm not shooting normal bullets—Ether that shapeshifts... Maybe...
Not precise yet, but worth testing later. Absurd, but game-changing if viable.
"Next, where's this useful?"
Mobility gear now. Instant forward blink—Air Dash. High mana drain limited uses.
"Ranged pulling distance quick?"
Kim Do-jun pondered, answered. But as he finished, I blinked in with Air Dash, Magic Engineering Weapon Conversion pistol to his temple.
"That's fine, but this is better."
In that split-second, a lethal strike. No room for Mana Shield.
"Close-range delete before they react."
"Whoa... Wild stuff. Can't we load up?"
"Mana limits and match caps say no. Usually add one or two fitting your role and skills."
"Gotcha... So what're you taking? We're kitting here, right?"
True enough. No better options elsewhere.
"Obvious. Air Dash I showed you. That's plenty."
"You handle Air Anchor and Air Beat like a pro. Need it that bad?"
Most would say my mobility was fine, but...
Air Dash's blink meshed perfectly with my style.
More importantly, Kim Do-jun mattered now. I'd used gear pre-regression, knew intuitively when/what. Easy picks.
"Eh, I've got my reasons. Yours is the headache."
"Me? Yeah... Thought about it, tough choice. Not ranged, so no Mana Shield or Bomber. Air Dash feels off too."
True, nothing matched so far. No need for assassin blinks or escapes.
"Then how about this."
I pulled another from the pile.