Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Magi Treatment
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Yang Deok-chun's condition was quite serious.
'High magi contamination level, and low utilization rate.'
My job wasn't just treating the fatigue and aftereffects hunters got from clearing dungeons. It was also about drawing out the maximum efficiency from their abilities.
The most important metrics were magi contamination level and utilization rate.
Magi contamination level showed how much magi a hunter had been exposed to in the dungeon.
Unlike mana, which hunters could wield with their own power, magi was an energy they couldn't control.
A high magi contamination level meant magi had taken root where mana should flow.
For a regular person, it was like oil clogging your veins.
Just as oil seeping into the blood gradually narrows the blood vessels over time, magi blocks the pathways mana travels through.
And like oil that's hard to wash away once it's stuck, magi didn't come out easily.
If oil fully blocks the veins, it's a disaster. Same with magi plugging up the mana-ways: it leads to mana overload.
At best, death. At worst...
'Overload and turn into a villain.'
Transforming into something like a demon attuned to magi.
Personally, I classified anyone over 30% contamination as a high-risk patient needing close monitoring.
One wrong move, and things could go south fast.
'The magi contamination is tanking his utilization rate, too.'
Utilization rate.
The number next to a skill showed how much of their ability the hunter could actually use right now.
Even with the same ability, the performance gap varied wildly based on utilization rate.
Higher rate meant stronger output.
Those who kept high utilization rates for long stretches often awakened to higher ranks.
At first, I thought all hunters could see their own utilization rates.
They couldn't.
-Utilization rate? What're you talking about? Your skill?
-Never seen it.
-What's that?
I asked around, but no one had a clue what it was.
A unique ability only I could see.
A metric only I could adjust.
That was why I handled hunter consultations.
(Note 1: Severe magi buildup from reckless dungeon clears)
(Note 2: Reduced ability efficiency due to magi buildup)
Proper treatment required.
Current Concern: Struggling to make ends meet due to failed clears
All the numbers screamed that Yang Deok-chun was in danger.
Even with that kind-hearted smile, he could overload any second.
"I'm Kim Jinwoo, an orphanage alum."
"Hahaha, nice to meet you. Yang Deok-chun."
He was a good guy.
The type who used polite speech without hesitation, even with someone way younger.
That's why he'd pushed himself to this state.
Always caring more for others than himself.
His willingness to help the orphanage had pulled me in.
He cherished my old stomping grounds more than I did.
"Uncle Deok-chun!"
The kids rushing to him like old pals sealed it.
"Sir, haven't you been having more sleepless nights lately?"
"Huh? Ahaha, that obvious?"
Yang Deok-chun laughed awkwardly.
He couldn't hide that he'd been caught.
"It's showing in your eyes. Haha, embarrassing."
He scratched the back of his head, then clenched his fist.
"Don't worry, though. I've got plenty of energy left to help the kids and the director."
He needed treatment now.
I handed him my business card.
"I run a hunter specialty clinic. Experts in magi addiction and condition management."
"......"
Yang Deok-chun's face stiffened as he took it.
He probably thought I was sales-pitching.
Couldn't deny it.
It was part of the pitch.
"Since we met like this, it's fate. First session's free for you, sir."
Doubt crept into his expression after taking the card.
"Don't let the looks fool you—Jinwoo's a famous hunter care specialist in Seoul. Give it a shot."
The director chimed in from where she'd been watching.
"...Really?"
Only then did he ease up a bit.
"But I'm fine. The association does regular checkups, and I just had one last month..."
Time to build trust.
He'd peg me as a scammer otherwise.
"You've had a few failed dungeon clears lately, right?"
"Y...eah."
"As tank, there've been times your ability straight-up didn't activate."
"...Yes."
"Even when it did, it shattered too easily. Abilities that used to hold against same-rank foes."
"Spot on."
"Severe magi contamination. It's keeping your abilities from manifesting properly."
"......"
Maybe nailing the diagnosis did it.
His face asked how bad it really was.
"Like I said, you need care right away."
"Magi contamination? They prescribed something last month's checkup. Said meds would handle it, no big deal."
Meds, huh.
"Mana efficiency boosters?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Not wrong, but not enough for you, sir."
Pills made from ground mana stones and venom from dungeon bugs.
Boosted mana efficiency and prevented more magi buildup in the mana-ways.
But Yang Deok-chun's state needed more than pills.
"Thing is, I'm busy with work right now..."
"No need to come to the clinic. The staff bed here works fine. Director, mind lending it?"
"Of course."
"Won't take long."
Yang Deok-chun hesitated, then nodded.
"Alright, I'll try it. If the director vouches for you."
I laid Yang Deok-chun on the staff break room bed and brought in my care kit from the car.
Pulled out an incense stick and set it by the bed.
Mana Incense
Mana stone powder molded into wax.
Just lighting it released soothing mana into the air, calming the hunter's body and mind.
Used to be essential for mental and magi contamination.
Now, with better methods, I skipped it most times.
'Not efficient.'
Often burned through a whole stick with no real purge.
Usually.
I lit the mana incense.
Whoosh.
Fresh scent filled the room as it burned.
"Treatment's simple. Breathe it in and sleep. That's it."
"And that'll fix everything?"
"Yep. By the time you wake, I'll spot any lingering issues and handle them."
"S-sur-surgery? Heard severe magi needs major ops..."
I shook my head.
"Not my method. Surgery works for removal, but I see it differently."
My hunter care was worlds apart from standard medical tech.
"No need to worry. I won't touch your body."
"...Got it."
Relief softened his anxious face bit by bit.
Mana incense effect.
Worked on hunters and civilians alike—calmed the mind with repeated exposure.
Mana stones melted into the air, thickening ambient mana.
Mana was nature's power dissolved into the atmosphere.
Incense just amped up the room's mana density.
For a hunter like Yang Deok-chun, it was like forest bathing in a phytoncide-packed woods.
As relief lifted his mood...
"Close your eyes. Breathe steady."
I snapped my fingers.
Snap!
Air shimmered faintly with mana. His closed eyes drooped further.
Chest rose and fell in deep sleep rhythm.
I placed a hand on his head.
Focused, scanning his mana-ways for clinging magi.
[Scanning client Yang Deok-chun's mana-way magi contamination level.]
Thick magi clung to his frail mana-ways.
Low-rank meant weak ways, so the magi stood out more.
Unpleasant just sensing it.
[Beginning magi purge.]
[Contamination Level: 32%]
[Ambient mana density sufficient.]
[Purge efficiency surging.]
Using the dense mana from the incense, I targeted and purged only the sticky magi.
[Contamination Level: 21%]
[Contamination Level: 13%]
[Contamination Level: 2%]
[Contamination Level: 0.4%]
[Contamination Level below 0% - Purged.]
Purged magi expelled from his body.
Purified mana crystals leaked out, tangled with residual dense mana, and coalesced.
A pale blue mana crystal rose to my palm.
Mana Crystal – C-Grade
Crystal formed from purged magi. High efficiency due to dense concentration.
I crushed the crystal in my hand.
Crack!
Its power seeped into me.
'High grade.'
Usually, purging a D-rank hunter yielded D-rank crystals.
But this D-rank Yang Deok-chun dropped a C-rank.
Meant untapped potential lingered in him.
He hadn't been realizing his true capabilities.
'Good news.'
Might even give him an extra gift.
With magi cleared, I used the remaining incense mana for the next step.
Body clean—now boost condition.
My go-to hunter care methods: two.
Purge magi contamination.
And raise skill utilization rates.
Like maxing gear condition in an RPG, bringing hunter skills to peak performance.
[Raise skill utilization rate?]
[Max achievable utilization: 75%]
[Raising Massive Shield (D) utilization rate.]
Massive Shield - Utilization Rate 104%
[Exceeded max 100%.]
[Recalculating grade based on potential.]
[High potential detected for Yang Deok-chun.]
[Adjustment bonus from attending physician: Clinic Director – Kim Jinwoo.]
Massive Shield (D) → Evolves to Sturdy Shield (C)
His skill leveled up as utilization spiked.
'Done.'
Contamination purged, potential unlocked.
Talent he never knew bloomed.
'Perfect success.'
I grinned at the system window.
My awakening gift.
Hunter Clinic
The reason I could provide ability and mental care to hunters.
All thanks to this.
I extinguished the incense and turned on the light.
Yang Deok-chun stirred awake.
"It's... done?"
"Check your condition."
"Feels great. Best I've felt in years."
Vitality lit his face as he spoke.
Just purging magi vanished his dark circles, added glow to dull skin.
Feeling it, he stared into space, stunned.
The look hunters get checking their status windows.
His eyes widened at nothing.
"Wha-what?!"
Staring at his status, eyes bugged out.
"Gr-grade up...?! H-how?!"
"Side effect of the purge. Your potential was masked by magi."
"R-really?!"
His eyes sparkled.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
His address for me shifted.
"You gave me a new lease on life!"
He gripped my hands tight with both of his.
"Come visit often, play with the kids. Repayment for helping our orphanage."
"Of course! I'll spread the word about your clinic! Tell my guildmates too! Thank you!"
Great start.
Sweet chocolate scent wafted through the consultation room.
Soft song echoed in the small, quiet office.
Newly set up hunter mental care walls displayed national certifications.
-Hunter Mental Clinic.
-Mental contamination to magi contamination, condition tuning—all solved.
Back home, I opened a hunter mental clinic right away.
No clue if it'd thrive in this small outskirts town targeting only hunters, but no other options.
This was my only skillset.
"Hope I get customers."
Anything but folding from no clients.
Hustled promo before opening—no way it'd flop.
Then.
Dawn Guild's S-Rank Hunter and Charge Captain Choi Su-ah has missed public appearances for a week straight. Today's scheduled fan meet with Hunter Choi Su-ah has been abruptly canceled. Dawn Guild claims no issues with the hunter, just internal circumstances making scheduling impossible...
TV news blared.
"S-rank hunter gone AWOL?"
Serious stuff.
Four years back, it'd be world-ending panic.
S-ranks were essential for dungeon clears then.
Now? Fan meet no-show drama.
"World's come a long way."
Thanks to that, I got canned—but still.
Not the worst.
Better noisy fuss than trembling fear.
Bang!
Door slammed open. A woman stormed in.
"This the mental clinic for hunters?"
Intense presence.
Black hair tied back, casual training wear. Sword hung at her waist.
Silver blade with embedded blue gem sparkling.
Anyone in the hunter biz knew that sword.
If you'd watched TV in Korea, you'd seen it.
Sword of Dawn.
They called her wielder:
Baek Eun's Charge Captain.
With Choi Su-ah's whereabouts unknown, rumors swirl she may have fled abroad...
She was the S-rank hunter the TV claimed had vanished.