Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Yoo I-seol (3)
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A skyscraper that seemed to pierce the heavens.
It was the Hero Management Association building.
The reason Yoo I-seol and I had come here was to have our relic appraised.
After waiting outside for a bit, Yoo I-seol emerged.
"What grade is it?"
"5th grade."
For now, at least.
It was a relic with high versatility and growth potential.
Once she learned how to infuse mana with attributes, the chains' power would rise dramatically.
"Anyway, how's the prep going?"
"For the ranking matches?"
"Yeah."
Orbis Academy had rankings.
Students were divided by rank, and higher ranks came with various perks and increased stipends.
Tuition at Orbis was completely free, but students from tough family situations received separate support funds.
It was all to ensure future heroes didn't struggle.
Upon graduation from Orbis, a student's comprehensive ranking determined their hero grade, guild recruitment opportunities, and even relic support, so everyone gave their all in the ranking matches.
The ranking matches happened once per semester, evaluating one-on-one combat ability and heavily influencing the overall rankings.
"I'm not confident in PvP."
"Bullshit."
Yoo I-seol lightly punched my arm.
⋯
Flop!
Yoo I-seol returned to her dorm and threw herself onto the bed.
She buried her face in the pillow.
"Is this what 'friends' are like?"
Yoo I-seol had never had friends growing up.
That was because she'd beaten down anyone who dared act like they were on her level without knowing their place.
And whenever she approached someone who seemed decent enough...
[Hey, what are you doing?]
[S-s-sorry...!]
[...]
Everyone avoided her after her image got wrecked.
But that didn't matter.
The weak didn't suit her anyway.
With top-of-the-class grades and as the heir to the Yoo Family, Korea's prestigious hero lineage, she didn't need friends.
Then, during the Orbis entrance exam.
[You look pretty strong.]
[Do you know her?]
[...]
She'd tried talking to the dual swordsman guy whose skills seemed on par with hers, but the mage next to him killed the conversation.
As she wandered nearby...
[Boom!]
[Hey, who are you?]
"That guy's something else."
Top grades, solid abilities.
He'd become a famous hero someday.
"Hm."
Yoo I-seol rolled over and stared at the ceiling.
The weekend was ending; tomorrow was Monday again.
First period was Mana and Life—a class she really didn't want to attend.
Orbis let second-years and up pick their classes freely, but first-years had mandatory subjects.
'The teacher's just off-putting somehow.'
Sa Mu-young, the instructor for Mana and Life.
Something about her just rubbed her the wrong way.
Even though her looks weren't the issue.
'...'
Yoo I-seol felt a bit like trash.
A Red Gate survivor, war hero, and even after retiring, she taught at Orbis—and here she was thinking that.
****
The weekend passed, and Monday arrived.
First period: Mana and Life.
Before class started, someone sat next to me.
"What?"
It was Yoo I-seol.
As she brushed her hair back, something sparkled on her pale ear.
A golden earring inset with a blue gem.
Not too big, not too small—just right.
'An earring made from the 9th-grade relic Parchin's Blue Jewel. Even at 9th grade, being relic-made, it subtly boosts the user's mana.'
Yoo I-seol felt my gaze as she swept her hair aside.
A quick glance showed it was fixed on her face.
"...!"
She ducked her head.
⋯
Creak.
The door opened, and class began.
Sa Mu-young, the Mana and Life instructor, pressed a button, and photos of four birds appeared.
"These birds have given up on flight."
The images showed a penguin, ostrich, dodo, and kiwi.
"Birds are synonymous with sky-dwelling animals, but history shows many abandoned flight for the ground.
Yet people don't question it.
They understand: on predator-free islands or without competition, wings can atrophy.
Mana's power grows daily.
When the concept first emerged in humans, even 'mages' didn't exist.
But over time, especially post-Red Gate incident, mana evolved most dramatically.
Then there's 'mana addiction syndrome'—when the body rejects mana, and it kills you instead.
Its hallmark is severe bodily distortion.
A similar example exists.
Though more extreme, 'demons' often look distorted too.
It's the body rejecting the mana 'demons' grant as payment.
Like mana addiction.
Mana addiction is common in areas with few gates.
I once mentioned mana might be natural human evolution.
These flightless birds reject extremely evolved wings for flight.
Perhaps much like humans now.
Excluding birds, one animal flies the skies."
Sa Mu-young pressed the button again, showing a bat.
"Bats.
Bats appeared on Earth 52 million years ago, diversifying into 1,400 species today—20% of all mammals.
Here's the fun part: unlike flightless birds like ostriches, no bat has ever abandoned flight.
No bat has lost flight ability.
Personally, I think magical beasts are like bats.
Research shows beasts have always had mana—no moment without it.
And another intriguing point.
Did 'mana' truly appear only after gates?
History brims with heroes.
Like Lü Bu of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, famed for martial prowess.
Or Xiang Yu, China's ultimate general.
And Goryeo's Cheok Jun-gyeong.
Mana's emergence raises one question.
'What if mana existed all along?'
Before gates, were humans like dodos, ostriches, kiwis—flightless birds?
Gates arrived, atrophied wings evolved anew.
That resolves a key 'mana evolution' debate.
'If mana is evolution, why so fast?'
Maybe humans always had mana.
When predators and rivals appeared, wings gained strength again?"
⋯
Sa Mu-young finished class and returned to her lab.
Plop.
Sitting in her chair, old memories surfaced.
Zing!
Painful recollections from when heroes were called hunters.
And one of the worst disasters: the Red Gate.
Back then, things weren't systematic.
Anyone could become a hunter easily.
Then one day, red-glowing gates appeared worldwide.
From minor calamities to unstoppable ones.
[Roar!]
Sa Mu-young lost her comrades, lover, and family there.
A sudden doubt arose.
Why do heroes exist?
No human lacks mana.
Yet civilians and heroes remain distinct.
Why?
Too weak. Too cowardly. Families to protect.
Even talented people avoid becoming heroes.
Ridiculous.
After world-ending calamities, why still...
"Why still!!!"
What we truly need aren't heroes.
No matter how powerful, a hero is one person.
We all must become heroes.
Sa Mu-young pulled out a relic.
[1st Grade Relic: Ark of Mud]
"..."
Acquired during the Red Gate crisis.
Normally, 1st-grade and above were managed by the World Relic Association; individuals could only hold up to 2nd-grade.
9th to 7th-grades were mostly trivial.
6th to 5th could replace everyday tools.
From 4th, they held real value, wielding 'laws.'
2nd introduced new concepts or defied existing ones.
1st could shift national power balances—immensely powerful.
And finally, special-grade.
World-altering relics.
"Ughhh..."
Something on Sa Mu-young's desk made a noise.
A small doll made of mud.
"Hm."
Crunch!
She smashed it lightly with her fist; it shattered completely.
Unknown red liquid oozed out.
Sa Mu-young wiped it with a tissue.
"Gotta use it more often."
Higher-grade relics were trickier to handle.
She grabbed her next class materials and left the lab.
Down the hall, chattering students passed by.