Magic: Beautiful Yet Violent
Magic is beautiful. And at the same time, violent.
People say it's an imitation of the language of dragons, who imbue words with power. Others claim it's a gift from the gods for humanity. No one knows which is true, but myths of gods passing magic to humans are countless. And dragon language does share quite a few similarities with magic.
Either way, if it hangs from your nose, it's a nose ring; if from your ear, an earring. That's why magic is so diverse and ever-changing. Keep that in mind, and you'll develop a mind capable of applying it in any way—tricks, ways to shorten casting time, all sorts of little techniques.
"This is it."
Cheon Ji-hoo grabbed the core at the rift's deepest point and yanked it free. With a simple crack, it came out.
Hong Ji-hwa, following behind, stuck out her tongue in amazement.
"Cores don't come out that easily..."
Normally, you'd grunt and strain to pull one out. But he extracted it as casually as picking up something off the ground.
"Of course. Just yanking it with brute force won't work."
"Pardon?"
"Mana attracts mana, so if you sever the mana roots connecting the core to the rift—like pruning a branch—it comes out easily."
So how the hell do you do that? Hong Ji-hwa didn't respond. Instead, she snatched the core he tossed lightly out of the air.
Cheon Ji-hoo smiled at her.
"Let's head out. It'll collapse soon."
"It's fine. Even after extracting the core, it holds for about 30 minutes...?"
Hong Ji-hwa trailed off as a massive vibration shook the entire cave. Her eyes widened. She glared at Cheon Ji-hoo. This guy did something.
He answered her questioning look.
"Can't waste mana. I funneled all the mana sustaining the rift into the core before extracting it. Probably shatter in a minute."
"What?! How is that even—!"
"I'll go first."
Whoosh.
Cheon Ji-hoo vanished in a flash of light right before her eyes. Left alone, she ground her teeth, ignited flames at her feet, and dropped into a sprinting stance. An explosion erupted beneath her, rocketing her toward the exit like a missile.
"You crazy bastard!"
For an S-rank hunter like her, covering 600 meters in a minute wasn't impossible. Just required full throttle.
Flames erupted not just from her feet but her entire body. She barely burst out of the rift, tumbling across the dirt and righting herself in a cloud of dust.
Moments later, space warped inward around the rift's entrance, and it vanished.
Her eyes blazing, she whipped her head around, searching for Cheon Ji-hoo. He was nowhere in sight. Only the staff stared at her in terror.
With her skill Flame Rise active, her whole body glowed reddish, making her look like a true demon—a ferocious evil spirit.
"Where's Cheon Ji-hoo?!"
"He said the job was done and he was heading back first..."
"Argh! That fucking asshole! Is he insane?!"
If you're leaving, take me with you! Dropping that 'one minute' bomb and ditching solo—what the hell? Doesn't he know getting trapped inside a collapsing rift is a death sentence?
Of course, Cheon Ji-hoo didn't. He'd roughly estimated, but it wasn't his problem. She's S-rank; she'll make it out. Plus, he'd compressed the rift's mana into the core, upping it from D-rank to C-rank. Service with a smile.
Is she venting? He didn't look the type to pull a stunt like that.
Hong Ji-hwa plopped down on the ground and pulled out her phone to call the association president.
-You've reached the Bukhansan rift, I assume. Traffic bad?
The president sounded puzzled, not expecting the raid to be over already.
Hong Ji-hwa sighed deeply before replying weakly.
"No. Raid complete. Time: 7 minutes 23 seconds. Minus the first 1 minute 40 seconds for a leisurely walk from entrance to core."
-...If I didn't hear that wrong.
"Total madman. Fired some blue bullet-thing from the entrance, massacred every monster inside, then strolled casually."
-Hoo...
The president was speechless. He knew Cheon Ji-hoo was strong, but this was beyond common sense. The rift's paths branched everywhere—even an S-rank sprinting full laps to hunt everything would take at least 15 minutes. Yet he'd cleared it all from the entrance. Meaning enemy position didn't matter to him.
"Plus, he yanked the core effortlessly and crammed the rift's mana into it... Anyway, all that jargon suggests magic-based abilities."
-...Good work. Really.
"If you know that, raise my salary. I nearly died—left me alone in a collapsing rift!"
-Gotta go.
* * *
With Perception Block and Presence Conceal active, Cheon Ji-hoo overheard Hong Ji-hwa's call to the president. Then he cast Spatial Transfer to the Hunter Academy's main gate.
They probably thought he'd left, but the spells hid him even up close.
"Called me a madman..."
I'm normal. Don't crazy people label sane folks as crazy? He'd heard it so often in that other world, it barely stung anymore.
Self-justification complete, he stretched and sauntered deeper into the academy.
The guards couldn't stop him again.
Cheon Ji-yoon was at the wide-open central training ground. The academy favored outdoor classes like this.
Wonder what she's up to today. Last time was weapon handling—maybe basic fitness now.
He teleported to the central bench in a flash and watched the students train.
Today, dispatched guild hunters were instructing. Good for the academy—hunters shared know-how. Good for hunters—scout high-potential students early. Mutual benefit.
The hottest draws? Students awakened during yesterday's rift training. Hunters from various guilds subtly recruited, claiming their own.
Cheon Ji-yoon, who raided with them but didn't awaken, watched enviously from afar.
...Ji-yoon.
Cheon Ji-hoo sighed. She shouldn't envy those guys. She'd surpass S-rank—hit SSS.
Then he overheard students passing by.
"Her projected rank's A, right? Why didn't she awaken?"
"Yeah. She even got the variant treant."
"Maybe she's just unawakenable? A-rank my ass—total trash."
"For real."
Cheon Ji-hoo smacked his lips at their snickering. Was awakening that big a deal? Craving external power so badly?
Times change. Hunters were idols, humanity's rift guardians.
He stood and walked toward Cheon Ji-yoon.
"Ji-yoon."
"Oppa?"
She lowered her swinging sword and turned. Before she could wonder why homebody oppa was here, he spoke.
"Why the long face?"
"...Well."
Should she say it? Yesterday's rift class—everyone else awakened, not her. Sound whiny?
"Spit it out."
His gentle voice made her pout and spill.
"Class in a rift yesterday. Everyone awakened but me. Kinda bummed. But why're you here? Outsiders not allowed?"
"They let observers in. Who'd block seeing my sister?"
She took it as 'got permission.' Reality: barged in.
As they chatted, eyes turned their way. He'd dropped the concealment spells.
Students whispered at his handsome face.
"Hunter too? New face."
"Why's he with her?"
"Dude's insanely hot. How's that even human?"
"Human?"
"Monster then?"
Hunters noticed next. Dispatched from guilds: C to S-rank. Star? S-rank Baek Sung-jun, naturally.
Students stirred; he followed their gaze to Cheon Ji-hoo. That familiar white hair. Squinting, he recalled the guy from days ago—trauma etched in his brain. Never wanna see him again.
Stay quiet... Whatever was brewing, no thanks. Focus on his students.
But his plan crumbled.
"Who're you? No unauthorized entry. Which guild?"
A B-rank hunter stomped up, scowling.
Predictable fantasy cliché. Baek Sung-jun excused himself from students and headed over.
"First time seeing you. Which guild, I said?"
Cheon Ji-hoo turned, staring silently at the yapping hunter. Tension crackled—like something about to explode. Baek Sung-jun grabbed the B-rank's shoulder.
"That's enough."
"What?"
The B-rank shut up seeing Baek Sung-jun. S-rank. A hundred B-ranks couldn't touch him. But pride stung; he scowled on.
"Could be a suspicious intruder! Gotta nab him, right?"
"Where's he look like an intruder?"
"White hair, obviously not Korean."
How'd this clown get instructor duty? Foreign hunters in Korea? Rare. No point arguing. Baek Sung-jun shoved him aside and called out.
"Cheon Ji-hoo-ssi. Long time... no see."
At the name, the B-rank paled. S-rank using honorifics? Acquaintance...
But the reply twitched his brow.
"Who?"
"Baek Sung-jun. The, uh, guy with the American friend."
"Ah, you. Fancy meeting here."
"Tell me about it."
Baek Sung-jun sounded casual, but inside? Freaking out. Why's this walking nuke here? He'd stopped the B-rank from pissing him off, but now what?
Then the girl beside him solved it.
"O-oppa, you know him?"
"Seen his face once."
"How do you know an S-rank hunter?!"
"Beats me."
Sister at this academy. Perfect icebreaker. Baek Sung-jun swooped in.
"Haha, hi. Baek Sung-jun."
"Whoa... Sign my back?"
"Of course. For Cheon Ji-hoo-ssi’s sister, anything. Handshake too?"
Honed social skills shone. He signed her gym uniform with a pen from his pocket. Then shook hands.
Cheon Ji-hoo looked annoyed mid-shake, but softened seeing Ji-yoon's glee. Then dropped it casually.
"Ji-yoon, wanna get stronger?"
"Uh, yeah? Duh!"
"Sparring with the strong is great for growth."
He eyed Baek Sung-jun. Ominous chill up his spine—like facing an S-rank core monster. Worse, probably.
"Spar with my sister. Once."
Irrefusable demand, not request.
"Y-yes... Got it."
Better than fighting Cheon Ji-hoo. She's no hunter—go easy.
But next words made him wince.
"I'll join too. S-rank, so two's fine, right?"