The True Treatment Begins
Gale Potter placed his hand on the orb and channeled his mana.
The orb rose gently into the air, radiating a brilliant spectrum of colors.
“Let’s begin,” Potter said.
“Olympus Magic Tower, Chief Mage Gale Potter. Commencing research on awakening and MDS treatment using the Wave Resonance Method.”
Day 1
“The patient’s condition has progressed acutely, causing rapid muscle degeneration. We will proceed with the procedure immediately.”
“Log 1. The professor, taking into account the patient’s rampant mana, chose to use a depleted magic stone rather than a normal one. My role is to guide the rampaging mana using the depleted stone.”
“I’m already looking forward to this.”
Day 3
“There has been improvement. Surprisingly, the rampaging mana has calmed. However, its aggression remains. We will proceed with surgery today.”
“Log 2. The professor obtained a top-grade depleted magic stone normally used in power plants and implanted it into the patient’s body. Doctors and nurses visited the lab. My role is to control the patient’s mana during the surgery.”
“What an innovative experiment. I really made the right choice coming to Korea.”
Day 5
“The patient’s condition has improved dramatically. He can now sit up by himself and watch videos. The occasional savage close-quarters combat scenes with swords and spears are a bit jarring, but since the professor instructed it, I will remain silent.”
“I wonder what the intention behind that is?”
Day 8
“Aggression has been suppressed. The patient’s mana no longer attacks him. The visiting doctors made a fuss, calling the patient’s stabilized condition revolutionary. How amusing. It’s only natural.”
“Still, I am concerned. Halting the progression of the rare disease known as MDS is certainly impressive, but can this truly be called a cure?”
·
·
“It cannot.”
“!!”
At the words Lee Shin casually spat while sitting on the edge of the bed and eating ice cream, Potter—who had asked the question—widened his eyes in surprise.
“Isn’t it obvious? Just because you stabilized the rampaging mana doesn’t mean this kid will stay quiet. It’s still unstable. The moment I’m not around, it’ll go completely haywire, right?”
“That’s true.”
“The aggression has improved a lot, but it’s only a matter of degree. He still throws tantrums like it’s three meals a day. That’s also something I’m managing.”
“……That’s true.”
“The second I wash my hands of this and walk away, everything will flare up again. Relying on one person’s ability can’t be considered a real cure.”
Even so, Lee Shin was extremely satisfied.
After all, he had achieved the result he wanted.
This was exactly why he needed a skilled mage. He needed someone who could directly execute the methods stored in his head.
But it seemed the mage was quite disappointed.
“That’s true…… you’re right.”
In truth, he had already felt it while conducting the research. That this wasn’t a fundamental solution. Potter hadn’t earned the position of Chief Mage at the Olympus Magic Tower through poker, nor was he a fool who couldn’t see that much.
Still, he had wondered if perhaps this professor—Lee Shin, who had touched upon the truths of magic—might have noticed something he himself had missed…….
“Then, does that mean all the procedures and surgeries we’ve performed so far were meaningless?”
“Why would they be meaningless? We alleviated the disease’s progression.”
The seizures that used to happen several times a day had noticeably decreased. The pain that once left him screaming until he lost his voice, writhing and choking on the bed, had dropped to a bearable level.
Just a few days ago—though with his mother’s help—he had even walked to the bathroom on his own two feet.
“If this isn’t a miracle, what is? Right~ Yeonu?”
Yap yap!
Lee Shin playfully poked Baek Yeon-woo’s cheeks with his finger.
In just a few days, Baek Yeon-woo had changed dramatically. His previously ruined face now showed a hint of vitality. The zombie-like impression had gained a sharp jawline, and his previously gloomy mouth and nose had relaxed.
Most of all, his eyes had changed.
Eyes once filled only with pain, despair, guilt, and the desire to die now glared fiercely.
If Lee Shin and Park Su-bin had dog-like faces, Baek Yeon-woo belonged to a completely different category. A cat? A fox?
One thing was certain: whatever species it was, it was definitely not docile.
Baek Yeon-woo frowned slightly at the poking finger, then returned his focus to the video on the tablet.
“I get what you were hoping for, but this can’t be a fundamental cure. There’s only one known treatment for this disease, right?”
“Awakening.”
That was correct.
Historically, there had only ever been one treatment for MDS.
Awakening.
Only awakening could resolve this cursed disease.
That was why Potter had hoped that if a cure for this illness appeared, it would itself be a step toward ‘awakening.’
Thud.
Overcome by a sudden sense of powerlessness, Potter sat down.
The bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment. His mind cooled rapidly. Suddenly he wondered what on earth he was doing in Korea, or whether the answer he sought had ever been here in the first place.
He felt confused.
That is, until Lee Shin opened his mouth just a moment later.
“Alright. Since the symptoms have quieted down, shall we start the real thing now?”
“……!”
The moment the clapping sound rang out—
Clatter. The door opened and a mountain of equipment was brought in.
Chains, restraints, bizarrely shaped skewers… wait, weren’t those torture devices?
“…….”
“…….”
Even Potter, the chief eccentric of Olympus, widened his eyes. Even Baek Yeon-woo, who had been sitting there with a cynical expression, looked shaken.
In the midst of it all, Chae Dong-ha, who had entered first, set up the whiteboard that had been in the corner and moved it to the center. Then he shook out the clothes draped over his arm and carefully placed them over Lee Shin’s shoulders as the latter rose from the bed.
And then.
“Now then, everyone. What do you think awakening is?”
Lee Shin, now wearing a doctor’s coat and the round taped glasses on the bridge of his nose, smiled.
“Welcome to Professor Lee’s Awakening Class.”
The real treatment was only just beginning.
* * *
After the promotion commemorative vacation ended, the once-quiet Mir Guild began to bustle with activity again.
As always, it started with the PR team’s phones ringing off the hook.
“Just a moment, reporter. This article is different from what we agreed on. We……”
“No, reporter, do we really need to include how many pieces of the Golden Lee Shin there are……”
They hadn’t even announced their return from vacation, yet the reporters had somehow sniffed it out and flooded them with calls.
Of course, having set such legendary records during promotion, it was understandable that questions had piled up like a mountain. But what the reporters wanted was only sensational news.
“A trade? We literally just got back from vacation today. We haven’t even turned the lights on yet……”
“Min-cheol, hand that to me.”
“I’ll pass it to the team leader.”
“Yes, I’ve taken over the call. Reporter, how many times do I have to say it? We haven’t started any trades yet.”
Suspicion always followed a promoted guild.
Could they really keep this roster intact and compete in the league? Could they truly contend in the league with these members as their sister team?
A promoted guild inevitably drew the league’s attention whether they liked it or not. That was why they had to be extremely cautious with trades.
One wrong move and they’d be mocked relentlessly. One right move and they’d be forced to carry the weight of sky-high expectations.
And after that came the derby talk.
“I don’t understand why you’re asking us about the Haemoo Guild. A Busan derby? Ha……”
“It’s the Mountain King Derby, reporter! The Giraffe is still competing in the Asia League. How many times do I have to tell you we don’t comment on guilds currently in active league play……”
In particular, what was currently receiving the most attention from reporters and fans alike was the Busan derby.
The Haemoo Guild, which had once been Busan’s only first-division guild, could no longer claim the title of Busan’s representative guild. And that was all because of Mir Guild’s rapid rise.
In fact, news that the Haemoo Guild was sharpening its blades against Mir Guild kept leaking out through various channels…….
“Serves them right. They neglected fan service and caused all those scandals.”
“What rank did they finish this time? Fifteenth? They barely avoided relegation again and they’re acting all high and mighty.”
As such, Mir’s response was simply, ‘So what?’
The people here were now veterans. They had gone through promotion three times. There was no way they would be flustered by such petty provocations.
The PR team leader was sneering and laughing when—
“Team leader!! There’s a meeting for all team leaders and above!”
“Got it, I’m coming!”
The PR team leader got on the elevator, and at every floor, more team leaders piled in. From every opening door came the sound of shouting, no different from the PR team’s usual chaos.
“Everyone seems busy, huh?”
“Ah, PR team leader…… hehe. I feel like I shouldn’t have gone on vacation. There are a hundred A4 pages of analysis per hunter. And that’s just the simple stuff. Guess that’s why they call it the major league…… Is the procurement team doing okay?”
“……Are you mocking me? We have to start cleaning up our vendors starting today. The vendors are cursing us out like crazy.”
“Ahem, no need to be so loud…… What about HR?”
“Thirty percent.”
“Thirty percent??”
“That’s next year’s hiring quota. The notice goes up the day after tomorrow. Sigh……”
“……Is the PR team here too?!”
“Procurement teeeam!!”
“Hehe…… The broadcasting team is here too.”
The team leaders gathered in the conference room. Soon after, Lee Shin entered accompanied by Jeong Sun-dong and Chae Dong-ha.
“Hello everyone. Did you all enjoy your vacations? Your faces are glowing. It looks like this will take a while, so please take care of the bathroom beforehand if you need to.”
Wearing a navy shirt and a crisp suit, Lee Shin greeted them with his usual dazzling smile.
He nodded at the tense expressions of the team leaders and said,
“Good. Let’s get straight to it. This is our first meeting after promotion. Let’s talk about League 1.”
Who would like to start?
At Lee Shin’s words, the PR team leader quickly raised his hand.
“MBS wants to renew the broadcasting rights contract.”
“Huh? Didn’t we negotiate that two years ago? I thought we signed for three years back then, right? Guild Leader Jeong Sun-dong?”
“Yes, we signed the largest contract in League 3 history. The contract period was three years.”
“Sorry for interrupting, PR team leader. Please continue.”
“Yes. The reason MBS wants to renew is—though it’s not confirmed—there are rumors that KBC, NBS, and several foreign broadcasters have formed a consortium and are preparing a big deal for our broadcasting rights.”
“Ooooh? A consortium!? Tell me more.”
In short, KBC and NBS, who were unhappy that MBS was sucking up all the Mir honey, had joined forces with overseas broadcasters to try to snatch the broadcasting rights.
The interesting part was that the “overseas” in question wasn’t Thailand or Vietnam like in the old days, but the big market of the United States.
“America all of a sudden? Do you know Mir?” At Lee Shin’s question……
“It seems the impact of the representative’s broadcast was significant. That…… Wave Resonance Method. It’s become a hot topic in American academic circles lately.”
“Hahaha…… Being too good really does cause problems. Vice Guild Leader Chae Dong-ha.”
“Yes.”
“Please handle this.”
“Understood.”
“Anything else?”
“Ah, there’s one more thing. The fan club ‘Yongbong Era’ has officially requested to become active.”
“Hm? When did we ever tell them not to be active?”
“They want to communicate more closely with the PR team and take over management of the gallery as well.”
“That sounds pretty serious??”
“Well…….”
Jeong Sun-dong leaned in and whispered into Lee Shin’s ear.
“The original fan club president had stepped back, but now that we’re a major guild, he says we need to maintain dignity and wants to return.”
“Ah…… Is that so? Do you know him, Guild Leader?”
“We’ve only met a few times. He runs a large business. He’s a trustworthy person.”
“If the guild leader vouches for him, then let him do as he wishes.”
OK.
Lee Shin moved on. There was still a lot left; there was no need to drag things out.
“Next is the procurement team? I gave you an assignment, didn’t I?”
“Yes. We notified all existing vendors except for the Choi Family Pharmacy. We told them that if they cannot pay advertising fees, we cannot maintain the contract starting this season.”
“Well done.”
As he had said many times before, this industry was similar to the entertainment world—the higher you climbed, the more the power dynamic reversed.
In League 4 or 3, you had to watch what the vendors wanted. But in the upper leagues, the vendors had to pay money if they wanted their potions or goods to be used.
And now they were in League 1. The highest league in the country.
This wasn’t unfair.
It was simply business.
“This is League 1. We’re a major guild. The items we use will be advertised not just nationwide, but worldwide. Taking that for free is far too obvious. And above all, who are we? Everyone, tell me.”
“We are the Mir Guild!”
Clap clap!
“Correct. Everyone, we are now the super predators of this industry. I won’t tell you to abuse your power. But don’t shrink back either.”
Back to business.
“So our procurement team is currently considering making deals mainly with large corporations. They’ve actually responded quite positively.”
“Really?”
At that moment, the sales team leader raised his hand instead.
“I have something to report regarding the large corporation deals.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
The sales team leader stood up, handed Lee Shin a document, and spoke with a slightly overwhelmed expression.
“The existing partners Ido and Shinsung both want to renew their contracts.”
And on top of that—
“Taeyang and Giraffe as well.”
All four of Korea’s top conglomerates—
“have offered to become sponsors.”