Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Modern Magic Lecture (3)
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Ten years ago.
That was roughly around the time Yuseong had returned to the modern world and was going through his adjustment period.
What he focused on most wasn't the peace of reclaiming his lost youth, but mana recovery.
—How the hell do I even recover this...?
Even as he spent days deeply feeling the reality of a world without mana, Yuseong never gave up.
Why go to such desperate lengths to reclaim his mana after finally regaining a peaceful daily life?
There were several reasons.
The mana he possessed, Ure, was like the legacy of his fallen comrades and a keepsake from a precious benefactor.
It was an asset he couldn't just brush off as something he'd forgotten because mana didn't exist here—
—Okay, say sentimental reasons like that make up about twenty percent...
To be perfectly honest, the biggest reason was that in any world, having power was always the right move.
—Without power, you end up pathetic, whether in this world or that one.
If asked what the greatest lesson Yuseong learned in Midgard was, it was simple: if you're weak, you get eaten.
The law of the jungle.
No matter how nicely you phrase it, the world's principles weren't much different from the wild's eat-or-be-eaten reality.
He wanted to personally tell those whiny types in comics or novels who bitch about how the strong are lonely to cut the crap.
Those guys always end up regretting it later, shedding bloody tears—total cliché.
Hating clichés, Yuseong investigated ways to recover his mana while continuously training in martial arts and combat sports as insurance, endlessly honing himself.
He'd had enough of living pathetically without power back in his early gladiator days, so he kept learning whatever he could.
As a side note, some people seriously asked if he had no interest in turning pro or training properly for sports, but Yuseong always refused—he knew he might accidentally kill someone in a match.
—Habits are a scary thing...
Having spent years walking a knife's edge where if he didn't kill, he'd be killed, his senses had dulled in various ways. Regretfully, he turned down all offers.
After two years of fruitless searching without even confirming if mana existed, Yuseong was sent on a cave exploration during his special forces stint in the military.
Why would special forces go there? ...
I still don't know the reason even now.
The military was a place where you went because you were told to. He still had no clue why they'd gone.
But in that operation zone he'd entered without knowing the reason, Yuseong miraculously discovered dense ether particles.
—Why the hell is this here...?
A bit later, a plausible hypothesis came to mind.
The atmosphere was so polluted and wrecked that floating ether particles were virtually nonexistent, but they'd seeped underground where the environment was somewhat preserved.
Anyway, at the time of discovery, his eyes rolled back as he tried absorbing the mana into his body—but that day, Yuseong witnessed hell.
—Kuh-heok!
—H-Han, Corporal Han?!
The mana pathways—or in modern terms, his energy meridians—were shredded. Something like qi deviation hit him, starting with vomiting blood and flipping his organs inside out. He passed out and spent a month hospitalized...
No.
—This is sweet.
He could suck on the sweet nectar.
But unlike sucking honey, it didn't feel good at all.
Not because of his comrades spinning in circles back at base.
—I almost died like a total idiot...
Dying while trying to build up mana... He felt uneasy because even Valian wouldn't make that mistake.
—I'm worse than an idiot, shit...
Still, it wasn't like he learned nothing from that near-death experience.
The mana here's too heavy... And it doesn't listen for shit.
If he had to compare, Midgard's mana was like a gentle lamb. Here, it was like a wild horse with sky-high pride that wouldn't obey at all.
It was impossible to handle properly. One wrong move, and permanent disability wouldn't be surprising. Realizing this, Yuseong understood he needed to overhaul not just the handling method, but the entire approach.
—Can I even do this?
It was like switching from a gas car to an electric one overnight—could he really do it with his own power?
The difficulty level of a Nobel laureate discovering a new field of study.
In the end, Yuseong...
—...I'll either die or succeed. Let's smash into it.
Chose the brute-force option.
Just bulldoze through with a sturdy body.
Mage-scholars would faint in horror, but his options were limited. What he was best at was manual labor and tanking with his body.
His level wasn't high enough for scholarly research, so what choice did he have? He'd just dig every path himself!
After discharge, Yuseong systematically headed to mana hotspots.
Searching natural caves and underground spaces, finding ether, attempting absorption repeatedly.
Amid days repeating hospital beds, he finally got the hang of it.
—...So that's how it works?
Proving that when you risk your life, nothing's impossible—like seeing his life flash ten times—he grasped it. Yuseong had discovered a modern mana usage method.
The principle was simple.
The principle...!
"—You just don't make a core."
"......Huh?"
"......"
"That's the answer."
"......"
...No one said a word.
Mana core.
The engine knights call their class, mages their circles—for gathering and operating mana.
Without it, magic itself is impossible, obviously...
What Yuseong was demanding now was no different from telling them to cut off their limbs.
"...It makes sense."
"Huh?"
"You're saying we should actually do that?"
Everyone stared blankly at the words from the party's top brain.
Luxy spoke seriously.
"She's right. At this density, creating a core doesn't work. You could force it, but efficiency would suck. Better to absorb and store ether without a core—that's more efficient."
"......"
It was convincing, but denying a lifetime of technique still felt harsh.
"One more thing: it'll hurt like hell. You'll use muscles and organs you never have, flip existing meridians for sure. Think of it as ripping apart and rebuilding every tiny part of your body—that's easier to grasp."
"......... "
Silence dragged on even longer here.
Translating that...
If we mess up, we die, right?
"You won't die—just hurt that much."
"......"
...She'd mastered mind-reading or something; her words stabbed the core, paling their faces with brutal honesty.
However—
"Can I try first?"
"...Valian."
Only Valian stepped forward boldly, declaring it like a champion. A true brave barbarian.
Of course, a great warrior who never flinched in any situation wouldn't yield to mere pain.
"Not kidding—it'll hurt bad."
"Doesn't matter. Pain makes you stronger."
"...Alright then."
Yuseong gladly stepped aside, and Valian grinned confidently.
.........
.........
Kuuaaaaaagh!!
Valian Rex.
The great warrior whose tales still circulated—of striding forward unflinchingly even with a broken arm and flesh melting in flames.
The bards sang epics praising his valor upon seeing that bravery...
"Kweeeugh!"
......was wailing pathetically, like a child.
Yuseong spoke calmly.
"I did warn you. It'll hurt bad."
"......"
"...He dead?"
"......R-Rather... death might be better."
Valian was gasping raggedly, looking several years older already.
It was the first time he'd shown such weakness.
Luxy explained while watching.
"That's the right reaction. Rewiring every mana pathway from scratch without anesthesia is like full-body surgery. Honestly... Luke surviving is the real miracle."
Saw his life flash ten times, huh?
No, he should've died—that was normal.
"Ordinary people couldn't endure it."
It was rare for Luxy to talk this much.
But her chattiness showed how urgent she felt.
"...So I wanna ask. Luke. Isn't there more?"
"Like what?"
"A trick to build mana without a core. Otherwise, your power doesn't add up."
Overwhelmed Beelzebub, right?
Even at the end, reclaiming an inscrutable divine power and expecting annihilation—but won easily.
Meaning he'd gotten stronger, or at least not weaker, than before.
To Luxy, this defied common sense.
"Cores are the only way to handle mana and raise realms. No core, yet that realm? Means you have some secret technique replacing it. Right?"
"...Not wrong."
"Share it. Then pain lessens, easier to regain realms..."
"......"
"......My mistake. Apologies."
"Yeah... Got it."
Luxy shut up and apologized immediately.
If not—
"You owe me a life debt."
"......Understood."
It was a statement where killing her wouldn't be surprising.
Luxy, age nineteen this year.
She'd nearly crossed the River Jordan at such a pretty age.