The First Layer of Sealing

The man before me gave no answer.

Two blazing orbs filled my vision, hovering directly over my head. An ordinary person would have screamed in terror at my threat.

Or pretended to be an innocent bystander and fled. But this man didn’t even twitch.

*If my guess is right…*

Soon he spoke in a low voice.

“How did you find me?”

It was definitely a villain. And his tone was thick with confusion.

*Of course.*

Whether villain or hunter, awakened people unconsciously release their mana signature. Hiding one’s true nature from the man before me—to pass as an ordinary civilian—would never be easy. Proof of skill.

But I was doing the same thing. So I answered.

“Shut up. Only I get to speak. And if you say another word, I’ll gouge your eyes out.”

I threatened him with a calm, almost polite voice. Of course it was all bluff.

If he was truly an A-rank villain, a single casual swing of my arm would have taken his head.

*But that will never happen.*

I had completely sealed his movements without him noticing. It was astonishing that I could even do this to an A-rank villain.

Of course it was also because my mana was scarce right now. More than that, I had completely sealed the flow of even that tiny amount.

This may look like nothing, but in terms of controlling mana, no one at Eins Academy—not even Yuri—could match me.

*That villain must have been terrified too.*

Given how cautious and meticulous he was, and how he had planned a double terrorist attack just to feel the ultimate thrill, his mind must have been in chaos.

*He probably thinks I’m some super-skilled operator.*

Of course, without enough mana to directly suppress him, I didn’t have much time to tie him down.

The two ping-pong-ball-sized orbs I had summoned were not ordinary red flames. They were blue.

Blue flame—a fire spell only a high-rank pyromancer could cast. The bluffing effect was excellent, but my current mana was barely enough to sustain even one.

My mana heart was aching, and pain throbbed near my heart. Sweat poured down my back. I bit my lip, gritted my teeth, and carefully controlled the mana stream one last time.

That stream led to the intern. I couldn’t suppress him right now. So I had to use the hunters here instead.

*But if I move clumsily, I’ll cause a needless disaster.*

So I only sent a signal to two hunters.

Yuri and Choi Shinwoo.

My current position and the short signal hunters would instantly understand.

— Self. Next to me. Threatening individual. Present.

I sent the signal. I had no time to check the reaction. Every ounce of my focus was on the villain before me.

A brief silence. Then the light of my orbs dimmed. And finally the villain realized something was wrong.

“What the—? This brat’s bluffing…!! It was all a lie!”

He spun around instantly. A flash of light bloomed in the air. A silver blade appeared—clearly a villain who specialized in assassination weapons.

My eyes and body reacted to the flash, but I couldn’t dodge it. I wasn’t using mana properly.

*Too fast. But…*

I stayed calm.

*Chack—*

The attack from the air was blocked. A shower of ice shards rained down like powdered sugar. Exactly as I had expected— it was Yuri. Her freezing spell had completely enveloped the villain’s body.

Yuri shouted.

“You bastard! What the hell are you doing to Minsu?!”

“A cryomancer hunter? Damn it!”

The villain tried to resist, but it was useless. Yuri’s freezing spells were beyond anything even S-rank hunters could match in terms of sealing.

Just as I had predicted, because he was a level-appropriate villain, thick black mist began to form around him.

The moment that ink-black haze thickened further, Choi Shinwoo and the uniformed hunters surrounded the villain.

“Don’t even think about moving!”

The hunters quickly restrained the villain. With Yuri here, I could finally relax. Fortunately, I had prevented the disaster before it happened.

*Guh…*

But at that moment, I felt an excruciating pain as if my heart was burning, and I lost consciousness right there.

***

My heart felt like it was on fire. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heat surging inside was like flames that would consume me whole.

I was a pyromancer who had never felt pain from heat or fire. But right now, that immunity was useless.

The terrifying truth of fire I had never known before was surging back and burning me even more fiercely.

But even that agony was brief. A very cold aura was suppressing the flames.

It was bitterly cold, yet strangely gentle—like the warmth I felt inside the scorching heat of this world. The contradictory chill that should have frozen everything felt soothing.

I opened my eyes. Yuri was beside me. She had noticed I had regained consciousness.

“Are— are you okay, Minsu?”

Our eyes met for a moment. Her expression was anything but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the usual “Snow Maiden.” Concern, surprise, and relief were all clear on her face—the face of a young woman, not the cold, composed Guild Master who usually ran an S-rank guild. An involuntary smile escaped me.

“I’m fine… I mean, yes, I’m fine. More importantly, where are we?”

I looked around. We were still in the outdoor stage area. Behind us, staff members were waiting.

“This is the back of the stage. No, it is the back…”

Realizing I had spoken carelessly, Yuri lowered her head in embarrassment. Judging by the time, she must have been unconscious for only a short while.

*About twenty minutes…*

Yuri returned to her usual calm expression and said,

“Are you really okay? I was worried you suddenly lost consciousness. If your body feels uncomfortable, please go to the awakened-specialized hospital right away… Ah, as Guild Master, it’s just that I’m worried about the guild members….”

Her tone was the same, but her expression alone told me she was really worried. I calmed her.

“I’m truly fine. I’m perfectly healthy. I know my own condition better than anyone.”

“Even so…”

She wasn’t saying that to comfort me. She had clearly fainted from the backlash of summoning two Blue Flames at once. But she was fine now.

“I cooled you down a little with my mana. Just in case, please go to the hospital…”

Thanks to her, I had actually calmed down. Her cryomancer mana had synced with mine and stopped the temporary mana reversal.

“Thanks to the Guild Master. Thank you…”

Just as I was about to say more, someone approached from behind the two of them.

*

*

The voices of two young men and a young woman reached me.

*Has he woken up?*

Choi Shinwoo, who had been giving instructions to the hunters, walked over to them. The Association had already resumed the event.

The Association’s absolute guarantee of citizen safety was what had granted them the power to act as quasi-public force.

It seemed the higher-ups had decided they could not stop the event here.

I couldn’t agree, but Choi Shinwoo followed the order. Hunters under the Association were equivalent to civil servants. Orders from above were absolute.

*At least the monitoring center had already dropped its alert to Phase One.*

Most importantly, we had captured the A-rank villain Rex right here. That infamous villain who caused at least two hundred casualties every time he appeared. Truly a blessing.

And the person who had done the most to capture him was none other than the operator of Flame.

*His name is Lee Minsu.*

A moment ago I hadn’t noticed because of the chaos, but I immediately remembered.

The academy inter-guild tournament several years ago. There, the pyromancer who had made a huge name for himself alongside Yuri Tarkovskaya.

The tournament was a big event that big corporate guild scouts took very seriously. And the victor who had won every time in recent years was still being mentioned today.

But unlike Yuri Tarkovskaya, who had become an S-rank hunter, Choi Shinwoo had not heard his name in the past two years.

*Yet he became an operator.*

I checked his simple records through the Association’s information department. A recent Association-organized internship in the Southeastern Contaminated Zone. The Flame interns had placed first there.

*Not even a close first. A tank and healer combo for an overwhelming first place. Could the operator himself…*

His operator grade was listed as B-rank. Many graduates from top academies reached A-rank quickly, so it wasn’t that high a rating.

*But two years of absence. And an original pyromancer becoming B-rank…*

He must have scored full marks on all theoretical exams except practical operator experience. And Choi Shinwoo was certain.

*The one who gave instructions to Yuri Tarkovskaya on the spot a moment ago was Lee Minsu. And…*

Thinking back, a big incident had happened at Eins Academy several years ago. Whatever it was, Lee Minsu’s awakened rank was now lower than that of a C-rank awakened. He must have suffered a serious injury.

*Yet this awakened who couldn’t even manage a C-rank had found an A-rank villain, sealed him until we arrived…*

An A-rank villain like Rex wasn’t someone you could bluff into submission. He was cunning and extremely cruel.

Against such a villain, Lee Minsu had bought time directly. And in that life-or-death moment, he had immediately called for me and Yuri Tarkovskaya.

Choi Shinwoo was certain. Lee Minsu’s skill ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as an operator had already surpassed A-rank, not merely B-rank. But he set aside admiration for now. He had more important work to do.

He walked toward the waiting area where Lee Minsu and Yuri were standing.

“You have awakened. First, allow me to express our gratitude to the two of you from Flame. The achievement of having captured two villains in our place…”

Just as he bowed deeply, Choi Shinwoo realized too late.

*Oh no. I disturbed the two of them.*

Lee Minsu’s expression was calm, but Yuri Tarkovskaya’s eyes—eyes that three people could read instantly—clearly showed she was worried about her boyfriend. Anyone could see it.

The man and woman before him were the Guild Master and an intern of the S-rank guild Flame. Their relationship was definitely not ordinary.

Because of the nature of the hunter profession, romantic relationships inside guilds were common.

*I must look like a clueless uncle. Sorry for nothing.*

Choi Shinwoo quickly conveyed the remaining instructions and left the area as fast as he could.

***

It was late afternoon that day. I returned to the hospital.

Not a neighborhood clinic—this was an awakened-specialized university hospital where Professor Seong Chaerin, Arin’s older sister, worked.

And just like last time, without an appointment, I walked straight into her clinic. I received a long scolding from Professor Chaerin.

“You were told not to use mana at all, yet you fainted? You really…”

She scolded me even more. But eventually, realizing I wasn’t listening, she sighed.

“Yeah, there was nothing I could do. A hunter who returns from injury, and then gets injured again by pushing themselves even after returning—that’s actually very common in this world. Still, if you don’t want to shorten the time you have left, I strongly advise you to stop using mana so recklessly.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Again with that careless talk. If you suddenly die tomorrow, what will Arin do?”

Professor Chaerin was Arin’s older sister.

There was a large age gap, and since she had gone overseas for study at a young age, she hadn’t been able to spend much time with Arin.

But her concern for her little sister was genuine.

*She went abroad to move Arin to a better orphanage.*

The overseas universities that admired Professor Chaerin’s genius had many options. So she went abroad under the condition that she would bring Arin to a better orphanage.

*And the condition included Si-woo and Min-ah as well.*

As Arin’s older sister, losing a close friend she had cared for at a young age must have been painful.

But that was exactly why Professor Chaerin could never refuse my request. I had saved Arin’s life.

I hid my true feelings and spoke lightly.

“I won’t die anytime soon, so don’t worry. And if you’re that worried about Arin, stop forcing her to stay at the dorm and just let her come over whenever she wants. You’re always coming to the single guy’s house.”

“That’s fine. It’s not like you’ll touch Arin. Actually, if you hugged her, Arin would probably be happier.”

“I… Even if you’re her sister, saying something like that… I’m a guy, you know.”

“Well, whatever. It’s my poor sister who likes you, you rock-solid guy. Right?”

We exchanged the usual pointless banter. Eventually I got to the main point.

“Anyway, Professor. I can’t keep going like this. So please tell me another way to release the sealing more stably.”

< p >The man before me gave no answer.< /p >

< p >Two blazing orbs filled my vision, hovering directly over my head. An ordinary person would have screamed in terror at my threat.< /p >

< p >Or pretended to be an innocent bystander and fled. But this man didn’t even twitch.< /p >

< p >*If my guess is right…*< /p >

< p >Soon he spoke in a low voice.< /p >

< p >“How did you find me?”< /p >

< p >It was definitely a villain. And his tone was thick with confusion.< /p >

< p >*Of course.*< /p >

< p >Whether villain or hunter, awakened people unconsciously release their mana signature. Hiding one’s true nature from the man before me—to pass as an ordinary civilian—would never be easy. Proof of skill.< /p >

< p >But I was doing the same thing. So I answered.< /p >

< p >“Shut up. Only I get to speak. And if you say another word, I’ll gouge your eyes out.”< /p >

< p >I threatened him with a calm, almost polite voice. Of course it was all bluff.< /p >

< p >If he was truly an A-rank villain, a single casual swing of my arm would have taken his head.< /p >

< p >*But that will never happen.*< /p >

< p >I had completely sealed his movements without him noticing. It was astonishing that I could even do this to an A-rank villain.< /p >

< p >Of course it was also because my mana was scarce right now. More than that, I had completely sealed the flow of even that tiny amount.< /p >

< p >This may look like nothing, but in terms of controlling mana, no one at Eins Academy—not even Yuri—could match me.< /p >

< p >*That villain must have been terrified too.*< /p >

< p >Given how cautious and meticulous he was, and how he had planned a double terrorist attack just to feel the ultimate thrill, his mind must have been in chaos.< /p >

< p >*He probably thinks I’m some super-skilled operator.*< /p >

< p >Of course, without enough mana to directly suppress him, I didn’t have much time to tie him down.< /p >

< p >The two ping-pong-ball-sized orbs I had summoned were not ordinary red flames. They were blue.< /p >

< p >Blue flame—a fire spell only a high-rank pyromancer could cast. The bluffing effect was excellent, but my current mana was barely enough to sustain even one.< /p >

< p >My mana heart was aching, and pain throbbed near my heart. Sweat poured down my back. I bit my lip, gritted my teeth, and carefully controlled the mana stream ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one last time.< /p >

< p >That stream led to the intern. I couldn’t suppress him right now. So I had to use the hunters here instead.< /p >

< p >*But if I move clumsily, I’ll cause a needless disaster.*< /p >

< p >So I only sent a signal to two hunters.< /p >

< p >Yuri and Choi Shinwoo.< /p >

< p >My current position and the short signal hunters would instantly understand.< /p >

< p >— Self. Next to me. Threatening individual. Present.< /p >

< p >I sent the signal. I had no time to check the reaction. Every ounce of my focus was on the villain before me.< /p >

< p >A brief silence. Then the light of my orbs dimmed. And finally the villain realized something was wrong.< /p >

< p >“What the—? This brat’s bluffing…!! It was all a lie!”< /p >

< p >He spun around instantly. A flash of light bloomed in the air. A silver blade appeared—clearly a villain who specialized in assassination weapons.< /p >

< p >My eyes and body reacted to the flash, but I couldn’t dodge it. I wasn’t using mana properly.< /p >

< p >*Too fast. But…*< /p >

< p >I stayed calm.< /p >

< p >*Chack—*< /p >

< p >The attack from the air was blocked. A shower of ice shards rained down like powdered sugar. Exactly as I had expected—it was Yuri. Her freezing spell had completely enveloped the villain’s body.< /p >

< p >Yuri shouted.< /p >

< p >“You bastard! What the hell are you doing to Minsu?!”< /p >

< p >“A cryomancer hunter? Damn it!”< /p >

< p >The villain tried to resist, but it was useless. Yuri’s freezing spells were beyond anything even S-rank hunters could match in terms of sealing.< /p >

< p >Just as I had predicted, because he was a level-appropriate villain, thick black mist began to form around him.< /p >

< p >The moment that ink-black haze thickened further, Choi Shinwoo and the uniformed hunters surrounded the villain.< /p >

< p >“Don’t even think about moving!”< /p >

< p >The hunters quickly restrained the villain. With Yuri here, I could finally relax. Fortunately, I had prevented the disaster before it happened.< /p >

< p >*Guh…*< /p >

< p >But at that moment, I felt an excruciating pain as if my heart was burning, and I lost consciousness right there.< /p >

< p >***< /p >

< p >My heart felt like it was on fire. The heat surging inside was like flames that would consume me whole.< /p >

< p >I was a pyromancer who had never felt pain from heat or fire. But right now, that immunity was useless.< /p >

< p >The terrifying truth of fire I had never known before was surging back and burning me even more fiercely.< /p >

< p >But even that agony was brief. A very cold aura was suppressing the flames.< /p >

< p >It was bitterly cold, yet strangely gentle—like the warmth I felt inside the scorching heat of this world. The contradictory chill that should have frozen everything felt soothing.< /p >

< p >I opened my eyes. Yuri was beside me. She had noticed I had regained consciousness.< /p >

< p >“Are— are you okay, Minsu?”< /p >

< p >Our eyes met for a moment. Her expression was anything but the usual “Snow Maiden.” Concern, surprise, and relief were all clear on her face—the face of a young woman, not the cold, composed Guild Master who usually ran an S-rank guild. An involuntary smile escaped me.< /p >

< p >“I’m fine… I mean, yes, I’m fine. More importantly, where are we?”< /p >

< p >I looked around. We were still in the outdoor stage area. Behind us, staff members were waiting.< /p >

< p >“This is the back of the stage. No, it is the back…”< /p >

< p >Realizing I had spoken carelessly, Yuri lowered her head in embarrassment. Judging by the time, she must have been unconscious for only a short while.< /p >

< p >*About twenty minutes…*< /p >

< p >Yuri returned to her usual calm expression and said,< /p >

< p >“Are you really okay? I was worried you suddenly lost consciousness. If your body feels uncomfortable, please go to the awakened-specialized hospital right away… Ah, as Guild Master, it’s just that I’m worried about the guild members…”< /p >

< p >Her tone was the same, but her expression alone told me she was really worried. I calmed her.< /p >

< p >“I’m truly fine. I’m perfectly healthy. I know my own condition better than anyone.”< /p >

< p >“Even so…”< /p >

< p >She wasn’t saying that to comfort me. She had clearly fainted from the backlash of summoning two Blue Flames at once. But she was fine now.< /p >

< p >“I cooled you down a little with my mana. Just in case, please go to the hospital…”< /p >

< p >Thanks to her, I had actually calmed down. Her cryomancer mana had synced with mine and stopped the temporary mana reversal.< /p >

< p >“Thanks to the Guild Master. Thank you…”< /p >

< p >Just as I was about to say more, someone approached from behind the two of them.< /p >

< p >**< /p >

< p >The voices of two young men and a young woman reached me.< /p >

< p >*Has he woken up?*< /p >

< p >Choi Shinwoo, who had been giving instructions to the hunters, walked over to them. The Association had already resumed the event.< /p >

< p >The Association’s absolute guarantee of citizen safety was what had granted them the power to act as quasi-public force.< /p >

< p >It seemed the higher-ups had decided they could not stop the event here.< /p >

< p >I couldn’t agree, but Choi Shinwoo followed the order. Hunters under the Association were equivalent to civil servants. Orders from above were absolute.< /p >

< p >*At least the monitoring center had already dropped its alert to Phase One.*< /p >

< p >Most importantly, we had captured the A-rank villain Rex right here. That infamous villain who caused at least two hundred casualties every time he appeared. Truly a blessing.< /p >

< p >And the person who had done the most to capture him was none other than the operator of Flame.< /p >

< p >*His name is Lee Minsu.*< /p >

< p >A moment ago I hadn’t noticed because of the chaos, but I immediately remembered.< /p >

< p >The academy inter-guild tournament several years ago. There, the pyromancer who had made a huge name for himself alongside Yuri Tarkovskaya.< /p >

< p >The tournament was a big event that big corporate guild scouts took very seriously. And the victor who had won every time in recent years was still being mentioned today.< /p >

< p >But unlike Yuri Tarkovskaya, who had become an S-rank hunter, Choi Shinwoo had not heard his name in the past two years.< /p >

< p >*Yet he became an operator.*< /p >

< p >I checked his simple records through the Association’s information department. A recent Association-organized internship in the Southeastern Contaminated Zone. The Flame interns had placed first there.< /p >

< p >*Not even a close first. A tank and healer combo for an overwhelming first place. Could the operator himself…*< /p >

< p >His operator grade was listed as B-rank. Many graduates from top academies reached A-rank quickly, so it wasn’t that high a rating.< /p >

< p >*But two years of absence. And an original pyromancer becoming B-rank…*< /p >

< p >He must have scored full marks on all theoretical exams except practical operator experience. And Choi Shinwoo was certain.< /p >

< p >*The one who gave instructions to Yuri Tarkovskaya on the spot a moment ago was Lee Minsu. And…*< /p >

< p >Thinking back, a big incident had happened at Eins Academy several years ago. Whatever it was, Lee Minsu’s awakened rank was now lower than that of a C-rank awakened. He must have suffered a serious injury.< /p >

< p >*Yet this awakened who couldn’t even manage a C-rank had found an A-rank villain, sealed him until we arrived…*< /p >

< p >An A-rank villain like Rex wasn’t someone you could bluff into submission. He was cunning and extremely cruel.< /p >

< p >Against such a villain, Lee Minsu had bought time directly. And in that life-or-death moment, he had immediately called for me and Yuri Tarkovskaya.< /p >

< p >Choi Shinwoo was certain. Lee Minsu’s skill as an operator had already surpassed A-rank, not merely B-rank. But he set aside admiration for now. He had more important work to do.< /p >

< p >He walked toward the waiting area where Lee Minsu and Yuri were standing.< /p >

< p >“You have awakened. First, allow me to express our gratitude to the two of you from Flame. The achievement of having captured two villains in our place…”< /p >

< p >Just as he bowed deeply, Choi Shinwoo realized too late.< /p >

< p >*Oh no. I disturbed the two of them.*< /p >

< p >Lee Minsu’s expression was calm, but Yuri Tarkovskaya’s eyes—eyes that three people could read instantly—clearly showed she was worried about her boyfriend. Anyone could see it.< /p >

< p >The man and woman before him were the Guild Master and an intern of the S-rank guild Flame. Their relationship was definitely not ordinary.< /p >

< p >Because of the nature of the hunter profession, romantic relationships inside guilds were common.< /p >

< p >*I must look like a clueless uncle. Sorry for nothing.*< /p >

< p >Choi Shinwoo quickly conveyed the remaining instructions and left the area as fast as he could.< /p >

< p >***< /p >

< p >It was late afternoon that day. I returned to the hospital.< /p >

< p >Not a neighborhood clinic—this was an awakened-specialized university hospital where Professor Seong Chaerin, Arin’s older sister, worked.< /p >

< p >And just like last time, without an appointment, I walked straight into her clinic. I received a long scolding from Professor Chaerin.< /p >

< p >“You were told not to use mana at all, yet you fainted? You really…”< /p >

< p >She scolded me even more. But eventually, realizing I wasn’t listening, she sighed.< /p >

< p >“Yeah, there was nothing I could do. A hunter who returns from injury, and then gets injured again by pushing themselves even after returning—that’s actually very common in this world. Still, if you don’t want to shorten the time you have left, I strongly advise you to stop using mana so recklessly.”< /p >

< p >“Yes, I will.”< /p >

< p >“Again with that careless talk. If you suddenly die tomorrow, what will Arin do?”< /p >

< p >Professor Chaerin was Arin’s older sister.< /p >

< p >There was a large age gap, and since she had gone overseas for study at a young age, she hadn’t been able to spend much time with Arin.< /p >

< p >But her concern for her little sister was genuine.< /p >

< p >*She went abroad to move Arin to a better orphanage.*< /p >

< p >The overseas universities that admired Professor Chaerin’s genius had many options. So she went abroad under the condition that she would bring Arin to a better orphanage.< /p >

< p >*And the condition included Si-woo and Min-ah as well.*< /p >

< p >As Arin’s older sister, losing a close friend she had cared for at a young age must have been painful.< /p >

< p >But that was exactly why Professor Chaerin could never refuse my request. I had saved Arin’s life.< /p >

< p >I hid my true feelings and spoke lightly.< /p >

< p >“I won’t die anytime soon, so don’t worry. And if you’re that worried about Arin, stop forcing her to stay at the dorm and just let her come over whenever she wants. You’re always coming to the single guy’s house.”< /p >

< p >“That’s fine. It’s not like you’ll touch Arin. Actually, if you hugged her, Arin would probably be happier.”< /p >

< p >“I… Even if you’re her sister, saying something like that… I’m a guy, you know.”< /p >

< p >“Well, whatever. It’s my poor sister who likes you, you rock-solid guy. Right?”< /p >

< p >We exchanged the usual pointless banter. Eventually I got to the main point.< /p >

< p >“Anyway, Professor. I can’t keep going like this. So please tell me another way to release the sealing more stably.”< /p >