Black Mage's Ordinary Daily Life - Part 1
Seven years had passed since awakening to Black Magic. As a de facto 2nd Gen black mage, I was often misunderstood by others. For starters, 1st Gen black mages weren't relegated to cleanup duty like me—they were still active on the front lines.
Thanks to the exploits of some of those black mages, the public's image of us was the worst of the worst: utterly heinous, overwhelmingly powerful. Their battlefield performances were beyond dominant. Meanwhile, us 2nd Gens had suffered in all sorts of ways because of those 1st Gens.
It's not that I shunned combat. Nor was I incapable of it. Black mages actually outpowered typical magic classes by nearly threefold. The real issue was mana. Our chronic mana shortage had driven us off the front lines.
1st Gens had benefited from the era when they first emerged. Simple reason: In the early days of the cataclysm called the Great Upheaval, humanity tried everything to survive. As part of countless policies supporting Awakeners, they did their utmost to compensate for each class's weaknesses. It was the only way to save the world.
Melee Awakeners got national-treasure-level artifacts boosting stamina, recovery, and strength. Healers and supports got ones tailored to their roles. They had to use them to protect the world, so it was only natural.
With artifacts enhancing mana growth and recovery, the 1st Gen black mages—deemed the most efficient—hoarded them all and dominated the battlefield. They earned immense fame... and infamy. But the world was saved, and those 1st Gens cemented their status through heroic feats.
In contrast, 2nd Gens scraped by in the chaotic aftermath without that support. Some were even assigned under 1st Gens and treated like disposable fodder. Tensions between the generations weren't great.
That's why most 2nd Gens avoided frontline glory, opting for cleanup work instead. It distanced us from the front lines, solidifying into the norm today.
The world has stabilized, and now we're seeing the 11th Gen Awakeners.
"We've got a request!"
Go Yu-jin arrived at work with her usual bright smile. Our company only had three employees: President Go Yu-jin, office worker An So-mi handling paperwork, and me, the field guy. Small team, but not a small company.
Go Yu-jin, a 1st Gen black mage, had bizarrely retired from the front lines out of sheer disgust. An So-mi was an exceptional black mage too, but she got too excited around blood, causing frequent accidents that got her booted from active duty. A 2nd Gen like me, I'd turned to this mundane cleanup life due to my own penalty.
Three flawed black mages... but no one could ignore our company. Simple reason: Go Yu-jin. Among 1st Gen black mages, she was melee-class with monstrous physical prowess.
She'd been hailed a hero during the Gate incidents at the Great Upheaval's onset. Now? She just seemed like a kindhearted woman.
"What kind of job?"
"Grade 3 Gate cleanup. Monsters might still be inside, so it's flagged for caution—higher pay!"
"Grade 3, huh? Been a while."
"Yeah, Grade 3+ Gates aren't common anymore."
During the Upheaval, average Gates were Grade 3-4. A Grade 1 was about two soccer fields' worth of monster habitat. Grade 2 doubled that, Grade 3 doubled Grade 2's—and so on, each higher grade twice the previous.
The largest Gate so far? Grade 8. A catastrophe that tore half of China apart.
People speculated the max was Grade 10.
If something that big opens, humanity might be done for...
Moments later, Go Yu-jin handed me the documents. I scanned them.
"Jeong Sang-hu's team went in?"
"Yep. Expect a mess. But extra pay makes it worthwhile, right? Same work, better profit!"
She was right—the more wrecked the battlefield, the higher the bonus. Great for us. But Jeong Sang-hu's team was rough.
"They probably shredded everything. I'll handle it solo. You wait here, President."
She stared at me seriously, eyes pleading like she had to come along. I relented: "Do what you want."
An So-mi, watching, chimed in.
"You two dating?"
"No?!"
"Not happening."
"...?"
An So-mi looked baffled, but Go Yu-jin grabbed me, urging us out: "Hurry up!"
The site was a disaster.
"Ground's too busted for vehicles."
"Sigh... We expected it, but this is excessive."
We had, but this was overkill. Surveying the wreckage, I spotted Jeong Sang-hu's team smirking at us. Looked intentional.
General Awakeners and cleanup black mages didn't get along. It was a deep grudge.
Go Yu-jin noticed them too and headed over. I followed. Jeong Sang-hu flashed her a creepy grin, like they knew each other.
"Long time, Go Yu-jin."
"Yeah. Thought you'd quit the front lines. What's the occasion?"
"Training newbies. It's a mess, but you'll manage?"
"Bonuses will cover it. Not one to whine."
"Hahaha, good. Handle it well. Oh, and any leftover monsters? Cleanup duty."
Go Yu-jin nodded agreeably. The words were civil, but their glares were lethal.
They had bad blood. Same battlefields, but Jeong Sang-hu's terrain-destroying style ruined corpses Go Yu-jin needed. During the Upheaval, no time for complaints—they gritted through. Eventually, some circumstance pulled her from the lines, and 1st Gens branded her a coward.
That vibe trickled to other Gens, but active 1st Gen black mages kept us from total disdain.
"We've got another Gate reserved. See you."
Jeong Sang-hu's team brushed past. Go Yu-jin watched them go.
"Seong-chan, be careful."
"Plenty of monsters left, huh?"
She nodded. Collapsed ground hid survivors. We could handle them, but it felt deliberate. Once the Gate core was destroyed, it counted as cleared—leftovers weren't an issue for the Association or government.
Accidents happened in cleanup, but black mages were tough enough to avoid fatalities.
This Gate felt off, though.
One grudge birthing another?
Tsk. I released mana for a detection spell—to map monsters and process systematically.
Soon, the mana formed a magic circle, glowing brightly. Info flooded my mind. I frowned.
"...A lot?"
"Feels like they buried most underground and just nuked the core."
Go Yu-jin scowled, ready to charge. I grabbed her.
"We'll handle it. Been a while since we hunted."
"But..."
I shook my head. "Work dries up if you beat clients like last time. Bad rep worsens."
Go Yu-jin was hated among 1st Gens. Incidents like this cropped up. She was too strong for most to bully physically—Jeong Sang-hu included. His hostility probably stemmed from inferiority.
Everyone's got their issues... but they're all wounded anyway. Easy cleanup.
"Frustrating..."
She ground her teeth. I got it.
"Drinks after?"
She beamed. Then mana surged from her.
I shook my head. "Not many corpses for golems. I'll take this. Nothing high-grade—simple."
She nodded. Detection had pinpointed most. I gauged the best spell: Dark Press, loading weight onto the ground.
They're barely hanging on under rubble. Just enough pressure crushes them. Monster blood's low-value anyway.
Aim: Squeeze 'em dead to minimize gore for her golems. Consideration.
Darkness blanketed the area. Ground compressed under pressure. A minute later, terrain lowered, I checked.
"Most monsters done. Tidy up and grab that drink?"
"Sounds good!"
Her sunny smile returned.