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Sorry for the late release guys. I had some trouble getting raws for the next chaps. I have managed to OCD them, but let me know if any of you have them in text format.
Thanks for the understanding!
Chapter 48: Leafanel's Green Key (3)
After clearing the path so that he could easily enter the resting place of Divine Spirit Leafanel, Baek Yu-Seol went out and headed to the academy.Although Instructor Lee Han-Wol gave him a suspicious look, he didn’t do anything.
‘I should take Eisel to some authentic restaurants soon to clear suspicion…’
With that decision in mind, he rushed back to the world tree and diligently trained for several weeks.
[The level of the attribute 'Mana Leakage Delay’ has risen!]
Finally, he was starting to see the proper results.
[Mana Leakage Delay Lv.3]
[Strength: +8%]
[Agility: +12%]
[Senses: +20%]
[Sixth Sense: Activated by consuming the user's mental strength, it detects mana phenomena within a radius of 24m and activates cognitive acceleration. Automatically triggered when the user is deemed to be in danger.]
[Blood Mana Circulation Rate: 2%]
He hurriedly checked it out, and the effects were indeed amazing.
The enhancement was immense. Aside from other effects, Baek Yu-Seol was particularly pleased with the slight increase in circulation rate.
[Baek Yu-Seol]
[Stats]
[Strength: 2 stars (49%)]
[Sense: 2 stars (34%)]
[Agility: 2 stars (33%)]
[Stamina: 2 stars (07%)]
[Toughness: 0 stars (97%)]
[Mental Strength: 1 star (59%)]
[Mana: ~]
Baek Yu-Seol’s ability stats also rose rapidly, nearly reaching the midpoint of 2 stars.
However, it was far from being an impressive level.
On average, first-year Stella students had physical strength and agility of around 1 star or higher, and mental strength, senses, and mana stats touched around 3 stars or higher.
The main characters would even have several 4-star or higher stats.
On the other hand, Baek Yu-Seol’s abilities were terribly low and he still had a long way to go.
While other students prioritized mana as their crucial ability, for him, strength held the utmost importance.
Yet he wasn’t even halfway to 2 stars in that regard.
He needed to push himself further and strive relentlessly, sacrifice both flesh and bone, and shed blood in his pursuit of improvement.
Conquering the pressure of the spirit, he drew out the Teripon Sword and took a deep breath, unleashing the full force of his blade.
Ziiiiing!
Although its length hadn’t increased, the density of the beam had intensified, making it slightly but noticeably more robust and unyielding.
"Huff...!"
The pressure within this space remained challenging to withstand, but thanks to his heightened control over mana leakage, he had now become capable of wielding the sword with confidence.
Up, down, left, right. He maneuvered his sword without any foundational style or technique.
It was not a joke.
The whole concept of swordsmanship was built on the assumption of clashing blades, so there was no meaning for him to learn it.
He would hardly ever engage in sword fights like other swordsmen. What he truly needed to learn was how to confront magic attacks with the weapon.
Unfortunately, there was no master who could teach him such swordsmanship in this world.
While most characters would meet a master and receive enlightenment later on, he had to train on his own.
It was a daunting task.
He still didn’t know what best suited Flash. In the game, he could simply teleport and thrust or slash his sword, but reality was different.
He remembered the time he faced the necromancer. When his attack missed and he accidentally stabbed a non-vital spot, the necromancer counterattacked, leaving him with a significant wound.
At that moment, he thought...
'...In the end, there’s only one thing I need to master.'
Simple thrusting and slashing that precisely pierced the enemy's vital spots.
Therefore, he would constantly swing the sword to handle it faster and more accurately.
When he swung the sword under this pressure, the effect would surely be better. It was like wearing weighted clothes and training, similar in principle to what he saw in movies and comics.
Since Baek Yu-Seol didn’t know the proper training techniques, he just imitated what he had seen on TV.
And then, suddenly, it felt like a hole was punctured in his lungs.
"Cough... Gulp!"
As mana explosively surged from his heart, a strange message appeared:
[Obtained a portion of a special mana breathing technique.]
[Acquired skill: "Breath of the Spirits."]
The world turned yellow and began spinning around.
Feeling heavy, it became difficult to maintain his balance. Sensations all over his body became overly heightened, leading to a rising sensation of nausea, and even his ears felt clogged.
The world started to feel distant.
"Ugh...!"
Baek Yu-Seol’s legs began losing strength. If he were to fall like this, he might not be able to withstand the pressure and suffocate.
Therefore, he made an effort to safely sit on the ground, grasping at anything he could find.
Suddenly, a voice echoed. "Hey, what are you doing? Can't you hear my voice? Can you hear me? You can’t? I wish you could."
"Ah! What the...? You scared me!"
Once again, the world returned to normal. His nausea disappeared in an instant, and his breathing, which had become difficult due to being dazed for a long time, returned to normal.
"Gasp, pant..."
A distant voice whispered in his ear.
That was undoubtedly the unmistakable voice of a ghost.
It was the voice he constantly heard from the horror drama he watched when he was young, The Haunted Village.
"Huh? Did you hear my voice?”
"Ugh!"
Moreover, it had the exact same lines as the drama!
He quickly looked around, but there was nothing there.
"You heard me, right?”
“Who are you... Where are you?”
"I'm here. Look this way."
Slowly turning his head to the source of the voice, there was indeed someone there.
Divine Spirit Leafanel.
"...Huh?"
‘No, wait.’
‘Really?’
‘Did Leafanel really speak to me?’
"What…? A corpse is speaking?"
"I'm not dead! You wretched human!"
"What the heck? How are you able to speak?"
"I've been talking all along. You must be deaf."
"No... Then why couldn't I hear it before?"
"That's because you're becoming more like me. Maybe that's why."
"What?"
"Just now, you exhaled in the exact same way as me. That's impossible for humans. It's a breath only divine spirits can do."
‘Now that I think about it... a message did appear.’
[Breath of the Spirit Lv.1]
[Description: Through the breath of the spirit, one can harmonize with nature. However, the exchange rate of mana in the bloodstream amplifies tremendously, leading to the occurrence of divine erosion.]
[Effects]
[First Form: Strength enhancement by 107%]
[Second Form: Agility enhancement by 125%]
[Third Form: Sensory enhancement by 147%]
[Fourth Form: Endurance enhancement by 101%]
[Maximum duration: 15 seconds]
[Divine erosion rate: 1%]
"What is this...?"
He had gained an incredible skill.
Although the duration was short, it was an immense skill that instantly elevated his physical stats to the level of a 4-star rating from a 3-star.
However, the penalty was too severe.
It was called divine erosion.
It was closely related to losing his human body.
The spirits could maintain their form with their own mana. But for him, leaking mana and losing his physical body... signified death.
It was great, but the more he used it, the shorter his lifespan would become due to this skill.
“It’s fascinating. This is the second time a human has exhaled the breath of the spirits. You, too, have such a faint presence. There seems to be no mana within you as if you don't exist in this world.”
"What does that mean...?"
“It would be best not to stay here for too long. You are currently harmonizing with me. If you continue like this, we might eventually become one. I wouldn’t like that. Neither would you.”
The rapid influx of information made his head spin for a moment.
‘... I have a rough idea what she means, though.’
There was not a trace of mana within his body.
Which meant that his existence itself was faint in a world where everything was made of mana. That was why his lifespan was short.
All objects and life forms must possess mana. Therefore, even if other mana from the surroundings surged in, one can maintain a sense of presence with their own mana as their identity.
But he didn’t have that ability. If the mana of the meadow rushed into him, he would become the meadow. If the mana of the sea rushed into him, he would become the sea.
The condition where he could be swept away by the environment was known as mana leakage syndrome.
He was aware of it, but experiencing it firsthand felt quite strange.
‘... Anyway, it's true that I gained a good skill that can be used in emergencies. Let's think of it positively.’
‘It's what they call a decisive blow.’
His eyes met with the spirit, Leafanel. She was still in a state where she couldn't open her eyes or move, but somehow, he felt like she was looking at him.
"So why did you suddenly start talking?"
"Well, I have about 1,269 things I want to say, but where should I start?"
"Start with what you need to say to me."
"Well, that's a shame. Then, here's the first question! Why do you wriggle on the floor like that?"
‘What?’
"Exercise."
"Exercise?"
"I can't use magic. I have mana leakage syndrome. So I practice swordsmanship."
"But why do you do it so messily?"
"... And what do you know?"
"I know everything! I've seen someone just like you before. That person was skilled with a sword. They could cut through magic and spirits alike."
"W-What...?"
He’d never heard such a story. Even in the game, there was no mention of a swordsman. If they were skilled enough to cut through magic, they must have been quite powerful.
Was it possible for such a person to exist?
It was not impossible.
He could predict something like that with his own example.
Even excluding Flash, he had been using Teripon for less than a month and could already slash low-level magic.
In the past, there might not have been such overpowered weapons, but there still could have been mana leakage syndrome.
In other words, it wouldn't be strange if someone in the past couldn't learn magic and had trained their physical abilities to the extreme using this constitution.
Not everything could be revealed in the game.
Keeping that fact in mind, he asked, "Who is that person? Can I meet them?"
“No, you can't. They were killed by the twelve disciples of the Progenitor Mage.”
"The Progenitor Mage..."
He was a person who lived in a much older era than he thought.
“I was close to that person.”
"... So?"
“I saw their swordsmanship a lot. They were excellent. You're just mediocre.”
"I know that too."
Baek Yu-Seol didn’t know what to say.
“I can teach you that person’s breathing technique and their movements. I recorded everything.”
"... What? Really?"
“In return, there's one condition.”
He didn't expect to learn for free.
But if what that divine spirit said was true, and if he could learn it, his growth would undoubtedly change dramatically.
He had obtained the opportunity to meet the master that he thought he could never meet.
That was why, no matter what the proposal was, he was willing to accept it.
“Save me.”
Except for absurd proposals.
"How can I save you? Should I perform CPR? Oh, you don't have a heart, so that won't work. Too bad."
“Don't make fun of me, you evil human.”
"What can I do for you then?"
“I can't take a single step away from here, and no one understands me. I'm half dead.”
"So?"
“A heart…. Get me a heart.”
When the answer came, he was engulfed in deep disappointment. It was an impossible condition.
Leafanel, just before becoming a spirit, had immense power. How could he obtain the heart of another spirit?
"I'm sorry, but that's impossible."
“It doesn't have to be a spirit's heart. Just... a pure heart of a divine beast…”
"If you use that, you’ll lose most of your powers, you know?"
Upon hearing that, Leafanel’s voice momentarily softened. “It's better than being trapped here forever..."
There was a somewhat bittersweet feeling in her voice.
Forever, alone.
He couldn't even imagine the loneliness she must have felt being stuck here all by herself, so it made him feel heavy-hearted.
"Well, if it's just an ordinary divine beast’s heart... it might not be completely impossible."
“Really?”
"Yeah."
After all, the reason why he came here and went through all this training was because of the upcoming Familiar Contract Ceremony. At that time, he would meet countless divine beasts for sure.
Hostile, friendly, and neutral divine beasts.
However, even in a place where countless of them existed, it was uncertain whether he could truly obtain a heart worthy of Leafanel.
‘It’s much more achievable compared to finding a divine spirit’s heart.’
‘If it can fill the only part that is missing in her, I’m willing to put in the effort.”
"I'll do my best."
“Thank you! I'll be waiting!”
Upon hearing his words, Leafanel displayed a bright smile.
Even though she must have lived for at least several hundred years, she could still wear such a pure smile.
He was struck by that thought once again.
"Oh, by the way, I have something for you. It's a token of our promise."
"A token?"
“Yes! Take a look at the pillar beside me.”
Struggling against the weight on his legs, he approached the pillar, and there, he saw a necklace adorned with flowers and grass.
"What's this?"
“It's proof that you're my friend.”
"Oh? What's it used for? Can I get a discount at a luxury department store with it?"
“It means you can become friends with me.”
"... Uh, okay."
He had never heard of such an item in the game. He didn’t know if it would be useful or not, but it had to serve some purpose.
‘At the very least, it can be used as firewood if there was no fire…’
‘Wait a moment.’
‘A token from a divine spirit?’
The existence of spirits was regarded as extraordinary within the world's cosmology.
Divine spirits were extraordinary beings in this world. A token given by such a spirit would definitely be useful somewhere, even if it seemed like an ordinary necklace with no special attributes.
He was convinced.
This necklace would be used for something very important in the future.
Late dawn.
Stella Academy. Alterisha’s research laboratory.
It used to be more like a garbage dump than a warehouse, but thanks to frequent cleaning by Baek Yu-Seol, a relatively decent research environment had been established.
Tick, tock.
It was already past 3 a.m., yet Alterisha continued her research. The presentation was tomorrow, after all.
The Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique.
It was a famous formula that caused a sensation when an alchemist from 300 years ago said, “I discovered an amazing formula that can solve this problem, but I'm in a hurry to use the restroom,” and then he died in the restroom.
If this formula was correct, it would be such a tremendous discovery that it could turn the entire alchemical academic community upside down.
For 300 years, countless alchemists had attempted it, but all failed, and now no one dared to challenge it.
This unsolved formula had been deemed impossible.
However…
That formula...
"Ah!"
Had finally been solved.
In the cramped research lab, Alterisha had finally unraveled it.
Thud.
Alterisha, who had successfully completed the calculations, sank down to the floor as if her strength had left her.
"I did it..."
Her head felt fuzzy.
‘This can’t be a dream, right?’
She pinched her cheek, and tears welled up from the pain.
Suddenly, she turned her head and looked at a student dozing off in the corner.
The boy who had faithfully come to her side every day while she struggled to solve the formula.
The boy who had been the greatest help in making the impossible possible. Baek Yu-Seol.
She wanted to wake him up right away and boast about her achievement, but she refrained.
After all, he looked so exhausted.
Instead, she added one more name to the list of authors in the paper.
[Co-author: Baek Yu-Seol]
No matter how she thought about it, it was thanks to Baek Yu-Seol that she was able to complete this paper. If it weren't for him, it would have been impossible. It was only right to include his name here.
"Phew!"
She took a deep breath.
She felt nervous and scared at the thought of the upcoming presentation, but she would still face the challenge.
Because there was a boy who had worked so hard for her sake, despite being ignored and abandoned by everyone else.
She held the paper close to her chest.
"The Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique."
How many scientists dreamed of a new era when alchemy and magic engineering, once considered impossible to harmonize, merged together?
If that was the case, then tomorrow...
The world would have to prepare for the dawn of a new era.