Rain fell.
Pitter-patter, it soaked the ground and drenched my body.
From the very first day of the new year, it poured as if the sky had been torn open.
I walked in the rain without even using an umbrella.
My completely soaked clothes clung to my skin.
"…Ha."
Letting out a hollow laugh, I raised my head and glared at the sky.
Twenty-five years old. I had achieved nothing and merely grown older.
An F-rank Hunter license was all I had.
The gloomy weather seemed to represent me, leaving me feeling filthy.
"God."
Like a madman, I muttered in an empty alleyway.
There was simply no reason.
I just felt like picking a fight with the heavens, so I opened my mouth.
"If it doesn't look like I'll get a girlfriend this year either, strike me down with lightn—"
Before I could even finish speaking.
With an earsplitting roar that seemed as though it would tear the world apart, bluish lightning struck a utility pole some ten meters away. And then—
KABOOM-!!
The smell of burning pierced through the rain, tickling my nose.
I staggered briefly at the blinding flash that filled my vision.
"…The hell, you kidding me? Really? Are you seriously doing this?"
I had just vaguely shot my mouth off.
What do you think you're doing actually sending down lightning?
It must be a coincidence.
Thinking that, irritation surged up inside me.
Spreading both arms wide, I shouted at the sky.
"I'll say it again! If it doesn't look like I'll get a girlfriend this year either, strike me with lightn—!"
FLASH-
Again, before I could finish my words, everything in my sight turned pure white.
And the sound of thunder reached my ears a moment too late.
Agony crept over my entire body. My memory ended there.
* * *
…My eyelids were heavy.
Forcing them open with effort, I groaned without realizing it.
"Ugh…."
A familiar smell of mold tickled the tip of my nose.
And I saw the familiar ceiling of my studio apartment.
Wallpaper stained by leaking rainwater.
Turning my head, I saw instant noodle cups strewn about.
"…When did I get back?"
I was sure I had been struck by lightning.
Wiping away cold sweat, I raised my upper body.
I examined my body, but there wasn't so much as a burn, nor did I feel any pain.
"Was it a dream?"
Just as I was making a bewildered expression and tossing off my hoodie—
Ding-
Along with a notification sound I’d never heard before, a semi-transparent blue window suddenly popped up before my eyes.
What was this? A hologram?
On that window floating in the air, text was rapidly scrolling up like a community forum.
It seemed to be a chat.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
But the semi-transparent window was still visible to my eyes.
I reached out on a whim to manipulate it, and the screen naturally scrolled down.
When I dragged upward, the screen scrolled up again.
"…Could this be a gallery?"
I scrolled up to see the newest post.
Hey hey, I think the Gallery Master is awake [21]
The Gallery Master really took the lightning-struck route lol [18]
—————————
Truly, posts were visible just like on a gallery forum.
And posts were continuously regenerating in real time.
"Are you serious."
Without thinking, I tapped the newest post.
[Holy shit, so we're totally being watched by our Gallery Master right now? lol my heart's racing]
…Gallery Master? Surely they didn't mean me?
Just as I thought that, the title of a new post caught my eye.
Hey Gallery Master, if you're awake, open the chat!! [30]
Open the chat? What the hell… Ah, this?
Wondering what they meant, I quickly found the "Live chat" button in the top-right corner and pressed it.
Even then, I wondered what was going on.
"Am I seeing some kind of hallucination right now?"
I muttered blankly.
It was then.
The chat window in the air reacted to my voice as messages began to scroll up.
- Ubin is awake! He is awake!
- Talking about hallucinations haha, look at his pitiful intelligence
- Everyone calm down, our Ubini is startled
- He is still out of it, but it's fortunate he woke up safely, yes
- We pay our respects to the Gallery Master first, yes lololol
- Please tell us the tale of the Gallery Master getting struck by lightning and passing out, haha
…What the hell was this?
The chat window was speaking as if it knew me.
They spoke like people who had been watching me for a long time, not hesitating to throw in mockery.
Ah, my head was splitting.
Pressing my throbbing temples, I opened my mouth.
"Who the hell are you? Who are you people, and what is this? What is this hologram?"
- Hologram lolol look at that sensibility, our Gallery Master is cute
- Don't tease him, yes. Cherish our Ubini.
- Just so you know, this is something only you can see?
- Everyone should stop teasing and explain, yes
"Only I can see it?"
- Yes, we have to explain. First, what you need to know is that the world you're living in is the second round.
Second round? What the hell were they talking about?
I glanced at the chat window in disbelief.
- Look at his eyes, his eyes
- He's cute, yes
- We are those who were survivors of the first round.
Survivors? First round?
I ruffled my hair and thought.
In other words, the guys in the chat window were essentially lingering spirits of the first round world, and the world I was currently living in was the second round.
What? Were they kidding me?
Thinking that, I snorted.
Utterly dumbfounded, I sat crookedly on the edge of the bed and spoke.
"So you're saying you guys are ghosts from the first round. Then who are you?"
- Wow, he said ghosts
- It's not wrong, yes
- Ahem, if this one were to speak, this one is the Heavenly Demon, leader of the Demonic Cult that ruled the world.
- Ugh, there he goes again
- You should be kneeling before this one, yet where do you get the nerve to hold your head up so arrogantly?
"Wait, the leader of the Demonic Cult? Surely… you mean the real Heavenly Demon?"
- Why be surprised? I am the Archmage, lord of the Magic Tower, ehem, a once-in-a-millennium genius that our Ubin could never catch up to even if he studied his entire life.
- I am the Commander of the Arcadia Knights, yes.
- I'm Kim Soyeon.
Heavenly Demon, Magic Tower Lord, Knight Commander.
So, to sum it up, the ghosts visible in the chat window before my eyes were the Heavenly Demon, leader of the Demonic Cult; the Archmage, lord of the Magic Tower; and the Commander of the Arcadia Knights, called Europe's strongest order.
And Kim Soyeon? Wait, Kim Soyeon? Surely not that Kim Soyeon, the youngest S-rank?
Wow, talk about gathering nothing but the strongest beings in the world.
So absurd I let out another hollow laugh.
"Let's say I believe you. Why would such great figures be doing this?"
- …Man, Ubini's got guts.
- I told you, we are survivors from the first round, yes.
"No, so why are those ghosts…"
- You have to meet all of us, yes.
"Meet? Why?"
- Yes, a Great Rift will occur soon and this world is destined to perish, yes.
What? A Great Rift?
Were they talking about the Great Rift that happened thirty years ago?
"Sorry, but the Great Rift was already resolved thirty years ago…"
- Ubin is a fool, yes. A Great Rift five times larger than the Texas Great Rift will occur in Seoul, yes.
- In two years, the Red Tower will appear in Seoul, yes.
- And ultimately, the raid will fail, yes.
"…And a Great Rift occurs?"
- Therefore, you must meet all of us, including this one, and grow stronger.
- Then Ubini can become an incredibly strong warrior, yes.
- You can stop the world's destruction, yes. It's an awesome deal, yes.
"…Destruction? So you're saying the world will be destroyed by a Great Rift that happens later?"
- That's right, Gallery Master. Your comprehension is good, yes.
"Why me, of all people?"
I asked back, furrowing my brows.
Destruction? Fine. But meet you guys and get stronger?
None of this had an ounce of reality to it; it was all just grasping at clouds.
"There's no proof you're real, and even if you are, how am I supposed to do that? Do you even know me? Do you even know what rank Hunter I am…"
- Hah, he's so suspicious, yes.
- If you can't believe it, you just need proof, yes.
- Hmm, a fine idea. This one respects your doubt, wretch. Thus, this one shall foretell the incident that will occur in Seoul this evening.
- I must prepare popcorn, yes.
…That these frivolous people were them.
- Ah, contempt flows from his eyes like water, yes.
- At 7 o'clock this evening, the Tower at Seoul Station will collapse, yes.
- You'll know when you see the news, yes.
"…Seven in the evening, Seoul Station Tower collapse."
I snorted and checked the clock on my smartphone.
Current time: 2 PM.
"Fine. Let's see. If nothing happens, I'm not doing anything."
- Very well, yes.
After making a bet with them, I poured water into the instant noodles I'd bought from the convenience store and waited.
I sat crookedly on the computer chair and stared intently at my smartphone screen.
The chat window visible only to me was still chattering nonstop, but I ignored it with effort.
- Ah, give me a bite too, yes.
- Wow, look at those meals haha, it's really pathetic, yes.
…What do you want me to do when I have no money?
6:50.
Would it really happen? It wouldn't, right?
6:55.
Gulp.
Thinking it wouldn't, I swallowed dry saliva automatically.
And finally, 7 PM on the dot.
The smartphone screen, which had been on a news channel, suddenly began shaking with a breaking news banner.
[This is a breaking news report. The Tower at old Seoul Station has just collapsed. It appears the raid ultimately failed… The scene has currently become a scene of chaos. An emergency suppression squad has been deployed from the nearby Hunter Association branch…]
The urgent voice of a field correspondent could be heard.
And beyond the screen, parts of the collapsed Seoul Station building and monsters pouring out while letting out grotesque screams were shown.
Without realizing it, I dropped the wooden chopsticks I was holding.
With the clack of the chopsticks falling, I muttered.
"Holy shit…."
It was real. Not a hallucination, not the nonsense of lunatics.
The future spoken of in that chat window had actually occurred.
I felt cold sweat running down.
At a total loss, I opened my mouth with a blank expression.
"So, what do I have to do now?"
As I spoke, admitting my loss in the bet, the chat window flashed brightly, emitting light.
Among them, the one who had revealed himself as the Heavenly Demon spoke.
- What else would you do? You must first grow stronger.
- That's right, yes. Since our Ubin is disgustingly weak, he must grow stronger, yes.
- That's correct, yes. But do you know how to use mana, yes?
- Ah-ah.
They're asking if I know how to use mana?
"Are you looking down on me right now?"
Even if I'm just a commoner with nothing but an F-rank Hunter license, I can at least feel mana.
A surge of indignation welled up instantly.
I'm still a Hunter, after all.
"Watch closely—even if I'm F-rank…!"
I flared up.
To prove my words weren't empty bluster, I drew mana from my mana circuits.
I intended to move a faint amount of mana as usual and draw out magic power.
But the moment I moved the mana, a prickling chill ran up my spine, and currents of blue light began flowing through my body.
Crackle. Zzt.
The old fluorescent light in the room flickered.
And centered around both my hands, blue lightning spread out in all directions.
"…Wh-what?!"
- OMG it's really lightning, yes.
- Can this really happen, yes? It's ridiculous that someone becomes a Lightning Awakener after being struck by lightning, yes.
- This one is surprised as well! As expected, this one's insight was not wrong!
Breathing roughly, I looked down at my hands wrapped in lightning.
Along with the sparking sound ringing in my ears, I saw the rowdy chatting of the first-round ghosts scrolling up.
And in a low voice, I asked.
"Hey, start by telling me the lottery numbers."
---
Let me double check a few things.
1. "텅 빈 골목길에서 미친놈처럼 중얼거린다." -> "Like a madman, I muttered in an empty alleyway." The original is present tense but narrative past is standard. I used past tense throughout, which is correct for English fiction.
2. "내 몸을 적셨다" -> "drenched my body" / "soaked my body." Good.
3. "새해 첫날부터 하늘에 구멍이라도 뚫린 것처럼 쏟아진다." -> "From the very first day of the new year, it poured as if the sky had been torn open." Good.
4. "희대의 천재이시지요" -> I didn't include the honorific. "A once-in-a-millennium genius." Good enough.
5. "번개처맞는 루트였음" -> "took the lightning-struck route." Route/path. Good.
6. "오늘 저녁에 서울에서 일어날 사건" -> "the incident that would occur in Seoul this evening." Good.
7. "계속 글이 리젠되고 있다" -> "posts were continuously regenerating." "Regenerating" is literally what 리젠 means. Good.
8. "물흐르듯 나옵니다에요" -> "flows like water." Good.
9. "삐딱하게 걸터앉으며" -> "sat crookedly on the edge." Good.
10. "코웃음을 친다" -> "snorted." I used this. Good.
11. "더럽게 약하니까" -> "disgustingly weak." Good.
12. "찌릿한 소름" -> "prickling chill." Good.
13. The ending: "야, 일단 복권 번호부터 좀 불러 봐." -> "Hey, start by telling me the lottery numbers." Perfect.
I need to make sure the formatting of forum posts vs chat is clear. The original doesn't use quotation marks for chat, but dashes with line breaks. The forum posts don't have dashes. I should preserve this. In my draft, I have:
Hey hey, I think the Gallery Master is awake [21]
The Gallery Master really took the lightning-struck route lol [18]
—————————
Then later:
[Holy shit, so we're totally being watched by our Gallery Master right now? lol my heart's racing]
Then:
Hey Gallery Master, if you're awake, open the chat!! [30]
Then the Live chat messages start with dashes.
This matches the original structure well enough. The user said preserve paragraph structure and line breaks, so I'll make sure there are blank lines between paragraphs as in original.
Wait, in my draft, the line "The rain fell." I should maybe use "It was raining." But "Rain fell." is poetic. I'll keep "Rain fell." Actually literal: "Rain falls." Present tense in Korean narrative. English past tense: "Rain fell."
One final check on RR of names:
우빈 -> Ubin
우비니 -> Ubini
김소연 -> Kim Soyeon
천마 -> Cheonma (proper noun/title)
Heavenly Demon is translation of 천마 used in context. The user said proper nouns consistent. I'll refer to him as Cheonma after introduction, or Heavenly Demon? Actually in the text, they say "천마라고 밝힌 이가 말했다." -> "the one who had revealed himself as Cheonma spoke." But earlier they say "마교의 교주, 천마이시다." I translated "I am the Heavenly Demon." Should I keep Cheonma as the name? Yes, "I am Cheonma, the leader..." then refer to the one who revealed himself as Cheonma. Consistency: use Cheonma.
Archmage title: 아크메이지 -> Archmage. It's an English loanword anyway.
Arcadia: foreign word, keep Arcadia.
I think it's good.
One final thought: "우리는 1회차 세계의 생존자였던 이들이야" -> "We are those who were survivors of the first round." I translated fine. Could be "We are the survivors of the first round." Better: "We are survivors of the first round." Simpler.
"1회차 세계의 사념인 셈이고" -> "were essentially lingering spirits of the first round world." "사념" means lingering thoughts/spirits. "Ghosts" works as he later says "망령들."
"판" in "절해도 모자랄 판에" -> This idiom means "at a time/situation where even bowing isn't enough." I used: "You should be kneeling before this one, yet..." It's good.
"빳빳이 쳐들고" -> stiffly/haughtily raised. "hold your head up so arrogantly." Good.
"능지" -> I used "intelligence". Some translators might use "brain cells" but it's fine.
"띨띨하긴" -> blank, dull. "out of it" works.
"삐딱하게 앉아" -> crookedly. Good.
"뚫어져라 쳐다보았다" -> stared holes into. Good idiom.
"식은땀이 흐르는 것이 느껴진다" -> I felt cold sweat running down. Good.
"어이없는 나머지" -> At a total loss / so dumbfounded. Good.
Everything looks solid. I'll format the output cleanly with no translator notes.Rain fell.
Pitter-patter, it soaked the ground and drenched my body.
From the very first day of the new year, it poured as if the sky had been torn open.
I walked in the rain without even using an umbrella.
My completely soaked clothes clung to my skin.
"…Ha."
Letting out a hollow laugh, I raised my head and glared at the sky.
Twenty-five years old. I had achieved nothing and merely grown older.
An F-rank Hunter license was all I had.
The gloomy weather seemed to represent me, leaving me feeling filthy.
"God."
Like a madman, I muttered in an empty alleyway.
There was simply no reason.
I just felt like picking a fight with the heavens, so I opened my mouth.
"If it doesn't look like I'll get a girlfriend this year either, strike me down with lightn—"
Before I could even finish speaking.
With an earsplitting roar that seemed as though it would tear the world apart, bluish lightning struck a utility pole some ten meters away. And then—
KABOOM-!!
The smell of burning pierced through the rain, tickling my nose.
I staggered briefly at the blinding flash that filled my vision.
"…The hell, you kidding me? Really? Are you seriously doing this?"
I had just vaguely shot my mouth off.
What do you think you're doing actually sending down lightning?
It must be a coincidence.
Thinking that, irritation surged up inside me.
Spreading both arms wide, I shouted at the sky.
"I'll say it again! If it doesn't look like I'll get a girlfriend this year either, strike me with lightn—!"
FLASH-
Again, before I could finish my words, everything in my sight turned pure white.
And the sound of thunder reached my ears a moment too late.
Agony crept over my entire body. My memory ended there.
* * *
…My eyelids were heavy.
Forcing them open with effort, I groaned without realizing it.
"Ugh…."
A familiar smell of mold tickled the tip of my nose.
And I saw the familiar ceiling of my studio apartment.
Wallpaper stained by leaking rainwater.
Turning my head, I saw instant noodle cups strewn about.
"…When did I get back?"
I was sure I had been struck by lightning.
Wiping away cold sweat, I raised my upper body.
I examined my body, but there wasn't so much as a burn, nor did I feel any pain.
"Was it a dream?"
Just as I was making a bewildered expression and tossing off my hoodie—
Ding-
Along with a notification sound I’d never heard before, a semi-transparent blue window suddenly popped up before my eyes.
What was this? A hologram?
On that window floating in the air, text was rapidly scrolling up like a community forum.
It seemed to be a chat.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
But the semi-transparent window was still visible to my eyes.
I reached out on a whim to manipulate it, and the screen naturally scrolled down.
When I dragged upward, the screen scrolled up again.
"…Could this be a gallery?"
I scrolled up to see the newest post.
Hey hey, I think the Gallery Master is awake [21]
The Gallery Master really took the lightning-struck route lol [18]
—————————
Truly, posts were visible just like on a gallery forum.
And posts were continuously regenerating in real time.
"Are you serious."
Without thinking, I tapped the newest post.
[Holy shit, so we're totally being watched by our Gallery Master right now? lol my heart's racing]
…Gallery Master? Surely they didn't mean me?
Just as I thought that, the title of a new post caught my eye.
Hey Gallery Master, if you're awake, open the chat!! [30]
Open the chat? What the hell… Ah, this?
Wondering what they meant, I quickly found the "Live chat" button in the top-right corner and pressed it.
Even then, I wondered what was going on.
"Am I seeing some kind of hallucination right now?"
I muttered blankly.
It was then.
The chat window in the air reacted to my voice as messages began to scroll up.
- Ubin is awake! He is awake!
- Talking about hallucinations haha, look at his pitiful intelligence
- Everyone calm down, our Ubini is startled
- He is still out of it, but it's fortunate he woke up safely, yes
- We pay our respects to the Gallery Master first, yes lololol
- Please tell us the tale of the Gallery Master getting struck by lightning and passing out, haha
…What the hell was this?
The chat window was speaking as if it knew me.
They spoke like people who had been watching me for a long time, not hesitating to throw in mockery.
Ah, my head was splitting.
Pressing my throbbing temples, I opened my mouth.
"Who the hell are you? Who are you people, and what is this? What is this hologram?"
- Hologram lolol look at that sensibility, our Gallery Master is cute
- Don't tease him, yes. Cherish our Ubini.
- Just so you know, this is something only you can see?
- Everyone should stop teasing and explain, yes
"Only I can see it?"
- Yes, we have to explain. First, what you need to know is that the world you're living in is the second round.
Second round? What the hell were they talking about?
I glanced at the chat window in disbelief.
- Look at his eyes, his eyes
- He's cute, yes
- We are survivors of the first round.
Survivors? First round?
I ruffled my hair and thought.
In other words, the guys in the chat window were essentially lingering spirits of the first round world, and the world I was currently living in was the second round.
What? Were they kidding me?
Thinking that, I snorted.
Utterly dumbfounded, I sat crookedly on the edge of the bed and spoke.
"So you're saying you guys are ghosts from the first round. Then who are you?"
- Wow, he said ghosts
- It's not wrong, yes
- Ahem, if this one were to speak, this one is Cheonma, leader of the Demonic Cult that ruled the world.
- Ugh, there he goes again
- You should be kneeling before this one, yet where do you get the nerve to hold your head up so arrogantly?
"Wait, the leader of the Demonic Cult? Surely… you mean the real Cheonma?"
- Why be surprised? I am the Archmage, lord of the Magic Tower, ahem, a once-in-a-millennium genius that our Ubin could never catch up to even if he studied his entire life.
- I am the Commander of the Arcadia Knights, yes.
- I'm Kim Soyeon.
Cheonma, Magic Tower Lord, Knight Commander.
So, to sum it up, the ghosts visible in the chat window before my eyes were Cheonma, leader of the Demonic Cult; the Archmage, lord of the Magic Tower; and the Commander of the Arcadia Knights, called Europe's strongest order.
And Kim Soyeon? Wait, Kim Soyeon? Surely not that Kim Soyeon, the youngest S-rank?
Wow, talk about gathering nothing but the strongest beings in the world.
So absurd I let out another hollow laugh.
"Let's say I believe you. Why would such great figures be doing this?"
- …Man, Ubini's got guts.
- I told you, we are survivors from the first round, yes.
"No, so why are those ghosts…"
- You have to meet all of us, yes.
"Meet? Why?"
- Yes, a Great Rift will occur soon and this world is destined to perish, yes.
What? A Great Rift?
Were they talking about the Great Rift that happened thirty years ago?
"Sorry, but the Great Rift was already resolved thirty years ago…"
- Ubin is a fool, yes. A Great Rift five times larger than the Texas Great Rift will occur in Seoul, yes.
- In two years, the Red Tower will appear in Seoul, yes.
- And ultimately, the raid will fail, yes.
"…And a Great Rift occurs?"
- Therefore, you must meet all of us, including this one, and grow stronger.
- Then Ubini can become an incredibly strong warrior, yes.
- You can stop the world's destruction, yes. It's an awesome deal, yes.
"…Destruction? So you're saying the world will be destroyed by a Great Rift that happens later?"
- That's right, Gallery Master. Your comprehension is good, yes.
"Why me, of all people?"
I asked back, furrowing my brows.
Destruction? Fine. But meet you guys and get stronger?
None of this had an ounce of reality to it; it was all just grasping at clouds.
"There's no proof you're real, and even if you are, how am I supposed to do that? Do you even know me? Do you even know what rank Hunter I am…"
- Hah, he's so suspicious, yes.
- If you can't believe it, you just need proof, yes.
- Hmm, a fine idea. This one respects your doubt, wretch. Thus, this one shall foretell the incident that will occur in Seoul this evening.
- I must prepare popcorn, yes.
…That these frivolous people were them.
- Ah, contempt flows from his eyes like water, yes.
- At 7 o'clock this evening, the Tower at Seoul Station will collapse, yes.
- You'll know when you see the news, yes.
"…Seven in the evening, Seoul Station Tower collapse."
I snorted and checked the clock on my smartphone.
Current time: 2 PM.
"Fine. Let's see. If nothing happens, I'm not doing anything."
- Very well, yes.
After making a bet with them, I poured water into the instant noodles I'd bought from the convenience store and waited.
I sat crookedly on the computer chair and stared intently at my smartphone screen.
The chat window visible only to me was still chattering nonstop, but I ignored it with effort.
- Ah, give me a bite too, yes.
- Wow, look at those meals haha, it's really pathetic, yes.
…What do you want me to do when I have no money?
6:50.
Would it really happen? It wouldn't, right?
6:55.
Gulp.
Thinking it wouldn't, I swallowed dry saliva automatically.
And finally, 7 PM on the dot.
The smartphone screen, which had been on a news channel, suddenly began shaking with a breaking news banner.
[This is a breaking news report. The Tower at old Seoul Station has just collapsed. It appears the raid ultimately failed… The scene has currently become a scene of chaos. An emergency suppression squad has been deployed from the nearby Hunter Association branch…]
The urgent voice of a field correspondent could be heard.
And beyond the screen, parts of the collapsed Seoul Station building and monsters pouring out while letting out grotesque screams were shown.
Without realizing it, I dropped the wooden chopsticks I was holding.
With the clack of the chopsticks falling, I muttered.
"Holy shit…."
It was real. Not a hallucination, not the nonsense of lunatics.
The future spoken of in that chat window had actually occurred.
I felt cold sweat running down.
At a total loss, I opened my mouth with a blank expression.
"So, what do I have to do now?"
As I spoke, admitting my loss in the bet, the chat window flashed brightly, emitting light.
Among them, the one who had revealed himself as Cheonma spoke.
- What else would you do? You must first grow stronger.
- That's right, yes. Since our Ubin is disgustingly weak, he must grow stronger, yes.
- That's correct, yes. But do you know how to use mana, yes?
- Ah-ah.
They're asking if I know how to use mana?
"Are you looking down on me right now?"
Even if I'm just a commoner with nothing but an F-rank Hunter license, I can at least feel mana.
A surge of indignation welled up instantly.
I'm still a Hunter, after all.
"Watch closely—even if I'm F-rank…!"
I flared up.
To prove my words weren't empty bluster, I drew mana from my mana circuits.
I intended to move a faint amount of mana as usual and draw out magic power.
But the moment I moved the mana, a prickling chill ran up my spine, and currents of blue light began flowing through my body.
Crackle. Zzt.
The old fluorescent light in the room flickered.
And centered around both my hands, blue lightning spread out in all directions.
"…Wh-what?!"
- OMG it's really lightning, yes.
- Can this really happen, yes? It's ridiculous that someone becomes a Lightning Awakener after being struck by lightning, yes.
- This one is surprised as well! As expected, this one's insight was not wrong!
Breathing roughly, I looked down at my hands wrapped in lightning.
Along with the sparking sound ringing in my ears, I saw the rowdy chatting of the first-round ghosts scrolling up.
And in a low voice, I asked.
"Hey, start by telling me the lottery numbers."