Episode 9: After the Mission Ends (2)
The world was in an uproar because of the Other World.
There was much talk about various matters, such as the Hunter Management Act, but as far as Akan was concerned, the changes in the world did not apply to him.
'I don't have citizenship to begin with.'
The Hunter Management Act.
The newly created law, which was meant to manage the Hunters of one's own country, contained no provisions for managing illegal aliens like Akan.
In the end, even in this changed world, Akan was an outsider.
All the benefits he would receive as a Hunter were someone else's story as far as Akan was concerned.
So, even as the world changed rapidly, Akan consistently punched his time card at the chicken restaurant.
As Akan still had no new source of income, part-time work at the chicken restaurant was his only means of survival.
'Items from the Other World can be traded in reality too. Once some time passes, I'll be able to pioneer a new source of income through them. Until then, I have no choice but to work my part-time job diligently. Just because I've gained magical abilities doesn't mean they'll cover my living expenses. Tsk. I live a miserable life too.'
It was already a confirmed fact that abilities from the Other World carried over into reality.
He couldn't use them to enrich his life immediately, but honestly, Akan was sufficiently satisfied with his current situation.
Magic.
He had regained the power he had longed for.
Magic had always been a lingering regret in his life in South Korea.
Now that his empty heart was fulfilled, he felt joyful no matter what he did.
'The problem is... the upcoming missions, I suppose.'
Akan recalled the special rewards he had obtained from the previous mission.
[Low-grade Skill Book]
[Low-grade Mana Stone]
He had obtained a total of two items.
As basic survivor rewards, he came to possess two low-grade skill books, and he used the ten Fragments of Strength immediately to raise his Strength from 11 to 12.
Akan checked the items one by one; the low-grade skill books possessed abilities true to their name.
[Held Skills]
-Magic Missile
-Dash
-Power Shot
The low-grade skill books each contained a total of three skills.
It seemed the skills held in each skill book were different; in another skill book, Fire Ball was in the place of Magic Missile.
Magic Missile was a 1st-Circle Normal magic spell.
According to the information in the skill window, the number of skills one could learn was limited to five per grade.
It stated that the skill limit could be expanded later through [Release], but since there was a limit for now, he had to be cautious in learning skills.
Akan had no particular need to learn magic.
As long as he had mana, couldn't Akan use magic on his own!
But Akan thought he should deliberately learn magic at least once.
'I need to know what difference there is between magic learned through a skill book and magic I use myself. Only then can I learn skills more efficiently. If the magic from skill books is more efficient, I'll focus on acquiring magic skills from now on. But if not, I have no reason to learn magic.'
He had two skill books anyway.
Akan used one skill book to acquire Magic Missile.
Then information regarding [Magic Missile] was registered in his completely empty skill window.
[Magic Missile]
[MP Cost: 100]
[Description: 1st-Circle Normal Magic]
According to the description, 1 magic power was equal to 10 MP.
Normally, 100 MP was consumed to use a 1st-Circle spell, but Akan basically possessed 300 MP, so he could use 1st-Circle magic three times.
The moment Akan used Magic Missile, he could identify its drawbacks.
'The casting time is extremely long. Something that would normally take me 10 seconds to cast at my skill level now consumes over 30 seconds. Furthermore... the power of the magic is markedly inferior. With this level of power, there's no reason whatsoever to learn magic through skill books. For me, magic from skill books is extremely inefficient.'
There were no advantages.
Only drawbacks.
Now that the need to learn magic had vanished, Akan took an interest in other skills.
'I'll acquire skills that maximize physical abilities as a top priority. In that case... Dash would be the most suitable.'
[Dash]
[Description: Dashes forward rapidly.]
He did not hesitate in learning the skill.
Akan's rapidly spinning brain determined which skill was most suitable for him.
In the countless simulations run inside his head, the Dash skill showed good synergy with Akan.
To use the combat techniques he had acquired at the Blaze Magic Tower as efficiently as possible, he needed skills related to physical enhancement.
[Mana Stone]
[Description: Contains 100 MP.]
The Mana Stone was stated to be mainly used for reinforcement.
100 MP was an amount that allowed him to use a 1st-Circle spell one more time!
Without hesitation, Akan reinforced the dagger he had obtained in the previous mission with the Mana Stone.
Then the dagger was reborn as a new item.
[Sharp Dagger Imbued with the Power of Mana]
[Effects: Cutting Power +3, Strength +1, MP +100]
With this, Akan came to possess 400 MP.
Normally, the mana required to use magic was calculated in multiples of the Circle.
Since 1st-Circle magic required 100 MP, 200 MP was needed to use 2nd-Circle magic.
Akan now possessed enough mana to use 2nd-Circle magic twice, and 3rd-Circle magic once.
'3rd-Circle magic, huh.'
Akan let out a smirk.
3rd-Circle was truly a low-tier spell for Akan.
Yet the fact that he could barely use 3rd-Circle magic made Akan's heart flutter.
The mere fact that he could use magic again made Akan's heart react violently.
'The existence of the Other World is a calamity for the world. But... for me, it is a blessing.'
The world's destruction?
He didn't really care.
If he could only recover his magic, he would research dimensional travel again.
He had performed dimensional travel due to a failed experiment, but regardless, Akan had experience with dimensional travel.
That experience would serve as the foundation for his research.
If this world were to face the crisis of destruction just as the fairy had said, Akan was willing to leave without hesitation.
This place wasn't Akan's homeland, was it?
Akan thought that if he had the leeway, it would be far better to take the people he considered his benefactors and flee.
'I'm standing at a considerably favorable starting point, unlike other people. The fact that I can use 8th-Circle magic without even using skill books is an enormous advantage. Moreover, those who use magic through skill books will undoubtedly have significantly lower magic efficiency than me. The Other World will be an opportunity for me.'
Opportunity.
The talent that had been utterly useless in the world called South Korea had seized its opportunity.
Age 40.
A part-timer without a decent job.
Furthermore, his status as an illegal alien made people look down on Akan, but it would be different in the new world.
Even though he couldn't register as a Hunter with the state, mighty power was exempt from all the world's rules.
Akan, who had reached the pinnacle of power on the continent of Macedonia, knew that fact well.
'If I can recover my abilities.'
Ten years spent as one without ability.
Akan's suppressed instincts were awakening.
"Changhyeok. You're fucked."
Akan was already dreaming of revenge.
The world would come to know in the future.
The eccentric wizard Akan.
That while he had groveled when he was powerless, how much of a headache the existence called Akan would become once he gained power.
- To be continued in Episode 10 -