“Ha-yul, did you have an uncomfortable sleep last night?”
“?”
“You look really tired.”
I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night. I greeted the morning with my eyes wide open, and as a result, my condition was well below average.
I got up in a crumpled mess and started getting ready to leave with my teammates.
Packing didn’t take long. The fancy gear, which balanced convenience and performance, made retrieval a breeze.
The temporary base was mostly tidied up.
We gathered in the center to have a quick breakfast. It was just instant food heated up like yesterday, but everyone had bright smiles likely because of the fact that we would soon be leaving for the dungeon.
While we were finishing up and heading back,
Elia, who seemed to be inspecting me with a tilted head since morning, finally asked. I must have looked pale.
[I’m fine. Just a bit sleep-deprived.]
It wasn’t a lie. I couldn’t sleep at all due to the tension, so I spent the night with my eyes shut but wide open.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.
‘…Ugh.’
It was the time I was supposed to be on watch. Aiden had brought up jealousy while apologizing, which led me to dwell on unnecessary thoughts and feel gloomy all by myself.
Thinking about the past for no reason. I was stuck in emotional turmoil, taking it out on poor Aiden in my mind and indulging in self-loathing.
After switching with Atilla, who took over the next watch, I crawled back into my sleeping bag. As my head finally started to cool off, I became aware of what I had been thinking about.
A kind of early morning sentimentality, I guess? It was pretty embarrassing to realize I had been digging a hole for myself in the warm atmosphere of our camping base, heated by mana appliances instead of a campfire.
Far more shameful than flailing around at my desk the day before I got possessed.
At least I was thankful I didn’t spill those thoughts to anyone else. My little embarrassment in the early morning would end with just me knowing.
If it had slipped out to someone else and the word spread around, I might have thought about climbing a tree and jumping off.
“When we get back to the dorms, sleep well, Ha-yul. And remember to take your nutrients.”
[Yes, thank you.]
I must have looked like I was on the verge of death because Elia gave me advice about taking care of my health with a worried look.
Crossing the forest with lighter steps than yesterday, I sent a mana strike towards the occasional monsters we encountered.
A quadrupedal beast monster. It ranked in at level 8. It was about 40 meters away. But between us stood a dense line of trees, so we couldn’t see each other.
Basic Magic
『Mana Strike』
The diagonal strike sliced through the trees and hit the monster, cleaving it in half. The monster collapsed, its abdomen spilling guts and bright red blood across the ground. The scene of the leaves being stained red was grotesque.
‘Hmm…’
I fumbled with my hands, feeling a bit unsettled. I tried it just in case, but it had the same power as yesterday.
What could the cause be? Is it really the spatial perception? It isn’t mana affinity, so how can spatial perception influence magic like this?
Or is it because we’re inside a dungeon? But why?
‘I have no idea…’
I really should go outside and ask Professor Riana for advice. My magical knowledge is still so limited that it’s hard for me to make any judgment.
Right now, the amount of mana I have is minuscule compared to the other students. According to Professor Riana, my control is impressive, and my mana affinity seems to be paying off.
But even so, I’ve only just gotten into the magic scene for barely over two weeks.
Compared to students who honed their mana, core, and circuits for over a decade and consumed mana potions like candy, I’m severely lacking.
Even now, after casting a few spells, I’ve already drained almost half my mana. Even with the staff’s mana assisting me, it’s still a lot.
‘I need to keep an eye on my mana supply.’
The easiest way to increase mana reserves is with potions, but… if potions were lying around, they wouldn’t be called potions.
In the original story, I could have just found various hidden pieces in the beginning and sold them off or cheat shamelessly to pile up funds and potions.
But here, I don’t have money, nor can I go hunting for hidden pieces.
For now, I really have no choice but to accumulate slowly just like during my first run.
Soon I’ll be entering the Tower of Growth. At that time, I could possibly address my mana issue and gain a few benefits.
Plus, if that hidden piece still exists in the Tower of Growth… well, that’s a bit of a dilemma.
This isn’t a game, after all; even if I manage to snatch it up, there might not be any practical use for it. Still, I can’t wait to see if it even exists.
Before long, I sensed a blue vortex. It was the hole to the dungeon where I had set foot for the first time yesterday.
“Alright, let’s head back.”
Atilla adjusted her shield and stepped forward.
Atilla checked the dangers beyond the dungeon first, while Aiden, who was guarding the rear, stood last, on alert for any surprise attacks.
Her new model was swallowed by the vortex, and with a whoosh, the presence vanished. We followed suit, one by one, diving into the vortex.
.
.
.
After a brief moment of dizziness and disorientation, my spatial perception contained Shio-ram’s grounds. Thanks to the expanded range and precision, it felt distinctly different.
I inhaled deeply. The dungeon’s air was relatively clear, filled with the thick smell of a dense forest, but still, Shio-ram’s atmosphere was more comforting.
The tension eased, but I was a bit tired having kept my guard up until the very end, worried something would happen.
As I stretched my weary body, Atilla led the group straight to the nearby management facility.
“Ipchun Class Squad 11… Atilla and four others, confirmed exit at 10:46 AM on Tuesday. Performance metrics will be compiled later. Thank you for your hard work.”
She registered us both face-to-face and on the system with the facility manager.
Once the manager finished speaking, we stepped outside the facility.
“Ah, it’s finally over,” Elia said, stretching her arms sky-high, her chest unduly emphasized causing some ocular distraction in that direction.
– Clap!
Atilla, operating her smartwatch, drew everyone’s attention with a clap. When she noticed the gaze directed at her, she smiled and said,
“It ended much more comfortably and quickly than I anticipated. Thank you all for cooperating, and especially, thank you, Lee Ha-yul.”
While she continued with the formalities, she suddenly added praise my way. I tilted my head curiously, and Atilla gave me a playful smile.
“Thanks to you, we saved an unbelievable amount of time on the exploration. I should have said this yesterday, but there could have been cases where some roamed about all night.”
“This hunt was surprisingly easy.”
“Right? I’ve not experienced such ease in dungeon exploration before.”
It certainly could be a hassle to go in search of monsters in such a wide dungeon.
There could be other teams without any sensory abilities, and even if they had one, it might just be a single detection type, making exploration a challenge.
And just because someone has that detection ability does not guarantee an easy search either.
In the original story, if someone had only rudimentary detection abilities, it would take days to make any progress.
Of course, spatial perception is not something you could just throw in with other detection types, because it’s fundamentally unique, and with a bit of luck, we could significantly reduce time.
[Thank you.]
It was a bit hard to respond to the unexpected praise shower. I answered, feeling a bit hesitant, and Atilla nodded, continuing her speech.
“I’ve talked a lot already. We’ve built camaraderie over the past two days, and since we’re all in the same class, let’s get along moving forward. You never know when you might need each other’s help.”
In short, it was an appeal for making connections and getting along in the future. Atilla said this while handing out her contact information.
“Well then, let’s unwind and rest now. Great job, everyone.”
With that, the practical lesson truly wrapped up.
Atilla decided to head back to the dorm, saying she was still exhausted.
Aiden and Nam Yeon-jung walked off in the same direction, probably to rent out the sparring arena for a match. Continuation from yesterday’s sword vs spear debate.
“Ha-yul, do you have any plans?”
Elia, glancing back at me while checking her smartwatch, inquired. After checking a couple of messages, I nodded.
[I was thinking of dropping by the library. I still have questions, and I need to figure out the magic issue.]
“Ah… that makes sense.”
It wasn’t just the Mana Strike. I tried out other types of magic in the dungeon too. Most of them had increased output. It’s baffling.
I planned to drop by the library to find some materials to confirm this. Even if I didn’t figure it out, I could study, and if I was really stuck, I could always seek Professor Riana out.
“I’ll head out now too. Make sure to grab your nutrients when you get back to the dorms, and get plenty of sleep! See you in class tomorrow!”
[Yes, thank you.]
We parted ways, with Elia expressing worry again, treating me like I was some child. It felt somewhat annoying.
Elia waved her hand dramatically before vanishing beyond the range of spatial perception.
Once she was out of sight, I moved on.
My destination was the library. My mind was tired, but it wasn’t like I was about to collapse.
Besides, I still felt uneasy, so I needed to figure out the clues regarding the power of magic before I could sleep easy.
‘Oh.’
As I moved, a familiar form appeared in my heightened spatial perception.
A tall blonde with hair to her shoulders, each stride she took closed the distance quickly.
It was Professor Atra.
She looked slightly displeased about something as her brow gently knitted.
Thanks to my refined spatial perception, I could feel the flow of mana within Professor Atra more distinctly than before.
It gleamed like light, filled with an aggressive energy. Despite its sharpness, it felt as if this fierce mana was waiting like a predator.
Professor Atra’s gaze shifted to me. Even from hundreds of meters away, her stare pierced right through.
I turned my body and walked towards her. Since our eyes had met… well, I might as well greet her.
Despite the bettered schedule, much of it stemmed from the knowledge and equipment Atra had diligently instilled in me.
I planned to thank her for the smooth progress of our exploration.
“Is the schedule all wrapped up?”
As the distance diminished, Professor Atra asked. From the sound of her voice, she didn’t seem very upset. That was a relief, and I fiddled with my smartwatch.
It’s uncomfortable.
“?”
Suddenly, that word flashed in my mind. A sudden thought? Uncomfortable? Why? About Professor Atra? That’s a weird thought.
I tilted my head. My hands wouldn’t move. My legs felt stiff too, as if they had frozen.
‘What’s going on?’
My body felt strange. A ringing echoed in my ears. It was a bewildering phenomenon.
It’s dirty?
Why am I suddenly having such thoughts?
I never thought of Professor Atra that way. Sure, her training is intense, but the results are there. I believed it was unintentional bullying.
I felt unsure about surviving in the dungeon; though she seemed somewhat clumsy, at least I hoped I wouldn’t die because of it.
Regardless, Professor Atra was faithfully educating me.
– …sniff sniff
Suddenly, my nose twitched. Due to the curse, I couldn’t smell anything.
The scent of the morning air, the gentle sunlight, the sweet smell of blooming flowers—all lost to me because of the curse.
Disgusting.
Dirty.
Filthy and unclean.
I sensed it. No, that’s not right.
Instinctively, I knew it.
The lowly stench I used to feel all the time as a child—a scent that could hardly be called fragrant or pleasant.
Those lavish sniffles my reckless parents would pay for while having absolutely nothing to show for it, mixed with mana.
The nauseating smell that forced even the remnants of their rationality away.
The detestable presence of my parents.
“Ugh…!”
My body lurched. Coming back to my senses, I noticed I was slowly stepping back. My trembling legs were desperately trying to create distance.
“What… what’s… okay…?”
The spatial perception wobbled uncertainly. A flustered Professor Atra…
– You shouldn’t have been born. Why on earth did you have to come into existence? Damn it…
Professor Atra… approached…
– All you can do is eat and excrete like a rat. What on earth are you alive for? Huh?
Professor Atra… was getting closer…
– As a child, you haven’t given anything back to your parents. This is a sickly, withered thing that can’t even donate organs, right? Or should I just throw it away?
My parents… the knife was closing in─
“W-wait…!”
At that moment, a sharp pain sliced through me. My stomach churned violently. I couldn’t bear the hideousness erupting forth.
I quickly clamped my hands over my mouth. My shoulders shook violently. It felt like the contents would spew out at any second.
“Ugh…!”
Spatial perception caught another presence. My mana affinity absorbed the disgusting energy.
But instinctively, I realized.
Before spatial perception picked it up, before mana affinity read the mana.
My body reacted first. The moment she approached, I stiffened, and out of instinct, I stepped back.
Even if I turned off my spatial perception, even if the horrible, filthy mana disappeared—
Still, reflexively, from the realm of instinct. That presence would remain sensed.
“What’s happening! Are you… are you okay!?”
Professor Atra rushed towards me. That dirty, disgusting presence loomed closer. My nausea multiplied.
‘Don’t come closer… please…’
“G-gah…!”
Without thinking, I opened my mouth. The instant I did, retaliation followed. A splintering pain in my throat. As my insides boiled over, it became unbearable.
“Agh! Ugh! Ugh…! W-waughhh!”
Vomit surged up my throat. The contents spewed out through the gap I failed to close.
– BEEP BEEP BEEP—!
The ringing in my ears intensified. The world drowned in a single sound. My head felt ready to burst from the pain.
“Calm down! There’s nothing here that can threaten you—”
In the blink of an eye, the space narrowed. As her hand extended towards me, I reflexively acted.
– SLAP!
I swung my arm wide, batting away the advancing threat. My survival instinct acted without passing through my reasoning.
“……”
Professor Atra’s expression crumbled.
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