After Returning, My Abilities are Infinite - Chapter 31

The Magic Now (3)

“Woo!”

Yoo Ji-yeon continued slaughtering orc shamans.

Their power was meaningless to her.

“Keek!”

The magic attacks they threw her dissolved in the air and Yoo Ji-yeon sent a counter-attack.

The defenseless orcs fell helplessly one by one.

If this was a real evaluation, the scouts watching her would be giving her a standing ovation.

This overwhelming power was too much for a single cadet to have.

But, for Yoo Ji-yeon, it was not enough.

She was not satisfied.

Compared to the power she witnessed Han Yeon-soo do, her magic would be like child’s play.

This is not enough to be called a hunter, and above all, it was not enough to stand by Jeong Si-woo, she thought. 

Yoo Ji-yeon’s goals were set high.

“Kueek!”

She glanced at Jeong Si-woo, casting spells beside her.

I can’t be satisfied with my power watching this injustice.

Even if her opponent is someone she likes and admires.

Even if I can’t beat him, I want to be strong enough to stand confidently next to him.

She turned her head and asked Si-woo, who was gathering mana vigorously.

“One… two… how many more are left?”

Jeong Si-woo’s head turned, then glanced at the corpses around them.

“These are a lot of dead orcs. Really. Maybe it’s time to stop training.”

He mumbled to himself, then surprisingly, continued to battle persistently.

Even if she had awakened to a very powerful talent, it was still insufficient compared to Jeong Si-woo.

He was too much.

She was not enough.

* * *

I stretched my arms while calculating the total amount of mana I have, the magic I can create, and the best trajectory for my attack. The blue violence that stretched out from my fingertips crushed the orcs’ heads easily, without a missing a single one.

Quazzik-!

Other monsters were rushing in, but I have already anticipated their moves.

The calculation is over.

The blue light flashed and crushed their heads as well.

Perfect calculation and power from Communication and Sharing.

With the two combined, these orcs pose no threat.

[You seem to be more talented in magic than in swordsmanship. Even if you chose to be an analyst, you would have been great.]

If it wasn’t for this talent, I would have surely chosen that course.

I wiped the blood that pricked my eyes as I replied to the Traveler.

With the Traveler’s words, I remembered what I have heard from other people in my past life.

– You could be successful if you were a wizard. Observation, calculation, and judgment are the most important things for wizards. You have all three of them in the top-class as an analyst. Heck, you’re even better than a calculator, hahaha…

– If you had mana and even a single talent for magic, you might have been sitting at the top of the tower…

At that time, I simply smiled at their words.

Now, as I dealt with magic myself, I realized what they said was true. It’s very different from handling a sword or wielding a spear.

It was a world made up of calculations, and as soon as you get the right answer, the enemies fall one by one.

Similar to analysis, but different. That time, there were other people carrying out my orders.

This time, I can take on my enemies alone.

The pleasure was filling my head.

“Kueeek!”

The orc running at me fell to the ground. After glancing at him to make sure he’s dead, I moved my gaze to the status window in front of my eyes.

『Child of the Forest』

『A boy born between an elf and a human. Having inherited all the affinity of elves and the intelligence of humans, he has grown into an excellent wizard. 』

『Everyone in the forest loved him, and when he reigned as a guardian of the great forest, no one could harm nature. Green monsters, wolves with coarse teeth, and even vicious dragons were afraid of him. 』

『Longing for the greatest and most loving Guardian, the forest elves are still singing songs that contain his story. 』

[You have succeeded in communicating with the existence of a hero.]

A great being who increased my total mana several times by just saying a few words, and gave me innumerable help in casting magic.

<Elves>, mythological creatures that seemed to have disappeared after the appearance of cracks.

His power was spinning fiercely in my heart.

『What are you doing? Kill the orcs over there quickly.』

『What if you use magic like that? You’re wasting mana! It is the precious power given by the world tree; you should not use it in vain. 』

『You should make a more concise trajectory! If you hit the vital spot, they will fall in one attack; you don’t have to make that scene. 』

His loud voice is echoing in my head.

Do all Beings talk too much?

I thought about the voices of the knights, and the Traveler. They all talk too much.

『Don’t be stiff. Move fast!』

Still, what can I do about it?

『Wouldn’t you like to learn the ‘vision magic’ given by the world tree? If you listen to me, I’ll let you know!』

The name of the arcane magic made me drool, and I struggled to keep up with the elf’s instructions.

『Use your surroundings well. Don’t just think of magic simply as a great destructive power, but as the power to control with the world. 』

The voice in my head was full of creative ways that I couldn’t think of. My knowledge and my body were steadily accumulating experiences.

“Keehek!”

In less than an hour, the orcs in the village have been wiped out.

I was panting, feeling completely drained as the mana left my body. Yoo Ji-yeon handed me a bottle of water as she watched me.

“Ah… Thanks.”

I gulped it all at once. Yoo Ji-yeon didn’t say anything and kept her stare at me.

Then, she asked.

“Now, can you be a wizard when you want to?”

“Uh… something like that. My skill level has risen.”

“I feel envious.”

Then, she said something weird.

“I wish I was strong like you. I think my talent is so insignificant…”

I can’t help but burst out laughing. It wasn’t something the most talented wizard should say. It was ridiculous.

Yu Ji-yeon smiled bitterly as she watched me laugh, and she soon handed me something she had in her hand.

“Oh, right. This fell from an orc. Since you found this dungeon, I thought it would be right for you to have it.”

“You don’t need to do this. You take the loot from the monster you hunted.”

“No, take it. You helped me a lot. It was enough reward.”

I shrugged and accepted what she handed over.

An old, dusty book.

However, there isn’t a single scratch or tear on it.

It seemed that it had been kept very carefully.

What could this be?

[‘Information view’ is activated.]

[Name: Orc Arcane Scroll]

[This is a spellbook in which the greatest shaman of the village has recorded their arcane magic for generations. If you don’t know Orc language, you can’t read it, and if you haven’t learned the basics of the mana arrangements used by orcs, you can’t use it.]

Wow.

I started reading through the pages.

This is great. 

Orc magic that has never been revealed. Knowledge of the magic of an entirely different race was in my hands.

『What are you doing? Keep your focus! There is not enough time to learn the things I have to teach you! 』

The elf’s voice rang in my head.

[From the magic of the elves to the magic of the orcs. It looks like you learn everything except human magic. Hahahahaha.]

The Beings talk too much.

* * *

We scoured the depths of the dungeons and got more useful items.

Because I already had Nightmare, I gave most of the weapons to Yoo Ji-yeon, and those that were useless to her were put in a subspace pocket. One could make great money selling it.

There were so many other things we could use from the loot we picked up.

[Name: Dungeon Herb]

[A plant that has been bred in an environment of high mana concentration. Contains mana increase.]

[Name: Orc Special Elixir]

[An elixir made by Orc Shamans. Along with increasing mana, it also increases physical stats.]

The amount was quite huge, so I handed over half of it to Yoo Ji-yeon.

No matter how good the herbs were, if too much were taken, it may prove dangerous.

It was more helpful to eat only moderate amounts and stop eating more afterward.

We could sell or give the remainder to Han Yeon-soo.

After exiting the dungeon, Yoo Ji-yeon stopped me before we headed to the academy.

“Wait, Si-woo. I will come back shortly. Please wait here.”

“Okay.”

Her face was glowing.

Her grandmother’s house was close to the dungeon.

-Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve seen my granddaughter! Look at that face…

Due to the increased sensory abilities, I could clearly hear the voices inside the quaint house.

-It’s been a long time, indeed. We’re on break today, so I decided to visit.

-Why don’t you come here more often? Did Ji-ji eat?

-Yes, Grandmother. I need to go out soon. I just came to see your face for a second.

It was a harmonious family conversation. I haven’t experienced it for quite a while, hearing such warm voices.

-Yes. Take care of yourself and take care of everything that Grandma sent you, right? Don’t let it rot because it’s bitter, eat it. It’s expensive.

-I ate one today, too!

-I know, I know. Take care of your health. Always take care of yourself.

-But, grandmother…

-Don’t tell me that you’re a hero; take care of yourself. Your body is the most precious thing.

-Okay…

-You know that I only have you, right?

The voice of the elderly woman was weak, but it rocked me to my core.

It was because I suddenly remembered the past.

Yoo Ji-yeon’s death.

Everyone remembered that death, saying it was a hero’s sacrifice.

The media celebrated the great wizard’s life… and reproached me.

Me, who lost two of the five heroes in the face of disaster.

She died and was evaluated as a great hero.

I could not forget that wailing.

It was amazing that a woman over eighty could make such a sound.

The woman’s teary eyes glanced at me without accusation, but her tears alone made me feel like a sinner.

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth, and the desire to smoke rose in me.

I will not fail this time.

Instead of a cigarette, I pulled out a 200-won candy and placed it in my mouth as I watched the peaceful countryside and listened to the pleasant conversation inside the house.

I won’t let anyone die. No one. 

Instead of the bitter taste of nicotine and tar, a sweet taste filled my senses.

* * *

Two days have passed since.

“Well… how is it going?”

“Si-woo! Please help me! Because he really doesn’t listen!”

After finishing my short graduating class, I went to Han Yeon-soo’s house.

Seong Hyun-woo is staying there, as Yeon-soo takes care of him.

“Hey!” Han Yeon-soo shrieked.

As expected, she doesn’t have the right personality to take care of small children.

Seong Hyun-woo slowly turned his head at the source of the sound, which would make even grown men scared stiff.

However, rather than fear, it was mischief on the face of the playful kid.

“Put them all down! You don’t know how long it takes me to clean them up, ugh! I will get dirty again!”

Even with Han Yeon-soo’s nagging, Seong Hyun-woo simply shrugged.

Getting angrier at the kid’s attitude, she attacked the little boy, trying to catch him.

However, despite being a top-level hunter, she couldn’t reach Seong Hyun-woo.

“It’s been a long time,” Hyun-woo acknowledged me. “What should I call you? Brother? Analyst? Mister?”

He asked me innocently, as various objects floated around the room.

I feel like I’m having a headache as I watched the scene.

What is this mess?