-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Practical Gate Training (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Mana Stones.
Heralded as eco-friendly and highly efficient alternative energy sources, they were the driving force behind the Gate Era, which brought the world back from the brink of destruction and allowed it to flourish once more.
Now, they were so deeply embedded in daily life that a world without mana stones was practically unimaginable.
At the same time, because mana stones were fundamentally byproducts of monsters, they couldn't be used without undergoing a thorough refining process.
However, Im Gaeul's unique Characteristic, [Acceptance], allowed her to bypass this refining process and directly absorb the mana from the stones.
So, the higher the grade of the mana stone, the stronger she gets?
Not a chance.
That would completely break game balance.
Simply put, Im Gaeul is a character who can directly convert the mana stored in mana stones into her own mana for use.
In other words, mana stones merely act as a portable power bank for her.
Of course, as she grows and her specialization grade increases, the mana required for her skills will also increase, making her a character who indeed uses top-grade mana stones like water.
It's no wonder she earned nicknames like 'The Sister Who Drains All the Mana' or 'Sis, I'm Seriously Dying.'
But that's just the whining of those who got drained dry while retrying to break clear records, so there's no need to pay it any mind.
After all, in the later stages, mana stones become as common as pebbles on the roadside after just one sweep.
"As you gain more experience, your mana requirements will increase, but for now, you don't need to worry about it too much."
"Th-that's a relief, but... hasn't this mana stone already been used, lowering its value...?"
Im Gaeul, looking troubled, held out the top-grade mana stone in her hand to me.
"That was just a test? Hmm, if you want, you can think of it as a gift."
"Huh...?"
Honestly, I could have just given Im Gaeul a few low-grade mana stones and had her cycle through them as she used up her mana,
but I wanted to understand the difference between the game and reality.
'In the game, even if you were given a top-grade mana stone for a dungeon clear, it would be considered used up and disappear the moment you exited the gate.'
But this wasn't a game; it was reality.
Perhaps here, it wouldn't be a disposable power bank that's used up after one go, but a reusable one.
I stared intently at the flustered Im Gaeul.
"Please keep that with you and use it continuously for a month."
"B-but still. This is incredibly valuable..."
"I have plenty of those, so don't worry about it. If it still bothers you, you can pay me back slowly."
'After all, the Alice Box has the most mana stones.'
Since I'd already decided to use her properly, I figured this level of investment was acceptable.
"So, I look forward to working with you today."
* * *
After that, Yu-ri and I flew through the dungeon.
Im Gaeul's support skills slowed the ogres, while Yu-ri's and my bodies were accelerated.
If we'd only had one of those, we wouldn't have been able to fight so overwhelmingly, but with both combined...
"Lee Yu-ri! Herd them that way!"
"Got it!"
CRASH—!
SLICE—!
Yu-ri skillfully dodged and parried attacks near the ogres, drawing their attention.
And in that opening, I decapitated them.
It was even easier since they weren't creatures that formed packs like goblins.
"...Wow."
Yu-ri's mouth hung open, a dazed expression on her face.
"How is it? Fun, right?"
"Whoa, this is insane. Hey, Jin Yu-ha. Can't we get that unnie into our party? O-of course, we might lose some mana stones, but we can acquire them even faster than that!"
Yu-ri, having tasted the true power of a proper supporter for the first time, spoke with an excited voice.
It was a side of her I rarely saw, and it was quite cute.
"Hmm, I'd like to bring her in if possible, but I wonder if we can?"
I tilted my head.
I wasn't sure if we could bring someone who wasn't even a playable character into the party yet.
"We have to bring her in, no matter what."
Yu-ri said with a serious voice.
"This isn't just an ordinary level. The supporter you recommended before was good, but that unnie is on a whole different level."
"Hmm, but that dramatic effect probably only applies to you, though?"
"...Huh? Really?"
"Yeah, her skills are the best fit for you."
"Oh..."
Yu-ri then made a crestfallen expression.
It seemed she thought it was a selfish request to bring someone into the party just because she received such a dramatic buff.
I chuckled and patted her head.
"If my Gukbap wants her, then of course we have to bring her into our party. What's the big deal? I told you I'm ready to grant you anything you want."
She quickly pulled her head away and turned her face. Then, Yu-ri strode ahead.
"F-first, let's hurry! Let's go hunt ogres! We still have a bit of our quota left!"
And two hours later.
We managed to collect all 100 ogre mana stones, meeting our quota.
Normally, it would have taken considerable time to mine and collect them, but Kim So-hoon handled that part, allowing us to focus solely on hunting.
"This is ridiculous..."
Pinkie's mouth hung open in disbelief at our overwhelming clear speed.
"What... what are you guys? Why are people like you here, doing this..."
Then she twisted her face and demanded, as if accusing us.
"Did you come here to play with us? To enjoy watching us do nothing?"
I mean, I get that she was shocked, but that's a strange thing to say.
"First of all, we joined Gaeul sunbae's group first, and Choi Ah-ram sunbae joined later."
I retorted to her words.
"And the only one who didn't do anything was Choi Ah-ram sunbae. Gaeul sunbae used her supporting skills, and So-hoon there used his skills and even acted as a porter. What did *you* do during that time, sunbae?"
"Y-you guys didn't give me any room to intervene...!"
She seemed to flare up for a moment, trying to retort something.
But having just witnessed our skill firsthand, she apparently didn't have the nerve to say anything, so she redirected her anger.
"...What are you doing?! How could you do this to me!"
Directly at Im Gaeul.
"Uh, uh...?"
Im Gaeul, who had been looking dazed, also showed a flustered expression at Choi Ah-ram, who was suddenly yelling at her.
"What is that skill?! That's cheating! And that top-grade mana stone isn't even yours. Hey, hand it over!"
Choi Ah-ram tried to snatch the mana stone from Im Gaeul.
'No, this Pinkie bitch?'
My expression hardened.
"That's really strange."
"What...?"
"I gifted that to Gaeul sunbae, so why are you trying to snatch it, Choi Ah-ram sunbae?"
"Th-that's... because she's trying to cheat by herself..."
"What's so 'cheating' about being able to use skills with mana stones? She just happened to be born with that ability."
As I refuted her point by point, Choi Ah-ram bit her lip tightly and spoke in a suppressed voice.
"Then give me one too."
She said it to me as if I owed it to her.
I was genuinely curious about how this woman's brain was wired.
"No."
I shook my head.
"...Why?"
"That's only possible because Gaeul sunbae has a unique constitution. Even if I gave it to you, you wouldn't be able to use it properly."
"Th-then... What about me...?"
Choi Ah-ram bit her lip tightly and glared at Im Gaeul.
"This lucky bitch... She's got it made by relying on a man."
She mumbled in a low voice, but with my senses activated, I heard it clearly.
My eyes narrowed instinctively.
Throughout the day, while hunting ogres, I had intermittently observed Choi Ah-ram, who was slated to be the tutorial boss.
Honestly, there wouldn't be a better outcome if she could be reformed beforehand.
Especially since there was Kim So-hoon's case, who originally entered through the male quota system but changed direction for the better, I tried to observe her with a bit of leeway.
However,
throughout the entire subjugation, she never once stepped forward.
Instead, she only vented her frustrations on the easiest target, Im Gaeul, using her as an emotional punching bag.
'Alright, I can understand that much.'
Who in this world doesn't feel jealousy or inferiority?
Even if such people exist, they would be a very small minority.
However, now that Im Gaeul was showing new potential, hatred had even begun to reside in her eyes.
It seemed she was going to cause trouble earlier than anticipated.
'As expected, she's a lost cause.'
I abandoned the thought of reforming her and made my final judgment.
And so, thanks to Pinkie, who had ruined the atmosphere, we returned to the academy in a gloomy mood.
Then, Rina, who had been standing with her arms crossed and a sullen expression, looked at us with surprise.
"Oh, you came out earlier than expected?"
"Ah, here are the 100 mana stones. We also brought the byproducts."
Kim So-hoon took out the bag he had on his back and held it before her.
"...Even the byproducts? Ah, so this child also acted as a porter?"
"Y-yes!"
"Hmm, good. The performance bonus for this will be paid to each of you soon."
Rina, who had been scanning the brought byproducts, nodded and gave the order to disperse.
"Alright, everyone, go back and rest. You all worked hard."