Ch.18Chapter 1. I Was Just Trying to Do a Favor (1)

Knowledge is more dangerous than anything else in the world.

As someone once said, a person who has read only one book is more dangerous and ignorant than someone who has read none at all. Knowing something superficially can lead to tremendous danger.

This applies to knowledge about superpowers and mana.

I know more about mana than anyone else in this world, and I know how to increase mana and strengthen superpowers.

Want to increase your mana?

Then make mythical or legendary beings your own.

Want to strengthen your superpower?

Then borrow methods of using superpowers from existing creative works.

Just like how they say you only need to know “boom-chick, boom-chick” to beatbox, you only need to know these two things to become a powerful superhuman.

But nobody knows this.

Even now, when the first children who awakened superpowers have grown to 25 years old, people still know absolutely nothing about how superpowers manifest, how mana awakens, or how to become stronger.

This is what I’ve felt during the half year I’ve spent in this world, and the conclusion I’ve reached after spending a week as a librarian on Sejong Island.

‘Everyone has such a poor imagination.’

Today is Sunday.

I’m taking a walk around the academy with an iced Americano in hand, observing people as I stroll through various parts of the campus.

“Fireball!”

“Fire Lance!”

Normally, people would gather to play sports like soccer or tennis on weekends, but here, training superpowers instead of playing sports is the norm.

‘Everyone’s working hard even on weekends.’

Just as soccer enthusiasts gather at soccer fields and tennis lovers at tennis courts, superhumans gather with others who have similar abilities to exchange techniques.

“Senior! I’ve pioneered a new realm of fire magic!”

“Oh? What is it?”

“Look! Fire Punch! I’ll become a new hero, Fire Punch!”

“There are already more than ten registered heroes with fire fists.”

“Then… Magma Punch!”

This is a training ground where seniors and juniors who know each other exchange knowledge and information about superpowers to build foundations for becoming stronger.

And.

‘It’s frustrating.’

Not because of the heat from the flames, but because watching them train their superpowers this way is so frustrating it’s maddening.

‘Doing it like that in a place like this is just a waste of time.’

In this world, power grows through imagination.

Continuously using power in reality like that only makes you feel your limitations and become discouraged.

For example, if someone proudly claims “I can control 100L of water!”, they might gradually increase it by 1 or 2 liters through training, but a dramatic leap to “I can control the ocean!” is impossible.

It’s because they set their own limitations.

Because they create their own glass ceiling, training isn’t particularly beneficial for superhumans.

‘In the original work, they made everyone else look like idiots to make the protagonist shine.’

The protagonist just kept working out, saying “a healthy mind dwells in a healthy body.”

While his body improved, his superpowers seemed to show no outward development, so no one paid attention to him. But true to being the protagonist, he possessed imagination superior to anyone else’s.

And if there’s a secret to unleashing this imagination, it’s undoubtedly cultural content.

So while others spent time training, he appeared to be goofing off watching movies, reading comics and books, but the protagonist was actually growing stronger faster than anyone else in this world.

To the point where he could summon demons from other worlds and make his imagination of dropping a meteor on Earth to destroy the world a reality.

‘He’s dangerous.’

So dangerous that he’ll destroy the world.

Therefore, I must find and kill him.

I’ll transform into a Goblin, kill him immediately, then find a quiet place away from prying eyes to revert back, put on clothes, and blend in with the crowd as if nothing happened.

For that purpose, I’m looking for places to hide my “emergency bags.”

If I secretly hide clothes in places where people rarely look, then cancel my transformation near an emergency bag and quickly get dressed, I can perfectly deceive people’s eyes.

‘I need to get stronger too.’

While it’s important to think about what happens after I kill him, it’s equally important to become strong enough to kill him in the first place.

‘After I confirm where to place the bags, I should go back and increase my magical power.’

Since I’m at Sejong Island, I should work on improving my magical power…

“Huh?”

In the distance.

Among the superhumans training together, I see a hooded student sitting alone on a bench.

I can’t tell if it’s a male or female, but they look unstable, as if they might “explode” at any moment.

What kind of explosion?

‘Chuunibyou.’

Beyond just going through the turbulent period of adolescence, it’s the stage of going berserk with superpowers.

-I’m different from others!

When this development of self-identity coincides with the awakening of magical power, it can give birth to a villain who throws the world into extreme chaos.

The same applies even at the academy where many superhumans gather.

That student clearly has some grievance.

What it might be…

Suddenly!

The hooded student abruptly stood up.

Then began walking away, seething with anger.

“…Hmm.”

I downed the rest of my coffee, took the empty cup, and followed the student.

I don’t want to attract attention, but seeing someone storm off like that gives me a bad feeling.

This is just my prediction, but usually people like that have the potential to develop into a “Demon’s Minion” that could engulf the entire academy-

“Excuse me.”

Someone called out to me from behind.

“Hello.”

Awkward Korean.

A foreigner.

Blonde with blue eyes and shoulder-length hair.

A beautiful woman.

“How do I get to the dormitory?”

“…Are you a new student at the academy?”

“Yes. New student. Just entered the academy.”

The woman pointed to the Taegeuk Watch on her wrist.

Instead of the Korean flag, the screen displayed a flag indicating her nationality.

“Canada?”

“Yes. I’m Ymir from Canada.”

She came from quite far, but unfortunately, she wasn’t an original character I recognized.

Or is she?

Maybe just an extra I’ve forgotten?

‘Being a new student means she’s likely to cross paths with the protagonist.’

They’re in the same year, and since superhumans train together in class competitions, they’re likely to meet at least once.

‘There’s no harm in showing some goodwill.’

The hooded student who just disappeared somewhere is concerning, but answering this new student’s question takes priority now.

“That’s fortunate. I’m something like a staff member. I’ll guide you to the dormitory.”

“Something like…?”

“Yes. I’m a librarian.”

“Librarian…!”

Ymir’s eyes lit up.

“Like a battle librarian who makes magic burst from books?!”

“…I have no powers.”

“Oh.”

Ymir opened her mouth in surprise.

“I-I’m sorry. I just assumed you were a superhuman.”

“Assumed?”

“Yes. Since everyone on this academy island is a superhuman… I thought you were skillfully concealing your magical power. I apologize.”

“No need to apologize.”

I gestured ahead to Ymir.

“Follow me this way. I’ll guide you there shortly.”

Absolutely not.

I’m not showing kindness because she’s beautiful or anything like that.

Ah.

Come to think of it.

‘I think the original protagonist was also supposed to be a blonde Canadian.’

Or maybe not?

Whatever.

* * *

“Huff, huff…!”

The girl leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

“Damn it, damn it…!”

Bang.

She hit the wall hard with her fist, but unlike others who could break walls, only her fist turned red.

“I want to be like others too…!”

The girl clenched her hand.

Like others who could release mana outside their bodies, she too released mana, but the amount was far too minimal.

E-rank.

Better than F-rank, but still at a level where the best she could hope for after graduating from the academy’s high school division would be becoming an academy police officer or a powered police officer chasing common criminals in the countryside.

“I want to be strong too…!”

The girl shed tears.

Already in her second year of high school, her magical power showed no signs of strengthening, and at this rate, she would graduate as an E-rank in two years.

She had the fortune to awaken as a superhuman, but unfortunately, there were far too many such fortunate people in South Korea.

It’s like being a celebrity.

The top-tier, S-rank celebrities that people talk about are extremely rare.

She’s no different from one of the countless girl group idols who briefly appear on music shows before disappearing, or rather, one who doesn’t even make it to TV before the group disbands.

“I want to be strong too…!”

“My, my. Why are you crying like that?”

In the distance.

Someone wearing a mask approached the girl.

The girl startled and stepped back, but upon seeing the masked figure, she clenched her fists.

“Who are you…?!”

“You know me, don’t you?”

The masked man tilted his head to the side and grinned.

“I’ll give you power.”

“…What’s the condition?”

“Condition? There isn’t one. All I want is ‘chaos’.”

The masked man pointed to his mask.

“Won’t you make a contract with me, [Dueoksini]?”