Chapter 30

[Translator – Angel Dust][Proofreader – Prototype]

Chapter 30: Traces

Vrrr- Vrrr- Vrrr-

The vibrating sound of the phone disturbed sleep. With eyes closed, I fumbled around with my hand to find the phone and turned on the screen.

[Appraisal Department 2 Manager Park Man-deuk]

“Haa…”

It felt like I had just fallen asleep again. How many times has this happened now?

Suppressing the rising irritation, I reluctantly answered the call.

Ding.

“…Hello.”

– Ah, were you asleep?

In response to the question, I checked the time displayed on the phone.

3:17 AM.

Of course I’m sleeping at this hour, who would be working at this hour… Ah, those people must be.

Suddenly, a sense of camaraderie washed over me, and the irritation subsided slightly.

“It’s okay. What’s up?”

– I’m really sorry, but could you take a look at the waveform of Mana’s resonance? We’ve been trying to confirm it as you instructed, but there’s a bit of confusion.

“…Rotate the screen.”

The waveform displayed on the screen of the device, visualizing the unseen mana resonance. It was a machine that visualized mana waves.

Compared to what one might envision with spiritual insight, calling it visualization was quite crude.

However, even with the current level of technology, there was a way to confirm differences within that crude waveform.

If one had properly observed the waves emitted by the aura stone, they could compare and identify the characteristics.

“When the green cluster there intersects with the mana waveform, it slightly fades, right? That’s a precursor to distortion. Actually, you can see enough from the shape of the clustered area, but to confirm that, it would be difficult. If you wait there for a while, the faded part will become dark green again…”

As I enthusiastically delivered the lecture rather than just speaking, applause could be heard from the other end of the phone.

This was already the fifth time. At this point, I could even anticipate the timing of the applause.

– Thank you! Now, I think we’ll be able to clearly demonstrate the appraisal of the Aura Stone soon.

I could sense the excitement in Park Man-deuk’s voice. I heard that everyone in Department 2 has been unable to sleep or leave work for several days.

‘Still, it’s amazing. Even if I helped him, understanding and applying it right away is a different matter.’

Although it was almost spoon-feeding, the content was still difficult to accept with current technology and knowledge. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ ɴøvᴇl_Firᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

From the past few days, I had realized that appraisers and people are stubborn entities. At the same time, they were also elites.

– Oh, and the advance appraisal fee will be deposited by tomorrow. After the internal appraisal at Salvation, there will be a separate success bonus.

“Ah, okay.”

– Also… Oh, just a moment.

Park Man-deuk, seen on the screen, left somewhere away from the team members who were deeply immersed in the appraisal. He returned to speak again after entering a secluded room where there was no one.

– We’ll send you the list of unappraised items later today.

“Thank you.”

– Once the internal evaluation is over, the next item list will be sent, and we’ll organize that and send it to you.

“Understood.”

– Ah! And…

“Hmm?”

– Hunter Jang Deoksu wants to convey his gratitude and asks if he could meet you.

“Hunter Jang Deoksu? Why?”

– Since the last incident, it seems the limits of his physical enhancement ability have been broken. He thinks he might be able to rise to Rank-A this time. He says it’s thanks to you.

Improved abilities not ending as a temporary phenomenon? Suddenly, I became interested. Originally, I had no intention of meeting him…

“Please give me his contact information.”

– Yes. I will send it.

Beep.

I hung up and checked the time. It was 3:51 a.m.

Almost thirty minutes of talking had left me wide awake. These people seemed to have no regard for sleep.

Wasn’t the internal evaluation scheduled for four days from now? With that, the disaster at the Spiter Colony shouldn’t happen.

“That means the assault operation on the Spiter Colony will either be completely halted or delayed. Good.”

That disaster must never happen. Two hunters, considered the future elite forces of Korea, died there.

I felt like sending Kim Junghyun to that operation, just in case there were any unforeseen variables.

Vrrr-

A message came from Park Man-deuk. It was Jang Deoksu’s number.

“Hmm…”

While Jang Deoksu probably didn’t approach with ulterior motives, it might be wise to postpone the meeting just in case.

[Mana Circuit Theory]

I put the book in front of me and picked up where I left off. I had already read over half of it.

Despite the slow progress, my understanding had accelerated recently due to my direct exploration of mana circuits in some items.

‘I should be able to finish this soon.’

The page was filled with complex passages. Reading such boring content made my eyes heavy.

Maybe I should get glasses.

“Well, if I study a little more, I can get this…”

I channeled mana to my index finger and lightly drew it across the desk.

[Insight Activated.]

The traces of the drawn mana remained on the desk.

Most mages read the flow of mana or its traces through their senses.

Alternatively, they could theoretically visualize mana particles by breaking them down finely.

However, such mages were extremely rare.

In contrast, through Insight, I could see the flow and traces of mana vividly without the need for complex mental effort.

“I wonder if I could make mana circuits too if I practice enough?”

* * *

Beep beep beep! Beep beep! Beep beep beep beep! Good morning!

The alarm echoed through the room.

Is it already morning? Lately, even after sleeping, I still felt tired.

Considering I only slept for about an hour, it wasn’t surprising.

I looked at the clock. It was 6 a.m. I shook off the fatigue and headed to Yongmu-dong.

It was too early, so some shops hadn’t opened yet.

Generally, those shops don’t have much in the way of goods.

‘Or maybe D.K’s items could be found there?’

As I passed by a shop, an elderly lady opening the shutter gestured to me.

“Young man! Do you want some bread to eat?”

“Oh, thank you.”

Since I often visited Yongmu-dong, I was starting to become familiar with the street vendors. Some of them even greeted me and offered food.

“Why do you keep coming here every day? Can I help you?”

“Oh, no, it’s fine.”

“Seeing a young person wandering around every day feels pitiful. What are you looking for every day?”

“Um, well…”

As I hesitated whether to tell them, the man from the neighboring shop chimed in.

“This guy has been doing business here for twenty years. Since almost the beginning, he’s practically lived here. Ask him.”

An elderly man with a frail body. It was hard to tell if he was wearing clothes or rags, and his snowy white hair was tangled.

‘Can I trust him?’

Being cautious about speaking carelessly if D.K wasn’t just an ordinary maker. But…

‘His eyes seem lively.’

Despite his shabby appearance, there was something special about his aura. But he certainly wasn’t awakened to mana.

He had been here since the early days…

Let’s give it a try.

“Excuse me, do you happen to know a maker named D.K?”

“D.K? Hmm… I’ve never heard of him.”

“Oh, I see.”

Well, ordinary street vendors like these wouldn’t know. I got my hopes up for nothing.

“It’s nothing important. I just heard the name by chance.”

As I was about to leave, the old man urgently called out to me.

“Wait! Wait! Oh! I just remembered something.”

“Yes?”

“D.K! Wasn’t he the guy who came here about two years ago?”

The old man asked the man from the neighboring shop.

“Two years ago? Was there such a guy here?”

“No, as a customer! That… weird guy who wanted to trade stuff. He was a young guy wearing sunglasses with messy hair. It was in the summer!”

“Oh! I know that guy! He brought all sorts of weird things to exchange, right?”

“Wasn’t one of them cigarettes?”

“Oh! Right. There were cigarettes, too. Weird stuff with no taste or apparent effects, he said we wouldn’t regret trading for… So he was here for about two days and then left?”

“Uh… Was that so? He stayed for two days?”

“Was he Korean?”

“Yeah! But why are you looking for him?”

Finally, I found a clue about D.K.

“Oh, I happened to see an item made by a maker named D.K, and it piqued my interest. Have you heard anything about where he might have gone?”

“I haven’t heard anything like that… Heard he came from some rural area.”

“Right.”

“Other than that, I don’t remember anything else.”

As the two continued to ponder, they ultimately didn’t provide any further information.

“Thank you. I’ll come again.”

“Sure, come again.”

Living in a rural area… Since I bought Oriental tobacco in Yongmu-dong, maybe he doesn’t live in Seoul.

‘It might be harder to find him if he’s in a rural area.’

The only information I got was that he came to Yongmu-dong in the summer two years ago to exchange goods. And that he was Korean.

‘I should take a break from wandering around here for a while.’

* * *

Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Salvation Appraisal Hall.

In the center, there was a stage for item appraisals, surrounded by reinforced glass on the second floor.

Beyond that, appraisal teams were seated, and the internal appraisal of the Aura Stone for this Salvation was in full swing.

“The report for Appraisal 1 is fairly clean… But was the time too rushed? There’s no mention of side effects or risks?”

The team leader of the Special Combat Division 1 of the National Defense Force shook his head disapprovingly.

“But the effect of the Aura Stone has certainly been proven. This should be enough to impress the public with the combat power of our special forces, don’t you think?”

“Director of Planning and Coordination. No matter how you think about it, isn’t this too risky?”

“Team Leader Lee Jin-cheol. You worry too much. Let’s trust our appraisal team. Aren’t they the best in South Korea? The best!”

“Perhaps it’s okay to observe a little longer before making a decision. After all, not all appraisals have been completed yet.”

The Senior Professor of Appraisal Studies at the Salvation Academy checked the next appraisal report and spoke.

“Where’s the next one?”

“Appraisal 2.”

The expression of the senior professor, who had been checking the evaluation report while wearing glasses, gradually turned serious.

The leader of Team 1 for Appraisal 2 evaluation came out onto the central evaluation stage and began presenting the evaluation report for the Aura Stone.

“….Aura Stone has outstanding effects that amplify physical enhancement rates, but it also has fatal side effects.”

Without stuttering even once, the Team 1 leader smoothly continued the report, displaying the screen.

While his enhanced physical abilities were evident, it was futile if he lost his sanity and attacked allies.

In the video, Jang Deoksu smashed the ground, eventually demonstrating the power of an A-rank hunter.

With that, the video ended. The focus of the video was solely on Jang Deoksu, so the screen didn’t show the faces of others.

“As you can see, Aura Stone has fatal side effects. If you look at the next part, we’ve written about the circumstances and principles behind the occurrence of those side effects. It’s a phenomenon found through mana waves and their forms. It’s commonly known as the ‘Resonance Distortion Phenomenon.'”

A term they’ve never heard before. Even the senior professor, who had scrutinized numerous appraisal cases and traveled around the World Academy Association, tilted his head in confusion.

“Who coined this term?”

The senior professor asked, holding the microphone.

In response to that question, the leader of Team 1 smiled faintly and glanced somewhere.

At the end of that gaze, Park Man-deuk nodded his head.

“It’s coined by appraiser Kim Woogil.”

[Translator – Angel Dust]

[Proofreader – Prototype]