Chapter 28 : Main Quest Madness #7 - No Kidding, I’m an Extra

How can someone be such an unbelievable fool? I can't accept it. Whatever it takes, I want to make him drink this cola. "Here! Look, Ryu Cheon Hwi! Let's see if it explodes!" — Pshhh! I immediately opened a can of cola I brought. Of course, it didn't explode. I hadn't shaken it. "Does this look like a bomb to you? Huh? Ryu Cheon Hwi, does this look like a bomb to you?" "That's...!" "Who would say this is a bomb, not even a fool!" "Who are you calling a fool!" "Take a look at this!" "Grr...!" Ryu Cheon Hwi glared at me in silence. "Hey. It didn't explode, right? Look, this is a carbonated drink called cola that explodes when you shake it. If you open it properly like this and drink it..." — *Gulp.* Taking a sip. It's pure bliss. "The cola tastes heavenly. Do you understand?" "...You." "Calling me names. Hey, you who didn't even know if cola explodes. Here. Try it again. I'll give it to you." I pulled out another cola from my pocket and placed it on his desk. "As if I'd drink such an explosive beverage! You Taliban! Get it away from me!" "Well, you can clean up your own mess." I ignored Ryu Cheon Hwi's tantrum and sat down. I sneaked a glance back, and he was just sitting there with his arms crossed, looking displeased, but absolutely refusing to touch the cola. He truly treats it like a bomb. "What are you looking at, you." "Try opening the cola." "I won't!" "You prickly fool." Guess you'll live with it there forever. Alright, let's prepare for class. — *Screech.* "Good morning." The door opened, and Instructor Lee Sora walked in. "Surprisingly, there are no absentees today. Anyway, today, like the last time, after a bit of training on handling mana, we'll move on to meditation practice. Everyone, push your desks back and take your positions." "Wait, Instructor! Are we starting the lesson right away without the morning assembly today?" "You should know by now, Kim Geun Cheol, just be quiet and push your desk." Damn it! High school students have the right to morning assemblies! --- Today's class began as usual. Before diving into the main lesson, Instructor Lee Sora assessed whether the students could use mana to unleash superhuman strength. It turned out that aside from two trailing behind, everyone else had succeeded. Even someone as clumsy as I managed to succeed. I might need to refine my skills a bit more, but since I've already grasped the basics of using mana, almost everyone should be capable. "Excellent. Most of you can handle mana. Then, let's proceed directly to learning meditation. Those who haven't yet mastered mana, I'll see you later separately, so keep practicing." Great. Now we get to learn meditation. I am looking forward to it. "Once you know how to handle mana, you must train to use it more comfortably. One typical method is called meditation, which is a training technique that helps move mana throughout various parts of your body." I imagined as I listened to Instructor Lee Sora's explanation. How will this proceed? "Kim Geun Cheol? Come on out." "Ugh, again! It's always me! Why am I always used as an example, Instructor?" Caught off guard! Again, it's my turn! "Kim Geun Cheol makes a great teaching aid. Don't his reactions come perfectly? Using him, I can teach intuitively and effectively. Think of it as a sacrifice for your classmates who learn from watching you." "Grr...!" With no other choice, I stepped forward. "Oh! Kim Geun Cheol! Watching you!" "Don't scream again, Screamer Man!" Brian and Ken chimed in from the back, "Don't worry. Starving Child Kim Geun Cheol won't even have the energy to scream." "Leona... Geun Cheol isn't a child from the third world..." "He's hiding it...! Sigh! Please recognize Kim Geun Cheol's effort not to show that he's hungry! Sihoo!" They're really making a fuss! "Everyone, pay close attention to Kim Geun Cheol." "Yes, everyone, look at me." It feels like being an Asian in a human zoo. "Kim Geun Cheol?" — *Click.* Standing behind me, Instructor Lee Sora placed a hand on my shoulder. "We will now train to manipulate the mana within through meditation." The instructor began whispering into my ear...! "...!" No, wait! I'm somewhat sensitive, and just talking near my ear makes my side feel like it's curling inwards! "First, close your eyes. But why are you trembling? Are you scared, by any chance?" "N-no! That's not it! Let's just start!" "Alright, let's begin." "Grr!" I desperately resisted Instructor Lee Sora's soft voice tickling my ear and closed my eyes. "What do you see?" My military service... No. "I see 'darkness.' Very clearly at that." "What's with that peculiar emphasis? Anyway, you should see darkness. Imagine you're in this darkness, and envision your body turning to stone." "Done." Right now, I am a rock. "In that state, try to feel the mana within you. Kim Geun Cheol, you've reached the level of releasing it, so this should be possible." Is this some kind of hypnosis voice? It's hard to endure as it keeps tickling my ear. I want to ask them to speak a bit further away, but if I mention it, they might accuse me of having weird imaginations, and I can't do anything about it. Anyway. Right now, I am a rock. A rock. And I can feel the mana within my body. I have the kind of body capable of high jumps, after all. "Yes, I can feel it." I could sense the faint mana within my body. "Good. Now, imagine that mana has a color. In the darkness of your body, it's the only thing that shines... picture something like that." A color, huh. The color of my internal mana. I imagined it as blue. After all, mana is typically associated with the color blue. "It feels like there's a blue seaweed dancing in the darkness, wavering like a mirage." "That's a rather odd metaphor, but it's quite vivid. You have talent. Everyone, remember this, as this exercise helps you to perceive the mana more concretely. The most important part is visualization." The mana within my body wavers like a mirage. It feels almost like smoke, swirling about. It's a real, tangible energy, not just a concept but a dimension-transcending energy residing inside me. "Where is that mana located?" "For now, I imagine it's in my abdomen." In the darkness. In my belly, there's a presence of blue seaweed called mana. "What happens if you move it to your feet and jump, releasing it?" "I can execute a high jump like an Uruk-hai." "Exactly that. Just don't actually release it. Try moving that seaweed towards your feet." This wasn't particularly difficult either. — *Swish.* It was simply a matter of applying the technique for a high jump. I gently guided the mana towards my feet. To describe it clearly, it's like the blue seaweed settled in my abdomen permeating through the muscles in my thighs, traveling down my bones, and reaching my soles. "Good. You're doing well. Kim Geun Cheol is handling this smoothly. Now move the mana in reverse; through the knees, thighs, lower abdomen, and then to the opposite foot." I obediently followed the instructions as if hypnotized. Doing in reverse what I had done before, as the mana shifted back, I distinctly felt it. In the darkness, the glowing blue seaweed is navigating through the dark universe that is my body. Realizing that, excitement erupted within me! "It's moving...! Instructor! The mana inside me feels like it's really moving!" I can definitely feel this otherworldly energy within me! "Yes, yes. A good commentary. Explain in more detail to your classmates." "The mana that initially moved to my foot is gradually traveling to the opposite foot...! Is this how an Awakened One feels when manipulating mana?" "Just as you said, that is the sensation of mana moving. If you master this, you could eventually concentrate mana in your heart and circulate it through your bloodstream quickly, but that's difficult at a cadet's level. Anyway, you're doing well." So I continued to move the mana as instructed. The fact that I could actually feel it made this practice quite enjoyable. Success in each movement gave a sense of accomplishment. Yet, my skills weren't exactly improving. "That's enough. Kim Geun Cheol? Open your eyes now." "Yes." "Everyone, let's applaud." — *Clap clap clap!* — *Clap clap clap!* — *Clap clap clap!* "Wow." "Well done." "Screamer Man! Quite impressive!" My classmates joined in applause, making sounds of awe. Oh, this is embarrassing. "Haha! Wow! Instructor Lee Sora! Your expert guidance made it easy to pick up quickly! I feel like I'm spreading my wings of talent, thanks to a great teacher!" "You certainly know how to compliment someone. But Kim Geun Cheol? Do you have a vivid imagination? Students like that usually pick up quickly." Imagination, huh. "When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a painter or an astronomer. Maybe that's why. I often heard I had a rich sensitivity as a child. Haha." "Not at all... Anyway, that's enough. You may return." "Yes!" "Now, everyone, practice what you just watched and learned. I will observe in sequence, so stay at your station." With that, the students resumed their positions and began meditating like I did. This lesson was structured by using me as a teaching aid, followed by practice. Anyway, I headed back to my seat next to Si Hoo. "Hey, Si Hoo." "Geun Cheol, well done. You've got more talent than I expected." Wait, did he just call me Geun Cheol? "Geun Cheol? Lee Si Hoo, did you just call me Kim Geun Cheol?" "Huh? What are you trying to say..." "That's wrong." "What is?" "That title. From now on, call me 'Mana Master.' That's the correct term." "Come on, Geun Cheol! You're getting way too ahead of yourself! You've just mastered the basics!" "The basics are the foundation of strength. Don't you know that?" From today, I am the Mana Master. You might as well call me Sword Expert if you like. I guess I should share the news with Leona too. "Leona? Did you hear? I'm now a Mana Master. So stop with the starving orphan, hungry third-world child remarks." "...Artist." "What?" I noticed Leona covering her mouth with one hand. "I see. So when you were younger... Sniff! You had such dreams! But circumstances forced you to give them up...!" "Hey, Leona?" "You know what, damn it! If you want to draw, I can at least sponsor you a canvas! Tell me if you want it! Sob!" "Why are you crying! Don't cry!" Don't take jokes so seriously! "You made me cry! When do you plan to stop making me cry, Kim Geun Cheol? It's impossible to even ask for my meal voucher back from you!" "You really should try and get it back!" Why on earth is she so eager to offer me meal vouchers! "Just shut up and draw!!! You Hitler Geun Cheol!!!!!" "Does not being able to draw make me Hitler?!"