Chapter 53
Magic stones.
They were the driving force of the Gate Age, which brought the world back from the brink of destruction and were hailed as an environmentally friendly and highly efficient alternative energy source.
Now, it was hard to imagine a world without magic stones, as they had become deeply embedded in everyday life.
At the same time, since magic stones were essentially by-products of monsters, they could not be used without going through a rigorous refining process.
However, thanks to Lim Ga-eul's unique trait, [Tollerance], she could absorb the magic power of magic stones directly without going through the refining process.
So, did that mean that the higher the grade of the magic stone, the stronger it was?
Of course not. That would throw the game balance way off.
To put it simply, Lim Ga-eul was a character who could directly convert the magic power stored in magic stones into her own magic power.
In other words, magic stones were just like auxiliary batteries.
Of course, as she grew and her specialization level increased, the amount of mana required for her skills would also increase, so it was true that she was a character who used top-grade magic stones like water.
Hence the nicknames like 'Rice-Eating Noona' and 'Sis, I'm really dying.'
But those were just the whining of the guys who had been sucked dry as they retried to beat their clear records. No need to pay them any mind.
Anyway, by the latter half of the game, magic stones would pile up like pebbles on the roadside after just one dungeon sweep.
"As you gain more experience, the amount of mana required will increase, but for now, you don't need to worry about it too much."
"That's a relief, but… this magic stone has already lost its value because its magic power has been used up, hasn't it…?"
Lim Ga-eul held out the top-grade magic stone in her hand, looking troubled.
"Just think of it as a test… or, well, you can consider it a gift."
"Hmm…"
To be honest, it would have been fine to just give Lim Ga-eul a few low-grade magic stones and have her swap them out when they ran out of mana, but I wanted to see the difference between the game and reality.
'In the game, even if you're given a top-grade magic stone during a dungeon sweep, it disappears as soon as you exit the gate, so it's considered used up.'
But this wasn't a game, it was reality.
I wondered if, in this world, magic stones could be used as rechargeable batteries rather than disposable auxiliary batteries.
I looked straight at the flustered Lim Ga-eul.
"Just keep holding onto that for a month and use it continuously."
"But… this is so valuable…"
"Don't worry, I have plenty. But if it bothers you, you can pay me back slowly."
'Alice Box has many magic stones in stock, anyway.'
Now that I had decided to use it properly, I thought it was worth investing to this extent.
"So, please take good care of me today."
.
.
.
After that, Yoo-ri and I flew through the dungeon.
With Lim Ga-eul's supporting skill, the ogres were slowed down, and Yoo-ri and I were accelerated.
With just one of these advantages, we wouldn't have been able to fight so overwhelmingly, but with both combined.
"Yoo-ri! Herd them that way!"
"Got it!"
Kwaang!
Screech!
Yoo-ri skillfully dodged and blocked the ogre's attacks, drawing its attention.
And in that gap, I took their heads off.
Unlike goblins, these guys didn't group up, so it was even more comfortable.
"…Wow."
Yoo-ri's mouth hung open in amazement.
"How's it going? Is it fun?"
"Oh my god. Yuha, we have to get her into our party, right? Even if we lose out on some magic stones, we can still gather them faster with her!"
Yoo-ri, who had experienced the full benefits of a proper supporter, spoke with an excited voice. It was a rare sight to see her so worked up, and it was quite cute.
"Hmm, I'd like to bring her in if possible, but I don't know if we can."
I furrowed my brows.
I wasn't sure if we could bring in someone who wasn't even a playable character yet.
"We have to find a way to bring her in."
Yoo-ri spoke with a serious tone.
"This is beyond just being good. The supporter you recommended before was decent, but this woman is on a whole other level."
"Hmm, but I don't think anyone else will get such a dramatic effect."
"...Huh?"
"Yeah, her skill is specifically tailored to you."
"Oh…"
Yoo-ri pouted, looking a little glum. She seemed to think that bringing someone into the party just because she was getting a dramatic boost was a selfish request.
I smiled and ruffled her hair.
"If Soup wants her in, we'll definitely bring her into our party. Didn't I tell you that I'm willing to do anything for you if it's what you want?"
Yoo-ri quickly pulled her head away and turned her face away. Then, with determined steps, she walked ahead.
"Okay, let's go! We still have a few ogres left to hunt! We haven't reached our quota yet!"
And two hours later.
We had collected all 100 magic stones, our quota for the ogres.
Normally, it would have taken a lot of time to mine and gather them, but Kim So-hun had taken care of that, so we could just focus on the hunt.
"This is ridiculous…"
The Pink Brat opened her mouth wide, unable to believe the overwhelming speed at which we had cleared the dungeon.
"Who are you guys… Why are you here, showing off like this…?"
Then, her face twisted with anger, and she said accusingly,
"Did you come here to toy with us? To enjoy watching us struggle and do nothing?"
Well, I get that she's shocked, but that's a bit of a weird thing to say.
"First of all, we were already in Ga-eul's group before Choi Ah-ram joined us later."
I countered her statement.
"And the only one who didn't do anything was Choi Ah-ram. Ga-eul used her supporting skill, and So-hun over there used his skill while doing the porter's work. What were you doing all this time?"
"You… you didn't give me a chance to join in…"
She seemed about to retort angrily, but having witnessed our skills firsthand, she didn't have the nerve to argue.
Instead, she turned her anger towards Lim Ga-eul.
"And you! How dare you do this to me!"
"Uh, uh…"
Lim Ga-eul, who had been dazed, was taken aback by Choi Ah-ram's sudden outburst.
"What's that skill! It's cheating! That top-grade magic stone isn't even yours! Give it to me!"
Choi Ah-ram tried to take the magic stone from Lim Ga-eul.
'What's with this Pink Brat girl?'
I frowned.
"This is really strange."
"What…?"
"That magic stone was a gift from me to Ga-eul. Why are you trying to take it from her?"
"Th, that… she's trying to scam us…"
"Using magic stones to power skills isn't cheating. It's just a natural ability that some people have."
As I refuted her point by point, Choi Ah-ram bit her lip and said in a suppressed voice,
"Then give me one too."
She said to me as if it were owed to her. I was genuinely curious about the structure of this woman's brain.
"No."
I shook my head.
"...Why?"
"That's because it's only possible for her because of her unique constitution. Even if you had it, you wouldn't be able to use it properly."
"Th, that… so what about me…?"
Choi Ah-ram glared at Lim Ga-eul, her lips pressed tightly together.
"You lucky bitch… You've made something of your life by relying on men."
She muttered under her breath, but my enhanced hearing caught every word clearly.
My eyes narrowed involuntarily.
Throughout the hunt, I had been observing Choi Ah-ram, the tutorial boss, while taking down ogres.
To be honest, if she could be reformed beforehand, there would be no better outcome.
Especially since there was the case of Kim So-hun, who had originally entered through the male quota system but had changed directions and joined for the right reasons, I wanted to give her some leeway and observe for a while.
But,
Throughout the raid, she never once stepped forward.
She only vented her frustrations at Lim Ga-eul, the easiest target, and used her as an emotional trash can.
'Okay, I can understand that. '
Who in this world doesn't feel jealousy or inferiority?
And even if there are, they are only a small minority.
But now, as Lim Ga-eul showed new potential, her hatred was evident in her eyes.
It seemed that I would have to act sooner than expected.
'No, this one can't be saved. '
I gave up on the idea of reforming her and made my judgment.
So, thanks to the Pink Brat, who had soured the mood, we returned to the academy with a gloomy atmosphere.
Lina, who had been standing there with her arms crossed and a sullen look on her face, looked at us with surprise.
"Oh, you're back earlier than expected."
"Yes, here are 100 magic stones. And we've brought the by-products as well."
Kim So-hun took off the bag from his back and presented it to her.
"...Even the by-products? Oh, so you were a porter as well?"
"Yes!"
"Hmm, good. You will receive your performance bonus for this soon."
Lina nodded as she inspected the by-products they had brought.
"Alright, everyone can head back and rest now. Good job today."
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