How a legendary returner lives

If Jin Songyi says so, then it must be true. Yoon Youngsoo believed everything she said. That’s why he could say this:

“Wouldn’t it be better to go catch him now?”

But Jin Songyi shook her head.

“Siho said something. He said he’s sorry.”

“……”

“This time, I’m going to apologize instead.”

Yoon Youngsoo thought to himself:

Jin Songyi looked really bright.

It was like she had relieved herself of the heaviest burden she had been carrying in her heart.

She looked good.

Yoon Youngsoo smiled and said:

“You’re not planning to go empty-handed, are you?”

“Of course not. I’m going to bring a lot of gifts.”

“When will you go?”

“Hmm… soon?”

Then, Jin Songyi slyly asked Yoon Youngsoo:

“Could you find me an expert in translation magic?”

“Translation… magic?”

“It seems like a low-level one won’t work. Find someone really skilled. And…”

Jin Songyi paused for a moment and then looked in the direction where Jin Siho had gone before continuing.

“Thank you.”

“…I haven’t done anything. I was just scared and staying behind.”

“No. Just being there was enough.”

The two of them smiled like that.

* * *

Jeong Bin frowned as he typed on the keyboard.

[Seoul Cheongdam-dong Gas Explosion Accident] [Cheongdam-dong Jin Songyi] [Cheongdam-dong Jin Songyi Jin Siho] [Jin Siho Identity] [Jin Siho Awakened]

His forehead wrinkled.

There was nothing coming up.

“What’s going on… I’m sure there was an article about Jin Songyi earlier.”

He hadn’t seen it wrong. He definitely saw it. But at some point, the article had disappeared.

Officially, the gas explosion accident had swept up Jin Songyi and Jin Siho, and Jin Siho had been transferred to the hospital. That was the main article.

He leaned back in his chair.

It was ridiculous.

Had he been dreaming?

Suddenly, he looked down at his right hand. As soon as he clenched his fist, a chilling sound echoed as his bones collided.

What could he say?

It was just… surprising.

‘…He said he came from Titan, but is he really human?’

It was a serious question.

The last thing he said echoed in his mind.

– You said today was your birthday. Then I guess I should give you a gift.

Jeong Bin muttered quietly.

“Status window.”

A hologram appeared in front of him.

[Name: Jeong Bin] [Occupation: Ranger] [Level: 80] [Current Rank: B+] [Potential Rank: ??] [Achievements 1] [Stats] [Strength: B-] [Agility: B+] [Intelligence: B] [Health: B+] [Mana (Internal Energy): B] [Remaining Stat Points: 0]

It hadn’t changed much from before. The important parts were just two things.

The first was the achievements.

He didn’t really understand what that was supposed to mean.

But he could accept it up to this point.

However, the last mention of potential.

That part was something he couldn’t ignore.

Why had the potential that was previously marked as B now turned into a question mark?

As far as Jeong Bin knew, only unique Awakened people had their potential marked with a question mark.

Could it be that I’ve become a unique Awakened?

He felt a shiver run down his spine.

At that moment, there was a knock on the window.

“Wah!”

Jeong Bin fell backward in surprise.

It was only natural to be startled. There was a man outside the window with a very familiar face.

“Why… why are you there?”

“I had nowhere else to go.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s a bit cold outside. Could you open the window?”

Jeong Bin walked toward the window with a dumbfounded expression.

He was losing his mind.

It wasn’t until he got close that Jeong Bin realized.

This was the 38th floor. And…

“How did you know I was here? Did you investigate me or something?”

Jin Siho smiled lightly.

“Investigate? I followed the scent.”

“The scent? I showered, though.”

“No, not that kind of scent. The scent of mana. Mana users’ mana tends to have a smell, and we were together for several hours. I guess I just memorized it.”

“……”

“Are you not going to open the window? Really?”

It felt like he would break the window to get in if Jeong Bin didn’t open it. So, he opened it.

As soon as the window opened, Jeong Bin quickly rushed to his computer and closed the open windows.

Jin Siho gave a strange smile.

“Did I interrupt your happy time? Should I go outside?”

“…It’s not like that.”

“Never mind. By the way, how do you like the birthday gift? Do you like it?”

Ah, this part.

The gift he gave must be related to the question mark in his potential. That’s for sure.

Jeong Bin, who was sitting on the bed, asked Jin Siho.

“What exactly did you give me?”

He was genuinely curious. In response to Jeong Bin’s question, Jin Siho answered without hesitation.

“I just opened a few mana circuits inside your body.”

Jin Siho extended his right index finger.

“I opened a total of eight circuits: both shoulders, both wrists, both legs, your neck, and your head.”

“…What?”

“People around Master-level in Titan have at least those circuits open. You should be grateful. I raised you from just 5 circles to that level.”

Jeong Bin couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“What’s a circle and what’s a master?”

“A circle is like a device that binds the mana floating in the air inside your body. Each time a circle is added, you can use more mana. You said you’re a B-rank Awakened, right? A B-rank can typically have up to 5 circles, and with effort, they can reach the highest level of the 5th circle.”

“……”

“Since we’re talking about it, when I was coming over, I saw some Awakened from the Salvation Guild. I realized that A-rank Awakened have a wide range, from 6 circles to 7 circles.”

“S-rank?”

“S-rank has 8 circles. SS-rank has 9 to 10 circles. Oh, and anyone with 10 circles is called a Master. I thought about why there’s such a wide range, and it seems related to their level.”

Awakened people are classified by rank, but they’re also divided by level in more detail.

This level is important.

Newly awakened Awakened people always start at level 1 after awakening.

For B-rank Awakened, they raise their level by clearing Gates until they reach their growth limit. When they can no longer level up, they are called “B+ Awakened.” Those who haven’t reached their limit yet are called “B- Awakened.”

Since all information about Awakened people is registered in a database, it’s impossible to deceive anyone.

A-rank, S-rank, SS-rank, SSS-rank Awakened.

Other than unique Awakened, the levels of regular Awakened people are all different.

It seems that 8 circles, 9 circles, etc., are included among these levels.

Jeong Bin didn’t think too hard about it. The important thing was one thing.

“I’m marked with a question mark now. Have I become a unique Awakened?”

Jin Siho’s answer was simple.

“Why are you asking me?”

“……”

“I’m not the system. Why? Don’t you like the gift? I can take it back if you want.”

Jeong Bin was shocked.

“That’s not what I meant. I’ll be grateful for the gift.”

With a small laugh, Jin Si-hoo added, “And don’t stress so much about the system, levels, and ranks. I think you’re overthinking it.”

“…What?”

“How can a person’s limits be defined by a system like that? If I were you, I’d be angry, but you seem to just go along with it. Are you always this compliant?”

For a moment, Jeong-bin was stunned.

He hadn’t lived for long, but he had lived through the early days of the great upheaval.

Without a doubt, Jin Si-hoo’s way of thinking was entirely different from that of those living on Earth now.

As Jeong-bin stared blankly, Jin Si-hoo casually said, “You’re staring at me too much. I know, I’m handsome.”

“…Understood. But why are you here? As I mentioned, I don’t want to get involved anymore.”

“Is the world that easy?”

Jin Si-hoo snapped his fingers.

*Snap.*

With the sound, Jeong-bin’s right arm suddenly crackled, as though struck by lightning, and it appeared to be burning.

No, it looked like it was burning.

Jeong-bin looked at his arm with wide eyes. The arm seemed to shimmer like a mirage. Yet strangely, there was no pain.

What was going on?

Then, Jin Si-hoo’s voice rang out.

“Try to absorb that. When the kids in Titan tried to absorb it, they had to run around the parade ground twenty times in formation just to get a chance.”

“…A parade ground? Does that exist in this world?”

“Why wouldn’t it? Even though I look like this, I was a general. A great general, at that.”

Jeong-bin looked at his arm for a moment.

Just then, a chime sounded.

*Ding!*

[You have acquired a skill.]
[Skill Name: Mana Concentration]
[Grade: S]
[Potential Grade: ?]
[Proficiency: 0]

The notification appeared almost at the same time Jin Si-hoo laughed.

“Not bad. You absorbed it right away?”

“…Uh… yes… it worked.”

Jeong-bin couldn’t fully comprehend what was happening right now.

It had just been absorbed. No, he had simply gained a skill.

Could it be that his potential was this extraordinary? That didn’t seem likely.

Jin Si-hoo looked at Jeong-bin with a strange expression.

“You know, that system thing is really useful in situations like this.”

“The system?”

“It’s compensating for you. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to absorb that so quickly.”

“Ah… I see.”

Jin Si-hoo nodded and continued.

“Keep listening. When you use mana, like for magic or physical enhancement, mana moves around in the air. It enters your body or gets enclosed in a spell to manifest as magic. During that process, ’empty spaces’ inevitably appear. These empty spaces exist but also don’t. What happens if mana keeps moving into those spaces?”

“…It would keep accumulating, right?”

“Exactly. That’s ‘strong qi.’ When mana accumulates and accumulates, its destructive power becomes unimaginable. This is the basic mechanism of ‘amplification.’ Making strong qi and overlapping circles in magic starts from here. Simple, right?”

Jeong-bin, who had been quietly listening, realized that Jin Si-hoo’s words were incredibly helpful.

No, they were just information overload.

“A way to concentrate mana even more. Concentration is fundamental. If you really grasp and awaken this, that’s when you can be called a true master. But what about my sister? She doesn’t seem like someone who was taught this. Could it be innate? Is that why she’s a unique awakener? I’m not sure. Do you know anything about it?”

Forget the information overload—everything was fine. But…

“Why are you suddenly speaking casually to me?”

“Is it a problem? You’re being cold.”

Cold?

“Aren’t we at the point where we’re already like brothers?”

“…You don’t know how old I am.”

“No matter how old you are, you’re definitely younger than me. That’s for sure.”

“You’re only 28, aren’t you?”

Jin Si-hoo responded in a soft tone.

“That’s just my apparent age. Anyway, let’s move on, little brother.”

“…Yes.”

Now, it was time for the main topic.

“I need a place to stay for a few days.”