Chapter 4. Perk
『Quest Complete!』
Mana stat increased by 1 as a quest reward.
I gained a stat and also made some connection with Moon Surin, which is a huge benefit.
Of course, this isn't a game, and she won't fall for me just from seeing me once, but it might help later.
After that, I wandered around to familiarize myself with the area.
I focused on the back alleys where people rarely go. You never know when you might need to run away with six legs involved.
Since there were many large buildings, there were quite a few spaces between them where people could pass through.
It's not scary during the day, but it might feel pretty eerie at night.
After roughly memorizing the layout of the alleys, I returned to the dormitory.
I sat at the desk and took out a notebook and a pen from my bag.
"I should figure out more about these perks."
The perks are the only key I have to navigate through this situation.
Honestly, I still don't know why I received these perks or who that so-called god of wagers really is.
I mean, getting reincarnated into an eroge doesn't make sense, so getting some perks isn't that weird in comparison.
Since it came to mind, let's organize what I know about the perks.
First, [Mana Sensitivity].
--------「Mana Sensitivity」--------
▶ Perk
▶ The ability to sense and understand mana.
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As I thought of activating Mana Sensitivity like opening a status window, a skill window appeared before me, just like in a game.
In this world, people with abilities can objectively view their talents or skills. In simpler terms, there's a status window that appears with just a thought.
You only need to think about what you want, and it will appear in front of you.
Anyway, [Mana Sensitivity]. If I had to explain it, it's the ability to sense mana, but I still don't quite get it.
The ability to sense and understand mana?
What the hell does that mean? They could've written it more clearly.
Maybe I should read a textbook. Studying should always start with the textbook.
[Introduction to Mana Studies]
I pulled out the textbook for mana studies, which has a reputation for being difficult.
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1 – All About Mana.
Mana is an intangible 'energy.' It exists within all living beings and is a crucial component of the world.
...…
The way people awaken mana varies from person to person, as do the properties and characteristics of their mana.
...…
The most common method of mana control today is to manipulate it with the sensation of moving your blood through your veins.
...…
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That's it?
The rest looks like some weird academic paper that doesn't seem particularly helpful.
"Moving blood, huh?"
I sucked in a breath and imagined moving my blood from my heart to the tips of my fingers.
But nothing happened!
"Yeah, it would be weird if it worked right awa—huh?"
Something was there. Inside me, inside this room, and throughout this world.
It had always been present. I had only just become aware of its existence.
The moment I realized mana existed, the awakening began.
A sensation I'd never felt before.
The feeling of owning the entire world. Joy, pleasure, bliss, weightlessness, and euphoria.
Countless waves of exhilaration surged through me like a tidal wave. But something at my core held me steady, allowing me to remain conscious.
Awakening mana. While immersed in that blissful state, I savored the moment before finally coming to my senses.
"Haa..."
Maybe a minute had passed? But I felt like an entirely different person.
I grabbed a book titled [Practical Basic Magic] from the same shelf as the mana textbook and opened to the first page.
Even though it was an introductory spell, the six intersecting lines of the magic circle made it look complicated.
Whoosh—!
A flame ignited above my palm.
"Holy shit. This is insane."
Magic is traditionally considered a realm of pure talent.
The [Practical Basic Magic] textbook introduces basic magic circles, but becoming a professional ability user requires creating one's own magical framework.
That's because each person has different optimal forms and properties for their magic.
Otherwise, they'd have to learn standardized magic formulas.
Most people learn this process at an academy.
But I skipped those steps entirely.
I clasped my hands together and focused on the concept of fire. Once again, flames formed over my palm.
Whoosh—!
This phenomenon didn't surprise me at all.
A dissonance with reality? There was none.
Mana already felt like a natural part of me.
I even wondered why I hadn't been able to do this until now.
"So this is Mana Sensitivity..."
Achieving the impossible with ease. This was truly a perk.
Next is [Steadfast Willpower]. I really have no clue about this one.
――――――「Steadfast Willpower」―――――――
▶ Perk
▶ Maintains mental stability under any circumstances.
――――――――――――――――――――――
It's strange when I think about how I didn't panic after getting thrown into this game world.
Maybe my instinct to assess the situation and act is thanks to this perk... or maybe the stability I felt during my mana awakening was part of it.
But hey, maybe I'm just naturally fucking brilliant, so I can't be sure.
Still, it's listed as a perk like Mana Sensitivity, so it'll probably help me eventually.
Last is [Memory Reinforcement].
――――――「Memory Reinforcement」―――――――
▶ Perk
▶ Enhances the user's memory.
――――――――――――――――――――――
The most annoying part is the notification I got when I received this perk: "80% Forced."
Why 80% and not 100%? I tried to recall the details.
Oh yeah... I vaguely remember typing "Do whatever you want" when that shitty god said, "Wanna make a bet?" on KakaoTalk.
Fuck... This world is ridiculous.
Still, the perk itself is amazing.
It's more than just better memory—it's practically perfect.
I remember every word, expression, and even the mana fluctuations from my conversation with Moon Surin.
If I wanted to, I could probably sketch out the café's entire floor plan, down to the tile patterns.
This ability seems like it will be incredibly useful.
I was worried about how I'd keep up with classes at the academy, but now I don't have to be.
With my perks organized, I felt more prepared.
I have to go to the academy tomorrow, but honestly, I'm pretty nervous.
Victoria Academy isn't just a place to train ability users.
It's the best in Korea and is even ranked among the top three academies in the world.
And starting tomorrow, I have to go there. I've never even been in a fight before, let alone a battle. How am I supposed to keep up?
"Maybe I should check out the training center?"
It's already 10 p.m. If I want to be in good shape for tomorrow's first class, I should probably get ready for bed. But the thought of going to the training center kept growing stronger.
"Yeah, let's go. I should go."
I've always been a crammer. I even pulled an all-nighter before my college entrance exam.
I headed for the training center, which was packed with state-of-the-art equipment. Victoria Academy had spared no expense in making the facility unnecessarily extravagant.
The training center had various rooms for different purposes, like physical training and mana practice, all within a single building.
I tapped my smartwatch at the entrance.
[First-year student Lee Hoyeon. Access confirmed.]
I passed through the first-floor lobby and headed to the elevator in the back.
On the third floor, I found the mana training room, which was nearly empty. Makes sense—who trains at 10 p.m. on the day of the entrance ceremony?
Honestly, I'm more surprised that there are any people here at all.
I entered a private training room.
The private room was simple: an empty space surrounded by walls made of special materials. Space magic made the room more efficient.
I pressed the button beside the entrance, and a holographic interface appeared along with a mechanical voice.
[Mana training system activated. Please state your desired settings.]
"Training dummy. Maximum durability. Distance: 10 meters."
The hologram vanished, and a training dummy appeared 10 meters ahead.
"Hmm."
Ssssshh—
Mana gathered in my hand, forming into the shape of a flame. I didn't have any deep insight into the concept of mana. My only experience was pressing keys to cast spells while looking at a monitor.
Yet I could still cast magic, thanks to the [Mana Sensitivity] perk.
The perk granted me a talent that let me manipulate mana and cast spells, even without theoretical knowledge.
Besides, the calculations and delay before casting are a chronic issue for mages—but not for me.
Ssssshhh—!
All I had to do was think about it. My mana responded, forming into reality.
My mana reserves were limited, though, so my spell options were restricted. But I understood how extraordinary this talent was.
"Tch."
After concentrating for about a minute, I instinctively sensed I'd reached my limit.
I raised my hand, aimed at the training dummy, and fired the flame.
Boom!
"Huff... haah..."
The dummy was a mess: scorched, burnt, and missing both arms.
[Damage: 22%]
Only 22% damage? In the original story, the protagonist took a year to shatter a training dummy with one hit.
"Should I try one more time?"
The feeling of squeezing out mana wasn't unpleasant.
Magic was starting to feel fun—and anything is fun when you're good at it.
I gathered mana into my hand again, imagining it forming into a spear.
If I were to chant a spell, I'd probably shout, "Fire Spear!"
The flame steadily took the shape of a proper spear.
"All right, just like this—"
Sway.
Suddenly, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.
"Huh? Why..."
I tried to push myself up, but my body wouldn't respond.
My vision blurred, and a sharp headache struck.
Thud.
My consciousness faded to black.