Episode 4: A Lucky Day (4)

Chains of lightning spread out like a net in all directions before surging swiftly towards Jaehyun’s torso.

The ferocious flow of mana; it was an attack that far surpassed what Jaehyun could handle.

Yet, for some reason, Jaehyun did not dodge. All he did was gaze fixedly at the 《Chains of Lightning》 coming towards him.

Kaboom! Ka-kaboom!

Jaehyun’s body was struck by the lightning. The electric chains tore through him again and again.

Jung Woo-min’s attack was both fierce and fast. Jaehyun grit his teeth.

The 《Chains of Lightning》 were peeling away his skin. He fought hard not to lose consciousness, but in the end, his knees buckled.

“Kugh!”

Jaehyun vomited blood as his body staggered, then eventually rolled on the ground. The mana-filled chains of lightning engulfed Jaehyun’s body, emitting a high-pitched screeching noise.

Tsst-tsst-tsst-tsst!

“I really can’t understand it. That man, your father, after his wife and now his son.”

Jung Woo-min taunted as he nudged Jaehyun’s body with his foot, which was convulsing from being electrocuted by the 《Chains of Lightning》.

“Isn’t it so? You think the same, right brother?”

Jung Woo-min trampled mercilessly over Jaehyun beneath his feet, maintaining a cold expression throughout.

A moment later.

As Jaehyun’s body finally grew still and ceased to move, Jung Woo-min withdrew his mana and turned around.

Unless a miracle happened, Jaehyun seemed to have no strength left to move.

But then,

Wooooo…

The ground trembled, and the boundary surface Jaehyun stood upon began to crumble into pieces.

Jung Woo-min’s brow furrowed instantly.

‘What’s this? This mana… Min Jaehyun should be dead. And even…’

A fierce storm of mana sensation came from behind. Jung Woo-min’s whole body got goosebumps instantaneously.

‘The power is getting stronger and stronger.’

Jung Woo-min halted immediately and swiftly turned around, taking a battle stance.

As expected, the flow of mana was emanating from Jaehyun’s body. The life energy that wrapped around Jaehyun’s dying body with a blue hue.

Jung Woo-min’s face stiffened. Jaehyun’s body was twitching.

“What… what is happening?”

Jung Woo-min shook his head in disbelief and began to gather mana at his fingertips, reciting the spell to use 《Chains of Lightning》.

This time, he continued casting out loud, rather than in his mind. He intended to deliver a stronger attack to end Jaehyun’s life once and for all.

‘I must finish it this time.’

Although he wasn’t entirely sure, he felt strongly convinced. Jung Woo-min quickly completed his chanting, preparing to unleash his attack at Jaehyun.

Wooooo…

Symbols of magic, indecipherable to the ordinary person, formed in the air and began to converge at the tip of Jung Woo-min’s fingers.

A moment later.

The symbols intertwined with Jung Woo-min’s mana, transforming into chains that gleamed a bright yellow light.

Ch-chak!

“Now, truly die for me.”

The unleashed lightning from Jung Woo-min’s fingers flew towards Jaehyun’s torso.

However,

Jaehyun once again did not dodge, merely watching calmly the lightning as it surged towards him.

Then. When Jung Woo-min saw Jaehyun’s face, bewilderment tinged his expression.

‘A person soon to die… is smiling?’

Words of an unknown meaning spilled from Jaehyun’s lips, who had blood at the edges of his mouth.

“…Equipped. 《Odin’s Lost Eye》.”

―《Odin’s Lost Eye》 item equipped.

―Item has become bound to the user.

“I know that. You can’t be sold now.”

―《Odin’s Lost Eye》 is equipped, granting the Active Skill 《Absolute Calculation》.

Along with the system sound, Jung Woo-min’s attack reached Jaehyun’s torso.

Or, to be precise, it appeared to have reached.

Wooo…! Pshang!

Jung Woo-min’s face contorted fiercely. He shouted in disbelief at what unfolded before him.

“How, how is this possible! The magic… dispersed?!”

The 《Chains of Lightning》 rushing towards Jaehyun’s torso completely dissipated like grains of sand. The remnants of the magic hovered around Jaehyun.

Jaehyun, facing Jung Woo-min’s ashen face, raised his right arm.

“Jung Woo-min.”

―You have acquired a new skill.

―Displaying skill information.

[Active Skill]

Name: Absolute Calculation (絶對演算)

Grade: EX

Stats: –

Analyzes the structure of magic to destroy it.

1. Reverses the magic to its formulaic expression and then destroys it.

2. The consumed mana for destroying magic with 《Absolute Calculation》 varies depending on the rank.

“I will make sure you die a very painful death.”

Jaehyun’s left eye, for a moment, blazed with a golden light.

―Activating the effects of 《Odin’s Lost Eye》.

―Consuming one blank card.

―Copying the skill 《Chains of Lightning》.

“I will make sure you die in the most painful way.”

Jaehyun’s left eye suddenly blazed with a burning golden light.

―Activating the effect of 《Odin’s Lost Eye》. ―Consuming one blank card. ―Copying the skill 《Chain of Lightning》.

With a refreshing notification sound, bright yellow lightning began to form in Jaehyun’s raised right hand, perfectly replicating Jung Woomin’s 《Chain of Lightning》.

Jung Woomin’s brow furrowed fiercely.

‘How can he, a martial arts radar, use my 《Chain of Lightning》!’

Confused, Jung Woomin looked at Jaehyun, who now radiated a completely different aura, almost overwhelming with mana.

But what was most astonishing was that Jaehyun had wrapped his own arm with the 《Chain of Lightning》.

A high-level magic that even a talented individual like himself took years to master.

And yet, Jaehyun was a martial arts radar.

How could he use a high-level magic like 《Chain of Lightning》?

Struggling to comprehend the situation, Jung Woomin bit his lip.

“Do you think you can stand against me just because you can use that high-level magic?”

Then, Jaehyun’s lips slowly parted.

“Let’s see. Whether I can or not.”

Jaehyun smiled faintly.

“You can judge for yourself.”

With fierce momentum, the 《Chain of Lightning》 unleashed by Jaehyun left his hand and rapidly surged towards Jung Woomin’s torso.

An attack several times faster than what Jung Woomin had launched earlier.

“Crap!”

Jung Woomin hastily deployed his magic to create a defensive barrier.

Bang!

Barely blocking the attack, Jung Woomin gasped for air and glared at Jaehyun.

‘My magic is much stronger…!’

Boom! Boom! Crash!

Jaehyun’s relentless attacks poured down. Jung Woomin barely fended off the chains using a barrier, looking for an opening in Jaehyun’s offense. But Jaehyun’s attacks were incredibly fast.

His appearance, burning his life force to attack, was like a demon.

And finally.

Jaehyun’s chains penetrated Jung Woomin faster than his defense could react.

‘Damn it! I can’t avoid…’

Shrrraaak!

Four chains poured towards Jung Woomin.

In a critical moment, he failed to dodge Jaehyun’s attack and was pierced through.

Unable to move, Jung Woomin faced the approaching Jaehyun.

“Gah! Gugh!”

Struggling in vain, Jaehyun, seemingly uninterested in hearing more, lowered his raised hand.

Shrrraaak!

The chains cut through the air and pierced Jung Woomin’s chest directly.

“Cough!”

A strike aimed precisely at the heart.

Soon after, Jung Woomin’s body slumped.

“It’s… over.”

Victorious in battle, Jaehyun’s situation was also dire.

Having used all his mana to attack Jung Woomin, he had none left, and his physical strength was also depleted, leaving him unable to move.

“Finally got a mythical item, only to die so pathetically.”

It seemed like a lucky day indeed.

Jaehyun accepted his fate with equanimity and closed his eyes.

Death.

A word that he, as a radar, had encountered countless times and always feared.

But experiencing it firsthand was even more chilling.

‘So cold.’

As his consciousness faded into the dungeon’s abyss, Jaehyun closed his eyes.

―New operating system downloaded. Would you like to execute it?
——–

―You have regressed to the time you desired. ―The current date is November 15, 2020. ―…Successfully restored 20% of your physical health. Restrictions on non-combat activities have been lifted.

―New quest 《Rest is the Mother of Success!》has been automatically assigned.

When the suffocating pain in his heart ceased, Jaehyun opened his eyes. “Huh?” The next moment, he was engulfed in deep confusion.

“What in the world… is this situation?” Jaehyun sat up and looked around the bed he was lying in. Soft blankets and pillows.

A room with a warm atmosphere and a faint scent of coffee. Pajamas that were a bit worn but still wearable. His middle school uniform hung on the wall. It was strange.

He was sure he had died after the fight with Jung Woomin. Rubbing his temples with a thumb due to a headache, Jaehyun muttered,

“Ah… Am I dreaming right now? This is definitely the house I used to live in…”

But what was most baffling was the quest window in front of his eyes.

[Sub Quest]

Rest is the Mother of Success! You are a critically injured patient who miraculously survived.

Fully rest to recover your physical strength.

―Recover up to 80% of your physical strength.

Difficulty: F
Stamina: 28/140
Reward: Blank Card ×1

“Returned more than 10 years into the past and now a quest window too?”

‘Originally, the Aesir system didn’t have a quest feature.’

Jaehyun stared at the floating status window, trying to organize his thoughts to understand the situation.

‘Let’s sort this out from the beginning. First, I didn’t die in the fight with Jung Woomin. Why? It must be because of the new system. Thanks to that, I’ve regressed to the past.’

It was unbelievable, but Jaehyun quickly accepted it.

His mental strength, honed since the appearance of Yggdrasil and monsters in 2011, was well-prepared for such bizarre events.

If there was one thing Jaehyun had learned from repeatedly facing such situations, it was the importance of quickly adapting and making decisions.

‘If the information given by the system is correct, I’m now 11 years in the past, in my third year of middle school.’

―You have successfully regressed to the era you most wished for.

―The operating system has been successfully changed to the 《Nornir System》.

The same voice announced again.

“Nornir… Is that the name of the new system? Honestly, I don’t understand any of this… But.”

Jaehyun pondered further. Everything he was experiencing was a series of incomprehensible events.

The betrayal of his father and Jung Woomin. The death of his mother five years ago. The new operating system and regression to the past. These events didn’t connect easily.

“One thing is certain.”

Jaehyun clenched his fist and looked at the calendar on the desk. There was a red circle on November 16th with something written in small letters.

Without reading it, Jaehyun already knew what it said. Application day for Milles Academy! PS. Definitely go to the Martial Arts Department!

Jaehyun had regretted his choice on this day for many years.

It was the day he wrote his application for Milles Academy, forsaking his talent in the magic department and choosing the unsuitable martial arts department instead.

The corners of Jaehyun’s mouth lifted. He erased the line on the calendar with a pen, saying,

“I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

A precious opportunity regained.

This time, Jaehyun planned to become a magician.