I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius

I Became an Academy Overpowered Growth Genius – 18

EP.18 Friends (3)

At that moment when Kang Seo-jun was gazing out the window, envisioning a golden future.

– Ding! –

A simple text message notification echoed.

Kang Seo-jun checked the sender.

It was Jin Se-rin.

[Jin Se-rin: I’d like to meet when you have time. Please let me know a convenient time, and I’ll send someone to pick you up.]

“Hmm.”

It was a contact he expected to receive soon.

With two years of latent growth suddenly resolved overnight, it was only natural that there were many things he wanted to ask.

[Kang Seo-jun: Alright, let’s meet around 2 PM today. Let’s make it a nearby cafe.]

The reason he chose the location first was to prevent Jin Se-rin from preparing something grand.

There was no need to book an expensive restaurant or enter the high-security meeting room of the Seongjin Group, unnecessarily tiring himself out.

After enduring such a long and intense experience yesterday, he wanted to keep things simple today, even if just for physical recovery.

The reply came back in less than three seconds.

[Jin Se-rin: Okay! Confirmed.]

Kang Seo-jun, after confirming the reply, tossed his smartphone onto the bed.

The current time was 9:30 AM.

There were still 4 hours and 30 minutes until the appointment.

Kang Seo-jun’s plans for the remaining time were already set.

If there was no appointment with Jin Se-rin, he would probably have spent the entire day doing this.

Mana training.

There was no better way to spend the remaining two weeks before enrollment productively.

However, Kang Seo-jun currently lacked knowledge and sensitivity to mana.

Having lived in a world without mana all his life and still having the [Mana Insensitivity Lv. Lowest] trait attached, preparation was necessary.

First, Kang Seo-jun opened the dimensional shop and entered the skill shop.

He then checked mana training among numerous option filters.

As a result, Countless spells related to mana accumulation flowed out without discriminating against the world’s view.

[Skill Shop]

◆ Heavenly Demon Martial Arts

※ This internal martial art technique encompasses the energy of nature and magic without discrimination, accumulating tremendous power.

※ This item is currently unavailable for purchase. [Reason: Insufficient dimensional currency, lacking required ability, essential conditions not met.]

◆ Circle Meditation

※ This meditation technique, engraved with a circulating ring around the heart, allows efficient accumulation of pure mana.

※ This item is currently unavailable for purchase. [Reason: Insufficient dimensional currency, lacking required ability, essential conditions not met.]

◆ Absorption Technique

※ This skill includes the ability to absorb the opponent’s energy and convert it into one’s own strength.

※ This item is currently unavailable for purchase. [Reason: Insufficient dimensional currency, lacking required ability, essential conditions not met.]

At the top were renowned mana manipulation techniques, but most of them were tinged with gray.

They were either unavailable due to insufficient dimensional currency, lacking the required ability, or not meeting essential conditions.

Kang Seo-jun scrolled down the list.

While there were occasional skills not shaded in gray, he ignored them and continued scrolling.

The mana training technique he wanted to purchase was already decided.

Finally, the scroll reached the bottom.

Kang Seo-jun selected the skill at the lowest tier of mana manipulation.

◆ Basic Mana Manipulation

Even at a glance, it seemed cheap, but there was no better choice at the moment.

Other available techniques at his current level each had fatal flaws.

Most either had clear growth limits or carried penalties damaging to the body.

On the contrary, this skill might be weak in the beginning, but with diligent training, it could grow steadily and play a useful role later on.

Above all, reaching a higher level in this skill satisfied the basic conditions for learning more powerful mana manipulation techniques, whether Heaven and Earth Martial Arts or Circle Meditation.

This skill was the royal road to mana training initiation and the first step.

[Purchased the skill! Acquired the skill 《Basic Mana Manipulation Lv. Low》!]

– Swoosh! –

Learning the skill felt vividly like new knowledge being injected into his mind.

It was like a strange sensation where long-forgotten memories suddenly resurfaced.

Despite never having felt or dealt with mana before, from now on, Kang Seo-jun had a clear idea of what to do.

‘Let’s start right away.’

Kang Seo-jun sat on the edge of the bed.

Ideally, sitting cross-legged was proper form, but given Kang Seo-jun’s twisted body at the moment, it was challenging.

Closing his eyes, Kang Seo-jun focused on the faint mana emanating from the mana spot.

[Efficiency of mana manipulation is significantly reduced due to the trait 《Mana Insensitivity Lv. Lowest》.]

He couldn’t properly sense mana due to Mana Insensitivity.

It feels like fumbling through a Braille book while wearing thick gloves.

However, with a willpower of 30, he persisted in concentrating.

There must be mana in this body.

If it’s mana in the air, he might not feel it, but if it’s mana within the body, he can somehow move it.

[Overflowing luck brings unexpected enlightenment! The efficiency of mana manipulation significantly increases!]

A luck of 50 also assisted in the training.

[With poor mana manipulation, mana experience points slightly increase.]

As a result, there was some response.

[With poor mana manipulation, mana experience points slightly increase.]

.

.

[With poor mana manipulation, mana experience points slightly increase.]

[Lucky Bonus! A stroke of great luck inspires the training! Mana experience points greatly increase!]

.

.

Intermittently, system messages notified him of experience point increases.

Using the system notifications as a guide, Kang Seo-jun focused more on his training.

Moving the faint mana here and there, it felt like gathering scattered pieces into a cohesive whole.

Finally.

[With proper dedication, mana grows its fruit! Mana ability increases by +1!]

In less than three hours, the mana ability had increased.

Even though it was still the early stages, considering the rapid growth, it seemed he could reach the level of an ordinary person soon.

[With the increase in mana ability, the debuff of the trait 《Mana Insensitivity Lv. Lowest》 is slightly relieved.]

Mana Insensitivity was also slightly alleviated.

In reality, mana insensitivity couldn’t be healed in this way.

Healing mana insensitivity with mana manipulation was akin to watering a desert to grow a forest.

However, no matter how dry and twisted the desert, with daily rainfall, flowers would bloom, and grass would grow.

It was possible because of the mana spot that continuously produced mana without a break.

Kang Seo-jun opened his eyes and glanced at the clock.

There was still plenty of time until the appointed hour.

Kang Seo-jun sat quietly, closed his eyes, and continued mana training until the meeting time arrived.

====

***

====

Exactly at 1:50 PM, someone rang the doorbell.

It was the driver sent by Jin Se-rin.

Kang Seo-jun got into the driver’s car and arrived at a nearby cafe. It was a small, beautifully decorated cafe tucked away in a sparsely populated corner of the park. Jin Se-rin had already ordered drinks on the outdoor terrace and was waiting.

Jin Se-rin had a plain smoothie, while Kang Seo-jun ordered an iced Americano.

– Sip! –

After taking a sip of his iced Americano, Kang Seo-jun asked.

“So, what’s the reason you wanted to meet?”

“Oh. Uh, yes. Well…”

Jin Se-rin seemed hesitant, pondering how to start the conversation. She had many questions to ask, but it was unclear where to begin.

Observing her, Kang Seo-jun spoke reassuringly.

“You probably have a lot of questions. Feel free to speak up. I’ll answer whatever you want to know.”

Considering the reasons behind his two years of stagnant growth or the nature of the nightmares she often experienced, these were pieces of information that didn’t need to be concealed. Whether she chose to believe them or not was uncertain.

“Thank you. Honestly, I have so many questions… But I’m worried about being impolite by asking randomly.”

“Don’t worry and ask your questions.”

Jin Se-rin brushed her fingers over the dew-covered glass, gauging where to start. Kang Seo-jun, silently observing her, finally spoke.

“Then… First of all… If you have any more information about my problem, I’d like to know.”

To that question, Kang Seo-jun nodded his head.

“We can talk about the price later. Before we proceed with the conversation, please make one promise.”

“………… What promise?”

“Whether you believe my story or not is your business, but don’t doubt the intention itself.”

From now on, the story to be told would be hard for Jin Se-rin to believe, so it was necessary to lay the groundwork in advance.

Whether she believed it or not was up to Jin Se-rin, but if she misunderstood that he, who had sincerely told the truth, was trying to deceive her with suspicious intent, it would be awkward from that point on.

Jin Se-rin blinked her eyes quickly, not understanding the true meaning of his words.

“………… Of course…. I understand.”

For now, she agreed. That way, he would answer her questions.

“Good. First of all.”

Kang Seo-jun gathered his hands and leaned back in his chair as he spoke.

“As it is now, you will die.”

– Splurt!? –

Jin Se-rin inadvertently sprayed the plain smoothie she was sipping.