SHOWR 07

Chapter 07

The treatment of mana addiction, humanity’s shared long-cherished wish and hope, was possible with just this one item.

For a moment, I wondered if I was dreaming this time for real.

“Mana addiction… this… can it really be alleviated? Even when an S-rank Saintess and a healer used their skills all day long, even when holy water was poured all over the body, they couldn’t restore it at all—at best, they could only maintain the current condition?”

Mana addiction had brought even S-rank Hunters to their knees without a single countermeasure. If such an incurable disease could be treated, this piece of paper wouldn’t just be a rare item—it would become the hope that writes a new chapter in history.

‘Then conquering the Gates might even be possible.’

The faces of legendary Hunters who had retired due to mana addiction, and those whose abilities had drastically declined because of it, surfaced one after another in my mind.

I could even see the faces of my parents, who had lost their lives to a Gate.

After a long pause, Mimi finally spoke.

“Of course.”

A massive surge of excitement wrapped around my body.

I crawled forward on my knees and tightly grabbed the cat’s small black forepaw.

Its soft fur stuck to my sweat-damp palm.

“Th-then can you heal other Hunters too, not just the person who signs this contract?!”

“That depends on you.”

“Depends on me?”

“You’ll be able to do it with your skill.”

“With… my skill?”

For a moment, my mind went blank.

It didn’t feel real. Even though outstanding researchers and healers all over the world had devoted everything to curing mana addiction without making a single bit of progress, I could create the treatment with my own skill?

Wasn’t that like a dream?

Something no one else had ever accomplished…

“I… with my skill…”

Ah, now I understood.

Why grand phrases like “Peace of Earth” and “Salvation of Humanity” were written in my status window.

I still didn’t know exactly why that mysterious cat had chosen me and granted me this power, but one thing had become clear.

What I had to do from now on.

“Mmm.”

The scent of dawn brushed past my nose.

As I slowly opened my eyes, a blue glow filled my vision. I had fallen asleep on the sofa, and the blue light from the TV screen washed over me.

Ugh.

Blinking away sleep and focusing my eyes, I saw Mimi sprawled out asleep in front of the TV.

Now I knew why the TV, which I was sure I had turned off before leaving, was always on when I got home.

‘A news-addicted cat.’

Letting out a short sigh, I forced my heavy eyes open and stood up.

Sensing my movement, Mimi opened her eyes and stretched out all four legs.

“Yaaawn, why are you up already?”

Just as Mimi said, it was early morning—I had only slept for two or three hours—but I didn’t want to laze around.

“I feel bad.”

“About what?”

Instead of answering, I gestured at the TV with my chin. Last night’s news was playing on the screen.

[Hunter Kang Jinseo! Have you acquired a new detection skill?! What was the secret to conquering the Gate first?! Do you plan to support the remaining 21 Gates in other countries as well?!]

[Which country will you support first?!]

Reporters swarmed Hunter Jinseo sunbae, who had been reported as the one who conquered the Mapo-gu Gate, thrusting their phones and microphones toward him like moths to a flame.

Just seeing the slight furrow in the brow of that sunbae—famous for never showing emotion—made it clear how unpleasant he found the situation.

That was why I felt sorry.

Because he was receiving worldwide attention he didn’t need to, all for being falsely credited with conquering the Maze Gate.

When I asked Mimi, it said that the moment I exited the Gate, it had teleported me in front of the shop, which made sunbae get reported as the first conqueror.

When I asked why it did that, Mimi gave a straightforward answer.

“If it weren’t for me, you’d be stuck in that crowd of reporters right now. And I needed time to persuade you.”

Just as Mimi said, if it hadn’t teleported me, I probably would’ve been out of my mind by now.

Without even fully accepting the fact that I had awakened, I would’ve been dragged around by the Hunter Association and who knows what else.

“Ahh, Korea’s number one?”

“Yeah. If I’m going to clear up the misunderstanding, I need to quickly master how to use my skill. And I have to find a Hunter to sign the contract, too.”

“With your personality, I thought you’d hesitate to use a contract.”

“I don’t like causing trouble for others, but… looking at the contract buff, it’s not like I’d only be burdening them. And honestly, I don’t have the confidence to enter a Gate again myself.”

“Have you decided who to hire?”

“I’m still thinking.”

“Don’t even think about hiring just anyone. Your skill may be powerful, but if the main body is weak, there’s no hope.”

I nodded.

Of course I wasn’t planning to ask a low-rank Hunter. Even if Maze Gates were generally rated lower, there were twenty-one of them.

Anything could happen while clearing that many Gates.

I was prioritizing high-rank Hunters with plenty of Gate experience—people who could respond immediately if something dangerous suddenly happened.

“So who are the candidates?”

At Mimi’s question, my gaze drifted to the TV screen on its own.

“That number one?”

Startled, I shook my head vigorously.

What was I even thinking just now?!

“No! How would I ever hire the busiest Hunter in Korea? And he’s going through all that because of me… I have at least some sense of shame.”

“Then?”

“Hmm, maybe Nara unni?”

“Rank 20?”

Among the Hunters I knew, the only high-rank one I could easily ask was Nara unni.

But there were many things that bothered me.

First of all, Nara unni was a healer, and she had recently founded a Guild, so she was extremely busy. On top of that, with this incident, an important Guild member, Hunter Oh Hyungtaek, was trapped in the Tokyo Gate—so she must be swamped.

“But it feels wrong to grab someone so busy and ask for a favor…”

Unni rarely entered Gates herself, so her mana addiction symptoms were mild. She probably wouldn’t welcome my contract very much.

“Hmm, Hunter Oh Hyungtaek would be perfect.”

“The rookie? Was he rank 5?”

Hunter Oh Hyungtaek was an S-rank, the most recently awakened rookie Hunter.

With flashy looks, a model-like figure, and a friendly personality, he was hugely popular both domestically and overseas. I’d heard he absolutely loved being in the spotlight.

I once saw an interview where he said he especially loved the gratitude and flashes of cameras after conquering a Gate.

Maybe that was why he was the first to step forward when Japan requested Gate support.

“The title of ‘Hero Hunter who saved the world’—I bet he really wanted that.”

“He’s noisy, but he does seem useful.”

“The problem is that he’s trapped in the Tokyo Gate right now.”

Ugh. There wasn’t a Hunter who perfectly met the conditions.

It couldn’t be helped—our country simply didn’t have enough S-rank Hunters.

In that case, I’d have to consider A-rank Hunters. But who would be good…?

“Haah, it’d be nice if Dongwook oppa were here at a time like this.”

I grabbed my head and let out a deep sigh.

At this rate, I might have to pull out the training center graduation album and hold auditions.

“Whew, my head hurts.”

I decided to think about it after washing up. Maybe cooling my head with cold water would help me come up with a Hunter who fit the criteria.

As if it knew I was about to head to the bathroom, the cat quickly approached and blocked my path.

“Feed me first before you go.”

“You’re not really a cat. You don’t have to keep up the act anymore—just help yourself.”

At that moment, the black-furred creature with sleek, glossy fur let out a drawn-out “Miyaaa.”

“Ha, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

What was I supposed to do with this shameless cat, crying as if it had never spoken human language?

I placed my hands on my hips at an angle and looked down at it.

“If I feed you, what’ll you do for me?”

“What? It’s only natural for a butler to feed their cat!”

“That was when you were an ordinary cat.”

“…You’re being hurtful.”

The cat’s black tail swished sharply from side to side—a sign it was in a bad mood.

But would you still be upset after this?

I took a can from a cupboard the cat couldn’t reach. It was a premium can I gave only once a week.

“Hmm, I was going to give you this if you granted my request.”

“My goodness!”

The vertically slit pupils instantly rounded into circles. Mimi, who had been standing arrogantly near my feet, immediately began rubbing against my calves nonstop the moment it saw the can.

“What’s the request! Tell me!”

Pfft.

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Mimi’s honest and transparent behavior. Seeing it act just like it always had gave me a small sense of relief—it hadn’t disappeared somewhere just because I learned the truth.

Click!

As I opened the can, I said,

“Teach me how to use my skill. The crash course version.”

“Fine! Just pour it already!”

After standing under cold water for so long, my shoulders trembled.

Every time I thought about being able to treat Hunters’ mana addiction with my skill and conquer the Gates, a tingling heat wrapped around my whole body.

A cold shower was the best way to chase away unnecessary thoughts.

Now that I had finished my long shower, my mind felt much clearer.

My fatigue had long since vanished. The only thing driving me now was the thought that I had to complete my skill as soon as possible.

Because the penalty for failing the quest kept flashing before my eyes.

‘Losing someone precious. That’s the worst.’

I gathered my hair into one bundle and tied it tightly, and even my steps toward the workshop carried determination.

Before entering, I absentmindedly picked up the medicine placed by the door.

The strong fragrance that filled the workshop—where I extracted and blended oils myself—always caused headaches, so taking it beforehand had become a habit.

But I soon realized I didn’t need the medicine.

The floral scent filling the workshop seemed unbelievably fragrant, and I didn’t feel any headache at all.

It was the moment I truly realized that I had awakened.

“Teach me how to use my skill, Mimi.”

There was even a trace of joy in my hands as I took out flasks, droppers, and other tools.