TRPM 242

chapter 242

May 8th, Parents’ Day.

I pinned a carnation onto my mother’s outfit.

I had done this every year.

“Before I went back in time, I didn’t make carnations for her once I entered high school, so she was noticeably disappointed.”

When I was in elementary and middle school, we made carnations at school, but in high school, we didn’t. Naturally, I stopped making them from then on. But that was before I went back in time. Now, I gave her real carnations every year—not paper ones, but special treated carnations that could live a long time without water.

“The price wasn’t too burdensome.”

They were only treated with some chemicals, not magical or ritual enhancements, so they were relatively cheap. They lasted at most three to four years.

“There are carnations treated with magic or rituals that last for decades, but those cost at least hundreds of thousands of won.”

For me, it wasn’t that expensive, but I imagined that my mother would have scolded me if I had bought something too costly.

“… Now that I think about it, Sophia bought a carnation with magical treatment…”

At first, it seemed like she and Yeon Mirae were making carnations out of high-quality paper, but she must have changed her mind and bought one in the end. I wondered who she sent that carnation to. I had an idea, though.

Click! Click!

While thinking this, I saw my mother taking photos of the carnations pinned to her chest. Judging by my use of the plural, you might have guessed: there wasn’t just one carnation on her chest.

“There’s the one I gave her and the one Yeon Mirae made… so two carnations in total.”

Yeon Mirae had given my mother the one she made herself, a detailed fake that looked like a real flower.

“I also have a few in my room.”

Just as I had given carnations to my mother every year, Yeon Mirae also gave me one annually—ones she made herself. Because of that, the display case in my room was filled with carnations she had made. I had no intention of displaying anything else—no awards from school competitions or academic achievements. Even if I received certificates for being an excellent student, I didn’t want to display them.

“Other than that… maybe the sword Chloe Greenwood gave me.”

Even then, I always carried the sword, so there was no reason to place it in the display case.

“Son, can you save these photos on my computer?”
“Sure.”

After thinking that, my mother handed me the digital camera, presumably satisfied with the number of photos taken. This was the same camera I had used at school to record the students’ embarrassing moments during wire training—not that it was important.

“I’ve saved them.”
“Thanks, son.”

Now she would probably post on her social media, bragging about receiving carnations from me and Yeon Mirae.

“… If I’d known she’d be this happy, I should have bought her a digital camera too.”

Thinking that, I went into my room to perform Unqi Breathing Practice.

“I can’t skip Unqi practice if I want to increase my inner energy.”

I thought there was no one stronger than me in the world. Even if there were strong people unknown to the public, none would be stronger than me. But that was all.

“That doesn’t mean I’m invincible.”

I had weaknesses too—namely, the amount of inner energy I possessed.

“Before I went back in time, I never worried about my inner energy…”

Before, I had lived long enough to accumulate a significant amount in my dantian. That was why I never worried about it back then—but now, it was different.

“Compared to aura users or mages, the amount of inner energy I have is only high for a high school student.”

No matter who I was, if my inner energy was absolutely insufficient, I couldn’t drag out a battle for long.

“That’s why I minimized inner energy consumption by improving its quality and relied on skill superiority to make fights with stronger opponents short.”

But I didn’t expect this method to work forever. Wouldn’t some enemy try to drag me into a war of attrition in the future? I’d probably prevent them from even trying, but nothing in this world is absolute.

“… Huh… Considering the nature of inner energy, there’s no other choice.”

At times like this, I envied warriors who used aura or mages who used magic—they could just drink elixirs to increase their energy, aside from training. I had no intention of abandoning inner energy for aura or magic.

“The only way I can increase my inner energy is by consistently practicing Unqi Breathing.”

I wasn’t going to use absorption techniques from martial arts novels. If it were me, making a similar technique would be easy, but no one else used inner energy, so absorbing theirs was basically impossible. Even if someone did, I wouldn’t steal their energy unless they were an enemy.

“I thought about stealing aura or magic too…”

But converting stolen aura or magic into inner energy causes losses. Using 5 points to gain 3 points of inner energy is essentially a creative loss.

Sigh….

Unless the energy was easy to convert into inner energy, absorption techniques were useless.

“… Wait a second.”

Energy that’s easy to convert into inner energy?

[Ether exists. Technically, the Black Mist or Awakener System can be considered a mass of Ether.]
[The important point is that Ether can transform into any form.]

Dr. Jacob, the creator of the Awakener System, had left me a video message explaining this. Through Samādhi, I came to perceive the existence of Ether. Also…

[Magic has been converted into Ether.]

Arthur, who learned about Ether’s existence from me, succeeded in converting his magic into Ether.

[If Ether can transform into anything…]
[Isn’t the reverse possible too?]

Just as Ether could transform into any form, any type of energy could be converted into Ether. From this, I realized something:

[The Awakener System took my inner energy as a “usage fee.”]
[It took magic from awakened mages, aura from awakened aura users, and converted all of it into Ether to give to the person who registered the technique.]
[This proves that the Awakener System can convert any energy into Ether.]

Awakener System.

“….”

I mentally summoned the system.

“System, you know what I’m thinking, right?”

After a pause, the system displayed:

【User Han Gun-woo’s request under review.】
【Ether can be converted into user Han Gun-woo’s inner energy.】

… Right. Converting aura or magic into inner energy is a loss, but what about Ether? Some loss might occur, but it would be more efficient than converting aura or magic.

【Proposing experiment to user Han Gun-woo.】

Since the system didn’t fully understand my martial arts, it suggested an experiment. Ether began flowing into my body, and the points needed to use the Awakener System decreased accordingly.

“It consumed my accumulated points and injected Ether into my body.”

I captured the Ether and converted it into inner energy.

“… Hoo…”

Time passed. All the Ether had been converted into inner energy. Comparing the inner energy spent and gained:

“… I used 10, gained 11…”

It was a tough process, but the net gain was 1. That was enough. It was no longer a deficit—it was a surplus.

【Experiment results confirmed.】
【Efficiency is low, but recorded a surplus.】
【Henceforth, this system will inject Ether into user Han Gun-woo’s body whenever Unqi Breathing is performed, consuming a set number of points.】

That was enough. I had plenty of points, and my Harmonized Technique was evolving in response to Ether, so efficiency would improve further. I could become even stronger.

While Han Gun-woo was advancing through Unqi with Ether and overcoming hidden obstacles, around 20 awakened individuals entered a building in Australia.

“(Welcome.)”

The apparent owner of the building greeted them, bowing deeply, as if making eye contact was impious.

“(Tch…)”
“(It’s a bit hot… turn the AC on properly.)”
“(Yes, sir.)”

Some clicked their tongues in displeasure, others acted indifferent. Their personalities varied, but they shared one sentiment:

“(Why are we here…?)”
“(You’re not the only one complaining. Just bear with it.)”
“(Ugh, annoying…)”

They didn’t like being in the building—not exactly that, but they didn’t like having to return to Earth.

“(Why do we have to come back to Earth…?)”

Having lived comfortably on the Moon, they resented returning to Earth.

“(Hey, it’s still better for us. In Australia, our organization’s influence is strong, so we can occupy a building in the city center. Other countries are much harsher.)”

They were an elite group with headquarters on Mars and an outpost on the Moon. They had returned to Earth—for one reason:

“(Oracle… I need to take revenge on that woman.)”

To capture Oracle, the organization’s former leader and now traitor.