Chapter 6: Porter

“So, he seems not to have Mana and does not use any artifact to hide it. That means he is not a hunter. But he can withstand the Mana impact, Em…, weird…”

“That’s what I think too. Sir.”

It was the first time a man didn’t have Mana Blessing but could handle Mana’s impact. Moreover, the man seemed to be shunned by Mana.

Looking at Chairman Yu that was still deep in his thought, Chief Lee pushed his idea.

“If Mana avoided him, maybe if he got close or touched the Portal Gate. Then it may disappear instantly.”

Chairman Yu frowned upon hearing the idea. “It’s because Portal Gate gets formed by Mana. And that man probably has the ability to make Mana avoid him. So, you think he can eliminate the Portal Gates?”

Chairman Yu understand the meaning of Chief Lee’s idea. A long time ago. They created an artifact suit to disperse Mana to form the Portal Gate, but it didn’t work as they anticipated. Instead, it became an artifact suit that could make regular people deflect the Mana impact.

Now, based on Chief Lee’s news. They had something similar to their concept to close the Portal Gate without clearing the dungeons. Rather than an artifact, they had a man as an option.

It was really a very tempting plan. But, “Nonsense… You know, after we failed on an artifact suit. We concluded that when Mana fluctuation started, it couldn’t get stopped anymore.

“Once the Portal Gate finishes forming, you can’t make it disappear except to clear the dungeons inside it.”

Of course, Chief Lee knew about this too, and he still hoped it might be possible to close all the Portal Gate without losing anything.

“But…”

“Enough!”

Chairman Yu didn’t want to put hope into something that was still uncertain.

Who knows what would happen if they tried something like that when their confidence was below 1%.

The last time they tested the artifact suit. The Portal Gate suddenly changed to the Red Gate and almost wiped all of the research team on site.

The most troublesome thing about the Red Gate was the monsters that came out from it. They had the possibility to spread and avoid the hunters.

Red Gate couldn’t be closed since it would deny the hunters entry, and hunters couldn’t force their way to enter the Portal Gate.

The only way to close it was to obliterate all of the monsters that come out from the Red Gate until the last scrap.

Who knows if the bad luck would appear again or not when they want to try the test with the man.

Chief Lee lowered his head after being halted.

“I have a hunch that the man will be the key to erase the Portal Gate from this world.”

Chairman Yu didn’t like what Chief Lee just said. He was not someone that relied on a gut feeling. The Chairman of the Hunters Association couldn’t do something audacious just based on that alone.

“You said he doesn’t have Mana Blessing. How can someone that not a hunter can be the hope to solve the Portal Gate issue? Do you want to sacrifice or offer him to the Portal Gate, huh?

“It’s better to have an ArchMage rather than putting hope into a questionable plan.”

Chairman Yu reminds Chief Lee. So as not to make a mistake and mess around for the Hunters Association.

“You can keep watching the man if you want, but please refrain from doing anything that harms the public interest.” Chairman Yu sighed and let Chief Lee pursue the matter. But, it was only limited to observing and find information about the man.

Chief Lee bowed and excused himself from the Chairman, leaving the room.

Although the Chairman of Hunters Association did not coincide with him, Chief Lee still chose to trust his hunch. He was sure the man was the key to this world madness.

However, Chief Lee also didn’t know how that man would achieve what he hoped for it. Even Chairman Yu said before that man was not a hunter. So, how did he get rid of the Portal Gates?

‘I hope my hunch leads me to the right path. I’m sure you’re the savior of the world.’

Chief Lee firmly believed his feelings without knowing how to make that happen.

—- —-

—- —-

In a small restaurant measuring 4 square meters,

The street food stall that Kim Ji-woo’s mother had to earn their living costs. Ji-woo was there too.

Due to the lack of visitors, Ji-woo sat across from his food stall. Meanwhile, Ji-woo’s mother sat inside looking at the TV.

Ji-woo busied himself with the new smartphone that he got this morning from his mother. He was looking for the information about hunters that he got heard before.

Portal Gates began appearing in 2017, the same time as Ji-woo got deported to the Magical world. The first appearance from the Portal Gates created chaos all over the world.

At the same time the Portal Gate shows up, people with Mana Blessings start to appear. Gifted with Mana, these people carry Magic power that could make them fight and defeat any creature in the dungeons of the Portal Gate.

It took a full year for humanity to adopt the change and founding the Hunters Association for each country to handle its own Portal Gate.

And the people with Mana Blessings being called the hunters by the government. To keep the hunters in check and their interests, the Hunters Association allowed some people with wealth to create a guild for their own benefit.

But, in return, the guilds should be willing to cooperate with the Hunter Association regarding their hunter members in case of future problems.

Ji-woo was fascinated by how fast the world changed after the Portal Gate occurred. Even knowing Mana exists in this world really surprised him.

There was a difference between Mana in this world and the Magical world. Mana circulates in this world through Magic Stones and Mana Crystals. While the Magical world where Mana was in the air and could be absorbed with meditation.

Ji-woo shook his head at the information he got on the internet, knowing the current stuff was enough. In the end, Ji-woo was not interested involved in battle again after the 30 years of the Great war.

In the meantime, Ji-woo was busy with his smartphone. A woman in her 20s came to the street food stall of Ji-woo’s mother.

“Imo! Gimbap and fish cake like usual, Thank you.”

“Oh, Eun-bi came! Wait for a moment. Imo will prepare it for you.” Ji-woo’s mother replied with a subtle smile.

Seeing there a customer was coming that seemed close to his mother, Ji-woo approached the stall.

“Oh, Eun-bi~ya. Let me introduce you to Imo’s son.” Ji-woo’s mother immediately introduced Ji-woo after seeing him walk toward them.

“Ah, yes. Hwang Eun-bi.” Eun-bi stretched out her hand first and wanted to do a handshake with Ji-woo.

“Yes, Kim Ji-woo.” But Ji-woo refused the gesture and instead chose to bow slightly.

Eun-bi seeing her awkward hand because of getting ignored by Ji-woo, instantly became blushed. She was really embarrassed now.

Trying to hide her embarrassment, Eun-bi asked Ji-woo’s mother something.

“Imo’s son, that has been missing since 2017? Woah, how come he is here now, Imo?”

Ji-woo’s mother shrugged, “Imo, don’t know too. But, Imo is happy and grateful that he’s back now. That’s enough.”

“Eh, Imo. We should ask him how he went missing and what he did in the span of 6 years. Who knows, he might do something sinful that we don’t know.”

Eun-bi whispered the sentence to Ji-woo’s mother. But the voice could still be heard by Ji-woo at the side.

“Tsk, hey! Don’t write your own story.”

“You… You…, why do you speak informally to me?”

“I’m older than you.”

“How did you know? How old are you?”

“I’m 23 years old, so call me Oppa, okay?” Ji-woo’s subtle smile, showing his triumph in conversation over Eun-bi.

Eun-bi astounded, ‘I’m just 21 years old. How come he knows? Jeez, he’s annoying!’

“Haha, stop teasing her, Ji-woo~ya. Here is your order Eun-bi~ya. Take it.”

“Here’s the money, Imo. Thank you.” Eun-bi thanked Ji-woo’s mother and stuck out her tongue to Ji-woo after taking the food.

But Eun-bi stopped her track before walking far away from the street food stall. She turned around and waved to Ji-woo.

“Ji-woo~si, please come here for a moment.”

Ji-woo doesn’t really want to answer Eun-bi’s call. But his mother, busy nudging him to go there. It made him don’t have any choice. But to follow his mother’s wishes.

“Why?”

Hearing Ji-woo’s informal speech made Eun-bi glance and irritated at him.

“Did you have a job? If you don’t, I have one here. You should know how hard Imo works to earn money for her and your sister.”

Ji-woo got taken aback by the sudden talk of a job from Eun-bi. By mentioning his mother, Ji-woo decided not to joke around and take this discussion seriously.

“Who are you?” Although Ji-woo gets tempted, Eun-bi is still a stranger to him.

Eunbi understood Ji-woo’s doubt and showed her hunter ID, “D-rank hunter of Demigod Guild. Hwang Eun-bi.”

Ji-woo couldn’t believe his eyes looking at the ID.

“You… A hunter? Haha, don’t joke around.” Ji-woo try denied with awkward laughing

Yet Eun-bi didn’t speak any single word to refute Ji-woo and let him gauge the situation.

‘Well, now I really feel Mana from her. Should I take the offer?’

When Ji-woo was thinking, Eun-bi put out her Guild card and wrote something on the back.

“If you are interested, you can call me at the number on the back of the card.”

Ji-woo was a bit hesitant, then asked Eun-bi. “What is the job?”

Eun-bi smiled, then turned around from Ji-woo. At the same time, she was telling him the answer while walking away.

“Porter.”