Chapter 73-Jeong Pan-soo and Jeong Pan-ho (3)
When magic was first developed, people prophecized that the era of healing would come to the fortified civilization. It turned out to be a fantasy. Magic required more complex knowledge than expected, and reanimation was an unknown world that could not be reached.
The act of restoring the body with mana should be a natural, simple thing. Its implementation, however, was not so.
[‘The magical civilization succeeded in developing recovery magic, then created a new system called ‘medical magic.’]
The memory was vivid.
[…Heal, the early model of recovery magic, was a spell with many problems. Instead of recovering the wounded area using a low circle, an effect occurred in which life was also consumed as mana was shared. The life-span of the wizard transmitting mana dropped significantly. In essence, the life left was distributed between both bodies. That was the beginning of medical magic.]
The magic had developed since then. People avoided a type of magic in the early days, but magical civilization always found the right answer.
[The final form of ‘Heal’ has become the exclusive property of Wizards of Circle four or higher. It is not a simple skill but an area that requires considerable control and an accurate understanding of mana. The birth of medical magic gave humans new life.]
Fortunately, Kang Min-hyuk met the conditions of medical magic.
“Heal.”
Kang Min-hyuk used the mental method to raise the mana of nature and then made the mana permeate Jeong Pan-soo’s wound. The necessary condition was to resurrect only with natural mana. The early model could significantly increase regeneration power but could reduce vitality and not have a great recovery effect. On the other hand, the recovery magic Kang Min-hyuk used had no risk, and the result was fantastic.
Of course, there was also simple recovery magic for smaller wounds. However, when healing serious injuries like today, the wielder needed a high degree of recovery magic. Kang Min-hyuk moved mana very carefully.
[The birth of medical magic began with modern medicine. Medical magic reduces the risk of recovery magic using a new system.]
Hwaahak-!
A green light rose from Min-hyuk’s hand. Whenever nature’s mana moved, the area his hand hovered above quickly stopped bleeding, and any area that needed immediate action was given a healthy dose of nature’s mana. The success of medical magic was all in the dosage. A reckless abundance of vitality reduced life expectancy: moderation was vital. Kang Min-hyuk proceeded with recovery based on the memory in his head very carefully.
“Woo.”
Sweat formed on his forehead. Kang Min-hyuk had already reached his limit. His head was spinning, and his dry mouth was desperately craving something to drink. However, considering Jeong Pan-ho’s eyes, Kang Min-hyuk did not want to miss the string of hope.
The treatment continued. In a world where recovery magic was yet to be developed, Kang Min-hyuk’s actions looked like a miracle.
“What the hell..?”
Jeong Pan-ho’s eyes widened and trembled in their sockets. Resurrection through magic? He had never heard of such a thing. There had been many cases where reinforced warriors have healed trauma by consuming Danjeon’s mana, but most used magic for attacks. Recovery magic was an unknown realm, but it was unfolding from Kang Min-hyuk’s hands.
Jeong Pan-soo’s body was not in a state of recovery, but hope glimmered on the horizon as the color gradually crept back into his face.
“Did you learn this at the academy? No, it’s impossible. There is no such thing as recovery magic in the first place.”
Suddenly, Pan-ho remembered hearing, not so long ago, that Kang Min-hyuk had staged a magic conference inferring that he had pioneered unknown territory. At the time, Pan-ho thought it insignificant, but evidently, there was more to the wizard than talent in battle.
It was difficult for Pan-ho to accept the rapid changes occurring in his mind. Kang Min-hyuk looked like a giant before him.
“If you developed the recovery magic by yourself…”
The wizard’s territory would expand massively with such a revelation. Long-distance support would be possible, and those with injuries could be treated. It would be a revolution!
A seventeen-year-old boy was creating a new civilization, with magic at its core. The existing system would be unrecognizable. Since his birth, Jeong Pan-ho had known the boy, but the young man who stood before him was a version he could never have foreseen.
* * *
The treatment was over. Kang Min-hyuk was utterly exhausted – the resurrection had taken an hour, but he still had work to do. Jeong Pan-ho was looking at him with desperation in his eyes.
“The wound is not fatal anymore. The problem is that the damage was so severe that it was impossible to heal all at once. Considering the vitality of Pan-soo, I think it will have to be divided into several sessions to recover. It is impossible to move with the current state of his body. The fatigue of the other disciples has reached its limit, so why don’t you build up your position here and take a break?”
“I will.”
Jeong Pan-ho took Kang Min-hyuk’s hand. He had rejected him for his entire life, but the elder took his hand and gazed up at him with profound gratitude.
“Thank you very much. I know very well that I have mistreated you. I sincerely apologize for all that has been done. I, Pan-ho Jung, will try my whole life to repay the grace we have received from you.”
“No.”
Human relationships are extraordinary. The bad feelings that had brewed between the pair for almost two decades melted away with just one incident.
“I will build the position. You rest.”
“Okay.”
Jeong Pan-ho couldn’t afford to be intoxicated with emotions when he didn’t know when the next danger would loom. After returning to the tiger Jeong Pan-ho, he quickly installed a barricade. Pan-ho Jeong knew precisely the attitude a leader should take in a crisis. Even if you’re tired, you don’t express it, and those following will only stay strong if you are resolute and firm to the end.
Kang Min-hyuk couldn’t rest. The desire to sleep was almost irresistible, but there were still quite a few disciples to heal. It was a brutal fight. Fortunately, the injured disciples didn’t require as much effort as Jeong Pan-soo to be treated with a more straightforward method.
“Heal.”
Hwaahak.
Mana rose in green rays. It was a lesser version of Heal that could also be used by second circle wizards. The effect was not dramatic, but it was still possible to recover instantly. It was only after taking care of all the injured that Kang Min-hyuk could catch his breath. In the empty circle, he sat on the wall and smiled.
“What a crazy day.”
A lot had happened, and he attained new power. Klinssman had succeeded in developing a technology that was deemed impossible even in the magical civilization. He was a truly gifted individual. Kang Min-hyuk didn’t know what secrets he kept, but Klinssman was considered a pioneer of the magical civilization.
“I can’t use the transcendental stamp often. The risk is too great.”
Mana consumption was too much, and mental power reached its limit. After using the transcendental imprint, Kang Min-hyuk endured with only mental power in his exhausted state.
The power of the seventh Circle magic wasn’t as strong as he thought. It was good enough to deal with A-class death knights, but he had witnessed the seventh Circle magic in the world of Klinssman, and he knew that his power was a little lower than that. It was probably because of the limitations of his circle. It was possible to use transcendence through engraving, but there was a limit to the power emitted with four circles.
The magic built into the transcendental engraving must be the best. Min-hyuk was only using some of that power, and it was proven to be an exceptional weapon. The cool-down period following the use of the transcendent imprint was an entire month. It was terrific to use seventh circle magic, though. Besides, the cool-down period would decrease as he ascended through circles.
As he thought, his eyelids dropped. His thoughts were far from organized, but he couldn’t stop sleep from falling in. Was it because his work was done? Kang Min-hyuk’s eyes closed. It had been a long day.
* * *
He couldn’t sleep for long. His senses were stimulated while he slept, but he managed to rest for several hours. He felt better and approached Jeong Pan-ho, who was standing on the alert behind the barricade.
“Are you still on the lookout?”
Just before Min-hyuk slept, Jeong Pan-ho was building his position. Evidently, Jeong Pan-ho had not been able to rest at all. Jeong Pan-ho was a tiger. Even though he was having a hard time, he held himself well as he fought against fatigue. In the current situation, it was too dangerous to entrust the guard-duty to anybody else. In any case, the transcendental Death Knight could resurrect and reappear, so he took the guard alone.
“Fortunately, monsters above A-class do not resurrect.”
“It’s so fortunate that it’s unfortunate.”
It was good news for the later generations. The monsters’ reanimation was the most prominent source of anxiety that kept Pan-ho’s eyes wide open. The Dark Lich’s power was also limited. Thanks to that, the Latecomers could relax, knowing that all monsters in the area had been destroyed.
Kang Min-hyuk sat next to Jeong Pan-ho and looked at the space that had settled in darkness. Then, Jeong Pan-ho said.
“Pan-soo is my son, but he lacks integrity. He is jealous, so he can’t bear to befriend somebody better than him. Because of that, I had no choice but to hate you. I had to; my son was more important to me.”
The reason Jeong Pan-ho rejected Kang Min-hyuk started with Jeong Pan-soo! It was a fact Kang Min-hyuk didn’t know.
“I knew it wasn’t the right way to raise a son, but Jeong Pan-soo was very precious to me. I devoted my whole life to the Suho Gate. My wife said I was like a monster and left me ten years ago. I understand. I couldn’t say that I was a good husband. Because of that, Pan-soo became more precious to me. He is the only flesh and blood I have left.”
Kang Min-hyuk laughed bitterly.
Now that the era of Kang Deok-cheol and Jeong Pan-ho has passed by to make way for a new generation, Jeong Pan-ho’s story was a thing of the past. There was no obligation to talk about it. But there they were.
“I had a younger brother. His name was Jeong Pan-soo. Our bond was much deeper than just father and son.”
The name touched a painful memory for Jeong Pan-ho.
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