The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Yeo Joo Saves the World – Episode 27

As I rushed closer, more of the surrounding environment came into view.
Around where Han Ji Sung lay collapsed, strange diagrams and characters were intricately drawn.
“A magic circle?”
At the same moment, an information window appeared.

[ Mana Condensation Magic Circle: Manifestor Han Ji Sung ]

Han Ji Sung’s problem wasn’t merely his sensitivity to darkness.
He possessed an exceptionally high total mana capacity even among S-rank Awakeners.
Exceptionally high.
Ordinarily this would be advantageous, but combined with the reality that Hunters must primarily deploy such power within Dungeons and his acute darkness sensitivity, it became a fatal weakness instead.
Long ago, when Han Ji Sung was with the Fantasia Guild, he would cough blood and collapse after using his skills just a few times.
In severe cases, after unleashing attacks that demanded enormous mana reserves, he would immediately lose control.
Fainting was one thing, but a comrade’s rampage occurring mid-Dungeon operation was a catastrophic emergency that endangered everyone.
Guild members found themselves forced to remain vigilant against both monsters and their own ally simultaneously.
That’s why he left the Fantasia Guild of his own accord and came to the Justice Guild, which doesn’t conduct Dungeon operations.
Yet even after that, he apparently continued this solitary research in the same manner.
However, there was a fatal oversight here.
“It’s all Dungeon materials.”
The ink used to draw the magic circle, the massive mana stones placed in every corner—everything.
They all emit nothing but darkness.
No wonder his darkness addiction rating was climbing so rapidly.
I hastily shoved the surrounding mana stones into my subspace.
I couldn’t carry Han Ji Sung away, so it was an unavoidable choice.
“Han Ji Sung, can you hear my voice?”
“Ugh…”
Shaking his shoulders vigorously and calling out loudly, I was relieved to get a response.
His eyes opened faintly.
But my expression grew even more grave.
“Black tears.”
As Han Ji Sung’s eyes opened, the tears streaming from the corners were a pale ashen color.
This was a symptom I’d witnessed every time characters lost control within the Sejong Barrier.
Thick black tears as if darkness itself had been condensed.
I quickly checked Han Ji Sung’s darkness addiction level.

[ Darkness Addiction: 98% ]

Fortunately, I hadn’t yet entered complete runaway state.
The description of Darkness Addiction Cure in my skill window remained unchanged.

▷ Darkness Addiction Cure ( EX ) : Reduces the target’s Darkness Addiction level.
The cure’s efficiency is proportional to the affection the target holds toward Yeo Joo.

“Han Ji Sung’s affection right now is….”

《 ♥ 13 》

The last time I checked, it was ♥12.
It had risen by 1 point since then.
I didn’t know what the maximum affection cap was, but I couldn’t expect ♥12 to be a particularly high number.
“Still, I have to try.”
One fortunate thing was that Han Ji Sung was currently barely conscious.
Which meant there was a strong possibility he wouldn’t even realize I possessed a Darkness Purification skill.
“Activate skill.”

[ Please make contact with the target’s body. ]

The phrase “body contact” rubbed me the wrong way.
Regardless, I grasped Han Ji Sung’s left hand with both of mine.

[ Affection is too low. ]
[ Expected Efficiency: 5 Stamina → 1% Purification Rate ]

“That’s harsh.”
But there was no time to complain.
The moment his addiction level reached 100%, an unstoppable runaway would begin that no one could stop.
“Tell me my current stamina.”

[ Yeo Joo’s Current Stamina: 95/100 ]

There was no time for deliberation.
“I’m going to purify 15%.”

[ 75 Stamina required. ]

“I never thought I’d attempt this so soon.”
After catching one last glimpse of Han Ji Sung’s ashen face, I closed my eyes to concentrate.

[ Skill ‘Dark Purification’ activated. ]

A sickening sensation washed over me as my vital energy drained from my body, much like when I healed wounds.
I couldn’t tell how much time had passed.
After activating the skill, the world spun dizzily before my eyes, and I couldn’t regain my composure.
It was only the system’s notification that pulled me back to reality.

[ Purification complete. ]

“Damn it.”
A groan escaped my lips involuntarily.
I barely managed to support my collapsing body by pressing my hands against the floor.
“Ugh.”
In that moment, the system flooded my vision with urgent windows.

[ Warning ]
[ Warning ]
[ Stamina critically low. ]
[ Current Stamina: 20 ]
[ Current Stamina: 19 ]

Why does it keep dropping?!
Before I could even protest, my vision began darkening and narrowing at the edges.
Fortunately, Han Ji Sung’s condition had improved considerably.
Though he looked exhausted, his complexion was no longer corpse-like as it had been moments before.
“I… need to sleep.”
I finally collapsed beside Han Ji Sung.
I’d need to find stamina-recovery items soon, I thought drowsily.

* * *

As consciousness returned, Han Ji Sung exhaled softly at the sight of the familiar ceiling above him.
‘Did I go berserk again?’
He recalled the bone-chilling cold that had seized his heart just before losing consciousness.
Another failure.
He had been so certain this time would succeed.
What had gone wrong?
Had there been insufficient mana stones?
Or was there an error in the magic circle?
At this rate, he would only become a burden to the other guild members.
If he couldn’t strengthen this frail body, he had to find some way to reduce his magical power.
“Sigh.”
Perhaps because the berserk state had purged the darkness once, his body felt remarkably light.
That was fortunate.
He could rise now, wipe away the black tears that surely covered his face, and return to his research——
“You’re awake?”
“Yeo Joo?”
Even after adjusting his glasses, the figure perched on his bed was unmistakably Yeo Joo.
“Wait, what are you doing here? It’s dangerous to be near a berserk hunter.”
“Berserk?”
She tilted her head in confusion.
“It looked more like a cold to me?”
“No, I was definitely going berserk——”
“I don’t know what dream you were having, but you were burning up with fever.”
Han Ji Sung knew his berserk episodes well.
First, consciousness fades and he collapses, then loses control of his magical power.
When true berserk begins, everything around him freezes solid.
Blizzards rage, and dozens of Ice Spears—his primary skill—fire indiscriminately.
His body was no different.
He would freeze as if transformed into a massive block of ice.
‘But I had a fever?’
Han Ji Sung reflexively raised his hand and wiped his eyes.
Nothing came away on his fingers.
As he stared blankly at his pale palm, lost in thought, Yeo Joo approached and placed her hand against his forehead.
“Do you have any idea how worried I was? I called from outside your door and got no answer, and you wouldn’t pick up your phone!”
Her scolding was loud enough to make his ears ring, yet her touch checking his temperature was surprisingly gentle.
Whether he truly had a fever or not, her hand felt wonderfully cool against his skin.
“Why would you leave a healer sitting around like this? Were you planning to make soup later? If you’re sick, you need to tell me beforehand!”
“I’m still not quite understanding——”
Han Ji Sung remained confused.
The strange lightness of his body only deepened the bewilderment.
“It seems you overexerted yourself with research and caught something. Don’t do that again.”
“So Yeo Joo used a healing skill on me.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“My body feels exceptionally well. Even after taking potions, I’ve never had my headaches disappear like this….”
“What, are you disrespecting an A-rank healer right now?”
“Ah, no. It’s not like that….”
“If you’re fine now, get up. How long are you planning to lie on the floor?”
Yeo Joo tapped Han Ji Sung’s shoulder as she spoke.
“Ah…!”
Only then did Han Ji Sung realize he was still lying in the center of the magic circle, and he scrambled to his feet in panic.
Yet the chronic dizziness that had plagued him was gone.
‘Is this… the result of a healing skill?’
When I was with the Fantasia Guild, I’d received healing from an A-rank healer before.
But it had done nothing for symptoms like headaches and dizziness.
“Thank you… Yeo Joo.”
Han Ji Sung set aside his cascading thoughts for a moment and spoke to Yeo Joo.
“Exercise regularly from now on. The Training Facility construction will be finished soon anyway.”
“Will… exercise really help?”
“Of course it will.”
Yeo Joo clicked her tongue and continued her lecture.
“Why do you think physical enhancement and close-combat classes have lower mortality rates from runaway mana than magic classes?”
“I see your point.”
Han Ji Sung nodded, grasping the answer to her question.
After all, high-rank hunters experience runaway mana like a vicious flu they must endure periodically.
But thinking about it carefully, magic-class hunters with relatively weaker bodies are more likely to succumb to that flu and die.
Han Ji Sung, who had always attributed that difference to simply the amount of mana in one’s body, now listened intently to Yeo Joo’s new hypothesis.
“There’s a reason the saying goes that physical strength is national strength, isn’t there?”
“I understand. Then I should undergo physical training as well.”
“Just don’t overdo it. If you get regular healing from me, your health will improve significantly.”
“Then I’ll be in your debt going forward.”
“That’s why guilds have healers—don’t mention debt. Anyway, using the skill made me a bit tired. I’m heading out, so you get plenty of rest too. And don’t even think about researching anymore today.”
Han Ji Sung, who had secretly been planning to study the magic circle a bit more, flinched at her words.
“You absolutely must rest today. Once the Training Facility is complete tomorrow, you won’t be able to rest even if you want to.”
“…I will.”
Yeo Joo left the room, her eyes narrowed suspiciously, leaving one final warning: ‘You better rest.’ Han Ji Sung watched her go.
Left alone, Han Ji Sung surrendered himself to the soft bed.
How long had it been since he’d lain down so peacefully?
Soon his silver eyelashes descended gently.
“…It’s warm.”
Savoring the body heat he felt for the first time in ages, he drifted to sleep, unaware of what was happening.
The fact that the door handle Yeo Joo had opened and left through moments ago was frozen solid and ice-cold.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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