The Owner of the Healing Therapy Shop Is Ranked 0th in the World - Chapter 23

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Owner of the Healing Therapy Shop is World Rank 0

Chapter 23

^[‘Gangjinseong Part-timer’ Mana Addiction Progress: 78% (High Risk)]^

After completing the conquest of twelve Asian countries including Mongolia, Jinseong finally boarded a plane bound for Korea.

Jinseong habitually opened his status window to check.

Despite pouring out massive amounts of mana in the process of conquering gates, his mana addiction had actually decreased in progression.

The terrible headaches had long since disappeared, and the limb paralysis that used to inevitably come after using mana was also gone.

Jinseong habitually repeated opening and closing his right fist. His hand, which had been stiffening, now moved smoothly as if oiled.

Jinseong leaned his head back against the seat with a thud.

Though his fatigue had reached its peak from closing gates nonstop for an entire week, his body felt lighter after unleashing the vast amount of mana that had been blocking his blood vessels and energy channels without restraint.

It felt as if time was flowing backwards.

The days when he prepared for death daily due to worsening mana addiction symptoms now felt like a hazy past.

‘It feels like I’ve come back to life.’

Jinseong gazed at the sky visible through the window. Though it was the same sky he had seen hundreds, thousands of times, this time the blue color felt remarkably different.

“Hyung.”

Ean approached and handed him a recovery potion.

Jinseong only took it but didn’t put it to his lips. There was no problem with his condition even without drinking the recovery potion.

Ean handed Jinseong the phone he had been looking at.

At this rate, isn’t Gangjinseong going to die from mana addiction? If he closed fourteen gates, he must be pretty addicted;

└That’s what I’m saying. If he goes around to all the remaining gates within the time limit, he’ll just retire immediately.

└No seriously, what are the other rankers even doing? At this rate, Jinseo hyung is going to die from overwork ㅠㅠ

└What’s Ed hyung doing? Even if I don’t know about other rankers, shouldn’t the world’s 1st place close at least one?

└Return your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th place rankings

└Didn’t you watch the news? Right now 3rd and 4th place went into gates and got trapped lol

└I guess 1st and 2nd place are too scared to enter yet, so they’re getting shit on hard right now ㅇㅇ

└No need for ranking battles, just make Jinseo hyung world #1 lol

“That’s roughly the situation. The other rankers still haven’t closed any gates either. At this rate, hyung really might end up closing all 22.”

“America too?”

“Yeah, there was news yesterday that Edward would enter with an American search skill hunter, but he hasn’t entered yet.”

“I don’t want to go as far as America.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. I don’t even want to see that split-personality bastard’s hair.”

Even while speaking, Ean carefully observed Jinseong’s complexion.

Though he said he was fine, how could he not worry?

Excluding flight time, he had essentially closed 12 gates in just four days—an insane schedule.

No matter how S-rank he was, no matter that he was a world 5th place ranker, no one pushed their body this hard.

Even if by some chance there were no injuries and no problems with stamina, entering gates consecutively was a stupid act that accelerated mana addiction.

So Ean was extremely worried about Jinseong.

No matter how much the addiction progression decreased thanks to Yebichnna’s skill, his condition would have been even better if he hadn’t consumed mana closing gates.

“Hyung, are you really okay?”

“It’s 78% right now.”

“…It decreased from yesterday? Really miraculous.”

“Yeah, I just tried using up to half my mana as an experiment in the gate, but it still decreased.”

“Don’t overdo it. Professor Seong said that even if your physical symptoms improved, you might still be taking mental damage.”

Ean let out a light sigh.

Does he think he has ten lives or something? There are other things to experiment with.

“You’re the most disobedient patient I have.”

Just then, Professor Seong, who had boarded the plane with them, approached Jinseong. Professor Seong had even taken vacation time to join the schedule to check on Jinseong’s health.

“Let me check your pulse.”

When Jinseong obediently extended his wrist, she activated her skill.

“Your physical condition really has improved, but the mana flow in your brain is still unstable. I’d say it’s actually gotten worse.”

At Professor Seong’s diagnosis, Jinseong turned his head away sharply.

This was content he didn’t want to hear.

Would anyone believe that someone who occasionally acted so childishly was Korea’s 1st place ranker?

Ean shook his head.

“Get some sleep. We still have eight more hours before arriving in Korea.”

“That’s right. No matter how good your condition is, fatigue has accumulated.”

Jinseong silently gathered his eye mask and blanket.

“Oh, right. Hyung, they asked which continent we’re going to next. Since you’ll do whatever you want anyway regardless of what they decide, they said you should just choose.”

Jinseong closed his eyes tightly and opened his mouth casually.

“Where was 20th place?”

“…New Zealand.”

“Let’s go there.”

“…Fine, hyung, do whatever you want. If war breaks out later, I don’t know anything about it.”

“Mm.”

“Hey, after hyung goes to Korea and rests a bit, might that decision change?”

Jinseong remained silent.

“Alright, sleep well?”

‘The one who won’t die a natural death isn’t hyung, it’s me.’

Ean finally gave a bitter smile and turned around.

No, it was the moment he was about to turn around.

An ear-piercing warning sound came from both Jinseong and Ean’s phones.

Both their expressions hardened instantly.

The two quickly pulled out their phones and frowned as if they had made a promise.

[Emergency. Maze Gate time limit shortened by 100 hours…]

Ean looked at Jinseong’s expression and let out a deep sigh.

“I can’t tell you to rest well in Korea now.”

“What’s the closest country from here?”

“From here… France or Germany.”

“Change the route.”

“Hyung, will you really be okay?”

“Go warm up some milk.”

It was Jinseong’s unique way of expressing agreement.

* * *

Was it because I slept uncomfortably on my side in the workshop?

I had been tormented by nightmares for several days straight.

It was a dream I’d had since childhood, so I should be used to it by now, but every time I had it, my back would be soaked in cold sweat.

Today was the same.

Beep-! Beep-!

Just as I was running down a burning road in my dream, I opened my eyes to the sharp sound of an emergency alert.

“Huk!”

As I bolted upright while exhaling roughly, my heart pounded as if it would burst.

I grabbed my hair and let out a long breath. I needed time to escape from this pain I couldn’t get used to.

“It’s a dream, it’s a dream, it’s a dream.”

Only after repeating for a long time that it was something that had already passed, that the current me was safe, could I finally check the disaster alert.

“Gate….”

It was the moment I was about to read through the text.

“Mi, Mimi!”

Mimi, who had done nothing but sleep without moving for a whole week, finally woke up.

Tears naturally welled up in my eyes as I called his name.

Mimi stretched long and turned his yellow eyes toward me.

I felt relieved at his cold gaze, no different from usual. I don’t know how many times I thought I might never see those eyes again.

“Are you okay? Huh? Does anything hurt? Why on earth did you come back injured? Did you get into a fight or something?”

“Check the message.”

Mimi’s voice, heard for the first time in a week, was truly heartless. I was beyond amazed and actually dumbfounded at how he dragged my phone over with his claws as if he couldn’t even hear my worried questions.

I wanted to burst out and scold him about how worried I had been, but I couldn’t. Because the content of the disaster alert I had glimpsed was serious.

It was news that the Gate’s time limit had been drastically reduced.

When I opened my status window to check the Quest, the time limit had been reduced by a whopping 100 hours.

^[Time Limit: 170 hours 5 minutes 13 seconds]^

The original three-week time limit wasn’t an incredibly generous amount of time, but Mimi had definitely said that with my items and Senior Jinseong’s abilities, clearing the Gate within the time limit wouldn’t be a problem.

Thanks to that, I was able to maintain my composure even after seeing the reduced time limit. After all, hadn’t Senior Jinseong cleared as many as 12 Gates in just one week?

But if the time limit suddenly decreased by 100 hours like this….

‘This could be dangerous.’

Why did the time limit suddenly decrease? I turned my gaze to Mimi, who seemed to know the answer.

After checking the message, Mimi wrinkled his small nose bridge and muttered menacingly.

“These bastards really….”

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