Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 150

Rachel was kneeling with both hands raised.

She seemed quite upset, sniffling and shedding tears.

“This damn world won’t even let me joke…”

“Don’t lower your hands.”

At my glare, her hands, which had been slowly descending, shot back up.

Choi Hyun-seok turned his gaze back to the communication device, staring intently.

“Hmm, this is a problem. Having a communication device but not being able to use it.”

He had vaguely thought, ‘I’ll be able to use it someday,’ but that was the root of the problem.

Now that the moment to use it had arrived, he still didn’t know how to operate it.

How should he solve this problem?

“Even if you search the Hero Shop, there’s no ability to handle communication devices.”

“There’s no way the Hero Shop would have such trivial abilities!” Rachel retorted, even while being punished.

“What nonsense! It’s a junk shop that sells pet supplies, drugs, and even MSG [Monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer]!”

Choi Hyun-seok exclaimed, exasperated.

Selling all sorts of trivial things, yet lacking the essential core items in the Hero Shop.

“Hmm, now that I hear it, that’s true.”

“Don’t subtly lower your hands.”

“Yes.”

Rachel, who had been pretending to think while stroking her chin, raised her hands again.

“There’s no choice. As it stands, I have to learn the skill.”

The Hero Shop didn’t sell the ability to handle communication devices.

However, it did sell the communication devices themselves.

□ Low-Grade Communication Device Set

Description: A low-quality, low-grade communication device. Characterized by poor durability and short communication range.

Ability: Maximum 20km communication range.

Required Hero Points: 50

Choi Hyun-seok clicked his tongue as he read the shop’s description.

“Tsk. Characterized by poor durability and short communication range. This isn’t just a junk shop, it’s a scam.”

“But it’s cheap. Communication devices are originally very expensive items. Even a low-grade one would cost at least 1 gold coin, you know?”

“Hmm, if that’s the case…”

Choi Hyun-seok sighed.

“Fine. It’s better than nothing.”

He tried to think positively and pressed the purchase button.

Then, two heavy beads fell from the air.

Choi Hyun-seok held the beads in both hands, examining them closely.

“If I infuse them with mana, they’ll connect and allow communication, right?”

“Yes.”

“Rachel. Do you know how to use this?”

The thought occurred to him that Rachel might know how to use it.

The communication device Raedrun gave him used demonic energy, but this one used mana.

As expected, Rachel struck a confident pose.

“Of course! I can do anything that uses mana!”

“Give it a try.”

“Leave it to me!”

Rachel jumped up and approached the communication device.

“Ahem! I’ll now explain how to use the communication device.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“First, unlock it by inserting mana, and then activate the transmission device. Like this.”

Rachel began to infuse mana into the communication device.

Whoong…!

The reaction was immediate.

Rachel’s communication device glowed, and almost simultaneously, the one Choi Hyun-seok was holding also emitted light.

“Ooh! What do I do now?”

“It’s the same. Since I sent a signal, you have to receive it on your end.”

“How?”

“Unlock it and grab the thread of mana I sent. Activate the receiving device.”

“Yeah, but how do I do that?!”

“…”

Rachel pouted.

After a moment of contemplation, she spoke again.

“Can you explain how you use your fighting energy, Hero?”

“…”

This time, Choi Hyun-seok kept his mouth shut.

‘It’s not that I can’t explain it…’

It would be very complicated and lengthy.

Even a simple punch using fighting energy involves numerous elements and variables, such as the flow and changes of mana, and the stimulation of the body.

Fighting energy is the power that formalizes all those processes and allows them to be used instantaneously.

Explaining it verbally wouldn’t work.

Understanding it by listening was even more impossible.

“To be honest, it’s impossible to learn how to use the communication device right now. You’re supposed to be trained by an expert.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just shut up and watch.”

Choi Hyun-seok decided to try anyway.

He carefully channeled mana into the communication device.

‘Something feels strange…’

It felt like scanning the inside of a very complex machine.

He had no idea what Rachel meant by a lock.

‘Oh, is this it?’

He felt something peculiar.

The moment Choi Hyun-seok moved his mana to a specific area.

Clang!

The communication device shattered.

Rachel clicked her tongue.

“Tsk, tsk. Hero! You have to handle it carefully. Don’t be an idiot and put mana in so… I mean, so roughly… Haha!”

Rachel quickly changed her tune when Choi Hyun-seok’s expression turned fierce at the word ‘idiot’.

Choi Hyun-seok sighed and threw the shattered remains of the communication device on the floor.

“What about the communication device you’re holding? Can’t you use it?”

“Well, if there was a technician, they could connect it to another communication device, but I don’t know how to do that.”

“So, it’s over once one breaks.”

“That’s right!”

“Don’t say it so cheerfully.”

“Yes…”

Choi Hyun-seok entered the Hero Shop and purchased another low-grade communication device.

‘Ugh, I’ve already wasted 100 points.’

He had been diligently saving points to buy an inventory, but they were being wasted on this.

It wasn’t a lot of points, but he didn’t feel good about it.

‘Let’s think of it as tuition.’

He bought the communication device and shared one each with Rachel again.

Just as he was about to move to activate the communication device again.

Rachel grabbed Choi Hyun-seok.

“Hero. First, watch me carefully.”

“Ah! That’s right. It’s better to properly observe what you’re doing.”

“But don’t expect too much. Actually, there’s no possibility even if you watch.”

“Why?”

“Can you watch someone else use fighting energy and use it the same way?”

“Hmm, it seems difficult.”

“It’s not difficult, it’s impossible!”

“Yeah, yeah. I know, so hurry up. I wouldn’t have started if I was going to give up because it was difficult.”

“Okay.”

Rachel channeled mana into the communication device.

Choi Hyun-seok focused all his attention on observing the process.

Whoong…!

The communication device glowed brightly.

Choi Hyun-seok’s face darkened.

‘Too fast.’

The communication device activated in less than a second.

A process that happened in a fleeting moment.

As Rachel said, it wasn’t something you could follow just by watching.

“Can’t you do it a little slower?”

“Hmm, I’ll try.”

Rachel channeled mana again.

It was slower than before, but still too fast to grasp.

“This is the limit. I can’t slow it down any more or I won’t be able to unlock it.”

“Ugh… Just keep going.”

Rachel repeatedly put mana in and took it out of the communication device.

About 10 minutes passed.

Rachel collapsed to the floor with an exhausted expression.

“Ugh… I can’t do it anymore…”

Operating the communication device required delicate mana control.

Naturally, it consumed a lot of mental energy.

The fact that she repeated it hundreds of times in a short period was only possible because it was Rachel.

A typical mage wouldn’t have been able to do it more than thirty times.

“Hero. Why don’t you give up? It’s not something you can learn in such a short period. Take your time…”

“I’ve roughly got the hang of it.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll give it a try.”

“No, don’t waste your points… Ugh!”

Choi Hyun-seok covered Rachel’s mouth and concentrated.

‘Be sensitive. Channel only a very small amount of mana and slowly feel your way around.’

Choi Hyun-seok’s mana flowed in very subtly.

A tiny amount, not even a fifth of what Rachel had put in.

The mana, flowing in like a single thread, wandered around inside the communication device as if exploring.

‘If I mess up, 50 points will fly away immediately. Concentrate!’

Choi Hyun-seok’s concentration reached its peak.

He began to feel as if the entire structure of the communication device was being disassembled.

‘Pass through here… Is this not it? This way. Ah, this is where that was.’

Sweat dripped from his forehead.

Choi Hyun-seok stared at the communication device without even blinking.

About 5 minutes passed like that.

Whoong…!

The communication device glowed brightly.

“Got it.”

“You got it…?”

As Rachel stared at Choi Hyun-seok with a dumbfounded expression.

[You have perfectly mastered delicate mana control!]

[The rank of Mana Manipulation has increased from B → A]

Choi Hyun-seok smiled brightly.

“Oh! The rank of Mana Manipulation also went up. I completely profited from spending 100 Hero Points.”

“Hmph… It’s nothing new, but you really are a genius, Hero.”

Was he truly a hero with SSS-grade potential?

To watch and imitate a skill that originally had to be learned from an expert over a long period.

It was impossible.

It was only possible because he had extremely sensitive senses and control abilities.

“Good. Now, shall we do some repetitive training to get used to it?”

Choi Hyun-seok channeled mana into the communication device.

Whoong…!

The communication device glowed brightly.

It took 5 minutes at first, but this time it didn’t even take 30 seconds.

“Good. I’ve completely got the hang of it.”

After trying a few more times.

He was now able to operate the communication device completely freely.

The communication device activated almost as quickly as Rachel.

“Hoo. This requires a lot of concentration.”

“It’ll get better once you get used to it. Like using fighting energy.”

“But this is a communication device that uses mana.”

“That’s right.”

“The one Raedrun gave me uses demonic energy, so isn’t it different?”

“Whether it uses mana, demonic energy, or divine power, the basic structure is the same. You’ll know if you check it yourself.”

Choi Hyun-seok immediately checked the communication device Raedrun had given him.

‘Ah, indeed…’

It wasn’t exactly the same because it used demonic energy and was a high-grade communication device instead of a low-grade one, but the fundamental principle was the same.

He had a sense of how to operate it just by scanning the inside for a moment.

“Good. I’ll start right away.”

“Right now?”

“There’s no need to delay.”

There was no reason to postpone what needed to be done.

Choi Hyun-seok immediately put in demonic energy and activated the communication device.

Whoong, whoong, whoong…!

The communication device repeatedly emitted black light.

“Why is it like this?”

“They’re not answering the call. They won’t always be carrying the communication device.”

“Ah…”

It was the same as not being able to make a call if the other person didn’t answer the phone.

Whoong, whoong…!

The communication device continued to emit light.

There was still no response from the other side.

“Should I try again next time?”

Just as Choi Hyun-seok was about to give up and take out the demonic energy.

A deep voice flowed out of the communication device.

-Choi Hyun-seok…?-

***

Raedrun was engrossed in sparring.

The opponent was the black-armored knight Motem.

The two repeated practical training every day without fail.

They were good training partners for each other, so their achievements increased rapidly day by day.

#Kukung! Kwaaa!

Hands, feet, and greatswords intertwined, turning the surroundings into ruins.

“To think you’ve already caught up this far. Amazing talent.”

“You flatter me.”

Even while exchanging words, the two’s sparring did not stop.

Raedrun extended his fist.

Motem wielded his greatsword to defend and attack simultaneously.

The two’s fight wasn’t just strong in speed and power.

The attacks that came after a fierce battle of wits were designed to restrict the opponent’s movements and allow the flow of battle to flow to them.

However, since the opponent was also moving after such meticulous design, it just looked like they were simply exchanging attacks from the outside.

“Commander!”

Then someone called Raedrun.

Turning around, it was Deputy Commander Roiger.

“Sorry. Just a moment…”

Originally, it was the rule that Raedrun should never be disturbed during training.

For him to break that and come to find him, it must be something very important.

“What’s going on?”

“We have a communication.”

“Communication… Could it be!?”

“Yes. It’s the communication device you mentioned.”

“I understand.”

Raedrun immediately headed to his office.

Motem followed and asked.

“Is it him?”

“Yes. I think so.”

Raedrun, who had arrived at his office in an instant, immediately activated the communication device.

“Choi Hyun-seok…?”

-Yes! Raedrun-nim [a respectful suffix in Korean]. Long time no see.

“Yes. About half a month, right?”

He was happy to hear Choi Hyun-seok’s voice after a long time.

Raedrun tried to maintain his composure, suppressing the urge to act wildly.

“So, what’s the matter? There must be a reason why you contacted me so suddenly.”

-I have something to tell you.

“What is it?”

-That is…

Choi Hyun-seok trailed off.

He seemed to be hesitating.

“Tell me anything without adding or subtracting. I will listen to anything you say.”

-Hoo, thank you.

Choi Hyun-seok took a breath.

‘What is he trying to say?’

How important was it that he was so hesitant?

Raedrun waited silently.

Soon, Choi Hyun-seok opened his mouth.

-Raedrun-nim.

“I’m listening.”

The words that followed from Choi Hyun-seok were completely unexpected.

-What do you think about necromancy?

The taboo of the demons flowed from his mouth.