Chapter 69: It's Not Only Riders Who Transform (6)
Drugs.
When people heard this word, their interpretation would suddenly vary.
-Drugs? What’s that? Are we talking about the sound of a fart?
Some would think of the sound of ‘drugs’.
They were probably having fun watching a trending drama or thought of a character’s name that sounded similar.
-When you say drugs, isn’t it obviously those breast pads? Did someone commit breast manipulation?
Some would think of breast pads.
Whether their girlfriend wore drugs, or they would turn on the fire in their eyes to find the one who manipulated their size, thinking, ‘Which character did breast manipulation?’
-If you’re talking about drugs, it’s got to be the national drug!
Some would think, based on this light novel’s setting, the nationalism drug.
They would feel pride and joy at the fact that the globally famous world-class ability users were Korean.
-Drugs? You’ve become strong. Charge!
Some would think of a buff.
Whether drugs were a kind of nerve enhancer or stimulant could be concretely distinguished, but generally, when one received drugs in this situation, it would mean a moment when physical or mental abilities improved.
In this way, the word ‘drugs’ was used in various places.
That was why when people heard the word ‘drugs’, their thoughts would vary, so it was difficult to interpret the meaning of drugs with just the word.
Context was needed.
I had experienced national drugs and experienced various things in this world, but there was one drug that I never touched before my possession of this character up until now.
You said that drugs were strange?
You kept telling me to stop drugging it up?
How about calling it a different word?
‘Drugs’.
A psychoactive substance called methamphetamine.
It was also used as a medicine, but of course, most people who wanted to use this were looking to enjoy the pleasure that drugs offered.
The drug I was referring to was precisely this narcotic substance.
And it was not just for the general public but a substance for ‘ability users.’
So, the question was,
Was it a commonly used drug?
No.
To the average person, it was just ordinary white powder, but there was a powder that showed a tremendous effect even more than drugs when an ability user inhaled it - a drug specifically for those with special powers.
The official name was ‘Mana Powder.’
It was an item strictly prohibited, even in dire situations. A substance that, when ingested, enhanced supernatural abilities, amplified magical power, and strengthened mana output.
After taking it, just like ordinary drugs, they would become addicted and could no longer live their daily life, and all the people who touched this thing would become ‘villains.’
Why did such a thing exist in this world?
At first, everyone didn’t know of its existence.
Both in terms of setting and my research, Mana Powder began to be circulated in the market around 2015, according to this world’s standards.
-South Korea is a drug-free country!
Despite such a statement, there was a time when one could hear on TV and the internet that someone had used drugs.
-Breaking news! The A-class hero ‘Erectile’ is causing a riot after getting addicted to a drug targeted at ability users! Citizens in Cheongju, please evacuate immediately…
An accident occurred.
A terrible thing happened, and the world tried to prohibit Mana Powder by any means.
If you only looked at the effects, it was nothing more than an amplifier and an awakening agent that enhanced super abilities. The user would get this effect without becoming a devil, and there was an opinion that it should just be used.
However, when the method of producing Mana Powder was spread by some conscientious person, the world fell into a pit of fear and hatred.
-Mana Powder is made by exploiting the dead ability users!
-It’s bone ash! What else could come out as a white powder from a dead person’s body!
-And that, too, such a huge amount of powder!
Ah, yes.
They said that relics came from the body of Buddha.
Mana Powder was made from the bodies of ability users.
Specifically, when an ability user died and was cremated, the remaining bones would be turned into this powder.
This powder retained the mana that the ability user had in their body before they died. It remained in the bones and was dispersed into the world as the weathered bone powder flew away.
Huh?
Did mana remain in those ashes?
Then, couldn’t I absorb that mana?
Someone had thought this and committed a heinous act, and eventually, new knowledge about ability users increased.
The remains of the dead meant the flesh, blood, and mana of other ability users.
That was Mana Powder.
In other words, the only drug that was not permitted to ability users was ‘ash’ - bone powder.
After cremating a dead ability user, if the form was still preserved, the bone was crushed into a finer powder than flour with a hammer.
And when an ability user died, the place where they could quietly dispose of the body without anyone discovering it was precisely on Sejong Island.
If the ‘higher ups’ of Sejong Island decided to hide it, there was nothing they couldn’t hide.
Yes.
The F-class or E-class ability users who were destined to be ‘winnowed out’ in the process of this treasure hunt.
Among them, the targets were those low-ranking ability users who had no family or had a family but lacked backing, those who seemed like they wouldn’t cause trouble if they were touched.
-Being an ability user is all a blessing? Regrettably, E-class or lower and F-class are not helpful to the world at all. If, if they die, shouldn’t we utilize their bodies in a way that helps this country and this world?
Yes.
The protagonist referred to himself as an E-class.
He tried to hide his power and claimed to be a social weakling and was almost devoured by those who wanted to devour the weak.
This was due to the attack by the title heroine ‘Ermina Sternfert.’
In the black bag, I found in the public restroom late at night, there was a paper bag.
It was presumed to contain bone powder.
There was one dilemma here.
Mana Powder was not illegal yet.
Though its production process was horrifying, Mana Powder was an item that ‘naturally occurred’ from a certain perspective.
It was just that the process of its occurrence was so sad, regrettable, or shocking.
-Everyone dies.
-There’s no order to it.
It was difficult to give specific statistics worldwide, but death was equal for everyone and often came suddenly.
It was the same for ability users.
If there was someone who has made a noble sacrifice by giving their life to save someone else, that person’s ashes would be stored in a columbarium and used the moment a threat to human existence arose.
Because they were a hero.
But.
If someone ‘deliberately’ tried to produce Mana Powder.
Just as the seed of a demon was forcibly stolen from a woman who had become a devil, what if they turned an ability into Mana Powder?
That person.
Wouldn’t be able to avoid the Goblin’s Bat.
Having transformed into the Goblin in the caretaker’s room and emerged into the day, I headed to where the treasure hunt event would take place while avoiding the eyes of the people.
To be exact, I went to the rooftop of a ten-story high-rise building overlooking that place.
[Everyone gathered in the Grand Square, welcome.]
The Grand Square.
A white-haired old man in a suit held a microphone at the center of a podium in a square as large as Gwanghwamun Square.
Behind him, a giant screen that displayed the old man’s face was twinkling.
[At the Academy, we are always striving to enhance your supernatural abilities. This time, as many of you know, it’s a treasure hunt.]
Already, too many people had gathered in the Grand Square where the event was taking place, and except for the spectators who were at a certain distance, they were mostly students of the Academy.
[From now on, you will form pairs, and each seeks a treasure in the designated area. Information about your partner will be communicated through the Taeguk Watch, and the treasure hunt competition will begin as soon as the information is transmitted. Hehe, be careful? Every year, accidents resulting in deaths or missing cases happen quite frequently.]
Even though he was joking, it didn’t sound like a joke to me.
[… A ‘special reward’ will be given to the first place in each zone. You all know this, right? Like last year, the President prepared a special reward this year as well. Midterm exam pass, prize money, and five absence slips. This year, we specifically issued absence slips, so you can use them whenever you want.]
He looked like someone who thought about convenience for students every year and suggested it, but I wondered what the reality was.
[…And this time, the Student Council has prepared an event. The Student Council President, Yoon Iseon, will make the announcement herself.]
[Thank you, Mr. President. Hello, fellow students? For your safe treasure hunting, the Student Council would like to talk about the ‘Goblin’….]
Yoon Iseon explained about the ‘Goblin Hunt’ as if they had actively initiated it, without any hint of reluctance.
The noise was audible.
Everyone was engrossed in the Goblin Hunt, excitedly discussing their strategies for good scores and what they would do with the prize money if they found the Goblin.
[Then, we will now reveal your partners! Everyone, please check your Taeguk Watches!]
With the President’s shout, I carefully watched a blond head shining from far away.
Ermina.
The direction she strode toward was -
Yumir.
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