The camera was rolling, and I looked at the script. 'Hello, everyone. I am the official rank-3 hunter, Kim Yusin.' It started with a self-introduction, explained my background, went on about what kind of person I was, offered some social commentary on non-combatants, and then finally got to the main point about magic.

I had reviewed the script myself. It was boring.

"Alright, Mr. Kim! Filming is all about inspiration! This isn't live. We can edit as much as we want, so if you get a good idea, just go for it! Just spit it out! Got it? We'll make it work!"

Producer Choi's words came back to me. 'Just go for it, huh?'

The moment filming started, I unleashed my magic power.

'FWOOSH!'

Countless magic circles erupted around me in a brilliant display of light: a blazing fireball, an ice spear whipping up frost, a furiously spinning blade of wind. The cameraman stumbled back in terror, and the staff members screamed.

I smiled calmly. "The staff seems a bit startled, so I'll stop here. This wasn't in the script."

With a snap of my fingers, all the magic circles vanished into thin air. Only then did the trembling cameraman regain his composure.

"I call this power 'magic.' And no, it's not CG. As some of you may know, this is an ability I genuinely use."

For the first time, I was revealing the true nature of my power to the public.

"My name is Kim Yusin, an official rank-3 hunter in Korea. The reason I'm filming this video is that I want to share this power called magic with players all over the world."

I stated my purpose.

"I started as a non-combatant and came this far through the power of magic. It is widely believed that magic is my Unique Ability, but that is not true. This is a type of mana technique. It's a power that any player can learn through training."

I could hear the staff swallowing hard.

"Magic is most suitable for those who haven't utilized mana regularly—in other words, non-combatants. Mana is a sensitive power. Active hunters and combat-type players can learn magic as a secondary skill, but it will take them more effort."

This power, at least, was more advantageous to non-combatants. Hunters who were already used to unleashing their Unique Abilities in battle would find it difficult to construct magic circles. Their mana was too accustomed to their innate power. When they tried to summon mana, it was as if their mana was saying, 'Just do what we always do, right?'

Like muscle memory, if they tried to use magic in the heat of battle, they would unconsciously revert to activating their Unique Ability. The two powers weren't compatible and would clash. Such a mistake would be fatal on the field, and I believed that training a combat-type Unique Ability and magic simultaneously would be incredibly difficult.

"I'll tell you this upfront. It won't be easy. It will require grueling effort. The reason I'm teaching you magic despite this is to offer a last resort to those who have hit a wall in their growth."

I was warning them in advance: this is hard.

"If you approach this with a weak resolve, you'll just be wasting your time. You'd be better off sticking to what you were doing before. Magic is a new path, not an easy one."

Only those who were prepared, those who were desperate, should apply.

"Then, let's begin."

I held out my palm. A ring of mana formed in the air.

"I call this a Circle. The foundation of magic begins with creating this."

"When you circulate mana centered on your heart, it rotates in the form of a circle. You then slowly shape and solidify it, as if you were pulling it outside your body. However, trying it once or twice won't be enough. It requires a great deal of effort."

"As you repeat this practice, you will acquire the 'Centrifugal Ring' and 'Magic Power Control' traits. If you've acquired these, you're doing very well. Once the training solidifies as a trait, operating the Circle becomes much easier. Repeat it thousands, tens of thousands of times."

"The mana on Earth has a tendency to disperse. That's why we use this Circle to solidify it. Refined mana is the most basic ingredient for magic."

"Once you have completed Circle, the next step is to learn how to construct a magic circle."

I truly lost all track of time. The digital clock that had been running alongside the filming now showed that three hours had passed.

"Cut!" Producer Choi finally yelled.

The entire crew turned and cheered. I wiped the sweat from my brow and chugged a bottle of water as the producer ran over.

"That was amazing, Mr. Kim! I don't know the first thing about hunters, but even I understood everything perfectly!"

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Wow, I've always thought of broadcasting as my calling. But watching this, for the first time, I'm envious of players. That was a great lecture!"

After we wrapped, I left the set to find Seojin waiting. He bowed his head. "You worked hard, sir."

"…Ugh, I'm dead tired. Let's get something to eat."

"Yes, sir."

We left the studio building together. Once in Seojin's car, I leaned all the way back and kicked off my uncomfortable shoes. I loosened my tight necktie and let out a soft breath.

"You look much brighter, Tower Master."

"Do I?"

"So you did feel a sense of responsibility for the recent demonkin incident."

I let out a short laugh. "Hey, what are you talking about? Everything I do is for my own benefit."

"Is that so."

The car started moving. The sky was gloomy, and a light rain was falling, just like that day. I stared out the window. "Seojin."

"Yes."

"Yoonjeong and I… in a way, we're failures."

Seojin remained silent.

"We both made an impact on the hunter world, but not as non-combatants. It was with the power of the Master of the Magic Tower, with the power of a demonkin. In a way, we ran away from that cycle."

I turned on my smartphone and scrolled down through my photo album to the older pictures: the training center where Yoonjeong and I used to work out, Achasan, which we climbed so often, and the Hunter Academy. In them, we were smiling brightly, making peace signs without a care in the world.

"…I want to prevent a second Han Yoonjeong incident. I want to monopolize magic. I want to cast off the guilt that clouds my focus. Those are all part of my intentions. But if I were to add one more hope… maybe it's that someone else will walk the path I couldn't. I think there's a part of me that wants that, too."

"Yes. Someone like that will undoubtedly appear," Seojin said as he smoothly rounded a corner onto the Hangang Bridge. "And they will pledge their absolute loyalty to the Tower Master who gave them that hope."

"Nah, I'm not looking for anything like that. More importantly, when will the video editing be done?"

"It will be finished by the end of the day. When would you like to release it?"

"Upload it as soon as it's ready."

"Understood."

I was excited. How would the world of Hunters change from now on? My heart pounded with anticipation as I returned to the Magic Tower.

* * *

Finally, my lecture was released online.

Needless to say, the Republic of Korea was thrown into an absolute frenzy. No special promotions or advertisements were necessary. The fact that a player's Unique Ability was fixed, while magic could be learned by anyone, created a massive sensation.

[The 21st Century: Age of the Magic Revolution! 'Magic' Is the New Buzzword in the Hunter World!]

[Korean Hunter Discovers Magic? Who Is the Great Mage, Kim Yusin?!]

[The Future of Mages? Look No Further Than Kim Yusin, the Miracle Non-Combatant!]

Some people were ecstatic. Others were not.

[Critic Cha Il-Ho: "Kim Yusin Has Killed Non-Combat Players for a Second Time.]

[Is Magic a Hoax? Kim Yusin's Theory Clashes With Nobel Prize Laureate Tedham Chyler, Who Stated Mana Can Only Be Manifested Through a Unique Ability.]

'A picture drawn in the air is not a Unique Ability,' commented Ahn Seonsook. 'Magic is just fiction piled on top of fiction.'

'The controversy over magic's practical application is escalating… 'Frankly, it would struggle to stop a runaway shopping cart.'

Questions arose. A wave of criticism and skepticism formed, led by scholars in the hunter community. The countless hunters and provisional players who had attempted magic after watching the lecture shook their heads in agreement. It was a fictional skill, a waste of time, a scam. In stark contrast to the explosive reaction on the day of the announcement, when it had dominated every search engine, skepticism was now gaining the upper hand.

Then one day, a video appeared on a popular sharing site.

"I'm a provisional player from Canada with five years of experience. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the hunter, Kim Yusin."

In the video, the man cast a magic circle, then created and fired a Mana Arrow. He added that while its power was still weak, he could physically feel himself getting stronger every day.

It was the first public confirmation of success since the lecture had been released.

The response was immediate and explosive, hitting one hundred million views in record time. It became the catalyst that ignited interest in magic, not only in Korea but throughout the global Hunter community. Following the Canadian's video, other players rushed to upload their own, and magic became the hottest topic in the nation.

—Am I drawing this runic language right?

—Magic noob here, just formed my first Circle!

—The video shows him shattering bricks with the gauntlet. What's wrong with mine?

—Twelve-year provisional player here. I quit my chicken restaurant to start learning magic.

—Kim Yusin is a genius. For real.

—To all the newbs: Stop asking if your magic circle is drawn right and just complete your Circle first.

—What Circle level do you need to be to use Kim Yusin's Black Kick?

Magic-related forums sprouted like mushrooms as countless groups and online communities formed. People shared their knowledge, helped each other with their weaknesses, and grew together. Among them, the ones showing the fastest progress were, predictably, the non-combat players. While it was true that non-combatants had a natural aptitude for magic, their entire approach was different.

To them, magic was the last resort. Their desperation was on another level compared to the combat-types who dabbled out of curiosity or gave up after a single failed attempt. The non-combatants clung to magic as if their very lives depended on it.

[Today's Social Issue Kim Yusin Has Offered the Only Hope to a Vulnerable Class No One Cared About.]

[Official: Association President Hong Yul: "Magic Is a Social Phenomenon." A de Facto Endorsement of Non-Combatants' Training in Magic.]

[An Analysis of Archmage Kim Yusin's Influence.]

Among non-combat players, the name Kim Yusin was revered, treated with an almost godlike status.

"Tower Master, it's time we made our move."

"Hm?"

"The guilds and management agencies are beginning to recruit non-combatants who have completed the First Circle."

"Already?"

'They certainly work fast.'

To secure any potential talent before they were snatched up, I had Seojin quickly post an announcement.

[Open Recruitment for Mages Directly Under Kim Yusin]

We are recruiting 'Rookie Mages' to learn magic under the personal tutelage of Hunter Kim Yusin.

Number of Positions: 5

Benefits: Salary, magic training, and professional development services.

Requirements: Applicants must have completed the First Circle and be able to cast at least two of the three basic magic spells.

"Wow, aren't those conditions a little steep?" Bora asked.

I smirked. "They're incredibly steep. But to enter the Magic Tower, you need to be at least this good."

The interviews would be held in a month. I expected the most magically gifted individuals in Korea to gather, and the best among them would come under my command. Could they join other major guilds? Of course. But I held the ultimate trump card that everyone learning the Circle system craved: the chance to learn from the originator himself.

I had a monopoly on magic. The public could only progress when I released the next stage. To reach a higher level of understanding—not just through superficial improvements but through profound, foundational learning—they had no option but to come to me.

The mages I selected this time would be personally cultivated, if only to serve as powerful advertisements for magic. Barring any unforeseen issues, I planned to make them new members of the Magic Tower and assign them to the fourth floor. The best among them would become the floor administrator. They would serve as the Tower's immediate combat force and provide the labor necessary to create 'field magic.'

This wouldn't be a one-time thing. I would continue to recruit mages, and they would immediately bolster the Magic Tower's power. The world would take note of our achievements, and people everywhere would begin to learn magic. The most exceptional among them, those who yearned for greater growth, would come to serve under me, becoming the strength of the Magic Tower.

It was a perfect plan. The Magic Tower's ascension to a World Guild was proceeding exactly as I had envisioned.

* * *

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