Chapter 30: Chapter 29

The movie theater was different from what he imagined. The high ceiling and huge screen occupying one entire wall were no different from any other theater, but instead of rows of seats, there was a bed.

And it was just one enormous bed. With a bit of exaggeration, you could probably play volleyball on it. Judging by the mechanical device attached to the side, it seemed to have many built-in functions.

It was probably a product that could adjust the backrest height, mattress firmness, change the material and temperature of the furniture, etc. These were features he roughly knew about from supplying monster raw materials to related companies during his time at YH Global.

Around the bed were various insertable, detachable, and foldable tables, and on one side, beautiful and delicious-looking desserts and various types of drinks were set up like a buffet.

Perhaps it was a system where you choose what you want before the movie starts, like popcorn, and place it on the type of table you prefer. The air inside was warm even though the heater wasn’t on. It seemed a temperature control item was in operation.

“Is this a VIP room… or something like that?” Ryu Seo-ha asked with a slightly nauseated expression as he sat on the plush bed, following the employee’s guidance. The unfamiliar scene of the movie theater, which he had neither experienced nor even imagined in his past or present life, was making him uncomfortable.

“It’s my private theater.”

“Ah…”

Indeed, the scale of the wealthy is different. He had thought at best it would be a VIP area that had been rented out. Although it was often mentioned in the original work, he was still surprised every time he actually experienced Choi’s wealth.

“Though it’s my first time here today.”

“Don’t you like movies?”

“It’s not that, I’ve just been busier than I expected.”

In the original work, Choi Gang-hu was quite interested in cultural activities. Since there weren’t many enjoyable things in the Abyss where the benefits of civilization had disappeared, it made sense to deliberately seek out things he couldn’t enjoy before.

“How about shopping at a department store after the movie?”

“…I’ll politely decline.”

The proposal was so natural that he almost accepted without thinking. He couldn’t forget the purpose for which he had obediently followed him this far. Watching the movie was just a means. A means to easily check magical power operation.

“More importantly, I’d like you to explain now. What’s the correlation between watching a movie and checking magical power?”

Before Choi Gang-hu could make another proposal with a regretful look in his eyes, Seo-ha quickly changed the subject. By the way, even though the bed was so wide, did they have to sit right next to each other? The constant brushing of their arms was bothering him internally.

“It’s better to experience it directly than to hear an explanation.”

Although it was a dubious statement, he had no choice but to trust it for now. There was no one in the world better at handling magical power than Choi Gang-hu.

The staff served the desserts and drinks Choi had chosen from the menu before leaving. All the lights went out, leaving only the soft ambient lighting illuminating the folding table.

The movie started. It was apparently a remake adapting a classic masterpiece that had been a hit just before the great catastrophe. The opening scene was set in a school shrouded in darkness. As the protagonist moved silently and opened a classroom door…

“…!”

Ryu Seo-ha reflexively tried to roll away when he felt a cold hand firmly grasp the nape of his neck. If he hadn’t developed the habit of swallowing his screams in urgent moments, he would have let out a loud cry.

“Shh. It’s okay.”

Choi Gang-hu, who had been holding his hand, pulled him into his arms as if he had been waiting for this moment, comforting his startled heart. Seo-ha’s pupils dilated as he felt the sensation of something pulling at his ankles again and thrashed his legs.

“Just now, what… ugh.”

He suddenly felt as if the bed that had been softly supporting his bottom was sinking downwards. On the screen spread out all around, the protagonist was shown falling into a pit from a first-person perspective.

“It’s your first time watching a 4DX movie, huh.”

A voice thick with amusement rang in his ear. At that moment, a scene was playing where a grotesque spiritual monster leapt out of the screen, thrusting its face right up to the viewer.

“Hmm. Your instantaneous reaction is quite strong.”

Choi Gang-hu murmured lowly as he gently patted Seo-ha’s back, which he had wrapped with one arm, as if soothing a frightened child. Come to think of it, he could faintly feel a tingling sensation at his fingertips as well.

“Did you… just… infuse magical power?”

Despite flinching now and then due to the constant stimulation from the 4DX facilities integrated with items, Ryu Seo-ha resolutely continued his question. Choi Gang-hu nodded with an amused smile, as if finding him admirable.

“I’m checking the reactivity of magical power in unexpected situations and sudden states of tension.”

“Why did it have to be… ugh.”

Ryu Seo-ha, who was about to retort, furrowed his brow and shuddered. It was because he felt the illusion of something like a sticky tentacle burrowing through his clothes and touching his bare skin. Are there really people who enjoy this?

While all preferences deserve respect, honestly, horror was a genre he disliked from the start. People say, “Why be afraid of ghosts when humans are scarier?” Would they still say that after experiencing spiritual monsters?

He was already prone to intense immersion and had a good memory, making it hard to forget scenes once seen. Horror content easily acted as a trigger, vividly reviving past experiences.

“Are you that scared?”

It wasn’t so much fear as dislike. So much so that he couldn’t even think about tasting the cheesecake he had brought. He was consciously suppressing the urge to run out of there immediately.

“Come here.”

Choi Gang-hu, after glancing at the scene where the protagonist was dealing with a plant-type monster and moving to the next location, lightly lifted Seo-ha’s body, which had been tightly gripping his collar. As if handling a small child.

“What are you…”

Seo-ha, who had unwittingly ended up sitting on Choi Gang-hu’s lap, expressed his bewilderment.

“The 4DX technology only applies to those in contact with the bed.”

He knew that. The flow of magic between the item attached to the bed and the target person needs to be smooth to experience various illusions. That’s all well and good, but did he have to sit on his lap? He felt flustered by the weighty presence beneath him.

“Shh, stay still.”

As he fidgeted due to the unfamiliar and awkward tension, different from facing a monster, a soothing voice settled near his ear.@@novelbin@@

“Now, let’s try resisting my magical power once. Don’t move your body.”

Is this really effective? Despite his doubts, Ryu Seo-ha obediently closed his eyes and focused on the flow of magical power inside his body.

And the moment he properly recognized the magical power flowing in from the tips of their touching fingers, Seo-ha’s innate magical power rose like wildfire in response to his will. The force pushing out Choi Gang-hu’s magical power was as intense as a resistance force setting out to defend its last stronghold.

“That’s right. Harder, even harder.”

“…Hnngh.”

Choi Gang-hu gently stroked Seo-ha’s shoulder, who was concentrating solely on his magical power to the point of breaking out in a cold sweat, encouraging him. When the flow he had pushed back with great effort reached his fingertips…

“Well done.”

Choi Gang-hu, who had released the repulsive force he had been loosely maintaining, lightly pressed his lips to the nape of Seo-ha’s neck, who had gone limp with exhaustion, praising him. He said that his resistance to external magical power wasn’t bad either.

“From what I’ve seen in a few battles, you seem to have good innate control and can utilize it freely depending on the situation.”

“Ah…”

“Is there any area you feel lacking in regards to magical power?”

After pondering for a moment, Ryu Seo-ha nodded.

“Distance control is difficult. I mean… it’s hard to maintain magical power far away from my body.”

“That’s the case for everyone. You have surprisingly good control for someone who has just awakened.”

Skills and characteristics are activated as soon as the caster expresses the will to ‘turn them on/off’. Like a kind of automated machine. However, relying solely on the system would only produce uniform results.

Adjusting the strength, size, range, etc. is solely the capability of the individual caster. It’s just an option. Overwhelming talent like Seo-ha’s, able to reproduce exactly what he thought right after awakening, was by no means common.

“Last time, in Sakhalin, I almost lost the characteristic casting because I couldn’t maintain the magical power when calling for you, Mr. Choi. Even with the height and width narrowed as much as possible.”

He openly revealed his shortcomings. After all, an accurate status check leads to clear problem-solving.

“I couldn’t handle even 10m at first.”

Choi Gang-hu, gently stroking his hair, uncharacteristically spoke about himself, even mentioning his experiences in the Abyss. In a gentle tone.

“You, Mr. Choi?”

The content of those words was also unexpected. Innate talent has a huge impact on the ability to handle magical power. Of course, it could be improved to some extent through effort. But more than 90% is determined by innate talent. Although the original work didn’t describe the nitty-gritty of Abyss life, Choi Gang-hu was undoubtedly the top of the top in terms of magical power control.

“It means you’re that talented, Mr. Ryu. Most people struggle just to send it out of their body.”

Thinking about it, it made sense. If it were easy to maintain the effect of magical power in external projectiles without physical contact, would hunters’ main weapons have become fixed as cold weapons?

The power of modern weapons is tremendous. The strong firepower was the backdrop that allowed them to safely overcome the great catastrophe 10 years ago. Hunters became respected because it was impossible to bring the entirety of that technology into dungeons.

Even outside, infusing bullets with magical power and firing them was a complex issue. Even for long-range dealers, it was widely recognized as a position that could only be chosen after obtaining related characteristics or initial skills.

“There is a way to increase the maintenance distance.”

Choi Gang-hu unfastened his luxury metal watch and rolled up his sleeve. The thick veins on his muscular forearm caught the eye. He pulled Seo-ha’s hand and placed it on his arm, concentrating magical power in that area.

“Do you feel anything?”

“I’m not sure… but it seems like Mr. Choi’s magical power keeps flowing along a similar path. Like there’s some kind of pattern.”

It was a very faint feeling. If he hadn’t seen the content in the original work emphasizing Choi Gang-hu’s specialness, he might have missed it entirely.

“What was your sensation stat again?”

“…1.”

“You really are talented.”

As Seo-ha hesitantly answered, Choi Gang-hu patted his slender thigh as if stroking it. He unconsciously flinched. It felt like a touch with a different meaning than just praise.

“I’ve decided to call this a magical circuit.”

Knowledge and technique discovered and acquired through long experience and research, the magical circuit.

“In other words, it’s like making a path. Finding the most suitable route and form of magical power flow for one’s own body.”

In the original work, it was used as a device to highlight the protagonist’s genius with its complex composition and training method. In this era where related theories haven’t even been established, let alone conceived, it was truly a revolutionary method.

“Would you like to feel this flow more closely?”

“Yes.”

“Then trace it. With your lips.”

…What did you say?