I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Chapter 64

“This should be far enough.”

The doctor sat atop a wrecked car.
It was the vehicle Shihu’s group had arrived in, now destroyed by the monster’s attack.

“Why is a director from the academy in a place like this?”

Cheon Yuseong’s voice carried suspicion.
The sudden appearance had initially made him cautious, thinking the doctor might be an enemy, but after confirming their identity as a director from the academy, it seemed less strange.
Given that even professors had come, why not a director?
However, Yuseong still couldn’t figure out why the director was here.

“And what about you, Yuseong? Why are you here?”

“You know my name?”

“I remember most of the students’ names.”

“Well then, Director, do you have any plans to help? The students are in danger. Though I don’t have much hope in the academy… you are a director, after all.”

The doctor held a specialized telescope.
The lens allowed them to perceive mana flows.

“And why are you hiding here instead of fighting, Yuseong?”

“I’m keeping watch, just in case someone tries to sneak in, like you.”

“Well, let’s just say I’m here for a similar reason.”

“What could you possibly need to watch for?”

Yuseong’s tone remained skeptical.
The doctor looked through the telescope at the battlefield.

“See for yourself. It’s faster that way.”

Boom.
A shockwave from the battlefield rippled outward.
Then, a strange sensation followed—an eerie lethargy.

“Mana…?”

The mana in the air had diminished.

Through the specialized telescope, the doctor saw a surprisingly clear view.
No mana was visible—everything had been absorbed into a single point.

“A widespread mana depletion.”

“What is going on?”

“When a dragon appears, this tends to happen. They absorb all the mana in the area to gather power.”

“And the people over there…?”

“They’ll be fine. Among them are dragon hunters.”

“Did you call these people here?”

The doctor didn’t answer.
Cheon Yuseong had no idea what was really going on.

“This reminds me of the past.”

“What?”

“There was a time before monsters, gates, and dungeons. A peaceful era without so-called ‘Awakened.’”

The doctor continued speaking, ignoring whether Yuseong responded.

“A time when we didn’t live under the curse of mana. Air so clean it covered everything—just like now. Though this is temporary, it used to be the norm.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Hearing mana referred to as a “curse” was a first for Yuseong.
He realized the academy’s leadership might be even more unhinged than he thought.

“Ah, do you know about Shihu’s purification skill?”

“Why bring that up now?”

“In some ways, it’s similar. It absorbs harmful things in its vicinity. But it’s nothing compared to how a dragon devours mana.”

“So you’re saying the dragon… is doing a good thing? Because the air is clean?”

As he listened, Yuseong began preparing for battle.
Although the mana depletion didn’t directly affect him due to his distance from the dragon, it had drained significantly, and he needed time to recover.

Preparation was key.
He had been keeping watch for this very reason—to catch people like the doctor.
Unlike his twin sister Cheon Yuhwa, Yuseong wasn’t particularly powerful.
But there was one thing he was better at: patience.

The longer he prepared, the more devastating his attacks could become.
He couldn’t match his sister’s combat prowess head-on, but with enough time, he could surpass her—at least once.

“Seo Ah, Shihu, and even you… you all need healing. What we call ‘Awakening’ is just a polished term for a disability. In that sense, the academy is more like a hospital ward.”

Not exactly what you’d expect a director to say.

“And before I’m a director, I’m a doctor. A head physician, in fact. Even non-Awakened individuals are patients. Almost no one in this world escapes mana’s influence.”

Enrolling Seo Ah in the academy wasn’t much different from admitting her to a hospital.
The academy was the largest and freest ward.
A psychiatric institution for those who deluded themselves into thinking they were heroes.

Even the academy itself must have stood for something.

A C, Advanced Care.
Managing "Awakened."
A D, Advanced Detention.
Detaining "Awakened."
E M Y, Effective Monitoring of Youth.
Keeping an effective watch on young "Awakened."

The academy existed to control the "Awakened."

The doctor didn’t particularly like this deceptive institution.
In a time before the "Awakened," such things hadn’t been necessary.

“The day no more ‘Awakened’ are born into this world… that will be the day healing is complete.”

“So, you’re a villain too.”

Yuseong hefted his weapon—a massive, mana-infused blade.
By now, it resembled a cannon more than a sword.
The moment it fired, the mana would obliterate the doctor.

“Do you know why so many monsters are being captured and locked away? To make weapons of war? Or for some mysterious experiments?”

Unbothered, the doctor continued.

“Do you know the real reason?”

“What you said earlier wasn’t entirely false.”

The doctor gazed at the battlefield through the telescope.
Black beams of light shot out in all directions.
If not for the smoke and mist, the view would have been clearer.
But this was the best they could see from their current distance.

“The fundamental goal is simple: to eliminate mana from this world.”

“That’s ridiculous…”

“Mana, monsters, ‘Awakened’—all gone. A world without them. I know you’ve longed for it. Your sister might be a more exceptional ‘Awakened,’ but you are far more suited to lead your family.”

Gathering information about students was standard protocol—for effective monitoring.

“Returning to a normal world is a goal I share. But I don’t believe any means can justify that end.”

“The purification devices are nearly complete. Once mass-produced, this chaotic fighting will disappear. The strange skills that defy human comprehension will vanish as well. Surely you learned at the academy that gates don’t open in areas devoid of mana.”

“Even so…!”

Eliminating mana was one thing.
But experimenting on humans was clearly inhumane.

“If you’re concerned about the methods, know that most of the questionable steps have already been completed. The project is entering its final stages.”

“What exactly are you proposing?”

“I’m offering you the chance to work with us.”

The doctor’s voice was calm and inviting.

“Work?”

Yuseong was caught off guard by the unexpected offer.

“A mana-depleted ‘Awakened’ is utterly useless. Wouldn’t it be better for you to have a stable job?”

“What kind of work? I’m not exactly useful for much.”

“The government recently established a department for managing the aftermath of mana removal. Your talents will be invaluable there. It would also reflect well on your family.”

The age of the "Awakened" was ending.
The doctor faced no opposition to their plan.

“I see… quite the story. If my friends weren’t fighting for their lives over there, I might have enjoyed this conversation more. And that dragon over there… that’s Seo Ah, isn’t it? I couldn’t see clearly, but this is your doing, isn’t it?”

Yuseong raised his sword again, the mana he had been charging now powerful enough to obliterate everything around him.

“So, will you play the righteous hero? I assure you, joining me would better serve any justice you seek.”

The doctor spoke confidently, certain that the era of the "Awakened" was coming to an end.

“……”

Yuseong hesitated.
What was the right moral choice?
But then, he’d never lived by moral principles.
That was something people like Shihu did.
He could feign righteousness, but he couldn’t truly empathize with it.

“Shihu failed. Playing the hero changes nothing.”

“How many others have you made this offer to?”

“Among the students, you’re the first.”

The doctor stepped down from the wrecked car, walking toward Yuseong and extending a hand.
Confident it would be accepted.

“…I’ll accept your offer. Looking forward to working together.”

Yuseong shook the doctor’s hand.

Boom!

It sounded like fireworks, but it was just the distant roar of explosions on the battlefield.