“So, what I’m trying to say is that we have to minimize the influence of luck as much as possible to secure an advantageous position. It’s about changing the coin-toss game I mentioned earlier into a ‘Baskin Robbins game’ little by little. In the role Si-a plays, what are the probabilistic elements?”
“Opponent Jungler’s position?”
“Yes. Of course, the opposing Jungler’s areas are somewhat limited, but it’s not certain, right? So we define those areas and draw virtual dashed lines around them. If the enemy Jungler is outside that zone, it means they’re losing more in real time than what they could gain through a gank.”
“… But?”
“When the enemy is within the zone, you have to tightrope walk. When outside, you have to play to exclude them. And when the zones overlap, if it’s after 14 minutes, you need only observe your team’s movements. However, if it’s the lane phase, you carefully look at the top, mid laning phase and judge the psychology of the opposing laners—whether they are aggressive or cowering.”
Meanwhile, the narrow space between the tables had transformed into a battlefield.
Nam-e enthusiastically darted around on her short legs, passionately delivering her game lecture.
The chocolate fondue-covered tanghulu was superb blackmail for uncovering the secrets of their victory in the fallen war.
“It’s really easy. You don’t always need to check it—just take a quick glance whenever it’s uncertain.”
“Ugh… I didn’t understand any of it!”
“Hey! We can’t even fully track the minimap!”
“Do we really need to go this far to play a game?”
From the start, even if she were to explain, it was a realm they couldn’t follow.
Nam-e blinked her cat-like eyes, shrugged, and seemed to think, “Why can’t they understand this?”
“Noname, does that mean you were monitoring our top and mid laning phases while laning yourself? Was your warning about ganks earlier possibly related to that?”
Min-joon stared in astonishment. Nam-e’s knowledge of the opponent Jungler’s location was suspiciously precise.
“Wow, this is like full map hack! Isn’t this cheating? Give us back the finals trophy right now!”
“The pros wouldn’t even go this far. First of all, who even has time to monitor someone else’s lane?”
Streamers they had met protested vehemently.
“Ah, is it difficult these days? That’s too easy. I mostly go by feel, but when in doubt, a geometric series calculation where the common ratio is 1.25 can work.”
As soon as math was introduced into the game, people began foaming at the mouth and collapsed.
Even after the short game lecture ended, streamers continued to gather around the table where Nam-e had been.
Eventually, Nam-e decided to personally visit their broadcasts at least once, offering her service to appear on everyone’s streams.
“Nam-e, impersonate Arsteria!”
“Huh? Arsteria?”
Nam-e twisted her small frame nervously before opening her tiny lips—she seemed quite embarrassed.
“Asc-el, Re-ba!”
“No, give us a longer one!”
“Do I really have to?”
Nods from the streamers, twenty, thirty times.
“Vengeance… of Se-lena!”
Nam-e furrowed her brow, stood askew, and raised her finger.
“Kya-a-a-a!”
“Ultimate, ultimate!”
“Ra… Ra Asteria Schuratta Philum… Is that enough?”
The charismatic Arsteria from before was nowhere to be seen; instead, a child’s lisping voice came out.
“Super satisfied!”
Her glowing cheeks finally returned to their normal color amidst the enthusiastic clapping and cheering.
– Kya kya! What was that?
– Asteria is 8 years old now!
-Cute little thing!
-Aww!
-You asked for something weird, now she’s gonna leave!
– Haha, the streamer’s gonna get a nosebleed!
At the next stop, the streamers brought out tablets and placed them before her.
“What is this?”
“Reaction speed test! Want to challenge us?”
A male demonstrated by tapping the screen as soon as it turned green.
[193ms]
“That’s how you do it.”
Nam-e nodded.
The deep double eyelids above her eyes didn’t move an inch.
First attempt: 150 milliseconds. Second attempt: 138 milliseconds.
-Wow, insanely fast!
-Unbelievable
-This is pro-level, right?
-I’m old, I can’t even get below 300ms
As their competitiveness increased, Nam-e asked for a moment.
She pressed her index and middle fingers together, channeling energy, or “aura”.
A faint shimmering light appeared.
Carefully, she moved her fingers and placed them gently over her tightly closed eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, her previously black pupils glowed with a golden light.
“You… how did you do that? Aura in your eyes…!”
“Tablet.”
“Here!”
Nam-e focused her now razor-sharp senses solely on the tablet.
Transforming the screen’s red and blue into yin and yang painted the world in black.
[Instructions: When the background turns green, please tap.]
In the “Void’s world,” all five senses are unified.
Zero or one, existence or nonexistence—all definitions vary person by person.
A virtual nervous system created by aura connects the sensory and motor systems.
In a dualistic world, all irrelevant information is filtered out, leaving only necessary signals.
[Click: Please click.]
[First attempt: 53ms]
[Second attempt: 65ms]
[Third attempt: 49ms]
[Fourth attempt: 47ms]
[Fifth attempt: 46ms]
[Average: 52ms – Your reaction speed is in the top 0.05%!]
“How is it this slow? Is the tablet lagging?”
Nam-e shared the results with a slightly unsatisfied expression.
-How… how did you do that?
-You didn’t even cheat, and the results are legit?
-Was it aura enhancement?
-Did you really think aura enhancement on the eye would change reaction speed?
-Maybe just made your eyeballs super tough hahaha
“Wow, impressive! How did you do it? Teach us the trick!”
“Want to know? It’s something you can learn on YouTube.”
“What should I search?”
“I don’t know the exact title, but search for ‘Synapse Clef’ or ‘Neurotrasmitters’. An IIT-made video will pop up first—it features a guy with huge eyes.”
“Neuro… Wow, this is overwhelming! Thanks for telling me! Bye-bye!”
After she left,
The streamers explored the video she recommended with their audience.
“Is this it?”
“It seems so…”
-His eyes are huge, ha ha ha ha!
-Frog eyes?
-His voice sounds familiar…
-The Indian videos never fail to live up to the hype.
[Topic # 10.3 – Neuroaurology: advanced design methodology for CNS (English)]
“Is this the right one? His eyes are really big, let’s watch anyway.”
[Hello everyone? Today we will talk about…]
A dense Indian accent and difficult-to-understand English ensued.
* * *
Contrary to the expectation of darkness with the setting sun, the alleyway became even brighter.
The dazzling nighttime cityscape of bright lamp posts and neon signs felt like a scene straight out of a cyberpunk film.
The world was both different and yet familiar, ultimately just another place where people lived their lives.
One noticeable difference in this multicultural society was the more diverse fashion styles of the people in Korea.
“Are you okay? Aren’t you tired?”
Bo-rum approached from behind and placed her hand on my shoulder.
“Where have you been? I didn’t see you around our floor.”
She seemed bored just standing still and began swaying me from side to side.
“Ahaha, I went to meet Yogurt…”
“Wow, you went to see another streamer while you’re my manager? I’m a little hurt.”
“Eh, why? Are you mad? How can you make it better, sister?”
“What? I’m not mad at all.”
“Hheehee.”
Definitely, today’s schedule wasn’t easy.
By the end, I must have overworked myself as my muscles were sore all over.
“So, can you give me a shoulder massage?”
“Of course! It’s very welcome!”
I hadn’t initially planned to stay this long at the after-party.
Half-empty soju bottles in an ice bucket, a few people with a slight buzz—it seemed right for a kid to call it a day.
Since my hands were free, I instinctively unlocked my phone.
A message from Adella begging to quickly get back to the virtual reality for her birthday party caught my eye first.
[Adella: When are you coming?! I’ll die if you don’t hurry!!]
[Noname: I’ll be there soon.]
The active group chat continued to buzz, interspersed with spam messages.
As I scrolled down, I paused at one point.
An unopened message.
The sender was ‘Korea Magic Utility Corp.’ The recipient was ‘Noname.’
The payment due date had arrived, right? Did the magic I used today not register together?
[Korea Magic Utility Corp. has sent a bill to Noname. Please pay within the due date.
– Purpose: Unauthorized emergency lower-circle (3)-hallucination magic
– Amount: 13,849,293 won
– Due: 2051/09/31
For inquiries, please contact the billing company. +more]
“Not a thousand won?”
“Ah, surprised? What’s wrong?”
Unbelievable. I only used a third-circle magic, so why is it costing as much as a fifth-circle magic?
[Detailed invoice for the third-circle alchemy matrix ‘Muthimol-Eboten synthesis’ and one non-disclosed visible transmission magic (6) use]
The base alchemy matrix seemed fine.
The problem lies with the visible transmission magic.
It definitely didn’t consume much mana; what’s going on here?
Visible transmission magic is fundamentally subsidiary to the main magic and practically doesn’t consume any mana.
After struggling through the mana laws, I eventually found one line buried deep in the footnotes.
[Article 248 (Exceptional Taxation for Non-Public Visible Transmission Magic): Magic not publicly disclosed under Article 24 Section 3 or banned by Presidential Decree under Article 26 is considered independent and taxed according to Article 14 Section 2. <Amended 2024. 12. 24., 2025. 12. 31., 2027. 12. 28., 2044. 12. 29.>]
What even is Article 14 Section 2?
The already complicated law was made unnecessarily complex.
A regulation defining the minimum unit of mana usage?
Isn’t that something used in first-circle magic?
The amount is so small, costing maybe a few thousand won or less for one usage, so the law prevents the misuse of spells by covering the communication costs with base stations.
But being considered as independent magic, my unique magic ‘Medusa’ is sixth-circle. The minimum levy is set at 1%.
Thus, a figure over ten million won is calculated.
“How could this be?”
“Why? Is it a big deal?”
It’s not a hundred thousand won—it feels like I’ve swapped a lousy rest-area chicken skewer for ten thousand won.
Not a question of if I can pay or not.
It’s like paying a hundred thousand won for one measly skewer.
“Come on, relax. Let’s not ruin such a good day, Nam-e.”
“…”
“Should I cover it for you?”
“No, I don’t lack money…”
Looking up at Bo-rum,
Isn’t she the daughter of a tycoon, thinking about it?
“Will you really pay for it?”
“Yeah! What’s face when I’ve got money?”
A black card popped out of Bo-rum’s pink wallet.
“Annual fee, three million won.”
“Really? Three million for the fee?”
“For your birthday, something like that is manageable.”
“Still feels like I’m overstepping accepting it for free.”
“Do you even question it?”
“No intent to pay with my money when I don’t feel like it.”
I reflected on what I could return to Bo-rum.
What could I possibly give her?
Bo-rum, Samyeon Group, manager, cult of cats…
Cats?
“Then next time, I could introduce you to Adella? It’s a bit late today, but some other time.”
“Ah..! Is… is that really… real? Are you serious?”
“Yeah.”
“Here, take this Black Card as a token of thanks! Not that I mean for you to really take it! Anyways… Thank you so much, our cute Nam-e!”
Today, I sold the cat I was raising for ten million won.
“Getting to meet Adella in person…”
I didn’t feel much guilt.
“What does a cat’s tail taste like?”
But thinking about it again, maybe I kind of do feel something…
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")