Chapter 11: The Beginning of a reversal of fortunes (2)

[Recruiting Unaffiliated Students Who Want to Learn Practical Magic]

The first video uploaded by the Masked Instructor shocked many, as it presented a completely different approach to magic than what had been previously known. The announcement of his recruiting students created a frenzy among people.

“Crazy… Guys, did you see this? That creator who posted the ‘External Mana Usage’ video is now recruiting students.”

“Yeah, right, stop lying.”

“It’s true, Fuck. Want me to send you the link?”

“That’s insane… It’s real…”

The video was simple. A man wearing a mask appeared, spoke briefly, and that was it.

“The first video was just a preview of a very small part of my curriculum. I’ll continue making videos, but for those of you who want more focused instruction, I’m accepting students and will be balancing both lectures and video creation.

If you’re interested in learning advanced topics not covered in the videos, feel free to apply as a student by commenting below…”

Before Choi Juwon uploaded this video, his previous one had already started gaining millions of views. People who watched and followed along with his first video were excited.

If the person who shared such a revolutionary method like ‘External Mana Usage’ was going to teach directly, just how incredible would the things they could learn be?

The curiosity was clear from the massive response.

Within just five hours of the video being uploaded, his subscriber count shot up by 390,000, and the video received 210,000 comments.

“23 years old / Unaffiliated / Magic field / Aspiring Hunter / Specialty: Lightning Magic / Email: ■■■”
“21 years old / Unaffiliated / Magic field / Aspiring Hunter / Specialty: Fire Magic / Email: ■■■”
“27 years old / Unaffiliated / Swordsman / Aspiring Hunter / Specialty: Swordmaster / Email: ■■■”

ᄂ “Why is a swordsman applying for a magic instructor? You crazy fool.” ᄂ “Just in case…” ᄂ “And what’s with the

‘Swordmaster’? Are you the guild leader of Baal?” ᄂ “Maybe this will make me stand out…” ᄂ “ㅋㅋㅋ You’re really nuts.”

Regardless of age, field, or specialty, countless people began flooding the comment section with applications. The value of the information Choi Juwon had shared in his first video was immense.

Shortly after I uploaded the unedited video, Seol Eun-ah called me urgently, asking to meet, so I invited her over to my place.

“Haa… What should we do about this…”

In front of me, Seol Eun-ah sighed heavily, clearly troubled.

“What’s the issue?”

I asked with a cheerful tone.

“It’s because of the video you posted…”

“Is it causing problems? I’m going to keep using the mask with a recognition-diminishing spell, and I can also alter the shape of the magic. Even if I give offline lectures, no one will recognize me.”

“That’s not it…”

Seol Eun-ah showed me her phone.

There were countless articles listed.

[Masked Instructor recruits students using uncertified magic methods as bait…]
[Experts express concerns about the mana usage method spread by Masked Creator…]
[Instructor Association protests, calling for the end of student recruitment through large platforms like NA Tube…]

“Well… I expected this level of backlash. This field is filled with people desperately protecting their own interests.”

“Even so… I’m just worried that something might go wrong for you, Juwon.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I can handle it.”

Among the articles, one particularly stood out:

[Exclusive Interview: Helmunt Academy’s President Speaks on the Masked Instructor Scandal]

‘What the hell? Baek Juseok already gave an interview?’

I clicked on the article, which led to a link. The link connected to a NATUBE channel with over 5 million subscribers.

In the video, Baek Juseok appeared well-dressed in a suit, speaking confidently.

“Hello! I’m Jang Hye-na, the host of the ‘Issues and Curiosities’ channel. First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! It’s an honor to finally meet the president of the prestigious Helmunt Academy in person!”

“Haha. Thank you for the warm introduction. The pleasure is all mine.”

“Thank you! Let’s dive right into the main topic. When people think of instructors, Helmunt Academy immediately comes to mind. As a result, your academy has been mentioned frequently in this controversy. What are your thoughts on the Masked Instructor’s mana utilization method?”

“Hm… I’ve received a lot of messages about it. Many instructors I know and even former students from Helmunt Academy have contacted me, asking whether such a method is even possible. They’re curious if using external mana in that way is safe.”

“Oh! I assume you’ve had plenty of time to think about those questions. Could you share your thoughts with us?”

“Well, first, let’s not forget that this so-called instructor is an amateur. The Masked Instructor isn’t certified like the instructors at Helmunt Academy. He’s just a freelancer. It’s concerning to see people taking his words at face value. The spotlight he’s receiving is a reflection of the limitations of NATUBE, where unfiltered information spreads too easily.”

“I see. So, do you view the Masked Instructor’s mana utilization method negatively?”

“Of course. Using external mana is inefficient. Imagine entering a B-grade dungeon. The monsters inside are fast and have unique skills. Do you think they’ll just wait around while you pull in external mana? Absolutely not.”

Baek Juseok adopted a serious expression as he continued.

“In fact, trying to use external mana in a critical situation could lead to fatal mistakes. In the end, it seems like he’s only chasing after views and subscribers without considering the potential harm his teachings could cause.”

“If he were truly confident in his method, he wouldn’t need to hide behind a mask, right? The fact that he covers his face suggests he’s not proud of what he’s doing. Now, he’s even recruiting disciples. I think it’s obvious why he’s putting out such flashy but impractical content—it’s all for personal gain.”

“So, to summarize, the biggest issue you see with the external mana method is its lack of practicality?”

“Exactly. Mages already struggle with long casting times and weaker physical abilities, which is why they’re often sidelined in dungeons. Using a method that increases casting time just to boost power? It’s like trading candy for nothing. I’m concerned that young people new to this field might fall for such hollow promises.”

“If the external mana method could actually work in practice, would you then view it positively?”

“Well, if it were practical, it would be revolutionary. But do you think that’s possible? As someone who has worked with countless mages at Helmunt Academy, I can confidently say that the method the Masked Instructor is teaching won’t work in real-life situations. I guarantee it.”

“I see! Could you share one last message with our viewers?”

“It’s sad to see so many people being misled by unreliable information online. Helmunt Academy has a wide range of courses and certified instructors. If you’re serious about learning, come to us, and we’ll make sure you’re taught by real experts. You can trust Helmunt Academy.”

“Thank you for your time!”

The interview seemed like a deliberate attempt by the president to undermine the rising popularity of the Masked Instructor while simultaneously boosting the reputation of Helmunt Academy.

His strategy appeared to work, as the comment section on the ‘Issues and Curiosities’ channel was filled with enthusiastic responses.

• As expected from the president of Helmunt Academy, he really lays out the facts.
• Honestly, I was disgusted by how people were praising the Masked Instructor, but this interview is so refreshing.
• It’s satisfying to see someone call out that fake instructor who thinks he’s a big-shot NATUBE creator.
• Even in his second video, he’s recruiting disciples. So transparent!

“Ha… You can tell the intelligence level of the idiots applying. LOL.” “FYI: The video recruiting disciples already has over 210,000 comments.” “They’re idiots. Even if they do join as disciples, he’ll probably just teach them flashy but useless skills that won’t work in real combat, just like in his first video.”

I checked the comments on my recruitment video, and sure enough, negative remarks were starting to pile up there as well.

• “I came from the interview video on Jang Hye-na’s channel. Is this where that fake instructor is? LOL.”
• “The people applying in the comments must be brainless. LOL.”
• “If you’ve got time to waste here, just go to Helmunt Academy. LOL.”

After refreshing the page for a while and staring at the screen intently, Seol Eun-ah looked at me with concern in her eyes.

“Um… Ju-won, is something wrong? Those articles seem a bit too much, don’t they?”

It was clear that Seol Eun-ah had no idea I had watched Baek Juseok’s interview. So, I showed it to her.

She was taken aback and shouted.

“What… What kind of insane Fucker does this? I mean, come on! How can the president of an academy accuse someone of being a scammer in public like this?”

“Well… I guess because I haven’t shown my face and only uploaded one video. It’s easy for them to dismiss me. I look like a fraud, so his strong stance helps him build up his public image and reinforce the reputation of his academy.”

“Wow… This is making me angry. But Ju-won, can’t you actually use external mana in real combat?”

“Of course. I don’t even have to, but if I wanted to, I could use it in real combat anytime.”

I smiled slyly as I spoke to Seol Eun-ah.

“So, I was wondering… Can you get me an entrance pass for an A-rank dungeon? I’ll pay whatever it costs.”

“Huh? All of a sudden? Well… there’s a gate our guild was planning to enter tomorrow, and the dungeon there is classified as A-rank, but…”

“Ah, then would it be okay if I joined that one?”

“Well, I guess you could, but… could you tell me why? You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, right?”

I chuckled and replied.

“I have to prove it. That the external mana technique can be used in real combat, tomorrow, in that A-rank dungeon, I’ll clear it solo using the mana technique I showed in the video. With all the attention I’m getting right now if I show something impressive, I’ll probably get even more capable people applying as disciples. And the Helmunt Academy president’s words will lose some credibility.”

“Are… Are you insane? I know you’re strong, but you’re going to clear an A-rank dungeon entirely on your own? What if something goes wrong…?”

I looked at her and said reassuringly.

“It’ll be fine. Just post something in my channel’s community for me. Something like, ‘The so-called fake instructor will be using the external mana technique to solo clear an A-rank dungeon.’”

________________________
Author’s Note : Please comment on any suggestions regarding the translation errors, etc. We will further improve the translations. You can comment without being logged in.