Chapter 92: Manifestation of Magic

Hearing Donape’s sudden outburst, Ga-Eun stepped closer to the terminal and asked, "What does that mean, Boss Alexander?"

She knew that a higher synchronization rate was supposed to be a good thing, but she didn’t fully grasp how it translated into reality.

After all, she, Irene, and Mira mostly played The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts as a cozy life-simulator—tending to scenery, exploring towns, and relaxing—rather than grinding high-stakes combat. To her, synchronization stats were entirely irrelevant.

"It means..." Donape began, his eyes fixed on the glowing metric, "that whatever this person learns inside the virtual world reflects almost instantly into reality.

Compared to someone sitting at a 20% synchronization rate—who has to repeat the exact same routines over and over in real life to slowly build up muscle memory and energy—this user is practically absorbing skills in real time."

Donape turned to look at Ga-Eun with a serious expression.

"You should really consider learning magic from here on out and take playing the VR game a bit more seriously. The shop might be the safest place in the world, but once you step outside, nothing is guaranteed. Having a spell or two up your sleeve for self-defense could save your life. What do you think?"

His words sounded like genuine boss-like concern, but beneath his thoughtful advice lay a subtle, pragmatic motive: he was actively trying to push another activation for Magic Academy: First Semester.

"Alright, I’ll consider it," Ga-Eun replied nonchalantly.

Still, she needed a bit of time to think it over. Her primary focus was earning money to support her daily life, so dedicating hours to grinding a VR game—even for serious self-defense—wasn’t something she could just jump into on a whim.

At that moment, the shop door chimed.

Zerke, Jong-Kook, Jong-Un, and Suk-Jin walked in. Having arrived a bit later than usual, they were accustomed to always finding open pods. Seeing the floor completely packed, all four of them froze in surprise.

"Huh? No VR Capsules available? Since when?" Zerke asked, blinking in disbelief.

"It was never this packed yesterday. What happened?" Jong-Kook added, looking around the full pod bay.

Ga-Eun stepped forward to explain the situation, bringing up the viral social media thread on her phone to show them.

Despite the lack of open pods, the four middle-aged men had no intention of turning back.

Instead, they took a seat at the counter and ordered cups of Obsidian Roast Coffee.

Nevertheless, Origins VR Cafe had evolved into a cozy, high-end sanctuary. Even without an active capsule session, sitting together, chatting, and enjoying delicious food and drinks that provided genuine, rejuvenating physical benefits was more than enough to make their visit worthwhile.

Besides, Ga-Eun had already reassured them that several players were nearing the end of their scheduled playtime, and a few capsules would be opening up shortly.

Not long after, the glass lid of VR Capsule 37 opened with a soft, depressurizing hiss.

Donape took a brief glance before turning back to finish his afternoon snack of Celestial Sparkle Sprite and an Ethereal Mana Sandwich.

Ga-Eun, on the other hand, stared intently at the youth stepping out of the pod. He looked to be around twenty years old—roughly her own age—with a slightly nervous, timid posture. He glanced around the bustling shop hesitantly, clearly waiting for the rest of his friends to finish their sessions.

Donape had told her earlier that whoever was inside that pod could manifest in-game magic directly into reality due to an unheard-of 81.1% Synchronization Rate. Yet looking at the anxious young man standing there, Ga-Eun found it hard to believe he possessed such absurd capability.

Moments later, the lids of five neighboring VR Capsules slid open nearly in unison.

It was Jae-Woong, Kennedy, and their three college friends.

The young man who had emerged from Capsule 37 was named Shin Seo-Jin.

While Jae-Woong’s group stepped out with bright, excited expressions, Seo-Jin was the only one who looked deeply conflicted and burdened, as if he were carrying an immense, suffocating weight.

Unaware of his internal struggle, Jae-Woong, Kennedy, and the others were already chatting animatedly about their playthrough. To them, the magic academy setting mirrored their own real-life university experience—making it both familiar and endlessly entertaining.

"Let’s grab a drink before we head back," Jae-Woong suggested.

"Sure thing," Kennedy and the others agreed, while Seo-Jin stood nearby, nervously stealing glances toward Donape.

"Seo-Jin? What are you just standing there for? Come on, let’s rest up a bit before heading out," Jae-Woong called out.

Seo-Jin simply nodded, quietly following them over to the counter stools.

Being on a student budget, they ordered Origins Fountain Water—the cheapest item on the board—along with a few Ethereal Mana Sandwiches for a quick pre-lunch meal.

Suddenly, another VR Capsule lid opened nearby. Young Master Baek Ji-Hong stepped out and walked straight up to Jae-Woong, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

"Hey, buddy. Are you really sure you want to sell off your entire stash of assets in The Path of the Heavenly Martial Arts? What happened? Didn’t you say you were set on mastering martial arts?" Ji-Hong asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I’m sure," Jae-Woong replied with a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "I mean, I said I wanted to train hard, but after trying Magic Academy, I realized magic just suits me way better."

"Fair enough. I won’t shortchange you on the exchange rate, then. However many Gold Coins you’ve got, I’ll buy the lot," Ji-Hong said with a grin.

Amid their cross-game trade negotiations, Seo-Jin finally mustered enough courage to speak up after taking a shaky sip of his water.

"Is... is there something wrong with me?" Seo-Jin stammered, looking directly at Donape with trembling eyes.

That sudden question instantly drew Ji-Hong and Jae-Woong’s attention, their gazes shifting back and forth between Seo-Jin and the shopkeeper.

Donape chuckled softly and leaned against the counter. "No need to panic. You’re perfectly fine. There’s nothing wrong with your body."

"B-But... I feel like I can’t breathe..." Seo-Jin rambled, his voice laced with genuine fear. "I... I feel like I can’t even tell the difference between reality and the virtual world anymore..."

"That’s because there is no difference," Donape answered casually, crossing his arms. "Whatever you learned in there, you learned here, too."

"Also, if you can’t breathe, you will be dead by now." He added.

"What’s wrong with my friend, Shopkeeper?" Jae-Woong asked, stepping closer out of genuine concern.

Ji-Hong also stuck around instead of immediately heading back to his VR Capsule, his sharp eyes fixed on Seo-Jin.

"He feels like something is wrong with his body because a 1-Circle Mana circuit has formed around his heart," Donape explained, shrugging casually. "In simple terms, he’s officially an Apprentice Mage now. He’s just having trouble adapting and hasn’t realized what’s actually happening yet."

"Wait, why would you feel game stuff in real life?" one of their college friends chimed in with a light laugh, patting Seo-Jin’s shoulder. "That’s just the virtual phantom sensation lingering after you log out, man. Don’t sweat it. Once we get back to campus, you’ll be completely fine."

Meanwhile, Jae-Woong and Kennedy exchanged a heavy, silent glance.

Unlike their oblivious friends, they knew Origins VR Cafe was anything but ordinary.

They understood the terrifying implications of Donape’s words, but they were utterly speechless as to how they could possibly explain the reality of magic to their classmates without sounding like mental patients.

Overhearing the friend’s naive dismissal, Donape rolled his eyes.

"Hey, kid," Donape said, addressing Seo-Jin directly. "Why don’t you try casting one of the spells you learned in the game right now? As long as you don’t use it with any hostile intent to cause trouble, the shop’s security won’t disintegrate you."

Seo-Jin swallowed hard, his throat dry as every pair of eyes near the counter landed on him. The silence around the bar grew suffocating.

"Right now? Here?" Seo-Jin whispered, his hands trembling as he stared at his pale palms. "I... I don’t think I can. In the game, there was an interface..."

"Try to remember the sensation from the game and chant it the same way you did inside," Donape said, leaning his elbows on the counter and resting his chin in his hands.

Seo-Jin hesitantly raised his right palm. The onlookers shifted closer, their eyes locked on his hand.

Jae-Woong’s three college friends initially wanted to mock the absurd gesture, but the dead-serious atmosphere instantly shut them up.

Gulping nervously, Seo-Jin closed his eyes, took a shuddering breath, and whispered:

"Elemental Fire—Dragon’s Flame!"

FWOOSH!

A vibrant, tennis-ball-sized flame materialized out of thin air, hovering silently an inch above Seo-Jin’s palm.

A suffocating silence fell over the shop as the fireball sparked, radiating a sudden burst of dry heat across the counter.

Jae-Woong and Kennedy stood frozen, their jaws practically on the floor.

"Dude..." Kennedy stammered, covering his mouth in sheer disbelief. "You... you actually cast a real spell..."

Meanwhile, their three oblivious friends completely short-circuited.

"What... what the hell is that?!" one shouted, frantically ducking to inspect Seo-Jin’s hand for hidden wires or devices.

Another scratched his head in pure confusion, recoiling from the sudden wave of warmth. "No way... hologram tricks don’t raise the room temperature! Is that... actual magic?!"

Over in the lounge area, Zerke and Jong-Kook set down their drinks, staring in stunned silence.

"It really was real," Zerke muttered under his breath. "First martial arts... now the shop is handing out magic."

Beside them, Jong-Un and Suk-Jin—the two middle-aged newcomers—stared with wide, terrified eyes.

"Is this a trick of the eye?! Magic isn’t real... that’s definitely a fake prop light, right?!" Suk-Jin gasped, though his sweating forehead proved otherwise.

Nearby, Young Master Baek Ji-Hong stared at the dancing flame with needlepoint pupils, a cold sweat breaking out across his neck.

’He mastered it that fast?!’ He thought, ’Should I jump into Magic Academy too?!’

Donape leaned back against the counter and enjoyed the utter reaction unfolding before him.