Chapter 2

"Hey, hey, breaking news! Breaking news!!"

The nurses, who were in the middle of eating, focused their attention on the commotion caused by their colleague.

"Don't be surprised! I'm talking about the patient in Room 3. The one who woke up a few days ago. They say he has amnesia!"

"Wow. That's crazy."

"Amazing! A big story!"

"Right? It's unbelievable, isn't it?"

As everyone was shocked, a new nurse, who knew nothing about it, looked at her senior with a puzzled expression.

"Senior, Room 3 is the VIP room, right? Who's in there?"

"Huh? You don't know? It's Park Gi-hyeok, the son of the representative of Optimum Agency and the youngest of the Jeonho family!"

"Oh!! Mana Void Syndrome!! Is that patient the one with that condition?!"

Mana Void Syndrome is a rare disease where the body cannot accept mana.

It was the first case ever discovered, causing a stir at the time. Moreover, the patient was the son of the famous representative of Optimum Agency and the youngest of the Jeonho family.

For a while, Korea was buzzing with the news of the fall of a genius, so it would be strange not to know.

"But, Senior, if he was admitted for Mana Void Syndrome, I should have known, right?"

"Mi-yeon, you really don't know anything. The patient in Room 3 wasn't admitted for Mana Void Syndrome."

"Really?"

"Don't be surprised."

The senior paused for effect.

"He swallowed a mana stone!"

"…A mana stone?"

"He did!"

"Raw?"

"Completely raw!"

"No way!!"

Mana stones are extracted from monsters.

Therefore, unprocessed mana stones are contaminated with various energies, including the unique madness of monsters, and purification and processing are essential for human use.

"Even more absurdly, he didn't just do it once or twice but continuously. You can imagine the result. Boom! He exploded. He was probably unconscious when he was admitted to Room 3."

"Why? Why would he do such a foolish thing…"

"Why else? He probably thought it would cure his Mana Void Syndrome."

"Thinking about it, he was a genius who was said to surpass his father and brother when he was young."

"For a while, he was hailed as a prodigy of the century. They said his body was a mistake of God."

"Oh? I remember! The media made a big deal out of it. Looking back, the media can't be trusted."

"Right. Right."

"Maybe not always, though."

"…?!"

"…??"

A nurse who had been eating silently continued.

"Have you seen the patient in Room 3? He's huge. Like, not humanly big."

"Really, Senior?"

"Yeah, he's probably over 2 meters tall. And his proportions are amazing. Even though he's emaciated, he looks like a model. If he didn't do such dangerous things, he could have been a successful model by now. He really is a body made by God's mistake."

"Wow…"

"I want to see him too."

"That's not all. The patient in Room 3 is already walking."

"…?!"

"…What?"

"Come on, it's a joke. Senior, Patient Park Gi-hyeok was unconscious for 6 months. How can he walk after just a week?"

"Unbelievable, right? I don't believe it either. But it's the truth. I'll go check."

"Senior! Senior!"

"I'll go with you, Senior!!"

* * *

"Try to move."

Park Gi-hyeok moves.

"Good. Try to walk a bit more."

Park Gi-hyeok walks.

"Great. Very good. Can you try to increase your stride a bit?"

Park Gi-hyeok takes a step, putting strength into his legs.

This body, tall and emaciated, relies on a walker to take each step.

This body, Park Gi-hyeok, drips with sweat with each step.

It's me.

My new vessel.

"Excellent. You did great today. Take a break."

"Phew, thank you."

As the physical therapist left the room, a woman who had been watching through the transparent window walked over to her.

If I am Park Gi-hyeok, then the neatly styled, composed woman is Kim Yeon-hee.

On the day I regained consciousness, she ran over, breathless, and cried, and has been taking care of me ever since. She is my mother.

"I still feel awkward."

A completely new world, with a family I had never heard of or seen.

I struggled to accept it, but what could I do?

I can't hide anything when I can't even walk properly. It's not so bad, actually.

Even if I had memories, it would be frustrating, but I can't do anything about that.

If there was even a trace of my original consciousness, I could have extracted some memories, but the original owner of this body was completely gone by the time I took over, and I had to face my tearful mother without knowing anything.

Still, I'm glad I have some sense. I almost asked, "Who are you?" to my mother.

Being so clueless, the doctors conveniently diagnosed me with amnesia.

Indeed, not knowing and staying silent is the best.

The old man was right.

What surprised me was my mother's reaction.

She seemed relieved that I had lost my memory.

She said, "It's good, Gi-hyeok. Let's start over, leaving behind the bad memories. I'll help you."

Bad memories…

I, being quick-witted, immediately realized there was a story behind the original owner of this body.

"But."

I don't care.

Park Gi-hyeok is Park Gi-hyeok, and I am me.

What if there's a story? What if there are regrets?

I am the current owner of this body.

I'm not a fool to be tied down by an unknown past and waste my present. I'm not a cripple who can't seize the opportunity given by heaven.

"If I had such a God-given talent and hesitated."

What could be more embarrassing?

I have to live a grand life, don't I?

I smiled and confidently stood up.

……

…

Bang!

"Teacher! Gi-hyeok!!"

"Patient! Are you okay!!"

"Ha, ha… Can you help me up?"

I need to build this body first.

* * *

When I returned to the room and caught my breath, my attending physician came to see me.

The two of them went outside to talk to the guardian, and I could see them through the window.

But did you know, the two of them.

I can hear everything.

I'm not listening on purpose; I can just hear it from the start.

The most shocking thing when I regained consciousness was this incredibly developed sense.

"…The contaminated mana that had spread to the organs seems to have disappeared. And here…"

I'm not listening because I want to; I can just hear it.

My mother, who always bows in gratitude, cuts off the conversation when it comes to my memory.

The doctor awkwardly laughed, realizing he had said something unnecessary.

Mother, you're embarrassing me. You smile at the doctor, who is looking at you through the window, and your expression becomes even more awkward.

…Is my smile that strange?

"When do you plan to be discharged?"

"What do you think, Doctor?"

"Well, it would be best if the patient stayed until he fully recovers."

"Hmm… That's different from what you said earlier. You said it would be fine if the chart showed normal."

"Ah, ah! That's what I meant. The chart and the actual condition are different. Today, he stumbled during rehabilitation. Patients who have been unconscious for a long time sometimes…"

The conversation drags on, but the ending is always the same.

After praising my miraculous body, the doctor asks if a few tests can be done.

It's a pattern that has been repeating for days.

To which my mother responds.

"I'll think about it."

Firmly.

The doctor twists like a dog with a full bladder.

It's amusing.

This body is definitely special. The way they grovel to get a few drops of blood is surprising. Even I, who am inside, am surprised. How curious they must be.

But, in my opinion, it's all in vain.

If my guess is correct, this body is not something that can be understood with just a few drops of blood.

No matter how advanced the technology, it's still human technology. No matter how advanced the magic, it's still human magic.

If my guess is correct…

"This body is beyond the realm of human understanding."

My mother then opens the door and comes in. She tries to keep a calm face in front of her son, but her tense expression can't be hidden.

I pretend to know nothing and ask.

"Why do you look like that? Are they asking for more blood?"

"No, they just talked about my condition. They said our son has improved a lot. The doctor was surprised. I'm proud of you, son."

"Mother."

"Mom."

"Right, Mom. What did you say before? We agreed never to lie to each other."

My mother, hesitating at the word 'lie,' carefully spoke.

"Phew… I'm sorry, son. You're right. The doctors keep asking for more tests."

"Just do it. I'm fine."

"No, I don't think that's right. They treat other people's precious children like lab rats. It makes me angry. Just be quiet, and they'll leave you alone."

"Whoa, whoa, Mom. Here, drink some water and calm down."

My mother, who drank the water in one go, said with determination.

"Son, we need to change hospitals."

I nodded in agreement.

"Let's just discharge."

"Discharge? Are you sure?"

"I'm getting tired of it."

"But you still can't walk…"

"If I can walk on my own, isn't that enough?"

At my unexpected declaration of discharge, my mother tilted her head in confusion, and I smiled at her.

Let's see for two days.

The time it takes for this body to walk on its own without a walker.

Two days later.

I was walking out of the hospital on my own, without any assistance.

* * *

Even after discharge, my unusual behavior continued.

Three days after discharge.

I walked around the neighborhood alone. I vomited halfway but completed the circuit.

Four days after discharge.

My digestive system, which had been dormant, started functioning, and I began eating rice instead of porridge. The doenjang stew was delicious.

Seven days after discharge.

I jogged every morning, gaining 10 kilograms. I looked better than before, but I was still mocked as a shrimp by passing kindergarteners. It was humiliating.

Ten days after discharge.

I added a midday workout, gaining an additional 5 kilograms. Everyone was surprised to see me at the gym.

Of course, in a bad way.

Twenty days after discharge.

I could eat nine meals a day and exercise in the morning, afternoon, and evening. My organs had returned to normal, and I was growing explosively.

And today, thirty days after discharge.

The humiliating image of not being able to take a step on my own is gone. What I see in front of me is the rebirth of Xiang Yu.

Everyone is surprised to see me.

Of course.

In a good way.

……

…

"Phew!"

I am sprinting on the Han River walking path.

The wind blowing from the front pleasantly caresses me, meeting the sweat streaming down my face and leaving a refreshing sensation as it passes.

After an hour of non-stop sprinting, people naturally start to gather around.

"Wow… He's really tall. Is that height and proportion even possible?"

"Can you see his height? Tsk, you don't know anything. It's the legs, the legs! I can only see his thighs. Look at that split. It's a sculpture, a sculpture."

"Doesn't he get tired? I get tired just riding a bike."

"Phew, phew. I can't even keep up. Is he even human?"

There are also women arguing whether I'm a model or an actor, and a group cursing that my important part (?) must be small.

In different forms, but it's clear I'm getting a lot of attention.

What can I say? Even I can see that I stand out.

First, my tall height naturally draws attention, and the ideal proportions surprise people twice. Finally, my unrealistic athletic ability leaves them in awe, and they will be convinced.

That I am a superhuman.

That I am using mana.

That my performance is impossible without mana.

Some even claim they will change their name if I'm not using mana. Sorry, but I have to change my name.

I.

Currently.

Am not using a single drop of mana.

'Interesting.'

To be compared to a superhuman armed with mana, based solely on physical ability.

Compared to being called a shrimp, a zombie, or a scarecrow just 20 days ago, this is a significant improvement.

After running for another hour, I wiped my body with a towel and sat on a bench.

Steam rises from my body.

After running at full speed for two hours, I should be tired, but my muscles, torn into pieces, are still demanding to be used, saying they are not yet satisfied.

When will they get tired?

I'm even scared of myself now.

"It's been a month…"

A month since I opened my eyes in this world.

A month since I entered this confusing body and gained a new family.

Now, I am certain.

"About the identity of this body."