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Jinseong recalled the possession sorcerer known as Hell from before his rewind.

A wizard, an atheist, and a shaman all in one, that possession sorcerer was.

The one who ruled with fear under the moniker of Hell.

‘Truly an incredible being.’

Huele.

He operated without disclosing any personal details.

This possession sorcerer behaved as if he had an obsessive compulsion to keep his identity hidden, wandering the world without revealing even a trace of the features he possessed as a human. He avoided people by roaming remote areas and minimized encounters, resorting to disguises whenever he had to be where people were.

Perhaps it could be seen as a form of mental illness.

He may have had an obsession to sever ties with his past, or perhaps he was trying to escape due to an indelible trauma from his time spent living as a wizard.

Or maybe it was linked to sorcery.

The cruel magic of wearing a person’s skin to transform into them, the sorcery related to doppelgängers that mimic the dead, and the magic that disturbs by appearing identical to one’s own enemy as reflected in a mirror…

He may have engaged in such acts to use the countless sorceries he wielded.

But perhaps.

Perhaps, if it wasn’t that.

If it wasn’t a mental illness or had nothing to do with sorcery.

‘It could have been a choice to abandon the self for a grand purpose.’

Jinseong did not know the truth.

That possession sorcerer was one who shied away from facing people and didn’t particularly enjoy conversing with them. He was someone who refused to confront not only ordinary people but also those who were connected to his past.

The only reason Jinseong could manage even meaningless conversations with him was likely due to their commonality as sorcerers.

Or perhaps it was more than that—he responded to conversation out of curiosity regarding the goals of another sorcerer and what Jinseong himself wished to achieve.

Thus, he couldn’t know the details.

However, he could make guesses.

His past as a wizard, the unusual actions he displayed after showcasing interest in sorcery, and the conduct he engaged in while wandering the world as a shaman…

Along with the little pieces of information that Jinseong learned from speaking with him directly.

When those all combined, he could form some hazy conjectures.

Those who use special abilities can do things ordinary people cannot.

They summon beings that do not exist on this planet or cut steel in half with an ordinary sword or even cleave mountains. They can transcend humanity by altering their genes through transformation, create blazing storms of fire, and even elevate a giant boulder into the stratosphere only to drop it down to collide with the surface.

They can animate what wasn’t living, or alter the material structure of common metals to forge a crazy alloy that doesn’t get cut no matter how much you swing it around.

They can bring either abundant harvests or famines to a nation, pollute giant land masses, or taint vast lakes.

But only a handful of capable people can achieve such incredible feats.

Most capable individuals cannot perform these miracles that seem to transcend humanity.

The ones at the top of the pyramid, the high-tier capable people, can exhibit enormous abilities, but those below them are fortunate if they can merely imitate the skills of those above. They imitate, dabble at the surface… or even struggle beneath the wall of talent without being able to mimic at all.

Thus, the layers descend.

As the layers descend, the level of imitation drops too.

The ability possessed diminishes, and the skill one has declines.

Descending, descending, and descending…

Until finally reaching the lower tier of the pyramid.

To the layer where the most capable people gather.

Here, they can only exert a healthy physique more than an ordinary person, summon creatures as peculiar as household pets, or utilize beauty techniques that merely postpone skin aging…

Unusual, but just that alone.

‘Of course, it’s not bad.’

That’s not bad at all.

While weaker, special abilities still count as special abilities.

Depending on how one uses the energy, it implies benefits such as enhancing intelligence, improving health, or appearing younger.

Considering how the wealthy squander astronomical amounts of money on rare herbs to eke out a few more years of life, or how celebrities shell out jaw-dropping sums for skin treatments, or how students go to extremes to excel academically—it’s more of a blessing than a curse.

Yet are humans the kind of creatures who can feel satisfaction?

Wherever they go, people are always running towards the highest point.

While that could be framed as ambition, it can also be viewed as a moth to a flame.

Countless talented individuals chase after their dreams, wealth, and honor, unable to settle instead of continuously running. They burn out their own bodies, feeling the walls of environment and talent blocking them, yet they keep charging ahead as though there’s no other path.

So many race on and on.

Some advance as if there are no walls.

Some leap over walls effortlessly and press on.

Some break through walls entirely and some, with assistance, navigate side paths.

And the majority…

Becomes stuck by the walls, unable to proceed.

‘It’s a common sight.’

The man who would come to be called Huele was one of those painfully common souls.

Born into a wealthy family, he was hailed as a prodigy and genius from an early age, and he never placed lower than first in school.

Moreover, once it was discovered that he had talent in manipulating mana, his life was undoubtedly filled with blessings.

Indeed.

He was certainly a blessed person.

Gift.

Talent.

Like how talent is termed in English, he was born with the gift of blessings and talent. He was born with something remarkable that many would envy.

However, that blessing could also, at times, turn into a dreadful poison that drops a person from great heights, or a horrifying toxin that gnaws at the mind and sends one tumbling down.

That poison arises from comparison.

Comparing, measuring up, and at last, in the moment of defeat, a torrent of negativity swoops in, shattering the psyche.

The shock of realizing one’s own talent is insignificant, the horrific sense of defeat when fighting a greater adversary, the inferiority complex that comes when realizing the chasm of talent and acknowledging that victory is unattainable, the helplessness of envy toward others while feeling like drowning in water… and the despair that transforms a once joyous life into a hellish existence.

All those feelings destroy a person.

They turn once glorious talents into a mere boulder, stripping away their shine, leaving them unremarkable.

Thus, a once-gifted genius became a rock.

In a place crowded with those aspiring to be wizards, once called a genius, he realized how ordinary his own talents were, feeling starkly that he could never climb to the heights. The dream of becoming a wizard who would make his name in history faded away, leading him to live the life of an ordinary wizard.

Not a life of making incredible artifacts and becoming renowned as a wizard, nor a life of being treasured and conducting research at a research institute. Not a life of mastering battle magic while enjoying prestige, nor a life of sweating it out in the army to protect his homeland.

Just a simple life as a regular laborer.

He became one who contributes to the production of mass-produced artifacts, living the life of an ordinary wizard.

Yet, this could hardly be called a tragedy.

Isn’t it common for anyone and everyone to face disillusionment against the walls of talent?

Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the insurmountable walls of talent and perpetually challenging them, choosing to live a life where one feels just enough happiness is something seen everywhere.

Perhaps it was just a man who, in his naive youth, gave up his dream and chose reality.

While far removed from the ambition he had upon learning magic, he may have opted for a life of ordinary happiness with a generous salary.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

Rushing madly and arriving at a destination swiftly is a good thing.

But is it really a bad thing to reach one’s destination a bit slower?

Is it wrong to slow down, enjoying the beautiful scenery around?

To stroll slowly, savoring fresh air, marveling at the beauty of wildflowers along the roadside, and listening to the chirping of mountain birds?

No, it’s not.

He simply chose to live a life filled with simple happiness rather than one of success.

No one could claim that was wrong.

Thus, the man moved forward—ordinary yet happily.

He met a woman sharing his passions during a hobby and eventually got married, finding recognition at work and enjoying decent treatment. Sometimes, he felt a twinge of jealousy when those who had learned magic alongside him appeared on the news or magazines, but he quickly nodded and admired their success, recognizing them as individuals deserving of it.

He may have envied the successful but he never resented them, nor did he feel envy when he saw them flaunting their grand mansions and expensive cars on television.

He was living a happy life.

Not wealthy or exceptional, but happily alive.

He had a wife who shared his heart.

A baby on the way.

A car to drive them around, and a house to live in with them.

He was happy.

Ordinary yet happy…

But happiness is said not to last forever.

The man’s happiness came to an abrupt end.

His wife was killed in a collision at 200 km/h while high on drugs.

Even if happiness can’t last eternally, it was far too short… excruciatingly brief as it had come to an end.

And in that moment when happiness concluded.

What came to the man was a terrible tragedy.

 

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