ReLife Player

[A world where mana is power].

When I turned four, I realized that I had a little more mana in my body. At first, it wasn’t uncommon for me to lose my mind whenever I dealt with mana, but as time went on, I was able to hold on for longer periods of time.

«Wow.»

That’s it for today.

Feeling lightheaded, Eunha released the mana he had been storing in his body.

Mana is like alcohol. In moderation, it can be beneficial, but too much can be poisonous.

When gathering mana, drink slowly and don’t gulp it down. This can lead to a mana overload, where your body can’t keep up and begins to collapse.

You don’t want to end up with a hole in your stomach from your youthful ambitions.

Some people say that you need to collect mana to break the film in order to increase the mana in your body, but if you want to wake up the next morning in one piece, you need to practice moderation.

Unless you want to sleep with a bunch of guys bare-chested.

This is definitely not a story of personal experience.

Oh, shit. Tears are blinding me.

«So, I guess this isn’t much different than before the regression.»

Before the regression, studies had shown that the more you manipulated mana from a young age, the more mana you had in your body.

However, this is my second life, even if he handled mana from a young age, he didn’t think he would surpass his own body mana before regression.

Give up and admit it.

It was a maxim of the player world.

Everyone is born with different amounts of mana.

Everyone is equal in mana. The amount of mana you’re born with doesn’t depend on your parents’ power or wealth.

And in this monster-infested world, mana was both equal and discriminatory.

Everyone is born with mana, but some people are born with enough mana to perform spectacular magic, while others are born with just enough mana to breathe and live.

In a world where there is no escape from the threat of monsters, mana in the body becomes strength, power, and wealth, creating an invisible hierarchy among people.

Effort and results are not proportional.

Effort has its limits.

Especially when it’s mana.

All beings are born with a limit to how much mana they can hold.

That’s why the unbridgeable gap between those with more mana and those with less widens.

So stop trying and give up.

Recognize. Your. Own. Limitations.

The world of players who use mana to destroy monsters is a world where natural talent and sense are everything.

It was a world where effort betrayed talent, where those without talent would die no matter how hard they tried.

The reason why he was able to survive in such a world was because he had a natural sense after all.

«I’m back!»

What about my sister, on the other hand.

When Eunha saw the amount of mana in her body, he was horrified in a good way. There was always an uncontrollable flow of mana.

Her young body couldn’t hold it all, so she was releasing it unconsciously.

How much would it increase when she grew up?

«…The more I look at it, the more amazing it is.»

«Huh? What?»

«Nothing, but sis, why are you pulling on my arm?»

«I’m going to play with the neighborhood kids! You should come!»

«I’m staying home to rest.»

«Heyyy, let’s go~»

«Haa….»

Even though I was 32 years old and she 4 years older than me, Euna could not be beaten.

☆

Euna hummed a song with a strange beat and took him to a playground near her house.

«Guys, I’m home!»

«Hi, Euna.»

«Euna, hello!»

«Euna, come here!»

As soon as the children at the playground saw Euna, they came running like puppies to meet their master.

If he hadn’t pulled away from Euna earlier, he would have been swept up in the crowd of children.

I don’t want to babysit.

Euna was a favorite among the children, but she was also loved by the neighbors.

My sister is pretty, taking after her mother.

But what about Eunha himself?

With his father’s wild eyes, unstable appearance, and the fact that he often says he’s bothered or wants to go home, he’s not likely to get any attention.

He was lucky if he didn’t scare the kids.

«You didn’t have to come.»

«I didn’t want to come either.»

Then Minji, who was playing in the sand with other girls her age, approached.

The two were childhood friends who were practically enemies.

Their words were crude and harsh.

But what was she doing playing with them?

Suddenly intrigued, Eunha cast her gaze to the sandy beach where Minji was playing.

The girls, whose faces he had seen a few times before, were playing in the sand with serious expressions on their faces.

As the conversation went on:

«This thing, I would never give it to a lowly thing like you.»

«Mother!»

«Who’s your mother!»

«…I’ll be good, so you won’t worry….»

«Is this real… You really can’t understand words? Our son has a bright future ahead of him. But do you think someone who grew up without parents like you would fit in?»

«Mother….»

«That’s it, eat this and get lost, I hope you never show up in front of me again.»

Why a scene from a morning soap opera is unfolding in front of me.

«…What is that.»

«They’re playing a game, can’t you see?»

Were the play-pretend games of children really so devoid of dreams and hope?

Of course, in this world, all dreams and hopes are lost in the face of monsters.

«Can I join in?»

Why, why, why.

Why does my older sister want to join in?

At least the girls were acting with a lot of energy.

I felt like I was watching a morning drama in front of me.

So Euna’s interest in playing with the girls was understandable.

But still!

This is the real deal, I’m telling you!

«No, don’t join in, sister.»

«…How cruel.»

He couldn’t let her sister get caught up in the drama until he got dirt in his eyes.

«Even if you play it, it’s useless. Please just continue to grow up the way you are now, older sister.»

«Huh?»

«Then what are you going to do?»

Why are you interrupting me?

«Why should I decide that?»

«Because Euna can’t play because of you.»

I really don’t like you.

He glared, and Min-ji returned the glare.

«Haa….»

Eunha looked around at the children who had gathered around him.

All the kids who were playing separately had gathered together.

The sister effect is amazing. What is it, a magnet?

«…Since there are so many of us, let’s play cops and thieves.»

«Cops and robbers?»

The kids scratched their heads.

How could they not recognize cops and thieves?

Unsurprised, Eunha explained to the children in the park about cops and thieves.

The rules are simple. The police would catch the thief and put him in jail. The thief could then break the cops out of jail without the cops realizing it.

«So we’ll have to divide the population between cops and thieves.»

The one who could organize the assertive kids would have to be the one with the most influence.

Min-ji and Euna decided to split up and lead the cops and thieves.

«Then Eunha will be a cop….»

«I’ll be the thief, sis.»

«Then I’ll be the cop, Minji, I’ll be the cop.»

«Okay, then. You be the cop, I’ll be the thief.»

As soon as they started, I should be caught and rest comfortably.

The two of them accepted it easily without knowing his true intentions.

And so the game began.

Before long, the playground was filled with the shouts of the fleeing thief and the police chasing him. Children who had heard the shouting also joined in, and the number of players grew from the beginning.

«…Ah, this is easy.»

Meanwhile, Eunha was caught by the police just as he had planned. Hauled off to jail, he sat on the ground, idly watching the children play. The thieves were being led to the jail one after another as the police made a good effort.

That’s when Minji sneaks up on them, out of sight of the police.

«You guys, run! I’ll guard the house. Bye bye~»

«You idiot, it’s not a house, it’s a prison!»

Who doesn’t know that?

Eunha sighed when he saw Minji frowning.

«if we leave the prison, they will have a difficult time escaping and will probably end up back in the prison. Then, one person should stay behind to guard the house/prison while the others try to escape»

«What nonsense are you saying?»

Who comes up with such nonsensical things?

Surely even noona (older sister) wouldn’t say things like Min-ji.

I hope she grows up adorably.

«Guys~!

«Hey, guys! Min-ji is here!»

Do your best to deal with this.

«Catch Minji!»

«It’s Min-ji! She broke the thieves out of jail!»

«Eunha, you’re the worst!»

«Yes, thank you~»

Min-ji, who had broken the thieves out of jail, was the police’s first priority.

The police rushed in after hearing Eunha’s report.

Min-ji glared at him, ready to kill him, and escaped the prison before they could catch her.

In the meantime, Euna shouted,

«Eunha, you’re under arrest!»

«…I’m already in jail.»

«But you still escaped, right?»

«Well, kind of.»

If this were reality, the prison doors were open so they could escape at any time.

Of course, he had no intention of running away.

Still, he mimicked Euna putting on the handcuffs.

«Wait for me after I’m done. Don’t go ahead like last time.»

«Okay, okay, I won’t leave you behind.»

«Promise!»

Euna made a last-ditch effort to lock his cell, then ran to grab Min-ji.

«…I won’t let you go.»

She was quite angry at being chased by several people, and her eyes were quite red, but she tried not to cry and kept her eyes open.

Poisonous, poisonous.

But you can see that she’s trying to not cry.

Whatever.

«I don’t care»

You’ll experience the same thing someday. I don’t know who started saying it, but it’s nonsense that sticks to your mouth.

☆

«Well, see you tomorrow~!»

«Bye guys!»

«Eunha, I won’t let you go!»

«Bye everyone~!»

In the middle of it, there was the sound of peace mixed in.

When they finished playing cops and robbers, the sun had already set. The kids who had sweated a lot today went back home.

«Let’s go too~»

«What a mess.»

«Ehehe….»

With a sigh, Eunha brushed off Euna’s clothes. Waving her hand, Euna saw the children off until the end, and there wasn’t a spot on her that wasn’t covered in dirt.

«You had fun today, didn’t you?»

«Yeah.»

Half a day in jail wasn’t so bad.

Maybe next time I’d bring a book.

«Let’s play again tomorrow.»

«If we have time.»

I must have had an unusually good day.

Looking at the smiling Euna, he felt like nodding his head in agreement.

So he nodded appropriately.

I almost let it go, but I can’t.

Tomorrow will be just as noisy as today.

My sister coming home from elementary school, holding my hand and running to the playground.

He knows better than anyone how precious the monotony of everyday life is.

So he wanted to protect this life.

He wanted to keep the things he had helplessly lost before his regression.

So,

«Krrr….»

«…No, i- it’s o-okay.»

A wild dog jumped out on the way home.

Euna was on the verge of crying, but she was purposely putting on a strong front so that Eunha wouldn’t be scared.

«Let’s go! Just walk!»

Her voice trembled and she couldn’t deceive anyone.

Even her legs were shaking.

Why did she call herself ‘noona’ and step forward for no reason?

Who had stepped forward to protect him?

No one. Before regression, he considered anyone who stood in front of him as an enemy.

He was too strong for anyone to step forward to defend him.

So it was strange to see Euna, so small and young, step forward.

Strange?

No, no, no.

He remembered a similar scene.

In his past life, he saw his sister clinging to him to protect him as the car plunged under the bridge.

That was her. That’s what she was like. That’s who my sister was.

«…It’s okay, Eunha.

«…It’s okay, Euna.»

Their voices overlapped.

Even the tremble in them.

«…It’s okay.»

‘What’s okay about it? I’ll protect you, Noona.’

«…Huh?»

«I’ll protect you.»

«…Huh?»

In this life, I will protect you. I’ll recover everything we lost.

With renewed determination, he stepped forward, hiding Euna behind his back.

«Krrr… Woof! Woof!’

Should he really lose to the neighborhood dogs?

Eunha drew on the mana in his body.

Mana surging through his body.

All he wanted was the power to protect his family.

The mana, imbued with an image, became as sharp as a blade and began to take on substance, even visible to others.

«Krr….»

I can kill you.

The blade-like mana warned in unison.

«Gr….»

The dog, unable to withstand the pressure, eventually lowered its tail and ran away.

«Leave this to me.»

He was still small, but he would eventually grow bigger than his sister.

He lifted his hand and gently petted Euna’s head with his fingertips.

«Eunha, now….»

Euna looked down at Eunha with a bewildered expression, her eyes brimming with the tears she had been holding back earlier.

«I’m strong, don’t worry.»

I wonder if I looked a little bit believable.

I hope so. Even though I was 32 years old and four years older in spirit, a man wants to look strong in front of a woman.

Feeling a little fancy, Eunha started walking home.

Then, a strike hit him from behind

«─Kuuk!»

Eunha, who had been walking with a false sense of form, fell to the ground.

«What is that? That’s mana, right!? I want to do it too! Teach me!»

«Don’t you have to be moved and look at me again like ‘my litle brother is so cool’ at a time like this?»

I mean, if she were my sister, she’d be like.

«Okay, okay. I was going to tell you and teach you anyway.»

«Yay!»

The two of them held hands and headed home, their path dyed with the sunset.

Their adventure will continue in the next lesson.

To Be Continued─.

─Continuation my ass.

Upon returning home, Eunha realized that while Euna had been gifted with an immense amount of mana, she had no sense of how to use it.

The world does not give one person two talents.

Recalling the proverb that existed before the 21st century, Eunha thought that this world isn’t quite equal either.