History's Strongest Manager Chapter 25

Translator's Ramblings:

Hey folks,

for the people who are already readers of HSManager and didn't read last chapter note (shame on you), Wuji kindly offered to house THIS chapter to help us get more readers. We will be back to our site after this, no changes.

For the Asian Hobbyist's readers, welcome and I hope you guys stick around after trying this chapter.

The novel involves more action than this chapter suggests though. Just so you don't think it is always this SOL feel. It has a pretty good blend of action and character building.

Ah, reading next chapter's Teaser (link at the bottom) can probably show you how the novel moves between the more fluffy atmosphere and a serious one.

Comment on the Forums and help us get more readers!

It was a story numerous Hunters and, obviously, civilians had never heard of. The two listened carefully, unable to understand how much weight the facts Kang-Joon spoke of carried.

"Therefore, Avatar is a double-edged power. If you master it you could be able to finish a task which takes a couple SS Rank, or higher, Awakens by yourself without even a.s.similating your Avatar."

"But… I don't know what I should do."

Although familiar with summoning the Avatar, using her powers while not summoning it wasn't any different from ordering her to grow wings. Kang-Joon then slowly explained.

"Before taking control of the Avatar does Ms. Gina fall asleep?"

"Yes."

"That state is called Trance. In that state the consciousness, while separated from the body, wields a supernatural power."

"Un."

"What I will say is in fact really easy."

Kang-Joon's explanation was indeed really simple.

"All you have to do is make it so only half of you falls in the Trance."

"Only… Half?"

Aran tilted her head hearing it. Those words signified one thing. It was no different from becoming half asleep .

"But humans aren't dolphins[1]."

"That's true. One must be able to move around in that state, therefore, it is inherently difficult. You can wield your powers in that state, and if you become familiar with it you would become able to use them while perfectly awake. If you can completely master this Half-Trance state you will be able to attain the reverse possession."

Activating the ability half way, then making use of it. It was a fairly dangerous idea. That is to say one would fight while half asleep, and had to make full use of their power. If the balance was messed up one would immediately take over their Avatar or come back to their body, one of them unavoidably happening.

It was like trying to beat the 100m's record carrying a teacup expecting the tea wouldn't spill out[2]. However, Choi Gina, seeing Kang-Joon's serious facial expression, couldn't muster any words to say.

It was the words of a colleague who died in the past with no others information left behind. And Gina herself didn't understand what they signified. However, Kang-Joon knew of one more detail about this.

"There is the slow and the fast way."

"That… What are they?"

"The slow way is doing the usual. To get used to the Trance using the Half-Trance method. It will take a long time, probably needing a long period only to be able to grasp a feeling."

"The fast way?"

Kang-Joon explained simply.

"Injecting OD-3 solution in your cervical vertebra."

"Wait! What?"

"An Aether drug initially used when overdriving a Awaken abilities, originally injected in the blood vessels when injected in the cervical vertebra one's mind enters a period of extreme awareness. I heard from Chloe it was easy to enter the Half-Trance state during that time."

Despite not even knowing what it was, Gina was already terrified.

"I-Isn't that… Dangerous?"

"There are no risks involved. Don't Awakens absorb Aether to strengthen their powers from the start? Although, well…"

Kang-Joon then spoke a little hesitant.

"It hurts a lot."

Aran was already used to pain and showed no specific reactions to that words, while Gina's face, who had no memories of living through something similar, turned dead white.

"It is not obligatory. And the OD-3 solution is a little expensive. A set is approximately US $10,000. All I am doing is present the choices, so try giving it some thought."

"T-Ten thousand?!"

Although it was known the majority of the items in the Hunter industry were expensive, $10,000 was enough to bring Gina a wave of dizziness. That wasn't the price of a single injection, one set of the injection's solution was $10,000. If you calculate per dose, each injection was about $500.

"Of course, just so you know, the cost will be later deducted from the money Ms. Gina make…"

Gina panicked for multiple reasons, overwhelmed. The company had no obligation of paying the costs of developing their abilities. There was no other way, after all, that was nothing but a contract worth 3 years. Without being able to use the Avatar Gina was nothing but a common 20-something woman with ordinary physical strength, hunting being out of reach.

One had to develop a special ability somehow in order to work on the field. And her short lifespan could be replenished by absorbing Aether, because of those reasons this was a decision who involved more than simply her life. In then end, Gina, because of the pressure of cash and the fear of facing the pain, decided to try it without the part of using the drugs.

Kang-Joon too didn't force her remembering Chloe crawling on the floor as if all her body's bones had melted after being injected with the OD-3 solution. Gina sat in a corner of the training hall motionless, starting to use her effort despite being completely clueless.

"Then Ms. Aran."

"Yes."

"Ms. Aran's personal battle level is outstanding in many ways. And, looking only at the body reinforcement's level it is equivalent to a low C Rank Knight."

That signified an excellent potential. As Knights strengthened their enhanced bodies as they absorbed Cubes, it meant that, even if the amount absorbed was small, their enhanced bodies would continuously get stronger as long as they repeated the process.

"As such, we will learn how to make proper use of that reinforcement through repeated training."

"Yes."

Aran was expressionless, but inside she was curious about what training she would be going through in the end. Her hands sweating slightly.

Kang-Joon carried something from an equipment box in one side of the training area. And Aran raised a slight frown seeing it. Kang-Joon was an ordinary Hunter, but he saw how many of the most varied ability users trained, directly a.s.sisting them. Now Choi Gina was in the middle of using Chloe's training method, while Maria's will be taught to Aran.

Taking off the cloth covering the items in a corner of the training area, something she was familiar with appeared.

"Isn't that… a baseball shooter?"

"That is right. It is a pitching machine."

"How would that…"

"You will practice activating the body reinforcement at the correct timing matching the moment it flies thought the air. There is nothing like this to practice reaction speed and body reinforcement control."

Maria, while repeatedly using and deactivating the body reinforcement within moments in front of the pitching machine, become familiar with which place and how much power one had to employ. Even Knights, who received a body modification, would quickly exhaust themself if they kept using the body reinforcement all the time.

However, despite all of that, Kang-Joon would now be hitting a 18-year-old child with a baseball in front of a pitching machine. Even if you are used to pain, this was part of the instinctual fear of being hit.

"Doing it too fast will be a failure, and by doing it too late you will be hit by the ball. The goal, the exact timing, is to activate it when the distance between the body and the ball becomes about 30cm. Reinforcing other parts of your body is also a failure. You must predict the region the ball will hit and reinforce nothing but that area. We will gradually reduce the distance until we reach the last goal of 1cm. Although Ms. Aran possess a C Rank body reinforcement now, If you can master this you could reach up to B- efficiency."

Aran instantly a.n.a.lyzed what she heard and her eyes brightened. Activating the body reinforcement as needed in the required regions. If that is achieved it would allow one to concentrate in a small area and use the reinforcement factor with more efficiency. It is a method where simply through the reinforcement control one could employ power stronger than their original ability.

Aran actually received a similar lesson at the Temple, so she knew Kang-Joon's method would indeed display results.

Kang-Joon then added a few more words.

"If you master doing it with the ball we can then start hitting you with a whip."

"It seems I have to report you to the cops after all."

Aran mercilessly walked in the door's direction in big strides.

"Waaaaaaaait!"

Kang-Joon broke out in cold sweat for a while trying to keep Aran in place.

A whip hit enemies in an instant breaking through the speed of sound, and its landing point is very hard to predict. As such, it was a training which couldn't be done without a Knight's reflexes which transcends a human being's. Using a hammer or another damaging weapon would be dangerous because of the recoil impact which would hit Kang-Joon, therefore, the whip was the most appropriate choice.

"Guoooo!"

Choi Gina was in the middle of grunting trying any way to finish the task which wasn't going well.

Seo Aran stood in front of the pitching machine waiting for it to be operated.

"Please give me your hand."

"I must know if you are indeed reinforcing only the exact part the ball hit."

Kang-Joon grasped her hand. In order to confirm at all times the hands weren't being reinforced. He then activated the pitching machine using a control. Aran suddenly gritted her teeth.

-Clank, Clank, Clank, Clank

"I will take care of avoiding or blocking the ones in my direction, so Ms. Aran should focus in the incoming ball."

"Yes."

-Bang

The first baseball was launched by the pitching machine.

-Pak!

And, together with a light sound, Aran was. .h.i.t directly in the abdomen. Kang-Joon realized Aran didn't lose control of her body strengthening as the hand he was holding was soft. And was honestly impressed.

"Oh, you blocked it well from the start."

Even though Aran raised a slight frown she didn't cry out in pain.

The ball was fired once again, and

-Pak!

sounds rang. Kang-Joon realized something was wrong when the 'Pak!' sound rang for the fourth time.

If it was blocked by a reinforced body the noise of hitting the flesh wouldn't be 'Pak!', a 'Thump!' sound would emerge. Because with the body reinforcement activated the body was hardened to a tremendous degree.

In Maria's case she was extremely tense in the first time activating her entire upper body, however, Aran couldn't use reinforce her body at all.

"Concentrate!"

"I can't."

-Pak!

Aran didn't scream once while continuously receiving baseb.a.l.l.s with her unprotected body. Kang-Joon caught a baseball flying at himself with his right hand wearing a glove then refocused in Aran giving her his continuous attention. She could endure pain a million times worse than this degree from the start.

The heart was running like crazy, therefore, it was obvious the reinforcement wouldn't happen. Nevertheless, the person concerned, the one disrupting her concentration, was unaware grasping her right hand firmly all the while scolding and telling her to concentrate.

Being hit for a long while, Aran was able to activate the body reinforcement at last.

-Thump!

The baseball hit Aran's shoulder and bounced off.

-Pak!

"Kyaaa!"

Then hit Choi Gina, who was meditating pitifully in the corner, straight in the head. Gina, who was seated, collapsed sideways with a thud.

"I-It hurts…"

And at the same time, the magical girl, Acacia, jumped out from Choi Gina's body rolling in the floor. It was and odd scene to fall in Trance rather than awakening from it.

Aran was still reinforcing the whole body completely lost, unable to turn it off.

It was a mess in various ways.

Read Chapter 26's Teaser and see what is coming next!

Translation's Notes:

Dolphins, they are weird too:

Well, I had no idea of dolphins were able to do such weird thing. But it seems dolphins are able to live in a half awake status where they are able to do a lot of things while using half of their brain while the other sleeps. Each sleeping for 4 hours/day.

"There are three main reasons why dolphins may have evolved this sleeping style, the review noted. First, dolphins would likely drown if they didn't keep half of their brain active, because their breathing is always consciously controlled.

Second, unihemispheric slow-wave sleep allows the animals to look out for danger while they rest.

Third, this type of sleep allows the dolphin to keep up certain physiological processes, such as muscle movement, that helps the warm-blooded mammal maintain the body heat it needs to survive in the frigid ocean."

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Idioms - How will I deal with them:

I took some liberties in this idiom. The original could be directly translated as:

'Like running as fast as one can hoping the tea would not overflow.'

Meaning it would be like doing the impossible. It was okay but kinda vague. Honestly the version I used sounds pretty good and is easy to grasp the meaning. You can feel that is certainly something impossible.

That will be what I will be going to do in the future. If the idiom makes sense (some don't) and I can use them with some changes I will do so. First because I find them amusing and second because looking for another 'english' idiom can be time-consuming and even then still might miss the correct meaning.

Feedback on this is, of course, welcome. I will try to not go overboard but you never know. Really, you guys gotta keep me in check…

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