I Am A Wizard Who Can Travel Between Earth And The Other World-Chapter 23 - Portals of Power

Without hesitation, he cast the spell he had prepared earlier. From the moment he stepped out of the car, he had been weaving magic, and when the van arrived, he'd begun crafting an additional spell. Gin had bought him just enough time.

With a low hum of energy, he unleashed the second spell.

A deafening crack of thunder echoed as a bolt of lightning struck the center of the men who had emerged from the van.

The streak of blinding light tore through the air, hitting the ground and branching out like a living thing.

The energy spread in a web of electric arcs, ensnaring all eight of them.

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes sparkling as she added, "I find you more fascinating, though. You're so calm. Even earlier, you didn't flinch. How do you stay so composed?"

"Is that so?" Gin mused. From her perspective, it probably did seem unusual. Without thinking, he spoke again, following another impulsive thread.

"I'm not exactly an ordinary person myself."

Alberta's curiosity deepened, her gaze sharp and inquisitive. "Oh? Then what are you?"

Gin's lips curved into a sly grin. "A genius."

She froze, caught off guard. It wasn't the answer she'd expected. His tone hovered somewhere between jest and sincerity, making it impossible to discern whether he was joking.

"People like me don't get easily shaken," he continued. "In any situation, calculations come first. There's no time to panic when your mind is busy working through solutions."

Alberta stared at him, momentarily stunned. Then, snapping out of it, she laughed. "Do people ever tell you how insufferable and boring you sound?"

She tried to play it off as a joke, but inwardly, she thought the exact opposite. His unshakable confidence was oddly captivating.

This is bad. I've got it bad, she thought, silently berating herself.

Gin shrugged nonchalantly. "There's no one around to say such things. I prefer being alone."

His response caught her off guard again. What was she supposed to say to that? The conversation was growing more challenging by the moment.

But Gin's faint smile suggested he didn't mind. "It's fine. Solitude suits me."

Alberta frowned slightly, unsure how to steer the conversation in a new direction. Before she could think of something, Gin helped her out.

"What happens to the man we captured earlier? You're not handing him over to the police, are you?"

Her expression stiffened. It was a sensitive topic, one she wasn't eager to discuss. "You do have a knack for asking difficult questions," she said carefully.

Gin only chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. He hadn't asked for an answer—he was merely curious.

"By the way," he said, changing the subject, "I'm interested in that martial art you mentioned earlier."

Alberta's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?"

Gin nodded and stood from his seat. "I'll reach out to you later about it."

Her excitement quickly turned to alarm. "W-wait, you're leaving?"

"It's late. If I don't get some rest, I won't be able to work tomorrow," he said matter-of-factly.

Alberta stared at him, a mix of frustration and disbelief on her face. She couldn't shake the thought: This can't be it. He's leaving just like that? After everything?

Despite the signals she had been sending, Gin left without a second thought, leaving her behind in a whirlwind of confusion and exasperation.

Outside, Gin breathed in the cool night air, a rare, satisfied smile crossing his face.

"I resisted the impulse," he muttered to himself. He had managed to rein in his emotions, something he considered a small but important victory. For the first time in a while, he felt like a proper mage again.

Having resisted his impulses once, Gin now felt a newfound confidence that he could do so again. With firm determination, he strode forward, his steps steady and purposeful.

The next morning, Alberta left her house earlier than usual. There were no fixed hours to her work, but today, curiosity had driven her to the office at dawn.

Her official affiliation was with Young Corporation, meaning she should technically be reporting to their main headquarters. Within Young, there was a specialized division known as the Special Resource Management Department, a unit where ability users like her worked alongside regular employees who handled support and logistical tasks.

But instead of heading to Young's offices, she drove toward the portal facility, a secluded and heavily guarded site.

This location was used for operations too secretive to be conducted elsewhere—and it was likely where the men captured last night were being held.

She had already been briefed that morning: all of them had survived and regained consciousness.

No deaths. That should've been reassuring, but as she drove, Alberta couldn't stop replaying the events of the previous night.

If not for the perfectly timed strike of lightning, she would've been captured, and Gin would likely have been killed.

The thought alone sent a chill down her spine.

But was that lightning truly just luck? Alberta didn't think so. Someone had intervened—she was sure of it. And though the possibility seemed slim, part of her suspected that someone might have been Gin himself.

These thoughts swirled in her mind as she pulled into the facility and made her way to the underground holding cells.

Even in the early hours, Michael was already there. The seasoned operative looked up as she entered, his expression grim.

"These bastards are tough," he muttered, frustration etched into his features. "They're not saying a word."

"So we've learned nothing?" Alberta asked, her tone sharp.

Michael's face darkened further. "The one who seemed to be their leader... he's dead."

"What?" Alberta's eyes widened. "I didn't hit him hard enough to kill him."

"He took his own life," Alberta explained. "Not poison, though. Looked like he used his ability."

"An ability that lets you commit suicide?" Alberta's disbelief was evident. "That's even possible?"

"Apparently, it is. Don't ask me how it works—I'm as clueless as you are," Alberta replied with a shrug.

"And the others?"

"They're small fry. They don't know anything."

Alberta sighed heavily and continued, "The team's morale is in shambles. This has never happened before. Everyone's rattled, and some are even talking about leaving for the Shadow Realm. They think it might be safer there."

"Safer?" Alberta scoffed. "That place is crawling with monsters. If anything, it's more dangerous."

"I know that," Michael said, raising his hands defensively. "But they're scared. No one's actually serious about it. It's just the panic talking."

Alberta's expression hardened. The thought that this incident might end unresolved gnawed at her. If they couldn't gather any useful information, they had no way of predicting when—or if—the next attack would come.

As if reading her mind, Michael added, "By the way, remember the report about someone following us into the portal last time?"

Alberta nodded. She'd heard about it but hadn't given it much thought.

"Well, it seems that person has a stealth ability."

"A stealth ability?" Alberta repeated, her brows furrowing. "And you're saying they used it here, on Earth?"

Michael nodded grimly. "It looks like ability users are starting to manifest their powers on this side of the portal."

"What about you?" she asked.

Michael let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. "I haven't figured out how to do it yet. Damn it, I used to think it wasn't even possible."

Alberta nodded slowly, her expression serious. "For now, no one should act alone. Call everyone together. Maybe we'll come up with a plan if we put our heads together."

Michael gave a curt nod and left to carry out her orders.

Alone in the dimly lit room, Jin-hee leaned against the wall, her mind racing. For a moment, Gin's face flashed into her thoughts. He had called himself a genius, hadn't he? Perhaps he could provide insight or advice—something to help in this situation.

She glanced down at the phone in her hand, hesitating. Her fingers brushed the screen as she mulled over the idea. Should she reach out to him?

--*--*--

At the break of dawn, Gin rose early, unlocking the doors to his café as the first golden rays of sunlight stretched across the city. His routine remained unchanged—preparing the space, tidying up, and overseeing his employees as they arrived one by one. Once everything was in motion, he settled into his usual spot, a corner by the window, and opened a book.

Yesterday had been a success. A new spell—one designed to enhance durability—had been put to the test in a real-world scenario, and the results had exceeded expectations. A car had slammed into the rear of another, its front end crumpled beyond recognition, and yet, Baek Jinhee's vehicle had remained unscathed. The two passengers inside had felt nothing more than a slight jolt, completely unaware of the devastating impact that should have occurred.

Now, only one task remained—refining the enchantment into a passive ability. He couldn't afford to continuously allocate mental energy to it. Today, as he delved into medical texts, he planned to let the process unfold naturally.

A peculiar sensation had been stirring within him lately. His magic core tingled—a sign he recognized all too well. It was the same feeling that always came just before breaking through a threshold. Yet, this time, it was different. Something immense was on the horizon, a shift so profound that even he could not predict its full extent. His ongoing research in medicine, he suspected, would play a crucial role in overcoming this invisible wall.

Had it not been for the brief yet intense encounters in the hidden world, he doubted he would have reached this stage so quickly. The mere memory of those battles sent a thrill through him, anticipation coiling like a tightly wound spring. His magic core pulsed, as if echoing that excitement.

"I need to focus."

With a deep breath, Gin set aside the book he had finished and gathered the research papers that had arrived that morning. He immersed himself in them, letting the dense text consume his attention—until he noticed something.

A heat in the air. Eyes upon him.

It wasn't unusual for him to attract attention, but today was different. The stares felt heavier, more intense. The number of onlookers hadn't changed, yet their focus had sharpened.

Lifting his gaze, he surveyed the café. Normally, those caught staring would quickly avert their eyes. But today, they didn't. They met his gaze without hesitation, their curiosity unmasked. Even Wayn and Leslie, both usually preoccupied with work, stole glances at him whenever they could.

His brow furrowed slightly. What had changed?

The thought lingered. Now that he considered it, something had felt off for a few days. Seoyoung had even brought him a sandwich unprompted. The atmosphere around him had subtly shifted.

It was unmistakable now—something within him had altered.

And he knew exactly when it had begun. Ever since his encounters in the hidden world, he had been acutely aware of his own transformation. Perhaps this evolution was what had drawn such reactions from those around him.

"Boss, are you skipping lunch again today?"

Seoyoung's voice interrupted his thoughts. She had approached without him noticing.

Gin shook his head. "No, I'll eat today. Actually, do you have time to join me? I need to ask you something."

Her eyes lit up, and for a moment, he wondered if she might nod hard enough to strain her neck. "Of course! Just a second—I'll let Seohyun know."

As expected, Seohyun would have to hold down the café alone while they stepped out. A few moments later, Seoyoung returned, looking victorious despite Seohyun's envious glare.

"We can go now."

As they exited the café together, Gin could still feel the weight of the lingering stares behind him.

They dined at an upscale restaurant, one far nicer than their usual choices. Gin allowed Seoyoung to settle in before beginning the meal, though she hardly needed encouragement. Throughout their lunch, she talked freely, eager to fill any silence.

He didn't mind. Her presence made the meal more lively than he had expected.

Once their plates were cleared and drinks were served, he finally voiced the question that had been weighing on him.

"Have I changed recently?"

The inquiry was casual, but Seoyoung answered without hesitation.

"Yes! You've definitely changed."

Gin tilted his head slightly. "How?"

She paused, as if searching for the right words. "You've always been attractive—handsome, well-built, and incredibly composed."

A quiet cough escaped him. Compliments had never affected him before, yet something about her matter-of-fact tone caught him off guard.

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"Most of our regular customers come just to see you, you know." Seoyoung's lips curled into a small smirk. "But lately, there's something else. Something...wild."

"Wild?"

She nodded, struggling to articulate the thought. "It's hard to explain. Like... a dangerous aura? Not exactly a 'bad boy' look, but something close to it. Do you get what I mean?"

He didn't. Not entirely.

But he had a good guess as to why.

The battles he had fought in the hidden world had left their mark. He had wielded raw, untamed magic—power that pulsed with chaos, primal and unrefined. That experience had seeped into his very essence, altering his presence in ways he hadn't yet fully grasped.

More changes would come. Of that, he was certain. But he wasn't troubled. Every time he had broken past a limit, his magic had shifted. It was a natural process, one he had long since mastered.

'If I refine it properly, it might even be an advantage.'

Even without this conversation, he had already suspected as much. But he had wanted to confirm it. And, if he were to be honest, he had also simply wanted an excuse to have lunch with her.

'Was that... impulse?'

The thought made him chuckle. He didn't need to analyze every stray whim. If he obsessed over every impulse, he risked being consumed by them.

'Magic is never simple.'

It was a realization he had never truly considered before.

With a quiet, satisfied smirk, Gin took a final sip of his drink, savoring the moment.