I Couldn’t Afford to Buy Mana, so I Started Streaming

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“Hello? Yeah, Yuna. Why did you call?”

[Na-me-na-me! You’re going to the National Exchange Tournament! Wow, congrats!]

“You heard the news, huh? Thanks. But are you outside?”

[Yep! Right now, Mom, Seori, Ji-hye, and I are on vacation in Jeju Island after our exams. We just reached the top of Hallasan and are resting while eating gimbap! What about you?]

“Whoa, I was hiking too. Looks like we had some telepathy going on.”

[Really? Where are you?]

“There’s a place called Newtontoppen in the Svalbard Archipelago. It’s not as high as Hallasan, but it’s about the same as Seoraksan.”

[Oh, can you do a video call?]

“Uh… Just a sec.”

*Thud*

I firmly planted my ice axe into the ice and secured myself with the rope.

I lowered the scarf covering my mouth and stretched out my arm to switch to a video call.

[Wow! What’s that? Ice climbing? I think I saw this on TV last time! Hey guys, come quickly and check out Na-me!]

Seo Yu-na’s face lit up.

Soon, my other friends joined the call.

“Ji-hye, Seori, long time no see.”

[Wait, you’re climbing an ice mountain…?]

“Yeah. Want to see the view below?”

[Aaah!]

[Whoa, that’s insane. Aren’t you falling down?]

“Why would I fall? I can let go with both hands and feet like this.”

[Aaaahhhh!]

My friends were pretty excited.

After exchanging light greetings with my parents and updating each other, we ended the call.

“Looks like Sephiron Academy is all done with finals. How’s it going, Luri? It must be fun going to the academy with your friends?”

“Yeah… I guess it might be fun.”

Luri responded nonchalantly from the side.

It didn’t seem like she disliked her friends.

But it looked like school wasn’t all that exciting for her after all.

“Wait a minute, did you conquer your acrophobia yet?”

Newtontoppen is actually a very gentle mountain and is usually easy to climb by foot.

But how could I handle the 300m ice wall section made by the North Sea Ice Palace?

Faithful Luri joined me for the training course.

“Hey, I should be used to it by now. Just pay attention at high places. With all this safety gear, it doesn’t feel like much.”

*Shiver*

Luri’s hands were tightly gripping the rope.

I gently pushed her shoulder aside.

“Whoa.”

“Whaaa! No! I can’t fall! If I do, I’ll hit my head and maybe my brain will explode and I’ll die up here!”

“What are you even saying? Come on, we’re almost there, just a bit more! The guide is waiting.”

Being all tough, Luri was still cute.

Thirty minutes later, the first one to greet us on the cliff was Nureongi.

“Woof woof! Woof!”

“I won’t do this again…”

Wagging its tail energetically, it bounced around.

“Na-me! You did great!”

“Hehe, I did it!”

Professor Cheon rushed over and scooped me up.

“Wasn’t it tough?”

“A bit tiring. My arm strength has definitely decreased.”

“You should’ve been working out instead of relying on your aura.”

“True. How about we challenge the summit without using aura?”

“Oh come on, we’ve still got a long way to go. Didn’t your dad tell you to be careful?”

“Yes, I’ll manage. Please let me down to drink some water.”

I noticed the surroundings were quiet and looked over.

Saetbyeol was sprawled out, lying down on top of the backpack.

I ran to her quietly.

“Oy, bro… You’re here? It’s nice and warm here.”

“What? You were awake! I need water.”

“Water? I don’t know where it is. Want to drink my spit instead?”

I grimaced at the sight of her pink tongue filled with drool.

I scooped some snow from the ground and tossed it onto Saetbyeol’s face.

“Aaah! So cold!”

“Get up. Let’s get moving.”

“It’s really cold and exhausting… Is this what life is?”

Even though the summit was in sight, you couldn’t trust your distance perception in the Arctic.

Everything seemed close in the cold, clear air, but actually, we still needed to walk over endless fields of snow and ice.

“Let’s go, team!”

The North Sea Ice Palace guide shouted.

“Wouldn’t it be alright to do some trekking without any gear?”

So I withdrew the aura I had been using all over my body.

The limit came after just 15 minutes.

*Thud*

“Uh?”

With my strength drained, I dropped to my knees on the ice.

Have I really become this weak?

Is this what it feels like for a hulking athlete who gets in a car accident and lies in bed for six weeks, only to lift weights again?

“Na-me, are you struggling? Should I carry you?”

“N-no! I’m fine…!”

I staggered weakly across the snowy mountain.

While descending from Newtontoppen…

“Wow, everyone, look over there.”
“Hmm?”
“Polar bear.”
“Where where? Whoa, there it is…! So cute!”

The guides took out their small wands to keep an eye on the polar bear.

The bear, waddling toward us, suddenly turned 90 degrees, as if we weren’t relevant.

“What gives? Why is it leaving?”
“Maybe it’s thinking, ‘Oh great, another group of idiots.’”
“Ugh, I wanted to clash with it.”
“That’s why the poor bear ran away! Stop thinking such bad thoughts and act like a prey!”

By the time we returned to the accommodation, I was practically exhausted.

In the end, today’s ice climbing and trekking meant I couldn’t avoid using my aura 100%.

“How was the morning schedule? No health issues, I hope?”
“Oh, yes…! Thanks to your care, I’m fine. The mountain scenery was so pretty too.”
“Glad to hear it. Tonight, we’ll be measuring the physical abilities of NoName Wizard, and based on that, we’ll start the main training program tomorrow. You’re free to rest or explore until 10 PM.”
“Got it. This examination includes ESTRA and EPOCH testing, right?”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why we recommend refraining from using your aura for 12 hours for a more accurate EPOCH test. It’s okay to exercise, but your aura might naturally come out, you know? So it’s not highly recommended.”
“Understood.”
“That’s all for now! If you have any inconveniences during your stay, please let us know at any time!”

They say good service comes at a price.

Having paid a hefty fee for the two-week training camp at the North Sea Ice Palace, the service was splendid.

“Phew, can I really do this?”

I don’t doubt my abilities.

In my previous life, I fought against all kinds of veterans, so why would I be scared of just kids that are sixteen years old?

But there are no guarantees in sports.

Just like the time Manchester United lost 4-0 to a fourth division team a few days ago.

And humans are the kind of creatures that tremble at 0.1% of possibility.

“Last year’s matches weren’t easy either.”

Especially when it comes to Levi Huning Jr. in the qualifiers, Giselle Fischer in the semifinals, and Katsuhata Emika in the finals.

If I recall those matches, I was mostly fighting with all my might.

This year, with Aura Heart growing, the physical disparity should be less significant…

But that doesn’t mean I can underestimate them.

“Since we’re at it, I’d better give it my all. Hmm?”

Outside the meeting room, Saetbyeol was waiting for me.

She grabbed my wrists fiercely from behind.

“Are we not using aura today?”
“Oh, you heard? They said not to use it for the physical examination.”
“Hehe, I see! Let’s go eat at the buffet, Na-me!”
“I’m not really that hungry.”
“Oh no!”

Saetbyeol yanked my wrist upward.

My feet left the ground.

“Wha?”
“I brought my little sister all the way to this far Arctic! So we’re absolutely spending time together for a day, right, sis?”
“Uh… um…!”
“Let’s go, go, go!”

At this moment, I had no idea about Saetbyeol’s gradual corruption.

* * *

“I don’t want to eat romaine lettuce. Here, you eat it, Saetbyeol. Instead, I’ll give you a ton of olives that you like.”

At the restaurant, Saetbyeol stood up without a word and took my place behind me.

She firmly held my body with her left arm while she gripped my wrist with her right hand.

“Ugh.”
“Operation to hold the fork is a go.”
“I already heard that.”
“Zoom!”

*Crisp*

The chilling sensation and sound.

The sharp tines of the fork pierced the skin of the pepper.

“We all had one each. Now it’s your turn.”
“Eh!”

I couldn’t resist.

So I just tightly shut my mouth.

Why is she so strong?

Then she pressed my cheek with her hand.

My lips parted wide open.

“Uuughhh! Ubu suryuru!”

Even sending a desperate help call to Professor Cheon…

Shaking his head –

He sighed like a sub-lieutenant awaiting promotion.

*Chew chew*

It felt like my taste buds were being mocked.

“This is disgusting…”
“Yay! I succeeded in feeding Na-me the pepper!”
“Bring me meat.”

Saetbyeol’s torment continued into the afternoon.

While rolling around on the living room sofa watching Korean variety shows,

She detected me with her radar.

“Na-me! Let’s go sledding!”
“Sledding? Can’t we go with Luri? I’m tired and want to take a nap.”
“Let’s go instead!”
“Ughhhh…!”

Is this really the same Saetbyeol who was dying just until the morning?

She pounced on me and hugged me tightly like I was a pillow.

“Ugh! I can’t breathe.”
“I promise I won’t make you work hard, sis. I’ll pull the sled up, and you just have to steer from the front. How about that, sound good?”
“Why me? There’s Luri, and Dad, and Nureongi… although he’s sleeping.”

Just then, Luri came out of her room and passed through the living room.

“Help me, Luri…”
“Did you bring your socks? Quickly have Na-me wear them.”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Hey! What are you guys doing… ahhh, that tickles…!”

My siblings tied me up and forced me to change clothes.

They carried me on top of their heads and dashed to the top of the hill.

*Fwoosh*

“Aaaah!”
“Saetbyeol, where’s the brake on this? The brake?”
“Brake? No idea!”
“What do you mean you don’t know…!”

I desperately tried to stabilize the sled, but even that was pushing it.

“We’re gonna fall!”

*Eeeeek!*

In that moment, Saetbyeol hugged me tightly.

Embracing her, I tumbled into the snowy field.

“Hehe! I caught you well so you wouldn’t get hurt! I guess it was a sled without brakes.”

Saetbyeol beamed a smile with her messy hair.

I brushed off the dirt and snow stuck on my face and helped her back up.

“I told you, if you ride recklessly like this, you’re going to fall.”
“Eh, but it was fun! You’re fearless when using your aura, so you don’t enjoy stuff like this, right?”

I couldn’t deny her comment.

How long has it been since I screamed with joy while sledding?

*Thud thud*

“Sis, let’s go quickly.”

Luri grabbed my hand with another sled.

It seemed like the Arctic predators weren’t planning to let me off easily today.

“Fine, let’s go.”

I sprinted faster, surpassing Luri.

If my cute little sisters want to play with me, I’ll gladly join in!

* * *

“Aren’t you guys here to play with me…?”
“Eh, but with the National Exchange Tournament so close, we can’t be that shameless.”
“Sis, your posture is off. Straighten your back.”
“This is 10kg… half my body weight…”

I stared blankly at the light empty bag.

They want me to carry this without using my aura?

*Peeeeeep!*

But as soon as the whistle sounded, there was no time to think.

If I hesitate for even a moment, I’d face a tickle attack from Saetbyeol and Cheon Luri…

“Ughhh…! It’s heavy!”

Deadlifting 10kg.

To escape from these predators, I absolutely had to lift this today.