Awakened as a Money-Spending Genius Enhancer - Chapter 61

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 61

 

Chapter 61. Throwing It Around Like Monopoly Money

 

“Sigh…, but I’m the one who feels burdened by all this.”

 

The sponsorship offers that had flooded in through his YouTube channel.

 

As he roughly skimmed through those messages, Kang Hoon let out a breath.

 

“Money and land. They’re throwing it around like Monopoly money. No wonder all the S-ranks flock to the United States.”

 

Before his awakening, during his days as an ordinary person.

 

Kang Hoon couldn’t understand Hunters who abandoned their birth country to naturalize elsewhere.

 

“When they offer such large sums of money without hesitation… I can understand why people would be swayed.”

 

As soon as they received S-rank evaluations and their value skyrocketed, many went to the United States, China, Japan, Russia.

 

Sometimes even to the United Kingdom.

 

This wasn’t just Korea’s problem.

 

S-rank Hunters born in smaller, weaker countries were inevitably sold off.

 

For them, joining a developed nation as quickly as possible was the right answer.

 

If they remained in weak countries, they’d become targets for suppression.

 

Kidnapping incidents were all too common.

 

S-rank Hunters were national assets and power itself.

 

Enhancement Specialists like Kang Hoon, who could boost the ‘Strength’ of fellow Hunters, were even more so.

 

But Kang Hoon had no intention of going anywhere.

 

Lucky was sprawled out on the living room sofa.

 

Lying on top of that large furball.

 

“As expected, nowhere appeals to me.”

 

He simply fiddled with his mobile phone.

 

“I never planned to go anywhere anyway. But somehow I have an ominous feeling about this?”

 

The pile of sponsorship messages.

 

Not a single place among them appealed to him.

 

It was the same regardless of which country, organization, or conditions were offered.

 

It was the same feeling he’d had when he met that blonde beauty Scouter sent by the Pentagon.

 

How should he put it.

 

‘This is something I shouldn’t choose’.

 

That was his intuition.

 

“Hmm. Intuition… Well, this might be one of my Maximized Senses too.”

 

With that thought, Kang Hoon let his imagination run wild.

 

Wasn’t it like that in the movie Spider-Man?

 

When danger was detected, his hair would stand on end!

 

In Kang Hoon’s case, who had awakened as an Enhancement Specialist instead of being bitten by a spider.

 

Maybe when he saw a bad deal, he’d started making ‘ugh’ sounds.

 

“Hahaha.”

 

The thought amused him.

 

Enough to pat Lucky’s fluffy belly.

 

* * *

 

[Stop Ignoring S-rank Dealers While Praising Enhancement Specialists]

 

It was a post that appeared on the Hunter Community just past midnight.

 

[Is Cheongjeong running viral marketing? S-rank Hunters had to defeat Krakens and fight on sinking ships. Do you really think that’s the same as just swimming out with equipment bonuses? How many days have you been going on about getting lucky with an easy dungeon that was convenient for equipment bonuses?]

 

It would briefly flare up and then die down.

 

That’s what the newly minted S-rank, Park Kang-hoon, had thought.

 

But as praise and complimentary posts about him continued to pour in, posts expressing jealousy or criticism began to emerge.

 

Of course, the Community Addicts immediately saw through the true intentions.

 

└ It should be ‘several days’ not ‘few days’

 

Comments pointing out spelling errors were standard.

 

└ Talking about Kraken and all that, you must be a fan of the Destruction Guild. Are you jealous because Park Kang-hoon is more popular than the hunter you’re pushing? lol

 

Comments that hit right on target followed in succession.

 

Eventually, a derivative post titled ‘Let Me Break It Down’ was created.

 

[Let me break it down for you.

 

Those precious S-rank Dealers of yours would have died if they’d gotten the Poison Swamp Dungeon this time. That’s a fact.

 

Be grateful that Cheongjeong drew the dud for you.

 

Without Park Kang-hoon’s equipment, whoever came in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place would have cut South Korea’s power in half.

 

They’d all be dead and we wouldn’t even find their bodies.]

 

As a result, the shallow trolling disappeared along with the deleted posts.

 

Even afterward, sporadically,

 

[Anyway, in a one-on-one fight, a Dealer would overwhelmingly win, right? In terms of combat ability, Park Kang-hoon would get destroyed]

 

Such posts would appear.

 

But there was a magical comment that silenced even those.

 

└ That Dealer probably wants to use items enhanced by Park Kang-hoon too, right?

 

└ ??? : Ah shit, I want Kang-hoon Hyung’s enhancement too, fans please shut up~!

 

Those who stirred up trouble, those who wielded divinely inspired sarcastic comments.

 

All combined, the Community Addicts’ ping-pong never ceased.

 

Isn’t there a saying like that?

 

A true star drives both ‘haters’ and ‘fans’ crazy simultaneously.

 

Thanks to such buzz.

 

The name ‘Park Kang-hoon’ had risen to first place in mention rankings.

 

* * *

 

Kang Hoon also ended up reading several posts.

 

It was thanks to Ji-seong sending him links to some funny posts.

 

[Bro. Congrats on becoming a superstar. LOL]

 

Along with such a text message.

 

“Whew… This level of buzz. I’m not even a combat type… I feel like I’ve become some kind of celebrity.”

 

The Hunter Community showing active otaku energy.

 

Among them, what caught Kang Hoon’s attention were the photos diligently attached to posts written by S-rank Hunter fans.

 

Wearing Hanbok for holidays, holding flowers for Valentine’s Day, luxury goods ambassador events, watch sponsorships, fashion show invitations, etc.

 

Photo shoots taken for various reasons.

 

Among them were photo shoots showing off abs with deadly expressions.

 

“Huh?! Is this a Hunter or a celebrity?!”

 

They say magazine photo shoots are basic schedules for famous Hunters.

 

Well, even Seri and Ji-seong, A-rank Hunters famous for being handsome and beautiful.

 

Even they often went on shoots.

 

S-rank Ranker Hunters were even more so, not less.

 

“Cringeworthy.”

 

It’s an activity that doesn’t suit Kang Hoon’s temperament at all.

 

“I really made the right choice with Cheongjeong.”

 

The scout proposal sent from Milan had similar content.

 

‘We’ll make you a star’ or something?

 

Absolutely not!

 

Kang Hoon liked things just as they were now.

 

Just this level where Lucky’s cuteness is more famous than Park Kang-hoon’s own face.

 

Being surrounded by countless crowds and standing in front of broadcast cameras?

 

“Ugh~!”

 

A nightmare.

 

And striking poses pretending to be cool and deadly.

 

Just thinking about it makes him feel like he’d break out in hives.

 

“Home is the best, indeed.”

 

In that sense, the ‘Enhancement’ ability is perfect for Kang Hoon.

 

No need to go anywhere.

 

No need to suck up to anyone to look good.

 

And he can still do his part well enough on his own.

 

“It’s a tremendous ability in many ways.”

 

When he first had his Awakening and received a C-rank evaluation at the Hunter Center.

 

That time feels like ancient history now.

 

Up until then, everyone had lukewarm, boring reactions to the ‘Enhancement’ skill.

 

“Now that I can enhance Magic Items too. The value seems to have skyrocketed several times over…”

 

Actually, Kang Hoon had been satisfied just being able to enhance Ordinary Items.

 

Not C-rank but D-rank, E-rank, no. Even F-rank would have been fine!

 

A path to making money had opened wide, so what more could he want?

 

He thought he’d just be happy living like this.

 

Until the day when there would be no more impotence or premature ejaculation on Blue Star Earth!

 

“Even if things hadn’t gone this well, I would have made good money anyway and lived well eating well…”

 

Today’s new sentiment.

 

This feeling isn’t bad.

 

“Enhancement has become more fun too. What remains is where to use this developed ability, ‘Enhancement,’ and for whom.”

 

Kang Hoon didn’t need to find that solution.

 

Such matters, just as the phone rang.

 

The name that appeared on the mobile phone screen, ‘Cheong Jeong-kwon,’ would handle it.

 

– Hello? Hunter Park Kang-hoon. Could I come over right now? There’s something urgent we need to discuss.

 

Kang Hoon answered easily.

 

“Sure. But how long will it take? I’m in the middle of making ramen.”

 

– …Ramen?

 

“Yes. Chapgae Ramen. I just put the water on. Will you eat with me? Then I’ll add another packet.”

 

All ranking guilds worldwide, as well as governments, unofficial organizations, and even mercenary groups.

 

This is Park Kang-hoon who made all the high-nosed Hunters stamp their feet in frustration.

 

Such Park Kang-hoon eating ramen?

 

– …Hunter Park Kang-hoon. You do know it’s Saturday evening, right?

 

And on a precious weekend evening at that.

 

Alone at home?

 

At this absurd story, Cheong Jeong-kwon paused to choose his words.

 

And he spoke while mixing in ‘hmm’ sounds.

 

– Don’t eat anything bad for your body, just wait a bit. I’ll pack something and come right now.

 

Then from beyond the mobile phone, he could hear him shouting to the driver.

 

To turn the wheel toward the best restaurant nearby.

 

* * *

 

In less than 30 minutes, Cheong Jeong-kwon arrived.

 

With both thick hands full of paper bags.

 

“Delivery’s here.”

 

Then he passed through the entrance and headed straight to the kitchen, starting to take out the food he’d packed.

 

Starting with bread, then steak, fried rice, ribeye, shrimp pasta.

 

For dessert, apple pie and salad.

 

“…Did you rob the entire restaurant?”

 

Sitting in a dining table chair, Kang Hoon quickly picked up his utensils.

 

“Eat quickly. A Hunter should always have a full stomach.”

 

How can one meal be this luxurious?

 

Kang Hoon still can’t get used to the Hunter world.

 

He’s still living by licking Yoplait lids.

 

…But that said, there’s no need to refuse the steak they’re offering!

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

Nodding at Cheong Jeong-kwon’s sincerity, Kang Hoon started munching on the salad first.

 

Living alone, he rarely had opportunities to eat vegetables.

 

Seeing the fresh green sprout vegetables made his appetite stir.

 

“Listen while you eat. As Hunter Park Kang-hoon probably expects, we’ve received tons of requests at the guild. They want their Items enhanced.”

 

Munch munch.

 

While holding and tearing into the ribeye steak, Kang Hoon tilted his head.

 

“They want Items they’re already using enhanced?”

 

If they’re sending requests to Cheongjeong, they must be major guilds.

 

Items handled by guilds of that scale would be at least Epic Grade.

 

The problem was the limitation attached to Kang Hoon.

 

The limited enhancement conditions.

 

“At my current level, I can only enhance Rare Grade Items.”

 

And he became curious.

 

‘…Why are they asking about something that won’t work anyway?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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