The Only Enhancer - Chapter 113

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 113
113 – The Conquest of Kaesong (1)
0.
If North Korean residents remained and the monster had intended it, there was a high probability they’d become a human farm.
If they existed, saving them was the obvious choice, and since Min-jun had become the master of this North Korean land, he could even build a city here for them to inhabit.
But could the cognition of people who’d endured twenty years of being treated as livestock by monsters truly match that of those who’d lived in ordinary society?
I didn’t believe so.
That was the problem.
They were human, so saving them was naturally necessary.
But what if their cognition and socialization weren’t the same kind as mine?
To be honest, it wasn’t really my concern.
I could simply rescue them and hand them over to the government—that was one option.
For now, I was considering that very approach.
If they’d already been socialized identically to existing people, there’d be no need to worry anyway.
In any case, I abandoned such thoughts.
If they exist, I’ll save them and hand them to the government.
That was the simplest method.
Right now, raising the Guild members’ levels was far more important.
“I’ll begin the briefing.”
At Isabella’s words, everyone focused intently on her.
They’d gathered in the conference room after already establishing a forward base in North Korea.
Isabella, standing at the front, surveyed the Guild members.
While Jung Ji-hwan handled most of the Guild’s administrative work, Isabella assisted him but primarily spent her time commanding the Guild members.
If I had to put it simply, Ma Hyun-seok was the leader of Team 2, and Isabella was the leader of Team 1.
Perhaps that’s why.
All the Guild members regarded Isabella with sharp, focused expressions.
It was clear how firmly the hierarchy was established.
“Rather than staying here until the North Korean conquest is complete, we’ll occupy one region, rest, and then resume the conquest. The first region will be here.”
After finishing, Isabella displayed a screen and continued.
“Kaesong.”
The first region to be cleared in North Korea.
One might think we could simply sweep through the area, but there was a slight problem.
“There are seven Disaster Level 5 creatures distributed throughout this region.”
“Seven?”
“That’s quite a lot.”
“We’ll level up plenty here, won’t we?”
“Seven is definitely a significant number.”
“If they’re concentrated in one area, it could be problematic.”
“Right, if they swarm together, they could cooperate.”
Everyone chattered away with their own opinions, and none of the reactions were particularly favorable.
Min-jun nodded in agreement as he observed this.
But this wasn’t the end of it.
“However, that’s not the problem.”
“…??”
“Then…?”
“Seven creatures aren’t the problem?”
As all the Guild members tilted their heads in confusion, Isabella continued.
“One creature is assessed as Disaster Level 6, and three of the seven are assessed as Disaster Level 5.5. They’re right on that precarious threshold.”
This meant each of them was comparable to the Entrebite we’d hunted in Germany.
The Guild members’ expressions naturally grew grave.
Even with Min-jun present, wouldn’t things become unpredictable if so many converged at once?
That concern existed, but the real question was whether they could endure it.
It would be different if Ma Hyun-seok were here, but he wasn’t.
Naturally, Min-jun would handle the creature assessed as Disaster Level 6.
Then what about the rest?
Just as everyone fell into doubt.
Isabella spoke.
“While Guild Master Min-jun handles the Disaster Level 6 creature, Gwen will be responsible for the three Disaster Level 5.5 creatures.”
The Guild members couldn’t help but be astonished at this.
Was that even possible?
Gwen was known to be Level 6, so they’d had doubts—but when Gwen laughed bashfully and scratched her cheek as if embarrassed, they could only feel reassured.
They had no choice but to trust her.
If she seemed embarrassed rather than nervous, that meant she was confident.
Besides.
‘Would the Guild Master just leave her be? He must have given her items and everything!’
‘Right! Those two have been looking great together lately!’
‘Sigh! I’m jealous! Both strong and beautiful and handsome! Why not me!’
‘There’s no need to worry about Gwen.’
They spoke as if Min-jun would handle everything anyway, which was technically true.
Moreover, though not mentioned in the briefing, there was also a homunculus here comparable to or exceeding Disaster Level 6, so no one assessed the situation as dangerous.
Isabella had devised this operation precisely because she knew of it.
“And the remaining four creatures will be handled by our entire Team 1. Our strategy is to endure until the Guild Master returns after eliminating the Disaster Level 6 creature.”
Everyone nodded in understanding at Isabella’s tactical explanation.
And.
“Team 1 and Gwen will move together, and while we aim to eliminate them one by one, I’m explaining this in case of unforeseen circumstances, so please avoid any confusion.”
Everyone nodded at her words, and once the briefing concluded, Min-jun rose from his seat and spoke.
“I’ll be going.”
His tone was remarkably relaxed and composed.
But perhaps because of that.
But is that really the case?
All the Guild members smiled with relief.
And so the conquest of Kaesong began.
1.
North of Paju, at the boundary of Kaesong, one of four Disaster Level 5 creatures was distributed.
Four Disaster Level 5 creatures surrounded all of Kaesong, divided into east, west, south, and north, with creatures designated as Disaster Level 5.5 positioned between them, and at the very center sat a creature judged to be Disaster Level 6.
Their strategy was to first attack the most isolated creature, drawing the attention of the others while holding their ground.
Then Min-jun would advance to the center and eliminate the most troublesome Disaster Level 6 creature.
That was the plan.
Fortunately, while Min-jun moved toward the center, he remained within the reach of the experience buff, so there was no loss of experience.
In any case, as the operation began.
Min-jun started moving while watching massive bombardment unfold at the entrance to Kaesong.
Boom――――――roar!
Judging by the fierce bombardment and the trembling ground.
Several of them had used their ultimate skills.
Min-jun chuckled softly and quickly advanced toward the center for the sake of the Guild members.
He concealed his aura perfectly, so he wasn’t detected at all.
Moreover, with attention drawn to the entrance, infiltration was even easier.
There were various small creatures scattered about, and among them were those designated as Disaster Level 5.5, but he passed through undetected.
As Min-jun approached so rapidly.
He encountered the creature at the center.
Its body had the form of a human, but it appeared as though it were half-merged with a tiger.
The human head protruding from the tiger’s maw looked grotesque beyond measure, yet at first glance, one might mistake it for human.
It was markedly different from Kraken, who maintained a fully human form, and the other three.
Confronted with that alien appearance, different from other Disaster Level 6 creatures, Min-jun tilted his head in confusion and opened his mouth.
“Did you come from the Underground?”
“…Kheung-heung.”
Without answering, it roared through its human mouth like a tiger’s cry.
Seeing that, Min-jun tilted his head.
Weren’t all Disaster Level 6 creatures supposed to speak?
In the moment he thought something might be missing.
The creature charged at him with tremendous speed.
Its speed was comparable to Jerot’s.
Charging at that transcendent velocity, it swung its massive front paw.
Whoosh!
Watching the tiger’s paw that seemed ready to pulverize the air itself, Min-jun lightly raised his hand as if for a high-five.
Then.
Boom―――――!
A tremendous sound erupted like an explosion.
The Tiger Humanoid felt its paw nearly torn apart by the explosive force of the high-five, and it recoiled, absorbing the impact.
From that single exchange, it had grasped Min-jun’s level.
The creature displayed a somewhat fearful demeanor, puffing up its body in the manner characteristic of felines.
Min-jun observed the beast and continued to tilt his head in confusion.
‘What’s the difference?’
Judging by its power, impact, and mana reserves, the creature was undoubtedly a complete Disaster Level 6.
Yet why did it possess so little intelligence?
In that moment of bewilderment.
I could comprehend it.
‘Could it be naturally occurring?’
Now that I thought about it, hadn’t the witch made statements suggesting she had created the four monsters, including Kraken?
They had even called her mother, after all.
Could that be the difference?
As I finished my thoughts and looked at the Tiger Humanoid again.
It charged at me once more.
A creature that seemed more comfortable communicating through its body than through words.
Seeing this, I nodded in agreement.
“There’s nothing more to learn here.”
I had hoped to glean some information at least.
But it didn’t seem to be from the Underground or the Heavens that the witch had mentioned.
I chuckled softly and drew my blade.
As the Tiger Humanoid charged, its instincts apparently screamed a warning—it immediately twisted its body at a right angle, defying momentum to evade.
Faced with such extraordinary instinct, I found myself genuinely surprised as I watched the creature.
“Hmm.”
Had its instincts warned it?
It seemed so, and witnessing this, I couldn’t help but smirk.
With instincts this refined, it surpassed those four Deep Sea lions by far.
This battle promised to be far more entertaining than I’d anticipated.
With that thought, I released my aura.
I could sense something foreign in the air.
As if someone were watching this very place.
Sensing this, I clicked my tongue and muttered without thinking.
‘It seems there’s a spy after all.’
I’d need to dispose of this feline quickly and pursue them.
I could only trust the homunculus to handle things on that front.
2.
The presence I had sensed was indeed observing the battle between me and the Tiger Humanoid.
Still unaware of being detected, the observer watched with an air of supreme confidence.
It seemed to believe humans could never be particularly strong.
Though this one did appear quite formidable.
But that hardly mattered.
-My experimental subject cannot lose. Absolutely not.
A sinister-looking elderly man pushed his glasses upward with a sickly grin.
Though he wore the form of an old man, one glance at the lava flowing like a volcano behind his hunched back made it clear he was no human.
The Lava Hunchback, unconcerned by the molten flow coursing through him, sensed the situation through his aura and grinned wickedly, fingering his white beard as he muttered.
“We couldn’t deplete the underground resources. Our synthesis has worked perfectly.”
As he spoke of synthesis, he gazed upon the Tiger Humanoid.
Creatures and yet not creatures.
He smiled wickedly at his experimental subjects—beings crafted by blending human and monster.
Until Min-jun severed the creature’s neck in a single motion.
“W-what… what is that?”
The Lava Hunchback jolted upright in shock.
He perceived Min-jun through his aura, and in that instant, their eyes met.
Then Min-jun spoke.
“Found you.”

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