The Only Enhancer - Chapter 121
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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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Chapter 121
121 – Reinforce Guild’s Welcome Ceremony (2)
Jack McQuire.
A representative Level 5 hunter of the Finland Guild, and among Level 5 hunters—excluding those of Level 6—he ranked among the very elite.
Yet to fall so pathetically.
And to Jung Ji-hwan, no less!
Who was Jung Ji-hwan?
True to his epithet of the Reaper, he was the type who neutralized opponents through debuff skills rather than raw power.
But in that match just now, I detected no skill usage whatsoever.
Not concealed—he simply hadn’t used any skills at all.
Jung Ji-hwan had defeated Jack McQuire through sheer physical prowess alone.
The sharp atmosphere hung heavy as everyone held their breath in tension.
“Jack’s supposed to be top-ranked among us, isn’t he?”
“This is insane.”
“The gap is that wide?”
“Wait, isn’t it weird that the Reaper beat Jack in pure combat? Jack’s a tank!”
“Exactly.”
“Losing consciousness in a single blow—that’s equivalent to at least a Disaster-Class Level 5 monster, right?”
“He wasn’t wearing full gear, so maybe not that extreme, but it’s definitely power Jack would struggle to endure.”
The newcomers chattered among themselves, discussing Jung Ji-hwan and Jack.
I’d expected Jung Ji-hwan to win, but the manner of victory transcended all expectations.
Min-jun asked who would face him next, but no one stepped forward immediately.
After observing the newcomers’ reactions, I smiled wryly.
‘Jackpot.’
Jung Ji-hwan was strong, certainly, but not to this degree.
The newcomers’ speculation was accurate.
Originally, Jung Ji-hwan didn’t possess such physical capabilities.
Then how had this come to pass?
It was remarkably simple.
Min-jun’s enhancement.
More specifically…
‘A trait enhancement, as expected.’
Min-jun had enhanced Jung Ji-hwan’s trait specifically for today’s welcome ceremony.
As a result, Jung Ji-hwan’s trait transformed from what was merely labeled as “Dealer” into Curse Knight.
I’d anticipated Curse Sorcerer, so the unexpected trait surprised me, yet it proved far more formidable.
A knight wielding both physical prowess and curse abilities.
Moreover, not only curses but offensive magic had expanded as well.
Curse-related offensive magic, specifically.
Consequently, Jung Ji-hwan now commanded both physical and offensive capabilities simultaneously—a far cry from before.
His skill had always been exceptional to begin with, after all.
That’s it.
‘Strengthening the trait increased my ability stat by 1 as well.’
As a result, Jung Ji-hwan’s ability stat had risen to 11.
Jung Ji-hwan himself could feel the difference.
One could only imagine how dramatic the change would be.
Min-jun gazed at Jung Ji-hwan with a satisfied smile, while the newcomers swallowed hard.
And the existing guild members?
They simply looked on with pity at the newcomers, utterly unfazed.
They knew exactly where this welcome gathering was heading.
“Is there anyone else?”
At Min-jun’s words, one person cautiously stepped forward.
It was none other than Mary, an executive who had already signed a lifetime contract.
“If it wouldn’t be too presumptuous… might I request a sparring match with the guild master?”
Everyone couldn’t help but be shocked at those words.
Requesting a sparring match with the guild’s master.
“She’s… insane.”
“Is she… in her right mind?”
“Sparring with a Level 7? She’s lost it.”
“I’ve never seen that woman before. Is she someone famous?”
“I have no idea either.”
“Hmm.”
Naturally, no one knew Mary Weston, the former United States agent.
They could only click their tongues at her audacity in requesting a sparring match with Min-jun.
However, a few quick-witted newcomers could sense something.
‘The eyes of Team One’s guild members have changed?’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Do they know something about that woman?’
Naturally, the newcomers hadn’t heard, but the existing team members of Team One had needed an explanation about the newly appointed executives.
As a result, the existing guild members already knew about Mary.
About her trait as well.
The eyes of Team One’s guild members watching Mary were far from ordinary.
It was pure curiosity, not wariness, jealousy, or envy.
They had understood her to be the same Level 5.
Honestly, the members of Reinforce’s Team One had honed their skills considerably.
By now, they had no doubt they could hold their own even against top-ranked hunters like Jack McQuire.
Yet Min-jun had selected a new executive from among the newcomers, setting aside such seasoned members.
Wouldn’t anyone be curious?
If Min-jun had done so, there had to be a reason.
And that reason surely stemmed from strength.
They couldn’t help but wonder just how strong Mary truly was.
They were curious to see just how strong this female knight standing above them truly was.
“You wish to spar with me?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Hmm, then would you equip all your gear?”
At Min-jun’s words, several recruits murmured among themselves.
“Does she intend to fight with real weapons?”
“At full power?”
“Tsk, that woman is in for a rough time.”
“Who told her to pluck the whiskers from a sleeping lion?”
It was a foolish move.
Just as everyone began to voice their criticism of Mary’s foolishness—
“Wait, hold on? The Guild Master isn’t equipping any gear?”
“No way… could it be?”
Several recruits expressed their confusion, watching as Mary donned all her equipment while Min-jun simply stood there.
Sure enough, even after Mary had equipped everything, Min-jun made no move to gear up.
He merely wore a relaxed expression and casually warmed up his body.
Looking at the situation alone—
Mary was wearing items all enhanced to +6 or higher.
Naturally, these were the equipment she’d received upon signing her lifetime contract.
But what about Min-jun?
He stood before her wearing nothing but a casual designer training suit.
As if all preparations were complete.
“A sparring match between a Level 5 Hunter in full +6 enhanced gear and a Level 7 using no equipment at all?”
“This is insane.”
“This guild is truly mad.”
“How can anyone call that a fair match?”
“That woman seems serious though?”
“Tsk.”
“Who… who do you think will win?”
“…”
So when asked who would likely win, no one could answer.
By common sense, the full +6 enhanced gear should prevail.
That was how the world’s logic had always worked until now.
But why?
Because Min-jun had shattered every rule of logic thus far, the recruits’ hearts raced with the expectation that he might do so again this time.
Mary, regardless, took a deep breath to steady her breathing.
No equipment? Don’t talk nonsense.
His body itself transcended the concept of items.
‘His very flesh is beyond equipment.’
A monster—no, a divine being housing an immense reservoir of mana.
Could it truly be inferior to an item?
At least, Mary didn’t think so.
“Come whenever you wish.”
At Min-jun’s words, Mary took a deep breath, her nerves visibly taut, and in that moment, Gwen watched them both with a slightly sullen expression.
The right to nominate belonged to Mary, so there was nothing to be said.
What if she had stepped forward instead?
Such thoughts crossed her mind, but she simply watched as if resigned to the inevitable.
In any case, Min-jun was smiling, his mind turning over various considerations.
And then.
Mary moved, her eyes snapping open with resolve.
Crackle!
The sound of lightning erupting filled the air, and in that same instant, Min-jun swung his hand toward Mary, who charged at him with the speed of a lightning bolt.
His hand, gripped like a tiger’s claw, swept through the air.
Whoosh!
A tremendous gust of wind erupted.
It tore roughly across Mary’s path, and she—now one with lightning itself—swiftly evaded the strike.
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
As if a colossal tiger had raked its claws across the earth, deep furrows of torn ground stretched across the battlefield.
Seeing this, Mary moved even faster, cold sweat barely cooling on her skin.
In the void, she moved like true lightning itself—crackling and sparking—zigzagging as she rushed toward Min-jun.
This time, she moved with such blinding speed, striking from an angle she thought was his blind spot.
So fast that few of the newcomers could even perceive the exchange!
Yet toward Mary, as if he’d already anticipated her move—or perhaps he’d simply matched her speed perfectly—Min-jun turned his head, and their eyes met.
“…!!!”
Mary was startled to see Min-jun turn his body and face her, having thought it was truly a blind spot, but there was no choice now.
She had to unleash her most devastating attack.
Mary steeled herself and, drawing upon her mana, activated the ultimate skill she’d obtained upon reaching Level 5.
And then.
Lightning was channeled into her spear, and the sound followed belatedly in its wake.
Shatter—crack!
Faster than the sound of something splitting, the spear drank in the lightning, transforming into a spear of the Thunder God worthy of mythology itself, and it flew toward Min-jun.
Crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle!
Mary’s ultimate skill: the Thunder God’s Spear.
This attack, though only for a brief moment, was a devastating force capable of dealing tremendous damage even to Disaster-class Level 5 monsters.
But what was this?
Min-jun caught the lightning bolt fired directly at him with his index and middle fingers with perfect precision.
Boom-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle!
A vast surge of lightning energy erupted, and Min-jun dispersed it all by infusing his mana with the power of gravity.
Not a single trace of lightning’s essence reached him; instead, it all flowed harmlessly into the earth.
And as Min-jun applied pressure through his fingertips.
Crack!
The spear shattered into powder and crumbled away.
Mary stood frozen, watching the dust scatter into the empty air like an idiot.
Then Min-jun lightly kicked off toward her.
Whoosh!
By the time the sharp sound of air being torn reached her ears, Min-jun had already appeared before Mary.
Seeing this, Mary tried to move, but Min-jun was faster.
Swish!
A light jab, extended with his left fist.
Detecting Min-jun’s punch, Mary desperately channeled mana through electrical resonance to maximize her senses.
It was a technique she normally refrained from using due to severe aftereffects, but without deploying it now, she would be helpless against the assault.
With her heightened senses, Mary twisted her head and evaded the jab that flashed toward her like lightning.
Boom!
The shockwave that followed belatedly swept across the grassland, flipping it over. Mary was pushed backward by the force, but she wasn’t consumed by it entirely.
Was it thanks to her armor?
As Mary decided to create distance and summon a new weapon, she moved.
Min-jun appeared before her again, and the sound reached her ears only afterward.
Swoosh!
Impossibly fast.
With that speed, he extended his fist once more.
But unlike before, this punch came with his body twisted, driving forward with rigid, linear force.
Power on an entirely different level from a jab.
Mary felt the danger upon seeing it.
If that connects, I could die.
Realizing this, she activated a skill she could only use a few times.
Arcane Leap.
A skill that transformed her entire body into lightning using mana, allowing her to teleport.
Mary activated her movement skill, and Min-jun’s fist struck the ground where she had been.
Boom!
A massive fist-shaped crater was carved into the mountain behind where Mary had stood, and the mountain began to crumble.
All from the shockwave alone, delivered by a mere punch.
Mary felt her legs give way beneath her.
Thump.
She had evaded, but what if her skill activation had been even slightly delayed?
She couldn’t even imagine it.
Looking at Mary, who had collapsed to the ground, Min-jun spoke.
“That was an enjoyable sparring match.”
“….”
Mary couldn’t bring herself to respond.
Would I truly be of help to this person?
Such fundamental doubts were all that occupied my mind.
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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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