The Only Enhancer - Chapter 142

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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 142
142 – One Underground, One Heavens (3)
3.
While wielding steel mana, Uldin desperately tried to match my speed.
But how could there be any way to stop me when I’d fused three energies together?
There couldn’t be.
A ragged, choking gasp escaped him.
That once-impenetrable barrier was now tattered and barely discernible, and his entire body hung in tatters.
In fact, there wasn’t a single intact part of his limbs.
What was even more chilling, though—
‘The surroundings remain untouched….’
Evan, watching from nearby, couldn’t help but shudder.
That’s how precise my mana control was.
Though I myself wasn’t entirely satisfied with the outcome.
I’d fought him to conduct an experiment, after all.
‘He couldn’t even put up much of a fight before collapsing.’
The moment I merged the three energies, it took less than a minute before he was reduced to rags.
Unable to flee, defend, or evade, he was immediately torn apart.
Watching Uldin in that state—neither dead nor alive—I nodded with regret, though acceptance was inevitable.
Next time, I’d probably need to hold back on some of my items.
That way, the balance would be more appropriate.
Though I wasn’t exactly a battle junkie, so there was no real need for it.
As I nodded to myself with that thought—
A strained, rasping voice emerged from him.
Uldin forced his mouth open.
His will to not abandon his pride as a warrior seemed unwavering.
Even as an invader, no less.
I decided I should inform him of his actual situation.
With that thought, I moved and stood before him.
Thinking he was finally about to die, Uldin closed his eyes and extended his neck.
As if offering it to be severed.
If one had seen this in a film, comic, or novel, it might have looked dignified and impressive, but to me it was merely pathetic.
So I spoke one final time.
“Essence of Reinforcement.”
A confused sound escaped him as he began to lift his head, only to be seized by mana and gradually shrink.
All the mana that composed his body was drawn into me, and as his size diminished, he took on the form of a sphere.
Simultaneously—
A terrible scream tore from him.
His soul compressed in unbearable agony.
She screamed in terrible agony, feeling her soul being compressed.
After pain more terrible than death itself descended upon him?
Of course, just like Baya, Uldin too became bound to Min-jun.
A warrior’s pride? Honor?
He possessed none of it—he had degraded into nothing more than a dog serving Min-jun alone.
His awareness as a Sky Warrior remained intact, certainly.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, he now yearned to pledge his loyalty to Min-jun, and his heart burned only with the desire to dedicate himself entirely to Min-jun’s cause.
The very thought sent shivers cascading across his entire body.
He couldn’t comprehend how such thoughts could even arise within him.
Terror flooded through him, yet simultaneously, the fact that he could devote himself to Min-jun filled him with joy.
In that sensation, Uldin could distinctly feel that his very soul had been mortgaged away.
—Welcome.
—You… who are you?
Upon seeing Baba Yagi—now Baya—his former comrade, Uldin found himself unable to respond, and watching his silence, Min-jun smiled wickedly and spoke.
“We’ll talk about it later.”
—…Understood.
Uldin was already a caught fish, after all.
There were more pressing matters at hand right now.
As I thought this, I approached the only person who had witnessed everything from afar—
Ivan Romanov.
Fortunately, his reaction was closer to admiration than avoidance or fear.
In fact, I asked Ivan as if things had gone perfectly.
“Would you be willing to have a conversation with me?”
“Yes! Of course! I’ll make time even if I have to rearrange my schedule!”
Watching Ivan respond enthusiastically to my question, I thought I’d made the right choice in saving him.
And seeing his eagerness, I smiled wickedly.
[Ivan Romanov]
—Lv. 1(?)
—Ability Stats: 15.
[Trait—Arcane Scholar]
I couldn’t possibly let such a treasure slip away.
Ability stats equal to Mary’s—this was the first time I’d seen anything like it.
4.
Ivan, seeing that Min-jun was addressing him, believed his suspicions had been confirmed.
He must have come knowing about my unusual trait.
The problem was that his skill level was pathetic—would that be acceptable?
Such worries occupied him briefly, but he soon cast them aside.
After all, the judgment would be Min-jun’s to make.
There was no point—no meaning—in his own anxiety.
Therefore, Ivan resolved to entrust his judgment entirely to Min-jun.
If Min-jun told him to join the Reinforce Guild, he would join; if Min-jun simply wanted to talk, that was what he would do.
But what was this?
“Are you acquainted with Sergei?”
“Pardon? Ah! He’s my second older brother.”
“I see—I asked because you shared the same surname, but it turns out to be true.”
Evan couldn’t help but admire Min-jun’s deduction.
While Romanov wasn’t exactly a common surname, it was something most non-Russians wouldn’t know.
Though he’d claimed to ask merely because of the shared name, Evan could tell there was more to it.
There were certain similarities in appearance as well.
He must have pieced it together from such details.
To process such information in an instant.
I was marveling at his abilities when—
“Hmm, judging by your reaction, you seem to understand why I came looking for you?”
“Ah. Yes, that’s right. When I learned that the monster Guild Master Kim Min-jun defeated possessed a unique trait, I thought the Guild Master might have come to the same conclusion.”
“Impressive accuracy.”
“Ha, haha. Still, since I’m trying to inherit the business, I’m making an effort to keep my mind sharp.”
Though Evan spoke humbly, it wasn’t easy—Min-jun found himself admiring him as well.
It was quite a sharp deduction.
One could argue anyone could manage this much, but few people could think calmly after a monster came to kidnap someone, Min-jun stopped it, and a fierce battle ensued.
Even ordinary reasoning isn’t simple under such circumstances.
In other words, Evan possessed both cold insight and the ability to make quick judgments even in combat situations.
His abilities were manifesting even in such trivial matters.
Min-jun smiled with amusement and nodded slightly.
“Yes, that’s correct. I was searching for those with what we call unique traits.”
“Ah, as I thought.”
“So, I’d very much like you to join our guild. Could you tell me what kind of trait Arcane Scholar is?”
At Min-jun’s words, Evan nodded naturally.
Rather, Min-jun was the one who couldn’t help but be surprised by such a reaction.
Usually, people are startled when their traits are mentioned.
Wasn’t Henry the same way?
But seeing him nod as if he’d expected it and immediately prepare to explain—I couldn’t help but be taken aback.
This wasn’t mere composure; it was a response born entirely from trusting Min-jun’s abilities.
Though Min-jun had saved Evan, to possess such trust.
Honestly, it felt a bit awkward, but I focused on Evan’s explanation.
It was a trait where one acquired arcane knowledge and used it through arcane arts.
It sounded difficult at first glance, but I could understand it.
Roughly like a sorcerer or mage, I suppose.
And when Evan explained that arcane magic skills don’t respond to his arcane knowledge skills, Min-jun stroked his chin.
‘Quite complex.’
To begin with, I don’t know much about arcane knowledge.
How should I handle this?
While Min-jun was lost in thought, Baya interjected cautiously.
-Master? Magicraft is the specialty of the Deep Sea creatures. Well, it was originally a Fairy Elder technique anyway!
“Really? Wait, hold on?”
Upon hearing Baya’s words, Min-jun felt as though lightning struck his mind—something clicked into place.
Magicraft was originally a Fairy Elder technique?
The fact that Deep Sea monsters used it wasn’t particularly important.
What mattered was that it originated from the Fairy Elders.
Hadn’t the Fairy Elder himself explained that items were vessels containing Fairy Elder technology?
In other words, skills were also part of magicraft.
Then…
Magicraft was…
‘Isn’t it the ability to use skills by channeling characteristic mana?’
The thought crystallized in his mind.
When an idea struck, testing it immediately was only natural.
Min-jun raised his hand while observing Evan, then channeled one of his Brain Lightning skills using characteristic mana.
A demonstration meant for Evan to witness.
And Evan’s pupils dilated wildly.
Seeing Evan’s reaction, Min-jun understood.
‘Ah, a message appeared saying I cannot yet learn this magicraft due to insufficient level!’
Interesting!
Insufficient level?
Which rank had that skill originally come from?
Min-jun searched his memory but couldn’t quite recall.
It seemed to be a skill from around the 4th rank.
It wasn’t an ultimate skill that only appeared from the 5th rank onward.
So what could he learn right now?
Min-jun sparked Brain Lightning again, his curiosity piqued.
He recalled a 1st rank skill he vaguely remembered.
Normally, 1st rank didn’t come with skills.
But the items crafted through Gwen, the alchemist, were different, weren’t they?
He recalled and activated the skill he’d obtained back then.
“Aah!?”
Evan’s startled reaction.
He didn’t need to hear it to understand.
This time, he must have learned it.
Confidence blooming, Min-jun looked toward Evan.
“Y-yes, I’ve learned it!”
This was actually fun.
Min-jun grinned wickedly at the thought.
Like a veteran player discovering a newbie, he decided to copy and recreate various skills.
I could master the basic elemental attributes.
All skills that Level 1 magic-type Hunters had learned.
But then.
Min-jun suddenly looked at Evan with curiosity.
Could I only obtain Tier 1 skills?
With that thought in mind, I tried using a skill attached to Tier 2 this time, approaching it slightly differently.
And then.
I watched Evan learn and demonstrate it just as naturally as before.
‘Huh, look at that?’
I could learn Tier 2 skills too?
Since I still didn’t understand the standards of Arcane Arts, it seemed I’d need to test further, but a sudden thought occurred to me.
What exactly was Arcane Arts?
I’d already heard from Baya that it was a technique of the Fairies.
Then could I replicate this as well?
I brought forth a simple skill that only I could use.
It wasn’t an Enhancer’s skill.
Rather.
‘An Enhancer-exclusive option.’
If the skills attached to items were Fairy techniques, then what about Enhancer-exclusive options?
I decided to use it immediately as an experiment.
This time too, Evan’s eyes widened in surprise.
What was it that made him react?
I looked at Evan curiously.
“…G-Guild Master? W-What was that skill just now?”
“Hmm, what did it say first?”
“It says it’s advanced Arcane Arts and that it’s impossible at my current level….”
I hadn’t expected that.
Impossible at my current level?
Just to be sure, I showed him several exclusive options.
He said that exclusive options obtained up to Tier 3, like Flight or Inventory, were possible, but exclusive options beyond that didn’t even display a message.
In other words, raising my level would make exclusive options up to Tier 3 usable.
And I knew better than anyone how to raise my level.
I smiled at Evan and asked.
“Would you like to join the Reinforce Guild?”
Well, I already knew the answer anyway.
“Yes! Of course!”
It was a question that didn’t need asking.

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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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