The Only Enhancer - Chapter 146

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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 146
146 – War Preparations (1)
0.
While everyone was enveloped in the radiance of leveling up, there were those watching from far above in the distant sky.
Or more precisely, there was one watching and others being watched.
Min-jun, Uldin who had become one with the essence, and Baya.
Though their perspectives differed considerably.
Min-jun watched with obvious satisfaction, while Uldin couldn’t hide his shock.
Well, what else could be expected.
-Good heavens.
-Hehe, didn’t I tell you? Those guys are seriously no joke?
-But… even so, this is…
-Hehehehe, they’ve been thoroughly trained and enhanced by their master. Did you really think they’d be weak?
-…
Uldin didn’t answer Baya’s words, but deep down he thought she was right.
Honestly, he’d believed there was no human besides Min-jun who could defeat them.
Yet here they were.
He could feel that humanity’s level had risen.
Level 6, unique traits, and all that aside—Min-jun was selling his enhancement items worldwide.
The entire world was growing stronger.
But even so, he’d thought there had to be limits.
After all, the gap between humans and monsters was clearly evident.
Wasn’t the level ceiling more defined?
Even if Min-jun broke through the item ceiling, nothing else could be broken.
But what was this?
Now Min-jun was breaking through both levels and items, and on top of that, he was improving their actual skills.
Thus Mercury perished.
-He was the second strongest of our generation…
“Then the next ones should be easier?”
And their levels had risen too.
Min-jun smiled wickedly.
Then it would definitely be easier.
As everyone was collecting evolution orbs and mana stones along with the joy of leveling up.
Min-jun descended and spoke to them.
“Now that we’ve leveled up, shall we go adapt to it?”
After all, there were still Disaster Level 7 monsters remaining.
At Min-jun’s words, everyone nodded in agreement.
As if they were already prepared.
1.
At the place called the Sky Warriors’ Holy Ground, something felt amiss.
Something felt off, yet I couldn’t quite articulate what it was—that peculiar sense of wrongness.
The Elders sensed this strangeness, though they hadn’t yet grasped its source clearly enough to pinpoint it.
Of course, only the Elders felt it.
The younger Sky Warriors were too absorbed in their training to neglect their growth, so they remained oblivious to this strange unease.
Then, one of the Elders tilted his head as if something had struck him as odd.
Had he finally discerned the nature of this wrongness?
All eyes turned toward that Elder.
He opened his mouth, though belatedly.
—Now that I think about it, Uldin hasn’t been seen around.
—Hmm, and Mercury as well.
—Didn’t they and the other skilled warriors venture beyond our realm to extract Fairy Elder essence?
Though there were only three Elders, one of them rebuked the others as if they’d forgotten this fact entirely.
Yet aside from the last Elder, the other two realized something was indeed amiss.
—But even so, have they ever been away this long?
—Whenever they returned empty-handed, didn’t they always come back to report they were heading to a different region?
—Hmm, now that you mention it, that does seem strange.
Was this it?
The true nature of that nagging unease?
The Elders stroked their chins at this realization.
They wondered if something had befallen them, but Uldin made that unlikely.
Unlike others, Uldin possessed the skill to extract himself from even the fiercest of battles—a warrior of such caliber that he was even spoken of as the next Elder.
Which made it all the more peculiar.
—Sigh… there’s no reason for him to be absent this long unless something grave has occurred.
—That’s true. After all, they’re merely humans. Even if others fell, Mercury and Uldin shouldn’t be overcome.
—That may not be so. Haven’t there been humans who defeated that crimson monstrosity? Mercury could potentially be captured, even if Uldin couldn’t.
—Even if they defeated that crimson monstrosity, it would be difficult for Uldin to fall.
—Hmm, what could have happened?
The Elders pondered this and soon reached a conclusion.
Uldin was far too formidable to be overcome by mere humans.
There was only one possibility left to narrow down—what else could there be?
Excluding humans, there was only one faction that viewed the Sky Warriors with disdain.
—The Deep Sea has raised its staff against us.
—How dare those sorcerers of the Deep Sea!
—The time has come to demonstrate the pride of our warriors.
—Even so, our warrior Uldin will not have perished.
—Indeed. No matter how insignificant those staff-wielders are, they could do nothing but capture him.
The Elders spoke with such pride and conviction.
Yet the fact that Uldin and the warriors had not yet returned posed a problem.
They had no choice but to act directly.
They wished to contact the Deep Sea, but hadn’t they recently declared their separation from one another?
That was precisely why direct conversation, rather than mere contact, was necessary.
The youngest of the Elders rose to speak.
-I’ll go myself. I’ll tear apart those fish-reeking staff-wielders from the Deep Sea.
One of the Heavens’ most formidable forces began to move.
2.
Just as the monsters divided into three factions—Heavens, Underground, and Deep Sea—so too did their natures split into three distinct categories.
The Underground bore a researcher’s temperament.
The Heavens bore a warrior’s temperament.
The Deep Sea bore a sorcerer’s temperament.
Each was born with their own defining characteristics.
The primordial monsters were not so.
They were merely beasts driven by the impulse to invade.
But everything changed when the Fairy Elder’s son began to nurture those beasts.
The moment they received enhancement, the mindless monsters gained intellect, and their natures began to diverge.
What had once been mere attributes gradually intensified and subdivided into distinct categories.
The monsters soaring through the Heavens developed militant dispositions and became warriors; those dwelling Underground grew fascinated with knowledge and wisdom, becoming researchers; and those of the Deep Sea, captivated by sorcery and mystery, became sorcerers and mages.
When they divided their roles among themselves and united, they became a force even the fairies could not ignore.
Monsters with assigned roles, fighting like fairies themselves, were nothing short of catastrophic.
Yet this was only possible because he—the Monster King, as he came to be called, the Fairy Elder’s son—watched over them with benevolent authority.
But what happened after his death?
Did they not lose the great war against the fairies and get driven away?
The fairies too faced near-annihilation, but it was a bitter defeat nonetheless.
The monsters lost their king, and their center of gravity vanished.
Without him, the monsters were scarcely better than beasts, and they could not unite.
Was it not evident from how the Sky Warriors simply raided and slaughtered the Underground researchers?
The Monster King’s absence weighed that heavily.
This was the moment his absence became starkly apparent.
Kuuguuuuu――――!
Something collided with the barrier, and the entire enchantment shook violently.
And those who witnessed it with grave concern.
-The madman has arrived.
The Witch of the Deep Sea, Ursula, could only frown at the sight.
Here she was in the midst of crucial work, and some lunatic shows up rattling the barrier—how could she not frown?
They had agreed each would handle their own affairs, so why this Elder came looking for her made no sense whatsoever. But what could she do about it?
Communication seemed impossible anyway.
-Everyone gather and focus on defense!
At Ursula’s cry, they all channeled their strength into reinforcing the barrier.
No matter how powerful an Elder of the Heavens might be, they could not break through a Deep Sea barrier deliberately fortified.
And indeed.
-Grraaahhh! You stinking cowards of the Deep! Come out this instant!!!!!!
Seeing the Elder shrieking and glowing with radiance, Ursula let out a soft sigh.
As if she didn’t already have mountains of preparations to handle.
Rather than coming to help, all he did was obstruct her efforts, which irritated her, but she decided to ignore him for now.
If she simply ignored him, he would undoubtedly start babbling about why he’d come in the first place.
All those ignorant warriors were bound to behave that way.
Having made this assessment, Ursula continued channeling magical formations for the grand scheme and ordered the others to reinforce their defenses more solidly.
How long had she been battering against the barrier like this?
The Elder, apparently growing frustrated, began to shout.
Just as I predicted.
-Won’t you release our warriors at once?!!!!!
-Warriors?
What was he suddenly talking about?
Suppressing her curiosity, she waited, and he obligingly explained of his own accord.
-Our warriors have been disappearing for days now, and it’s your doing from the Deep Sea, you wretches!!!! Return our warriors at once!!!!
-Oh?
At those words, the Witch of the Deep Sea, Ursula, smiled.
So something interesting was unfolding.
With that, Ursula stepped forward before the Elder.
Of course, from within the barrier.
-Finally showing your shameless face, I see.
-My, Elder, you were telling quite the amusing story. You believe we took your warriors, don’t you?
-If not you, then who else could it be?
At his gaze, utterly devoid of doubt, Ursula merely smiled more broadly.
And the Elder’s fury intensified further.
-Seeing the way you smile confirms my suspicions beyond any shadow of a doubt.
The Elder’s voice rang out sharp and cold, but Ursula, indifferent to it, smiled and spoke.
-It wasn’t us, but it’s a shame you still underestimate humans.
-What, what did you say?!!
It was strange enough that she’d suddenly mentioned humans, but the way Ursula looked at him—as if genuinely pitying him—was deeply unsettling.
Beyond the irritation, a chill crept through his body as he sensed he was missing something crucial.
Were they truly mistaken about something?
Were they underestimating humans?
Even with the Bloody Golem defeated, Uldin would struggle.
That had been their conclusion.
But what if it wasn’t?
At that thought, his mind went blank white.
Smiling at the Elder’s expression, Ursula spoke.
-If you’re worried, perhaps you should hurry back and check?
-….
-Humans are far more cunning than you think, Elder. They may strike where you least expect it, so do be careful.
At Ursula’s words, the Elder’s face crumpled in fury as he launched an attack, only to have it blocked by the barrier—ineffective.
It was little more than a tantrum, yet even that couldn’t find release.
Then, a mana-infused communication reached the Elder’s ears.
-Third Elder! Return to the Holy Ground at once! We’re under attack!
-Under attack? What nonsense is this!?
-H-humans have invaded! This is maddening!
-W-what!?
-Come now!
As the connection severed, the Elder’s face finally drained of color, and he swallowed hard.
And facing such an Elder, Ursula smiled wickedly and spoke.
-Didn’t I tell you so?
-…You should go. Once this matter concludes, you’d be wise to prepare yourself as well.
-Heh, to hear such words from you—it seems you still have plenty of composure left.
The Elder, having taken one final blow from Ursula, vanished swiftly, and Ursula watched him go with a faint chuckle, though she couldn’t quite laugh freely.
If the Underground fell, and now the Heavens too, only the Deep Sea would remain.
And so.
-I must accelerate our efforts.
Their secret technique had to succeed immediately.

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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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