The Only Enhancer - Chapter 158

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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 158
158 – Contingency (4)
I wondered if perhaps I hadn’t become an Enhancer but instead a descendant of the Monster King.
Such thoughts crossed my mind, but I shook my head.
It was a meaningless assumption. Besides, Hong Myeong standing before me wasn’t an evil person.
Whether it was the Monster King’s bloodline or something else, it could simply be that our wavelengths aligned well.
Above all.
‘If I consider what the Fairy King told me about the Monster King’s circumstances…’
The Monster King hadn’t committed those acts because he was evil.
Of course, Hong Myeong, whom the Deep Sea sorcerers had found, could have been evil, but since he resembled me…
I found myself naturally sympathizing with him.
Then I shook my head again.
‘No, I shouldn’t entertain such thoughts.’
Dismissing the idle musings, I continued eating.
Meanwhile, Hong Myeong seemed not to notice my gaze, yet the silence broken only by the sounds of eating appeared to make him uncomfortable, as he continued observing my movements.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t fathom why I would summon someone like him.
Perhaps I was his lost brother?
He’d entertained such thoughts, but he knew that wasn’t it.
My family history was already well-known.
Even our surnames didn’t match.
Then why had I really come looking for him? That was the greatest mystery.
‘Do I possess some power I’m not aware of?’
That was the only conclusion he could reach now. It was probably close to the truth anyway.
Consumed by curiosity, he ate the delicious food without thinking, and soon it was time for dessert. As that moment arrived, I slowly sipped my tea while observing Hong Myeong.
I was aware that Hong Myeong had been paying attention to me since earlier.
However, I hesitated, searching for the right words to say, so I hadn’t spoken immediately.
In any case, it seemed the moment had come, and I carefully opened my mouth first.
“I imagine my sudden visit must have surprised you.”
At my words, Hong Myeong flinched and startled, shifting in his seat.
But soon he nodded at what I said and replied.
“Ah, yes, well, it was somewhat… surprising.”
“I apologize for that.”
“Oh, no, not at all. These things happen.”
“The reason I came looking for you, Hong Myeong, is because you’ve become a target of the monsters.”
“…What?!”
It was shocking news to anyone who heard it.
What did he mean, suddenly becoming a target of monsters? What was this about?
Seeing Hong Myeong’s bewildered expression, I continued.
“The disturbance that occurred in Haeundae yesterday was entirely orchestrated by monsters attempting to abduct you. The Reinforce Guild intervened to prevent it, which is how the commotion arose.”
“…?????”
Why would it target someone like me? The thought crossed my mind unbidden, but Min-jun’s grave expression made it impossible to voice such a question.
All I could do was listen to what Min-jun had to say.
I wondered if there was truly something special about me, but the mere fact that a monster had targeted me left me visibly shaken.
I’d already heard on YouTube that monsters targeting humans possessed intelligence.
Wasn’t the creature that appeared in England also confirmed to have intelligence?
In other words, a Disaster Level 6 monster was targeting me?
A chill ran down my spine.
As Hong Myeong swallowed hard, Min-jun quietly offered an explanation.
He’d already eliminated the creatures that had been targeting Hong Myeong, but it was too early to let his guard down.
It was good that he provided an explanation.
“We’ve dealt with the creatures targeting you, but there’s still a possibility they may continue to target you. We haven’t struck at their main base yet.”
It was important information, but since informing Hong Myeong alone wouldn’t cause any problems, I shared it kindly.
Of course, I didn’t mention the origins of the monsters or such details.
I refrained from discussing the Deep Sea, the Heavens, or the Underground, and though we hadn’t located where they were gathering, I gave him a brief overview to help ease his mind somewhat.
That way, I could also explain why Min-jun had come personally.
The reason Min-jun was meeting with Hong Myeong now was simple.
Rather than risk losing Hong Myeong, it was better to explain the situation and keep him at the Reinforce Guild Building in Seoul. Since he only worked part-time, not a full-time job, it was easy for him to come.
Besides, he had no family.
“So we’d like to ask if you’d be willing to stay under our protection at the Reinforce Guild for a while.”
“Oh, of course that’s fine! I do work part-time, but surely my life is more important than that!”
“Haha, thank you for understanding.”
I’d expected it to go roughly this way, but I was relieved it ended more smoothly than anticipated.
After speaking with Hong Myeong, Min-jun subtly observed his expression.
Seeing genuine relief and reassurance in his eyes, I nodded.
‘Then I’ll take him with me and search for the Deep Sea.’
With that thought, Min-jun issued instructions to the other executives.
It was to completely prevent any possibility of Hong Myeong causing trouble.
Hong Myeong wasn’t a bad person, and while he supposedly had no special abilities, one could never be too careful.
That meticulous Ursula might have done something beforehand.
Though I’d already captured her sister and extracted considerable information, the fact that Ursula hadn’t told Morgana about the relocation location suggested that even though Ursula had self-destructed and disappeared, there was a real possibility she’d done something to the human Hong Myeong beforehand, so being thorough was the right call.
I briefly wondered if she might not actually be dead, but that wasn’t the case.
‘She left behind items and an Essence with an Evolution Orb—the traces were unmistakable when a Disaster Level 8 died.’
With that reassurance, Min-jun completed all preparations and boarded a plane to Seoul with Hong Myeong.
5.
Deep within the abyss, the numerous monsters had only recently relocated their base in considerable chaos, so things remained quite turbulent.
With their newly established territory and none of those who’d gone on operations—including Ursula—returning, there was considerable commotion.
Most of all.
-The Third Elder has vanished.
-Ugh. It’s definitely Ursula’s doing.
-To think she’d use forbidden magic without our cooperation.
The Elders had already figured out what had been done to them.
But that was the end of it. Rather than blaming Ursula, they simply clicked their tongues as if it were unavoidable.
She was the most accomplished mage and sorcerer among the Deep Sea’s creatures, so they could only bow their heads.
What exactly had Ursula done? As the Elders clicked their tongues, something began to shimmer before them.
It resembled a magical circle, or perhaps a naturally occurring light.
But none of them were unfamiliar with that magical circle, and from it emerged the form of a woman.
-Cough, damn it.
A woman coughing up blood, her entire body ravaged and broken—Ursula appeared through that magical circle.
Though she had detonated herself, the reason she survived was simple.
She had manifested her secret art, her ultimate magic, sacrificing one of the Elders in her place.
That was how she managed to survive.
However, because of that, her soul had taken damage, and she could no longer wield the power she once had.
The Elders, too, understood this and their expressions darkened considerably.
-Hah.
-To think you came back in such a state. It’s hard to believe.
-The Deep Sea’s greatest witch, reduced to this.
Watching the Elders sigh while clicking their tongues, I gritted my teeth.
I wanted to rage at these so-called Elders who merely lingered here without lifting a finger, but I restrained myself.
No—rather, it was because they remained here that I could resurrect at all.
And more than that, if all the Elders had gone to that place?
Busan would have suffered catastrophic damage, and we would all have been annihilated.
Min-jun possessed more than enough power for that.
-Did the operation fail?
-Your brother never came. Rather, judging by how those creatures briefly visited where he originally was, he seems to have been captured. During the Great War, the Fairy King sealed us and manipulated our souls, they say.
-It seems he suffered the same fate.
-Aaaaaaagh!
I erupted in fury—not over losing my brother, but over the operation’s failure.
Ursula’s eyes gleamed with malice as I ground my teeth.
If Morgana had truly been captured, then Hong Myeong would have been eliminated as well.
Every move was blocked.
I had gone through the trouble of extracting the vessel, only to lose the suitable candidate—it was all for nothing.
A trick?
Could anyone pull off a trick before Min-jun, who creates magic on the spot?
It was impossible.
The Deep Sea’s greatest witch—Ursula?
Even including the Fairy King, I am among the geniuses.
Not merely because I am descended from the Fairy King.
I undoubtedly possess an innate talent for sorcery and magic.
It had to be so, or else nothing made sense.
-Then what do you intend to do now?
-What would you like us to do?
-If we can help, we will.
At those words, Ursula felt as though a thousand flames erupted within her.
Had they helped from the beginning, things might have turned out differently, but now watching them move with such sluggish hesitation kindled a burning hatred within her.
Pretending to offer aid when they’d done nothing.
Fear of change had kept them paralyzed, and only when the danger threatened to reach them did they stir—and that contemptible sight rekindled her revulsion all over again.
There was no helping it now.
Very well, if they insisted on helping, there was a way.
-Simply remain still. That will suffice.
She smiled more brilliantly than ever before as she gazed upon the Elders, and in that moment, they perceived her malice and their eyes widened in horror.
They attempted to flee, but it was already too late.
As mentioned before, she was the Deep Sea’s foremost sorcerer and mage.
With all her preparations already in place, there was nothing the Elders could do.
They could neither struggle nor escape as the magical circles inscribed upon their thrones absorbed their very essence entirely.
A secret ritual Ursula had installed beforehand.
It was through this ritual that she could resurrect herself by sacrificing an Elder.
And now she used that same ritual to absorb the power and energy of all the Elders, drawing it into herself.
She absorbed it using the same principle as Min-jun’s final spell, gathering it all within her.
This did not elevate her to Disaster Level 9.
Three Elders alone were simply insufficient for that.
She would have needed at least five Elders.
Even as she felt the unified power coursing through her, Ursula sensed it.
-It is not enough.
With this, she could not defeat Min-jun—she would merely be toyed with and slain once more.
What she needed was singular.
-I must create the Monster King.
Otherwise, all the monsters would be utterly annihilated.
Had it not been for the System, the monsters could have been revived.
She gnashed her teeth and vented her frustration, but there was no alternative.
The situation was dire indeed.
Hong Myeong was surely already taken by Min-jun, and she could sense that Morgana and her other loyal subordinates had lost their lives.
The other forces in the Deep Sea were insufficient as well.
As long as Min-jun stood guard, retrieving Hong Myeong would be nearly impossible.
There remained one final option.
-I need only make him come of his own accord.
Of course, I must lure him while evading Min-jun’s notice.
But that was far preferable to confronting Min-jun directly.
Somehow, I will make it happen.

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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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