The Only Enhancer - Chapter 160

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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 160
160 – Human Relations (2)
With her Western features and cold, elegant beauty, she embodied the quintessential image of a Russian Beauty.
Yet there was something exquisitely Eastern woven into her appearance as well.
Her raven-black hair, striking features, and porcelain-white skin—each element flawlessly composed—left Hong Myeong utterly mesmerized by her breathtaking presence.
He’d heard that Reinforce Guild’s Team 2 was composed of members from overseas, but he’d never imagined someone of her caliber existed.
Since he hadn’t searched for records, it was understandable that Hong Myeong wouldn’t know.
Then, suddenly, a worry crept into Hong Myeong’s mind.
‘I’m not even a member of Reinforce Guild….’
What if she called him out for being a stranger? What if she attacked him without warning?
As these anxieties radiated from him, the Russian Beauty seated across from him paid him no mind whatsoever, simply reviewing the menu and summoning a staff member to place her order.
Though she spoke in Russian, which Hong Myeong couldn’t understand, he briefly wondered if that was her way of confirming he wasn’t a Reinforce Guild member—but her demeanor suggested otherwise.
Hong Myeong swallowed hard and quickly placed his own order before the staff member left, then sat awkwardly, unable to tear his gaze from the woman across from him.
Watching her work on her phone and tablet as though he didn’t exist at all, he felt a wave of shame and embarrassment wash over him.
It wasn’t that she was ignoring him—rather, he felt diminished in her presence.
Seeing how diligently she worked despite being a member of the world’s greatest guild, Reinforce Guild, struck him like a harsh reality check.
Yet instead of reflecting on himself,
‘If only I had awakened…!’
he found himself indulging in the shameful thought that he would have lived more earnestly had he been awakened.
A pathetic yet remarkably common delusion—that given the chance, his life would have been different.
Hong Myeong was no exception to this self-deception.
The Russian Beauty seated across from him was none other than Ma Chong-sa Natalia.
What occupied her attention wasn’t indifference to Hong Myeong, but rather her study of Korean.
Having joined Reinforce Guild, she’d received an item with translation capabilities, but she wanted to learn Korean fundamentally so she could converse with Min-jun directly.
So how could Hong Myeong possibly warrant her attention? She was studying even during her meal—every moment was precious for learning another character.
Of course, she wasn’t entirely oblivious to him.
It would be strange not to notice someone staring so intently.
Moreover, as someone with the Marksman’s trait, Natalia could read his gaze and intentions with perfect clarity.
‘What is this?’
She’d assumed he was a Reinforce Guild member, but no matter how she examined him, she sensed no mana or similar power whatsoever.
Even without her mana gun, Natalia was far from powerless—yet this man appeared significantly weaker than her, which struck her as decidedly odd.
Was this man really a Reinforce Guild member?
Observing his eyes and expression—that peculiar blend of shame and inferiority as he regarded her—she became convinced otherwise.
If he’d impersonated a Reinforce Guild member in their building, the actual members would have known; he must be a guest.
Though his aura differed from Natalia’s, she sensed no mana from him.
Having reached that conclusion, Natalia completely disengaged her attention from him.
Perhaps that’s why—
‘Damn it.’
Hong Myeong’s face twisted in frustration, resenting his own helplessness.
That he could do nothing in the presence of such a beautiful woman felt utterly pathetic.
Having dark intentions yet being unable to act on them was quite humiliating.
But since there was nothing I could do, I finished my meal quietly and stood up.
Natalia paid no attention to me, slowly eating while studying, so after finishing, I paid with the card Jung Ji-hwan had given me and left.
The moment I stepped outside the restaurant, a sigh escaped involuntarily.
“Sigh…”
Why did he hand me a card for my convenience, yet I felt so constrained?
I couldn’t understand it at all.
I wasn’t unaware that the problem lay with me, but admitting that felt like it would plunge me into a shame from which there was no return.
If I acknowledged it, my entire life would feel pathetic.
It was when I had sunk deeply into that humiliating emotion.
My shadow suddenly began to writhe, and a heavy, cold voice reached me.
-Do you desire power?
Startled by that voice, I looked around, but there was nothing to see.
Even if there had been something, what were the odds I would have noticed?
I looked around but found nothing amiss, unable to discern who was speaking to me.
Yet it was unmistakably clear—that voice asking if I desired power.
I swallowed hard and found myself nodding without thinking.
Was it because I didn’t want to live so shamefully? Or perhaps if I had possessed power, I might have approached Natalia? No—not just approached her, but made her mine?
As I indulged in such fantasies, the voice came again.
-Come to me. Come.
With those words, fierce waves surged and engulfed me.
The vision felt so vivid that I collapsed to the ground without realizing it.
“Ugh! Damn it!”
Since this was a building lobby with many people passing through, my disgraceful display was visible to all.
Some walked past indifferently, while others chuckled and went on their way.
My face flushed crimson with shame as I hurriedly left the spot.
I didn’t even have time to wonder what that hallucination had been.
Right now, escaping this place was the priority.
As I left, the turbulent energy of the writhing shadow subsided and vanished.
I would never know, but Ursula had connected the shadow to me through sorcery, and the reason the vision cut off was because Min-jun had arrived at this building, causing her to temporarily sever the spell.
Preparations had to be made discreetly, ensuring neither I nor anyone around me would notice.
Even I, who had directly witnessed the vision, was made to believe I had unconsciously imagined it due to inferiority rather than actually seeing a hallucination.
This was one of the terrifying aspects of sorcery.
“Ahem, hmm.”
Having left the spot and scratched the back of my head awkwardly, I sighed and turned to head to my assigned room.
As I rode the elevator up to my floor, there was a woman in the same elevator as me.
Unlike the composed Russian Beauty I had just seen, this was a Caucasian woman with voluminous, wavy hair.
I found myself sharing the elevator with her.
Upon seeing her, I couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Unlike Natalia, I felt an overwhelming aura emanating from her, and I found myself shrinking back, unable to move.
Hong Myeong trembled visibly, shrinking back as if standing before a ferocious beast.
She observed this and narrowed her eyes, regarding him with a question.
“Ah, my apologies. I’ve been discourteous without realizing it.”
With her words, the overwhelming aura that had dominated the entire space moments before dissipated completely, allowing Hong Myeong to breathe easier.
As he exhaled and caught his breath, she spoke with genuine remorse.
“Since this is where guild members gather, I suppose I’ve been too at ease. My sincere apologies, Hong Myeong.”
“Oh, no, not at all.”
Perhaps because of the oppressive aura that had filled the space until moments ago, he hadn’t noticed the jarring contrast of her remarkably fluent Korean.
Hong Myeong gently massaged his throat, which had felt constricted, and swallowed again.
She spoke once more.
“I’m Isabella, serving as team captain of Reinforce Guild’s first team. Should you ever need assistance, please don’t hesitate to call upon me.”
“Ah, yes, yes. Thank you very much.”
Hong Myeong stared blankly at the woman who had introduced herself as Isabella.
Usually when people said such things, wouldn’t they exchange contact information or something similar?
Yet Isabella did nothing of the sort—she simply stated this and turned toward the elevator doors. Her manner made it abundantly clear that her business was concluded, prompting Hong Myeong to regard her with bewilderment.
He wondered if it had merely been empty courtesy, but then again, hadn’t Jung Ji-hwan done the same?
He’d initially thought it was just hollow words, but if that wasn’t the case, he couldn’t fathom why both executives would behave this way.
Hong Myeong was unaware that they could sense and detect any incident occurring within the building.
In any case, as Hong Myeong exited on his floor, Isabella remained in the elevator, apparently heading to a higher level. With a light farewell, she vanished.
This was already the second encounter with an extraordinarily beautiful woman, yet why did it feel this way?
‘…This is infuriating, truly.’
His mood only continued to deteriorate.
Inferiority complex? Well, that wasn’t entirely wrong, but it felt more like he’d sunk deeply into self-loathing.
At least, that’s how it felt to Hong Myeong.
He wished that voice he’d heard earlier would return and grant him some awakening.
With such thoughts, Hong Myeong entered his room.
1.
Channeling the Deep Sea’s aura across such vast distance to cast a curse upon Hong Myeong in distant Korea was an extraordinarily difficult feat.
But who was Ursula?
The Deep Sea’s greatest sorceress and mage, was she not?
Thus it was possible, though complications arose.
-There’s simply no opening to exploit.
When Min-jun was working far away in North Korea, she could exert her power freely to send her voice to Hong Myeong.
But the moment he arrived in Seoul, she had no choice but to be certain that her aura would be detected.
Ursula therefore had to devise an alternative method.
The instant Min-jun sensed her aura, it would be over.
The Deep Sea would vanish just as the Underground and Heavens had.
Unlike the Min-jun of old, the current Min-jun could reverse-trace her aura and discover the Deep Sea’s base.
Considering how he’d created magic on the spot during their battle, it was entirely plausible. And the countless surveillance networks blanketing Hong Myeong’s vicinity.
She lacked confidence in breaching them through Hong Myeong, even if she herself might manage it.
Frankly, all that needed to happen was for Hong Myeong to move and touch the sea, but it was obvious that Min-jun would return before Hong Myeong even left the building.
In this situation, the best method available to Ursula.
I was considering it.
I had tried to get him here by any means necessary, but if that wasn’t possible, the solution was simple.
-Combine the genetic factor right there.
It was the only method available now and the most certain one.
It would take time, but I had to stake everything on this approach.
-Prepare the transplantation!
With the sorcerers of the Deep Sea, there would be no problem.
I could only pray that Min-jun would step away for even a moment before then.

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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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