The Only Enhancer - Chapter 167
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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 167
167 – A Meeting? A Double Date? (4)
While Gwen and Yu Ji-min were offering their condolences to Hong Myeong, Min-jun looked at Yu Ji-min as if questioning why she was reacting so suddenly. Just as Yu Ji-min, feeling an uneasy glint in his eyes, was about to say something.
Min-jun spoke first, looking at Yu Ji-min.
“We’ll need your help as well, Ji-min.”
“Y-yes? Me? I’m not sure if someone like me would actually be helpful…!”
“Of course you’d be helpful, Ji-min. In fact, I’d say you’re more suited for this than I am, but considering the experience buff, I need to be there. Since healers gain experience by curing wounds inflicted by monsters, we should bring other guild members along and level up together.”
“…That sounds like you’re saying we need to go in a group, get wounded by monsters, and receive healing… Am I understanding this correctly?”
“Yes. Exactly that.”
Though I’d blurted out those words in confusion, Min-jun’s logic was undeniably sound.
Since Min-jun wouldn’t take a scratch even if he went and got hit by monsters, bringing other guild members along was far too efficient.
And hearing this explanation, Hong Myeong’s complexion turned ashen.
What had he just heard? It was so bizarre he wondered if he’d actually heard it correctly in the first place.
Summarizing what Min-jun had said: they were gathering a team to get beaten up by monsters?
It wasn’t like they were some masochistic cult.
What was even more terrifying was that they had to gather like this despite not being a masochistic cult.
By the time Hong Myeong reached that realization, his complexion showed no signs of recovering.
They were actually going to wound themselves like self-harm victims and he’d have to heal them.
Honestly, it was frightening, but it was still manageable.
At least he wasn’t the one getting hit—that was fortunate enough.
Of course, this was merely Hong Myeong’s misunderstanding. His mana would be drained like crazy as planned, so it wouldn’t be easy, but had he ever actually used mana before? He couldn’t possibly know.
On top of that, he’d realized something odd about the Reinforce Guild he’d so desperately wanted to join.
If you only heard about them, they’d be treated as a bizarre organization.
So why did they act like this was completely natural? Was this what normal really looked like?
‘Or am I the strange one? Are these people actually normal?’
He couldn’t help but think such thoughts.
Well, you’d need to know something to think deeply about it, but since he knew nothing, he could only think this way.
While Hong Myeong was thinking this, Yu Ji-min was considering herself fortunate enough.
After all, getting wounded and taking damage was better than using mana.
Though hunting with Min-jun was certainly more exhausting, there was nothing to do but listen to what Min-jun said. Refuse? That wasn’t an option.
“To wound the other executives, we’d need powerful monsters, and that’s certainly not easy. But with regular guild members, they can at least take damage from Disaster Level 5 monsters.”
“That’s true. It does seem like that would be better in terms of efficiency.”
“Right? Then should I come along too?”
“Hmm, Gwen is busy with research, so we’ll handle this well on our own.”
It seemed Gwen had spoken because she wanted to come along, but Min-jun didn’t notice and was simply being considerate so as not to burden her.
At Min-jun’s words, Gwen’s shoulders drooped slightly with a dejected expression, and seeing this, Hong Myeong felt that something was truly strange.
They were talking about hunting Disaster Level 5 monsters so casually.
Feeling like his common sense was being destroyed, he simply stayed quiet, and somehow the conversation ended and Hong Myeong’s training method was decided.
Though Hong Myeong didn’t understand it.
“Then shall we proceed with the next plan?”
“Understood. So next was the parade viewing, correct?”
“Absolutely right, Guild Master!”
Yu Ji-min smiled with satisfaction, and Hong Myeong’s eyes went vacant for a moment as he stared at her. He let out an awkward cough and quickly averted his gaze.
Yu Ji-min noticed but deliberately ignored it, and they all began preparing to head to the parade.
3.
Many people dislike places where crowds gather.
There are various reasons—disliking the chaos, avoiding contact with others, and so on. But there’s also quite a significant reason: the fear of encountering strange individuals.
While such encounters might not be frequent, the probability of encountering odd people in crowded places was remarkably high.
The Amusement Park was no exception.
Today, as it happened, a suspicious group entered the Amusement Park.
People who didn’t look particularly respectable.
While tattoos had become fashionable nowadays, these individuals had taken it to extremes.
Tattoos covered not just their entire arms but sprawled across their faces and necks as well.
One might assume they simply loved tattoos, but the way they prowled around eyeing other visitors with a menacing swagger marked them unmistakably as thugs.
There were three of them gathered together.
All of them looked disreputable, their massive frames commanding attention.
But that wasn’t all.
“Damn it, I’m telling you, we should’ve slaughtered all those monster bastards back then!”
“What? You got a death wish? My uncle’s the Guild Master, you got that?”
“Hahahaha! Why are you two fighting, you weaklings? Your levels are pathetically low.”
All of these disreputable individuals were Hunters.
People instinctively gave them a wide berth, fleeing from the oppressive aura they radiated.
Ma Jung-hwan, the leader of the group with the highest apparent level, strutted about intoxicated by the atmosphere, basking in the intimidation he created.
To be honest, that was precisely why he’d come to this place.
He was absolutely addicted to the rush of intimidating others with his threatening physique and the menace emanating from his tattoos.
He fantasized about everyone in the world cowering before him and watching his every move.
As a result, he’d never even bought a Magic Pass—he simply cut in line every time without fail.
Honestly, that was the best part of it all.
Of course, this meant people didn’t just avoid him; they whispered and gossiped behind his back. But he found that satisfying too.
Besides, it wasn’t as if women weren’t attracted to him because of it.
‘Kekeke, women are naturally drawn to the strong, after all.’
He genuinely believed himself to be among the truly powerful.
And to be fair, Ma Jung-hwan wasn’t weak.
Despite being in his late twenties, he’d already reached Level 3.
His talent had allowed him to advance that quickly.
And his talent was considerable at that.
‘Someone like me could definitely get into the Reinforce Guild. Kekeke.’
He genuinely believed it. With his level of talent, he was confident he could join the Reinforce Guild. He was currently the ace of a Mid-sized Guild, but that was only temporary.
Though his limit level was 4, there were rumors that the Reinforce Guild recruited based solely on talent—skill in handling mana, or raw potential.
If he were to join the Reinforce Guild then?
‘Becoming a true powerhouse, hehehehe.’
Ma Jung-hwan was well aware that the Reinforce Guild had an unusually high number of beautiful women.
That fact played quite a significant role in his desire to join Reinforce.
But he genuinely believed his bad luck had kept him from being recruited into the Reinforce Guild so far.
Ma Jung-hwan lived with the thought that if he had an older acquaintance in Reinforce, things might be different, but since he didn’t, he’d have to aim for the next public recruitment.
Today, he’d arranged this outing because he’d been considering joining a Large Guild, but the sting of rejection due to poor conduct had infuriated him, and he’d come to the Amusement Park to blow off steam.
On the surface, Ma Jung-hwan appeared quite respectable, but in reality, he’d come here hoping to seduce some attractive woman if he spotted one.
All while spouting nonsense about how girls he picked up at clubs didn’t appeal to him.
The other two were also watching Ma Jung-hwan’s lead while scanning their surroundings.
However.
“Damn it, there aren’t any decent-looking girls around. Where are all the hot ones?”
“Right? Where the hell did they all go?”
“Even if they have boyfriends, it doesn’t matter. Keep looking.”
Anyone overhearing them would have thought they were human traffickers, so people quietly avoided them.
Some hurried away in escape, and watching this, the three of them snickered and laughed.
“Haha, damn, like we’re gonna eat someone.”
“Right. Anyone watching would think we’re criminals.”
“What, we’re just trying to flirt. Is that so wrong?”
“No, but we are hunting, aren’t we?”
“Hahahaha! That’s right! We’re hunting!”
As they spewed vulgar words among themselves, someone collided with them.
Was it because they weren’t paying attention while walking? Or were they simply distracted?
In any case, with so many people around, some hadn’t heard their crude remarks.
The three turned their heads as if to kill the person, and there stood a handsome young man with skin as pale as jade, who regarded them as a nuisance and bowed his head apologetically.
“My apologies.”
The young man apologized and tried to continue on his way, but all three of them sensed something strange about him. They were certain they’d seen him somewhere before.
Yet they couldn’t quite remember, and his faintly blurred presence left them bewildered.
As if they were caught in some kind of illusion.
In the midst of this, perhaps because Ma Jung-hwan’s level was higher, he snapped out of that daze and glared at the young man with irritation.
The dreamlike sensation and aura repulsed him, and for some reason, if he didn’t dispel that revulsion immediately, he felt as though he’d be consumed by it, so he suddenly lashed out.
“You bastard! You’re just gonna bump into us and run away!”
As he shouted this and reached out to grab the young man by the collar, he felt it.
If he extended his hand like this, it would be severed.
That illusion—or rather, a vision flowing like the future—played vividly before his eyes, and Ma Jung-hwan’s entire body broke into a cold sweat as he staggered backward.
He immediately withdrew his outstretched hand, gasped in shock, and swallowed hard.
What had he just seen?
As he stood there stammering in confusion.
Gwen, standing beside him, regarded Ma Jung-hwan with a cold expression and spoke.
“You should have tested what would have happened if you’d gone through with it.”
At Gwen’s clipped, precise words, Ma Jung-hwan inexplicably felt the presence of the grim reaper standing behind him.
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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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