The Only Enhancer - Chapter 19

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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 19
Chapter 19 – Extended Raid (3)
6.
I hadn’t participated in many raids, but I could still tell.
This party was remarkably harmonious.
Or more precisely, intimate.
I’d felt it even before we entered the raid.
They conversed warmly with one another, treating each other without formality or pretense.
‘It seems to be thanks to the party leader.’
The previous party leader, Choi Jung-min, had treated everyone in a purely business-like manner.
He’d occasionally displayed his authority and adopted a coercive tone.
Though death rates had supposedly decreased now, raids were still endeavors where lives hung in the balance.
Discipline was inseparable from professions that carried such danger.
Not that Kang Na-gyeong, the party leader here, lacked charisma.
I’d call it a gentle charisma, perhaps?
During the initial interview, she’d radiated coldness, yet she was warm toward her own people?
Within this harmonious atmosphere, she commanded the party members effortlessly.
In fact, she seemed to take control faster than Choi Jung-min, who relied on coercion.
Not every tank necessarily became party leader.
It reinforced the thought that party leaders naturally earned their position for good reason.
‘A comfortable atmosphere isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’
There was nothing unusual about this atmosphere.
If anything, it was genuinely pleasant.
Though Jung Da-un kept eyeing me warily, the overall atmosphere remained good despite that.
Yet why was it?
My expression wasn’t particularly favorable.
‘Something feels off.’
There’s absolutely nothing wrong here, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly.
So why does it feel this way?
“Heh heh, come to think of it, Min-jun, how old did you say you were?”
The question came from Choi Jung-pal, the oldest member of the party.
I answered him.
“…Twenty.”
“Ah! You’re about the same age as my son—my boy’s twenty-three!”
“My goodness! You have a son that old?”
“Oh, I didn’t know that—you look surprisingly young for your age, Choi Jung-pal.”
“Heh heh! Thank you, Kang Na-jin! My wife always says the same thing.”
“Min-jun, you must be thrilled to have awakened as a healer at such a young age!”
As Choi Jung-pal spoke, the party continued chatting animatedly as we entered the Disaster Zone.
Was this right?
I wondered if it was really okay to let my guard down like this even in a Disaster Zone.
“…Is it really alright to be entering the Disaster Zone soon?”
It was a question laden with many implications, but did the party members think Min-jun was simply nervous?
“Haha! Min-jun, you’re more timid than you look. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen a healer apologize like this before.”
“Ah, yes. Min-jun is so humble and has such a good personality. That’s why it’s easy to work with you.”
“Exactly. If it were another healer, I couldn’t even imagine it.”
“Haha! Isn’t it all thanks to the party leader’s good fortune? And both sisters have outstanding looks too!”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Haha! I’m leading two tanks, but I never imagined I’d have a healer like Min-jun! So Min-jun, don’t worry too much. The party leader and Kang Na-jin the tank will help you, won’t they?”
Everyone spoke in unison, praising me.
They even encouraged me not to be nervous.
Certainly, there had been no encouragement in Choi Jung-min’s previous party, but there had been many words of praise directed at me.
It should have felt good like the previous party, yet for some reason, I frowned.
‘Something feels off.’
My mood kept getting worse.
But just then, we entered the Disaster Zone, and Kang Na-gyeong, the party leader, shouted.
“The monster has spotted us! Battle formation!”
The raid had begun.
I decided to sort this out after it was over.
Having reached that conclusion, I simply observed the battle situation coldly.
7.
A thick cloud of dust rose from some distance away.
It was approaching at quite a rapid speed.
As it came into view, I could see the creature kicking up dust as it charged toward us.
A creature worthy of being called a monster—over 15 meters in length with a body circumference exceeding 2 meters—was crawling across the ground swiftly, its black scales gleaming.
It was a Black-scaled Serpent.
As the creature approached at high speed, Kang Na-gyeong instantly gripped her shield and adjusted her stance.
With the determination to block whatever might come, she gripped her shield firmly and braced herself with her legs against the ground.
Her resolve not to be pushed back was evident.
“Battle formation!”
At Kang Na-gyeong’s shout, everyone moved into position. In the front line stood Kang Na-gyeong, the party leader and main tank, and her younger sister Kang Na-jin, the sub-tank.
Directly behind them stood Jung Da-un, sword in hand, waiting for orders.
In the back line, three dealers and I stood waiting for instructions.
Among them, Jung Da-un glanced back toward me.
Her gaze was cold as she watched the approaching Black-scaled Serpent.
‘At least they’re not panicking—that’s something.’
She turned her head back, a scoff playing at her lips.
I thought they’d be completely terrified just because I lacked experience.
Hadn’t they said something like that right before entering the Disaster Zone?
Everyone in the party probably thought the same thing.
‘So can we even pull off a proper raid?’
Jung Da-un scoffed at the thought.
I just hope she stays sharp and doesn’t become a burden.
Right as I was thinking exactly that, the black-scaled serpent had closed to within arm’s reach and was about to strike Kang Na-gyeong’s shield, yet no buff had arrived.
She’s frozen with fear, it seems.
Talking so confidently about being a healer, and look at that equipment.
That’s not gear a typical Level 1 hunter can afford.
It’s painfully obvious.
‘Her rich parents bought it for her, no doubt.’
There are quite a few hunters like that—ones blessed with wealthy parents who shower them with top-tier equipment and send them into raids without a care.
I’ve never seen Jung Da-un like that, but Min-jun must be one of those pampered types.
What would a young master who’s never known hardship understand?
Since she doesn’t seem to get it, I should spell it out.
This was also Jung Da-un’s first raid with a healer.
Seniors and other hunters in the community had warned that you need to watch your words and actions around healers, but this one seems to let everything slide.
I shouted with a hint of irritation in my voice.
“Buff!”
In an emergency like this, surely this much is acceptable?
That thought weighed most heavily on me.
But Min-jun simply stared at me with an expressionless face, as if to say ‘I’m already doing it.’
He had already begun casting the skill before I even spoke.
I should have waited and said nothing.
Well, he doesn’t seem upset about it anyway.
I let it go.
But then.
“Cr-crazy!”
Kang Na-gyeong suddenly cried out, and when I whipped my head around to look, I saw.
What happened?
Did the buff not land in time?
No.
Even if the buff hadn’t landed in time, with Kang Na-gyeong’s skill, she could easily block a Disaster Level 1 creature’s attacks alone, no matter how top-tier it was.
Then why did she shout?
Everyone was staring at Kang Na-gyeong with confused eyes.
Kang Na-gyeong, as if possessed, shoved the black-scaled serpent that clung to her shield with tremendous force.
Boom!
The black-scaled serpent was sent flying back with a force that seemed impossible for human strength to produce.
Skidding across the ground as it was pushed backward, the black-scaled serpent opened its jaws wide with evident displeasure and roared.
“Shrieeeeek!”
So she really is among the top-tier of Disaster Level 1 creatures.
Rather than fear at such power, she charged again in fury.
This time, instead of her body, she swung her tail with fierce intensity.
Whoooosh!
The tail swept across the ground with brutal force, heading straight for Kang Na-gyeong.
Even for a Level 2 hunter like Kang Na-gyeong, that single strike seemed powerful enough to knock her back or send her flying.
Yet Kang Na-gyeong’s expression remained utterly unmoved as she simply raised her shield.
Crash!
Dust erupted into the air, sweeping across the area.
“Uh, unnie?”
“Na-gyeong!”
“P-party leader!?”
“W-what just happened!?”
“I-insane, I heard she was strong, but for the party leader to take that hit…”
Everyone cried out in shock.
The first to react was Kang Na-jin, who stood nearby.
If her older sister Kang Na-gyeong had been sent flying, then protecting the party would fall to her next.
But what was this?
The tail that had swept across the ground and struck at Kang Na-gyeong was stopped dead in front of her shield.
As the tail attack was blocked, trembling slightly, the creature seemed taken aback as well.
Seizing that moment, Kang Na-gyeong activated her skill.
“Shield’s Conviction!”
Boom! Whoooosh!
As she called out the skill and struck the ground, a crimson light burst from her shield, enveloping the black-scaled serpent, and its yellow reptilian eyes turned completely red.
It was a sign that aggro had been secured.
How was this possible?
Kang Na-gyeong shouldn’t have been able to survive that attack unscathed.
Not only the other party members, but even Jung Da-un was staring at Kang Na-gyeong with eyes wide in astonishment.
For Jung Da-un, who knew Kang Na-gyeong’s abilities well, it was an unbelievable sight.
“A buff with this level of amplification?”
Hearing Kang Na-gyeong’s muttered words, Jung Da-un’s body trembled slightly.
‘This level of amplification?’
That couldn’t be right.
A healer who hadn’t joined a major guild and was just drifting between temporary parties couldn’t possibly have such exceptional buff amplification rates.
As Jung Da-un pondered alone, she suddenly saw a mystical light descending upon her head.
As if the heavens themselves were bestowing a blessing.
And immediately after, she felt strength and vitality surging through her entire body.
“….”
She didn’t utter any exclamations or clichéd words.
Or rather, she couldn’t.
She was so astonished by the power she felt that her mouth simply wouldn’t move.
‘I-is this level of amplification even possible?’
My body felt nearly twice as strong—or at least, that was the subjective sensation.
Though perhaps not quite to that degree, the enhancement was undeniably extraordinary.
Unlike me, Kang Na-gyeong had experienced multiple raids with various healers, so her astonishment was hardly unwarranted.
At that moment, Kang Na-gyeong shouted toward Jung Da-un, who had received the buff.
“Deploy the melee damage dealers!”
“Ah, right.”
Though my response was somewhat delayed, I reached the Black-scaled Serpent at a speed far exceeding my usual pace, and with sword in hand, I unleashed a skill.
A silvery aura sharpened the blade’s edge, and I swung it with all my might.
Slash!
The sensation was in an entirely different dimension from my usual attacks.
This definitely connected.
Even as I confirmed the hit, I was struck with awe.
The damage output was something I could never have imagined in my normal state.
It was a meaningful wound to the Black-scaled Serpent.
Though not a fatal blow or catastrophic damage, it far exceeded what a standard attack could achieve.
“Kyaaaaaaagh!”
The Black-scaled Serpent shrieked in agony.
Seeing the creature, Kang Na-gyeong regained its aggression, then shouted to the ranged damage dealers.
“Ranged damage dealers, attack!”
At Kang Na-gyeong’s command, everyone began dealing damage.
Unfortunately, the ranged damage dealers couldn’t directly feel the buff’s effects, but the two tanks and melee dealer certainly felt it acutely.
And through them, the ranged dealers were indirectly experiencing it as well.
Slash! Slash!
Boom! Bang!
Listen to that—the sound of blades cutting combined with the deafening roar of shields swinging like explosions.
There was no way not to notice.
Because of this, the Black-scaled Serpent had no way to endure.
Swords attacked from the front while magic and arrows rained from behind.
And escape was impossible with those two women wielding shields blocking the way.
How much time had passed?
“Shaaaa….”
Thud.
With a mournful cry, the Black-scaled Serpent collapsed, condensed into energy, and vanished after dropping items and mana stones.
Though the items were merely ordinary drops, the mana stone was larger than those from typical Disaster Level 1 Zone creatures, suggesting the harvest would be quite substantial.
Unlike the common knowledge that Disaster Level 1 Zone creatures typically require over twice the time, this one fell in just an hour.
“Whew! That’s incredible—you’ve got an amazing buff, Min-jun! Party leader, you worked hard too! Without Min-jun’s buff and especially without you and Na-jin as our tanks, this wouldn’t have been easy! Ha!”
“Indeed, with the party leader and Na-jin supporting us, combined with Min-jun’s incredible buff!”
“Man, knowing I can keep receiving buffs like this is just too good. Min-jun, please keep it up.”
“With Min-jun around, even the Black-scaled Serpent—supposedly top-tier among Disaster Level 1 Zones—is no different from any other creature! Ah, of course, the same goes for our party leader and Na-jin!”
“Ha ha! That’s right!”
The dealers spoke to Min-jun in that manner.
Shortly after, Kang Na-gyeong and Kang Na-jin arrived as a pair, along with Jung Da-un.
Jung Da-un’s expression wasn’t particularly pleased, but the sisters were different.
“Wow, this buff is seriously amazing! To think you’re running long-term raids with buffs like this!”
“With buffs like these, long-term raids definitely become so much easier.”
“….”
Jung Da-un remained silent throughout, yet I couldn’t help but acknowledge it inwardly.
The buff’s amplification rate was genuinely real, after all.
Perhaps that’s why?
I had tried not to speak, but I said something anyway.
“With buffs like that, you’re always welcome.”
The casual way of approaching it.
Min-jun let out a quiet laugh seeing that.
Yeah, casual, huh?
That’s good. That’s what I wanted.
It’s entirely possible.
A good atmosphere is a good atmosphere, after all.
But that thought kept nagging at me.
Would it have been like this if I were a different healer?
No, it wouldn’t have been.
But why do they keep crossing the line with me?
I knew the reason all too well.
It was the kind of thing I’d experienced my entire life.
‘I’m easy to push around, that’s it.’
Other healers are intimidating, but I’m approachable, so they think they can overstep without consequence.
Perhaps it was because I’d spent my whole life being disrespected.
I could sense it better than anyone else.
The glint in people’s eyes when they look down on me.
These people were no different.
Forgotten memories surfaced.
Hadn’t I been treated with contempt, regarded as less than human?
When I gained this ability, I swore I’d never be disrespected again.
Yet here I was, falling into the same pattern.
‘I need to reflect on this.’
My fault?
No.
Simply.
‘I shouldn’t be showing kindness to people who don’t recognize kindness.’
It wasn’t even funny.
I was quietly accepting it because I didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere.
They think I’m easy to push around, so they cross the line like this.
When kindness is repeated, people start to believe it’s their right.
I’m not sure who said it, but it’s a brilliant observation.
Min-jun laughed softly at that, looking around at everyone as he spoke.
“Are you all close with me?”
With just that single question from Min-jun, the atmosphere froze in an instant.

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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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