The Only Enhancer - Chapter 47

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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 47
Episode 47 – Catching a Snake While Walking Backward (1)
0.
From Disaster Level 4 raids onward, emperor-tier cultivation raids became practically impossible.
There were reasons why the difficulty spiked so dramatically.
Every participant had to be Level 4 hunters, requiring five tanks, twenty-five damage dealers, and five healers.
Thirty-five people total.
That was the personnel required for a Disaster Level 4 raid.
Assembling that many people meant recruiting at least three full teams.
Then came the real problem: the number of monsters.
At Disaster Level 4, the creature count was sparse.
Though if Disaster Level 4 monsters were everywhere, that would be its own catastrophe.
Regardless, from Disaster Level 4 onward, raids followed orthodox formations.
And honestly, it didn’t matter much.
Clearing a single Disaster Level 4 consumed more mana than hunting multiple Level 3 disasters.
‘Disaster Level 4 raids actually level up the emperor-tier faster than grinding Level 3 disasters.’
But the reason we didn’t do it was simple.
It was far too dangerous.
Not just Level 3 hunters—the entire team could be jeopardized.
One mistake and lives hung in the balance on the battlefield.
That’s why when a Level 3 joined a Disaster Level 4 raid, tension permeated the atmosphere.
Having someone with insufficient raid experience felt wrong to everyone.
But this time was different.
“Everyone good?”
“Condition’s perfect!”
“We could run another round today, no problem!”
“Hey! That’s pushing it.”
They chattered away, creating a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
Why?
Because everyone here had already witnessed Min-jun’s power firsthand.
A single heal spell cured critical wounds on Level 4 hunters instantly.
No one could deny him after that.
Even those arrogant healers acknowledged him.
‘Hey, could you heal all the people being escorted from the support base?’
‘Are you insane? You’d be bedridden for days from mana depletion.’
‘But how did he manage it?’
‘That’s why he’s called a monster.’
The healers huddled together, discussing Min-jun among themselves.
Either way, Min-jun paid their whispers no mind.
‘Wow, I’m nervous.’
Min-jun swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on the colossal eagle-shaped monster perched atop the mountain ridge.
Disaster Level 4 monster: Blade Eagle.
While its defensive capabilities weren’t particularly high, it was renowned as one of the monsters with overwhelmingly devastating offensive power.
Was he tense because of such a creature?
No, that couldn’t be it.
Right now, Min-jun wasn’t trembling from tension—he was trembling with exhilaration.
‘Finally, I can test out these new items and skills!’
That was the only thought consuming him.
Witnessing Min-jun’s demeanor, Won Eun-seong and his team members couldn’t help but draw their own conclusions.
‘He’s nervous.’
‘Well, it is Disaster Level 4.’
‘Even a monster like that gets nervous.’
‘I was incredibly tense when I first reached Level 4 and hunted a Disaster Level 4.’
‘It’s only natural to be nervous.’
Without exception, they all assumed he was nervous.
From a common sense perspective, that would be the normal reaction.
After all, a Level 3 hunter had come to a Disaster Level 4 raid.
Normally, one would be nervous.
While everyone was operating under this misunderstanding.
Only Jung Ji-hwan observed Min-jun and tilted his head slightly.
‘He’s excited.’
To anyone with eyes, it was clear he was thrilled before the battle.
Perhaps it’s true that abnormal recognizes abnormal?
Jung Ji-hwan saw through it instantly.
In any case, while everyone harbored their own thoughts, all raid preparations were finalized.
Won Eun-seong, who was commanding, shouted out the order.
“Ranged dealers! Attack the Blade Eagle!”
A strategy to attack from a distance and draw it to favorable terrain.
Following that strategy as if on cue, one of the ranged dealers unleashed a magic-type skill, and a fireball traced a crimson arc through the air before striking the Blade Eagle’s head with perfect accuracy.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion that reverberated even across the considerable distance.
And by the time that sound reached them, the Blade Eagle had already spread its two wings and was soaring majestically through the sky.
As it hovered in the air, poised to dive at any moment, Won Eun-seong bellowed.
“Tanks, move in!”
“Uuuaaaagh!”
“Warlord’s Roar!”
“Hyaaaaaaah!”
“Spartaaaaaaa!”
“Hiyaaaaaaaaa!”
As they unleashed their battle cries and activated their aggro skills, a torrent of crimson light struck the Blade Eagle, which had been gliding serenely through the sky.
The creature’s head snapped around in an instant.
A flash of light!
Its eyes, which had been glowing blue moments before, shifted to a crimson red, and it began its descent toward the tanks.
Like a missile plummeting downward, the beast charged with devastating speed.
Its frame was admittedly smaller than other Disaster Level 4 creatures, yet even excluding its wings, its body exceeded ten meters in thickness.
Crash—boom!
Though it charged at the tanks, when five of them gathered to block its path, they managed to halt its assault, leaving a long furrow in the ground as if they were digging with a pickaxe.
Min-jun’s eyes gleamed as he watched.
Now was the time for the blazing Crimson Flame Gauntlet to shine.
Snap!
‘Crimson Lotus!’
I flicked my fingers to activate the skill.
Flames began to bloom from my fingertips.
Whoosh—!
Like seeds, the flames scattered and embedded themselves into the five tanks.
Once more.
Click!
I flicked my fingers again.
The embedded flames sprouted like seeds germinating, blooming across the tanks’ entire bodies.
The flames, burning with vitality, soon unfurled like a single flower, enveloping the tanks’ forms in warm radiance.
“Wow.”
“…Is this really Level 3?”
“I’ve heard…about it, but…”
The buff was so overwhelming it nearly clouded their minds.
Was this the skill of a 5-Star item?
Even so, the performance exceeded all imagination.
An amplification effect of this magnitude came from an item skill?
It was almost unbelievable.
They already knew Min-jun’s buffs were extraordinary.
Knowing his mana pool was immense, they’d tested his buffs before the raid and experienced them firsthand.
But stepping into actual combat, the impact was truly shocking anew.
With this level of power…
Boom! Crash!
As the shield swung, the blade-like appendage shook its head as if colliding with a hammer.
For a moment, my brain rattled.
Of course, even so, no significant damage was sustained.
But I was startled by the difference in the tanks’ strength compared to what I’d felt just moments before.
“Shrieeeeeeeeeeek!”
Releasing a piercing roar, it ascended back into the sky.
The aggro was still in an unstable state.
Of course, that wouldn’t take long either.
The tanks were drawing aggro with reckless enthusiasm, putting on an absolutely spectacular display of melee combat.
Crash! Bang! Boom-boom-boom! Crack!
“Wow, how strong is that buff to make them go that wild?”
“Is it a skill attached to a +5 reinforced item?”
“Wait, but the firepower seems completely different from the items we saw in the Gangneung Disaster Raid?”
“Exactly.”
“Is that really a +5 item? Could it actually be a +6?”
While everyone else marveled, only Min-jun assessed it with objective clarity.
It was impressive, but something felt lacking.
At that level of power, it was comparable to other buffs attached to different items.
Remarkable, certainly, but not quite what I’d expect from a +6 enhancement.
‘This won’t be enough.’
Crimson Lotus’s performance was already sufficient.
Now it was time to use my first ultimate skill: Crimson Lotus—Bloom.
Just then, Won Eun-seong shouted.
“Ranged dealers attack first.”
It was an order given now that the tanks had secured their positions and were tanking safely.
Everyone nodded at his command.
The healers were about to apply buffs to the dealers first.
But before that, came the sound of a finger snap.
Snap—!
Flames bloomed from my fingertip, rising into the sky to form a massive bud.
And as the bud unfurled, a flower blossomed.
Whoooosh—!
Flames scattered like pollen, spreading everywhere and touching every party member, igniting them with fire.
As everyone was engulfed in the crimson lotus made of flame and wrapped in petals, their mana became infused with flame essence.
The effect of Crimson Lotus—Bloom had imbued their mana with flame properties.
The instant their mana strengthened, dealers and healers alike dropped their jaws.
To infuse mana itself with flame properties and strengthen it—
This was truly a skill worthy of being called an ultimate.
“Th-the skill power is extraordinary!”
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
One dealer cried out at the sight of fireballs far larger than usual, and the other dealers felt the same.
“I-I have fire infused in my lightning!”
“Mine’s in the wind!”
“I was using light attacks, but there’s fire in this too!?”
“I-I use ice, but even that!?”
Everyone was shouting in amazement, but it wasn’t just the dealers.
The healers were equally astonished.
“My, my healing is blazing?”
“My healing ability skyrocketed!?”
“The buffs too!”
Won Eun-seong, who needed to regain his composure and issue orders, was equally flustered.
But he quickly collected himself and shouted.
“Attack!”
At his cry, the dealers unleashed their attacks swiftly, and disaster struck the Blade Repair that had been holding back the tankers’ assaults until now.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
A massive cloud of dust billowed upward, laying waste to the surrounding forest.
Even the dealers who had anticipated the increased power from the enhancement were astonished.
It was far more powerful than expected.
“Phew~! This is no joke.”
Min-jun watched in admiration.
Ultimate skills were certainly different.
Until now, my only ultimate skill had been the mana recovery ultimate attached to the Wheel of Samsara.
But using a buff-type ultimate like this, I could definitely feel the difference.
The only regret was that I couldn’t use the second ultimate, Crimson Lotus—Full Bloom.
Using it would expose that this was a +6 item.
‘Well, that’s impossible until I reveal I’m an enhancement mage.’
I’d have to try it next time when I was alone.
Or perhaps when I obtained a new +5 item.
Min-jun gazed at the Blade Repair that had taken such tremendous damage.
I wanted to deal damage alongside the others, but I held back.
I could use my damage output in the next raid.
‘It seems there’s an additional team in the back.’
Min-jun glanced at a spot quite far away and smirked.
So they were trying to pull off a surprise.
Unfortunately, with successful enhancements and wearing +5 detection items, they couldn’t fool me.
Thinking that way, Min-jun decided he’d have to ask if he could deal damage before the next raid started.
‘For now, let me focus on the raid.’
Min-jun thought that and looked at the Blade Repair.
“Kyieeeek.”
Everyone was equally bewildered by the Blade Repair’s agonized scream rather than a roar.
This from merely a Level 3 healer?
Won Eun-seong broke into a cold sweat watching it.
I know he’s wearing +5 items.
But even accounting for that, the effect is insane.
Isn’t this like watching Lee Hyuk, the leader of the Sacerdotal Society?
If I compared the two directly right now, Min-jun would indeed fall slightly short.
But falling short is only natural.
Comparing the two was nonsensical from the start.
Won Eun-seong gazed at Jung Ji-hwan as he thought this.
Yet seeing Jung Ji-hwan observe it all with such composure, unlike himself, Won Eun-seong asked with evident exasperation.
“Did you know about this?”
Of course he must have known—that’s why he’d insisted on bringing him to a Disaster Level 4 raid.
Won Eun-seong nodded to himself with this reasoning.
That is, until Jung Ji-hwan spoke.
“No, I didn’t know. That’s genuinely surprising.”
“…What?”
“I thought Min-jun was remarkable, but I never imagined he’d already be at a level comparable to Level 5 hunters.”
“…Then why! Ugh, never mind.”
He wanted to demand why Jung Ji-hwan had brought him to a Disaster Level 4 raid then, but he refrained.
Jung Ji-hwan would just say he’d already surpassed Level 4 standards when brought along.
Now that he’d transcended even that, both of them were simply astonished.
Won Eun-seong shook his head with evident frustration at Jung Ji-hwan’s behavior and continued observing the raid.
As the tanks grew stronger and the damage output became formidable, the raid became as easy as defeating a Disaster Level 3.
Even when the blade-repairing ability user attacked, the reinforced healers deployed protective barriers, allowing all abilities to be blocked by the shielded tanks.
Though they sustained injuries in the process, the enhanced healing restored them without issue.
“Hmm, if another Disaster Level 5 appears next time, I should strongly recommend Min-jun.”
“…I agree.”
I didn’t want to agree with this madman’s assessment, but refusing would be admitting my judgment was utterly rotten.
As the raid gradually neared its conclusion, Min-jun approached.
Was something wrong?
“After this raid ends, would it be alright if I dealt damage in the next one?”
At Min-jun’s question, Won Eun-seong tilted his head in confusion.
What was he talking about?
The confusion wasn’t about dealing damage itself.
Why did he think there was a second raid?
Won Eun-seong looked at Jung Ji-hwan with this thought.
Jung Ji-hwan also regarded Min-jun with a somewhat puzzled expression.
If even this madman doesn’t know, then only Min-jun knows—but what is he talking about?
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“Oh, I was thinking I could keep using buffs, healing, and barriers, but also deal damage simultaneously.”
“Ah, wait. So you’re not talking about dealing damage—you mean the next raid?”
“Yes? Isn’t there a second team waiting back there?”
“What!?”
“…?!”
At Min-jun’s words.
Even Jung Ji-hwan looked at Min-jun with rare astonishment.
And as Min-jun pointed toward the distant forest.
Won Eun-seong and Jung Ji-hwan suddenly turned their heads in alarm.
Though Won Eun-seong couldn’t detect them from the distant forest, Jung Ji-hwan, equipped with detection-type items just like Min-jun, could sense them clearly.
A considerable number of people trembling and flinching.
Seeing this, he spoke to Won Eun-seong.
“…Clean up your blade and come back. I’ll hold them off.”
“Understood.”
As the two exchanged words.
Those hiding in the distance cried out in panic.
“…We’ve been discovered! Attack!!”
Won Eun-seong and Jung Ji-hwan moved swiftly, stepping forward to protect Min-jun.
‘I thought they were waiting teammates.’
Only Min-jun stood there in disbelief.
Wait, these guys are actually villains?
How could they hide so poorly?
Of course, he was thinking about how furious they’d be if they’d heard him.
1.
A Level 3 healer participating in a Disaster Level 4 raid.
They probably intended to level him up quickly, but there was no better opportunity to aim for chaos than this.
Honestly, Son Bo had been seething with rage when his foolish subordinate sent a few people to probe, and had even crushed that subordinate’s head, but it turned out to be unnecessary.
‘How foolish.’
Wasn’t it said that talent worth fighting over multiple times had appeared?
A Level 6 aptitude naturally deserved such treatment.
‘Our country too would move faster than anyone else to detain—no, protect such a Level 6 aptitude if discovered.’
But this nation seemed ignorant of even such basic common sense.
Letting them roam about like this.
And at a time when they’re being targeted, no less.
They seemed to trust Korea’s Grim Reaper, Jung Ji-hwan, far too much.
It was arrogance incarnate.
Well, Won Eun-seong was there too, but on this side there were two Level 5 dealers and twenty Level 4 dealers.
Moreover, those opponents were exhausted from hunting the Disaster Level 4.
It was obvious who held the advantage.
Son Bo smiled coldly, watching the raid unfold with his fan.
He was certainly impressive.
‘Truly remarkable. I heard he was merely Level 3, yet at this level he could almost rival a Level 5 healer without falling too far behind.’
He smiled in admiration.
Son Bo, observing the raid, never even considered that they might be discovered.
Everyone gathered here had concealed themselves with his younger brother’s ultimate skill—area-wide concealment.
Even Korea’s Grim Reaper, Jung Ji-hwan, couldn’t possibly see through this.
Unless he possessed a Level 5 detection-type item.
Yet his younger brother, Seo Ryang, standing beside him kept tilting his head in confusion.
“Brother, that bastard keeps looking over here, doesn’t he?”
“Nonsense, how could that be?”
“Huh? That’s strange… I’m pretty sure our eyes just met?”
At his younger brother Seo Ryang’s words, Son Bo clicked his tongue inwardly.
His abilities were outstanding, but why was he so dense?
Did he not understand the power of his own skills?
Without a Level 5 detection item, there was no way anyone could detect his ultimate ability—wide-range invisibility.
‘There’s no way such a rare item would appear in this cramped little country.’
Yet this fool of a brother didn’t even know that much and kept running his mouth.
Tsk, tsk.
It was utterly exasperating.
While Son Bo was watching them with such thoughts, he too began to sense something amiss.
Min-jun had somehow approached Jung Ji-hwan and Won Eun-seong and was saying something to them.
“…?”
“See? Brother, I told you something was off?”
“….”
Only when Son Bo looked seriously did Min-jun point toward him, and Won Eun-seong and Jung Ji-hwan both turned their heads to stare at them.
“!!!”
“We’ve been found out, haven’t we?”
“….”
To his younger brother Seo Ryang’s words—the one he’d deemed foolish—Son Bo found himself unable to say anything.
Simply.
“…We’re exposed! Attack!”
“…Brother?”
And Son Bo ignored Seo Ryang, who was staring at 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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