The Only Enhancer - Chapter 66

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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 66
Episode 66 – Reinforce Guild Personal Interview
0.
For the first time in ages, all members of the Reinforce Guild were basking in satisfaction from their well-deserved rest.
A respite abroad, and in Taiwan no less—who wouldn’t be content?
And if all expenses were covered?
Who would refuse?
They say rest becomes tedious after a while, but that seemed like nonsense.
The Reinforce Guild members savored their leisure as though today were their last.
Hadn’t they endured enough hardship?
They deserved this much.
The comfort felt like sinking into bed after a grueling day’s work and a cleansing shower.
Several guild members gathered by the swimming pool, lounging on sun beds and savoring the hours.
“Ahhhh, I feel alive again.”
“I really thought I was done for.”
“Exactly. But honestly, even with the experience amplification effect, everyone reaching Level 4 in just a week is legendary.”
“They really are incredible.”
Even as they rested, memories of those events sent shivers down their spines.
If asked whether they’d return to that time, most would likely give the same answer.
“We’d have to go back, wouldn’t we?”
“Yeah, we’d have to.”
“Honestly, where else would we find an opportunity like this?”
“That’s true.”
Everyone agreed.
The raid had been mentally grueling for all Reinforce Guild members.
Even with mana recovery restoring some mental fortitude, it had been hell.
Yet all of them believed that if given the chance to return to their Reinforce Guild interview, they would absolutely join again.
Why? It was simple enough.
“The world’s greatest guild!”
“Honor no one else could attain!”
“Extraordinary item support!”
“The world’s first guild to clear a Disaster Level 5 raid!”
The prestige was immense.
And it was the world’s one and only guild of enhancement artisans.
Would anyone want to leave such a place just because it was difficult?
That would be madness.
Though “a bit difficult” hardly captured it.
Yet it was more than worth enduring.
Wasn’t this the kind of challenge that made life meaningful?
After spending days in the Reinforce Guild, their perspective had shifted somewhat, but it wasn’t entirely misguided.
They supply all guild members with tier-6 reinforced items—of which only ten exist in the entire world—and outfit everyone else with tier-5 items.
And on top of that, a guild that accelerates leveling at such a pace?
Where else could such a guild possibly exist?
“There’s always a reason why something is the best in the world.”
“Those who would be king must bear the weight of the crown! Isn’t that what they say?”
“Krhehe! That’s right! Though for us, it feels less like bearing a crown and more like supporting a castle beneath our shoulders….”
“Well, that’s worth doing too, isn’t it?”
Job satisfaction had never reached such heights.
Though returning to those days would mean writhing in agony once more, the irony was that not a shred of regret or resentment existed within them.
Though their reputation hadn’t yet spread widely, the guild members understood all too well that it was only a matter of time.
Everyone was content.
“Frankly, if we left Min-jun and started a new guild without our guild master, wouldn’t that be the strongest guild?”
“Exactly. All the items belong to Min-jun anyway.”
“Right.”
“How could we ever surpass him? We have no choice but to remain loyal.”
“That’s right, that’s right.”
They all harbored thoughts of being buried here.
Because just as they said, if Min-jun left and they formed another guild, that would indeed be the strongest guild.
Such was the dignity of an enhancement master.
To remain in the guild, one had to remain in the guild by any means necessary.
“Phew, honestly, even now I’m uneasy. Did you see that person called Lai Wei-yuan?”
“Ah! The one who asked the guild master if he could join the guild?”
“Oh, I saw him too. Level 5, supposedly Taiwan’s top dealer?”
“It sent chills down my spine.”
“Well, the guild master did politely decline him, but honestly, once word of the guild master’s abilities spreads, won’t Level 5s come flooding in?”
“Ah….”
The worry crept in that they might be abandoned.
Since they were capped at Level 4.
It was a natural concern.
But then.
Yu Ji-min suddenly stood up as if remembering something and asked the others.
“Gasp! Did you all hear the news?”
“News?”
“What news?”
“Oh, could it be that?”
One of them seemed to understand, and Yu Ji-min nodded in agreement.
The other two looked between Yu Ji-min and the one who understood, wondering what it was.
What news could make them react like this?
Curious, Yu Ji-min wore an odd expression and spoke.
“Apparently, Vice Guild Master Jung Ji-hwan has been conducting individual interviews lately.”
“I heard about it too, but apparently the people who had individual interviews just laugh like they’ve lost their minds and won’t answer any questions?”
“Individual interviews?!”
“Are you serious?!”
At the mention of individual interviews, the two of them froze in shock, and Yu Ji-min and the other guild member nodded in understanding.
Every member of the Reinforce Guild would relate to this.
Min-jun, who drove the guild members relentlessly, was certainly intimidating, but Jung Ji-hwan behind him was even more terrifying.
Could it be that he was conducting interviews for a guild restructuring?
That anxiety crept in.
To cut down guild members on Min-jun’s behalf.
The frightening part was that if it were Jung Ji-hwan, he could actually do it—there was no guarantee he wouldn’t.
“Jung Ji-hwan really has an intense gaze.”
“His eyes are clear, but honestly… I can’t even meet his eyes.”
“That’s why I bow my head immediately when greeting him and just look at the floor.”
“Me too. But wait, wasn’t Jung Ji-hwan the vice guild master?”
“Huh? Isn’t he?”
“According to the guild organization chart, he’s listed as a regular member?”
“What? Really?”
To any guild member’s eyes, Jung Ji-hwan was working as a vice guild master or higher.
Min-jun trusted him with major guild matters and important decisions.
Honestly, some would nod in agreement if you called him the guild master, given how much work he did.
But that wasn’t how they selected a guild master, of course.
After all, Min-jun was an irreplaceable enhancement mage.
Jung Ji-hwan was also an irreplaceable talented individual, but some guild members thought that if Isabella stepped up, she could almost fill the gap.
“Come on, you believe that?”
“Pfft, well, that’s true.”
“It does seem odd that Ji-hwan isn’t the vice guild master.”
“Maybe Jung Ji-hwan believes that everyone is equal under the guild master, so he joined as a regular member and just does the work?”
“….”
“…Hmm, that could be it.”
“…Yeah, that’s it.”
Though the conversation had drifted to another topic for a moment, anxiety lingered in everyone’s hearts.
Could they actually be getting fired?
With so many Level 5s around, it felt disturbingly plausible.
“If it’s individual interviews, aren’t they really firing people?”
“S-surely not?”
“Sigh, but what can we do? We did well too, but Level 5s like Isabella and Cha Hae-yeon have 6-rank equipment, so they’re flying circles around us.”
“That’s true.”
The atmosphere became gloomy.
“W-we should talk about something else…, huh?”
As Yu Ji-min tried to change the mood, her phone rang.
I checked to see if it was a message.
“Huh!?!?”
“What?! What’s going on!”
“What, what is it!?”
“Could it be…!?”
“It’s… Jung Ji-hwan.”
At Yu Ji-min’s words, everyone held their breath and looked around.
I glanced around wondering if he might be listening, but there was no way he could be here.
No one was there, but just in case, I looked around more carefully.
Scanning the surroundings cautiously, Yu Ji-min checked the message with an expression as if she might burst into tears.
Then her face became as if she’d just received a death sentence.
“He’s… asking me to come for a one-on-one meeting.”
“Ah…”
“It’s, it’s probably nothing serious.”
“Surely he’s not actually firing you!? Just, calm down and go!”
Everyone said that, but they were all afraid.
Could it be that the kids who came out of the one-on-one meetings were laughing maniacally because they’d been fired and lost their minds?
Everyone swallowed hard and waited.
Yu Ji-min, with eyes that seemed ready to cry at any moment, smiled faintly and spoke.
“Thank you for everything so far. I’ll… get going!”
Watching Yu Ji-min stand up and speak with such spirit, everyone in the room felt concerned and looked at her with sympathetic expressions.
Then they looked at each other and nodded.
“Let’s follow her.”
“We have to protect Ji-min!”
“That’s right!”
Everyone said that and followed Yu Ji-min.
They watched as Yu Ji-min entered the room where Jung Ji-hwan was staying, wondering if something was about to happen.
And after a long while.
The door opened and Yu Ji-min came out.
But with a completely different expression than when she went in.
“Ehehehe! Ehehehe!”
No, it wasn’t just her expression that was the problem.
She looked like she’d lost her mind.
The sight of her laughing like a madwoman while clutching a single sheet of paper and running away was exactly like what people call a lunatic.
What on earth happened in that room?
As everyone wondered.
Another notification rang on one of their phones.
It was her turn next.
“I’ll, I’ll tell you right away once I come out!”
With that promise, she went in.
After quite some time had passed and she emerged once more, clutching a single sheet of paper, she was no different from Yu Ji-min.
“Ehehehehe! I did it! I finally did it!”
Watching her dash off despite having promised to explain, the remaining two swallowed hard.
What on earth could make her act like that?
1.
Observing the guild member who had just left with eyes gleaming like a madwoman, Min-jun tilted his head in bewilderment.
Everyone seemed far too delighted.
But wasn’t that better than the alternative?
Still, it made sense.
Of course they’d be thrilled if he was offering to enhance their levels.
What puzzled him was why they’d sign lifetime contracts over it.
“I thought at least one or two would refuse, but they all signed.”
“Of course they did. Where else would such an opportunity arise? Anyone would be delighted.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Min-jun had never experienced the frustration of a level ceiling.
Having reached Level 6 in merely three months, he simply couldn’t understand.
Honestly, one could accumulate considerable wealth and renown even settling at Level 4.
Yet he couldn’t quite grasp why they were so ecstatic about it, though if everyone agreed, that was good enough for him.
Regardless, an ability stat of 10 was genuinely rare to find.
Even a stat of 9 was uncommon, but 10 was truly exceptional.
It was only because there were so many dealers that he could select all 25 dealers with a stat of 10.
Look at the other attributes.
Even Park Min-ho and Cha Hae-yeon only had 9.
‘It’s hard to find anywhere else.’
Previously, he’d thought he should accept anyone at Level 5, but now that Min-jun could raise the level cap, such considerations were meaningless.
It was more efficient to recruit those stuck at level cap 4 with ability stat 10 and enhance them.
The lifetime contracts were useful too.
They could never belong to another guild and had to work exclusively for Min-jun until they retired as hunters, but it had sufficient merit.
The lifetime contract required a binding skill ensuring they’d never betray the guild, but in exchange, he’d raise their levels and lend them +6 weapons indefinitely.
Really, just the indefinite +6 weapon rental alone was sufficient reason to sign a lifetime contract, yet he was also raising their level caps.
Unless they were idiots, everyone would sign.
As Min-jun was thinking this, someone rang the doorbell.
When Jung Ji-hwan went to answer, the person standing there was none other than Ma Hyun-seok.
“Phew, finally finished with work.”
“Ah, you must be exhausted.”
“Exhausted? You did all the heavy lifting. The negotiations themselves wrapped up long ago—it was just bureaucratic matters that held things up, nothing difficult really.”
At Ma Hyun-seok’s words, Min-jun let out a small laugh.
How could anything be harder than hunting a Disaster Level 5?
Wait?
‘Wasn’t hunting a Disaster Level 5 pretty easy too?’
The thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t voice it aloud.
Ma Hyun-seok nodded as if he understood.
“We’ve decided to extract maximum compensation. I’m not sure how much it matters to you, but I’ll have the details sent in writing.”
“Yes, I’d appreciate that.”
“Still, the Taiwan side will have a hard time hiding the fact that Reinforce Guild, including me, raided a Disaster Level 5 as a single party.”
“I expected as much anyway.”
There had been too many eyes watching.
Controlling the information was impossible from the start.
I hadn’t expected it either.
Even if the Taiwan Government tried their best to suppress it, they couldn’t silence every Taiwan Hunter who had gathered there.
They could delay it at most, but those quick to gather intelligence might already know.
Especially since Taiwan, which had sent support requests to multiple nations, had gone quiet.
“Will you be alright?”
“Of course. I’m Level 6 now anyway—it’s too late to hide.”
“Hmm, I suppose so.”
“Yes. I think it needs to be revealed soon.”
“That’s probably for the best. After all, there’s no one in this world who can touch you.”
Ma Hyun-seok had no choice but to accept it now.
That there was no being in this world capable of killing Min-jun.
Especially after feeling it so acutely during this raid.
That final skill.
‘If that hit directly, even a perfectly healthy Disaster Level 5 wouldn’t stand a chance.’
I genuinely believed that.
The aura I felt in that moment—I judged that even dozens of me couldn’t withstand it.
Just where did this man’s limits lie?
That’s what Ma Hyun-seok wondered.
What kind of ripples would spread if Min-jun’s true value became known to the world?
I was actually looking forward to it now.
“You’ll do well. Have you decided on your next destination? Seeing you rest here, it looks like you’re planning to move immediately again.”
“You really are the Association Chairman, aren’t you?”
Min-jun raised both hands in surrender.
The next destination was already decided.
“The United States.”
“Oh, the Saint Guild?”
“Yes. Well, I’ll return to Korea eventually, but I heard there’s a Disaster Level 5 that’s taken root in Saint Guild territory as well.”
“So you’re planning to reveal yourself there.”
I nodded at Ma Hyun-seok’s words.
Watching me, Ma Hyun-seok smiled with anticipation and spoke.
“I’ll say it again—you’ll do well. I won’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
“Well then, I suppose I should be heading back to Korea. There’s quite a bit I need to attend to there. I was hoping to get some rest while I was here, but it seems that won’t be possible.”
Ma Hyun-seok rose from his seat, but his expression suddenly twisted as if he’d witnessed something truly bizarre, and he turned to Min-jun with a question.
“Did you do something to your guild members?”
“Pardon?”
“Well, when I arrived, I noticed something… how should I put it? Your guild members’ eyes are absolutely terrifying.”
Ma Hyun-seok, a Level 6 hunter, trembled visibly as if genuinely frightened.
One of the fifteen hunters called the world’s strongest, trembling like that.
Though Min-jun had to admit he understood the sentiment.
Their eyes truly were frightening.
“Hmm.”
Min-jun was about to explain something about potential enhancement.
But he shook his head instead.
‘I should enhance them as a surprise later.’
Min-jun thought this to himself and only revealed half the truth.
“It’s nothing major. I just had them sign lifetime contracts in exchange for Tier 6 equipment.”
“Oof.”
The moment Ma Hyun-seok heard the word “lifetime,” he shuddered violently, as if experiencing an allergic reaction.
Like someone who’d been exposed to something they couldn’t tolerate.
I could sense there was something more to his reaction.
It resembled the survival instinct of a tank class hunter.
Then Ma Hyun-seok spoke in a voice noticeably faster than usual.
“Oof! That’s wonderful! I really must be going now. I’m terribly busy, you see!”
And with that, he hurriedly excused himself.
He seemed to sense that if he lingered any longer, something related to “lifetime” contracts might befall him as well.
Min-jun and Jung Ji-hwan saw Ma Hyun-seok off, and the two remaining men began chattering away.
“When we enhance his limit level later, I’m sure he’ll be delighted.”
“He might even shed tears.”
“We should prepare something special for it.”
“An excellent idea.”
The two of them were discussing something that would have caused Ma Hyun-seok to faint had he overheard.
2.
Saint Guild.
News reached the world’s third-ranked guild and the second-ranked guild in the United States.
They would be conducting a cooperative raid with a newly established guild called Reinforce from Korea.
Not only was it a guild no one had heard of, but it was also brand new.
Several Saint Guild members who heard this news voiced their complaints.
“Is this right? What do you think, James?”
“A collaboration with an unknown new guild? Has Saint Guild ever done such a thing in its history since its founding?”
“Never.”
“I cannot fathom what the Guild Master is thinking.”
“Hmm, it seems that guild has some useful talent.”
“I still don’t understand. If that’s the case, we should just recruit that person alone. Why collaborate with a guild that doesn’t even match our caliber?”
Everyone frowned as if dissatisfied, but none dared express it openly.
After all, no one was ignorant of Guild Master Richard Franklin’s temperament.
There was nothing to gain by testing his patience.
Besides, Robert Hauser, a Level 6 hunter who could be called Richard’s right hand, wouldn’t stand idle either.
Everyone had no choice but to restrain themselves.
Yet their dissatisfaction didn’t fade away.
If anything, it grew.
“Let’s show them what we’re made of.”
“We should crush their momentum.”
“Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit, doesn’t it?”
While several of them were talking about suppressing the other guild’s momentum, one guild member made an odd expression and spoke.
“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of the Reinforce Guild before.”
“Really? Where did you hear about it?”
“I heard that Isabella was dispatched from the Reinforce Guild.”
At her words, several members’ eyes lit up with interest.
If it’s Isabella, that changes things somewhat.
Isn’t she one of the few guild members Franklin cherishes?
I heard she hadn’t been seen for a while.
So something like that happened.
While everyone was chattering about it, the guild member who mentioned Isabella continued.
“Well, it seems like a rumor, but I heard that the Reinforce Guild was the one who dealt with the Disaster Level 5 that occurred in Taiwan recently.”
“What? Kuhahahaha! That’s ridiculous nonsense.”
“Puhaha! You believe that? Emilia?”
As everyone scoffed at the claim, Emilia merely shrugged her shoulders.
It was an unbelievable story, true.
But if she had made a great achievement, it wasn’t something she couldn’t understand.
However, seeing everyone treat it as nonsense, Emilia let it go.
Then, one of the guild members came rushing in frantically.
What was going on?
As the guild members turned their heads, the rushing member spoke.
“The, the Reinforce Guild has arrived, so I went to check, and, this is no joke!”
What do you mean it’s no joke?
Several guild members who questioned this went out and saw the people presumed to be from the Reinforce Guild.
And without exception, all of them flinched and took a step back.
“Hehehehe, is this the United States?”
“We who are bound by lifetime contracts are strong.”
“Saint Guild? I don’t care about that. I only care about prey!”
For some reason, they all had an unsettling gleam in their eyes.
“Can we suppress its momentum?”
“Doesn’t it seem like we already have?”
“….”
“….”
No one could refute Emilia’s words.

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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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