The Only Enhancer - Chapter 87

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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 87
Episode 87 – The Strength of Level 7 (1)
0.
The principle behind monster genesis had long since been elucidated.
When vast quantities of mana converge in a single location, a monster is born.
This instance was no exception.
In Germany recently, a succession of Disaster Level 5 monsters had been exterminated.
As this repeated, the mana distribution map within Germany intensified, giving rise to a new Disaster Level 5 monster.
Like any other Disaster Level 5 monster born under such circumstances, this creature followed the same pattern.
Could it be the influence of the river located nearby?
It bore the appearance of an aquatic creature.
A catfish head paired with a bipedal body suited to a gorilla’s frame, covered in sparse fur with scales growing alongside it—the sight was utterly grotesque.
Eyes brimming with black pupils instead of whites transcended mere grotesqueness into outright revulsion.
“Kee-ing. Kee-ing.”
Despite its colossal frame, the creature emitted sounds almost endearing.
Perhaps because it had only recently been born?
As its vocal cords matured, it began producing increasingly horrific sounds.
“Keeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!”
The moment it unleashed its shriek, the ground around it heaved upward.
Even the trees could not withstand the tremors, snapping limply under the vibrations.
The creature sensed it.
I am a sovereign.
The king who shall rule this domain!
In that moment of realization, I felt another presence nearby—one possessing power comparable to my own.
“Kee-ek?”
It was a Disaster Level 5 monster dwelling not far from here.
My mind could not fathom it.
Surely I should be the sovereign of this place, yet another being already ruled this land before me?
Then why was I born here?
Why was I born in a place where a king already reigns?
I could not engage in such sophisticated reasoning.
I had only just been born, and I was not an individual of exceptional intellect.
One need only look at my catfish head to understand.
Yet one thing was certain.
I was born to slay that king and rule this domain!
“Keeeeeeeeeeeeek!”
Shrieking, the catfish-headed creature began to move.
With a frame exceeding fifty meters in length, each step possessed devastating force.
Boom——!
Boom——!
The ground collapsed beneath it, and the surrounding trees, unable to withstand the shockwave, snapped like brittle twigs.
It was already moving toward the next Disaster Level 5 monster, so the Mountain Ridge and such trivialities were beneath its notice.
Naturally, Heidelberg Castle held no place in its thoughts either.
The moment it attempted to advance.
A chilling sensation ran down its spine, and it turned its head.
Then something flashed brilliantly, and a blow struck its cheek like lightning.
Crack!
The impact was so ferocious that its head seemed to cave in—not only did its head snap around, but its massive body staggered, losing all balance.
And there, it could see a small figure grinning wickedly.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Whoosh—!
At those words alone, its knees buckled.
From its spine outward, its entire body trembled as if paralyzed.
Like a small creature quivering before an apex predator.
Why should it tremble?
It was supposed to be the king!
It made no sense.
It was utterly incomprehensible.
Was it because of this ignorance?
“Kieeeeeee!”
It immediately pushed itself up and lunged at the small figure.
The catfish-man hybrid charged forward, instinctively channeling its ability into the attack.
Then, a faint blue aura gathered in its fist.
Like the essence of water, it rippled and undulated in waves.
Kwagagagagaga!
Soon it spiraled violently, generating a fierce wave from the fist as it rotated, and the vortex-infused punch hurtled menacingly toward the small figure.
Facing the devastating spiraling fist that seemed capable of shattering everything, the small figure simply gripped the enormous hammer it held and flashed a sinister smile as it spoke.
“Steel Hero.”
The skill that had made the small figure a hero, its ultimate ability—as it activated, the aura of steel suffused its entire body.
Simultaneously, it swung the hammer toward the spiraling fist hurtling toward it.
Kwagaaang—!
A violent shockwave erupted.
The surrounding terrain was completely transformed.
A crater formed where the two collided, and with the massive chasm came a shockwave that swept across everything nearby.
The terrain that had been mountainous mere moments before—trees and earth alike—could not withstand the force and became a barren wasteland.
Despite such devastating power, the small figure remained firmly rooted in place, while the creature, more than twenty-five times its size, was driven backward and tumbled several times before coming to rest far away.
It was a scene that defied physical logic.
A massive object colliding with something small and being pushed backward instead.
The creature found it equally incomprehensible.
“Kieeeek?”
Unable to comprehend what was happening, the diminutive figure—Ma Hyun-seok—smiled faintly and muttered to himself.
“It’s incomparable to before.”
Hadn’t he attacked with the same Tier 6 weapon and Level 6 ultimate skill as before?
Yet the results were vastly different.
To think he’d overwhelmed a Calamity Level 5 monster.
He’d possessed confidence, but actually achieving it felt surreal.
Ma Hyun-seok now truly felt the reality of reaching Level 7.
He’d dominated the creature’s ability-infused fist with nothing but a swung hammer—no skill activation required.
‘Extraordinary.’
He was overwhelming it without even using his newly acquired transcendent skill.
What if he deployed his other ultimates and skills in combat?
Ma Hyun-seok alone could potentially eliminate a Calamity Level 5 monster.
Though it would certainly take considerable time.
Strength sufficient to kindle arrogance.
Yet Ma Hyun-seok did not indulge in it.
Perhaps his age played a role, but more than that—Min-jun’s presence prevented such thoughts from even arising.
Couldn’t Min-jun elevate anyone to this level, not just himself?
‘Where does his potential truly end?’
Ma Hyun-seok shook his head at the thought.
Now wasn’t the time for such idle musings—there was work to be done.
Ma Hyun-seok turned his gaze toward the catfish-headed creature.
Initially, he’d thought merely to prevent it from destroying Heidelberg Castle.
But his thinking had shifted.
Min-jun would arrive soon, yet disposing of it beforehand wouldn’t be amiss.
Hadn’t he already left Min-jun a message before intercepting it here?
That should be sufficient for the credit.
“Then, shall I demonstrate my true capabilities?”
As a non-dealer, his damage output might be lacking, but somehow it would work out.
Ma Hyun-seok unleashed his primal ferocity without restraint for the first time in ages.
“Hraaaaaaaah!”
At Ma Hyun-seok’s display, the catfish-headed creature instinctively cowered.
Like a small creature facing an apex predator it could never overcome.
1.
It was precisely when Min-jun, Michelle, and Gwen were heading toward the restaurant.
Interrupting such a pleasant moment would naturally displease anyone, yet it couldn’t be helped.
The German agents had tried desperately to prevent it, but circumstances were beyond their control.
It was an extraordinarily urgent matter.
Thus Matteo had no choice but to appear directly before Min-jun and speak.
A muscular man in a suit who’d suddenly materialized along the path.
Anyone would have been startled, yet Min-jun simply regarded him with curiosity, while Michelle couldn’t help but be quite taken aback by the abrupt appearance.
It was only natural.
Why would an ordinary person like Michelle ever encounter something like this?
“Hmm, what is it?”
“I apologize, but I’ve come to deliver a report.”
Matteo approached with utmost deference and handed over the tablet PC.
Min-jun accepted it with a hint of irritation.
What was this, interrupting his vacation?
He appeared to be an agent from the German Government, and while Min-jun couldn’t help but feel displeased, he recognized that the German side was trying to curry favor with him in every way possible. He wondered just how urgent this matter must be to warrant such an interruption, and began reviewing the report.
While Min-jun accepted it all so naturally, Michelle couldn’t calm herself at all.
The atmosphere felt decidedly ominous.
A man who looked unmistakably menacing had arrived and delivered a report, and Min-jun was receiving it.
It was a situation incomprehensible in an ordinary life.
Now that she thought about it, she recalled that Gwen had mentioned being a Guild Master.
‘Could this be… related to that?’
As Michelle thought this to herself.
Gwen reassured her.
“It’s probably nothing serious.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Gwen’s words calmed her somewhat, but the trembling wouldn’t stop.
However, when she remembered that Min-jun was an Awakened One, she was able to settle down.
She recalled hearing that Hunters could be suddenly summoned like this.
She understood this situation to be one of those cases.
Just like Michelle’s reasoning, Min-jun couldn’t help but furrow his brow at the sudden summons.
But.
‘Hmm.’
The sudden emergence of a Calamity Level 5 monster, combined with the fact that another Calamity Level 5 monster had already established a habitat in the vicinity—this was certainly problematic.
However, at that moment, Min-jun wondered if it might be related to the monsters he’d recently eliminated.
The phenomenon of monster birth occurs when the mana distribution suddenly increases.
Especially with Calamity Level 5 monsters, this was even more pronounced.
‘When you defeat a Calamity Level 5 monster and items and mana stones drop, the remaining mana disperses into the air, doesn’t it?’
It was a fact well-known worldwide, and hadn’t he confirmed it precisely through Gwen?
Then the recent elimination of three Calamity Level 5 monsters could very well be the cause.
No, it had to be.
Min-jun reviewed the report and spoke to Agent Matteo.
“So we’re handling it first and discussing compensation afterward?”
“…It seems that’s the only way, I’m afraid. I apologize.”
“Not at all, these things happen.”
Min-jun readily accepted since some of the responsibility might lie with him as well.
After all, accepting these kinds of requests gracefully was how an S-rank maintained a good reputation.
Though admittedly, the compensation was quite generous for an after-service call.
In any case, it amounted to the same thing.
It wasn’t as though I was rejecting the reward—besides, I had questions that needed answering.
There was only one thing that bothered me.
When Min-jun turned to leave, I could see Michelle looking somewhat flustered.
“Ah, sorry. Something urgent came up, so I think we’ll have to wrap things up here for today.”
“Oh, no. That’s fine.”
“Well then, I’ll treat you next time—would you mind sharing your number?”
Min-jun asked for Michelle’s number as naturally as if it were the most ordinary thing.
Michelle hesitated for a moment before entering her phone number as though entranced.
Min-jun chuckled at the sight and spoke.
“I’ll contact you tomorrow then. Gwen? Let’s go.”
That’s what he said to Gwen.
Yet for some reason, Gwen replied with a distinctly sullen expression.
“Yes.”
Though her pouting was somewhat endearing, Min-jun paid it little mind and followed Matteo, departing with Gwen.
And Michelle, left alone, watched them go with a bewildered expression.
“Could it be….”
Was Min-jun someone far more important than she’d realized?
Standing there in a daze with that impression, Michelle was approached by several agents.
“We are operatives dispatched from the German Government. We’ll ensure your safe passage home.”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
Now understanding that Min-jun was far more significant than she’d thought, Michelle could only feel bewildered.
Meanwhile, as Min-jun headed toward Heidelberg, he checked his phone.
Upon seeing an unexpected message, he let out a quiet laugh.
[I’m holding the line here~ Take your time coming~-Ma Hyun-seok-]
It was a reassuring message.
However.
“Ahahaha! Sorry about that! I never thought I’d be the one to catch it myself!”
“…?”
By the time Min-jun arrived, Ma Hyun-seok—who had grown far stronger than expected—had already transformed the catfish-headed creature into items and magic stones.
Min-jun arrived after Ma Hyun-seok, who had become stronger than expected and felt reassuring, had already turned that catfish-headed bastard into an item and magic stone.

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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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