The Only Enhancer - Chapter 9
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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 9
Episode 9 – Reversed Positions (1)
0.
All traits manifest with exactly one skill upon awakening.
Dealers naturally gain attack skills, tanks acquire skills that enhance defense or draw aggro, and healers obtain either buffs or healing abilities.
New skills could only be acquired by leveling up, and typically one would gain a different skill at that point.
For instance, a tank who awakened with an aggro-drawing skill would gain a defense enhancement skill at level 2, while a healer who awakened with a buff skill would gain healing at level 2.
That was the source of Min-jun’s anxiety while masquerading as a healer.
How would I obtain healing?
I wasn’t a true healer but an enhancement specialist capable of granting buffs.
I couldn’t possibly acquire a healing skill like that.
Not as an enhancement specialist.
So I had devised a plan to obtain healing through the additional skills that appeared on 3-star reinforced items.
Since reaching level 2 was still far away, I thought I’d gather them gradually.
I never imagined I’d obtain one this quickly.
It was a situation that should have made me laugh, yet no laughter came.
“Ugh.”
Instead, I could only clutch my head, which throbbed with dizziness and pain.
It was the result of mana exhaustion.
Still, a faint smile persisted as I helplessly examined the wand from every angle.
A wand suffused with a brilliant, deep blue radiance—utterly different from the 2-star version.
I never thought I’d obtain something like this.
Its appearance had become completely transformed from the Black Claw Saber’s wand.
So much so that no one could possibly recognize it.
‘This is absolutely incredible.’
A wand with healing embedded in it?
I’m never selling this.
I’ll extract every last drop of value from it, like squeezing marrow from bone.
Besides, even if I sold it, its market value would be lower than other 3-star reinforced items.
The equip requirements for a wand with embedded healing could only be met by healers.
Why would a healer who already possessed healing bother purchasing it?
That’s why it commanded the lowest price among 3-star reinforced items.
Of course, it was still worth 500 million, but I had no intention of selling.
After all, buying unrefined items and simply clicking to add a skill was essentially printing money.
I no longer harbored significant attachment to wealth.
‘To raise my level, it’s still better to continue posing as a healer.’
Regardless, I needed to level up for higher reinforcement.
That meant participating in raids, and what could be more valuable than a healer?
It wasn’t as though I couldn’t perform as one.
I intended to maintain this lifestyle going forward.
For now, I decided to take a break today.
‘My mana hasn’t fully recovered anyway.’
Nearly five hours had passed, yet my mana pool was only at fifty percent capacity.
I could certainly upgrade the low-grade items to level 1 in my spare time, but anything beyond that would require more mana and careful consideration.
‘I should look for items that might increase my mana pool later.’
Even low-grade items would do.
In fact, it was better.
I could always enhance them afterward.
With that thought, Min-jun headed to his bed instead of collapsing onto the floor as he had before, and lay down.
Of course, before lying down, he didn’t forget to apply a level 1 enhancement to the low-grade robe and dagger.
As expected, level 1 enhancement didn’t consume much mana.
It felt like roughly ten percent?
Ah, I’ll figure it out after I sleep.
I need to recover so my mind can function properly.
After that, I should also think about how to approach raids.
Whether from exhaustion or not, snoring filled the room not long after he lay down on the bed.
Snoooore!
1.
Choi Jung-min observed Sung-jun standing before him.
Though he appeared composed, an unsettling aura pierced through that facade.
At first glance, his instincts felt decidedly off.
However, with Lee Gang-yoon’s recommendation, it was difficult to simply reject him outright.
It seemed he’d need to participate in at least two raids to be properly evaluated.
Two raids should suffice for a talent recommended by a team leader of his caliber.
“Then let’s head to the raid.”
“Yes, senior.”
Watching Sung-jun offer a casual greeting as though he’d already passed, Choi Jung-min turned his head away with visible displeasure, glaring at him.
How presumptuous. I should teach him a lesson.
“Don’t act like you’ve already passed. Your acceptance will be decided after today’s and tomorrow’s raids. Regardless of Lee Gang-yoon’s recommendation, I’m the one with final authority.”
He was level 2 now, but he was projected to reach level 3 soon.
Once Choi Jung-min advanced to level 3, he would be recognized as the fastest to reach that rank within the guild.
Normally, a rookie of this caliber should be grinding raids obsessively, but due to the guild’s customs, he was tasked with scouting duties here.
Above all, Choi Jung-min was quite renowned within the Han-byul Guild for his excellent work.
He possessed the strength to back up what he’d told Sung-jun.
That’s why Lee Gang-yoon had entrusted this to him.
“…I apologize. I’ll do my best.”
“….”
Choi Jung-min said nothing further in response to Sung-jun’s attitude.
He simply left his seat.
Sung-jun, following behind, wore an expressionless face.
Despite hearing such words, one might have attributed it to strong patience, but the reality inside was entirely different.
‘…That pathetic bastard.’
Anger consumed my thoughts, yet I genuinely meant every word.
My potential was second to none.
I truly believed that with all my heart.
I recalled the words of the Hunter Association staff member who had mentioned that my measurements came back with quite impressive scores.
Moreover, with my combat sense, there was no doubt I would achieve great success.
Fortunately, through my father’s connections, I was able to speak with the Han-byul Guild team leader.
When I shared my measurement results, they said I easily exceeded the passing standard.
If the team leader said I exceeded the passing standard, what right did he have to be so condescending?
But I didn’t let it show like an amateur.
I was truly serpentine in my concealment.
Because I hid it so well, even Choi Jung-min couldn’t discern my true feelings.
“Today’s raid composition is two tanks and three dealers.”
Without a healer, the 2-tank 3-dealer setup was the optimal combination for lower-level zones.
A composition created to compensate for the shortage of healers.
It was primarily effective up to Disaster Level 2.
We were heading to challenge Disaster Level 1.
This positioning was more than sufficient.
There were even occasional raid parties in Disaster Level 1 with only dealers.
Moreover, since Choi Jung-min was Level 2, there was nothing to worry about.
“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
Outwardly, I smiled and feigned enthusiasm.
Choi Jung-min said nothing further and simply moved on.
Before long, we arrived at Seungma Mountain, a Disaster Zone 1 located in Gimpo.
It was a place I had visited with Min-jun before, and it was where Choi Jung-min primarily worked as a scout, so I was familiar with the terrain.
Not long after Choi Jung-min and I arrived, the other party members began arriving one by one.
After exchanging greetings and entering the raid, I had to admit it.
Lee Gang-yoon, the team leader, hadn’t sent any deadweight.
Yet Choi Jung-min’s expression remained tense.
“…You’re not dealing proper damage!? Tch.”
Though he refrained from cursing, his oppressive manner of pressuring the dealers revealed his authority complex.
Choi Jung-min also issued orders to the dealers in a high-handed manner, but as the party leader, it was unavoidable.
Of course, there were few tanks or healers who didn’t do the same, but his degree was excessive.
He simply refrained from actual profanity.
Yet his language was deeply insulting.
“This is why dealers are…tsk.”
“….”
“Instead of wasting time looking like that, why don’t you just deal more damage?”
“Ugh!”
Whenever Choi Jung-min went too far, he would rein me in.
But this was a part I couldn’t simply ignore.
‘His skills are there, but his character is a bit… precarious?’
Honestly, judging by what I’ve seen so far, it’s at a level I could overlook.
Considering his initial attitude and various other factors.
‘I should observe him more carefully.’
Since I was planning to go on a raid tomorrow anyway.
I could reassess him then.
The saying goes that you can know the depths of ten fathoms of water, but not the depths of a person’s heart.
So I intended to watch him more.
During the break, I pulled out my phone to record my evaluation of Sung-jun in my head.
And there was a welcome message waiting for me.
‘Tomorrow should be easier.’
2.
Finally, I felt refreshed.
Looking out the window, I could see the sunset gradually fading—it was evening.
Min-jun yawned languidly, noticing my mana was fully restored, and considered doing another enhancement, but suddenly remembered collapsing from mana exhaustion.
If I collapsed again from enhancing, I wouldn’t be able to handle my next task.
‘I should finish my tasks first, then do the enhancement.’
The first thing to do was naturally a raid.
With a low level, there was too little I could do.
It was better to go on raids whenever I had the chance, raise my level, and increase my enhancement probability and mana.
So I checked Hunter Net for decent recruitment posts, but they were all mediocre.
Or rather, the decent ones were already closed.
‘If I sent a message, they’d probably accept me.’
But there wasn’t anyone quite like Choi Jung-min.
How could there be another person of Choi Jung-min’s caliber hunting Disaster Level 1 Zone?
I hesitated for a moment.
I already knew why someone as skilled as Choi Jung-min was here.
He must have come for scouting.
If I contacted him again, I could go on a raid, but what should I do?
‘Building connections isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’
At first, the act of posing as a healer bothered me.
If I kept showing up, my cover would eventually be blown, so I had no intention of settling in one place.
But now, wasn’t that problem somewhat resolved?
Since I now had a wand with healing built in.
Seeing Choi Jung-min multiple times wasn’t a bad thing.
In fact, considering stability, it was much better.
‘I should send him a message.’
I quickly typed out a simple message and sent it.
I simply sent a brief message to ask if it was alright to check with him first.
[Are you going on a raid tomorrow?]
If by any chance he said no, I planned to take a break as well.
Of course, if a healer asked like this, most guilds would create a raid that didn’t exist before, but one could never be too careful.
Not long after sending the message,
a reply came back quickly.
[Of course.
I’ll be waiting at the place we met the other day.
Thank you for reaching out.]
I had received the reply.
Since there was nothing else to do,
I grinned as I looked at the two +1 enhanced items on the table, wrapped in a soft white glow.
Since I was going on the raid, it was time to enhance something.
A dagger and a robe.
I had already decided which one to enhance.
This time, I planned to enhance the robe.
‘It would be nice if a defense-type option came up.’
For armor, unlike weapons, skills didn’t attach until +3, but options often appeared at +2.
It wasn’t particularly outstanding—just enough to block one or two attacks from monsters below the enhancement level—but it was still useful.
It was a negligible option for dealers or tanks, but for a healer like him, it was different.
‘It’s good to have it prepared.’
Since the wand had gone straight to +3 in one go, I didn’t have high expectations this time.
Even if I failed once, it would still be +2.
With that thought, I began the enhancement.
After seeing the first +2 fail, I thought it was a bad omen, but not long after, I swallowed hard and found myself muttering without realizing it.
“W-what is this?”
I stared at the robe placed on the table.
A robe emanating not a pale blue light, but a brilliant and crystalline blue radiance.
I had succeeded in my second +3 enhancement.
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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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