Chapter 102
Jeong-Hoon was sitting in a cafe, not in the game.
He ordered a cappuccino and sipped it, and soon Ha-Jin arrived.
“Hoon!”
“Oh, you’re here?”
“Yeah. But what’s the occasion today? You asked to meet in real life, not in the game.”
“Ah, I wanted to talk about the next content.”
“We haven’t even uploaded the Ruined City video yet.”
“Yeah.”
Jeong-Hoon had no intention of letting the ‘Transcendent Enhancement: Legendary’ he had just obtained go to waste.
Even though he had twisted Iwase Haruto’s future, Iwase was still a hidden class ‘Explorer Enhancer’ and would maintain his high value.
Honestly, he didn’t care what happened to that guy’s value, but Jeong-Hoon was planning to step into that area from now on.
‘Obtain the Master Enhancer title.’
Master Enhancer.
It was also a unique title that only one person in New World could have.
In his previous life, Iwase Haruto had taken that title.
This was because no one else could meet the conditions.
[Master Enhancer]
– Normal (Fully Enhanced) 0/10,000
– Rare (Fully Enhanced) 0/10,000
– Epic (Fully Enhanced) 0/10,000
– Unique (Fully Enhanced) 0/1,000
– Legendary (Fully Enhanced) 0/100
Only by fulfilling these absurd conditions could one obtain that title.
‘I have to get it.’
Only with that title could he quickly gain the qualification to enhance equipment of Legendary grade or higher in the future.
It was one of the titles necessary to clear the game.
That’s why he had called Ha-Jin here today.
“Oh, what’s the next content?”
Curiosity filled Ha-Jin’s eyes.
“You know I got the Ancient Recipe, right?”
“Yeah.”
The reward given to Jeong-Hoon for being the first to clear the Ruined City.
But it was an old recipe, so severely damaged that it was impossible to decipher.
If it had been up to Ha-Jin, he would have chosen the level-up instead of the recipe.
“I succeeded in deciphering it.”
Ha-Jin’s eyes widened at Jeong-Hoon’s words.
“What… You crazy?!”
Ha-Jin jumped up from his seat in surprise.
“Hey, shh. Everyone will hear you.”
Ha-Jin hurriedly sat back down when Jeong-Hoon gestured for him to be quiet.
“You deciphered it…? So what kind of recipe was it?”
“It was a recipe that allowed you to acquire a skill.”
“…There’s a recipe like that?”
Wasn’t that usually called a skill book, not a recipe?
“It’s something you can only get by fulfilling certain conditions.”
“Aha.”
So it meant that the power of a skill book was sealed within the recipe.
Ha-Jin nodded as if he understood.
Jeong-Hoon continued,
“But that skill is pretty good.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s a skill that allows you to enhance equipment.”
“Enhance equipment?”
Ha-Jin’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at the unexpected skill.
“Don’t be surprised when you hear this.”
Jeong-Hoon honestly explained the effects of the skill.
For example, the success rate was 100% for Normal and Rare, 80% for Epic, 60% for Unique, and 30% for Legendary.
Ha-Jin’s face changed in a way that was quite amusing to see.
“Wow… Shit… If that’s true, it’s insane…”
“Right?”
“I’m suddenly getting annoyed. Why does all the luck go to you?”
Ha-Jin muttered, feeling a sense of self-deprecation.
“Anyway, I’m planning to use this skill for content.”
“…You mean you’re going to reveal the skill?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I’m thinking of creating an enhancement exchange and gathering a lot of customers.”
The exchange system, only allowed for enhancers.
Unlike exchanges where you trade items, it was a system where you put pure enhancement stones, equipment, and payment into an exchange registered by an enhancer and receive the results within 24 hours.
“Isn’t that impossible? You can’t open an exchange system.”
Even though Jeong-Hoon had obtained the enhancement skill, he was essentially a martial artist.
So it was impossible for him to open an exchange system.
“It’s okay. I have a way.”
Jeong-Hoon grinned.
“…You have a way?”
“Yes.”
* * *
Ho-Yeong Guild.
Lounge.
Jeong-Hoon and Yoo Na-Eun, an enhancer belonging to Ho-Yeong Guild, were sitting facing each other in the guild’s lounge.
===
[Player Information]
– Nickname: GentleTouch
– Level: 254
– Class: Illusion Enhancer (3rd class)
===
Although not a hidden class, she was an Epic grade Illusion Enhancer.
She was in charge of repairing and enhancing Ho-Yeong’s equipment overall.
So why was Yoo Na-Eun here?
“You obtained an enhancement skill…?”
“Yes.”
It was because she had heard the absurd story that a user who wasn’t even an enhancer had obtained an enhancement skill.
If it weren’t for Yeo Min-Ji, she would have dismissed it as nonsense and ignored it. But since Yeo Min-Ji had actively arranged the meeting, she had no choice but to attend.
“Then, shall I give you this equipment and enhancement stone to try enhancing?”
The equipment and enhancement stone that Yoo Na-Eun handed over were a Normal grade knuckle and a Normal grade enhancement stone.
Honestly, she couldn’t believe it until she saw it with her own eyes.
If the enhancement attempt succeeded, a golden effect would flash once, and if it failed, a black effect would flash once.
And as Jeong-Hoon attempted the enhancement, a golden effect flashed once.
[Enhancement successful.]
The enhancement was successful.
Yoo Na-Eun looked at the knuckle that Jeong-Hoon had enhanced with astonished eyes.
[Steel Knuckles (+1)]
The Steel Knuckles, which had no enhancements, now had a ‘+1’ attached to them.
“It’s real…? H-How is this possible?!”
It was enhanced.
Yoo Na-Eun checked Jeong-Hoon’s information again.
===
[Player Information]
– Nickname: Hoon
– Level: 164
– Class: Intermediate Martial Artist (2nd class)
===
A level 164 martial artist who had completed his second class advancement.
Even though the ‘Intermediate Martial Artist’ was hidden by the hidden class blind system, the fact that he had used a skill unique to enhancers was so shocking that she couldn’t even speak properly.
“Is this enough?”
“…Yes. So, what’s the reason you called me here?”
“Please write a letter of recommendation in your name. I’ll go and take the test myself and open the system.”
There was a way to open an exchange even if you weren’t an enhancer.
In fact, this was the method that most users used when New World became reality, and he planned to open the exchange earlier by bringing that time forward.
‘If I enhance other people’s equipment, I’ll naturally be able to meet the conditions for the title.’
Legendary would take a bit longer, but since there was no way to obtain higher-grade equipment right now anyway, he decided to think about it slowly.
“A letter of recommendation? Why would you need that?”
Yoo Na-Eun didn’t quite understand.
She had never heard of being able to open an exchange system with just a letter of recommendation.
“I heard you’re the greatest enhancer in Ho-Yeong.”
“…That’s not true.”
Yoo Na-Eun denied the compliment, but the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.
“Of course, if it doesn’t work, I’ll give up immediately. But you never know, right?”
Jeong-Hoon asked again.
“…Alright. But you have to give up immediately if it doesn’t work.”
“Yes.”
“And one more thing, please come to Ho-Yeong once a week to help with enhancement work.”
“No. I’ll come 3-4 times if I have time.”
To get the title, he had to do as many enhancements as possible.
There was no reason to refuse when she was offering him a chance to enhance.
“Ah, that’s fine. Ho-Yeong won’t be short on manpower.”
“Alright.”
Yoo Na-Eun quickly wrote a letter of recommendation.
“Is this enough?”
“You need to stamp it.”
“Stamp…?”
“Yes. I believe enhancers have an engraving skill after their class advancement. Please use that engraving on the letter of recommendation.”
“…You’re asking for a lot. Alright.”
Yoo Na-Eun engraved the letter of recommendation and handed it back to him.
“Thank you.”
With this, he had gained the opportunity to walk the path of an enhancer.
* * *
“Did it go well?”
Yeo Min-Ji was waiting for Jeong-Hoon outside the building.
“Yes. Thanks to you, it went very well.”
“That’s a relief.”
Yeo Min-Ji smiled.
She was happy that she could be of help to Jeong-Hoon.
When he first said he was looking for an enhancer of Epic grade or higher, she immediately thought of Yoo Na-Eun. Fortunately, Yoo Na-Eun was free and readily agreed to meet Jeong-Hoon.
“Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Ah, if you don’t mind, could you take a look at my martial arts?”
Her eyes lit up with passion.
All of this was for the ultimate martial arts.
She had seen Jeong-Hoon’s martial arts up close, and she was filled with the desire to make his martial arts completely her own.
“Sure. Then I’ll take a look for a moment.”
Jeong-Hoon headed to the training ground with Yeo Min-Ji.
And that day, the training ground was filled with the sound of nagging.
* * *
Like the Alchemist’s Street, Märchen Kingdom also had an Enhancer’s Street.
Enhancers gathered there, crafting various equipment and submitting them to the kingdom’s capital and various territories assigned to the kingdom. They also repaired and enhanced broken equipment and sent them back.
Perhaps that’s why the Enhancer’s Street was much wealthier than the Alchemist’s Street.
“Oh! Are you a customer?”
“If you’re interested, come into our shop and take a look at our equipment!”
“Hey, mister! What you’re wearing looks extraordinary.”
Unlike the alchemists, the enhancers were quite friendly even to strangers.
Of course, it was thanks to the Mukho that Jeong-Hoon was wearing.
As enhancers, they had repeatedly looked at and touched various pieces of equipment countless times.
So they could somewhat tell that Mukho was not an ordinary item just by looking at it.
[Humph, extraordinary my ass. I’m an existence you guys can’t even touch in your entire lives!]
Mukho shouted proudly at them.
‘He’s right.’
[Huh? Why aren’t you arguing?]
‘If you only say the right things, there’s no reason for me to argue, is there?’
[Really? I always say the right things, though? And you always interrupt me with killer tackles. If I had shins, they’d be crushed to dust.]
‘Okay, okay, stop the nonsense.’
Jeong-Hoon stopped walking.
In front of him was the Enchanter’s Hall.
When he reached level 200, it was a necessary course to visit for his 3rd class advancement.
“Who’s there!”
Without even knocking, the closed door opened and a giant man, at least 2 meters tall, appeared.
He had white hair and wrinkles all over his face, but his broad shoulders and sturdy muscles showed how diligently he had trained.
===
[NPC Information]
– Nickname: Ruben
– Level: 300
– Class: Blacksmith Instructor
===
‘I came to the right place.’
He was the NPC in charge of the 3rd class advancement.
But he was a blacksmith, not an enhancer.
Unlike blacksmiths, who had to endure manual labor, enhancers could instantly finish enhancements and repairs with the system.
Therefore, blacksmiths were practically a minority.
In such a situation, if a blacksmith was level 300…
‘It means he has tremendous pride in being a blacksmith.’
Jeong-Hoon quickly grasped Ruben’s characteristics.
“I came to learn blacksmithing skills.”
“Not enhancing? Well, that’s impossible since you haven’t even learned enhancing skills.”
“Yes.”
“But still, no. You’re already walking a different path. There’s no need for you to come this way.”
Ruben firmly refused.
He was about to close the door without hesitation, and Jeong-Hoon quickly took out the letter of recommendation Yoo Na-Eun had written for him.
“Take a look at this.”
“Hmm?”
A letter of recommendation from an enhancer of Epic grade or higher.
And the enhancement skill that Jeong-Hoon himself possessed.
Since he met both conditions, the quest should appear.
Right now.
After skimming through the letter of recommendation, a rainbow-colored question mark blinked above Ruben’s head.
———-