God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 235: Episode _A Hero is Made in Turbulent Times (7)

Chapter 235: Episode 235_A Hero is Made in Turbulent Times (7)

9.

Two players clinked their mugs together in a tavern.

"Man, the world’s gotten so much better. To think we can drink like this every night."

"I know, right? I used to be dying to finish my business trips and get home, but now I don’t have to. I make way more money on the road, and I can still see my precious kids studying their butts off back in Korea. Why would I crawl back to that hellhole where there aren’t even any jobs?"

"Damn, I wish I could live like you. Just two years ago, all our friends were shaking their heads and pitying you."

The two friends, both in their thirties, spoke warmly. Though their armor was shabby and their levels seemed low, no one else in the tavern paid them any mind. They didn’t care either. In this game, they felt no shame over their low levels and unimpressive gear—the usual indicators of a player’s dedication. In any other game, they might have felt inadequate, but not in Fantastic World.

More than half of the thirty million concurrent users played simply to unwind after a long day. Gold was expensive, but it was nothing compared to the cost of drinks and appetizers in the real world. Besides, the tavern’s classic, medieval atmosphere made the alcohol taste that much better. On top of that, in these dangerous times, the ability to drink to one’s heart’s content without worrying about safety was a huge draw, especially for many female players. Most importantly, it allowed friends to meet, no matter the distance. The continent of Fantastic World was vast, but it was nothing compared to the real world, where visiting another country required a passport, and you couldn’t just abandon your life to travel.

Their conversation, more a way to de-stress from reality than to enjoy the game, went on for a long time. The weather, politics, family—they talked about everything and anything, losing all track of time. Eventually, the topic shifted to Fantastic World, a game they barely even played for hunting.

"I heard the black magic mages have officially made their move."

"And a player is supposedly leading them."

"Incredible. People like that could succeed at anything."

"Someone said they’re making at least $100,000 for every castle they sack."

"Wow. I can’t even dream of an overseas trip. Maybe I should just quit my job and start gaming."

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. It’s not for everyone. Those guys are ranked number one out of tens of millions of players. How could we ever catch up?"

"True. Anyway, I heard the black magic mages are wiping out everything in their path and heading for Kenji’s territory."

"Kenji’s territory?"

"Yeah. It’s the guild that was competing with them for levels since the game launched last year. At one point, they got so frustrated with the gap that they went on a random PKing spree. It was chaos. I thought they’d called a temporary truce because of that player, Simin, who got caught in the middle."

"So why now?"

"Who knows? Maybe they had a falling out. It makes sense, though. Simin somehow got in with the Saintess and sided with the Grand Temple, but his guildmates sided with the black magic mages. Eventually, one side has to give in. But who would? It’s not some kids’ game; they’re making hundreds of millions."

"It would be a shame to give that up."

"Well, there were a lot of rumors about it being staged, but Simin went live yesterday and gave an official statement."

"What did he say?"

"He said he was dumbfounded. After everything I did for them... I never thought they’d betray me like this."

"Ooh, this is getting juicy."

"Right? The FW community and all the game streaming channels are going crazy over it. How else would I know all the details?"

"You must have really looked into it."

"Looked into it? You can find a full summary of the incident just by logging into the community forums."

"I should check it out."

"You should. It’s fascinating. It was originally shaping up to be an all-out war between the Specialists and the Kenji Guild, but now that Simin’s involved, it’s gotten even more interesting."

Though it was an in-game story, it was making headlines in the real world as well. As time passed and players’ influence on the continent grew, the main quests had a greater impact on the game. Naturally, even casual players could feel the effects of such a large-scale event. If the black magic mages suddenly took over the continent, players might have to become their slaves and perform forced labor, or fight for their freedom, instead of just hunting when they had free time. Many would say they could just quit if they didn’t like it, but for many, Fantastic World had become a sanctuary. That’s why they were so invested.

"When is that Simin guy’s next broadcast? I want to watch it."

"Dude, don’t even ask. It costs $200 to watch it live or even a replay."

"What the hell? That’s insane."

"That’s why I’m waiting for the war to actually break out before I pay. You have to keep a close eye on the community’s reaction."

The Specialists’ schism, with Kenji caught in the middle. For players who remembered the guild’s past struggles due to their small numbers, this triangular conflict was the perfect drama to grab some popcorn for. What would happen next? Logically, there was no reason for a small, elite guild to split up, but because Han Simin was involved, everyone accepted the situation and watched with bated breath.

—He’ll probably side with whoever pays more, right?

—You think he’d ditch the Saintess to join the black magic mages?

—He might, if the price is right.

—No way. He stands to gain a lot from his connection to the Saintess.

—This guy clearly doesn’t know Simin. If you saw him shaking down his viewers, you wouldn’t be saying that.

And so, the stage was set.

*

Simin, who had been heading south, immediately turned around and made his way to Kenji. The look on Kenji’s face was anything but pleased. It was only natural. Had he known their past animosity would come back to haunt him like this, he never would have acted so recklessly—so unlike himself. No, that wasn’t right. It was exactly like him. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t hesitate to orchestrate a hostile takeover if he could. He had simply misjudged his opponent’s capabilities. If he was going to act, he should have crushed them completely. Then he wouldn’t be in this predicament, with the tides of the main quest’s third act turning against him before he could even participate.

Of course, the situation wasn’t entirely bleak. With the black magic mages out in the open, the entire continent was now focused on them. Armies were beginning to gather at Kenji’s territory, even without him having to lobby any NPC nobles. The battle was shaping up to be less Kenji versus the Specialists and more the Continent versus the black magic mages.

The only thing that soured his mood was the pitiful expression on Han Simin’s face—the very man who had contributed most to this turn of events. If the broadcast wasn’t on and the Saintess wasn’t present, it wouldn’t have been strange for Kenji to lunge at him right then and there.

"What is it?" Kenji asked, swallowing his anger. The answer was obvious, but he asked out of courtesy.

"I’m here to help," Simin said. "I’ll lend a hand in punishing the traitors, and you, Kenji, can take care of all the other details."

"And your price?"

"Let’s discuss that off the record, shall we?"

Kenji fell silent.

’I shouldn’t have asked,’ Kenji thought, a wave of regret washing over him. Still, he had to ask, just in case. "Are you saying you’ll fight to protect the continent... for money?"

"Yes."

"The Emperor’s son-in-law?"

"Yes."

"Leading the Royal Knights and the Holy Knights of the Temple?"

"Yes!"

"Aren’t you afraid of tarnishing the Saintess’s name?"

"Yes! Of course!"

Kenji was dumbstruck.

That bright smile and shameless nod. Kenji nearly lost his composure. But he held back. This was Han Simin’s established persona, after all—the man who would do anything for money. A man who extorted $200 from his viewers for every broadcast and accepted every advertisement that came his way. Selling out the continent for profit was practically a cute little quirk for him.

A headache began to throb in Kenji’s temples. Should he accept or refuse? He needed to make a careful decision. "Is this your personal decision?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes."

That meant Simin’s forces were separate from the official armies and support troops currently gathering. Kenji closed his eyes. Their help would certainly be a boon. While Simin’s army was small in number, their combat power was not to be underestimated. But would the world end if they weren’t there? No, not at all. From what he had heard, Simin’s troops were a special detachment he had acquired by extorting the Emperor and the Grand Temple. The Emperor and the Temple would surely send their main forces to Kenji’s territory to protect the continent, regardless of Simin’s involvement.

With that thought, his mind was made up. "I refuse."

"Huh?" Simin’s confident expression cracked. He hadn’t expected that. "Really?"

"Yes."

"For real?"

"Yes."

"Even though our Hyegi is asking?"

"...Yes."

Though a bit unsettling, the satisfaction of turning the tables on him was exhilarating. Simin frowned, then nodded.

"Can’t be helped, then."

"What?"

"It’s a shame, but you said no," Simin said with a quick surrender. Kenji’s unease grew.

"You’re not planning on joining the black magic mages, are you?"

"Well..."

Kenji pressed, trying to pin him down. ’He wouldn’t actually do that on a live broadcast, would he?’ Doing so would not only alienate the players but also earn him an indelible black mark with the NPCs. His titles—Emperor’s son-in-law, the Saintess’s father—were far too valuable to throw away for money.

But Simin just tilted his head, leaving the question unanswered. Kenji couldn’t be sure, and he couldn’t afford to take the risk.

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Forget that. I’ll use my Rich Territory VVIP membership privilege now."

Simin looked confused.

"I will use two of my three +14 enhancement vouchers. Right now."

’I don’t want to be extorted, but I refuse to leave any room for uncertainty!’

Hit from an unexpected angle, Simin was genuinely flustered this time. It wasn’t in his nature to remember what he owed people. "Uhm..."

His hesitation was cut short.

"The money I spent to become a VVIP was..."

"This way, please, valued customer." ’After all, I’m the one who profits either way.’

*