God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 36: Episode 7 _ Hitting the Jackpot on Top of a Jackpot (5)

Chapter 36: Episode 7 _ Hitting the Jackpot on Top of a Jackpot (5)

10.

They say meeting once is a coincidence, and meeting twice is fate. To meet complete strangers in a dungeon where their paths should never have crossed...!

"This must be some incredible fate, huh?" Simin exclaimed.

"Shut up, you shameless bastard!"

Undeterred by the Johnson Party’s hostile welcome, Simin waved. After all, weren’t they his benefactors?

"Thanks. Because of you, I enhanced my gear and got a Unique necklace. Oh! And I sold all the items I picked up so they wouldn’t go to waste."

He could say it now because he could easily handle the four players in front of him.

"Ta-da!"

"Y-y-you son of a...!"

The level 25 requirement meant the necklace’s options were useless to him, but he casually dangled it in front of them, getting under Johnson’s skin. Simin held no personal grudge against them, but since they were being so openly hostile, he felt no need to be polite. This was a game. Things like this happened. It wasn’t like he’d insulted their parents, so why should he apologize?

"Don’t take it out on me. You died because you were weak."

"What did you say?!"

The atmosphere grew tense. The mercenary was forgotten as the Johnson Party aimed their weapons at Han Simin.

"You think you can take me? Looks like you guys are just here for a carry," Simin scoffed.

Their hostility meant nothing to him.

"Hmph! You’re probably only in your mid-twenties yourself. Such a bluff!"

With a smirk, Simin drew his crimson dagger. His level was low, but he was more than capable of clearing this dungeon alone. This meant he hadn’t come here hoping for a lucky break like last time. There was no need to back down.

"Seeing as you brought an NPC, you must have spent a pretty penny. Why don’t you go take a rest? I’ll give you a clean death."

"Just as I thought! You came to backstab us again!"

"Damn it. What a persistent bastard!"

His blatant aggression put the Johnson Party on edge. One thing was clear: Han Simin had been wandering this field and had entered the dungeon on his own. Unless he had been tailing them since last time, it meant he had an ace up his sleeve. They swallowed hard.

Though they acted tough, they couldn’t help but feel intimidated by his crimson dagger and the gear that pulsed with green auras. Any experienced gamer would understand: a player with highly enhanced items was strong. And rich. They couldn’t help but compare it to their own gear and feel small.

"We can win! If we just hold on a little longer, the boss will be dead, and the NPC will join us. Let’s just hold out until then!" Johnson shouted, trying to bolster his own courage.

Relying on a mercenary was a cowardly tactic, but the mercenary was just a consumable item bought with money. There was nothing to be ashamed of. His confidence began to return. Johnson’s rally had a significant effect. The only minor problem was that, in his attempt to be inspiring, his voice carried all the way to Han Simin.

"Oh? Is that so?" Han Simin’s gaze shifted past the four of them to the mercenary and the snake-like named monster. It was a tense battle, but the mercenary NPC was steadily gaining the upper hand. He was clearly an expensive hire.

’This could be a problem.’

He didn’t want to fight an NPC whose level was unknown. He decisively pointed his crimson dagger at a single spot.

The party members exchanged confused glances.

Their eyes followed his gesture. The tip of the dagger was aimed at the giant, snake-like named monster.

"What do you think I’m going to do?" Simin asked.

No one answered, not that he expected them to. He immediately gave them the answer himself.

"Legendary Heal."

Crimson mana struck the named monster.

"Hiiissssss!" The dying monster shrieked as the unfamiliar energy flooded its body.

And then...

"HIIISSSS!" The revitalized snake roared.

The mercenary NPC, who had been struggling for over thirty minutes, turned around with a deep scowl. The culprit scratched his head with his other hand and waved the dagger.

"Oops! My hand slipped. Sorry!"

The smiling Han Simin didn’t look sorry at all.

* * *

Han Simin had made the mess, but the Johnson Guild had to clean it up.

"Shouldn’t you guys hurry up and help? He looks like he’s struggling," Simin taunted.

"...You bastard!"

If the mercenary NPC died, not only would they lose the money, but all the trust they had built with the noble who had arranged it would be gone.

"Wow, he’s really taking a beating."

Watching the four of them rush to join the battle, a wicked smile spread across Simin’s face. He had high hopes for the S-rank skill he’d gained from the +15 evolution, but it was even better than he’d expected.

[Legendary Heal (S): Active]

* Description: Casts a miraculous heal once every 30 seconds.

* Effect: Heals 20% of the target’s health. The effect is doubled if the target’s health is below 10%.

"...No, this is seriously broken."

So he could heal 20% of its health every 30 seconds? And if it dropped below 10%, it would heal a whopping 40%? The mana cost was severe, but it explained why the snake had suddenly jumped up and started fighting so hard. Even though he’d never seen it before and didn’t know its name, he cheered for the monster.

"La la la!"

Watching the battle enter its second round, Simin leisurely took out his anvil. His choice to heal the monster had defused the tense atmosphere more easily than he’d expected. For Simin, who had come here to enhance, this was not a bad development at all.

’Leg armor first.’

Without hesitation, he pulled down his pants and placed them on the anvil.

"...That crazy bastard," one of the Johnson Guild members muttered, glancing over to see if he was up to any tricks, only to be met with a bewildering sight.

But Han Simin didn’t bat an eye.

’It’s just a game.’

He was wearing boxers, and besides, it would be weirder to act shy and awkward in a space with only men.

"Phew."

He took a deep breath and composed himself. They had met again by chance, but unlike last time, there was no need to rush. He could have gotten this far on his own.

’First, the enhancement...’

He would catch up with his fated friends later. The sound of his hammer once again rang through the boss room, a strange counterpoint to the fervor of the battle.

"You son of a bitch! Get lost!"

He let the curses flow in one ear and out the other as he raised his hammer. He had a long way to go. The boots were still left.

’Quickly.’

The probability was 84%. He struck without fear.

’If it breaks, I’ll just make another one.’

The calm hammer strike—a composure so convincing he almost believed it himself—rewarded him.

[Player ’Simin’ has succeeded in enhancing ’+15 Wolf Leather Pants’!]

[Number of +15 Successes: 3]

[Legendary Achievement! You have acquired 32 stat points.]

And then...

[Conditions met.]

[You have completed the 2nd Awakening for the Legendary job ’Ultimate Legendary Enhancement Master’!]

[The range of eligible enhancement targets has been expanded.]

[Stat points awarded will now be scaled according to the target item’s level.]

Another change had arrived.

11.

Simin was speechless.

‘What is this?’ Simin stared blankly for a moment, stunned by the sudden barrage of holograms. This should have been a moment of pure joy, but...

“That bastard! He succeeded again! Goddammit!”

“Who the hell is he to succeed at a +15 enhancement?”

“...I heard that if you enhance at a so-called ‘prime location,’ the success rate can go up by twenty percent.”

The guild members were in an uproar. He paid their bitter complaints no mind. He carefully equipped the crimson pants and began to read the holographic messages slowly and meticulously. He was dying to see the effects of his +15 pants, but first things first.

There was an order to everything.

‘That damn Betago is trying to stop me from exploiting the system,’ was Simin’s one-line conclusion after reading everything. A frown creased his face. While expanding the range of items he could enhance meant he could apply his skill more widely, scaling the stat points based on an item’s level was a clear nerf, no matter how he looked at it. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He could have just kept enhancing level-one Normal-grade items to +15, easily earning thirty-two stat points—no, with the fourteen points from the process itself, it was a total of forty-four points per item. Others slaved away hunting for days just to level up once, but he could have gained the equivalent of leveling up eight times in a single day. It was a game-breaking imbalance that would have made his actual level completely irrelevant. If only he’d known this was coming, he would have milked it for all it was worth. The thought had crossed his mind, but a constant stream of incidents had prevented him from putting it into practice.

“Can’t be helped.”

He didn’t dwell on it. The fact that the exploit was blocked before he could truly abuse it meant it was probably an intended progression. He’d had his first awakening when he first enhanced the dagger to +15, and now, after succeeding with three +15 items, he’d had his second. It was likely he wouldn’t have been able to abuse it even if he had tried.

‘Let’s look on the bright side.’

His stats were already high enough and were only going to get higher. Instead of farming stats on trivial items, he would aim for a life-changing fortune by enhancing items that would make everyone’s eyes pop.

‘And this ring is first on the list.’

The Legendary Ring of Blessing. After gently stroking it, he checked the options on his new pants.

[+15 Wolf Leather Pants]

* Grade: Normal

* Required Level: 5

* Defense: 5 (+50)

* Option 1: Agility +1 (+10)

* Option 2: ‘Deep Crimson Aura’ Effect Applied

- Set Effect +16%

- Perfect Defense Chance +8%

- Recovery Effect +10%

- Defense +30

“Heh.”

It was intoxicating, absolutely intoxicating. Although it hadn’t evolved and had no special options, it was more than enough. His spirits soaring, he placed his boots on the anvil.

“Let’s go!”

Time for the fourth +15. Clang!

Imbued with the blessing of the named monster, a brilliant crimson light erupted.

* * *

For every light, there is a shadow; for every moment of happiness, a moment of misery. While Simin was in a celebratory mood, the Johnson Guild, fighting just a few steps away, was in a living hell.

"Hiss."

The snake, granted a new lease on life thanks to Simin, was running rampant.

“This is insane!”

“Heal the mercenary!”

“We have to keep him alive, no matter what!”

With the four new members, the tide of battle was slowly turning in their favor. The level difference meant they weren’t much help directly, but with a healer, a mage, and someone to draw the snake’s aggro, they could at least take the pressure off the exhausted mercenary NPC. The potions they were feeding him were worth at least fifty silver each.

“Dammit! Goddammit!”

They were even using emergency potions they wouldn’t touch unless they were on the verge of death. It would be absurd if they didn’t win now.

“Hahahaha!”

Just then, a laugh filled with pure bliss reached Johnson’s ears.

Simin had succeeded in two consecutive +15 enhancements. It was beyond jealousy; the very sight of him was infuriating.

“If you’re done enhancing, just get the hell out of here!”

For a group that wanted to tear him limb from limb to say such a thing showed just how critical this battle was to them. They’d rather give up this chance for revenge than risk letting their rage at the sight of him ruin the raid.

“No thanks,” Simin replied.

Johnson stared, bewildered.

Unfortunately for them, that was their choice. Simin, it seemed, had other plans.

“Why should I?”

He approached them, draped in a cascade of crimson and green auras. A cold sweat trickled down their spines. ‘Don’t tell me...’

“Last time,” Simin began, “my stats were a little low, and you all conveniently died before I could backstab you, so I let it slide. But why should I let it slide this time?”

The guild members fell silent.

He was pure evil. His smile definitely belonged to a villain. But they couldn’t say a word. If the balance of the fight was broken now, the raid would be a failure. And failure in Fantastic World meant death, which meant a 48-hour setback. Having experienced it once before, they knew better than anyone how devastating that was.

It was a moment of decision. Johnson had to choose one of two paths: submission or defiance. After a moment’s thought, he chose the latter, the memory of his pleas for mercy being utterly ignored still fresh in his mind.

“You son of a bitch! Go on, do your worst! I’m recording, so the second you backstab us, I’ll post the video on the FW forums and—”

Pshnk.

“Ack!”

[You have suffered a critical wound!]

[You are now affected by ‘Burning Wound’! Stack: 1]

It was the wrong choice. Not that it would have mattered what he chose; the result would have been the same.

Simin responded, “Post it for all I care.”

Reputation in a game? Such things held no sway over him.

“I was just going to take a bit of money and leave. Tsk, tsk,” he said, the words dripping with insincerity as he swung his dagger.

With a named monster in front of them and Simin at their backs, the fragile balance was shattered. Simin was only harassing them, careful not to become a murderer, but it was enough. In the end, the mercenary NPC fell at the hands of a lizardman.

All that remained was a single, exhausted snake.

“You know, I’m always so grateful to these guys. They bring me such nice gifts every time we meet,” Simin said with a grin as he quickly closed in and plunged his dagger into the beast.

He had gained two +15 items and a pile of loot. It had taken a while, but it was a very rewarding dungeon raid.

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

He had leveled up and finished his enhancements—a win-win situation that gifted the Johnson Guild their second death.

* * *