The Second to Master Enhancement

Rakak had spotted Mu-hyuk as well.

"Lord Village Chief!"

Rakak called out loudly as he approached, and Mu-hyuk closed the distance to meet him.

"How have things been?"

"Excellent, my lord. Things have been going splendidly lately."

"Glad to hear it. The village seems to have grown quite a bit in such a short time."

"Indeed. It's bustling far more than before—impossible to compare."

He truly seemed in high spirits.

"The northern fields are looking good too."

"Are they?"

"Yes, sprouts are already shooting up. A little more time, and we'll have enough grain to last a good while."

Thanks to the game system accelerating crop growth, it happened at an astonishing speed.

"And the mine?"

"Word is it'll wrap up today."

"Today, huh..."

"Yes. Once development finishes, we'll need to hire laborers..."

"Don't worry about that. I'll speak to the right people."

"Then I am deeply grateful, my lord."

"Do you know where the head supervisor is?"

"Ah, probably in the village. Let me see..."

Rakak glanced around.

"That's the inn over there—he should be resting inside."

"Let's go together."

"Is that all right?"

"Of course."

Mu-hyuk led Rakak and his companions toward the inn. Inside, they found a group nursing mugs of dark ale.

One knight seemed to recognize Mu-hyuk and muttered something to the man beside him. The man stood, smiling as he approached.

"Baron Mu-hyuk, is that you?"

"Ah, yes."

Technically a baronet, but close enough.

"What a pleasure to meet here. I'm Ryokan, the mining development supervisor. Duke Amur ordered full support without hesitation, so I'd hoped to meet you—but you weren't here when I arrived. Finally, we can talk."

"I was away on some business."

"Busy times."

"Yes. But I hear it's already wrapping up."

"Spot on. Time to hire laborers now."

"I'd appreciate it if you prioritized our villagers for the first batch."

"The villagers?"

"Yes."

"Understood. Consider it done."

Rakak, standing behind, let out a relieved breath.

"Have a seat first."

"Shall I?"

"Yes—the food here's great. We should grab something simple and discuss how things will proceed."

Mu-hyuk nodded and sat.

They ate the dishes that came out and chatted with the supervisor about various matters.

Nothing new—just confirming what he already knew.

After exchanging enough thoughts, they left the inn, and Mu-hyuk entrusted the village to Rakak once more.

"I need to head south briefly."

"My lord, not again..."

"Out in the morning, back by evening."

"If you say so..."

"Keep me posted daily on how things are going—briefly."

"Of course."

He summoned his warhorse and mounted up.

"Let's go."

With Sung Min-woo and Yerin, they headed south.

The man reading it furrowed his brow.

"What the hell is this?"

A Gangster Necromancer mastering enhancement already? Ridiculous.

As the steadfast rank 1 blacksmith, the man raising the character Jiryang in Illusion stared in disbelief, rereading the post.

"Hah."

Still the same.

Joke or real... he needed to see for himself.

Illusion TV, huh.

He moved his mouse to the Illusion TV homepage and tuned into Mu-hyuk's stream—the one with the most viewers.

Enhancement talk was buzzing.

"Hmm."

Too early to judge.

Watch and see.

Mu-hyuk, who'd been in the village a while, headed south with his group. They stopped at a suitable spot and summoned skeletons. His companions were no slouches either.

Skulls, spirits, even a squirrel.

And what the hell was that massive thing?

A Gangster Necromancer at that level mastering enhancement?

Unbelievable. He pierced the screen with razor-sharp eyes, dissecting every detail.

Slip up—just once.

Suddenly, Mu-hyuk sat down.

(Starting now?)

(Yeah.)

The spirit summoner asked, and Mu-hyuk replied.

But what exactly was starting?

(Let's test it first.)

(We hunt then?)

(Yeah, go hunt.)

(Oppa, call when you're done.)

(Got it.)

The man and woman moved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠away.

Alone, Mu-hyuk pulled out disposable crafting tools and gripped a hammer. He gestured in the air a few times, then drew a fine-looking sword from his inventory. As if aware of the viewers, he looked up.

(Ahem, commencing enhancement.)

With that, he slammed the hammer down.

The motion repeated.

Hitting the red dot, no doubt.

Jiryang watched ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠intently.

Not yet, not yet.

Could just be copying.

Then light burst forth and absorbed into the weapon.

(Success.)

Mu-hyuk let out a satisfied groan.

(Sharing my view briefly. VR users can check the weapon's status through my perspective.)

He enabled view sharing in settings.

Jiryang hastily donned his VR and turned on view share. The item's info appeared.

Still, Jiryang denied reality.

Might've been +1 already!

Mu-hyuk set the sword down and hammered again.

(+2 success too.)

And the item info:

It was truly +2.

"..."

No denying it now.

It was real.

A non-blacksmith had become the second on Forma to learn enhancement.

Jiryang stared blankly at the screen for a while before snapping out of it and removing his VR.

"Whew."

His eyes burned with fire.

Can't let him catch up.

Now he had reason to level his enhancement.

He logged into Illusion hastily.

A few waiting users were there.

"Sorry I'm late."

"No worries."

"Let's start enhancements then."

He began enhancing for his reserved customers.

At the same time.

Mu-hyuk succeeded up to +4 without a single failure.

"Whew."

He planned to make at least +5 before selling.

Test item anyway.

He swung the hammer at the red dot.

Smaller than +1, then +2.

Even tinier at +3, +4.

And at +5, minuscule. Hitting it perfectly was tough.

Eyes wide, he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hammered again.

Success again.

Enhancement gauge hit 10%.

Through repeats, he painstakingly maxed the gauge at 100%.

Please...

He prayed inwardly for success.

Thankfully, success.

"Ha, haha."

+5 without a single failure.

Beginner's luck?

Grinning, he checked the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠options.

"Kuh."

Attack power at a whopping 300. Low requirements, yet this output—definitely fetch a high price. Plus, with viewers, free publicity.

"+5 success too."

Now he hesitated.

Try +6?

Curious about viewers, he pulled up Illusion TV minimized.

Viewers were fired up.

Fine, what the hell.

Materials were plentiful anyway.

Plus, high enhancements gave big skill EXP.

Even if it dropped to +4 on fail, remaking +5 was easy. Rationalizing thus, he gripped the hammer.

"+6 attempt."

Red dots appeared all over the sword—far smaller than before.

Focus. Focus.

Missing more meant lower success odds.

Of course, this wasn't public knowledge yet. But any enhancer figured it out quickly. Even rank 1 Jiryang knew.

Focus was essential to avoid mistakes. Mu-hyuk deep-breathed, heightened concentration, and swung.

How many swings later.

Light burst.

Absorbed into the weapon.

Yes... yes!

A cheer escaped.

"Euracha!"

Face flushing, he cleared his throat.

"+6 success."

He checked options. The minimized chat exploded again.

He glanced at chat, then back to the weapon.

Kuh.

Tremendous stats—hands shaking.

345.

This would sell for a fortune.

Auction house it is.

Verification done, he listed Mad Sword of Frenzy for 72-hour bid and called Sung Min-woo and Yerin.

"Oppa, how'd it go?"

"Yeah, +6 just now."

"No way, insane. For real?"

"Yup. Check auction—Mad Sword of Frenzy."

Sung Min-woo and Yerin checked.

"Holy...!"

"O-Oppa... why's the damage like that...?"

"+6."

"Oppa...!"

Yerin gazed at him adoringly.

How to resist?

"Alright, Yerin first."

"Hehe, thanks! Love you!"

Sung Min-woo inwardly screamed couple hell but secured next turn.

Meanwhile, Mu-hyuk's summons battled monsters nonstop.