Forging the Surge – +5 Onslaught
Around the time his experience bar had filled up by about 3%, Mu-hyuk had enhanced all of Ye-rin's weapons and armor to +5.
Then, once another 3% or so had accumulated, he managed to bring Sung Min-woo's gear up to +5 as well.
"Hoo."
"Oppa, you tired?"
"Yeah, a bit."
"You worked so hard. Take a break."
"Think I will."
"Yeah, but man, +5 really makes the options insane."
Sung Min-woo poked his head in from the side.
"Right? Right? Attack power's nuts, but the defense and HP boosts are straight-up terrifying. I'm itching so bad I can't just sit here. Gonna go sweep some monsters!"
Ye-rin fidgeted restlessly in response.
It was obvious at a glance.
She wanted to test out her newly enhanced items too.
"Go ahead."
"Uh, yeah?"
"You're dying to check the performance."
"Aren't you bored, oppa?"
"It's fine. Gotta enhance more anyway."
"You sure...?"
"Yeah, you know how I get when I'm focused. Can't even chat."
"Mmm, got it. I'll hunt nearby then."
"Sure."
Ye-rin summoned her squirrel and charged at the monsters.
Tsk, looks fun.
Sticking solely to hammering away was mentally draining. Hunting might actually feel more refreshing.
But he couldn't waste this golden opportunity on hunting. Unlimited materials for three months—he had to max out his enhancement skill level in that time.
How high could he go?
Enhances equipment to grant superior stats.
Level 3, 19%.
Still a long way to go, so he pulled another item from his inventory—a decently optioned shield he planned to enhance and sell.
Hoo, let's get to it.
He gripped the hammer.
Enhancement
Red dots flickered across the shield as the skill activated.
"Hup!"
He swung down with force.
Clang!
Enhancement level rises.
Current Enhancement: 4%
One red dot vanished as the enhancement progressed.
He targeted the next red dot and swung again.
Clang!
He quickly finished +1.
Then +2, +3, +4.
And onto +5.
Enhancement drops by 1.
It failed, dropping back to +3.
Mu-hyuk furrowed his brow.
Again...!
This time, he pushed straight to +5.
Nice!
He opened the auction house and listed it for 72-hour bidding. Then he browsed, snagging decent weapons and armor.
Closing the auction window, he pulled a sword from his inventory and tried enhancing it. After repeats of failure and success, he barely hit +6.
Likewise listed on auction via bidding, he then lifted an armor piece worth 180 gold—planning at least +5 before selling.
Swish.
As he reached for the hammer—
Experience rises.
Experience...
Monsters had respawned, and experience started flowing in again.
"Hup!"
Ignoring it, he slammed down on a red dot.
Enhancement level rises.
Current Enhancement: 4%
Everything proceeded smoothly.
*
While many players got their info from the Illusion homepage, just as many didn't.
The user MadRunner, wearing a bored expression right now, was one of them.
Without info, they were clueless about the overall game flow—but they learned in their own ways, so it wasn't necessarily bad.
MadRunner grasped the big picture by browsing the auction house. Sure, snagging good items was key, but...
"Sigh, no good weapons."
"Auction house again?"
"Yeah. You can kinda gauge user levels and trends just from what's listed."
"Really? Weird way to do it. Just check the homepage."
"Too lazy for that."
"It's one toggle in options."
"Too many posts. Complicated."
"Right, you're a computer illiterate."
"Hey, not illiterate. World's just advancing too fast."
"Sure, whatever. Any decent items?"
"Nah, not yet. If only the level restrictions were lower..."
Good items had high restrictions. Low-restriction ones had crap options.
Made finding the right piece tough. But gems popped up occasionally, so he couldn't stop checking.
"Kekeke, knew it. I'm off to craft."
"Crafting outta nowhere?"
"Don't know? It's trending. Folks say learn crafting basics yourself. Master it later for enhancement skill."
"Like you'll ever master it."
"Someday."
"Just pay a blacksmith who knows enhancement."
"Try that later. All costs money."
"True enough."
MadRunner scrolled through translucent item options.
"Huh...?"
"What? God-tier options but ass restriction again?"
"N-no."
"Then?"
"Jackpot! Perfect restriction and options! +5 longbow too!"
"What...?"
"+5 longbow! +5!"
"Whoa, thought only two people even have enhancement skill. Must be one of 'em selling."
"Two? Who?"
"Duh, Jiryang and Mu-hyuk."
"Didn't know."
"Tsk. What's the bow called? Lemme see."
"Massacring Longbow."
MadRunner's friend, Ami, opened the auction house.
"Lemme find it—Massacring Longbow..."
She searched and checked the options.
◈ Physical Attack: 200 + 135
◈ Penetration Increase
◈ Strength Stat +5
◈ Additional Attack +15
◈ Attack Speed +3%
◈ Durability: 280/280
◈ Req: Strength 70, Agility 70
Longbows had high base attack by nature.
+135 from enhancement.
Penetration, strength boost, extra attack—all top-tier.
"Insane, what the hell!"
"Jackpot, right...?"
"335 attack power! And low restrictions?"
"Exactly!"
"Damn, this is busted."
MadRunner pondered briefly, then growled deeply.
"I'm buying this."
Time to crack open the emergency funds.
At the same time.
"Vice Guild Leader!"
"What?"
"Mu-hyuk's listing all sorts of gear on auction—said we gotta preemptively snag 'em, so called all execs!"
"Bullshit. Got a reservation with Jiryang the blacksmith today."
"It's kinda about enhancement too..."
"Whatever. Busy."
"You gotta come..."
"Busy!"
"Or we'll kick you out..."
"..."
The vice guild leader froze.
"Fuck. What the hell's so urgent! Kill you all if it's nothing!"
He stormed into the conference room, slamming the door and sitting across from the guild leader.
Bang!
"What is it!"
"Open auction, check the items I call out. Blood Sword, Burning Greatsword, Giant Shield..."
The vice leader complied for now.
Blood Sword.
His eyes shook at +5.
Burning Greatsword.
+6...?
Giant Shield was +5.
"W-what the hell?"
"What else? High-enhanced gear."
"Jiryang make these?"
"Nope."
"Then?"
"Mu-hyuk."
A user he knew well.
Top ranker.
Fastest to #1 tips board.
#1 on Illusion TV.
Issue magnet.
"Mu-hyuk...?"
But it didn't click.
Gangster Necromancer.
"Heard he learned enhancement recently."
"What?"
"Dunno details, but point is—he listed 10+ yesterday, already 7 today."
"Huh? Quality?"
"Avg +5. Some +6."
"Wild."
"Right?"
"So, what's your point?"
"Buy 'em."
"..."
"Funds short, though. Gather execs, discuss—if all agree, pool properly."
Guild buys had perks.
Big one: item transfers.
Hand high-level gear from vets to lowbies in guild.
Costs upfront, but long-term savings—no buy costs later.
"Your take?"
"+5/+6? Worth considering? Hell no."
"Huh?"
"Snag 'em all, idiot."
"Right?"
"Yeah. And."
"What?"
"Recruit Mu-hyuk too."
"Why..."
"Top ranker, issue king—but never heard he's in a guild. First on enhancement too. Worth checking?"
Guild leader's eyes widened.
Like a hammer to the skull.
"Y-yeah?"
"If not guilded, snag him."
"Huh, perceptive sometimes."
"What?"
"You nail it rarely. That's why vice."
"Gee, thanks. Dumb otherwise? Talk to a friend like that?"
"Facts."
Execs piled in amid chatter.
Talk resumed.
"Gotta buy!"
"Emergency funds time."
One exec spoke up.
"And Mu-hyuk has no guild."
"Sure?"
"Yeah, been watching 'cause interested."
"Why not say?"
"Didn't ask."
"...True."
"Anyway, invite him?"
"Yeah, you handle."
"Roger!"
"You..."
Claire Guild Leader issued orders and adjourned. Alone, he grinned at the thought of Mu-hyuk joining.
If so...!
Instant top-tier leap.
But he didn't know.
Many shared that thought.