Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: +3 Enhancement
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Woojin manipulated his skill window to check the detailed description of the skill.
There was no mention anywhere of "equipment items."
Objects or tools.
That was what could be enhanced.
"No way...?"
Woojin concentrated his mana in his hand, just like he did in the game.
He could feel the faint mana gathering in his palm.
He'd thought it would work since he had the status window, but realizing he could actually move mana in the real world, not just a game, felt strangely surreal.
"What's up?"
"Hold on a sec, Sangjin."
Woojin's eyes landed on the chopsticks he was holding—the ones he'd been using to eat pork belly.
If it didn't work, oh well.
But it was worth a shot.
Woojin carefully uttered the skill activation phrase.
"Enhancement."
"What!?"
Woojin yelped in surprise before he could stop himself.
"Bro, what's wrong? Something happen? You seeing things? The hospital said you were fine!"
"It... it actually worked...?"
Anything could be enhanced...? It was absurd.
Just to be sure, he tried enhancing it once more, and the chopsticks hit +2.
'Crazy?! This easy? +2?'
Even in the game world, everyday items like chopsticks, hammers, saws, brooms, and shovels existed.
But things not classified as equipment items—weapons, armor, accessories—couldn't be enhanced.
Right now, Woojin had succeeded at something impossible in Unriworld.
'Is this my perk? Then what about the power?'
Woojin hurriedly appraised the successfully enhanced chopsticks.
"Appraisal."
The appraisal skill, which revealed item information, was a public skill anyone in Unriworld could use.
"Bro, what's going on? You're killing me here."
At the voice calling him, Woojin handed the +2 chopsticks to Sangjin as he spoke.
The Chopstick Skill had gained +2 levels, reaching a total of Lv.3.
'Skill level 3. Doesn't that make a difference?'
"Hey, Sangjin, try picking up some food with these."
Sangjin picked up a piece of meat with the chopsticks his brother handed him and ate it, his face puzzled.
"What? It's the same."
'Maybe too easy?'
Woojin scanned the table.
Perched there was perilla leaf kimchi. The kind that only those in the know appreciate, requiring real chopstick finesse.
The insider food where guys peeling leaves for girls could spark romance.
Woojin and Sangjin had always pinned the leaves down with one hand and peeled with the other to eat it.
"Hey, not the meat—try this. No hands."
Sangjin eyed the plate of perilla leaf kimchi his brother offered.
"Damn... interrupting my meat for this? Such a hassle..."
Still, Sangjin listened to his brother and picked up a perilla leaf.
The key was splitting the stem properly.
Then inserting the chopsticks at the exact ratio between the split leaves to separate them.
Any misalignment, and they'd stick back together, forcing a restart.
It might seem like overkill for one leaf, but that success rush made it taste even better—no doubt.
Sangjin successfully wedged the chopsticks into the stem.
Then he spread them with his fingers.
Woojin watched intently.
'This is the crucial part. Spread them wrong, and the leaf flips and sticks again.'
For some reason, Woojin felt tense and swallowed hard.
Finally, Sangjin's chopsticks spread wide, and he perfectly peeled off one leaf, placing it on his rice.
That instant, Woojin clapped and cheered.
"Yes! It worked!"
"Whoa! First time I've nailed this? Am I secretly a chopstick pro?"
Sangjin looked quietly proud of his success.
"Hey! Do it again!"
Sangjin succeeded three times in a row, peeling perilla leaves one-handed.
The +3 chopsticks showed their mighty power.
'Chopstick Skill Lv.3, and every one perfect! So damn trivial! But weirdly awesome!'
"Hey, Sangjin, how do those chopsticks feel?"
At his brother's question, Sangjin thought for a moment, then scratched his head with his index finger.
"Well... they kinda stick perfectly to my hand... Is that the trick...?"
"Hey, that 'sticking perfectly' is the point! Try it without those chopsticks."
When Sangjin tried peeling with his regular chopsticks, sure enough, he failed ten times in ten minutes.
Thud!
Sangjin slammed the chopsticks on the table.
"Screw this! I'm done! What's with this? Why's it so hard!? It was working fine a sec ago!"
A thought pierced Woojin's mind.
'Insane! Everyday objects can be enhanced...! Then if I sell enhanced stuff...?'
Perfect—he even had startup cash now.
Making and selling items was totally feasible.
He'd been lost on how to make a living, so this ability was pure luck from the heavens.
Sangjin, fuming, tried peeling another leaf, tongue out, hands shaking as he wielded the chopsticks. Woojin burst out laughing.
"Heh heh, kid, why care about that? Enough—let's drink."
Woojin raised his soju glass to Sangjin.
"Ha... thought I had it this time, but nope..."
"Hey, I enhanced these."
"What...?"
"I enhanced those chopsticks. That's why the chopstick work's so good."
Sangjin stared blankly.
"What kinda bullshit is that...?"
"Ten years of grinding paid off. Sangjin, we're gonna be rich. Easy as pie—just enhance stuff and sell it."
"Wait... so you can enhance any object?"
"Yup. Gonna be busy from now on. Cheers!"
Woojin raised his glass to his brother.
"We're getting rich?"
Sangjin raised his glass back.
"Yeah, kid."
Clink—
The brothers' glasses chimed clearly.
.
.
.
"You~~~ evil~~~ bastard~~! All I had~~~ was 'I'll be baaack~~~!' Brooo~~~! That's all~~~! Gulp!"
'Drunk. Damn! Sangjin's always been a lightweight!'
"Yesss~~~ bro! Leeeaving me~~~ alone~~~! In a coma!!!?? You think~~~ that's okay!!?? Huh!!?? Hey!! Kim Woojin!! Say somethingggg~~~!"
Woojin witnessed Sangjin's drunken whining after ten years.
Ten years ago, he'd wanted to smack him; now, even more so.
That's brotherly love.
'This punk... Sigh... Hold it in. How lonely must he have been alone.'
"Yeah, sorry. You think I wanted that? World's shit to me too—why's the victim fussing more?"
Thud!
Sangjin, mid-rant, finally faceplanted on the table.
Woojin recalled a memory from ten years back he'd briefly forgotten. Right after turning twenty, he'd dragged Sangjin to a pork belly joint for drinks. Different place, but he'd carried a table-faceplanted Sangjin home on his back.
Woojin watched his brother slam his head down and rubbed his forehead.
"Haa... Why'd I suggest drinks... Damn, my body's wrecked right now too..."
But he couldn't just ditch Sangjin here.
Woojin sighed and headed to the counter up front to pay.
"That'll be 128,000 won."
'Damn, Seoul prices are murder.'
The brutal cost of living hit home, making his return feel all too real.
"Here."
He almost asked about installments but held back—looked too broke. While waiting for the card, he glanced outside and spotted a convenience store and pharmacy.
'Good, pharmacy's open. Gotta grab Sangjin some hangover relief.'
Then a fun idea struck.
The counter staff finished up and handed back the receipt and card.
"Payment complete."
Woojin took them and said,
"The guy passed out at that table? That's my buddy. Quick pharmacy run, then I'll take him out."
The staff replied dryly.
"Sure."
In the pharmacy, Woojin asked the pharmacist,
"Hangover drink, please. And anything for someone weakened from lying down too long?"
The pharmacist quickly set out the hangover relief and asked back on the second part.
"Hm... You mean supplements or fatigue recoverers? If it's illness-related weakness, don't take just anything. Better ask a doctor."
Woojin figured that'd do.
"Nah, not sick. Show me the supplements and fatigue recoverers?"
The pharmacist bagged them all, Woojin paid fast, and headed back to the pork belly place.
Back at the table, Woojin enhanced every supplement, fatigue recoverer, and protein shake.
He could go up to +3 without fail.
'Let's see...'
Woojin swallowed the enhanced meds in one go and checked his status window. Sure enough, meaningful effects appeared.
His negative stats had halved, at least.
"Oh...!"
Sudden vitality surged; Woojin no longer felt drained.
'Even this is huge? Not Unriworld-level, but my condition's way better!'
Confirming the effects, Woojin tried giving Sangjin the hangover drink.
But Sangjin showed zero signs of lifting his head.
'Fine... report for piggyback duty. Been a while.'
Thinking it nostalgic, Woojin hoisted Sangjin without waking him and headed home.
Early evening, full-grown man on his back—pork belly folks whispered, but Woojin ignored them.
'My brother, my back—who cares.'
"Thanks for the great meal."
With a polite bow, Woojin left the shop and hustled home with Sangjin aboard.
So much to test ASAP.
'Money woes? Dead. I'll earn it all.'