Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The First +10 Enhancement? No, +9
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Sangjin's expression hardened at the mention of business.
"Hyung... I don't think that's a good idea..."
"What? Why not?"
"No, I mean, what business? Have you ever even run a business, hyung?"
"Do I look like I have the money to start one?"
Sangjin let out a sigh as he spoke.
"Haa... There's a 200% chance you'll blow through that 100 million and end up on the streets. Don't do it, hyung. Just save it up for your wedding jeonse deposit or something. Give me a decent allowance, and I'll handle myself."
"You think I'd dive into business without a good reason?"
He'd called his brother early specifically to explain more about his enhancement ability.
Last time at the drinking session, he hadn't been able to go into detail.
Sangjin had gotten drunk too fast.
"Some old acquaintance gonna help you make money? Hyung, that's all scams. If there was a real way to earn cash, why would they share it instead of keeping it themselves..."
Despite his brother's sharp words, Woojin steadfastly stuck to his point.
"Acquaintance my ass... They're all just out to screw me over. Don't you remember the ability I showed you at the bar?"
Sangjin gave him a puzzled look.
"What ability? The chopsticks thing?"
"Yeah, not the chopsticks. Enhancement."
Sangjin squinted suspiciously.
"That was real...?"
"Yeah, kid. Didn't I tell you yesterday I brought back abilities from that game world?"
As Sangjin continued staring in disbelief, Woojin raised his voice in frustration.
"Haa... You're so dense! You peeled perilla leaves perfectly with those enhanced chopsticks!"
"Right, so... a superpower that just makes you good with chopsticks...?"
Since it was their first reunion in ages, they hadn't delved too seriously into the superpower talk. That must've been the issue.
"It's not a chopstick superpower. It's enhancement."
Sangjin knew his brother well.
Hyung might bluff, but he never lied.
"Wait, hold up? So it really enhances things? That's why I could spread the ssamjang on the perilla leaves so easily?"
"Yeah! How many times do I have to say it? Now I'm gonna use this ability to start a business."
"No wonder... The cafeteria had perilla leaves today, but they weren't spreading right..."
"Took you long enough. That's your hyung's greatness for you."
Sangjin's mind started turning.
If this was real, he needed proof of the ability.
"So what happens when you enhance something? It can't just be making chopsticks better."
"Items' abilities go up."
"What kinda vague nonsense is that? How exactly do they go up?"
"Some items have unique skills. Enhancing them improves those skills."
"Unique skills? Like what?"
"Chopsticks get chopstick skill, ballpoint pen gets writing skill. Like that."
"......Chopstick skill... Sounds pretty lame?"
Woojin figured showing was better than telling.
'But what to demonstrate?'
After a moment's thought, a great idea hit him.
"Oh, right. You need a shower, don't you?"
"Yeah, gotta wash up. Why?"
Woojin grinned triumphantly and dragged Sangjin to the bathroom.
"Why the bathroom? What're you gonna show me here?"
"Hey, when I got home, I showered twice with that showerhead? It's seriously weak."
"That's normal for a place like this after a day or two. It's been like that since we moved in. You were the one who said you get used to it."
Woojin could see it—the skill on the showerhead.
Woojin grinned at Sangjin.
"Watch this. I'm gonna enhance the showerhead and fix the water pressure."
Sangjin was dumbfounded.
'What? You can enhance something like that? In games, enhancement's for weapons and armor, right?'
"You can enhance that?"
"I told you, yeah. That showerhead has a Water Pressure Amplification skill. Wait. I'll make the water gush out."
"And the amplification's that weak...?"
Woojin gripped the showerhead and prepared to enhance.
His mana was full today—he hadn't used any.
"Here we go!"
"Do it. Let me see what changes."
"Eyes wide open."
Woojin infused mana into the showerhead.
The mana flow gave off a faint glow, visible even to normals if they focused.
Woooong—
Sangjin gaped at the strange hum and the blue light shimmering around his brother.
"Wh-what? For real?"
"See it now?"
"Yeah, some bluish light?"
"That's mana."
Woojin focused entirely on enhancing the showerhead.
First proper demo for his brother—no room for screw-ups.
As if responding, the enhancements succeeded wildly.
'Oh?'
Straight four successes, no fails.
Sangjin asked Woojin, who had paused.
"Done already, hyung?"
"Nah, not yet."
Four non-stop...
National rule: keep enhancing till failure.
"Hang on a bit more. Straight four in a row right now? Let's do a few more."
"Is that impressive?"
"Shut it. Feeling good. Gazua!!"
Woojin tried again, heart swelling.
First time hitting five non-stop.
"Yes! One more!"
Was the god of enhancement descending? Successes kept coming.
'Crazy!? Keeps succeeding!?'
Sangjin noticed Woojin's weird expression.
"Hyung, you okay? Something wrong?"
Woojin snapped out of it.
Exciting, but it was just a showerhead.
Irritation started building.
"Haa... If this was the Goddess's Sword..."
In Unriworld's late game, a messenger had asked him to enhance the Goddess's Sword.
He'd poured everything in, but it only hit +4.
Still, that +4 sword slew the Demon King.
+9? He'd have come home a year sooner.
Zero investment +9? Rare even in Unriworld.
"This is huge right now? Wait a sec. One more try."
He'd made a +10.
"Crazy!! +10!?"
Even in Unriworld, +10 was countable on one hand.
Only with luck buffs wrapped around from combat folks.
Woooooong—
The showerhead blazed with intense, brilliant enhancement effects.
"H-hyungg... Wh-what's that...? Why's it shining so much?"
"Huh...? This? Enhancement effect. +10 kicks in the flashies."
Sangjin was floored.
"......Seriously? Legendary Showerhead or something?"
"Dunno... Never +10'd a showerhead before..."
"No... How do you shower with that blinging? You'd go blind..."
Like he said, enhance till fail.
Fail now? Still +9.
Even if a showerhead.
"Cover with a towel. Not the point. No fails yet. One more."
Mana left for just one more.
'+11? In Unriworld, +11 added extra abilities...'
In 10 years, he'd only made three +11s himself.
Never seen others.
Curious what +11 showerhead would get, he decided to go for it.
'Here it comes! The flow! This is +11!'
"Hoo... Going."
Woojin deep-breathed, channeling the +11 vibe from Unriworld, and poured mana without hesitation.
"Enhance!!!"
Full power shout... but cold sound and message.
Ching-clang—!
Enhancement level dropped by 1.
Utter deflation. Woojin dropped his head and sighed.
Then uttered the classic line.
"Haa... Damn it... Should've stopped at +10."
"What? What happened? Why'd the showerhead make a breaking sound?"
Come to think, same effect sound as Unriworld.
Woojin answered sourly.
"Don't you know fail sounds are shattering by national rule?"
Sangjin, now baffled, kept questioning.
"What? Doesn't breaking destroy the item? Showerhead busted?"
"Bad luck sometimes, but this time nah. Usually drops one level, makes next harder."
Showerhead settled at +9.
Pushing more? Guaranteed streak fails.
Plus, post-fail mana cost up—impossible today.
Regretful but satisfied, Woojin told Sangjin.
"Still +9, so showering should be fine now? Try it. Water'll gush."
Sangjin eyed him skeptically.
"...Makes sense? They said fix pipes for pressure. This lil showerhead boosts pressure? Hyung, humanities major? Sounds like Bluetooth shower BS."
"Never been scammed, huh? Just try."
"......Fine."
Sangjin stripped and hopped in.
Magic's like that.
Unexplainable phenomena.
Making water, fire, lightning, rocks from nothing—can't amp shower pressure?
'+9 should be solid. Sangjin'll freak.'
Waiting on the small worn sofa, Woojin grumbled at the discomfort.
"Gotta enhance this sofa tomorrow? Floor's better."
Sofa from a 10+ year giveaway on marketplace, five years ago.
15-year lifespan done.
Checking it...
'No skill? Too worn? What about phone?'
'Hmm... Just showing core ability?'
Phones have tons of functions.
But essence is 'phone'.
How items recognized matters for enhancement.
'Need more research.'
Then—
Spiiiish—!
"Kwaaaack!"
Massive water roar and Sangjin's scream from the bathroom.
Woojin flung his beer in shock and bolted.
"Wh-what!! S-Sangjin!!"
"He-help!! Pwah!! Cough cough!! Kuaak!!"