The First Boss Clear
"I'll gladly take the mission reward. Thanks for the 200,000 won. Thank you-ru-ru."
After defeating the boss, I glanced at the chat.
The messages were flying by like crashing waves.
"Eventually."
"Wow... I studied the Element's attack patterns so hard so I could explain them during the raid... but that was so overwhelming that none of it even mattered..."
"It's not meaningless. You'll be able to use what you studied in Hell Mode later."
It wasn't just Imda who was surprised. Jung Yong burst into hearty laughter.
"Ha! We really found ourselves one hell of a DPS. Haruru's the best!"
"Seriously, that was amazing. We got completely carried, Haruru... Ah, I should donate some bus fare."
"...What?"
Bus fare?
I almost burst into laughter. I was grinning so widely I couldn't even hide it.
"Come on~ You don't have to. We cleared because everyone fulfilled their role."
"WHAAAT?! Thank you so much for the 100,000 won!"
Now that the boss was dead, only one thing remained.
The loot.
◈ Unknown doesn't let you trade equipment with other players.
◈ Aside from in-game currency (Uni) and crafting materials, every item has to be looted personally.
Sure, you can craft SSS equipment from boss materials...
...but it's unbelievably difficult.
There was a reason I'd made a deal with the Goddess.
"Phew... Shall I claim the rewards?"
"Go ahead."
Just as I was building suspense—
A mission suddenly appeared.
Obtain the SSS Element Four-Element Necklace
📍 Location: Unknown
🎁 Reward: ₩50,000
Obtain the SSS Four-Element Necklace
Reward: ₩400,000 Claimed!
"Alright...
Just like I promised...
Let's go for +9."
"Thanks for all your hard work, everyone. I'll leave the party here."
"GOOD LUCK, HARURU!!!"
"We'll be watching! You can do it!"
"Thank you, everyone."
After leaving the party, I returned to Pufuri Planet, the capital city of Unknown.
Without wasting a second...
I ran straight to the enhancement NPC.
"Greetings. I am the magician Kuran, who recently mastered the art of enhancing weapons, accessories, and armor. However, the spell remains unstable, so I cannot guarantee success. In fact, your equipment may even become weaker..."
"Skip, skip, skip, skip!"
SSS Four-Element Necklace
📍 Location: Pufuri Planet
🎁 Reward: 13,000,000 Uni
It sounded cheap...
But the cost skyrocketed with every level.
This damned enhancement system...
Even in my previous life, it had tormented me endlessly.
Seeing it again wasn't nostalgic.
Just reading the message was enough to trigger PTSD.
"I...
I can do this, right?
No...
I have to."
Otherwise...
The Goddess of Luck's blessing would disappear!
Obtain the SSS Four-Element Necklace
Reward: ₩400,000 Claimed!
"Phew...
Thanks.
Then here we go!
Ultimate Technique!
Convert every penny I borrowed from Chairman Chae into cash shop currency!!"
₩5,000,000 instantly became 5,000,000 Cash.
Which I immediately exchanged into Uni.
Normally players preferred trading with each other...
But as a VTuber staying in character, revealing my bank account for direct transactions would be suicide.
So I used the official exchange.
"Everyone...
Did you see that?
The magic trick that creates five billion Uni."
"You think you're hitting +9 with that kind of payment mindset?!"
Every second mattered.
Later, time—not money—might become the limiting factor.
I immediately began enhancing.
Enhancement Failed.
"Hm..."
So this was my luck...
Even a 90% chance failed without the Goddess.
No.
It's only +1.
Don't start thinking like a loser already.
Enhancement Success!
(+1) SSS Four-Element Necklace
+1 → +2
Success: 80%
Failure: 20%
Failure decreases enhancement by 1.
"Come on...
Stick...
Stick..."
Enhancement Failed.
Phewww...
The memories came flooding back.
This cursed enhancement system...
The despair from my previous life...
Eventually...
After countless frantic clicks...
I reached +4.
Starting from +5, the item's icon would begin to sparkle.
The higher the enhancement...
The brighter it became.
(+4) SSS Four-Element Necklace
+4 → +5
Success: 50%
Failure: 50%
Failure lowers enhancement by 1.
"They say enhancement is all about momentum...
I'll take a moment...
To feel the flow."
Silently staring at chat...
A sudden instinct hit me.
I clicked.
"I've got it."
Enhancement Failed.
(+3) SSS Four-Element Necklace
Ever since getting a fully maxed Mika...
More and more viewers wanted to see me suffer.
But...
I'd prove this life was different.
Time passed.
Eventually...
My Uni was almost gone.
(+4) SSS Four-Element Necklace
"Enough...
Please...
No more 3-4-3-4-3-4 hell!
I'm running out of money!"
Enhancement Success!
(+5) SSS Four-Element Necklace
"Haa...
Haa..."
I was still far from +9.
Yet my wallet...
And my stamina...
Were already nearly empty.
"This game is actually insane..."
"No.
I'm destined to stand at the very top.
I can't stop now."
"And money...
Just enough left for four more attempts.
Know what that means?
Straight to +9."
(+5) SSS Four-Element Necklace
+5 → +6
Success: 40%
Failure: 30% (Enhancement level stays.)
Reset: 30% (Returns to +0.)
Enhancing...
This would become the first step toward a straight shot to +9—
Enhancement Level Reset.
(+0) SSS Four-Element Necklace
"AAAAAH!!
Not a failure-a RESET?!
I'm screwed!!"
Without the Goddess...
Was I really hopeless?
No.
Even if I didn't have her...
I still had people cheering me on.
"Chairman Chae...
Please forgive your unfilial son..."
Just then—
A trade request appeared.
From Mone.
Like a single ray of light in total darkness.
She had placed 6 billion Uni into the trade window.
Nearly ₩6 million worth.
"Mone...
Thank you so much.
But according to my contract with my boss...
I'm only allowed to borrow money from my boss.
And Uni is basically money too..."
I hesitated.
Should I say it...?
Or not?
Finally...
I blurted it out.
"So...
In that case...
Could you just give it to me instead?"
"I'm kidding.
I'll just have an honest phone call with Chairman Chae and—"
...