Chapter 102
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Path to Master Enhancer
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The next morning.
Jeong Hoon was sitting at a café outside the game.
He had ordered a cappuccino and was sipping it when Ha-jin arrived shortly after.
Hoon!
Yeah, youre here?
Yeah. But whats the occasion today? Calling me to meet in real life instead of in the game.
Ah, I wanted to talk about the next content.
We havent even cleared the Ruined City yet.
Yeah.
Jeong Hoon had no intention of letting the Transcendent Reinforcement: Legendary he had obtained just sit idle.
He had derailed Iwase Harutos future, but Iwase was still maintaining a high market value as the hidden class Explorer Enhancer.
Honestly, he didnt care what happened to the guys value, but Jeong Hoon planned to dip his toes into that field from now on.
Obtain the Master Enhancer title.
Master Enhancer.
A unique title, just like before, that only one person in New World could hold.
Before his regression, Iwase Haruto had claimed it.
Because no one else could meet the conditions.
Master Enhancer
-Normal (Full Reinforcement) 010,000
-Rare (Full Reinforcement) 010,000
-Epic (Full Reinforcement) 010,000
-Unique (Full Reinforcement) 01,000
-Legendary (Full Reinforcement) 0100
He had to fulfill these absurd conditions to acquire the title.
Must have it.
With that title, he could quickly gain the qualifications to reinforce equipment of legendary grade and above later on.
It was one of the titles absolutely necessary to clear the game.
That was why he had called Ha-jin here today.
Ho, so whats this next content?
Curiosity filled Ha-jins eyes.
You know I got that ancient recipe, right?
Yeah.
The reward given to Jeong Hoon for being the first to clear the Ruined City.
However, it was a tattered old recipe so badly damaged it was unrecognizable.
If Ha-jin had been given the choice, he would have picked a level-up over the recipe.
I succeeded in deciphering it.
At Jeong Hoons words, Ha-jins eyes went wide.
What you crazy bastard?!
So shocked was he that Ha-jin sprang up from his seat.
Hey, shh. People will hear you.
Jeong Hoon made a hush gesture, and Ha-jin hurriedly sat back down.
Deciphered it? So what kind of recipe was it?
It was a recipe that lets you acquire a skill.
Theres a recipe like that?
Thats not a recipeits usually called a skillbook, isnt it?
You have to meet the conditions to obtain it.
Ah.
So the power of a skillbook had been sealed inside the recipe.
Ha-jin nodded as if he understood.
Seeing that reaction, Jeong Hoon continued.
But that skill turned out to be pretty damn good.
Yeah?
Yeah. Its a skill that reinforces equipment.
Equipment reinforcement?
Ha-jins brows furrowed slightly at the somewhat out-of-left-field skill.
Dont freak out when you hear this.
Jeong Hoon explained the skills effects honestly.
For example, success rates: 100 for normal and rare, 80 for epic, 60 for unique, 30 for legendary.
Ha-jins face twisted into a truly entertaining expression.
Wow fuck if thats real, its totally busted.
Right?
Makes me pissed off all of a sudden. Why does all the luck pile up on you?
Ha-jin muttered with a face full of self-loathing.
Anyway, I plan to turn this skill into content.
Youre not thinking of revealing the skill, are you?
Nope.
Then?
Im going to create an enhancement-only exchange and draw in a ton of customers.
An exchange system exclusive to enhancers.
Unlike regular item exchanges, you deposit pure reinforcement stones, equipment, and repair fees into an exchange registered by an enhancer, and you get your results back within 24 hours.
Isnt that impossible? You cant open an exchange system.
Jeong Hoon might have gotten the reinforcement skill, but at his core, he was a Martial Artist.
Opening an exchange system was out of the question for him.
Its fine. Ive got a way.
Jeong Hoon grinned.
Youve got a way?
Yeah.
Hoyoung Guild.
Break room.
In the guilds break room, Jeong Hoon and Yuna, an enhancer from Hoyoung Guild, sat facing each other.
Player Information
-Nickname: So Gentle
-Level: 254
-Job: Illusory Enhancer (3rd Advancement)
Not a hidden class, but an epic-grade Illusory Enhancer.
She handled the overall repair and reinforcement of Hoyoungs equipment.
So why was Yuna here?
You obtained a reinforcement skill?
Yes.
Because she had heard the ridiculous story of a non-enhancer user acquiring a reinforcement skill.
If it werent for Yeo Min-ji, she would have brushed it off as nonsense and ignored it, but Yeo Min-ji had actively set up the meeting, so she had no choice but to show up.
Then, shall we have you try reinforcing with this equipment and stone first?
The equipment and stone Yuna offered were a normal-grade knuckle and a normal-grade reinforcement stone.
Honestly, she couldnt believe it until she saw it with her own eyes.
On success, a golden effect flashes; on failure, a black one.
And when Jeong Hoon attempted the reinforcement, a golden effect flashed once.
Reinforcement successful.
It succeeded.
Yuna examined the knuckle Jeong Hoon had reinforced with eyes full of shock.
Steel Knuckle (1)
The plain Steel Knuckle now bore a 1.
Its real? H-how is that possible?!
The reinforcement had worked.
Yuna checked Jeong Hoons information again.
Player Information
-Nickname: Hoon
-Level: 164
-Job: Intermediate Martial Artist (2nd Advancement)
A level 164 Martial Artist who had completed his 2nd advancement.
Even assuming the Intermediate Martial Artist was masked by the hidden class blind system, the fact that he had used an enhancer-exclusive skill was so astonishing that she couldnt find words.
Is this sufficient?
Yes. So, why did you call me here?
Please write a recommendation letter in your name. Ill go take the test myself and try to unlock the system.
There was a way to open an exchange even without being an enhancer.
In fact, this was the method most users employed once New World became realityhe just planned to pull it forward and open his exchange early.
Reinforcing other peoples gear will naturally fulfill the title conditions.
Legendary would take a while, but there was no quick way to obtain high-grade gear anyway, so he decided to take it slow.
Recommendation letter? Why would you need something like that?
It didnt make sense from Yunas perspective.
She had never heard of being able to unlock an exchange system with just a recommendation letter.
I heard youre Hoyoungs top enhancer.
Not really.
Yuna denied the compliment, but the corner of her mouth twitched faintly.
Of course, if it has no effect, Ill drop it immediately. But you never know, right?
Jeong Hoon pleaded once more.
Fine. But if it doesnt work, you give up on the spot.
Yes.
And add one reinforcement session a week to help out at Hoyoung.
No. If I have time, Ill come 3 or 4 times.
To earn the title, he needed to do as many reinforcements as possible.
There was no reason to turn down opportunities to reinforce.
Ah, thats fine. Hoyoung never lacks manpower.
Understood.
Yuna swiftly wrote out the recommendation letter.
Is this good?
You need to affix your seal.
My seal?
Yes. I know you get an Engraving skill when you advance to Enhancer. Please engrave it onto the recommendation.
You sure ask for a lot. Fine.
Yuna engraved the recommendation letter and handed it back.
Thank you.
With this, he had secured his chance to tread the enhancers path.
Did it go well?
Yeo Min-ji was waiting for Jeong Hoon outside the building.
Yes. Thanks to you, it worked out perfectly.
Im glad.
Yeo Min-ji smiled brightly.
She was happy to have been of help to Jeong Hoon.
When he had mentioned needing an epic-grade or higher enhancer, Yuna had immediately come to mindluckily, she had been free and gladly agreed to meet him.
Then Ill head out first.
Ah, if its not too much trouble, could you take a look at my fist technique just once?
Heat flared in her eyes.
Everything she was doing now was for the ultimate fist technique.
Having observed his up close, her desire to fully make his fist technique her own was overflowing.
Yes. Ill take a quick look then.
Jeong Hoon headed to the training ground with Yeo Min-ji.
And that day, the training ground rang nonstop with nagging.
The Merhen Kingdom had an Enhancer District, just like the Alchemist District.
Enhancers gathered there, crafting various pieces of equipment to send to the kingdoms capital and its affiliated territories. They also accepted damaged gear for repairs or reinforcements before shipping it back.
Perhaps because of that, the Enhancer District was far wealthier than the Alchemist District.
Oh! A customer?
Come check out our shops gear before you go!
Bro! That stuff youre wearing aint no ordinary kit!
Unlike alchemists, enhancers were extremely friendly even to total strangers.
Of course, that was thanks to the Mokho Jeong Hoon was wearing.
As enhancers, they had eyed and handled countless pieces of equipment.
So they could spot at a glance that the Mokho was anything but ordinary.
Hmph, ordinary? You lot couldnt lay a finger on me in ten lifetimes!
Mokho shouted proudly toward them.
Youre right.
Eh? No comeback for once?
If youre saying something right, theres no reason to jab.
Is that so? Im always right, but you slam me with killer tackles anyway. If I had shins, theyd be pulverized by now.
Enough chit-chat.
Jeong Hoons steps halted.
Ahead of him stood the Hall of Enhancers.
An essential stop for anyone reaching level 200 to undergo their 3rd advancement.
Who the hell are you!
Without even knocking, the closed door flew open, revealing a hulking man who had to be at least two meters tall.
His hair was white and his face etched with wrinkles, but his broad shoulders and chiseled muscles spoke to years of rigorous training.
NPC Information
-Nickname: Ruben
-Level: 300
-Job: Blacksmith Instructor
He was Ruben, a blacksmithnot an enhancer.
Right place.
He was the NPC in charge of 3rd advancements.
Yet he wasnt an enhancer, but a blacksmith.
Unlike blacksmiths, who had to endure grueling manual labor, enhancers could complete reinforcements and repairs in an instant via the system.
As such, blacksmiths were practically nonexistent.
In that context, a level 300 blacksmith.
Means hes got insane pride in his craft.
Jeong Hoon quickly grasped Rubens personality.
Ive come to learn blacksmithing techniques.
Not enhancement? Well, you never learned enhancement in the first place, so thats impossible anyway.
Yes.
Still no dice. Youre already walking a different path. No need to step onto this one.
Ruben refused flatly.
He moved to shut the door without a second thought, but Jeong Hoon swiftly pulled Yunas recommendation letter from his inventory.
Please take a look at this.
Hm?
A recommendation from an epic-grade or higher enhancer.
Plus Jeong Hoons own reinforcement skill.
With both conditions met, a quest should appear.
Right then.
As Ruben scanned the recommendation letter, a rainbow-colored question mark blinked into existence above his head.