God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 109: Episode 21 _ Do You Know Who I Am, Punk_(5)

"Oh! Master! What brings you here?"

"...You told me to come."

"Ah. Right."

Scratching his head, he guided him to a seat and, asking a servant for a cup of tea, felt his nose swell with pride!

This is Khan’s disciple, Simin! Although he was insignificant as a beginner and wandered around begging to learn a single enhancement skill, he had grown this much in just over half a year.

Where else could there be a situation more gratifying than this? It wasn’t that he wanted to lord it over Khan, but rather that he wanted to be praised.

"You’ve grown a lot."

"Right? As expected."

Of course, Khan had already acknowledged Han Simin for a long time, and since he wasn’t the type to express such things verbally, he simply nodded impassively. Considering the fuss Simin made in front of the Emperor, seeing him act like a noble as a Lord wasn’t particularly surprising.

"So, why did you summon me?"

"Ah. Wait a moment. I forgot."

Han Simin searched his memory. He definitely told Khan to come to the Rich Territory. But it was so long ago, and so many chaotic events had happened in the process, that the memory had fallen to the bottom of his subconscious, taking some time to retrieve.

’It was definitely something important.’

Since hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars were coming and going, it was an unavoidable phenomenon. After rummaging through his memories for a while, Han Simin finally recalled it.

"Ah! Right."

"...?"

"Master, leave the Ain Kingdom now and come here. I built a huge Enhancement Center."

Right, this was it. It was an important matter, if one considered it so.

Generally, many factors such as population and the presence of a castle acted as proof of a grand territory, but one of the few important things people recognized was the Enhancement Center. There were barely over 100 enhancement masters on the continent.

Considering that cases ranged from a few to as many as a dozen gathered in a single Enhancement Center, a territory with an Enhancement Center was truly a rare condition. It could show the fluidity of people and that it was a territory recognized by enhancement masters.

It then moved on to whether there was a skilled enhancement master there, but even excluding that part, the Rich Territory needed Khan.

"You’re my Master. I built it with heart and soul. I even brought about three enhancement masters from the Khan family."

"..."

Looking back, he was what made the current Han Simin! A benefactor who didn’t heartlessly cast him aside but gave him a chance, albeit with conditions, when some unheard-of adventurer clung to him begging to be taught enhancement, which was practically the family’s secret technique!

Khan sniffled, moved by the consideration he never expected to return in this way.

"...You rascal."

"Master..."

At the touching sight between master and disciple, the aide wiped away a tear. To think the Lord, a bastard with no blood or tears, had such a side.

He, too, was willing to follow at least a fraction of Han Simin’s drive if it was for the territory, but he never dreamed there would be a side like this.

’Right, the Enhancement Center helps the territory anyway.’

Han Simin built the Enhancement Center for free and gave it to the enhancement masters. At that time, the aide thought it was simply because Han Simin was an enhancement master himself and would use it for his own enhancements.

To think it was for this reason. There would be some loss. Even if Enhancement Centers were rare, if enhancement masters chose a territory, it was tradition and a natural rule that the enhancement master would pay about 70% of the construction cost.

But with such a strong bond, the aide could understand. In the long run, the loss would eventually be filled.

"When will you come?"

"I just need to pack the necessary luggage. I have to close the shop too."

"Yes, you can buy whatever you need here gradually, so please come back quickly. I think you just need to bring money and things like that."

"Understood."

A heartwarming scene!

Khan, finding it unexpected as well, cast a suspicious glance for a long time, but soon confirmed there were no ulterior motives in Han Simin’s eyes and nodded.

It wasn’t a bad proposal for him either. He didn’t really need money, so it didn’t matter where he did enhancements. But if possible, rather than the castle in the Ain Kingdom where most users were beginners and life was stable and secure, setting up an Enhancement Center in a dangerous area teeming with users who were becoming quite strong would allow him to be faithful to his main job as an enhancement master and feel a sense of reward.

Especially in the castle these days, there was no work, and there were times when he couldn’t even hold his hammer for days. So, the hesitation in making the decision wasn’t long.

As Khan, having made up his mind, stood up from his seat, Han Simin smiled warmly.

"I built a huge Enhancement Center in a prime location for you, Master. It’s probably twice as big as the one in the castle, you know?"

"Thank you."

"Then, you don’t need the Enhancement Shop in the castle anymore, right?"

"...?"

First the favor, then the business!

Khan spared his words at the sudden ominous feeling, but the moment he nodded, Han Simin’s demonic hand had already reached right in front of his nose.

"The land price here is a bit expensive. It’s a redevelopment area, and it’s a hot place that foreign big capital is eyeing. Since people are lining up to buy land outside the outer walls, you can roughly guess how much a building of that size right in the center, on the street with the most foot traffic, would cost, right?"

"...?"

Khan listened blankly to the words spat out without a pause. So what was it?

’He wants money?’

Ha! I knew it. Khan, who had been moved, laughed. It wasn’t out of absurdity or despondency. He was glad.

As expected, this guy’s personality hadn’t gone anywhere. Indeed, it would be strange for a guy who had the gall to act so brazenly even in front of the Emperor to now show such favor under the guise of respecting his master.

The reaction was so natural that he wasn’t even offended.

"Fine, how much is it?"

Khan, having already made up his mind, asked. Even if he was a hateful disciple, surely he wouldn’t rip off his master. Besides, he had enough money to pay whatever the amount. Since he decided to come, he had to come.

"Eyy. How could I take money from you, Master?"

At that appearance, Han Simin waved his hand.

"There seems to be a slight misunderstanding, but naturally, the Enhancement Center is a free shop for you, Master. You don’t have to pay monthly rent, and the territory will support various utility bills."

"..."

"However, what I want to say is, since you won’t be using the Enhancement Shop in the Ain Kingdom, although the balance doesn’t quite match compared to the Enhancement Center built in our territory, if you transfer it to me, I will make good use of it even if I take a bit of a loss. That is what I meant."

"..."

Isn’t that the same thing?

The aide was moved by Han Simin’s true intentions.

’To think he could pull a thug move like that!’

The surprising discovery that there was warmth hidden inside him just a few minutes ago had long been deleted from his mind. Now, he was just amazed.

He spoke smoothly, and it was true that people were watching with interest from other places as the territory developed, but the geographical danger of the Rich Territory still made it a hesitant place for investment!

To try and swap it for a building in the middle of the castle in the Ain Kingdom, which was prime real estate! Far from taking a loss, it was like Han Simin bringing sand he found on the road and trying to swap it for a gold mine.

"Fine."

"...!"

But what was more surprising was that Khan accepted Han Simin’s proposal.

"Damn rascal. I’ll trust you and make the swap."

"As expected of Master. Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility and make it ten times more expensive than that land."

Han Simin, having successfully completed the deal, held out his hand. Khan’s rough hand grasped it, knowing he was being tricked but playing along anyway.

Khan, who was unmarried, realized that raising a child with all your heart and soul only leads them to ask you to buy them a car or a house when they grow up.

8.

The walls were rising one by one.

Day and night, players flocked to the Rich Territory to earn quest rewards and money. As the pristine natural places where monsters lived were cleared out, materials were supplied infinitely, so the walls had no choice but to go up quickly.

A guest came to find Han Simin, who was watching this proudly while doing his EXP Cicada part-time job.

"Ahem! How dare a lowly adventurer bastard put his filthy hands on this!"

"Aack!"

A scene encountered on the way back to the territory for a brief rest after finishing the hunt with the Specialists. It was a sight where an NPC, who looked like a noble at a glance, was kicking a pitiful beginner player who was building the wall near the castle gate.

"I-I’m sorry."

The kicked player lay flat on the ground, sensing the health bar flashing danger.

As a person living in modern society, it would be normal to flare up in the face of such injustice. But if he did that right now, he would get kicked again by the noble, who boasted massive stats and levels despite his potbelly, and get logged out.

Then, not only would he fail to receive today’s daily wage, but he would also have to sit at home for two whole days. It was a shitty, dirty situation, but the sorrow of the have-nots was the same whether in reality or in the game!

The surrounding players looked on with pity, but no one stepped forward to help. In a way, this was a harsher space than reality.

In reality, whether you had money or not, if you didn’t kneel, your status was equal, so you could help as much as you wanted. Most people didn’t, but many had such courage.

But here was a world where even if hundreds of lowbies gathered their courage and charged, a single word from a high-ranking noble would make them all drop dead like flies.

Players clicked their tongues and mourned for him. He was damn unlucky.

"You bug-like adventurer scum. You did that knowing it was wrong?"

"No. Please forgive me just this once."

"Hmph. They said adventurers had high pride, but you’re no different from lowly commoners."

The Rich Territory was a territory with an unusually high number of players.

Countless players flocked to the territory, ranging from novices looking to complete quests and farm gold to high-level players seeking hunting grounds. NPCs from other territories also migrated in search of opportunity, but they dared not outnumber the players.

Moreover, it was broad daylight!

People coming and going gathered one by one to watch the spectacle unfolding. A noble was crushing the head of a prostrate player beneath his foot, his shoulders puffed up with arrogance.

A typical pig, drunk on power.

People clicked their tongues, but they couldn’t approach due to the imposing presence of the knights guarding the noble.

"Tch. What a dirty game. It’s no different from reality."

"They say the rich are worse. I guess this world is also one where NPCs live according to the silver spoons they were born with."

They only cursed under their breath. Even though he must have heard them, the noble didn’t care and shouted at the player.

"You scoundrel! You rely on the twisted belief that death means nothing to your kind and dare to insult a noble! I will punish you by making you my slave for life!"

"...Hah! Please! Anything but that!"

It wasn’t hard to understand what he meant. It meant he intended to work the player for free.

He would be released if he quit the game, but for a player trying to farm gold to sell, or one just starting the game by doing manual labor like this, quitting was never a light decision. Especially considering the cost of the capsule.

Two knights grabbed the player from both sides and hoisted him up. The noble, triumphant, turned his back to walk out of the territory.

At that moment, a flying kick came out of nowhere, aiming straight for him.

"Hiyah!"

He gasped.

THUD!

"Aaaagh!"

A surprise attack so fast that even the knights couldn’t react. Moreover, they never imagined that anyone would dare to attack.

"Aack! Who is it? Who dares to attack me, Baron Karan...!"

The pig, struggling to breathe and rising miserably, looked at the man in front of him.

A brilliant crimson aura.

Picking his ear as if whatever the noble babbled didn’t change his expression, Han Simin spoke.

"Hey, you bastard. Do you know who I am? How dare a two-bit baron cause a scene in the great viscount’s territory? You wanna die? Huh?"

* * *