God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 17: Episode 3 _ The Enhancement Master Born of Capitalism (5)

Chapter 17: Episode 3 _ The Enhancement Master Born of Capitalism (5)

7.

The FW Forum was the official community for Fantastic World. Countless players shared information and talked about the game. They formed teams to play with, found parties to match their hunting schedules, and so on. There was one reason why the FW Forum, called the second Fantastic World, could thrive: Betago.

This, too, was a site created and operated directly by Betago. Its completely impartial management gave all players sufficient satisfaction. Even non-players could browse most of the forums, but if you wanted real information, you had to verify your Fantastic World account, log in, and raise your community grade. It was a system of differentiation and of premium access. Players grumbled but still shared all sorts of information to accumulate points, even investing money to get views and recommendations.

Han Simin posted on the FW Forum for the same reason. ‘My target customers are the whales.’ What was the best way to advertise to players and make money? Promoting in-game was a good method, but efficiently seeking out rich players in that vast world and making sales pitches wasn’t very effective. And Han Simin’s ability wasn’t so pathetic that he needed to run around looking for them himself.

‘I’ll make them come to me.’ So, he chose the FW Forum. Specifically, the players who were qualified to use the high-grade forums. Even if their starting locations in the game were different, he could at least clearly appeal to them about who he was and what services he could provide. Players who saw it and became interested would contact him. To that end, he uploaded a screenshot of his +14 beginner’s dagger.

“Haah.” The best way to raise his grade was with high views and recommendations. There was a way to raise it by spending money, but if he had that kind of cash, he would have just enhanced and sold items, so he didn’t even consider it.

“My job is Legendary-grade enhancement master. My ability is to find prime locations to increase enhancement probability. At least 10% to 20%. Enhancement stones are the client’s responsibility, price is...” After writing for a long time, Simin posted it. A dagger with an effect so brilliant that even he was impressed just looking at it. He also attached a screenshot of his +11 leather armor set, though he didn’t have high expectations. The post he was creating now wasn’t intended to attract a flood of customers immediately, but to improve his community rank.

“This should be enough.” Players seeking vicarious satisfaction would check it over and over. Whether they cursed him or envied him, it would spread by word of mouth and eventually make it to the ’best posts’ list. It wasn’t a wish, but a certainty—information he had gained through countless games. A cheat key, you could say. So, without any particular worry, he closed the FW Forum and opened a trade broker site.

“Oh!” A trade offer had come in for the rare ring he had listed. Wondering what kind of crazy bastard would pay two thousand dollars for a ring that only raised stats by three, he immediately sent a message.

—Please let me know a convenient time and place for the trade.

A reply came back quickly.

—Right now, in front of the plaza fountain. I’m carrying a giant axe and holding a shield.

—Okay, I’ll log in right away.

An axe and a shield? The description sounded familiar. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“Whatever.” There were so many players in Haran Castle that he considered asking for more details, but then decided against it and logged into the game. If he couldn’t find him, he could just ask again.

“An axe and a shield, huh...” Then, a familiar person suddenly came to mind. No way. It couldn’t be, right?

* * *

Unfortunately, his prediction was spot on.

“Hyeonsu!”

“What is it?” Jeong Hyeonsu grunted.

“I had a feeling, but I didn’t think it would really be you, Chief.”

“...The polar bear’s Blood-Clawed Ring?”

“Yes, haha.”

So Jeong Hyeonsu was the one buying this piece of trash for two grand. Since it had a level 1 requirement, it would be attractive to top-tier players, but to Han Simin, the price was incomprehensible.

‘Then again.’ This was the same crazy guy who spent ten grand to enhance a shield.

“Here you go.”

“...To think I’m buying a ring Seolah gave you with my own money.”

“Have fun playing.”

Simin quickly handed over the ring and bolted before the deal could be rescinded. Just receiving money from Jeong Hyeonsu made him feel better. That’s why his steps were light as he left. Two grand would be enough to survive for two months in the real world.

“And if I sell the items I picked up on the way...” Thanks to the good fortune that had found him yesterday, he could also fill his empty wallet in the game. Feeling proud of his full leather pouch, he headed for the plaza.

* * *

Han Simin sold the items dropped by the Johnson party for far less than they would have cost new.

‘I have no use for them anyway, so I should just sell them off quickly.’

Their durability was also worn down, so if he wanted to sell them for his desired price, he would have to wait. But Han Simin didn’t have time to waste haggling in the plaza. To him, time was money. Besides, the green-glowing dagger in his hand was crying out to be made to +15 right away.

“Are you really selling this for this price?” a player asked.

“Yes, yes. It’s more than half off the shop price, right? The durability is a little worn, but even considering that, it’s a real steal!”

“Here you go.”

“Enjoy your purchase.”

It didn’t take long to sell the four items. Players had to buy weapons to hunt, and items at a slightly cheaper price were bound to sell.

‘My conscience pricks me a little, but...’ Every time Simin received money, he thought of the dying members of the Johnson party. Their penalty would probably be lifted by tomorrow, at which point they would return to that dungeon, only to find it empty. ‘You shouldn’t have challenged it if you didn’t have the ability.’ He clicked his tongue and stood up from his spot. If he were to consider having manners, the right thing to do would be to hold onto the items and return them, but Han Simin was a man who had lived his life with a wall between himself and such manners. It wasn’t as if he had interfered with their hunt! With a brazen face, Han Simin smiled and touched the necklace around his neck.

“Hehehe.” This was the decisive reason he had no intention of ever meeting the Johnson party again.

[Goblin’s Blessed Necklace]

* Grade: Unique

* Level Requirement: 25

* Defense: 10

* Option 1: +1% Life Steal on attack

It was the item dropped by the boss goblin when it died! It was a Unique grade, and its level requirement was 25. He had no idea what kind of luck the Johnson party had for a named monster to drop a Unique item in a dungeon, but it was his now. To pick up an item like this and then meet the Johnson party again and bring up what happened back then...

“That’s ridiculous!” His level was too low for it to be anything but a decoration, but if he enhanced it later, it would be an item that would be a huge help to his combat sustainability. And if he just sold it, he could make a ton of money!

‘This is it.’ This was the kind of scenario he wanted. A good item! An item that would yield even greater profits if he invested enhancement stones in it! This necklace would be the first.

“But before that...” He had to achieve the goal he had set first. He used the money he had to fill his leather pouch with food and left the castle. The prime location for a +15 was only faintly perceptible from Haran Castle.

“It’s going to be a long journey.” No one likes walking for days on end in a game. But a smile spread across Han Simin’s lips.

8.

Han Simin’s level was 7. He had killed the boss goblin, but all he had done was taunt the Johnson party while they were hunting and get the last hit, so there was no way he would have received proper experience. The only reason he leveled up was that he had become so intoxicated by the incredible power of his +14 dagger that he went around killing every goblin in sight. And so, on the verge of power-leveling, a question suddenly occurred to him.

‘Do I really need to level up?’ It was a concern he couldn’t have even imagined when he was the +13 Han Simin. A lowly enhancement master couldn’t afford to worry about whether to level up or not. But the +14 Han Simin was different. The total stats on his dagger alone exceeded 150. Even considering that his Luck and Mana stats were useless, his stats were on par with a player of level 20 or higher. Wasn’t this proof that enhancement was the answer? It was an unreasonable comparison, since there were no players over level 20 yet, and the ones at the top would be decked out in stat-boosting items like Jeong Hyeonsu. Still, Han Simin briefly entertained a rational thought about leveling up.

‘Looks like I won’t die to monsters around level 20.’ He didn’t need to hunt them down; he just needed to run if he saw them. Since it was a level 1 dagger, no matter how much it was enhanced to +15, it wouldn’t send him to a zone where monsters of level 50 or higher appeared. With that conviction, he came to a conclusion.

“Since I’ll get a 48-hour login ban if I die after level 10 anyway, there’s no need to go past level 10, right?”

Of course, he couldn’t stay that way forever. Eventually, he would have to move to higher-level fields to enhance better items, and there would be a limit to what he could achieve with just the stats gained from enhancing low-level items. But that was a problem for later. For now, he decided not to level up. It was only natural for a player worth his salt to make the most of the advantages given to him. Having made his decision, Han Simin left the field teeming with monsters and was leisurely walking along the main road when a group of NPCs came into his view.

* * *

An impossibly ornate carriage was escorted by dozens of knights on horseback, followed by an even larger retinue.

‘What’s this?’

Why was it so flashy? It might have been a premature curiosity for a level 7 beginner, but since he had to cross that group to get to the prime location his intuition was leading him to, he cautiously approached. They wouldn’t kill him, right? It would be much safer to just brush past them than to go into the forest to avoid them.

“Who goes there?!” a knight called out.

“Identify yourself!”

Naturally, the knights who spotted him drew their swords and pointed them at him. Han Simin naturally raised both his arms to show he had no intention of fighting. If they were players, he might have tried to strike up a conversation, but these were people who lived in Fantastic World. They wouldn’t be unconditionally friendly to a stranger, and from the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like he needed to get involved. He was curious and, if possible, wanted to hitch a ride to travel in comfort, but Han Simin was a wise player who knew his level and his place.

“Just a passing adventurer. Carry on,” he said with a broad smile and a nod, then moved to the side to go around the group.

“An adventurer... Is there already an adventurer who has grown so strong?” a knight murmured.

“Stop for a moment,” a voice called from the carriage.

“Me?” Simin asked.

But he had no choice but to stop when a voice called out to him as he was passing the carriage. Han Simin turned his gaze to it, and a window opened, revealing the face of the person inside. The fabric of his clothes was glossy. An NPC who looked like a nobleman at first glance was looking at him with sparkling eyes.

“Where are you headed?” the nobleman asked.

Simin didn’t answer.

’Why do you care?’

A strange silence flowed.

* * *