God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 206: Episode _Smoked Golden Chicken (2)

3.

The black magic mage order was in an uproar.

"We’ve received the signal for an all-out attack on the Rich Territory from the northern branch."

"Move to divert the Empire’s attention."

"Yes, sir!"

The order was issued to black magic mages scattered across the continent: risk your lives and throw the continent into chaos! It was a little earlier than planned, but plans were meant to be flexible. If they could destroy the Sanctuary and sow chaos, it was a plan well worth executing.

And so, the black magic mages, who had been quietly testing the waters from the shadows, began to act more aggressively. Of course, they still proceeded with caution. But there was a world of difference between causing chaos while prioritizing not getting caught, and moving with chaos as the top priority. The black magic mages grew bold.

They hadn’t been hiding all this time because they were cowards. They were icons of betrayal, associated with demons, but they were also prepared to throw their lives away for their objective at any moment—even if that resolve was forced upon them by the oath they swore upon joining the order.

"Your Majesty! Black magic mages have begun to move all across the continent!"

"A plague has spread in the Silla Kingdom!"

"A monster gate has reportedly opened in the capital of the Kararina Kingdom."

"We’ve captured three black magic mages!"

The inevitable had happened. Naturally, the Emperor became busy.

"Deploy our full forces. You have my permission to wipe them out. Capture them if you can, but if not, exterminate them until not even a speck of ash remains."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The Empire’s attention was successfully diverted. It was the moment the black magic mages had been waiting for.

"What is the probability of conquering the Rich Territory?"

"Seventy percent. The lord is famous for spending lavishly on the territory’s defense, so we cannot predict what other magic circles might be hidden besides the Sanctuary."

"Isn’t the lord there said to be quite strong?"

"Yes. Despite being a mere adventurer, he has tamed a dragon and possesses powerful equipment. However, he is currently away from his post."

"You must succeed."

"Do not worry. Once we breach the castle gates, the probability rises to over ninety-two percent."

The black magic mages were confident, and for good reason. This was a grand plan they had been preparing for hundreds of years, passed down through generations. The people of the continent had also prepared and united to prevent a repeat of the past, but their preparations were merely preventative measures. How could they have prepared as diligently as the mages had? They had likely focused more on protecting the heart of the Empire that oppressed them, and the mages had already won over a few such individuals.

"Failure is not an option."

And so, they could afford to smile. For now.

*

At Kang Yeseul’s shout, Jeong Hyeonsu scrambled to cover her mouth.

"Are you trying to advertise that you want to die?"

"Well, we can’t just let them get away."

"If you saw a bunch of low-levels, would you run away or kill them?"

"That’s a good point."

Hyeonsu fell silent.

But it was too late. The black magic mages had already surrounded them and were chanting their spells.

"Hey, excuse me. Can we at least introduce ourselves first...?"

The belated attempt at a peace treaty fell on deaf ears. A criminal doesn’t just let someone who’s already called the cops walk away. The incantations they chanted sounded ominous. The three of them grimaced but calmly raised their weapons. What else could they do?

"It was obvious they were heading for the Rich Territory," Hyeonsu grumbled. "Still, it’s better to send them there than for us to die."

"What are you talking about? The gates are wide open right now," Seolah countered.

"Not my problem."

"Hyeonsu, if the Rich Territory gets destroyed, we lose out too. Think a little," Yeseul chimed in.

"I don’t want to hear that from a fool like you."

They were guildmates, after all. Personal feelings aside, they had invested a fair amount in the Rich Territory themselves. No matter how rich they were, as chaebol heirs not yet involved in management, they had to make investments for the future. They couldn’t just write it off as disposable cash. They had to protect it.

"This seems a bit reckless, though," Seolah admitted.

Indeed, they had acted too rashly. Even she had to concede that. Even if their opponents were all black magic mages, the fundamental level difference was too great. The disparity in numbers was immense, and they couldn’t rely on their superior control against mages who used curse-type magic. Control only shines when you have the stats to back it up. Furthermore, Hyeonsu’s high defense offered no resistance to magical attacks.

The situation was hopeless. Still, they didn’t give up.

"Seolah, I’m going to try a new skill I learned. Let’s use it to escape," Yeseul said.

"Is that possible?"

"My mana is a little low, but... well, Hyeonsu can carry me, right?"

They had faced far greater crises than this. Besides, death wasn’t a significant threat to them. A drop in experience points, a death penalty—they were confident they were protecting something more important.

’He’ll compensate us,’ Seolah thought.

’Simin isn’t the type to let this slide,’ Yeseul thought.

Their firm misunderstanding of Han Simin gave them courage. They had jumped into the fray with no intention of winning from the start. Kang Yeseul raised her +14 staff.

"Whew. I really didn’t want to use this."

She took a deep breath and began her incantation. A dark energy gathered around her. The magic she was about to unleash was something new, a departure from the support-role curse magic she usually used to assist Seolah. The Special-grade class she possessed, long forgotten, was about to reveal its power for the first time in a long while.

Vwoom—

A darkness deeper than darkness itself enveloped the forest. Five storms of magical energy raged with the intent to swallow the moonless, pitch-black night.

The black magic mages gasped in shock.

"What is this?!"

Even the black magic mages, who had been casting their own spells, were shocked. Their eyes turned to Kang Yeseul, the caster. They shouted in unison. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"N-No way!"

"The Great Black Mag—!"

But their cries never reached Yeseul, who had just completed her chant.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The collaboration between the black magic Yeseul learned upon reaching level 70 and the $6.1 million skillbook put on a spectacular show. The scene revealed after the explosions was devastating.

"Wow."

Black magic mages were strewn everywhere, their faces frozen in shock, unable to even think of retaliating. The terrain itself looked as if a meteor had struck. The magnificent debut was so impressive that even Yeseul herself was surprised.

"Huh? Was this spell always this powerful?"

Dark Tornado. It was a hidden skill granted to the Disciple of the Great Black Mage, a Special-grade class. But it seemed to have dealt far more damage than she had expected. ’What’s going on?’ She wasn’t the only one confused; Seolah and Hyeonsu were just as baffled.

"When did you get so strong?" Hyeonsu asked.

"Yeseul, did you buy a new item without telling me?" Seolah added.

Level 70. It was a turning point, and Hyeonsu and Seolah had also learned new skills. Theirs were certainly more destructive than before and more helpful in battle, but this? Their opponents were black magic mages. There were dozens of posts on the forums every day from players complaining that they couldn’t even scratch the robes of these mages, yet a single spell from Yeseul had caused this much damage?

Something was strange. It was as if...

"Did they just take the hit on purpose?" Hyeonsu wondered aloud.

"No way," Seolah dismissed.

But there was no other explanation. They wanted to check the recording, but unfortunately, there was none. The darkness had been too thick, and the flame they had lit for light had been extinguished. That left only one option.

"Um, excuse me..."

Yeseul cautiously relit a flame and called out to the scattered black magic mages. Now was their chance to escape, but she was curious. Why? What was the reason? Was her magic really that strong? Or did they truly let themselves be hit?

She never got to ask her question.

"We greet the Great Black Mage!"

"We greet the Great Black Mage!"

The fallen black magic mages, along with those still on their feet, were all prostrated on the ground, welcoming her. Her mouth fell open at the unexpected turn of events and refused to close.

Screeeeeeeech!

A cry, arriving fashionably late, echoed across the sky.

4.

"Where are you, you black magic mage bastards! I let you off once, and you come crawling back without knowing your place? You’re all dead meat."

The grand, albeit tardy, entrance went unnoticed. No one had the luxury of paying attention to Squeaker, who was still shrouded in darkness.

"Um, excuse me."

"A disciple of the Great Black Mage! Why have you only just revealed yourself?!"

Yeseul was left speechless.

"Please, come to the Order."

This continued until the lord of the very territory the black magic mages were targeting arrived before them, completely defenseless.

"What are you doing?" Simin asked.

"Oh, Simin."

"What is this scene?"

He expressed his bewilderment, scanned his surroundings to assess the situation, and got the details via guild chat. Even after all that, the black magic mages remained motionless, their eyes fixed on the ground as if they were afraid to even make eye contact with Yeseul.

"...So that guy back then was their king?"

"Not a king, more like the Pope of their temple, I guess."

"I should have taken that job change." A flicker of regret crossed Simin’s face. He had been tempted back then, but he’d ultimately decided that a Legendary-grade class had to be better than a Special-grade one. And indeed, he had gained a lot as an enhancement master and a Tamer, even though he had to sacrifice levels. But he never imagined that choice would lead to this outcome.

"You mean all the black magic mages in the country are your subordinates now?"

"I guess so?"

"Wow."

The moment he grasped the situation, all sorts of calculations raced through his mind. If Yeseul truly held that kind of status among the black magic mages, if their relationship was one of such obedience that they wouldn’t even defend against her magic, and if her class put her in a position to control their entire order...

’The black magic mages must have a lot of money stashed away.’

He practically salivated. The grass is always greener on the other side. He swallowed his irreversible regret.

"Still, it’s a relief this ended without a fight."

In a fight, the one with more to lose always suffers. For someone like Simin, who felt that one of his possessions was worth more than a hundred of someone else’s, even the slightest scratch on the Rich Territory would feel like losing the world. The plans for continental conquest forming in his mind could wait; he could slowly coax Yeseul into it later. For now, he breathed a sigh of relief that the sudden attack had been thwarted.

"Simin, there’s a bit of a problem with that," Yeseul said.

"What problem?"

"Well, I tried to talk to them, but they said they still have to attack the Rich Territory."

Simin was confused.

"And if I order them not to, I’ll become a traitor to the Order."

Simin was speechless.

His relief, unfortunately, was short-lived.

"But don’t worry, Simin. If I ask, they said they’ll just leave without killing us."

"You have got to be kidding me."

The world did not unfold as Han Simin wished.

*