God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 58: Episode 12 _ This Makes Him a Model Citizen (1)

Chapter 58: Episode 12 _ This Makes Him a Model Citizen (1)

1.

"...Unni, doesn’t this scene look familiar?" Yeseul asked.

"I think we saw something like this during the first act of the main quest..." Seolah murmured.

"That was over a month ago already."

"I know."

"We’ve grown a lot since then. Back then, I was sighing about how screwed we were."

"That’s because we couldn’t afford to die then."

"I don’t think this is the time for small talk," Hyeonsu cut in.

A grand entrance! And the gravitas! Simin’s shout brought the atmosphere to a standstill.

"There was another one?!"

"Let’s wipe them all out!"

"Raaaah!"

But there was no fear or terror. Simin’s crimson aura was certainly intimidating and impressive, but that was it. In a game with nearly twenty million players, the name ’Simin’ was common, and few knew that the man before them was the Han Simin. Besides, not many people believed that simply wearing +15 items would make you incredibly powerful—a common misconception caused by the game’s hyper-realism. And on top of that, hadn’t the Shield Guild gathered nearly 150 members?

"Kill that bastard first!" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Arrogant prick!"

The taunt only served to pour fuel on the fire. The 150 players who had been charging the Specialists changed direction and headed for Simin.

"...What’s with this mood?" Simin was baffled. Instead of the scene he’d imagined, he was met with a storm of blades. He’d been feeling a bit nostalgic, and seeing Seolah’s pretty face after so long had filled him with a certain happiness. He’d let his bravado get the better of him...

"I didn’t particularly want to fight..."

"Shut up!"

"Die!"

One hundred and fifty people is a lot. In novels, the protagonist might casually chew through thousands, but in reality, facing the wrath of that many people alone is enough to make anyone’s shoulders slump. A mob this size was a serious threat.

"Oh my, how scary." Trembling with mock fear, Simin drew his dagger. He didn’t retreat; instead, he dived into their midst. He trusted his armor, but he was still nervous. It had been over a month since he’d faced players at the end of the first main quest. They would have leveled up and upgraded their gear since then.

’I’ve upgraded a lot too, haven’t I?’ But he had a full set of +15 armor and had even enhanced various other useful items to +15. Come to think of it, his specs had improved far more than theirs, except for a few key items he’d made for his friends.

His nervousness turned to confidence. He could win this. Whether it was 100 or 150, if he could replenish his health faster than they could deal damage, he would win! With baseless confidence, he swung his dagger!

"Ack!"

A single strike made one player let out a pained groan. It couldn’t have actually hurt, but the sight of his rapidly depleting health bar brought a momentary flash of mortal terror. But he didn’t die. The +15 dagger had high attack power, and with Simin’s stats, it was tough for level 30-something players to handle, but they hadn’t been slacking off either. They could withstand one hit.

Simin frowned. It was a problem if he couldn’t kill them in one shot. In a one-on-one fight, he could stab once, twice, as many times as it took to kill them. But right now, he didn’t have the luxury of attacking the same person more than once. No matter how high his defense was, even he would eventually fall to the concentrated attacks of an ant swarm. He had to fight while dodging.

’This is tricky.’

Moreover, if they didn’t die in one hit, the healers waiting in the back would just heal them back up. The fight against a large group was proving more difficult than he’d thought. His gaze naturally shifted to the Specialists.

"Why are you guys fighting someone every time I see you?"

"...It’s not like we started it," Seolah replied.

"Hyeonsu! Don’t you think you need plastic surgery?" Simin said.

"What? Hey, move it. You’re dead."

"Oppa, calm down! Simin looks like he’s about to die anyway. What are you going to accomplish by jumping in?" Yeseul chided.

"Shut up. I’ll kill that bastard, then I’ll die."

Amidst the chaos, Hyeonsu charged into the fray with his shield, followed reluctantly by Yeseul and Seolah. He looked exactly like a player who’d been triggered by a taunt—something only possible in a game.

The Shield Guild paid them no mind. They could deal with the other three after killing Simin. Their priority was to focus their firepower on the surprisingly durable newcomer. Their endless confidence made them forget that they had been wiped out by a guerrilla attack just a short while ago. Perhaps they wanted to forget the shame of that day.

But that was arrogant and reckless.

Seolah, who had been weaving through the Shield Guild members as if to join Simin, suddenly swung her sword. "Ice Wave."

Spikes of ice erupted from the ground. The players in the rear, caught completely off guard, had no way to dodge.

"What the-?!"

"The backline! The healers and mages are under attack!"

"Where’s the escort? Defend them!"

"We’re trying, but she’s too strong!"

They should have expected this the moment they realized they were on the same team. The trio’s apparent indifference had tricked them, and that was the cause of their current predicament.

A smile spread across Simin’s face. "Nice! Kill all the healers and mages!"

Of course, even without the heals, the fact that his attack power was insufficient remained unchanged. He needed a more fundamental solution.

"Hehehe."

’The time has come to unveil this.’ Simin sheathed his dagger at his waist. A crazy move, considering he was in the middle of a battlefield.

"You’re all dead now."

The dazzlingly ornate hammer that appeared in his hand made the smile on his face grow even wider. The debut of his secret weapon!

The hammer, which sounded different from the moment he swung it, moved with incredible speed and grace, lightly tapping a nearby player. Very lightly.

Unfortunately, the result was anything but light.

Thwack!

Without even a scream, the player dropped an item and was forcibly logged out, doomed to stare at the corner of their room for the next forty-eight hours.

Silence fell. For a moment, the 150-plus players froze as if on cue. Only one thought ran through their minds.

’The tank just got killed in one shot.’

’Holy crap. That was our guild’s highest-defense tank.’

’What the hell are his stats... no, what is that hammer?’

Amidst the sea of crimson auras, the hammer alone shone with a golden light. Was this really the attack power of a mere +13 weapon?

"Come and get it. I’ll show you the true taste of an enhancement master."

The Shield Guild couldn’t maintain their silence for long. This wasn’t a comic book or a novel. And even if it were, they weren’t the protagonists. The Specialists and Simin, who had thrown all manners to the wind, began to tear through them from both front and back.

"...This is insane."

"This is a balance-breaker..."

The players began to lose their will to fight.

* * *

Han Simin never made a losing deal. He was the type of man who would feign ignorance and abandon even his own guildmates if his life was on the line. The reason he could charge into such a massive group of players without hesitation was his weapon.

[+13 Legendary Hammer]

Grade: Legendary

Requirement: Ultimate Legendary Enhancement Master

Attack Power: 50 (+200) (1st Seal Released)

Option 1: Enhancement Success Rate +1% (+4%) (1st Seal Released)

Option 2: Attack Power +30 (+120) (1st Seal Released)

Option 3: On successful enhancement, a chance to increase enhancement effect +5% (+20%) (1st Seal Released)

Option 4: ’Deep Golden Aura’ effect applied

- Mana consumption for enhancement -30%

- Defense +100

Special Option 1: Sealed

Special Option 2: Sealed

Its attack power alone was incomparable to the dagger’s. The effect was magnified because the stat increase from options was much higher starting from +12. That was why the tank, who had diligently leveled up and equipped solid armor, had been melted in a single blow. It was a situation that once again hammered home the fact that enhancing was the answer.

Furthermore, Simin’s stats were on another level compared to ordinary players. Having invested his saved-up stat points evenly into Strength, Agility, and Vitality, what was there to fear? The only regret was that he hadn’t been able to leech experience when he’d lent the Ring of Blessing to the imperial knights, since he wasn’t their master. If he had, he’d be level 30, no, level 35 by now, not level 21, and would be competing for the top ranks.

"Whew."

In any case, faced with overwhelming power and skill, the Shield Guild had to taste defeat once again. The attacks that landed on his immense defense were fierce, but they ultimately couldn’t break through Simin’s shield, which was constantly being healed by his aura’s passive recovery, Legendary Heal that activated every thirty seconds, and the occasional heal from Yeseul. Moreover, with his hammer smashing heads in a single blow, their damage output could only decrease. The destruction of their healers and mages was the final nail in the coffin.

"Good work," Seolah said after the battle.

"Not at all. We’re in the same guild. We have to help each other out," Simin replied, making sure to take credit. A warm atmosphere settled over the reunited group.

"By the way, what was that about a penalty earlier?" he asked.

At least, until he asked that question.

He was met with silence.

"Hyeonsu Oppa, don’t you say a word. I’m serious, I won’t let you get away with it," Yeseul warned.

"What is it?" Simin pressed. Why were they making such a fuss? Even Seolah. He’d overheard something about a penalty. His uselessly clever mind started working. ’If it’s a penalty, it must be from some kind of bet. And they didn’t say they wouldn’t do it, which means they have to, right?’ What could it be? Nothing came to mind. He frowned. "Anyway, what is it you’re supposed to do to me?"

"So, Seolah and Yeseul have to go to your place and take off their clothes—mmph!" Hyeonsu started.

"Take off their what?"

"Mmph mmph!"

Hyeonsu was dropping hints. He was quickly silenced, but the damage was done.

"They’re going to take my clothes off for me?"

"No, Simin Oppa. Just forget it. It was just a joke between us," Yeseul said quickly.

"Aw, come on. Now I’m curious." What could it possibly be that had even Seolah this flustered? He realized it couldn’t be just a typical penalty, especially if it made Yeseul, the girl who came onto him during their first meeting, so flustered.

"So, whatever it is, you don’t want to do it?"

"Yeah," Yeseul confirmed.

"Then pay me."

He presented a solution. He didn’t care what it was; if they didn’t want to do it, they could pay their way out of it.

At his clear-cut answer, all three of them stared at him.

"You’re ruthless. Absolutely ruthless," Yeseul muttered.

"He’d sell his soul for money," Hyeonsu added.

"What! What’s wrong with that?!" It was all for the sake of living well. He shrugged and held out his left hand. Penalty or not, if they did it, they did it; if not, whatever.

More importantly, he had rushed here, wrapping up his business, for a different reason.

"Alright. Let’s go hunt."

"Oh, right!" Yeseul exclaimed.

Only then did the Specialists remember why they had been so desperately looking for Simin. Their eyes changed now to looks of expectation and hope! Could they surge ahead again, just like when they cleared the first act of the main quest?

"Show me! Show me! Let me see the ring’s stats again!" Kang Yeseul whined, clinging to his arm.

Simin firmly pushed her away and held out his hand, displaying the ring.

[+15 Ring of Devoted Blessing]

Grade: Special Epic Legendary

Level Requirement: 1

Option 1: EXP Gained +30% (+30%)

Option 2: ‘Deep Red Aura’ Effect Applied

* Item Drop Rate (Rare or higher) +20%

* Bonus EXP when killing monsters 10+ levels higher +5%

* Bonus EXP per target affected by Special Aura +1% (Max 20)

Special Option 1: Bonus EXP when killing Named Monsters +50% (+50%)

Special Option 2: ‘Devoted’ Special Aura Effect Applied

* All of the item’s options are applied to targets within a 33-foot radius.

* However, the wearer does not receive the item’s effects.

Special Option 3: Infinite Durability, Indestructible

Special Option 4: Soulbound Engraving (Simin). Does not drop upon death.

The stats were breathtaking, no matter how many times he looked.

[Buff the Buff]

Grade: Legendary

Option 1: All buff effects +100%

Special Option 1: Infinite Durability, Indestructible

Special Option 2: Soulbound (Simin) effect applied. Will not drop on death.

And to top it off, he had a treasure from a Legendary Buffer. It was a combination that would make its original owner—who had intended it for his own successor—roll over in his grave if he knew some random guy was getting 2000% efficiency out of it.

Looking at the three slack-jawed players, Simin declared, "Alright. Let’s negotiate my fee."

* * *