Chapter 74 - Hill of Blowing Wind (4)

Chapter 74: Hill of Blowing Wind (4)

There were slight differences based on Player talent, but normally, the first enhancement had a success rate of around 90%. With ‘Element Affinity Powder’ mixed in, it was close to 100%.

Only when a Player had atrocious luck and basically 0 talent was there a very tiny chance for the first enhancement to fail.

For a moment, I doubted my ears.

‘120%?’

100 was already 100, so what the heck was 120?

‘Come to think of it…’

In the past, the German craftsman called the Master of Enhancement, Lukas, once said that enhancement was not just a fight of the numbers 1 to 100. He said that there was a far higher and more beautiful world beyond that.

‘Is this what he meant?’

120%. What did that mean?

[Element Affinity Powder increases success rate by 10%.]

[+1 enhancement success rate: 130%]

[The attribute of the current field has a high affinity to the object being enhanced.]

[Field affinity increases success rate by 10%.]

[+1 enhancement success rate: 140%]

I thought that 100, 130, and 140 were all the same, anyway, but it didn’t seem to be the case. If that was true, there shouldn’t be any reason for the System to go out of its way to state that the success rate was 140%. There had to be something different about it for sure.

‘What could it be?’

The notices continued.

[Congratulations!]

[The enhancement was successful!]

[Wind Shoes have been enhanced to Wind Shoes +1.]

For a brief moment, I saw it.

‘This was… a blue enhancement?’

I mentally reeled.

‘Ah. This is what it is!’

It was known that the people who were called ‘Masters’ in the past did enhancements using a specific method. They had distribution channels and connections all over the world and shared tips and tricks only among their exclusive ranks. Their special ability to make outstanding items was so coveted it was no exaggeration to say that they were raking in all of the world’s money.

‘The color of the item name… is blue.’

With the enhancement, the previously white item name turned blue.

‘Above blue is purple. Above purple is brown. Above brown…’

Was the legendary black grade, which could only be found a few times in the entire world.

‘It was definitely said that you need an extremely special method…’

I hadn’t done all that much just now. I did buy the materials at a ridiculously high price because of the penalty, but that couldn’t be helped. I didn’t use any of those special enhancement methods the ‘Masters’ were said to have used, nor did I have a specific enhancement skill.

‘But I was still able to make a blue item?’

What in the world?

‘I didn’t do anything all that special.’

Could it be that I had an incredible talent for enhancement? I was able to pull off a blue enhancement without any skills or innate abilities. It varied between items, but I think I remembered people saying that a +1 blue item was typically about the same level as a +2 white item.

‘Let’s think about it later.’

For now, it was more important to clear this gate and get out.

[Wind Shoes +1]

Shoes imbued with the blessing of wind. Dramatically increases one’s affinity with the wind element, bestowing a synergistic effect when using wind attribute foot techniques or movement skills. However, a full pair of two shoes must be worn for that function to apply.

Attribute: Wind

Agility +2

Grade: Rare

Level Restriction: 25

Special Skill: Can use ‘Imaginary Running Start’.

Equip Restriction: Wind-attribute class

One enhancement, and the item gained an agility stat boost along with a special skill. Of course, its affinity to wind must have also become higher.

[Imaginary Running Start]

A running start refers to the act of running a set distance in order to increase one’s jumping force. The special skill imbued in the Wind Shoes, ‘Imaginary Running Start’, allows the wearer to achieve the maximum jumping force without running a set distance. Synergizes extremely well with ‘Standstill’.

‘Think I get it.’

In order to jump high or far, you needed a running start. Obviously, you could jump further if you jumped from a run rather than a stationary position. This ‘Imaginary Running Start’ was essentially a special skill that could remove the need for such a running start—it drew out the wearer’s maximum jumping force without any preparatory movements.

‘Depending on how it’s used… its value is infinite.’

This was clearly a stroke of luck. Incredible fortune. Just as I was thinking that, I felt one of the Ghosts aiming for Jo Sunghyun. Black spheres had already been fired.

‘Sunghyun… can’t dodge.’

There was no one else who would take the hit for him. Eye of Perception was telling me that the only person who could act was me.

‘Will he be okay if he gets hit by that?’

I wasn’t sure. He might be fine, or he might not. If he was affected by the paralyzation poison, I could forcefully push him to the ground.

‘But.’

I decided to make a slightly more drastic investment this time.

‘I’ll take the hit for him.’

I made the decision in a split second. As soon as I saw the black spheres, as soon as the Ghost attacked Sunghyun, I moved.

‘Guess I should take some insurance.’

“Yeonseo!” I shouted loudly.

I felt her turn to look at me. That was more than enough—she was a Player with enough insight to figure out my intent. She would come running over with Heavenly Demonic Flying Step.

I pushed Sunghyun. “Watch out!”

Five of the black spheres launched by the Ghost struck my body.

‘Gugh…!’

One of them hit my eye, another one my forehead. A third ball struck my stomach.

They were all dangerous places. No matter how weak the attack, getting attacked in such vital points was bound to cause great damage.

[The durability of Great Orc Warrior’s Iron Armor has sharply decreased.]

[The durability of Great Orc Warrior’s Leather Shoes has sharply decreased.]

[The durability of Great Orc Warrior’s Leather Pants has sharply decreased.]

Yeonseo had come in a flash. “Hyukjin, are you alright?”

“Yeah. Somehow.”

“Thankfully, you’re not paralyzed?”

“Yeah.”

I didn’t get it either. I did believe in the Great Orc Warrior set. Even if you were hit in unguarded weak points, this world’s items were capable of greatly decreasing the damage taken. And if it was really dicey, the ‘Partial Set Effect’ would kick in.

‘But who would have thought I wouldn’t even be affected by the paralysis?’

It seemed that Lady Luck was gracing me in many ways today. If that wasn’t it, then my poison resistance was higher than I thought. In the meantime, Kim Taechun destroyed the tenth pillar.

There would be another gust of wind.

“Get down,” I said.

“Yup.”

Sunghyun also got down. While on the ground, he slowly crawled my way.

“Thank you.”

Getting thanked was fine and all, but I found it a little peculiar that Sunghyun’s eyes were slightly misted with tears.

‘Huh?’

I could feel his gaze. It wasn’t just a gaze of gratitude. His summary also changed a little.

Jo Sunghyun always said that an adult had to act like an adult to be an adult.

‘He seems…’

Even without Eye of Perception, I could kinda figure it out from his expression alone.

‘Super moved right now?’

* * *

Jo Sunghyun felt it—it wouldn’t be good if he got hit by those balls. He knew that, but his body was unable to react. His body wasn’t capable of keeping up with his thoughts yet, and he didn’t have a class specialized in physical ability to begin with.

‘Oh-Oh no.’

He recognized that he was in danger, but there was nothing he could do. A gruesome future started sketching itself out in his head. But then, the hyung he met earlier, the hyung who called himself Kim Hyukjin, helped him. Perhaps from his haste to jump in, he got hit by the spheres in his vital points.

‘…’

At that moment, Sunghyun was moved. He never thought that someone would throw themselves into danger for his sake. After receiving Sunghyun’s thanks, Hyukjin said, “It’s way better for me to get hit than you.”

“…You were a tank?”

“Well, no. Not really.”

Hyukjin was about to say “I’m overgeared”, but he swallowed the words.

Right now, Jo Sunghyun was extremely touched. Hyukjin wasn’t even a tank. He wasn’t a tank, yet he still threw himself into harm’s way.

“This person put his life on the line,” thought Sunghyun.

That was a slight misunderstanding, but in any case, Sunghyun currently believed he owed Hyukjin for saving his life and that he had met a real adult.

“…I will repay this debt until I die.”

“No need to die,” Hyukjin said with a smile. “See that Central Pillar over there?”

“Yes. We have to get the Offering Box from there.”

“It’s a fact that every time the small pillars are destroyed, the Central Pillar gets lower.”

That was why Kim Taechun and the other Players were breaking the pillars right now.

“However, with every pillar that is broken, the difficulty will also rise.”

As a result, if possible, it would be best to clear the gate now.

“You should see a weak current of wind in a spiral shape around the Central Pillar. Take a close look.”

“…”

Sunghyun peered at the Central Pillar, heightening his mana perception as much as possible.

‘There really… is one?’

He didn’t realize all this time, but after taking a closer look, there really was a current.

“Now, take this.”

“…Huh?”

He got an item, a rare-grade item. It was a precious item he’d never heard of, one that even had an agility stat boost.

“Y-You’re giving this to me?”

“No, I’m letting you borrow it.”

Once again, Sunghyun was moved.

‘How can he trust me…?’

How could this hyung trust him enough to lend him an item like this?

‘And why? Just what does he see in me?’

He hadn’t done anything to help Hyukjin, but Hyukjin was lending him such a precious item, as if saving his life wasn’t enough.

“You don’t need to be that moved. This is a place of life and death. I’m just trying to use the method that can achieve a slightly more efficient clear.”

Sunghyun nodded. He was sure of it. Kim Hyukjin was a ‘real adult’. As an 18-year-old youth, his sensitivity for such things was massively heightened.

“What do I have to do?”

* * *

Like a true observer, I gave Sunghyun the information I had obtained through observation and told the boy what he needed to do in rather concrete detail.

“You can do it, right?”

“I will try.”

“It might be dangerous.”

“I know.”

“You have to ride the current well. The moment you slip out of that current, you’ll get swept into the gusts.”

It might be dangerous. No, it was definitely dangerous.

‘But you pulled it off in the past.’

Even with just the base, unenhanced Wind Shoes, Jo Sunghyun cleared this gate. At least half of the Players died, but he cleared it all the same. He would be able to do it this time, too.

I stared at the Central Pillar. Captured by Observer’s Eye was a stream of wind-attribute mana flowing faintly in a spiral around the Central Pillar.

‘He’ll ride that current up.’

That current would protect Sunghyun from the strong winds blowing in this field. As long as he could ride that current without falling out, he’d be able to get all the way to the top without being influenced by the other wind.

‘Jo Sunghyun… can do it.’

Sunghyun began to run. In my eyes, the kid was indeed full of talent.

‘He’s got exactly the right route.’

Sunghyun had a precise eye for the flow. He started climbing up the current, looking as if he were stepping on empty air, almost as if there were an invisible spiral staircase.

‘He’s doing great.’

The kid was doing much better than I expected. Was it thanks to the Wind Shoes enhanced into a +1 blue item? In any case, Sunghyun was climbing up the Central Pillar in his own way.

‘Alright. Now…’

It was time for me to do what I had to do, because starting now, the situation would change yet again. I approached Yoohyun, taking care not to walk too fast, going at a speed that wouldn’t catch the eye.

“Yoohyun. Listen to me while you attack. Be discreet.”

While punching the 10th pillar, Yoohyun answered in a small voice, “Yes, hyungnim.”

“See Sunghyun starting to go up the Central Pillar over there?”

Yoohyun nodded after looking from the corners of his eyes. He was a little surprised, but he didn’t show it too much.

“There’s going to be a change.”

It wasn’t a System induced change. Some new quest wasn’t going to be issued. This was just my prediction based on the current situation.

I gave him only one order.

“If anyone acts up, beat them up. ‘Til they’re on death’s door.”

“On death’s door?”

“Yeah. Don’t ask, don’t argue, just smash.”

Sure enough, Kim Taechun suddenly shouted in rage.

“HEY, YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

His gaze was pointed towards the kid climbing the Central Pillar.

“What kinda shit are you trying to pull on your own?! Why’re you taking action without any orders, you little shit!!!”

Having received an order from me, Yoohyun moved towards the man loudly displaying his courage.

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