Chapter 105

[The 'Nameless Observer' wishes to grant you a favor.]

[The Player can refuse the favor if they so desire.]

The Nameless Observer was a Guardian who typically disliked coming out in the open. But just like people, Guardians couldn't be defined in one word, either. Although they normally stuck to observing, the Nameless Observer was fully capable of making a move when needed. I just hadn't thought they would do so right now.

'Favor?'

I immediately took a look.

[Favor 1]

A favor the 'Nameless Observer' invested a great number of Coins to bestow.

Will allow the Player to open the Item Shop one grade higher than the current grade.

The Item Shop can be opened regardless of location.

Valid only for 5 minutes after accepting 'Favor 1'.

There are no disadvantages to the Player if they refuse.

I would be able to open the Intermediate Item Shop despite being in a gate.

'Why did they give me this here?'

The message mentioned that a great number of Coins had been invested, which meant this was a significant Coin sink even for the Nameless Observer. I couldn't figure out why they suddenly wanted to give me this privilege.

'Doesn't look like there's any downsides to accepting, but…'

Had I become the Nameless Observer's favorite, so to speak? Like how Choi Sung-gu was the Giant of the Sunset's favorite?

'No idea.'

I didn't know, but I put that aside for now. There could be something I was missing. I was suddenly reminded that Darongi successfully stole something from the Demon King earlier.

[A 'new item' has come into Darongi's Inventory.]

At that time, the Demon King said, "He's cute, so I just let him be. I'll give you what he stole as a gift." As well as, "I've asked you to try becoming stronger. I see that you have more than enough qualifications to do so. Become stronger."

I immediately checked Darongi's Inventory. The Demon King had basically given me a gift. If he hadn't desired it, Darongi wouldn't have been able to steal it from him.

[Fusestone]

A stone that can fuse an item's power into a Player's body. It has been fully refined and is ready for fusion. The success or failure of the fusion may depend on the Item type and the Player's physical constitution.

Level requirement: 30

Valid time: 15 minutes

My mouth dropped wide open.

"What's wrong? Something happen?"

"..."

Sung-gu tilted his neck. Shortly afterward, he took a few steps away from me.

"Mm. Is it something I shouldn't butt into?" Not waiting for a response, he sat down, his back to the cave wall. He drew circles in the ground with his finger and even sang a stupid little song. "I'm the loner Sung-gu~ I have~ no friends~ little Hyukjin~ is busy~ so he won't play~ with me~"

He glanced at me. My mouth quickly shut. He was a bit of a clown, but the kid was certainly quick on the uptake. He was implicitly telling me he wouldn't get in the way.

'The Demon King… gave me a Fusestone?'

Fusetone. This was an item even more precious than the mana crystal I currently possessed, so rare Rankers would go in and out of the very dangerous 'Seokguram Dungeon' to obtain it in the far-off future.

'Its value can't be measured with money.'

It was such a rare stone that it couldn't be traded to begin with. This stone would fuse an item's power into a Player's body. In other words, using it would merge an item in my body.

'If I fused a sword with 50 attack power into my body…'

No matter what weapon I picked up, +50 attack power would automatically be added.

'Or a necklace with 5 Agility…'

I'd get a permanent +5 AGI.

'It's even been fully refined.'

Fusestones couldn't be used as is. They had to be refined first. However, once they were refined, they would start to oxidize. More and more of the stone would disappear as it came in contact with the oxygen in the air, and once the 'valid time' ended, it would be completely gone.

'14 minutes left.'

I had to figure out how to use this Fusestone within 14 minutes. The Nameless Observer had picked this moment to use a massive amount of Coins to allow me to open the Intermediate Item Shop. That meant there was something the Nameless Observer wanted to see.

While I was thinking, Darongi ran around with [!!!] marks popping up over his head. There were apparently things hidden within the cave. However, I had no time to pay much attention to the little squirrel right now.

'13 minutes left.'

Even if you had a Fusestone, it didn't mean you could merge everything and anything into your body.

'The things with the highest chance of success are accessories.'

Because Fusestones were so precious, when using them, Players chose the type of items that granted the highest fusion success chance.

'An accessory…'

I just so happened to have a fairly decent accessory on me.

[Legolas' Ring]

A ring made by refining a 'topaz' that holds a mysterious power.

Defense: 1

Effect: 2% attack damage HP absorption.

This was the trump card I prepared to easily get through the 30-40 period, the Hell Phase. I had obtained the rings by hunting as many Monster Rabbits as possible.

Ever since I got the Observer class, I had been wondering how I should use these items to my greatest advantage. I realized what it was that the Nameless Observer wanted to see from me.

"Senia. Starting now, I'm going into item enhancement."

"Here?" Senia gave me her advice. "Enhancement requires talent and luck, neither of which can be controlled by a Player. However…"

"You want to say I can control factors like the timing, location, and my concentration."

"Yes. I believe the assistance of the field played a big role in the reason why you were able to successfully enhance the Wind Shoes."

"You're not wrong."

Talent was inborn, and luck was completely up to chance. Neither of them were things I could control, but other factors, the environmental ones, were things I could. Senia wasn't wrong; this place wasn't really suitable for enhancement. However, there were only 12 minutes left in the Fusestone's timer.

"But this isn't the time for that."

I shared what I had just gotten. Senia's wings quivered.

"Fusestone—!"

Notices instantly streamed in.

[The 'Merchant of Venice' is shocked.]

[The 'Whispering Devil' is amused.]

[The 'Barrier of Blue Light' wishes to protect you.]

A blue magic circle appeared under my feet. The 'Barrier of Blue Light' could be labeled a helicopter parent, it seemed. As soon as I moved to start enhancing here, they made a barrier to protect me, though it would have been nice if they had also extended that protection to Sung-gu while they were at it.

'Well, Guardians are strictly restricted from direct interference.'

I was very thankful that they had done even this much.

I publicized the entire process. I would show the Guardians everything via Senia. Right now, right here, I would show them how I Played and how well I could satisfy their desires.

'I won't let the opportunity given to me by the Nameless Observer slip through my fingers.'

I immediately opened the Intermediate Item Shop.

'As expected.'

It was different from when Senia forcibly opened the shop for me in the past. As expected of a Guardian, the Intermediate-grade shop that was opened by a Guardian's power and discretion did not impose the penalty I faced before.

[Item Shop - Intermediate-grade - Enhancement]

Low Enhancement Crystal 2,000 Coins

Medium Enhancement Crystal 3,000 Coins

Element Affinity Powder 1,000 Coins

Last time, I was forced to buy these items for a whopping 10x the regular price. Not this time. There was no doubt that the Nameless Observer had undertaken the penalty in my stead.

'I will show you guys what you want.'

The +1 was up first. Medium Enhancement Crystals weren't needed for the first enhancement.

[Low Enhancement Crystal purchased.]

[-2,000 Coins]

[Low Enhancement Crystal purchased.]

[-2,000 Coins]

The Legolas' Ring didn't really have an element, but everyone knew using Element Affinity Powder would still be helpful for the enhancement.

[Element Affinity Powder purchased.]

[-1,000 Coins]

That was 5,000 Coins in total. I jumped straight into the first enhancement.

'I was lucky back then.'

I recalled the time when I enhanced the Wind Shoes. The success rate for +1 was normally 90%. With Element Affinity Powder, that was pushed to nearly 100%. But thanks to the field attribute bonus, I got a success rate of 140%.

'I'm not expecting the same luck this time.'

I couldn't always Play while hoping to be lucky. Luck was fickle, to an extent. The Legolas' Ring started being enhanced.

[Calculating the +1 enhancement success rate.]

[+1 enhancement success rate: 120%]

What? Another 120%.

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

[+1 enhancement success rate: 130%]

The notices were the same as before, even though the Master of Enhancement Lukas said even he didn't have a 100% success rate all the time.

[Enhancing Legolas' Ring.]

[Congratulations!]

[The enhancement was successful!]

[Legolas' Ring has been enhanced to Legolas' Ring +1.]

The first enhancement was a success.

'Another blue enhancement?'

If enhancement craftsmen or the German Master of Enhancement Lukas were to see this, they might have passed out. A person with no special knowledge about enhancement working in a place that wasn't even specialized for enhancement managed to pull off another blue grade.

For the second enhancement, I needed a whopping 10 Low Enhancement Crystals. The number of enhancement crystals needed increased exponentially the higher you went.

'Gotta invest when you gotta invest.'

The Guardians were probably watching with bated breath, each of them curious to see how well a level 30 'non-production class Player' / 'non-enhancement Player' could perform.

I moved on to the 2nd enhancement without delay.

'Holy shit.'

The +2 success rate should be around 90%. But the rate calculated for me was still 120%. The Element Affinity Powder added 10%.

'Blue, again?'

Getting another blue wasn't guaranteed just because you were enhancing a blue item. In fact, it was far more common for blues to be enhanced down to a regular grade.

'I'm the one doing it, but…'

I could no longer look at this as simple luck.

'I'll go all the way to +3.'

I couldn't go to +4 and up anyway. For +4 enhancement, you either had to be level 40 or up, or receive the help of a 'craftsman' class Player.

[The 'Herdsman of Las Vegas' is observing you with bated breath.]

[The 'Barrier of Blue Light' is pleased.]

[The 'Whispering Devil' feels regret.]

[The 'Lady of the Scales' is showing great interest.]

[The 'Nameless Observer' is continuing to observe.]

The Guardians sent me a full fleet of five messages, the maximum that could be sent at one time. They, too, were focusing on this moment.

'The normal +3 success rate is about 80%.'

The rate swung wildly from person to person, but the statistical average was about 80%.

'From +3 on, failure will break the item.'

But I didn't hesitate. I had nine Legolas' Rings. It was more than worth it to go for the investment.

'Huh?'

This time, the success rate was set at 100%. It didn't go beyond 100% like the previous two enhancements, but it was still a guaranteed success.

[Enhancing Legolas' Ring.]

[Congratulations!]

[The enhancement was successful!]

[Legolas' Ring has been enhanced to Legolas' Ring +3.]

I checked the item.

[Legolas' Ring +3]

A ring made by refining a 'topaz' that holds a mysterious power.

Defense: 3

Effect: 2.3% attack damage HP absorption.

Special effect: Can use the special skill 'Absorption Ring'.

I was speechless for a while. My eyes saw it clearly. The Legolas' Ring was sparkling, the name of the item the color beyond blue—purple.

'What in the world… is this?'

I never learned how to enhance, didn't satisfy any special conditions, and didn't have a special skill like craftsmen did. I only enhanced using the common stuff sold in the Item Shop.

'But a purple grade popped out?'

And it even had a special effect tacked on. I was already very familiar with this 'Absorption Ring' effect. Still, I needed to check it. Because what I was doing right now wasn't just 'enhancement', but 'fusion'. I had to consider enhancing a different item and going with that instead, if needed.

'Absorption Ring.'

I opened up the explanation for the new special skill.

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