Chapter 47
- I've never played other games, so I can't say for sure, but there's nothing particularly unique about Lasse's enhancement system. It's probably the same as any other game.
You find the enhancement NPC, hand them your equipment and enhancement materials, and start the process. That's it. A simple, straightforward enhancement system.
- If I had to point out one unique thing, it's that there isn’t just one enhancement NPC; there are quite a few.
“Hm, I see.”
There were indeed a lot of buildings in the area with signs that read “Enhancement Shop.” The street had a lot of uniquely designed buildings, likely due to the presence of artisans, but one could wonder if so many enhancement shops were necessary.
“There are more than I expected. Are there just that many people wanting enhancements?”
- Yeah, that’s probably the main reason. One NPC wouldn’t be able to handle the load alone.
“But it seems like only a few shops are really crowded…”
Just as Carpe mentioned, most of the enhancement shops were nearly empty, while one particular shop, which didn’t even look particularly special, had a long line out the door.
“Phew, I hope it succeeds this time. I’ve failed four times already.”
“You’re lucky it just failed. My rare weapon exploded. If it happens again, I’ll have to fight barehanded.”
“Aaaah! It worked! Yes! I got +9!”
“Oh! Congratulations! I told you, this shop always delivers.”
It was a scene you’d see in any other online game. Nothing about it seemed particularly special.
Carpe asked, just in case.
“Could it be that the enhancement chances are set differently at each shop? Is that why people are flocking to that one?”
- No way. The enhancement chances are the same at every shop. Not even a 0.01% difference.
“Then why only that shop?”
- It’s the same as in real life. Think about lottery shops.
“Oh… I get it now.”
The moment he heard “lottery shop,” it all clicked.
Logically, the chances of winning the lottery are the same no matter where you buy it, but human psychology doesn’t work that way.
The “lucky store!” The one featured on TV! The place that’s produced ten first-place winners!
A national guide to the luckiest lottery spots…
Once rumors spread that a certain place produced a first-place winner, more people flock to it, and as more people buy tickets there, the chances of another winner naturally increase. When another first-place winner does emerge, even more people rush in, creating an endless cycle until the place is solidified as a “lucky spot.”
Nobody cares about the actual rate of winners relative to ticket sales.
People just think: "This place has a lot of customers! This place has produced a lot of first-place winners!"
- That’s why that enhancement shop is considered a lucky spot. People flock to it for the same reason they do to lottery shops.
“I see!”
- So, there’s no real reason to go there...
“I just need to get in line there, right?”
Without a second thought, Carpe joined the long line outside the popular enhancement shop.
- …Did you even listen to a word I said?
‘I heard you. You called it a lucky spot. That’s a perfectly rational explanation for the long line.’
- Do you want to see me die of a heart attack? Because that’s what you’re pushing for.
‘You’re already dead, so what’s the issue? Anyway, maybe you’re not familiar with it since you haven’t played many games.’
- And?
‘Enhancements are all about picking the right spot.’
- …What kind of sin did I commit in my past life?
Tears almost welled up in the Heavenly Demon’s eyes.
How had he gotten stuck with a guy like this? What karmic debt did he owe?
Had Carpe dumped all his stat points into physical abilities, leaving his mental acuity fried?
No, even his in-game thinking was sharp. Combat instincts aren’t just reflexes; they also require logical thought and animalistic intuition.
Then why?
Why does this otherwise sharp guy turn into a mush-brain the moment probability is involved?
After silently counting to thirty to calm himself, the Heavenly Demon finally spoke.
- Fine. Let’s save the lucky spot experience for later. For now, let’s just start with safe enhancement.
‘Safe enhancement? Right, Lasse must have that too.’
Enhancements and destruction were inextricably linked. It was only natural to take risks to gain greater damage.
But if equipment started blowing up from +1, then that would just be bad game design. Most RPGs have a safety net that ensures a 100% success rate for lower levels of enhancement.
“How far can you safely enhance equipment in Lasse?”
- It depends on the grade. Hero-grade gear can go up to +6, Unique up to +5, and Legendary up to +4.
“Hmm... So, what’s the max enhancement level?”
- The maximum is +20, but that’s just the game’s theoretical cap. In reality, even a Unique +10 is rare.
“That seems pretty standard compared to other games.”
Carpe strolled through the enhancement district.
Since he was only planning to go for the safe enhancements, there was no need to insist on going to the lucky spot.
“Is it just gold and the weapon I need?”
“No, my lord. You will also need a special material called enhancement stones.”
- She's right. Enhancement stones are usually sold at enhancement shops, but they can also be dropped by monsters.
“Oh? Tina, you know a lot about enhancements?”
“Of course. For those who fight on the battlefield, enhancement is not a choice but a necessity.”
“…Makes sense.”
Now that he thought about it, NPCs could equip gear as well, so naturally, they’d be familiar with enhancements.
“There was once a noble family in Akrum that rose to the rank of marquess through their mastery of smithing and enhancements. They were responsible for enhancing the equipment of high-ranking officers. The gear I used in the past was enhanced by them as well.”
Tina furrowed her brow slightly, as though trying to recall the name of the family.
“Your old equipment?”
“Yes. A +12 Legendary sword…”
- Hah. Imagine handing a Rare weapon to someone who used to wield a +12 Legendary sword. You’re really testing your followers' loyalty.
“…It was nothing extraordinary. It’s not even worth comparing to the sword you’ve bestowed upon me, my lord.”
Tina said this, glancing up at Carpe with a rare look of hesitation.
Usually expressionless, her subtle eyeing of his reaction made Carpe chuckle.
How could anyone see her as just a doll?
- Just pick any shop, seriously. They’re all the same. Oh, that one looks good. It’s close and looks neat.
“Alright, let’s go.”
As Carpe moved toward the shop the Heavenly Demon pointed out, a loud noise erupted from the shop right next to it.
Bang!
The door was flung open with force.
“Damn it! I lost dozens of pieces of gear. This NPC is a scam, just like the rumors said!”
“S-sorry. But I did warn you beforehand…”
“Forget it. If you can’t do your job right, just shut down the shop. Stop ripping off innocent players.”
A disgruntled player stormed off, leaving the shop’s owner, likely the NPC, sighing and collapsing onto a nearby chair.
“…What’s going on here?”
- There’s one correction I need to make. Earlier, I said the enhancement rates at every shop were the same, right?
“Yeah, you did.”
- To be more precise, there’s one exception. One shop has lower success rates than the others.
“And that would be… that shop?”
- Exactly.
The Heavenly Demon nodded.
“Why is it different there?”
- If you’re curious, ask the owner yourself. He’ll give you a related quest.
“Hah, now that’s interesting. Uncovering things like this is half the fun.”
Carpe’s eyes lit up as he approached the shop owner.
“Excuse me.”
“Oh… I’m sorry you had to witness that. How can I help you? Are you here for an enhancement?”
“Well, I do plan to, but…”
“You are a customer! Please, come in.”
…He didn’t exactly say he’d be doing it here, but the shop owner was already jumping to conclusions. Still, Carpe followed him inside.
“Have you heard the rumors about my shop?”
“No, this is actually my first time visiting this district.”
“Then I should explain first.”
The shop owner sighed deeply before continuing.
“My enhancements have a slightly lower success rate compared to others. The safe enhancement limit is one level lower here.”
In other words, Hero-grade gear was only safe up to +5 here, Unique up to +4, and Legendary up to +3.
“Our family has been in the enhancement business for generations…”
Apparently, the shop owner had been holding back his frustrations for a while because he continued to talk without Carpe even prompting him.
“Long ago, we were actually much better than the other enhancers. From what I’ve heard, our family’s skill in enhancement once helped us rise to the rank of marquess… but those days are long gone.”
“Huh?”
Carpe was caught off guard by how familiar this story sounded, but the shop owner didn’t notice and continued.
“Our family’s enhancements are done using a unique method, which requires a special family heirloom—a hammer. The problem is, that hammer is no longer usable.”
“My great-grandfather accidentally dropped the key to the chest containing the hammer into the sea. He was so ashamed that he took his own life, and since then, our family’s enhancement prowess has been in decline.”
“I see…”
“We’ve spent everything our family had searching for that key, but how do you find a key lost at sea? Our family fell into ruin, and now we’re barely getting by.”
Carpe could already see where this was headed.
And if his guess was right, then surely…
“Adventurer, if you ever happen to come across that key, could you return it to us? I promise you’ll be handsomely rewarded in the name of my family.”
Ding.
[Would you like to accept the hidden quest: The Wish of the Fergus Family?]
[The current head of the Fergus family, Kiri von Fergus, is the most talented enhancer and blacksmith since the family’s founder. Grant his wish.]
“Sure. If I find it, I’ll bring it to you.”
“Oh! Thank you so much!”
[You have accepted the quest.]
‘I figured something was off. Turns out this NPC has a hidden quest.’
- It is a hidden quest, but it’s not exclusive to you. Millions of players have already received it from him.
‘Makes sense. It’s not exactly in a secret spot…’
Since the hidden quest was located in such a public place, most experienced Lasse players were well aware of it.
And judging by the description, it was a quest that would make any player drool. Countless players had attempted to complete it.
Some had gone diving, scouring the seabed.
Others had spent entire play sessions fishing.
Thousands upon thousands of coastal monsters had been slain.
Yet no one had found the key. Despite the fact that over 500 million players had passed through Luana, not a single one had uncovered the key’s location.
Six months into Lasse’s release, players had drawn a conclusion.
This NPC was a trap created by the developers. Either that or there were hidden conditions that hadn’t been discovered yet.
- You saw that player earlier, right? He probably thought that if he enhanced enough, the hidden condition would be revealed.
There were also players who had showered Fergus with gifts, maxing out his affinity level, but to no avail. The hidden conditions remained undiscovered.
- This isn’t something you can brute force your way through.
‘Wait. Do you know where the key is?’
- I do, but… even knowing won’t help. I’ve seen it right in front of me, but I couldn’t get my hands on it.
‘Where is it?’
- It’s…
Before the Heavenly Demon could finish, the ground began to shake violently.
Rumble!
It wasn’t just the shop; the entire city of Luana trembled.
“Wh-what? An earthquake?”
Carpe looked around in shock, but Fergus remained perfectly calm.
“Oh, is this your first time in Luana? It’s an annual event, nothing to worry about.”
“An annual event? You mean, the earthquake?”
“It’s easier to show you than to explain.”
Fergus stepped outside, and Carpe followed.
“…What is that?”
On the horizon, in the ocean beyond Luana, a massive creature emerged.
Even from this far away, Carpe could see it—a colossal blue serpent.
He was mesmerized by its sheer, overwhelming presence.
“That’s the Sea Dragon King, one of the four great calamities. It occasionally surfaces to shake off impurities from its scales.”
“…That thing doesn’t pose a threat? If it comes ashore, it could destroy the city in an instant.”
“There’s no need to worry. It’s the calmest of the four calamities. It just basks in the sunlight for a while before disappearing again.”
Carpe stared in awe at the Sea Dragon King.
The moment he laid eyes on it, he knew.
That was it.
That was the most powerful being in Lasse’s world.
- It’s that one.
‘What?’
- The key. It’s inside that thing.
‘…’
Was he supposed to defeat that thing?
- Of course not. It’s a calamity, like a natural disaster. You can’t stop it.
‘My lord, the Sea Dragon King is a primordial creature that predates humanity. It’s not a living being, but an event, a phenomenon. It can’t be fought with physical strength.’
‘…Then what about the key?’
- You have to go inside and retrieve it. Its stomach is a dungeon.
‘Wow, the scale of this is insane.’
- Just so you know, you’ll need to be at least level 400 before you can even think about attempting it, so give up for now.
‘Yeah, I’m not crazy enough to head into that right now. Besides, I don’t even know how I’d get there.’
Carpe decided. He was giving up on the key for now.
But instead…
“By the way, where’s the chest with that heirloom now?”
- …Wait, hold on. Could it be…? No, there’s no way. That can’t work.
“It’s in the very back of the shop, but why?”
“Do you mind if I take a look? I might be able to open it.”
“Oh, you’ve learned lockpicking? I appreciate the thought, but it’s a waste of time. We’ve already hired a master with a 9-star skill to try, but it didn’t work.”
Unfortunately, the chest was made with a special mechanism that even a 9-star couldn’t bypass. All the family had gotten for their trouble was a drained fortune.
“It’s fine. I’m probably better at this than that person.”
“W-what? That can’t be…”
Carpe smiled.
9-star? No wonder they couldn’t open it.
“Trust me. Just let me handle it.”
The greatest lockpicker in all of Lasse was standing right here.
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