Maintenance (2)
The reason he chose Moon Byungho first instead of Ha Donggun was simple.
[Would you like to use 100,000,000 won to grant the power of the stars to citizen Moon Byungho?]
[Success Rate: 65%]
Because granting the power of the stars was probability-based.
A 65% success rate meant there was also a 35% chance of failure.
At a glance, many might think, "Well, that's a pretty good chance," but any man in South Korea who's dealt with the cruelty of probability knows just how dangerous that 35% can be.
"It costs 100 million per attempt. I can't afford to fail."
That's why he chose Moon Byungho, who had the best luck among his retainers.
"Grant it."
In that moment, a flash of light burst from Moon Byungho's info window.
And then-
[The power of the stars has been granted to citizen Moon Byungho.]
It succeeded spectacularly.
[Name: Moon Byungho (Lv. 50☆) [+] Titles: [Second Seed] [Knight] [Assassin]
Trust: 100 Loyalty: 100
Awakened Abilities: Teleport, Invisibility
EXP Share Rate: 200% (+100%)
★ Quest Grant]
[*]
- All stats are increased by 100%.
"Nice."
Because the power of the stars is an effect granted to citizens, it was doubled by the Crown of the Absolute Monarch at Home.
In other words, all of Moon Byungho's stats would be increased by 200%.
Raising Moon Byungho to his current level had already cost hundreds of billions of won.
So getting this level of efficiency for just 100 million? Absolutely worth it.
"I'll need to strengthen the other retainers too."
It wasn't just physical ability that got buffed-all stats increased, including mental strength, which was the main resource for using skills.
Following Moon Byungho, he granted the power of the stars to Ha Donggun, Kim Gayoung, and Oh Eonju. All of them succeeded on the first try.
Then, while attempting to strengthen Kang Deoksu-
Thud!
[Failed.]
"Ah."
It was the first failure.
And then a message appeared that he had never seen before:
[Starlight Dust has accumulated for citizen Kang Deoksu.]
"Starlight dust?"
He was able to find out what it was on the next attempt.
[Would you like to use 100,000,000 won to grant the power of the stars to citizen Kang Deoksu?]
[Accumulated Starlight Dust (50%) increases the success rate.] [Success Rate: 85%]
Thanks to the starlight dust, the success rate had gone up by 20%.
An 85% chance meant 9 out of 10 would succeed.
"Grant it."
As the flash of light went off, a thought crossed his mind:
"What happens when starlight dust reaches 100%?"
And then-
Thud!
[Failed.]
[Starlight Dust has accumulated for citizen Kang Deoksu.] [Starlight Dust for citizen Kang Deoksu has reached full accumulation.]
"...I wasn't that curious."
Still, now he knew what happened when the dust maxed out.
[Would you like to use 100,000,000 won to grant the power of the stars to citizen Kang Deoksu?]
[Starlight Dust has fully accumulated.]
[Success Rate: 100%]
"...Grant it."
Flash-
[The power of the stars has been granted to citizen Kang Deoksu.]
It was a success, but it didn't feel particularly satisfying.
It turned out that once the accumulated starlight dust hit 100%, the next attempt would have a guaranteed success rate.
"So it costs anywhere from 100 million to 300 million to grant one star."
Not bad.
What he liked most was that the money invested didn't completely vanish into thin air.
In the end, upgrading all 21 of his retainers to one star only cost about 3 billion won-less than he expected.
Even if the first attempt failed, the second had an 85% chance, so most ended up succeeding.
"All done."
There had been no hesitation in granting the power of the stars to every retainer.
He had already invested billions into raising them to level 40 or higher. At that point, spending just a few hundred million more to boost all their stats by 100% wasn't something to skimp on.
Losing a retainer due to lack of investment would be a far greater loss.
"As for 2-star upgrades...?"
Naturally, the first candidate was Moon Byungho.
[Would you like to spend 300,000,000 won to enhance the power of the stars for Citizen Moon Byungho?]
[Success Rate: 55%]
It cost a whopping 300 million won for a single enhancement.
And the success rate was only 55 percent.
Just slightly better than half.
Which basically meant one out of two tries would fail.
'...Enhance.'
With a flash of light-
[The power of the stars granted to Citizen Moon Byungho has been enhanced.]
A system message announcing success appeared.
[☆☆]
All stats increased by 200%. Gain 50% more experience points.
'Hmm?'
Not only did the existing stat boost effects improve, but a new ability was added as well.
My instincts were urging me at that moment.
'No way...?'
To immediately attempt a 3-star enhancement.
[Would you like to spend 1,000,000,000 won to enhance the power of the stars for Citizen Moon Byungho?]
[Success Rate: 45%]
The cost jumped to 1 billion, and the success rate dropped below half, but there was no hesitation.
And then-
[The power of the stars granted to Citizen Moon Byungho has been enhanced.]
Moon Byungho, the blessed one, didn't betray my expectations.
[☆☆☆]
All stats increased by 300%.
Gain 50% more experience points.
Gain 50% more settlement earnings.
The third effect boosted settlement earnings.
'Now I really have to upgrade everyone to 3 stars.'
Even with the current large number of citizens, most of the funds I was
earning still came from monster hunting.
Especially, the settlement earnings brought in by the retainers accounted for the majority.
'An extra 50% is huge.'
Thanks to the Crown of the Absolute, that effect would be doubled to 100%, and depending on the titles held by the retainers, it would be tripled again.
In other words, just by making it 3-star, I'd be able to gain an additional 300% in settlement earnings.
The current efficiency for retainer settlement earnings was 900%, meaning it would increase by about 1.3 times.
Considering the retainers usually earned in the hundreds of millions through hunting, the cost of granting star power could be quickly recovered.
I was in the process of enhancing everyone to give them the 3-star effect.
[Master Jaehyun. Everyone's gathered.]
A telepathic message came from Kim Dabin.
Using the Eyes of the Absolute, I looked at the public facility where Kim Dabin, Seo Yejin, the Ha Donggun party, and the Kim Minho party were all waiting in black suits.
I used the Door of the Absolute to teleport there.
Naturally, I was also fully dressed in a black suit.
Facing my well-dressed retainers, I spoke.
"Shall we go?"
I closed the door connected to my room and reconnected the Door of the Absolute to another location.
As soon as the door opened, a faint sound of mourning reached us.
It was a funeral hall.
A place to send off the dead safely to the afterlife.
The ones who had died in the recent battle with vampires weren't just the retainers.
Some died at the hands of rampaging vampires, some perished in accidents while fleeing, and others met their end fighting the vampires trying to cross the bridge.
People had lost their families, their friends, their lovers.
Now, people who had lost their loved ones were gathered here for a joint funeral.
The saddest part was that very few had recovered their loved ones' bodies.
Given the circumstances, even getting a proper photo was difficult, so many people were holding a single flower to mourn their beloved dead.
The sounds of crying and mourning didn't stop.
"Honey... sob..."
The tragic part was-those here having a funeral were the lucky ones.
Among those who died in Ulsan, many had no one to mourn them, dying lonely deaths out on the street.
After passing the area where the joint funeral was being held, we entered a room where about twenty people were gathered.
"Master Jaehyun, you've arrived."
"...Yes."
It was the Lee Junhyuk party.
A party skilled in monster hunting, all of whom had signed the Subjugation Contract.
Two of the retainers who died were members of this party.
So Lee Junhyuk was acting as the chief mourner.
Unlike the survivors in Ulsan, they were able to use mobile phones, so framed photos of Shin Ahyoung and Kim Jitae were placed inside the room.
I paid my respects at the funeral altar, and the other retainers followed suit.
Having fulfilled his duty as the chief mourner, Lee Junhyuk approached and said,
"Thank you for coming, despite your busy schedule."
"Of course, of course I had to come."
The war against the vampires was my choice.
That's why it was only right for me to take full responsibility for the sacrifices it brought.
"Please let me know if there's anything you need. We'll support you however we can."
"Thank you.'
""
Still, I felt sorry that this was all I could really do.
Lee Jun-hyuk asked,
"Should we set out some food for you?"
"It's okay. I still have another place to go..."
"Understood."
I offered a brief word of comfort, then moved on to Hong Kyung-taek's funeral.
Even fewer people had gathered there than before.
Hong Kyung-taek was a member of Jang Sung-joon's party, but the chief mourner here wasn't Jang Sung-joon-it was someone else.
"Who are you,
mister?"
A girl who looked like a middle schooler was wearing mourning clothes, serving as the chief mourner.
She was Hong Kyung-taek's daughter-Hong Jin-ah.
She was also one of the family members Jang Sung-joon's party had risked their lives to save before.
Hong Kyung-taek's only family.
The girl looked up at me with swollen eyes.
She stared silently for a moment before suddenly speaking, as if realizing something.
"...Jaehyun-nim?"
I didn't answer, but she seemed certain of who I was based on the reactions around us. She dropped to her knees in front of me.
"Jaehyun-nim, you are Jaehyun, right? Please, bring my dad back. You can do it, can't you? I know you can."
Among the public, my abilities had been greatly exaggerated beyond reality.
And yet-ironically-her request might not have been entirely impossible for
True resurrection was still beyond my reach.
But like with Oh Eun-joo, I could allow her to meet him for a day—just once.
But in the end, it would be like putting a bandage on frostbite.
It wouldn't be a perfect solution. And, as Oh Eun-joo had warned, it could sow the seeds of chaos.
People who heard the rumors would come, demanding to know why their loved ones couldn't be brought back too.
At that moment, Oh Eun-joo stepped forward and embraced the girl.
The girl tried to push her away, startled, but then noticed the tears rolling down Oh Eun-joo's cheek.
She stared blankly for a second, then wrapped her arms around her and finally broke down.
"Waaaaah!"
There were too many people in this world who were wounded.
Too many who needed comfort.
So many people broken by the cruelty of the world-
And yet the world never took responsibility for any of it.
Who was supposed to bear the weight of all this pain?
I had sworn I would. But could I really?
Could I truly take responsibility for this immense sorrow and suffering?
'I don't know.'
I just hoped pain like this wouldn't be repeated in this world anymore.
That was all I could pray for.
'What can I even do?'
If the world was the problem-then maybe I had to change the world.
But could I?
I had no idea.
All I could do was vow to do the best I could.
'So that the world can be just a little better.'
As the sound of wailing filled the air, night deepened.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]