Obtained End-Game Gear for a Bowl of Ramen - Chapter 18
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 18. Son Jeong-ho’s Presence
[Hero’s Presence has been established.]
[Son Jeong-ho’s Presence: The survival rate of all South Korean citizens increases by a minimal amount.]
Jeong-ho was satisfied. He’d wanted to expand the range to cover the entire world, but worried the effect would grow too diluted, so he’d settled on South Korea—and it was the right call. Anything weaker than minimal was essentially useless.
Great Shadow Dae-yeong thrashed about like a glitching 3D polygon model. He looked ready to tear his hair out.
“I already did it, though?”
Great Shadow Dae-yeong, who’d been flailing about in agitation, froze solid. Silence stretched between them.
“Of course I’m serious. I’m not the type to joke about something like this.”
Why choose an Presence like that? The truth was, he’d chosen it deliberately. Not out of heroic spirit, or self-sacrifice, or charitable impulse—no. Out of pure selfishness.
‘If I get stronger, doesn’t my Mana Corruption Immunity disappear?’
Truth be told, Jeong-ho had felt tempted at first. Keep the range to himself alone, and make the effect something like invincibility, supreme power, whatever—
But he was too weak to grow strong without consequence. If he became powerful carelessly, with his immunity to Mana Corruption being his defining trait, who knew what would happen?
Thanks to Mana Corruption Immunity, he was already clearing Chaos Gates without breaking a sweat. How could he give up something so good? He’d rather never have known about it in the first place.
When you got down to it, it was all for himself. Others just happened to benefit from the spillover.
“Ha-ha-ha! Did I hear that right? A Presence that affects an entire nation?”
The Volcano Blacksmith, who’d been hammering away, burst out laughing.
“Dae-yeong! Don’t you remember the old days? There was a guy back then who radiated his Presence across an entire nation too. I thought he was insane—never expected to see someone pull the same trick.”
Jeong-ho couldn’t resist asking.
“The opposite way?”
“That’s……a hero?”
Great Shadow Dae-yeong looked deeply troubled. Was it really so serious just because of one power?
“Dae-yeong. Is the Presence power really that important?”
A fundamental question, out of nowhere?
“I have no idea.”
Great Shadow Dae-yeong suddenly shuddered, jabbing his shadow tendrils at Jeong-ho furiously.
“Why not? It’s good. People get hurt less, live longer—what’s wrong with that?”
Dae-yeong clearly had plenty of frustrations about this power. But honestly, hearing it put that way rubbed Jeong-ho the wrong way.
“That’s just sore. If you’re so frustrated, you should’ve given me a hint instead.”
“Come on. How old am I? I graduated from those kinds of dreams long ago.”
Dae-yeong let out a pained groan and wiped his face—or what passed for a face—with his tendrils. He looked like he was washing away his frustration.
The Volcano Blacksmith, chuckling to himself as he hammered, casually interjected.
“You have to understand. Great Shadow Dae-yeong is older than I am. He’s probably seen a few Hero Seeds over all that time.”
Bang! Bang! Bang! The Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow on the anvil was being pummeled mercilessly by the hammer. Wasn’t he going to break it?
“But I’m curious. Son Jeong-ho—how did you clear floor four of Hero’s Tower?”
The Volcano Blacksmith’s eyes blazed like fire, like rubies, burning red. There was something like jealousy beneath the passion.
“I just had a good feeling about it? I took three drops of Clear Stone Oil before going in, and my senses sharpened up.”
“Just with enhanced senses? You should have failed at the last spot-the-difference puzzle.”
“Oh, the stairs? I noticed right away because the clear message didn’t pop up.”
“The clear……message? Ha-ha. Ha-ha! So that’s what it was!”
Clang!! The Volcano Blacksmith brought the hammer down with all his force. Wasn’t he going to smash the Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow to pieces?
“It’s obvious when you think about it. But listen well, Son Jeong-ho.”
The Volcano Blacksmith leaned his upper body toward Jeong-ho. A searing pressure weighed down on him, unsettling and heavy.
“No one will give you the answer on the true path of a hero. You have to trust yourself and walk it alone. But beware the trap of arrogance. An injured ankle will heal, but a wounded pride will eat away at you for life.”
‘Why’s he suddenly getting so serious?’
Jeong-ho felt uneasy. Even if he was a god, a bare-chested giant looming over him wasn’t easy to handle.
“Here. The bow you entrusted to me is finished. Take it.”
The Blacksmith lifted the Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow from the anvil. Dazzle! The light was so brilliant it was hard to look at the bow directly.
‘What in the world……!’
The bow’s branches were white like bleached bone, with a faint cherry-blossom pink suffusing the wood.
—Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow (Legendary): A bow that fires Mana instead of arrows. Shots always hit their mark, and three successive hits on the same target trigger instant death.
Jeong-ho rubbed his eyes and checked the Status Window again. The instant-death condition had changed from five hits to just three. Was this really Legendary-grade?
“This is a gift from the Volcano Blacksmith to the Hero Seed Son Jeong-ho. Dae-yeong! The wager ends here.”
Jeong-ho accepted the Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow and prostrated himself flat. A wave of boundless gratitude welled up inside him. At this rate, he could strip off his shirt and ask for even more, and the Blacksmith would surely oblige.
“Thank you so much, sir!!”
“Sir? I’m just a failure who stumbled while trying to lead the way. For what it’s worth—that bow isn’t the One-shot Guaranteed Hit, Three-hit Instant Death type.”
Jeong-ho, who had been lying prostrate in rapture, snapped his head up.
“But it says three hits trigger instant death right here?”
“Some monsters have instant-death immunity. There are enemies you simply cannot kill. But if something’s alive, you can almost always bring it down.”
‘What a shame. So close, yet not quite there. Though, if there were an item that powerful, hunters would’ve sealed every Gate by now.’
Three Legendary items had already flooded into the world. Jeong-ho’s Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow was the fourth Legendary.
Given this extraordinary performance, the other three Legendary items must operate at similar levels. And yet the world still waged war against the Gates. It was proof that the malice of the Gates knew no end.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen my junior, I made a wager with the Great Shadow, picked up a hammer—an entertaining day all around. Dae-yeong! I’m heading out.”
Sweltering? When it’s this hot, you need to eat something to beat it. Even if I stumbled into this wager by sheer accident, there’s no way I can accept a Legendary item for free.
“Wait a moment, sir! Give me just a little time. I’ll cook some ramen for you!”
The Volcano Blacksmith, who had been about to step through the portal, turned around slowly.
“Ramen? That thing the Great Shadow is crazy about?”
“What if I made cold ramen instead?”
Both Dae-yeong and the Volcano Blacksmith fixed their eyes on Jeong-ho. He shrugged his shoulders with confident satisfaction.
* * *
Bubble-bubble-bubble!
Thin, snow-white noodles came to a rolling boil. He poured the slightly undercooked noodles into a sieve and rinsed them thoroughly under cold water.
He drizzled the red seasoning sauce over them, gave it a quick toss, and sprinkled freshly ground sesame seeds for good measure. Finally, he halved a boiled egg and placed it on top as garnish.
‘I’ll skip the cucumber—people have different tastes about that.’
Son Jeong-ho’s signature cold bibim-ramen was complete. He carried the finished bowl back to the Hero’s Tower.
Dae-yeong’s crimson eyes narrowed.
“Come on, sir. Just try it first.”
Jeong-ho poured a small bowl of bibim-ramen for Dae-yeong. The Great Shadow picked up his chopsticks with obvious reluctance.
Slurrrp―
Slurrrp! Slurp! Slurrrp!!
Dae-yeong slurped the ramen like someone possessed. The Volcano Blacksmith watching from the side started drooling too.
“Dae-yeong. Is this ramen thing really that delicious?”
Slurrrp―
Dae-yeong didn’t answer, just kept slurping away.
“Great Shadow. I’m asking if the ramen is tasty.”
Slurp. Slurrrp. Slurp.
“I asked the owner of the Convenience Store Dapanda about it?”
Slurrrrrrrp!
“Dae-yeong! There’s something I want to buy!”
Dae-yeong fumbled in his robes and set a sign in front of him.
[Temporarily Closed]
The Volcano Blacksmith turned his head with an expression of utter disbelief.
“Is this ramen food truly so delicious?”
“I like it. Dae-yeong likes it too, and Master Kang liked it as well.”
“That Master Kang who fishes for lost time too? Let me taste it for myself. I’ve heard it’s spicy and hot—not suited to my nature.”
Jeong-ho scooped a bowl of bibim-ramen for the Volcano Blacksmith as well. The Blacksmith awkwardly gripped the chopsticks in his enormous hand.
Slurrrp―
A single chopstick full emptied the entire bowl. The Volcano Blacksmith’s eyes went wide as he chewed the noodles with crunching sounds.
“This taste……! Son Jeong-ho! Take out that bow I gave you!”
“Pardon? The Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow, but why…….”
“Right now!”
Jeong-ho retrieved the Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow. The Volcano Blacksmith swallowed the bibim-ramen in one gulp, laid the bow on the anvil, and brought his hammer down with all his might.
Clang!!!
A dazzling burst of light exploded outward. As the light faded, a Status Window flickered to life above the Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow.
Sunset Cherry Blossom Bow (Legendary): A bow that fires mana instead of arrows. Strikes are guaranteed to hit, and two consecutive hits on the same target result in instant death.
Two hits and instant death? A moment ago it was three?
‘Did the Legendary bow get stronger just because I ate one bowl of bibimbap noodles?!’
“Ah. What a soul-stirring flavor. The profound lesson of how something can be both hot and cold at once—cold within the heat. I have truly been enlightened.”
The Volcano Blacksmith wiped the sweat from his brow with an expression of complete satisfaction.
“Now I understand why Great Shadow Dae-yeong loves ramen so dearly.”
Great Shadow Dae-yeong replied while crunching through another bite.
Hehehehe. I never said any such— gulp!—thing!
* * *
At that very moment, Li Wei, China’s number one ranked hunter, sat on a darkened hotel sofa and gazed out the window. Lights twinkled along Shanghai’s waterfront like embroidered patterns.
The night view was beautiful, but Li Wei was consumed with dissatisfaction. Before long, an S-Rank or perhaps even an EX-Rank Gate would open along Shanghai’s coast.
Yet the people acted as though Gates didn’t concern them. Shanghai ignored it. The Chinese authorities ignored it. The entire world ignored it.
‘Foolish. Utterly foolish. They’re like ants unaware of the sparrow perched above their heads. How much longer must I alone protect them?’
Li Wei sighed. The thought of South Korea’s EX-Rank hunter left a bitter taste in his mouth.
‘If it weren’t for that EX-Rank bastard from South Korea, I would have already protected the entire world from Gates. But does an EX-Rank possess the qualities needed?’
The EX-Rank that Li Wei had observed was absurdly strong. That was all. Strong, yes—but did he possess the qualities required of the world’s mightiest hunter?
Ronald, ranked first in the world rankings and from America, was the same. He was strong only for himself, indifferent to protecting the world from Gates.
Only Li Wei, China’s hunter, possessed the true qualifications. That was why he deserved to monopolize all power, all blessings, all elixirs, all items. But that foolish Korean had ruined everything. Hatred for Korea bloomed and flourished in Li Wei’s heart.
“Master. I’ve brought the drink you ordered.”
Knock, knock, knock. Ryu Je entered, carrying a tray with liquor and side dishes. For an instant, something felt wrong.
‘Looking down on me…!’
Squelch! A blade pierced through Ryu Je’s chest and burst through the other side. A sickly red Status Window flashed before Li Wei’s eyes.
[Warning! Mana Corruption 78%!]
[Warning! Mana Corruption 83%!]
[Warning! Mana Corruption 89%!]
A suspicious black substance clung to the blade. Blood trickled from Li Wei’s lips.
“Cough… you… you’re not Ryu Je… who the hell are you…!”
“What do you mean? Master! It’s me! Ryu Je!”
“Ryu Je… is left-handed….”
Li Wei’s eyes went wide with bloodshot fury. The assassin had held the blade in his right hand before smoothly switching to his left.
“Transformation turns out to have more flaws than I thought as a skill.”
“Who are you… why are you trying to kill me…!”
“China’s number one, once called the mightiest hunter in the world—yet you’re helpless before Mana Corruption.”
The assassin withdrew his blade. Squelch! Dark blood stained the hotel wall.
“I am Jack the Ripper. A member of the Welcomers. I’ve come to greet the Gate that will soon open in Shanghai. Your survival would only get in the way.”
“You madman… a Gate cultist… Gates are our enemy….”
“An enemy that will destroy us all equally. That’s precisely why they should be welcomed. In England, there are very, very many who think as I do.”
The assassin inserted the blade into his own mouth with circus-like flair. His body writhed and bubbled as the Transformation skill took hold.
“Li Wei is dead. Next target: the Baekdam Guild in South Korea, their High Potion factory. After that, the EX-Rank. I’m going to be busy, busy indeed.”
The assassin left the hotel room, abandoning Li Wei. Li Wei fumbled to open his Status Window, then immediately regretted it.
[Warning! Mana Corruption 92%!]
Drinking an elixir would only accelerate the Mana Corruption and bring death. A potion? He had none. Li Wei had never stooped to using such vulgar items as potions.
“Damn… is this how I, Li Wei, must end… so wretchedly….”
Tap, tap, tap. Footsteps approached down the corridor. A familiar voice rang out.
“Master? Master! Pardon the intrusion. What?! Master!!”
The real Ryu Je rushed in and caught Li Wei. Dark blood surged violently from Li Wei’s mouth.
“Ryu Je… I am dying… do as I commanded… you will become the next leader of Dark Dragon….”
“No! Don’t die! I happen to have a High Potion from South Korea!”
Li Wei’s eyes widened.
“What… did you say? Why?”
“I obtained it with great difficulty for reverse engineering. The recovery power of a High Potion supposedly rivals high-grade potions that trade for hundreds of millions! Open your mouth!”
“A potion from… no! Kill me instead… Mmph!!”
Ryu Je uncorked the potion bottle and forced it into Li Wei’s mouth. The sickly red Status Window gradually began to change.
[Warning! Mana Corruption 91%!]
[Warning! Mana Corruption 77%!]
[Warning! Mana Corruption 54%!]
The Mana Corruption subsided in an instant. Yet Li Wei thrashed about as though dying.
“I would rather die than live with help from Korea! Ryu Je! Kill me instead!!”
Ryu Je stubbornly continued to force the South Korean High Potion down Li Wei’s throat.
To be continued ▶
Obtained an endgame item from a single bowl of ramen
Author
Hayan Gotgam
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Inquiries
[email protected]
Publication Date
August 24, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260423069
※ This e-book is protected under copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and copying are prohibited. Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.
※ Pentagram awaits your precious manuscript.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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