Obtained End-Game Gear for a Bowl of Ramen - Chapter 23

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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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Chapter 23. Master of the Magic Sword
The lights of the Korean Hunter Management Association burned late into the night.
Oh Seung-woo sat alone in the office after everyone else had left, scrolling through Hunter Online.
└Breaking news! Apparently a single EX Rank Hunter blocked an S+ Gate that opened off the Waters off Incheon!
└Really? I heard the world’s number one Ronald came, plus China’s Li Wei, and tons of other rankers. What were they all doing?
└The Contribution Rate showed ??? 100%. Basically the EX Rank closed it alone.
└Wow. Is the EX Rank that strong, or are the other Hunters just weak?
└Either way, the EX Rank proved it again, right? This won’t do. I’m moving my money back from US stocks to Korea.
└What’s that got to do with the EX Rank?
└Patriotism! Come on, patriotism!
The rumors had spread everywhere by now. The public was overjoyed, but Oh Seung-woo could only manage a bitter smile.
‘They’re reveling in it. But it’s a sharp observation. The site was swarming with each nation’s strongest, their absolute elite Hunters. And yet they were being pushed back by a single Lich. What would have happened without the EX Rank?’
This wasn’t the time to celebrate the EX Rank’s strength. What about all the other Hunters besides the EX? Were they truly adequate?
Gates are fundamentally ruptures. Once a breach is opened, it can open again—and far more easily than before.
‘I can’t believe the Hunters proved so weak. Or did they hold back?’
The sound of slippers shuffled down the dark hallway, drawing closer, then receding, then suddenly rushing back with hurried footsteps.
“Oh, Director! Still haven’t clocked out?”
It was Kim Min-jae in pajamas. Oh Seung-woo’s eyes went wide with surprise in equal measure.
“Min-jae. What in the world are you wearing?”
“I live in the dormitory here, sir. Went to the bathroom and nearly jumped out of my skin. Thought a ghost had shown up!”
“Min-jae. From now on, go home to sleep. And let me tell you—I’m more afraid of Hunters than monsters, and more afraid of monsters than ghosts.”
“Just give me a second, Director! I’ll be right back!”
Kim Min-jae scurried away and returned about two minutes later. The moment he was back, he started heating water in a coffee pot.
“Skip the coffee. I won’t be able to sleep if I drink it at night.”
“This is hot chocolate for me, sir. Why are you still here so late?”
Oh Seung-woo glanced at Kim Min-jae’s hot chocolate. It looked delicious.
“Report writing. Min-jae, you came at the right time. Listen—something about today’s S+ Gate situation doesn’t add up.”
Oh Seung-woo shared his suspicions with Kim Min-jae, who answered immediately.
“Isn’t it just because the Lich was strong?”
“Even if it was strong, it’s already been subjugated twice before. We’ve figured out most of the Lich tactics. And most importantly, Li Wei was on site.”
Li Wei was the world’s greatest detection-class Hunter. He could identify the Holy Artifact Box, the cornerstone of Lich strategy—and he actually did.
“But the fact that they were still pushed back doesn’t make sense. My suspicion is that those S-Rank Hunters from various nations weren’t fighting at full strength.”
“Li Wei from China was actually injured. The Welcoming Party attempted assassination, remember?”
“Ronald, the world’s number one, was on site but didn’t participate. And…”
Oh Seung-woo recalled the moment just before the Lich died. Oscar, Britain’s number one, had fired at its legs. But it only left a scratch.
“Oscar, Britain’s number one, is suspicious too. He deliberately suppressed his skill when attacking the Lich.”
“That’s because of the Dark Aura, probably. The Mana Corruption spiked, so he couldn’t use his skill properly without dying.”
“No. Hunter Jo Jae-hyung risked his life neutralizing the Lich’s Dark Aura. Oscar’s behavior doesn’t add up.”
Suspicion bloomed in Oh Seung-woo’s mind like clouds gathering. Why? Ronald’s words kept echoing in his ears—Ronald, the world’s number one, who had mysteriously hung back.
—Hahaha. I wasn’t sure, but there really is an EX Rank in Korea.
Could it be they intentionally detonated the Gate to draw out the EX Rank?
* * *
All the way back to Muryong, Li Wei grumbled.
“Look at this, Liu Zhe. The very calamity this Li Wei foresaw has come to pass. I warned you a thousand times that every elixir and reward from such crises should be monopolized by me for precisely this reason.”
Li Wei was disgusted by the shameful display the Hunters had put on at the S+ Gate. It was a debacle that would echo through history.
“Britain’s Oscar and America’s Ronald were abysmal. A man given his chance yet failed. A man who shirked his duty and never entered the fight. A disgrace to Hunters!”
“Master, forgive me, but to my eyes they all seemed to be doing their best.”
“Does doing one’s best excuse failure in a world as harsh as this? Liu Zhe, Gates cannot be stopped with gentleness. They must be crushed beneath raw power.”
Li Wei spoke with cold precision. Liu Zhe quickly lowered his gaze.
“My apologies, Master. I failed to comprehend the depth of your vision.”
Li Wei stared at Liu Zhe for a long while, then abruptly turned away.
“Enough. I’ve been seriously considering retirement from active duty.”
“What? Master! How could you? You easily repelled the assassination attempt…”
“Because of that assassination attempt! Because you shoved a Korean potion down my throat!!”
Li Wei suddenly exploded, veins bulging across his forehead.
“I, Li Wei of this great nation, must now live the rest of my life branded with the mark of owing a debt to a minor kingdom! Rather than endure such shame, I’ll retire!”
Li Wei seemed utterly serious. His eyes glistened slightly with what looked like tears.
“Master! But without you, who will save the world?”
Li Wei gradually calmed his agitation, then smiled like a scheming strategist who’d just conceived a brilliant plot.
“I shall take the EX Rank as an official disciple of Muryong. I’ll guide him personally and mold him into the perfect hero.”
“E, EX Rank?! The EX Rank hunter is the one who did this to the Master…….”
“For the greater good.”
Liu Zhe hesitated for a moment, unsure whether Li Wei meant China or an actual game of Go.
“And if I accept an EX Rank hunter as my disciple, I can erase my own mark as well. After all, my disciple merely received medicine that the junior presented.”
“Ah! Just as expected from the Master. But in my opinion…….”
Liu Zhe glanced at Li Wei. A strange light flickered in Li Wei’s eyes. It seemed he’d activated the Condescending Gaze skill and fallen into his own world.
“……but I don’t think the EX Rank hunter will come.”
Liu Zhe murmured quietly.
* * *
A private jet arrived in America. The world’s number-one hunter, Ronald, trudged out of the terminal shrouded in deep night.
No bodyguards, no press, nothing at all. The Airport Terminal held only Gates and monsters instead of people.
Chimeras. Monsters mingling eagle, lion, and serpent. Dozens of these formidable creatures that appear around level fifty of the Trial Tower growled throughout the terminal.
“Scorched Earth.”
[Skill Used: Scorched Earth]
[Pouring forth all armaments to incinerate everything.]
Two differently-colored portals, large and small, tore open frantically around Ronald. Through them poured guns, artillery shells, missiles, explosives—every conceivable modern weapon.
From another colored portal cascaded hunter weapons: swords, spears, staffs, hammers, bows, magical staves and Skill Books…….
Boom——!!
The Chimeras were annihilated in an instant. The Gate snapped shut just as quickly. A blue Status Window flickered before Ronald’s eyes.
[Chimera 87/87 Defeated]
[A-Rank Gate Cleared!]
[Contribution Rate: Ronald (100%)]
Ronald dusted off his hands lightly. Where Scorched Earth had swept through lay nothing but dust. The Airport Terminal had become flat ground in an instant. Through the exposed roof, dawn light broke through.
“Looks like they’ll need to rebuild the airport.”
Clap. Clap. Clap. Slow, measured applause. Ronald turned his head. From behind the debris of Scorched Earth emerged a man in a sharp business suit.
“Ronald. Your unique skill is beautiful every time I see it.”
“Roger. Cut the flattery. Why are you here if you’re stuck in an office?”
“Because it’s a place where the head of the Hunter Management Association and the world’s number-one hunter can talk quietly.”
Around the Gate, there were no reporters, no spies, no one—because they were dead. Roger observed the wreckage left by the Scorched Earth skill with curious eyes.
“Ronald. You went to Korea and came straight back to work? You’ve had a rough time.”
“Get to the point.”
Roger licked his own lips.
“Did you see the EX Rank hunter?”
“No. Before we even arrived, they’d already caught nine Liches, and the EX Rank hunter dealt with the final one. That hunter is undeniably impossibly strong.”
“And no one’s seen a hunter that strong? That’s strange.”
“You’re the strange one. Roger, why are you so obsessed with the EX Rank hunter?”
Roger kicked at the rubble of the destroyed terminal. Debris traced an arc through the air.
“Ronald. You were born rich and raised in an upper-class family, so you wouldn’t understand. But imagine. Just imagine, hypothetically. What if someone from the very bottom of the slum became a hunter?”
Dawn light rose behind Roger’s back. A harshly brilliant sun bore into Ronald’s blue eyes mercilessly.
“What if a boy living miserably at the bottom of the world suddenly obtained the power of the world’s strongest hunter? Wouldn’t he seek revenge on the world?”
Ronald opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. This was a question he couldn’t answer.
“I don’t know. But the EX Rank hunter didn’t seem like that kind of person.”
“How would you know if you didn’t see them?”
“Before that S+-Rank Gate were me, Oscar, Marteng, Li Wei, and numerous top-ranked hunters from around the world. If the EX Rank hunter had decided to kill us, we’d all be dead.”
Roger laughed nervously.
“Ha! Ronald. Joking now, are we? You dying? The world’s strongest hunter Ronald? That’s nonsense!”
Ronald laughed along so Roger wouldn’t feel awkward, but he meant every word.
* * *
[Lich 10/10 Defeated]
[S+-Rank Gate Cleared!]
[Contribution Rate: Son Jung-ho (100%)]
[Gate Clear Reward: High-Grade Mana Stone ×2]
[First-Contribution Exclusive Rare Reward: Magic Sword Arc Spark (Epic)]
Jung-ho swapped places with a shadow he’d prepared in advance at home and teleported back instantly.
“Now that the Gate’s closed, I should check the rewards.”
Jung-ho rubbed his hands together with satisfaction. First, the Mana Stones.
‘Two High-Grade? Since one High-Grade equals a thousand Mid-Grade, and one Mid-Grade equals a thousand Low-Grade, that’s forty thousand Low-Grade Mana Stones?!’
A single Low-Grade Mana Stone went for fifty thousand won. One Mid-Grade Mana Stone for fifty million won. A High-Grade Mana Stone for fifty billion?! Jung-ho checked the auction house. Market prices weren’t even established yet.
‘I can’t sell something with no market price. Ugh. That’s frustrating.’
Since he might not get fair value if he sold them, it seemed better to trade them to Big Shadow Dae-young for Skill Books instead.
‘I was thinking of learning a new skill anyway—a large-scale earth magic to record in my Hero’s Journal.’
Jung-ho tore his gaze from the mana stone in his Inventory. Next came the S+ Rank Gate Contribution Rate first-place exclusive reward.
[Contribution Rate First-Place Exclusive Rare Reward: Magic Sword Arc Spark (Epic)]
A one-handed sword with a faint golden sheen. No decorations, just a simple, clean longsword stretched straight ahead.
‘An Epic sword. It’s a shame it’s not Legendary, but I can get it enhanced by the Hwasan Blacksmith, so that’s actually better. More importantly—can I even wield a sword? Status Window.’
Ping!
[Name: Son Jung-ho]
[Unique Skill: Hero’s Tower Entry]
[Ability Stats] [Level: 21]
-Strength: D -Agility: E
-Constitution: D -Perception: B
-Mana: F -Luck: C
-Hero’s Power: Stage 4
[Public Skills: Trial Tower Entry, Fire Bolt (Original), Distraction Technique (Original), Water Shield (Original), Shadow Severance (Original)]
[Trial Tower Blessings: Blessing of Abundance, Blessing of Sharpness, Blessing of Retry, Blessing of Stillness]
[Hero’s Authority: Hero’s Power Release, Gate Guide, Resonating Force, Son Jung-ho’s Presence]
Wielding a sword requires Strength, Agility, and Perception—all of them. And Constitution too, since I’d be fighting close-range.
‘Strength D. Agility E. Perception B. Constitution D. These stats are pathetic.’
For pure swordsmanship, they were laughably inadequate. But the Magic Sword Arc Spark had a unique property.
-Magic Sword Arc Spark (Epic): A sword capable of launching elemental magic as sword force. Cannot reach its full performance without magic.
Launching elemental magic as sword force. From that description alone, it was hard to grasp what it would feel like.
‘Only one way to find out. Trial Tower Entry.’
[Skill Used: Trial Tower Entry]
[Entering Trial Tower Floor 21.]
[Floor 21 Objective: Defeat 381 Razor Fish]
[Time Limit: 12 hours]
Flash! The moment he emerged from the light, Jung-ho found himself welcomed by a floating island amid clouds, dropped straight into the center of a whirlwind of fish with needle-sharp snouts.
“381 of them? That’s a lot. Alright, grip the sword like this. Now cast magic. Fire Bolt. Water Shield.”
[Skill Used: Fire Bolt (Original)]
[A bolt of flame launches forth.]
[Hero’s Power Stage 4 resonates!]
[Distraction Technique activates!]
[Skill Used: Water Shield (Original)]
[A protective barrier of water envelops you.]
Fire Bolt for offense. Water Shield for defense. The moment he cast both spells simultaneously,
[Magic floods into the Magic Sword Arc Spark!]
Two kinds of mana—fire and water—swirled through the magic sword at once, spiraling like a double helix from a DNA diagram.
‘Wait—I cast two skills, and both of them soaked into the blade at the same time? If I swing it like this…?’
Whoosh! A blade of flame swept through a massive arc. An entire quarter of the Razor Fish whirlwind evaporated in an instant.
[Razor Fish Defeated: 92/381]
Water-force still remained in the magic sword. He swung it wide in the opposite direction, and Slice! A crescent of water-blade swept across the sky.
[Razor Fish Defeated: 178/381]
‘Wow. This is basically doubling my skill output—plus one extra chance from Distraction Technique!’
One use from the skill itself. One more copy from Distraction Technique. Two strikes from the Magic Sword Arc Spark. One skill use produces four attacks? I might as well believe I’m wielding a cursed demon blade.
‘And besides, I can take it to the Hwasan Blacksmith to enhance it. Plus—if I acquire new skills going forward, this thing will only get stronger!’
Jung-ho grinned widely as he swung the Magic Sword Arc Spark. Even his 99% Mana Corruption didn’t ache today.
[Trial Tower Floor 21 cleared!]
[Clear Time—00:00:21 seconds.]
[Clear Rating: EX]
[EX Rank Reward: 201 Mana Stones obtained.]
[EX Rank Special Reward: 1 Evidence of Hero obtained.]
[Reclaimed First Place! Record broken!]
An EX clear in the blink of an eye. World first-place reclaimed. Evidence of Hero too…
‘Oh right. I still haven’t opened the Evidence of Hero box from Floor 20.’
Continued in the next chapter ▶
Got a terminal item from a bowl of instant noodles
Author
Hayan Gotgam
Published by
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Publisher
Grae Publishing
Contact Email
[email protected]
Publication Date
August 24, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260423069
※ This e-book is protected under copyright law. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited. Violations may result in civil and criminal liability.
※ Pentagram welcomes your precious manuscripts.

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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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