Obtained End-Game Gear for a Bowl of Ramen - Chapter 7

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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 7. Double Rewards
Jung Ho savored the blessing from the fifth floor of the Trial Tower.
[Floor 5 Ranking 1st Privilege: You obtain the Blessing of Abundance.]
-Blessing of Abundance: Your Luck stat increases by 3 grades, and you can obtain additional rewards at a certain probability.
A certain probability of double rewards. What more could he ask for? Even if it was just probability, working right now meant his hourly wage would double! He wanted to climb higher, but.
[You have exhausted all daily entries to the Trial Tower.]
The Trial Tower allowed only one ascent per day. Whether it was a repeat clear or an upper-floor clear, whether it was an F-rank or EX-rank completion. Fair and square.
‘A waste. But wait. There’s no restriction on the blessing?’
As Jung Ho examined the Blessing of Abundance more carefully, he found one curious detail. The phrase “in the Trial Tower” was nowhere to be found.
‘Could it work in Gates too?’
The puzzle pieces clicked into place in his mind.
Now he understood why China had grown so prosperous in such a short time. They’d been cashing in double rewards from Gates? Even a pig wouldn’t eat that greedily.
‘Stay calm. It might not be that.’
The momentarily excited Jung Ho quickly regained his composure. Double rewards didn’t mean every single reward would double.
[EX-rank Special Reward: You obtain 1 Evidence of Hero.]
Only one Evidence of Hero had appeared. The double-reward blessing had its blind spot. Perhaps only common rewards increased while special rewards didn’t double?
‘But what exactly is Evidence of Hero?’
What was it that even double rewards wouldn’t apply to it? Jung Ho opened his inventory. The moment his hand touched the neatly stacked Bronze Badges.
[You have collected 5 Evidence of Hero.]
[You obtain 1 Hero’s Proof Box!]
Flash!
A pale green brilliance burst forth. The badges lost their glow, and instead a silver box materialized in his inventory.
‘A box? So Evidence of Hero was an exchange token?’
-Hero’s Proof Box: Power granted to those who proved themselves worthy as heroes. You can obtain 1 random Unique or higher-rarity item.
‘A guaranteed random draw from Unique and above? That’s jackpot. I can forgive not getting the double-reward bonus for this.’
Item rarity had five tiers in total. Common, Rare, Unique, Epic, Legendary. The higher the tier, the rarer it was—Unique sat around the top 10 percent.
A Unique item from the fifth-floor section of the Trial Tower? He could bulldoze straight through the tower.
The exact shelf life varied by item type, but if he got tired of using it, he could sell it. A minimum of tens of millions of won, and for the big ones, around a billion won.
‘Worth giving as an EX-rank special reward. Let me draw right now.’
Jung Ho opened the box. Click! The light trapped inside the box burst forth brilliantly.
-Gate Remote Entry Pass (Unique): You can instantly enter one Gate that you know of. Single use.
“A dud. Good item, but where would I even use it?”
Jung Ho muttered to himself without thinking. There were so many good Unique items out there, but a single-use Gate Remote Entry Pass felt wasteful.
Gates lasted at most four days before they closed. Either you cleared it, or the gate exploded after a failed clear attempt.
No matter how strong a Hunter was, a distant Gate was physically impossible to clear. In that sense, a remote entry pass was nice, but it was single-use, wasn’t it?
Compared to items, skill books, or elixirs that left something permanent behind, it was disappointing.
‘Where should I use this to make people talk? No, wait—I can’t let people know about it.’
Mok Ryong Guild’s Li Wei would seize it. Jung Ho decided to set it aside for now.
‘Right. Speaking of Li Wei, that reminds me.’
He’d almost forgotten while enjoying the blessing and drawing from the Hero’s Proof Box. Now he needed to steal the blessing from the tenth floor of the Trial Tower.
Thus, the next day.
[You have cleared Floor 6 of the Trial Tower!]
[Clear Time – 00:00:08 seconds.]
[Clear Grade: EX]
[EX-rank Reward: You obtain 29 Mana Stones.]
[EX-rank Special Reward: You obtain 1 Evidence of Hero.]
[Reclaimed Ranking 1st! You have set a new record!]
Up to the fourth floor he’d gotten 19 Mana Stones, but defeating one more boss increased the reward by 10, making it 29. Not bad.
The next day.
[You have cleared Floor 7 of the Trial Tower!]
[Clear Grade: EX]
[Reclaimed Ranking 1st! You have set a new record!]
And the day after that.
[You have cleared Floor 8 of the Trial Tower!]
[Clear Grade: EX]
[Reclaimed Ranking 1st! You have set a new record!]
[Blessing of Abundance triggered!]
[Additional reward obtained: 29 Mana Stones]
‘Eight consecutive EX-rank clears?’
An unprecedented record since Hunters had emerged. In eight days, he’d accumulated 270 Mana Stones, and collected 3 more Evidence of Hero.
By now, Li Wei should have come to his senses.
* * *
[Record updated! The holder of the Blessing has changed.]
[Floor 5 Ranking 1st Place Privilege: Blessing of Abundance transfers from Li Wei → ???.]
An alert flashed across the massive monitor in the Mok Ryong Guild hall. Guild members gasped in shock, their jaws slack, while Li Wei hurled the teacup he’d been drinking from across the room.
Bang! The monitor shattered. But just as you cannot cover the sky with your palm, smashing the screen couldn’t change the fact that the Blessing’s holder had shifted.
“What exactly did I just see?”
Li Wei’s frigid gaze swept across the gathered guild members.
“M-Master, it must be mere coincidence!”
“P-Please don’t despair. It’s only a fifth-floor blessing after all!”
“The Master is a god even without such a blessing!”
The Mok Ryong Guild members fawned over him. Outside guild walls, they were at least high-ranking B-Class hunters—some even A-Class—but in Li Wei’s presence, they crawled like insects.
“Fools. The blessing isn’t what matters right now.”
Though they’d been scolded, the guild members felt reassured. Li Wei’s voice remained as composed and cold as always.
“This is a gauntlet thrown down by an EX-rank hunter. A warning—a threat leveled directly at me.”
The guild members exchanged confused glances, bewildered.
“A warning? A threat? What do you mean, sir—”
“It’s a message: resume the Mana Stone supply, or I’ll strip away every remaining blessing you have.”
Ryu Je remained composed, as though he’d anticipated this all along.
“An EX-rank hunter would certainly have the power to do so. And they’ve just demonstrated they have the will as well.”
“What? A wretch who wouldn’t recognize his own parents—!”
“A vile hunter worthy of universal condemnation!”
“After receiving such grace from the Middle Kingdom, he repays it with enmity?!”
“This is why you should never shelter beasts with human faces!”
The Mok Ryong Guild members erupted in fury. They couldn’t curse the unknown EX-rank hunter, but they could certainly posture fiercely at Ryu Je standing right before them.
“Enough! Ryu Je is not EX-rank. All of you, be silent. We’re still only at the fifth floor. Don’t act recklessly. Always display the dignity of the Middle Kingdom.”
The guild members fell quiet again. Li Wei exhaled softly and murmured to himself.
“Condescending Eye.”
[Skill activated: Condescending Eye]
[See whatever you wish, in whatever form you desire, for as long as you please.]
Li Wei’s eyes flashed brilliantly blue in an instant; even his pupils turned white as milk. He seemed to be gazing beyond reality itself.
Li Wei’s unique skill. Condescending Eye. He could peer into anything he desired.
Where gates would open or close, who currently held which items, a monster’s behavioral patterns and weaknesses, who might betray him.
Even who dared to steal the Trial Tower’s blessing from him. With this skill, Li Wei had solidified his position as China’s number one and maintained his monopoly over the Trial Tower’s blessings. And yet—
“The EX-rank hunter.”
[Cannot be found.]
The EX-rank hunter remained unknowable. Li Wei understood the reason: no one but the EX-rank themselves knew their true identity.
Condescending Eye was, ultimately, just eyes. It borrowed the sight of others to see. It wasn’t mind-reading, so if something remained hidden from all eyes, he couldn’t see it either.
“If I cannot find them, I’ll make the Koreans find them directly. Spread word that an A-Class gate will open in Myeongdong, Seoul.”
The Mok Ryong Guild members looked confused again. Only Ryu Je, Chang Yao, and a few senior officers grasped his true intention.
“Myeongdong is a decoy. The real gate will open an hour later in Youngwol, Gangwon Province—a C-Class gate, and a micro-sized one at that. One-hour time limit. The hunters will converge on Myeongdong, leaving the Gangwon gate unblocked. It’ll rupture.”
“When a gate ruptures, civilian casualties will be severe.”
Ryu Je spoke, and Li Wei nodded in agreement.
“Furious Koreans will blame the Hunter Management Bureau, and the backlash will fall on the EX-rank. Koreans are known for their harsh moral standards. Once the Koreans find the EX-rank with their own hands, I’ll handle them with mine.”
Ryu Je fell silent while the other guild members spoke in unison.
“As expected of the Master. Truly the finest hunter!”
Only Li Wei, the supreme Detection-type hunter, could execute such a plan. He alone could predict which gates would open where, down to the hour.
No matter how powerful an EX-rank hunter was, they had physical limits. Travel from Myeongdong to Youngwol in less than an hour and seal the gate?
‘Impossible. Unless they could teleport.’
* * *
Four days later. The streets of Myeongdong were oddly crowded, yet they felt lifeless.
Hunters seeking their cut from an A-Class gate packed the area, while ordinary citizens and shopkeepers had all evacuated, belongings in hand.
“Something feels off about this.”
O Seung Woo, a section chief at the Hunter Management Bureau, muttered to himself before recognizing a familiar face. Kwon Min Ki, recently discharged from the hospital, spotted him in turn and approached.
“Section Chief O, is that you? I heard you’d retired from fieldwork.”
“Something felt wrong, so I came to investigate. The information came from China’s Mok Ryong Guild, and I suspect they have an ulterior motive. They’re not the type to give information for free.”
O Seung Woo placed a cigarette between his lips. Hunter Kwon Min Ki lit it with the tip of his index finger.
“Even if they do, what can we do? It’s an A-Class gate right in the heart of Seoul. Hunters from across the country have mobilized.”
“I see quite a few C-rank and lower hunters too.”
“They’re weak, so they probably want to team up with stronger hunters. If they get lucky and stand out, they might get recruited. And they’re greedy for items, naturally.”
From A-rank Gates onward, Epic items enter the reward table.
Epic items are among the top 1% of all items. While large corporations manage items up to Unique tier, Epic items and beyond fall under state-level control. That’s how powerful they are.
“Are you here after an Epic item too, Hunter Kwon Min Ki?”
“No. I’m looking for the Hunter who used Inferno that day. It was an A-rank Gate, so that Hunter must have come here.”
“The Statue of Bloody Tears incident. That one’s definitely strange. There’s no record of any Gate reward item being sold. I can’t figure out who cleared it in the first place.”
“Who could it be? I’d really like to find them and take them on as my master.”
“I wonder. Let’s just hope it’s not China’s Red Sorcerer……but wait. It’s opened.”
Crack-crack-crack!
The void split open, and a wound appeared—space fractured like shattered glass, with a vortex churning behind the jagged edges.
[Disaster Alert: Gate Emergence Warning!]
[Gate appeared in Myeongdong commercial district!]
[Presumed A-rank Gate. Primary monster type unknown. Citizens, please evacuate to safety until Hunters arrive.]
Smartphones buzzed all around—everyone was thinking only of stacking contribution points and claiming their rewards.
Buzz.
O Seung Woo’s phone rang.
“Hold on. It’s Director O speaking. Kim Min Jae, what is it?”
-Director! We have a problem! A C-rank Gate just opened in Youngwol, Gangwon Province, and it’s ultra-small!
Large Gates have high difficulty but also longer time limits.
Small Gates are easier but have very short time limits.
Which is more dangerous? Nine times out of ten, the small Gate. If you don’t find it in time, it explodes before you can even attempt a clear, spilling monsters everywhere and causing civilian casualties.
“What? Ultra-small?! How much time is left?”
-W-we just discovered it, so we have approximately 34 minutes remaining……
“34 minutes?! Damn it! Mok Ryong Guild set us up!”
Every Hunter worth their salt in the country had come to Myeongdong—or was on their way. Who could he possibly send to Youngwol now?
Sure, there were Hunters stationed there in an official capacity, but there was no way they could clear it in time.
Skilled Hunters either went Freelancer or joined a Guild. Working as a civil servant hit a ceiling fast—no real growth, no real money.
“Plan B. Assume it’ll explode and lock down the area, gather the civilians. Send out an emergency disaster alert to the entire nation! I’m heading there now!”
Director O hung up and shouted.
“Everyone listen up! This is Director O Seung Woo of the Hunter Management Bureau! An ultra-small C-rank Gate has opened in Youngwol, Gangwon Province. It’s about to explode. We need immediate Hunter support!”
The Hunters in Myeongdong just blinked, trading glances with each other. Not a soul stepped forward.
“The Youngwol Gate’s going to explode?! People are going to die!”
Still just blinking, still just reading the room. He understood, though. They wanted to get stronger. That was the only way to climb the Tower and seal Gates.
The Hunters gathered in Myeongdong would ignore Youngwol. This was A-rank, and Youngwol was B-rank. Who would throw away an Epic item to chase a Unique?
And it was about to explode on top of that. Cleaning up after an exploded Gate paid nothing—just whatever pittance the government offered.
They wouldn’t move. Not unless the Myeongdong Gate suddenly closed……
“L-look! Up there! In the sky……!”
The world turned red. Two crimson suns rose into view. The Hunters froze like primitive humans witnessing a solar eclipse for the first time.
Boom-boom-crash!!
A torrent of flame poured down. A small White Dragon that had just emerged from the Gate shrieked and was torn to shreds.
“W-what is that?!”
“Fire? Inferno?! Hunter Kwon Min Ki was here?!”
“Wait, doesn’t it look different? There are two fireballs……?”
Before the bewildered Hunters could even react, the Gate clear notification bloomed before their eyes.
[White Dragon Hatchling 1/1 defeated]
[A-rank Gate cleared!]
[Contribution Rate: ???(100%)]
“What in the world……?”
Buzz.
Director O Seung Woo’s phone rang again. The moment he answered, Administrator Kim Min Jae spoke urgently.
-Director! The Youngwol Gate’s been cleared!
The Youngwol Gate cleared? What in the hell was he talking about?
“Did the stationed Hunter handle it?”
-No! When we got there, the contribution rate showed ??? at 100%!
“There too?”
-There too? You mean Myeongdong as well?
Director O Seung Woo lowered his phone, stunned. While everyone else stood in shock, only Hunter Kwon Min Ki spoke, his eyes shining with emotion.
“Th-this is the person, Director. This is the very person I’ve been looking for!”
“……You found them?”
“No. There were too many people, so I lost track of them. But next time—next time I’ll definitely find them!”
Hunter Kwon Min Ki clenched his fist. Director O Seung Woo felt a thought flash across his mind.
‘Could it be… EX-rank?’
* * *
Two status windows materialized before Jung Ho’s eyes.
[A-rank Gate Cleared!]
[Contribution Rate: Jung Ho (100%)]
[C-rank Gate Cleared!]
[Contribution Rate: Jung Ho (100%)]
“Wow. This actually works.”
He’d cleared the Gates that had opened simultaneously in Myeongdong and Youngwol, Gangwon Province—solo. And that wasn’t all.
[Blessing of Abundance Activated!]
The blessing for doubled random-chance rewards had triggered. Saliva pooled at the corner of Jung Ho’s mouth.
‘How much loot is actually coming my way?’
Continued in the next episode ▶
Got endgame gear from a single bowl of ramen
Author
Hayan Gotgam
Publisher
Kim Seok-hwan, Choi Se-ra
Published by
Grae Publishing
Inquiry Email
[email protected]
Publication Date
August 24, 2026
UCI
G720:N+A327-20260423069
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※ 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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