Obtained End-Game Gear for a Bowl of Ramen - Chapter 8
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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 8. Gate Guide
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
Back home, Son Jeong-ho fought down the nausea and laughed.
[White Dragon Young 1/1 Eliminated]
[A-rank Gate Cleared!]
[Contribution: Son Jeong-ho (100%)]
An A-rank Gate had opened in Myeongdong. Jeong-ho heard the rumors and went to test his strength.
Honestly, he was terrified. Even if he’d grown stronger, most of his Ability Stats were still F-rank. But a Gate was a team assignment—even if I couldn’t pull my weight, someone else would help, right?
Except he’d taken it down in one shot.
The White Dragon had an ice affinity and took double fire damage. He’d pummeled it with the Bunsim Technique for double damage again, and it melted away in an instant.
[Gate Clear Reward: White Scale (Rare) x7]
[Top Contributor Exclusive Rare Reward: Condensed White Breath (Unique) x1]
No Epic drop, but that was fine. Items from dragons were always worth a tier higher than their rarity suggested. But this wasn’t the end.
[Blessing of Abundance Triggered!]
[Additional Reward Obtained: White Scale (Rare) x7]
Double bonus from the Blessing of Abundance reward too. Still not finished.
[Plague Spore Warrior 1/1 Eliminated]
[C-rank Gate Cleared!]
[Contribution: Son Jeong-ho (100%)]
The Yeongwol Gate monster was plant-type, so it took double fire damage. He’d cleansed the plague-bearing fungus with flames, pure and simple.
When he saw the disaster alert, he tried using the Remote Entry Ticket on a whim—and it paid off spectacularly.
[Gate Clear Reward: Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu (Rare) x1]
[Top Contributor Exclusive Rare Reward: Sticky Mushroom Spore (Unique) x1]
[Blessing of Abundance Triggered!]
[Additional Reward Obtained: Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu (Rare) x1]
Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu. Low-tier, but Spirit Medicine was Spirit Medicine. He’d hesitated to use it on a C-rank Gate, but he’d been right to use it when he had the chance.
It was all money and Mana Stones now. The Spirit Medicine he could consume directly. Jeong-ho grinned as he admired his bulging inventory.
‘If I sell all this, I can buy a Water Shield Skill Book.’
If he could just list it on the HunterOn auction house.
Jeong-ho was still officially an F-rank Hunter. Marketplace access was severely limited. And listing on Dapanda in the Dimensional Shop meant getting fleeced.
‘I can’t announce I’m EX-grade, either.’
Li Wei had her eyes on him. Until that matter was settled, he’d have to hold back.
‘Let me at least check the market rate.’
As always, Jeong-ho logged into HunterOn without much thought—but today the site was buzzing with fresh news.
-<Mysterious Hunter Clears A-rank Myeongdong Gate with Sole 100% Contribution!>
-<Tiny Gate in Yeongwol Cleared Simultaneously! Same Hunter Believed Responsible for Both.>
-<Local Residents Express Gratitude. Hunter Management Bureau: “We Did Not Clear It.”>
‘That’s about me, isn’t it?’
Surely there weren’t two different Gates that had opened in Myeongdong and Yeongwol.
Gates were breaches. Once one tore open, monsters poured through that same hole rather than opening up new ones elsewhere.
└Both Myeongdong and Yeongwol at once? Is this guy Hong Gildong or what?
└Probably used teleportation.
└Wow. Respect. An EX-grade who personally seals even a crummy C-rank Gate for the rewards.
└Exactly. Total opposite of Li Wei, hoarding all the good loot.
└There’s a rumor that Myeongdong Gate was Li Wei’s bait. Draw all the hunters there, leave no one to stop Yeongwol from exploding.
└For real? But an EX-grade sealed it anyway. So Li Wei took the L?
└Ha. That’s negotiation for you. ‘Hand over the EX-grade,’ or Li Wei has to grovel before them.
Reading the comments, Jeong-ho felt a bit sheepish. All he’d done was use an extra Remote Entry Ticket.
It just happened that the only Gates he knew about were Myeongdong and Yeongwol. Myeongdong he’d learned about beforehand through rumors, but Yeongwol was pure luck—he’d gotten the emergency disaster alert.
Jeong-ho stared at the screen a while longer, then closed HunterOn. Nothing but praise for EX-grades everywhere. If he kept reading, he’d lose his temper.
‘Didn’t even get to check the market prices.’
He thought about logging back in, but let it go. His father’s words from childhood came to mind.
—Jeong-ho. Don’t cling to small victories. Always look ahead and keep moving forward.
He’d said that when Jeong-ho bragged about scoring a hundred on a test. Back then, he’d pouted, but now he thought he understood what his father meant.
The A-rank Gate had been pure matchup advantage. He’d won because it was a White Dragon—but if it had been a fire-immune Red Dragon instead?
Same with the Yeongwol C-rank Gate. He’d only succeeded because he happened to have a Remote Entry Ticket. The opposite could’ve happened; he could’ve been vilified.
The nation’s in crisis—what’s the EX-grade doing?! Jeong-ho understood that sentiment. It was love for the country. People had no choice but to place their hopes on the EX-grades.
‘I’ll go to the Tower of Eternity, settle up with Dapanda, and buy that Water Shield Skill Book. Maybe cook a pot of ramen too.’
Having regained his humility, Jeong-ho entered the Tower of Eternity.
* * *
Dae-young slurped his ramen as he spoke.
“How does it taste?”
Dae-young set down the empty pot with a sharp bang.
The sound of him smacking his lips came from the shadows beneath his hood.
“I didn’t come for a discount anyway. Let me settle up for this.”
Jeong-ho dumped his entire inventory in front of Dae-young.
Six Living Plaster (Common), one Blood Stone Ruby (Unique), fourteen White Scales (Rare), one Condensed White Breath (Unique), two Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu (Rare), one Sticky Mushroom Spore (Unique).
Dae-young appraised the items with a dismissive stretch of shadow.
Jeong-ho perked up his ears and focused intently.
Jeong-ho had collected two hundred seventy Mana Stones from the Tower of Trials. Add the three hundred he’d just earned, and that made five hundred seventy. The Water Shield Skill Book cost five hundred fifty Mana Stones—he could even spare twenty stones.
“I won’t sell the two Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu roots.”
“Spirit Medicine’s more effective the more you consume, though.”
Dae-young’s bombshell statement hit hard. Jeong-ho had been wasting ability stats he could have raised all this time? Seeing his shock, Dae-young let out a mocking laugh.
A close call. Jeong-ho had thought he’d ruined his growth by taking spirit medicine carelessly, but fortunately, consuming high-grade spirit medicine meant he’d never need to bother with lower grades.
“I understand. Still, I’ll keep two of the Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu roots.”
“Then the Blood Stone Ruby and one Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu.”
Dae-young tossed the two Ten-Year Ho Shou Wu roots carelessly, yet carefully wrapped the Blood Stone Ruby in shadow before handing it over.
“Thank you! Now please give me the Water Shield Skill Book.”
Dae-young sighed and held out a damp book.
-Skill Book: Water Shield (Original) (Legendary): Learn Water Shield (Original).
When Jeong-ho reached for the book, Dae-young held it fast, refusing to let go.
“That’s right. Water, not ice. Why?”
But you can’t brew ramen with ice, can you? Jeong-ho took the Water Shield Skill Book.
As he flipped through a few pages, complex formulas and diagrams imprinted themselves directly into his mind.
[You have acquired a skill: Water Shield (Original) (Legendary)]
-Water Shield (Original) (Legendary): Envelop yourself in a protective barrier of water.
Successfully learning the Water Shield skill, Jeong-ho could now use two skills simultaneously with the Bunsim Technique, perfecting his offense and defense together.
Wrapping himself in Water Shield while unleashing Fire Bolt for bombardment. Depending on the situation, he could even unleash a doubled Fire Bolt. All thanks to clearing two Gates in a single day.
“Oh, by the way—do you sell Remote Entry Tickets for Gates?”
After this whole affair, Jeong-ho had realized something crucial. Gates had no daily entry limit. If remote entry were possible, growth would accelerate dramatically—exponentially!
“That’s practically a steal.”
Jeong-ho’s face fell. The cost outweighed the benefit entirely. Instead of growing, he’d be broke.
“I tried it and it was convenient. But it’s too expensive, so I can’t afford it.”
Jeong-ho’s ears perked up. What kind of Authority did the second floor of the Hero’s Tower grant?
“What Authority do you get on the second floor?”
Jeong-ho’s eyes went wide. Such an Authority would make Remote Entry Tickets utterly worthless.
“Monsters appear in the desert then?”
‘A month without sensation? That’s practically a gift.’
Jeong-ho had endured three years in a reading room so silent you couldn’t hear the scratch of pencil on paper, all in the name of job preparation.
Compared to that, a mere month? And not even a reading room—a desert. He could take walks. Nap languidly whenever he pleased.
<Kufufu. The cruelest part is that time flows differently. You’ll suffer for a month, but to everyone else, only a single second will have passed. Can you endure such isolation, where no one will understand your pain?>
Lack of recognition during job prep was just the same. If only a second passes in real time? He’d catch up on all his sleep and be fine.
“I’m heading up to the second floor of Hero’s Tower, Dae-young. See you in a bit!”
<What? Wait, hold on! The second floor is harder! You might actually lose yourself!>
Jeong-ho shook off Dae-young’s protests and bolted up the tower stairs.
<No! Don’t go! If you become a wreck, who’s going to cook my ramen!>
* * *
[Entering Hero’s Tower, Floor 2.]
[Floor 2 Objective: Endure the Desert of Silence for one month.]
[Warning! Withdrawal from this floor is impossible.]
Jeong-ho arrived in the desert. A barren expanse of golden sand—not a single cactus or oasis in sight. But if there was no water, couldn’t he just create some?
[Skill Used: Water Shield (Original)]
[Enveloping you in a shield of water.]
A cool, azure barrier of water wrapped around Jeong-ho. But wait—the description didn’t specify who it envelops, did it?
Jeong-ho grinned and pointed to the middle of the sandy expanse.
“Water Shield.”
Whoosh! Brilliant blue water swirled into a perfect sphere. If he layered the Bunsim Technique on top of that? Instant oasis.
‘Glad I learned the water skill instead of ice.’
He hadn’t expected to use it on the second floor of Hero’s Tower. Ice was useless in a desert—the reflected light just strained your eyes, and it evaporated as fast as it melted.
‘This is perfect. Like a vacation. Might as well train while I rest.’
Until now, Fire Bolt (Original) had been so overwhelmingly powerful that there was no need to train. But relying on raw skill alone would lead to a catastrophic failure higher up.
The Tower of Trials was, as its name suggested, a trial. S-rank Hunters could die to its countless challenges—Jeong-ho had heard the rumors. Even EX-grade couldn’t afford complacency.
‘I need to master the skills I have, at the very least.’
Besides, Jeong-ho had the Bunsim Technique. He could use two skills simultaneously—something impossible for everyone else, only available to him. He needed to get comfortable with it.
What if he used Fire Bolt and Water Shield at the same time…?
Whoooosh!!
“?!”
White vapor billowed upward, blanketing the ground in clouds.
[New skill discovered! Deep Cloud (Original) [Legendary]]
-Deep Cloud: Envelops the area in clouds. You can alter the clouds’ properties using other elements.
A new skill? Wait. You can combine skills using the Bunsim Technique?
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
[Warning! Mana Contamination 99%!]
Jeong-ho wiped blood from his lips and laughed. Mana Contamination could wait—he’d just glimpsed the true power of the Bunsim Technique!
Right now he could only combine Fire Bolt and Water Shield, but if he acquired more skills…?
The possible combinations would be infinite. The skills he could learn for free would be endless.
‘Master Kang Tae-gong. Thank you.’
* * *
One second later. Dae-young paced restlessly.
<Kufufu. If that fool comes out a wreck, it’ll be a disaster. Hmph. Today’s ramen was nothing special, but why can’t I stop thinking about it now?>
Footsteps descended the staircase. Dae-young’s crimson gaze flickered with anxiety. Soon Jeong-ho appeared at the bottom.
<Kufufu. What’s this…?>
“Nice to meet you.”
<Damn it. Did he actually lose his mind?>
“No, really! I just had some time left, so I studied English.”
Dae-young’s eyes widened, then shrank back to their normal size.
<Kufufu. Stubborn as they come. A rubber band couldn’t stretch as much as you.>
“Anyway, thanks for showing me the second floor. I discovered a new skill because of you.”
[Hero’s Tower Floor 2 cleared!]
[Clear Grade: EX]
[EX-grade Special Reward: Hero’s Power awakens!]
[Hero’s Power Stage 2 has been unlocked!]
[Authority acquired: Gate Guide]
-Gate Guide: Open the Dimensional Eye and survey the world from a higher-dimensional perspective. You can perceive when, where, and which Gates will open and close. You can also enter desired Gates instantly.
“Plus I got a lifetime free pass on remote entry tickets.”
<Kufufu. How foolish. That authority’s true power lies elsewhere. It’s incomparable to a mere remote entry ticket—the genuine strength of a hero. You’ll understand once you use it.>
Jeong-ho nodded and wielded his Authority.
[Authority in use: Gate Guide]
[Opening the Dimensional Eye!]
Pop!
Jeong-ho’s consciousness soared upward, and a globe unfurled beneath his feet. Across its surface, he saw Gates about to open, Gates already active, and Gates of every hue on the brink of catastrophe.
‘Remarkable. A Remote Entry Ticket can’t even compare.’
Yet not far from Korea, a Gate caught his eye—unusually massive and unstable, swirling in shades of pink and violet.
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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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