Walkthrough for the Transcendental Hunter's Ruins - Chapter 17
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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 17
All of the Republic of Korea was swept up in a festival atmosphere.
Would the people’s hearts feel like this if, back in 2002 during the World Cup, the national team hadn’t merely reached the semifinals but had actually won the tournament?
Perhaps the impact was even greater than that.
The Dungeon System had opened, and for the first time, they had succeeded in clearing an Ancient-grade Dungeon.
Domestic politicians, regardless of party affiliation, rushed to offer their congratulations and gratitude.
Major corporations held various celebrations and advertisements to congratulate the conquest of the Ancient-grade Dungeon.
Famous singers and idols even performed official congratulatory concerts.
How much better things would have been if only good news had reached the Republic of Korea.
An urgent bulletin suddenly reached the Hunter Association, which had been brimming with excitement.
“Director! We have a serious situation!!”
The secretary’s voice was more urgent than ever before.
Director Yu Jeong-tae felt his heart drop, tensing immediately.
“What? Has something happened to Hunter Jeon Jae-woo?”
“No, sir, that’s not the case.”
Relieved that nothing had befallen Hunter Jeon Jae-woo, he relaxed slightly.
From the Hunter Association’s perspective, the worst-case scenario would be if something happened to Hunter Jeon Jae-woo.
“Then what is it?”
“China has unilaterally expelled our hunters from a Legendary-grade Dungeon that we were jointly managing.”
……
Well, it wasn’t quite the worst-case scenario, but it was still a grave matter.
Faced with this sudden crisis, the Korean government scrambled to assess the situation.
As mentioned before, Dungeons can be conquered jointly.
In fact, joint conquest is the standard for Dungeons—they weren’t designed to be cleared alone.
It’s only because Jeon Jae-woo is an exceptional case, capable of conquering even Ancient-grade Dungeons solo.
So when Dungeons are conquered jointly, how are the rewards and ownership shares divided?
A Dungeon’s ownership works much like calculating share percentages in a corporation within a capitalist system.
If hunters who conquered a Dungeon band together and accumulate more than 50 percent of the ownership share, can they then claim ownership of that Dungeon?
Then those hunters can expel the rest and do with the Dungeon as they wish.
The ratio of contribution to each Dungeon’s conquest is calculated automatically by the Dungeon System, so there’s no room for dispute.
However, when a nation or corporation joins forces to jointly conquer a Dungeon, it’s standard practice to negotiate in advance how the profits from that Dungeon will be settled according to the contribution ratio.
After all, nobody knows beforehand which group will own more shares and thus gain ownership of the Dungeon.
This risk management approach prevents scenarios where one’s own side has superior strength, yet after the conquest concludes, the opposing side ends up with the greater share and seizes ownership.
However, China, being unquestionably a super-power in the hunter world, had consistently demonstrated that their hunters’ contribution ratios in all Legendary-grade Dungeons jointly conquered with Korea were higher than Korea’s.
Yet China had suddenly broken the agreement they’d made with Korea in advance and expelled all Korean hunters based on the Dungeon System’s calculations.
At this bolt-from-the-blue news, the Korean government immediately summoned the Chinese ambassador.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also lodged protests with an unprecedented level of firmness.
But no matter how hard Korea pressed, China remained unmoved.
The Minister of the Disaster Management Administration, seated across from Yu Jeong-tae for a discussion, let out a long sigh.
“It seems the Chinese President is quite angry.”
“But why would he suddenly be angry at us? There’s nothing we’ve done to offend him.”
“Hunter Jeon Jae-woo conquered an Ancient-grade Dungeon. China was particularly eager to conquer an Ancient-grade Dungeon this month, and it seems they’re upset that we beat them to it.”
Upon hearing this explanation, Director Yu Jeong-tae was at a loss for words.
“But they never promised not to attempt an Ancient-grade Dungeon conquest. How can they act like this…”
“What can we do? When those with power brazenly overstep, there’s little we can do about it.”
The Korean government found itself in an extremely difficult position.
China, being a super-power in the hunter world, could act this brazenly and there was nothing Korea could do beyond lodge formal protests.
And the greatest problem was the Mana Stones being extracted from both Legendary-grade Dungeons.
Korea was a nation that desperately needed those Mana Stones in multiple sectors.
Without the Mana Stones produced from Legendary-grade Dungeons, the nation’s and corporations’ most critical projects would all have to cease simultaneously.
And if they tried to purchase them abroad, since these weren’t cheap goods, the price would be astronomical.
Yu Jeong-tae sighed and spoke as if muttering.
“…We barely have any stockpiled Mana Stones. What should we do?”
“It’s a last resort, but what if we temporarily substitute Mana Stones from Rare-grade or common-grade Dungeons?”
Yu Jeong-tae shook his head firmly.
“Regardless of other matters, the materials used in the projects we’re currently pursuing must come only from Mana Stones produced in Legendary-grade Dungeons. Even materials from Rare-grade Dungeons are of inferior quality and cannot be used.”
“Sigh…”
With no solution in sight, both the minister and Director Yu Jeong-tae sighed simultaneously.
At this point, there was no choice.
They had no option but to conquer a newly discovered Legendary-grade Dungeon that produces Mana Stones this month.
There was one person absolutely essential for making that happen.
“What is Hunter Jeon Jae-woo doing at the moment?”
“Since he sold us the Elixirs from the Ancient-grade Dungeon last time, he hasn’t been in contact.”
“Get in touch with him right away and request his cooperation. We must secure this Legendary-grade Dungeon no matter what.”
“Understood.”
Both the Director and the Minister were determined to borrow Jeon Jae-woo’s strength by any means necessary.
***
Meanwhile, Jeon Jae-woo was inside the Ancient-grade Dungeon that had become his property.
Why enter a Dungeon that had already been explored?
Because he was planning to consume the various Elixirs produced within it himself.
Even after selling several Elixirs to the Hunter Association, plenty remained.
According to Elderich’s explanation, the Fruits of the World Tree would bear again after being harvested.
Of course, it took a considerable amount of time for them to grow back.
The ones sold to the Hunter Association were mainly Elixirs for healing or increasing one’s total Mana reserves.
He’d kept the ones that could reverse a person’s physical age.
Moreover, the Elixirs growing on the World Tree came with many other treasures besides those.
Elderich examined the Elixirs from various angles before plucking a few and bringing them over.
“The Creator should consume at least this much of an Elixir.”
“Mm. Should I?”
“Of course. It’s important not to rely only on us, but also to strengthen the Creator’s own abilities.”
Jeon Jae-woo was quite interested in Elixirs as well.
For most Hunters, even tasting one in a lifetime was a difficult feat—these were treasures of incomparable rarity.
Any Hunter had dreamed at least once of consuming a precious Elixir and gaining tremendous power.
“Sounds good. Which one should I take first?”
Elderich suddenly thrust one of the items he’d brought forward.
“This one seems perfectly suited for the Creator right now.”
But the moment Jeon Jae-woo confirmed the Elixir’s effects, his pupils trembled.
[Fruit of the World Tree: Transforms the consumer’s body into a physique that readily accepts and handles Mana. Extreme pain may accompany the transformation process; caution is advised upon consumption.]
“…Do I really have to take that right from the start?”
Elderich tilted his head, puzzled.
“Is there some problem?”
“No, it’s just—taking that will be agonizing.”
This Elixir produced effects similar to Physical Rebirth from martial arts novels.
And the side effects were identical to those who underwent Physical Rebirth—it was monstrously painful.
Think of the protagonists in wuxia tales who experience Physical Rebirth as their cultivation breaks through.
Whether they’re the protagonist or not, almost all of them writhe in agony as their bones shatter.
And Elderich nodded as if it were obvious.
“Mm. It will probably be extremely painful. Likely the worst pain the Creator has ever experienced in life.”
“What?”
“But bitter medicine benefits the body—do not refuse it.”
With that, Elderich picked up the Elixir and slowly approached.
“Wait, hold on.”
Jeon Jae-woo tried to back away and create distance, but it was useless.
Before he knew it, Myeol-geop had quietly come behind him and wrapped his arms around Jeon Jae-woo firmly, restraining his entire body.
When it concerned the master’s wellbeing, he did not hesitate to restrict the master’s movements.
[Forgive me, Creator.]
“What? No, really, just a moment. Myeol-ge—”
Before he could finish speaking, Elderich shoved the Elixir into the master’s mouth.
The instant the Elixir entered his body, Jeon Jae-woo reacted.
‘This is insane…’
Soon, the sound of human bones shattering mixed with Jeon Jae-woo’s screams that seemed to fade into the void, echoing through the interior of the Ancient-grade Dungeon.
The pattern of torment repeated for a full five hours.
Pain as severe as that of a terminal cancer patient, then brief respite, then maddening agony again, then brief respite.
During that ordeal, Jeon Jae-woo nearly lost consciousness several times, but losing awareness in this situation would have been catastrophic.
In truth, Myeol-geop and Elderich were constantly providing care from his side, so there was no real danger to his life.
It was just that the pain was so unbearable he felt he might die.
‘God, this is too much pain.’
At this level of agony, he wondered if it wouldn’t be better to just die rather than endure the Elixir.
But he barely held on with the single conviction that he’d finally awakened, earned enormous wealth, and should use it all before dying.
And so, thrashing about until the shattered bones fused back together, he endured.
“Phew…”
At last, Jeon Jae-woo’s Physical Rebirth had come to an end.
‘Ah. My jaw hurts.’
He’d clenched his teeth so hard while writhing through the agony that his jaw ached now.
Though he’d endured such tremendous pain, Jeon Jae-woo’s Mana reserves hadn’t increased, nor had he gained any new traits.
Yet he could distinctly feel that something within his body had transformed.
It was as if a man fouled by the base impurities of alcohol and tobacco had become, in an instant, the healthiest person in the world.
‘But my body is clean.’
Usually, after undergoing Physical Rebirth, doesn’t the body reek of filth from all the waste matter that emerges?
“Ah. Every time this body exited through the Magic Art, I removed all the waste matter.”
Quite a useful bit of sorcery, that.
“In any case, I’m relieved it ended safely. Both of you worked hard.”
At that, Elderich picked up another Elixir and spoke.
“Then shall we go ahead and have you drink the next Elixir as well?”
Startled, Jeon Jae-woo desperately waved him off.
“Whoa, whoa. It’s getting late today, so let’s rest and start again tomorrow. It’s not easy for you to keep providing care either.”
“Well, it’s not particularly—”
This time, Myeol-geop agreed with Jeon Jae-woo’s judgment.
[Elderich. The Creator’s spirit growing weary is also undesirable. What we can provide is assistance in preventing the Creator’s body from collapsing—not spiritual sustenance.]
“Tsk. I suppose there’s no helping it.”
Jeon Jae-woo barely managed to exit the Dungeon alongside Elderich, who wore an expression of regret.
But once he stepped outside and opened his phone, he found dozens of messages waiting.
Of course, the person who’d sent several dozen messages was none other than Director Yu Jeong-tae.
‘What’s this? I haven’t caused any trouble this time around, have I?’
Transcendent-rank Hunter’s Dungeon Conquest Manual
Author
: Autumn
Production Date
: June 16, 2026
Publisher
: Aces Media Inc.
Editor
: Aces Media Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by Aces Media Inc. in accordance with the contract with the copyright holder.
Without the permission of this company and the author, the content may not be used in any form or by any means.
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UCI
: G720:N+A129-20260615033
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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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