Chapter 08

 Gate Navigator

[Warning! Mana Pollution 99%!]

[Warning! Mana Pollution 99%!]

[Warning! Mana Pollution 99%!]

Jeong-ho returned home. He held back his nausea and smiled.

[Defeated White Dragon Young 1/1]

[A-Rank Gate Cleared!]

[Contribution: Son Jeong-ho (100%)]

An A-rank gate opened in Myeong-dong. Jeong-ho heard the rumors and went to test his power.

To be honest, he was scared. He had grown stronger, but most of his stats were still F-rank. However, a gate raid is a group project. Even if he was weak, others would help.

‘But I took it down in one hit?’

The White Dragon had an ice element. It took double damage from fire. When he hit it with double force using his Mind Split technique, it melted in an instant.

[Gate Clear Reward: White Scale (Rare) x7]

[1st Place Contribution Rare Reward: Condensed White Breath (Unique) x1]

An Epic item did not drop, but that was fine. Items dropped by dragons were always worth one tier higher than their actual rank. And that was not all.

[Blessing of Abundance Activated!]

[Bonus Reward Obtained: White Scale (Rare) x7]

He got double rewards thanks to the Blessing of Abundance. There was still more.

[Defeated Plague Spore Warrior 1/1]

[C-Rank Gate Cleared!]

[Contribution: Son Jeong-ho (100%)]

The Yeongwol Gate had a plant-type monster, so it also took double fire damage. He completely burned and purified the mushroom that spread plagues.

He had used a remote gate entry ticket after seeing the emergency disaster message, and it was a huge success.

[Gate Clear Reward: Ten-Year Fallopia (Rare) x1]

[1st Place Contribution Rare Reward: Sticky Mushroom Spore (Unique) x1]

[Blessing of Abundance Activated!]

[Bonus Reward Obtained: Ten-Year Fallopia (Rare) x1]

Ten-Year Fallopia. Even though it was the lowest tier, an elixir was still an elixir. Using the ticket on a C-rank gate felt like a waste, but he was glad he used it while he could.

All of this meant money and magic stones. He could also choose to eat the elixir himself. Jeong-ho smiled brightly as he looked at his full inventory.

‘If I sell all of this, I can buy the Water Shield skill book.’

If only he could sell them on the Hunter-On Auction House.

To the outside world, Jeong-ho was still an F-rank hunter. His access to the auction house was strictly limited. On the other hand, selling to the Dimensional Shop [Dapanda] meant getting ripped off.

‘I can’t just step forward and reveal that I’m an EX-rank either.’

Li Wei was keeping a close eye on things. He needed to lie low until that situation settled down.

‘Let’s check the market prices first.’

As usual, Jeong-ho logged into Hunter-On without much thought, but the site was noisy with new news today as well.

• <Mysterious 100% A-Rank Clears Contribution! Gate Hunter Myeong-dong Single-Handedly with>

• <Ultra-Small Cleared Gate Gate. Hunter Myeong-dong Presumed Same Time! Yeongwol at be from in the to>

• <Local “It Bureau Express Gratitude. Hunter Management Not Residents States, Us.” Was>

‘Wait, this is my story?’

Surely, another set of gates hadn’t opened in Myeong-dong and Yeongwol at the same time.

Gates are holes. Once a hole is open in one place, monsters pour out through that existing hole rather than creating a new one elsewhere.

└ Did he clear Myeong-dong and Yeongwol at the same time? Is he Hong Gil-dong?

└ Maybe he uses teleportation.

└ Wow. I really respect him now. He’s an EX-rank, but he closed a low-reward C-rank gate himself.

└ Exactly. He’s different from Li Wei, who acts selfishly and only takes good rewards.

└ Rumor says the Myeong-dong gate was Li Wei’s trap. If all hunters gathered there, no one would stop the Yeongwol gate from exploding.

└ Really? But the EX-rank stopped it. Li Wei was completely outsmarted!

└ Haha. This is how you negotiate. “Hand over the EX-rank?” No way. Li Wei should beg the EX-rank for forgiveness.

Reading the comments made Jeong-ho feel shy. He had only used an extra remote entry ticket he happened to have.

At that moment, the only gates he knew about were Myeong-dong and Yeongwol. He knew Myeong-dong from rumors, and Yeongwol from the emergency text message.

After looking at the screen for a while, Jeong-ho turned off Hunter-On. Everywhere he looked, people were praising the EX-rank. Staring at it too long might ruin his mindset.

‘In the end, I didn’t even get to check the auction house prices.’

He thought about turning it back on, but gave up. He remembered what his father told him when he was young:

“Jeong-ho, do not cling to small successes. Always look ahead and keep moving forward.”

That was what his father said when he proudly boasted about getting 100 on a test. Back then he felt sad, but now he understood his father’s words.

He won the A-rank gate simply because the matchup was favorable. He beat it because it was a White Dragon, but what if it was a Red Dragon immune to fire?

The C-rank gate in Yeongwol was the same. He was lucky to have a remote entry ticket in his hands. If things went wrong, he could have been criticized instead.

‘The country is in danger, so what is the EX-rank doing?’ Jeong-ho understood that feeling, too. It was all out of love for the country. People had no choice but to place their hopes on the EX-rank.

‘Let’s go to the Tower of Eternity, settle accounts at [Dapanda], and buy the Water Shield skill book. Then cook a pot of ramen.’

Regaining his humility, Jeong-ho entered the Tower of Eternity.

“Slurp… Welcome to the Dimensional Shop… Ahem. [Dapanda].”

The Great Shadow Daeyoung said while slurping ramen.

“Slurp… Whatever you want… Ahem… Slurp.”

“How does it taste?”

Daeyoung slammed the empty pot onto the ground with a loud Bang!

“It is different from the previous ramen. The savory and sweet flavor is much stronger. It is less spicy. This tastes good too, but…”

A smacking sound came from the shadow beneath Daeyoung’s hood.

“I prefer the spicy one. This is not really my style. So today, there is no discount on the ramen.”

“I didn’t come for a discount. Please calculate the value of these items.”

Jeong-ho poured his inventory out in front of Daeyoung.

Living Gypsum (Common) x6, Bloodstone Ruby (Unique) x1, White Scale (Rare) x14, Condensed White Breath (Unique) x1, Ten-Year Fallopia (Rare) x2, Sticky Mushroom Spore (Unique) x1.

“You want me to buy these cheap imitations? When are you going to bring real artifacts?”

Daeyoung stretched out his shadow lazily and appraised the items.

“Listen carefully because I won’t say it twice. The price is based on lower-grade magic stones.”

Jeong-ho focused attentively.

“1 stone each for the Gypsum. 10 for the Bloodstone Ruby. 6 each for the White Scales. 80 for the Condensed White Breath. 10 each for the Ten-Year Fallopias. 100 for the Mushroom Spores. The total is 300 magic stones.”

Jeong-ho had gathered 270 magic stones from the Tower of Trials. Adding the 300 he just earned made 570 stones. The Water Shield skill book cost 550 magic stones. He could even save 20 magic stones!

“I won’t sell the two roots of Ten-Year Fallopia.”

“Why? To eat them? Don’t bother. Even if you eat them, they won’t have much effect.”

“Isn’t it always beneficial to consume elixirs?”

“Elixirs increase your tolerance the more you consume them. After eating a strong elixir, eating a weaker one does nothing.”

This was shocking news from Daeyoung. Did he miss out on potential stat gains until now? Seeing Jeong-ho panicked, Daeyoung laughed at him.

“Elixirs raise the lower limit of your stats. If you can already lift a 10kg dumbbell, why start with a 3kg dumbbell?”

That was a relief. Jeong-ho worried he had ruined his growth by eating the wrong elixirs, but fortunately, eating high-grade elixirs meant he didn’t need to eat low-grade ones.

“I understand. Still, I’ll keep the two roots of Ten-Year Fallopia.”

“Planning to sell them for money? You would be better off keeping the Bloodstone Ruby. You really have terrible eye for items.”

“Then, I’ll keep the Bloodstone Ruby and one Ten-Year Fallopia.”

“It’s a pain to keep track of a single fake Ten-Year Fallopia. Just take both roots.”

Daeyoung tossed the two roots of Ten-Year Fallopia as if it were a chore. Yet, he personally wrapped the Bloodstone Ruby with his shadow and handed it over.

“Thank you! Now, please give me the Water Shield skill book.”

Daeyoung sighed and handed over a soggy book.

• Skill Book: Original Water Shield (Legendary): Teaches Water Shield (Original).

Just as Jeong-ho was about to take the book, Daeyoung held onto it tightly and did not let go.

“Kuhuhu. Just in case, let me ask. You want water magic, not ice, right?”

“That’s right. Water, not ice. Why?”

“Ice magic is much stronger and has more variety. People usually look for ice magic; almost no one seeks water magic.”

‘But I can’t boil ramen with ice, can I?’ Jeong-ho took the Water Shield skill book.

As he flipped through a few pages, complex formulas and diagrams automatically entered his mind.

[Acquired Skill: Original Water Shield (Legendary)]

• Original Water Shield (Legendary): Wraps you in a protective shield of water.

Having successfully learned the Water Shield skill, Jeong-ho realized he could complete his offense and defense combination by using two skills at once through Mind Split.

He could protect himself with Water Shield while bombarding enemies with Fire Bolt. Depending on the situation, he could also fire a double-power Fire Bolt. This was all thanks to clearing two gates in a single day.

“Oh, by the way, do you sell remote gate entry tickets?”

After this event, Jeong-ho realized something. Gates have no daily entry limits. If remote entry was possible, it meant he could grow at an incredible speed!

“100 magic stones each.”

“That’s practically free!”

“Medium-grade magic stones.”

Jeong-ho’s face turned pale. The cost was way too high! Instead of growing, he would drain himself dry.

“Kuhuhu. Are you starting to crave gates that are far away?”

“I tried using one and it was very convenient. But it’s too expensive to buy.”

“Kuhuhu. It is expensive because someone who isn’t a hero is trying to act like one. Once you climb to the 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes, you won’t need these useless tickets. You will obtain authority.”

Jeong-ho’s ears perked up. What would he get on the 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes?

“What authority do you get on the 2nd floor?”

“Gate Navigator. It opens the Dimensional Sight. You can see from a high-dimensional perspective when and where gates will open and close. You can also enter any gate immediately.”

Jeong-ho’s eyes widened. That was an authority that made remote entry tickets useless paper.

“Kuhuhu. Don’t be foolish. Even if you luckily cleared the 1st floor, the 2nd floor is impossible for you. The challenge of the 2nd floor is the Silent Desert. It is a place where even excellent seeds of heroes become broken human wrecks.”

“Do monsters spawn in that desert?”

“Monsters? There is nothing there! Only yourself. You must survive alone for one month in a mental desert where all senses are stripped away.”

‘Sensory deprivation for a whole month? That’s completely free!’

Jeong-ho had survived three years in a study room preparing for job exams, where even the sound of turning a page couldn’t be heard.

Compared to that, just one month? Besides, it wasn’t a study room, it was a desert. He could go for walks, or take quiet naps.

“Kuhuhu. The most terrible part is that time flows differently from reality. You will suffer pain for a month, but to others, only 1 second passes. Can you endure the pain of solitude that no one can sympathize with?”

Not getting recognition from others was the exact same as preparing for job exams. Furthermore, only 1 second passes in reality? Just using that time to catch up on sleep would be amazing.

“Mr. Daeyoung, I’m off to the 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes. See you later!”

“What? Wait, hold on! It’s much harder than the 1st floor! You might really become a broken wreck!”

Jeong-ho brushed off Daeyoung and ran up the stairs of the Tower of Heroes.

“No! Don’t go! If you become a wreck, who is going to cook my ramen?!”

[Entering the 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes.]

[2nd Floor Goal: Endure 1 month in the Silent Desert.]

[Warning! This floor cannot be given up halfway.]

Jeong-ho arrived at the desert. It was a desolate golden desert without a single cactus or oasis. However, if there was no water, he could just make it.

[Using Skill: Original Water Shield]

[Wraps in a protective shield of water.]

A cool blue water shield wrapped around Jeong-ho. But wait. The description didn’t specify who it wraps around.

Jeong-ho smiled brightly and pointed toward the middle of the sandy field.

“Water Shield.”

Whoosh! Deep blue water swirled into a round ball. If he cast it one more time using Mind Split? An oasis was complete.

‘I’m glad I learned a water skill instead of ice.’

He didn’t expect to use it like this on the 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes. Ice was useless in a desert. Sunlight reflected off ice would hurt his eyes, and it would evaporate as soon as it melted.

‘This is great! This is a vacation. Should I practice my skills while resting?’

Until now, Original Fire Bolt was so strong that he didn’t need to train. However, relying solely on skills to climb the tower would lead to trouble.

The Tower of Trials was literally a tower of trials. Jeong-ho had overheard rumors that there were many trials capable of killing even S-rank hunters. Even EX-ranks couldn’t afford to lower their guard.

‘At the very least, I should use the skills I have properly.’

Besides, Jeong-ho had the Mind Split technique. He could use two skills simultaneously, a method unique to him that others couldn’t do, so he needed to get used to it.

When he used Fire Bolt and Water Shield at the same time…

Fisshhhh!!

“?!”

White steam billowed up, covering the ground in clouds. At the same time:

[Discovered a new skill!: Original Deep Cloud (Legendary)]

• Deep Cloud: Covers the area in clouds. The properties of the clouds can be altered using other elements.

‘I discovered a skill? Wait. I can combine skills using Mind Split?’

[Warning! Mana Pollution 99%!]

[Warning! Mana Pollution 99%!]

[Warning! Mana Pollution 99%!]

Jeong-ho wiped the blood from his mouth and grinned. Mana pollution wasn’t important right now. He just realized the true value of Mind Split!

Right now, he could only combine Fire Bolt and Water Shield, but what if he gained more skills?

The number of possible combinations would be infinite. The skills he could learn for free would also be infinite.

‘Master Kang Tae-gong, thank you!’

1 second later. The Great Shadow Daeyoung was fidgeting anxiously.

“Kuhuhu. If that guy turns into a wreck, it’s a big problem. Mmm… When I ate that ramen today, it didn’t feel that special, but why do I keep thinking about it after eating?”

Thud, thud. Footsteps echoed coming down the stairs. Daeyoung’s red eyes trembled anxiously. Soon, Jeong-ho walked down from the staircase.

“Kuhuhu. Who are you…?”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Damn it. Did you end up becoming a wreck after all?”

“No, I didn’t! I had extra time, so I studied English.”

Daeyoung’s eyes expanded to twice their size, then shrank back to normal.

“Kuhuhu. Your life is truly stubborn. A rubber band would be less stubborn than you.”

“Anyway, thanks for telling me about the 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes. Thanks to you, I even discovered a new skill.”

[Cleared 2nd floor of the Tower of Heroes!]

[Clear Rank: EX]

[EX-Rank Special Reward: Awakening the Power of a Hero!]

[Hero Power Stage 2 Unlocked!]

[Acquired Authority: Gate Navigator]

• Gate Navigator: Opens Dimensional Sight to look down upon the world from a higher-dimensional perspective, showing when and where gates open and close. You can also immediately enter any desired gate.

“I also got a lifetime free pass for remote entries.”

“Kuhuhu. Foolish. The true value of that authority lies elsewhere. It is a true hero’s power, incomparable to a mere remote entry ticket. You will know once you try using it.”

Jeong-ho nodded and activated the authority.

[Using Authority: Gate Navigator]

[Opening Dimensional Sight!]

Flash!

Jeong-ho’s consciousness floated upward, and a globe unfolded beneath his feet. He could see gates about to open, gates already open, and unstable gates on the verge of exploding in various colors across the globe.

‘Wow. This really is incomparable to a remote entry ticket.’

Just then, he noticed a gate near Korea. It was an unusually large and unstable pink and purple gate.

<Gate (???) Chaos Gate Type:>

<Time 41:27:41 Opening: Remaining Until>