Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: War on Mission Gates
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When Jeong-hyeon first told his story, Geun-hwa looked like he couldn't believe it.
And who could have imagined a Grand Mantis showing up in a level 5 gate?
Even the Vice Guild members who entered with Jeong-hyeon were, at best, specs that could suffer heavy casualties or even get wiped out by a single ordinary Grand Mantis.
But two of those bosses, and they could use magic too?
It was a situation that defied common sense for clearing.
So Geun-hwa suspected Jeong-hyeon had simply mistaken a variant mantis for something more.
Even a regular mantis variant that could use magic would qualify as a boss.
But it didn't take long for the truth to come out.
"Vice Guild Leader, you might want to come out for a moment."
The employee who had brought the pickaxe test results earlier entered with another staff member and cautiously called for Geun-hwa.
"What's wrong? Something happen?"
"There's... an issue with the monster corpses. It's faster if you see it yourself."
"......!"
Geun-hwa frowned briefly, annoyed at the interruption of their important conversation.
But only for a moment.
He looked shocked, as if he'd guessed something.
"No way, the Grand Mantis?"
There shouldn't be any problems with corpses that popped out after clearing a gate.
But if they were calling him out like this, it meant something major and unusual had happened—and it reminded him of the unbelievable story Jeong-hyeon had just told.
The employee nodded with a slightly surprised expression, confirming his guess.
"Yes. Two Grand Mantises...... This doesn't make any sense."
"Huh...... Got it. I'll go check."
Geun-hwa waved the employee away.
Jeong-hyeon, who had overheard the conversation, smiled faintly.
"Why would I lie about something that'd get busted right away? I caught two, like I said."
Geun-hwa was too drained to be shocked anymore.
With a slightly dazed look, he asked,
"Who the hell are you, exactly?"
"HJH Gate Office president."
It wasn't the answer to Geun-hwa's question, but it conveyed Jeong-hyeon's intent better than any other response could.
Geun-hwa nodded.
"We'll confirm the details you mentioned and post about it on the guild homepage and SNS as soon as verification is complete. Once you've rested, please visit the guild whenever you're free, and we'll show you the warehouse."
It was a full surrender.
***
After wrapping up with Vice Guild, Jeong-hyeon returned home.
The first thing he did, naturally, was check the results from this hunt.
Of course, he tossed the so-called artifact pickaxe into a corner of the room without a second glance.
[Current Coins Held: 27]
"Crazy......"
And the haul was more than satisfying—it was overflowing.
He'd left 1 coin last time, so he'd earned 26 just from this hunt.
'10 of those are clear rewards, so 16 even without them?'
Well, he'd left mining to the party members and hunted solo, so it wasn't that surprising.
Plus, excluding cockroaches, they were all new monsters, so the drop rates were decent.
'Mission gates really make coin farming viable now.'
It was an amount he'd need three regular gate hunts to scrape together.
No—considering he'd move to level 6 gates soon, maybe just twice.
He'd survived a near-death experience, but all in all, not bad.
With more coins than expected, Jeong-hyeon pulled up the shop.
You earn resources to spend them, right?
"Now if only a slot expansion ticket would show up......"
His biggest goal was, of course, the slot expansion ticket.
He had 7 slots now, but they were starting to feel tight.
No matter how many traits you had, shortages elsewhere made them feel lacking.
'How do other hunters even survive with just one trait?'
The mere thought was suffocating.
What if he'd only had the movement speed trait?
Shaking off the dreadful idea, Jeong-hyeon cleared his mind.
He was a man about to burn coins.
No room for negativity.
"I've got something prepared for this."
Trait shopping deserved every ounce of luck he could muster.
He grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the fridge.
He sprinkled a few drops on his hands and flicked them toward the system window.
It was the famous spring water he'd fetched at dawn from a nearby mountain.
He'd even let it sit in a white bowl for two hours.
With hands clasped in prayer like a sacred ritual, eyes closed, he refreshed the list.
[The list has been refreshed.]
At the notification sound, Jeong-hyeon cautiously peeked with half-open eyes to check the list.
'If nothing good shows after all this, seriously—'
Of course, he didn't forget to mentally threaten the system.
"Jackpot!"
[「Ripe Throwing Skill」(C, Lv.1), 4C]
Perfect hit.
No need for words—he bought it immediately.
[「Ripe Throwing Skill」 advances to 「Stealthy Throwing Technique」.]
"Amazing."
Honestly, C-rank descriptors were meh.
Either underwhelming praise or just average.
But B-rank ones? They screamed quality.
Especially "Stealthy"—it had style that made Jeong-hyeon grin secretly.
Sure, bragging "I've got the B-rank 「Stealthy Throwing Technique」 trait" might feel awkward.
But his main trait—arguably his core one—had leveled up ranks, so he was satisfied.
[The list has been refreshed.]
"?"
In his good mood, he refreshed again.
Jeong-hyeon doubted his eyes.
[「Burning Flame Magic」(C, Lv.1), 4C]
'Fire magic too?'
Sure, fire magic had popped up plenty before.
How many coins had he burned leveling up?
But they were all F or E-rank—too iffy to save for now—so he'd passed.
C-rank, though? Worth it.
He had 5 empty slots left after the throwing trait upgrade.
No hesitation—he bought the C-rank fire magic.
'No way my luck's this good.'
Normally, he'd have refreshed 10 times by now, raged, and blown all coins.
Only 12 spent, and results too good.
'Throwing me a candy for the hard hunt?'
With lingering suspicion, he refreshed once more.
When the new 5-slot list appeared.
'This is weird. Too weird. Definitely off.'
[C-Rank Trait Level-Up Ticket, 4C]
The suspiciously perfect luck made joy give way to unease.
The trait level-up ticket unlocked when the Trait Shop hit level 5.
Possible since unlocked, but this timing?
"Hah, well, I just upgraded throwing to B-rank...... Ahaha, that's why the C-rank ticket. Got it now."
His luck couldn't be this good.
So Jeong-hyeon twisted himself into bizarrely trying to interpret it negatively.
If the level-up ticket had appeared before throwing upgraded, he'd have used it there.
Then B-rank?
Essentially free near-max B-rank 6 throwing.
Of course, it was just self-rationalization.
C-rank max was 5 anyway, so unclear if applicable to throwing.
[You have purchased the C-Rank Level-Up Ticket.
Which trait will you use it on?]
[「Excellent Movement Speed」(C) proficiency level increased from 3→4.]
He still had his scam-of-scams C-rank movement speed trait.
Magic enchantment was only level 2, not feeling short yet—low level meant guaranteed growth to a point.
"Whew......"
After using the level-up ticket, Jeong-hyeon sighed deeply.
Suspicious—way too suspicious.
How much hell would the next hunt be to compensate for this generosity?
9 coins left anyway.
Whatever came next, he felt a mission to spend them all now.
Strike while the iron's hot, right?
'Scared of the future and miss this flow? Total loser move.'
Never spent coins this fruitfully since awakening.
Now, braced for anything, he refreshed again.
And,
"Nooooooo!"
He tore at his hair, screaming.
No decent traits at all?
He wouldn't scream then.
Even all F-ranks filling the list? He'd shrug.
It was the exact opposite.
[「Transcendent Blunt Technique」(A, Lv.1), 6C]
An absurd trait had appeared.
The blunt mastery he'd longed for—now A-rank.
Its nature would massively boost his lacking strength too.
Cave orcs from this hunt?
He could swat them like flies.
7 coins left too.
Not even short.
But the problem was elsewhere.
'An A-rank pops, and I can't use it......'
What good is A-rank?
No slots.
Suddenly, the fog cleared in Jeong-hyeon's mind—everything clicked.
The system was saying:
I'll give you the goods.
If you can even use them.
"Sigh......"
After agonizing, Jeong-hyeon sighed.
[You have purchased 「Transcendent Blunt Technique」(A, Lv.1).]
He bought the trait.
But tears welled in his eyes as he did.
"A-rank...... An A-rank......"
His first A-rank.
And it shows when no slots free?
Swap with another?
He'd considered it.
But tampering with his perfect synergy setup?
No way. 『Best Defense is Evasion 2』 synergies were untouchable.
Half his scam combat power came from there.
'Can't mess with 『Basics of Magic Usage』 synergy either.'
Mana sensitivity meshed perfectly with combat sense.
It let him spot unique weaknesses often.
Magic enchantment same.
Essential for neutral imbues now, among others.
Only the newly B-rank throwing left.
'Too strong to swap for A-rank level 1.'
Throwing was OP solo.
No blunt? Mace still fine.
No throwing? Onyx dagger and Black gone too.
Opportunity cost for blunt swap: massive.
So, swallow tears, warehouse it.
Then—
Jeong-hyeon's eyes blazed.
'No slot for A-rank?'
Solution simple.
'Yeah, grind coins for slot expansion ticket.'
Mission gate coin rates proven high.
No way no slot ticket in 700 coins.
Jeong-hyeon called someone immediately.
-Hello? Boss! Gate go okay?
"Minji, hell schedule starts now."
-Huh? What do you......
"Forward every decent offer to me from now on."
The moment Jeong-hyeon declared war on mission gates—and the system.