Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Ladder Raffle
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Beep-beep—beep-beep—beep-beep—
The grating noise shattered the room's silence.
In the darkness, a small sand doll perched on the desk twitched.
The doll didn't have a name yet.
Its owner called it "Proto" for convenience.
Proto turned its head toward the source of the noise.
A small rectangular device by the owner's bedside was flashing and blaring. That was the culprit.
The owner didn't stir. She seemed lost in deep sleep.
Proto steeled itself. It had to stop that noise.
Proto leaped down from the desk.
Its roughly 10cm body landed softly on a pile of clothes.
No impact.
The bed was far away.
To its tiny body, it felt like scaling a massive mountain.
Proto huffed and puffed as it climbed the bed leg, finally reaching the offending device.
Unreadable text flashed on the screen.
Proto recalled what its owner had done.
Swipe the screen with a finger, and the noise stopped.
Proto pressed its tiny sand finger to the screen.
Then it swiped sideways.
[Fingerprint does not match.]
The screen turned red.
It couldn't read the text, but it knew what this meant.
Proto felt a shock like the world had stopped.
It was the owner's duplicate. A being molded after the owner in every way.
So why was this stupid machine rejecting it?
Proto tried again and again. But the result was the same.
Only one option left.
Use the owner's finger directly.
Proto grunted as it grabbed one of the sleeping owner's fingers.
Then it pulled with all its might toward the device.
But it wouldn't budge.
The owner's single finger was the size of Proto's entire body.
The size difference was overwhelming.
In the end, Proto resorted to its last measure.
Wake the owner.
It climbed back down to the floor and headed to the desk.
There, it picked up the sharpest, pointiest weapon from its training gear.
***
"Ack!"
A sharp pain stabbing my sole jolted me awake.
Groaning, I opened my eyes to an unbelievable sight.
A sand clone the size of my finger was wielding a toothpick like a spear, jabbing my foot.
As I sat up, it lowered the toothpick, seemingly satisfied.
"What the hell... Why'd you do that?"
I muttered in a sleepy voice.
Daring to wake me up.
This thing was getting way too bold.
Should I just melt it back into sand?
"Why didn't the barrier activate, though..."
A sudden doubt crossed my mind.
If my guess was right, the auto-defense skill should trigger even while I slept now.
"...Must've flagged it as friendly."
I nodded in understanding.
It wasn't an external enemy.
It was part of my body, made from my magic.
No intent to harm me, either.
So the system recognized it as an ally.
The sand clone huffed as it climbed back up and pointed at the phone by my head.
Beep-beep—beep-beep—beep-beep—
Only then did the annoying alarm that woke me register.
"Oh... what the hell is that?"
Racking my brain, I vaguely remembered.
The 7 a.m. wake-up alarm I'd ambitiously set to build a routine—never once followed.
I stretched out an arm and swiped the phone screen roughly.
The noise stopped.
"Ugh..."
I burrowed back under the covers. Just five more minutes.
Right then.
Ow.
Sharp pain hit my sole again.
"Hey! What the fuck?"
I snapped irritably, and the clone pointed at the phone again.
But this time, it seemed to mean something else.
It alternated pointing between my phone and its training smartphone, desperately trying to convey something.
"You want me to turn on the phone? Right now?"
The clone nodded vigorously.
"Fuck, this is insane..."
I clutched my throbbing head and got up.
In the end, I unlocked the training phone as it wanted.
Only then did the clone settle in front of it, satisfied.
It resumed watching yesterday's video.
"Sigh..."
I sighed and sat at my computer.
Sleep was ruined anyway.
Earlier than usual, but time to start the day's routine.
***
My daily routine starts with browsing the Hunter Gallery.
Before I knew it, Proto had climbed onto my shoulder.
It grabbed a few strands of my hair and swung them wildly in the air, playing around.
"Hey, that tickles."
It ignored my scolding.
If anything, it swung harder.
Damn, should I make it a friend or something?
But two fewer fingers would be inconvenient...
Typing would slow down.
I sighed and turned to the screen.
[Title: Surprisingly Hot Character.jpg]
[Title: Crabs Are Always Damn Tasty....]
[Title: Tank for 12th Floor, LFG. Girls Only.]
The usual bait posts, shitposts, and occasional LFGs.
I scrolled endlessly with my brain on autopilot.
Then my finger stopped at one post.
[✪ Title: Got some free time, so I cleaned the house.]
Author: Anon (119.204)
I'm a healer, but work's dried up lately. Tough times.
Gotta stay chill in situations like this.
Keep grinding, everyone.
(Apartment living room with Han River view.jpg)
(Foreign luxury car keys on table.jpg)
"That's the guy from before. Doesn't he get tired?"
The same B-Rank Healer who'd briefly set the gallery ablaze with his 3 billion asset proof last time.
He'd upped the ante.
Blatant photos. Condescending tone.
Textbook flex.
Sure enough, the comments were on the verge of explosion.
> Not jealous of that Han River view at all. Tower blocks it anyway~
>> Spill it without crying
> That car a Lamborghini? ㅗㅜㅑ
> Gas is precious, walk bitch.
> How much salary for that life?
>> (Author) Just a modest 200 mil this month? Still miles from A-Ranks.
Raw envy and admiration poured in.
The poster, the B-Rank Healer, played humble while grinding everyone's gears.
"That bastard..."
I swallowed my quiet rage watching it.
He's the one ruining our gallery.
"My Hunter Gal isn't like this..."
This was a wholesome space for sharing info, occasionally ripping into each other for fun.
Not some place dividing classes and stirring discord.
Not that I'm pissed off or anything.
I have to protect the gallery's peace.
Something only I can do.
"Man, it's rare to see someone working this hard for the gal's harmony anymore?"
No more shitty flexes polluting the waters. Time to dry his seed completely.
I hammered the keyboard with a determined face.
"Flexing money in the gal ain't done like that."
[Title: Chicken Raffle: 1 Winner. 5 mins.]
Author: Anon (G33.333)
That flexing retard below has no chill.
If you're flexing cash, at least run a raffle first. Agreed?
Comments flooded in the moment my post went up.
But they weren't what I'd hoped.
> Pass
>> Oh fuck, Top Troll's at it again. No way~
> You starting bait again?
> Dude got no job? Seems glued to the gal 20 hours a day.
> Fr, scary part is he's posting right before bed, and he's there when I wake up.
> Would be all-time post/comment legend if it was Gonik ㅋㅋ
"Why doesn't anyone believe me?"
What was the point of my hardworking rep all this time?
Tears welled at this harsh world where good intentions go unrewarded.
I'm slaving away to protect the gallery's peace.
[Title: Proof) I'm Sending It For Real]
Author: Anon (G33.333)
(Chicken Giftcon Purchase Screenshot.jpg)
Sent to the first commenter via guestbook. Check it.
As the proof post hit, the gallery's vibe shifted subtly.
Soon, the first commenter posted confirmation.
[Title: Yo, I Actually Got Chicken ㅗㅜㅑ]
Author: Poochujji
(Giftcon Used Proof Shot.jpg)
Loyal to Top Troll!
That sparked the gallery into frenzy.
> Fuck, should've lined up
> Top Troll, one more round. I'll upvote every post from now on
> Can't you just give to me? We were good.
The mood heated up.
I seized the moment and posted next.
[Title: Two More Rounds. ㅋㅋ]
Author: Anon (G33.333)
5 mins. 2 winners.
Comments exploded the instant it posted.
Dozens per second, scroll going wild.
> Line
> Line
> Line
At time, I ran the raffle and sent the chicken.
Proof posts piled up, turning the gallery into a festival.
> Top Troll punch! Top Troll punch! Top Troll punch!
> Is Top Troll a god? Is Top Troll a god? Is Top Troll a god?
> Bro, that guy who got one just deleted his "Who believes this shit?" post. Reroll?
People went wild.
But I wasn't stopping.
This was just the start.
[Title: Three More.]
Reactions shifted slightly.
Faint bewilderment mixed with cheers.
> Wait, again?
> 1+2+3=6 already ㅗㅜㅑ
> Dude's loaded.
> Landlord?
> Not getting hacked if I win, right?
Watching them, I spaced out adding one chicken at a time.
[Title: Four.]
[Title: Five.]
The gallery's joyful vibe had completely flipped.
No more chicken hype.
All eyes locked on one thing.
Me. Top Troll's identity.
> Come to think, Top Troll proved gear before. 30F boss set.
> A-Rank party member then?
> Could be A-Rank themselves. You'd give party gear?
> But A-Ranks all use Gonik.
> Who then? No one skips Gonik and does this.
> Makes no sense. A full-time shitposter can't be A-Rank ㅜㅜ
> Fr, if true, country's doomed.
[Title: 10th Round Going Out]
Joy turned to awe, then fear.
> Bro why, I'm scared...
> Wtf is this guy?
> Chicken 55 raffled??
> 1 mil burned on gal in 10 mins ㅗㅜㅑ
>> Chicken's 50k each now, that's 3 mil.
>> Wtf when'd chicken prices rise again fml.
> Next 11?
And finally.
When my raffles hit 100 chickens.
[Title: 100 Hit. Going to Bed.]
The gallery detonated.
[Title: 100 Raffled and Somehow No One Missed ㅋㅋㅋ]
[Title: Fml Slept and Woke to What??]
[Title: From Today, 100 Updoodles Per Top Troll Post]
Of course, some trolls tried ruining the vibe.
[Title: Gal's Ruined. Anon Ban Gal and You're Nichanning?]
But trolls got quashed by the righteous.
> Mad cuz no chicken? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
>> Chicken? Buy your own.
>>> So you got chicken? Nope? Salty?
>>> Can't talk? Running? Salty?
>>> Fucker, where you live?
[Title: Even Losers Lined Up ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
(Loser Saying "Line" on Raffle Capture.jpg)
> Fuckin loser!!!
> Eraser getting chicken tho?
> Think of it as loser coughing up the chicken = doodle ㅋㅋ
[Title: Han River Fucker Deleted and Went Pantsless ㅋㅋㅋ]
(Pre-Delete Archive.jpg)
Delete all you want. Screenshots everywhere~.
> From now, "flexing cash" <<<[Means 100 chickens first. Doodle ㅋㅋ] Fr, no-flex-under-100 auto 30-day ban.
The B-Rank Healer became the perfect roast target, pinned in memes.
Gallery peace restored, my rep redeemed. Satisfying day.
"Whew, tiring."
I leaned back in my chair, muttering.
A wave of pride.
100 chickens. Nearly 500k gone, but no regrets.
"Spending like that was more fun than I thought..."
I'd never really spent big after that windfall.
Always frugal, no idea where to blow it.
Decision made. Gotta flex like this sometimes.
"More cash, where to blow it..."
Pondering uses, certain people popped up.
Folks who'd kept helping me.
Still can't fully trust people. My wiring's all twisted, I guess.
But repaying what I owe—isn't that basic decency?
"Well, they're living better than me now anyway."
Tough to repay now.
A-Rank soon enough. Plenty of chances.
I booted up my computer again.
Hunter Gal still festing with praise posts and identity theories.
Seeing my name plaster the pinned memes? Pure bliss.
Screenshot, save.
Tucked it away in my desktop folder.
"Pull this out on blue days..."
Then I hit the Mage Gallery.
Quiet as ever.
Kinda disappointing.
Wanted chaos here too.
I cautiously posted.
[Title: Who Ate Chicken Today?]
Author: Anon (G33.333)
Luckily, Pkaetchu commented right away, like waiting.
> Pkaetchu: Got 10 chickens thanks to you ㅋㅋ Used all my alts.
"What? Scooped 10 out of 100?"
I was speechless.
This one's methods were on another level.
Still, her gloom from the past few days seemed gone. Good.
"But 10 is a bit much... A-Rank Hunter okay with that?"
Other mages trickled in.
> MagicIsFirepower: Dude, don't waste on this shit. Spend on yourself. What a waste.
> Anon (G33.333): This is for me. Man can't live on bread alone.
> MagicIsFirepower: Wtf r u on?
> Pkaetchu: 500k to become gal king. Worth it. Might try next.
"You get me..."
But don't copy. Steals my shine.
Then, an unexpected comment. Dungbeetle.
> Dungbeetle: Got one too. Thanks.
> Fridge: Wait, you too? Unbelievable.
> Dungbeetle: Yeah. Was hungry, eat well.
S-Rank lining for chicken raffle.
I burst out laughing.
Truly, I'm the only normal one here.
A truly satisfying day.