Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title The Rise and Fall of Padak
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*Padak*
The moment I opened the gallery, titles related to Padak jumped out at me.
[Self-Proclaimed B-Rank Hunter's 10th Floor Strategy.txt]
[Wait, is Padak seriously D-Rank?]
[Exposing the Ugly Deeds of Padak 'RealDog'.]
"What the hell is going on?"
One thing was clear.
The gallery was in chaos.
I quickly started skimming through the gallery posts.
But grasping the situation wasn't easy.
Countless posts and troll threads were being deleted in real-time.
The gallery was a tangled mess of conflicting stories.
"If something like this happens, shouldn't someone step up quick and write a summary thread?"
I grumbled to myself.
Not a single proper situation summary in sight?
No choice. I started flipping back through the board, piecing it together myself.
After scrolling up several pages and clicking through posts, I finally found the spark that started it all.
It was a plain info post where Padak and an anon were chatting about the 10th floor boss.
I recalled the 10th floor boss.
"Orc Warlord? Was there anything special to talk about there?"
Of course, I hadn't experienced the other difficulties myself.
Still, I'd picked up some info from the gallery.
Easy and Normal didn't have the monster I'd fought.
Hard did feature something called the Orc Warlord.
But from the details I'd heard, it didn't sound like the same mob I'd faced.
I thought back to that guy's monstrous attack power.
No way a Hard-mode boss could swing its arm once and explode people's upper bodies like that.
More than anything, no one had ever seen an ominous message like 'The Warlord Remembers You' after clearing.
Out of curiosity, I checked out the comments they'd exchanged.
Padak was giving strategy tips on the 10th floor boss.
The problem? Padak's advice had some glaring errors.
> RealDog□: Warlord goes berserk at 10% HP. CC it down and burst it.
> ㅇㅇ(121.178): No such pattern? That's the Orc Berserker.
> RealDog□: Oh lol, mixed up Hard and Normal. My bad;
> ㅇㅇ(121.178): Normal boss isn't a Berserker either? Who are you?
> RealDog□: Ah, it was Easy. Got mixed up explaining from my Hard clear.
> ㅇㅇ(121.178): Dude. Make sense. How do you write Hard strat and end up on Easy tips?
An anon's pointed question at Padak's suspicious claims.
From that comment, things started getting weird.
> Come to think of it, Padak was off when talking about 10th floor trash mobs last time too.
> Oh, not just me then.
> Padak's B-Rank though?
As doubts about Padak's rank surfaced, Padak started defending himself.
> RealDog□: I am B-Rank, currently climbing the 33rd floor with an A-Rank party.
> Excuse me. You cleared Hard, right? Why B-Rank on 33rd instead of A ㅋㅋ.
> Sigh... You bored punk hit the jackpot.
The contradictions kept piling up.
Finally, the mood escalated to demanding hunter verification from Padak.
But he never delivered.
Soon after, the verdict dropped.
Padak was C-Rank at best. Or D-Rank.
Hell, maybe not even awakened—a normie.
The gallery naturally exploded.
> No way an A-Rank hangs here in the first place? What were we expecting?
> Fr ㅋㅋ 90% here are hunter wannabes or D-Ranks headed for the border. Why would anyone real show?
> From what I know, As have their own private community. I'd skip this dump too.
"No, I do though..."
On top of that, as far as I knew, the Hunter Gallery definitely had at least one S-Rank.
Ah, and pkkjtoo.
They scarfed down 10 chickens last time.
"Sigh, so why pretend to know shit?"
I let out a sigh.
Seeing everyone genuinely pissed off hurt my heart.
Like my fun toy got broken.
This wouldn't do.
The gallery had to stay fun.
Always.
That was my one ironclad rule.
"Guess I gotta step in here."
I decided to clean up this mess.
To do that, I needed to toss out new bait.
Bigger, spicier bait to douse these flames.
I typed out one line that would shut down the chaos in an instant.
[Title: So When Do We Pick the New Padak?]
Author: ㅇㅇ(B99.9C9)
Anyway, one died, so gotta recruit a new one, right?
> Huh? Yeah?
> Draft time ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
> Goons sweating ㅋㅋㅋ
> Pick a real hunter this time.
Not long after, the gallery owner posted a Padak draft notice too.
That one line flipped the hostile gallery mood.
Hunter Gallery buzzing again with excitement for fresh content.
I nodded in satisfaction.
"Yeah. This is it. This is how the gallery should be."
I didn't want to see it burning over crap like before.
This place had to stay a fun playground.
No matter what.
Meanwhile, I started laying groundwork for the next phase.
[Title: Honestly, Why Bother with Padak?]
Author: ㅇㅇ(B99.9C9)
Fr, just posting gets attention
Work hard? They bitch about bans
Slacking? They bitch no troll ban
Place full of whiners
Why even do this?
> Don't you know Padak gets paid?
On the surface, just me yelling not to pick a Padak.
But my real intent was the opposite.
"I wanna be Padak...!"
Why pass up becoming gallery armband?
Me posting gets attention?
How's that a downside?
Just thinking about that throne makes my chest swell.
But I couldn't straight-up beg for it.
Gotta act reluctant like this, then smoothly accept later.
Perfect plan.
But soon I realized a fatal flaw in my perfect plan.
"Right, I'm an anon."
Padak's only for fixed nicks.
Of course, I'd prepped for this—abandoned a fixed-nick account after farming some posts/comments.
Problem was, it'd been dormant so long, no shot at Padak.
"Really didn't wanna use this. No choice."
I messaged the gallery owner via the email I'd snagged during the chicken ladder.
Slipped in a chicken gift icon.
Reply came fast.
[Re: Make Me Padak]
You nuts? Give Padak to you of all people?
Hand armband to a troll like you, I'd get booted too.
Plus you're anon. How's an anon get Padak?
"One chicken's not enough? Pricey bastard."
[Re: Re: Make Me Padak]
(Chicken gift.jpg)
[Re: Re: Re: Make Me Padak]
Y'know, no reason I can't.
Send your fixed-nick ID if you got one.
I'll hook you up with Padak right away.
Pls don't do anything weird, thx.
"There we go."
Two chickens. 100k spent, but worth it.
Padak's got value.
Soon, the owner's new notice went up.
[Notice] New Padak Draft Complete.
Appointing ㅇㅇ(wlqdp) as new Padak.
Refuse draft = 30-day ban.
I stared blankly at the monitor.
My lips crept up without me noticing.
"Ehehe..."
A sinister chuckle echoed through the room.
Perfect. Now I had invincible power.
But I never got arrogant.
"With great power comes great responsibility."
I planned to pin my own posts as highlights.
Of course, couldn't pin everything blatant.
Zero recs, zero comments? Too obvious. Way too obvious.
Gotta be subtle, play it smart.
Logged in with my new Padak nick and posted.
[Title: "Know what a parasite says when the horse gets thirsty?"]
"Host, water me."
"Indeed."
> Fuck off.
> "Indeed." Agreed lol
> Dorrat dorrat den.
"Not bad reaction."
Padak tag made even my usual shitposts rack up views/recs.
6 recs, 3 comments.
Highlight cutoff in Hunter Gallery is 15 recs.
I self-rec'd 9 more.
Not rigging. Padaks get multiple votes by default. Common knowledge.
Seeing my post proudly highlighted eased my mind, made the whole day feel golden.
Might as well drop another.
[Title: "In early Joseon, they didn't count to 4."]
"So that's where Prince Sado came from."
"Indeed."
> Step it up
> (Du....)
[Recs 3] [Comments 2]
What? Only 3 recs?
This shit's hilarious, why no one's rec'ing?
No good.
Prime info like this belongs for all to see.
Used armband power to highlight it too.
Comment dropped right after.
> Posting nothing but lame unfunny drips as highlights. Someone rigging?
"Smartasses like you are the worst."
Banned that ID quick.
Hm, now we're good.
Birth of the perfect Hunter Gallery.
[Title: "Know the coldest spot in a car?"]
That's when I posted yet another.
Sudden explosion of comment alerts.
Puzzled, I opened the comment section.
> ?? Why's Padak nick like that?
> ID changed too?
> Wait, seen this somewhere.
> Nah, it's that guy. Top anon.
Chaos over my nick.
Finally checked the nick on my posts.
77H.88H(rkrh)□
F99.R88(tlvek)□
"What?"
Same weird IP format I always used.
Not just nick—even the ID kept shifting.
"What the hell!"
I yelped in horror.
The curse from that magic-sapping geezer was still active.
No, it hits fixed nicks too?
Wasn't the effect supposed to weaken?
While I spat curses solo.
Gallery spiraled beyond my control.
[Title: New Padak Self-Pinning His Own Shitposts as Highlights lololol]
An anon screenshotted my highlighted post history.
Gif of recs jumping 10 at a time per second.
"You...! Filthy anon scum dares...!"
I gritted my teeth.
About to mass-ban anons without hesitation.
But the guy didn't stop—dropped another post.
[Title: Banning Everyone Calling Him Out lololol]
Screenshot clear as day of the ban log.
Seeing it, strength drained from my body.
My arms went limp.
"It's over...."
Now me and the owner who appointed me were gallery public enemy #1.
Owner handed off to another Padak without a fuss and peaced out.
I got booted from Padak in seconds.
Glanced at the clock on a whim.
All this in just one hour.
"One-hour reign?"
Twisting on the bed in frustration.
Knock knock.
Doorbell? No, front door knock.
Dragged my heavy ass up.
Opened the door. Two burly guys stood there.
Moving company workers.