Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Gate, Fruits of Training
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“Okay. That should do it. Preparations complete.”
The ten people had been selected through a solemn and fair process.
There were so many comments I nearly went blind… but nah, not really.
I’d simply plugged the nicknames into an AI and run a lottery.
[Swift delivery completed.]
I’d even shipped the items off to the lucky blessed winners.
‘Roughly five of them should write decent reports, right?’
That’s just how people are. When five gather, at least one has some rough edges.
At least one. At minimum.
So, conservatively assuming five would scam me—selling it off freely or ghosting without a report.
Of course, I’d asked them to write a good report and promised the next version as a bonus.
I’d even thrown in my adorable handwritten signature as a special perk.
Truth be told, I’d wanted fancy cursive script, but my dainty hands only produced cute, chubby letters.
Well… maybe this style has more demand?
Anyway, even with all my efforts, there’s bound to be at least one deadbeat who won’t write a report.
Straight to the blacklist for them. I’ll remember the nickname and never sell to them.
Ding!
“…Huh?”
[WithHwayeon: I’d like to buy full rights for 2 billion. Also extending a guild scout offer.]
I checked the message, and sure enough, another from Hwayeon affiliates.
Not just Hwayeon—the other top five guilds were sending love calls too.
They’d realized my greatness, so it was only natural.
Scout offers poured in nonstop, regardless of time or place, but Hwayeon was on another level when it came to being persistent.
Even after blocking them, they kept coming with new accounts?
A barrage of quantity over quality. The incremental price hikes were starting to piss me off a bit.
“Molrang, if it were you, would you sell for 2 billion?”
Molrang!
Molrang bounced along, spinning in a full circle.
A clear “hell no.”
Of course, it wasn’t literal understanding—just picking up on the nuance.
Takes after its owner, smart as hell.
And just like that, I couldn’t sell full rights for a measly 2 billion.
2 billion? I wouldn’t sell for 10 billion either.
Maybe for 1 trillion… okay, possibly?
Squeeze.
[User blocked.]
With practiced finesse, I blocked them and stood before the closet.
“Alright, time for me to get ready.”
I had plans to head out today. Didn’t really want to, but there was a reason to hit a gate.
First off, I needed a ton of mana stones.
The quality of fragments Molrang produced was directly tied to its condition.
Feed it more mana stones, and the odds of top-grade ones went up.
Perfect timing too, since I’d started double-barrel production—the mana stone demand had doubled.
‘I’ve already used up what I had left… and I’m short on living expenses anyway, so two birds with one stone.’
Plus, field-testing Molrang Carry Ver.2.
Can’t rely solely on others to test a product I’m selling.
“What to wear…”
Scanning the closet, options were slim.
I’d never been into fashion anyway.
All women’s clothes now, but the total count was still low.
“Hmm… no way I’m wearing this.”
I glanced at a frilly, fluttering dress.
A heavenly-cute girl stared back from the mirror, but no chance in hell I’d put it on.
The barrier was too damn high. A former manly guy like me in a skirt? Forget it.
“This it is, then.”
Swish.
Denim short pants and a slightly baggy tee, same as always.
Even this was plenty cute—overflowing, really.
Click.
Couldn’t help snapping a shot for my collection.
No wonder everyone’s always taking mirror selfies.
Lately, I got the appeal for fashion enthusiasts.
‘Everything looks cute on me, so dressing up is fun.’
Rustle.
I tied back my thigh-length hair just enough so it wouldn’t flap around.
Thought about cutting it since it’s a hassle to manage, but gave up.
This was key to maintaining peak cuteness.
“Hmm… sun’s pretty harsh.”
Summer vibes seeped through the rooftop window.
UV rays were a disaster for porcelain skin.
Wanted a hat bad, but settled for sunscreen.
All for the greater good.
A bit of sun deprivation helps avoid weird dreams, they say.
[Title: Am I seriously this badass???][Poster: WantToRaiseADragon]
Just feels like no one else works this hard for everyone ㅎㅎㅎㅎ
- SoloPlayerLover: Yup yup yup so true
ㄴ(Poster): Knew you’d get it ㅎㅎ
- Another bipolar episode incoming..
- Give me that inventory too
- What effort lol (fr don’t know)
Thanks to the Molrang Carry buzz, the post had way more comments than usual. Plenty praising me.
Nice. Feels good.
Self-esteem topped off for the day—outdoor prep complete.
Creak.
**
[B-Grade Gate: AMED - Owned & Managed by Quantum]
The gate I chose was about 20 minutes away by bus from the rooftop room.
Common knowledge: higher-grade gates spawn higher-grade monsters, yielding better mana stones.
Went for B-grade to maximize earnings in one go.
Would need a party again, of course.
Molrang stayed home, just in case.
Wouldn’t want to accidentally reveal I made Molrang Carry.
But with it, partying up should be easy.
If anyone asks about the source, just say I won it in the lottery.
Cleared the gate no problem.
Or so I thought……
Something unexpected happened.
It was when our three-person party—including me—reached the midway point.
“Saebyeok, how much more room you got in there? We’ve caught a bunch today—still good?”
Party leader Kim Young-han asked me.
His sister and party member, Kim Yu-hwa, wore a similar curious look.
“Known limit’s 50kg. Roughly… 30kg in now, so plenty of space.”
“Wild. How the hell’d you even make that?”
“Right? Zero weight makes no sense.”
Yu-hwa pulled out the Molrang Carry from my bag. Despite holding tons, it felt like a normal slime, drawing repeated gasps from her.
“You won it on the community forums, Saebyeok?”
“Yeah, lucky me.”
“Got it. Gotta enter next time for sure. But… what if they jack up the price suddenly?”
At Young-han’s words, Yu-hwa snorted in disbelief.
“What choice? Gotta buy it, oppa. 50kg holds so much gear. No more dealing with porters’ ugly mugs.”
“True, but…”
“Nah, don’t buy it, oppa. Fewer rivals, better for me.”
Classic sibling bickering.
Enjoying their chat as we advanced—
—Kheung!
An odd howl echoed. Eyes naturally turned toward it.
“Red Wolf…?”
As Yu-hwa said, a black wolf wrapped in crimson chains glared at us.
“Why’s that here…?”
Young-han trailed off in shock.
Red Wolf: infamous quasi-A-grade monster. Way above this B-grade gate.
Young-han and Yu-hwa: B and C-rank adventurers. Subduing it solo? Impossible.
—Kheung!
Its pitch-black eyes locked on us. Legs bulged with muscle, poised to pounce.
Physical gap meant escape wasn’t viable.
“Saebyeok, hang back?”
Young-han stepped forward, sword at ready. Yu-hwa conjured a fireball in her palm.
“Oppa… can we win?”
I simulated scenarios in my head.
‘Nope………… can’t win.’
Only one outcome: defeat without me.
And defeat in a gate meant one thing.
Death.
Most forget, but plenty of hunters die in gates yearly.
Only one option left.
‘I’ll handle it.’
Amid the hectic Molrang Carry routine, I’d never skipped ability training.
Time to see the results.
Ta-at.
Young-han charged the Red Wolf.
“…….”
Using that as trigger, I focused my mind to the limit.
Recent discovery: monster summoning felt like ‘creation.’
Molding monsters from mana as material.
Key skills: mana control and precise imagination.
One slip, and it’d spawn some grotesque freak—like that time over Seoul skies.
‘This one’s easy, though.’
Practically open testing.
Just replicate the Red Wolf right in front of me.
No time for others.
Red Wolf kills Red Wolf.
Perfect eye-for-an-eye.
Whumm.
Pooled mana shaped into something concrete, elegant.
Summon behind it—no one’d know it was me.
—Kheung!
Another mighty howl filled the gate.
“Huh…? Another one?”
Young-han’s face flashed despair, then relief.
Kwachik!
My summoned Red Wolf bit the enemy’s throat.
That’s it! Good job, my baby. Well done!
—……!
Throat torn, it thrashed futilely—vitals are vitals for a reason.
—Kyaeng…
It slumped with a weak whimper.
Kinda anticlimactic. Maybe mine was way stronger.
Talent’s scary shit.
“Huh……?”
“What the hell just happened….”
While they gawked, I shooed my Red Wolf far away and unsummoned it.
Now just us three and the dead one.
“Grab it quick and let’s GTFO.”
I brushed past, scooping materials fast.
Quasi-A-grade pays nice, yeah.
**
[Title: Bet I’d succeed even as a full-time hunter?][Poster: WantToRaiseADragon]
Looking back, feels like I’ve got insane talent ㅎㅎ
-D-grade sidekick what lololol
ㄴWait, she’s D-grade??
ㄴNewbie for now yeah
ㄴPosts don’t scream newbie tho..
ㄴD-grade with inventory? Wtf
-Yeah yeah so jealous
-Entered a gate? Make more tools instead
ㄴFr wasting time
[Title: Do gate monsters fight each other sometimes?][Poster: JackOfAllTradesSword]
Nearly died to quasi-A today, but they suddenly fought—lived; ;
Does this happen?
-What? For real?
ㄴMonsters from same gate don’t fight
ㄴThey share mana
ㄴ(Poster): Thought so too but saw it today;;
-New trait maybe
-Someone summon it? There are summoners.
ㄴ(Poster): Quasi-A… that’d be A-rank hunter min? No way they’re in B-gate.
ㄴSuspicious af