Director Jang Han-soo of the Hunter Management Bureau wrestled with the monitor once again today. He was diligently monitoring the results of a large C-rank dungeon.

As quitting time approached, he checked the monitor again, clenching his fists tightly and leaning forward. Suddenly, his expression brightened with joy as he nodded his head vigorously.

“Ah, of course!”

The dungeon had been cleared! It was indeed Si-hyun!

A large dungeon was inherently a place that hunters dreaded. Furthermore, this particular dungeon had developed a terrible reputation. It had been a place that struggled to recruit participants, leaving many in a quandary.

Yet Si-hyun was different. She had agreed to take on the challenge on the same day it was requested. Just two days later, today, the strategy had concluded in just half a day.

What a reliable and trustworthy hunter she was! The thought crossed his mind that other hunters should learn from her.

‘Come to think of it, she’s now a professor at the academy.’

Indeed, she was a wonderful role model for her students.

I must maintain a good relationship with her going forward. Leaning back in his chair, he relished the feeling of satisfaction.

At that moment, his smartphone in his pocket vibrated.

“Yes, this is Director Jang Han-soo from the management department.”

It was a call from Si-hyun, the very person he had just been thinking about. He smiled brightly and listened attentively to her words.

And then...

“…I understand. I’ll take care of it, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

After hearing an explanation about the events in the dungeon, he ended the call.

“Phew…”

Furrowing his brows, he let out a deep sigh. The good mood he had just enjoyed vanished without a trace.

It was because he had heard about the dirty thieves. There could have been accidents caused by monsters that could have been prevented. Honest Si-hyun had candidly relayed the full story of the incident.

The rogue party’s misconduct and the ensuing battle. Due to the stress that surged, he massaged his temples with his fingers.

Not all thieves are criminals. In fact, when a capable thief joins a high-level dungeon expedition, the party’s survival rate significantly increases.

However, where crimes between hunters occur, there is a high likelihood that thieves are involved. It was an unspoken truth.

‘I need to add new guidelines regarding thieves to our safety protocols.’

Such incidents must not happen again. What if Si-hyun had been harmed by those thieves this time?

‘Of course, that wouldn't happen...’

Shaking his head vigorously to dispel the unsettling thoughts, he gritted his teeth. Deep in thought, he began planning the actions he needed to take.

All safety protocols are written in blood.

---

* * *

A day later, during lunchtime.

I was lying on the sofa, propping my legs on the armrest. My toes were wiggling as I mentally organized my schedule.

The request with the Wing Guild was completed, so now I just had to wait for the items to arrive. There was still quite a bit of time until my next class at the academy.

Then, the most pressing matter was...

‘What should I eat for lunch…?’

What I would have for lunch today was the key question.

Si-yoon had gone out, saying she was meeting an acquaintance after a long time. Since I was eating alone, I thought I’d keep it simple. But nothing was jumping out at me as the perfect choice.

“Oh, right.”

I remembered there had been a menu selection chart on the internet for choosing lunch options.

I grabbed my phone and entered a search term. Quickly, I scrolled through the food options categorized into Korean cuisine, Japanese cuisine, and convenient meals.

“Hmm…”

Convenience store bento, sandwiches, ramen...

Ramen.

Great, I’ve decided on you! I had been wanting to challenge a new spicy flavor, so this was perfect timing. 

It was time to graduate from the tempura udon phase, anyway. Nodding to myself, I entered a new search term, thinking there must be a community related to ramen.

And indeed, there was.

I searched for "How spicy is it?" on the community.

Surely there are other spicy food lovers like me, so following their choices would be perfect, right?

Unfortunately, there weren’t many posts, so I couldn’t gather enough information. Should I use another search term? Ah, I didn’t have to limit myself to community searches.

I combined various keywords and researched the necessary content.

After a while, I found something that caught my interest...

**[Title: But why do people even eat the mild flavor?]**  
**[ㅇㅇ]**

What kind of taste is it?

- It’s cheap.  
- Elderly people eat it.  
- If you add a lot of garlic, it’s mild and delicious.  
  └ I agree.  
- If it’s tasty, you eat it, right? Of course, I don’t eat it.  
  └ For real, lol.  

...Maybe I shouldn’t have searched for this.  
Suddenly, I started feeling put off.

Thinking back, starting with a mild flavor seems like entering a challenge with a disadvantage, right? It’s a new challenge, and I should put aside any weak thoughts. Hmm, hmm.

I need to explore a new goal.

**[Title: The first bite of chicken ramen is truly heavenly.]**  
**[ㅇㅇ]**

The first bite is sweet yet spicy; it’s the real deal.  
Once you taste it, just thinking about it makes your mouth water.

- I agree.  
- You really know your stuff, lol.  
- How spicy is it? I’m a spice novice; can I try it?  
  └ It’s not spicier than “them.”  
  └ I found it spicier than “them.”  
  └ ???  
- The model for the ad is Yeo Do-hyeong; I tried it and it was delicious, lol.  
  └ That Yeo Do-hyeong, the S-rank hunter from the Dawn Guild?  
  └ Yup, that’s right.  

I could see the pioneer looking a bit flustered by the differing opinions. However, there was no further information.

Hmm, a first bite that is heavenly...  
Indeed, such an appeal would spark the desire to take on the challenge.

I engraved the appearance and name of the cup ramen in my mind and prepared to head out. Surely, there would be some at a convenience store or supermarket? If not, I could always choose the first one I saw.

...It’s not like I’m scared or anything.

If it’s not there, it’s just a backup plan. Yes.

---

* * *

…I bought it.

In the end, I ended up buying it. It stood out in the most visible spot, almost as if it were fated. I picked up the chicken ramen. I also grabbed banana-flavored milk, so I’m invincible.

The lid of the cup ramen displayed a handsome face smiling brightly. I recalled seeing a comment in the community about him being an S-rank hunter.

Being both capable and handsome, is this what they call an alpha male or something?

Setting aside my simple impressions, I checked the cooking instructions. There was nothing special, so it seemed straightforward.

I filled a coffee pot with water and turned it on. While waiting for it to boil, I stared blankly at the ramen.

Suddenly, I imagined myself as the advertising model.

“Phew…”

What would I know about being an advertising model?  
I guess I’m just bored, thinking of random things.

Chuckling to myself, I picked up my phone and opened a chat. As I scrolled through the message list, I entered the chat room of someone who caught my eye.

- I’m cooking this ramen right now. Have you tried it? How spicy is it?

I also attached a photo of the cup ramen lid.

Since I didn’t get an immediate reply, I continued preparing the ramen.

I drained the boiling water from the noodles. Next, I calmly snapped the wooden chopsticks.

“Phew.”

A good start. They split perfectly in two.  
There were no rough edges sticking out; it was simply excellent.

Nodding in satisfaction, I mixed in the sauce and completed the stir-fried noodles.  
The spicy aroma wafting up from the red noodles tickled my nose.

Alright, it’s time to eat!

Slurp—

“Wow…, so this is why people eat it.”  

I get it!  
The words of the great pioneers!

The spiciness followed by a sweet aftertaste.  
I can’t believe such a heavenly taste exists in this world!

I’ve been missing out on half my life…

Tears welled up as I took another bite.  

...It’s definitely a bit spicy.  

I felt my brows furrowing slightly as I took another bite.

“Cough…”

Huh, that’s strange?  

Another bite.  

“Ha, haah…”

...Why am I tearing up?  

Right, this must be tears of emotion. It’s just so delicious.  

Slurp—  

I timidly took another bite.  

“Cough, cough!”  

I can’t take more, I can’t…  

What the hell?  
It tasted like heaven at first, but why does each additional bite feel like I’m in hell?

In a panic, I opened the banana-flavored milk with my teeth and gulped it down.  
This wasn’t a time for a straw.

“Ugh, haah… What is this…”

The

 spiciness doesn’t go away.  
It lingers on my tongue, constantly tormenting me.  
As if mocking my bravado, it persistently pricks my tongue.

I felt beads of sweat forming on my scalp and forehead.  
In a hurry, I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand and took another sip of the milk.

“Ah, please…”

I’ve only eaten half, yet why hasn’t the pain subsided?  

Please stop… it’s so spicy…

“...”

Just as I was contemplating using my divine powers out of desperation, the handsome model from the cup ramen lid came into view.

He was smiling brightly.  
How dare he make that face while trying to assassinate me.

You little hero.  
You were hiding your sinister intentions behind that smile...!

If I ever meet you, I will take my revenge.  
The pain in my tongue now—I’ll return it to you tenfold.  
I’ll remember your face and name.

“Gugh…”

The spiciness doesn’t fade.  
I stopped eating, but the pain on my tongue persists.

In this tormenting scene, suddenly, my phone chimed with a new message.

It was a reply to the message I had sent to Jia earlier.

- Si-hyun, that’s... it’s going to be really spicy, right? Are you okay?  
- Did you eat it already?

With trembling fingers, I typed back with difficulty.

- Yeah... I’m never eating this again....

I shot a glare at the assassin on the cup ramen lid.

Yeo Do-hyeong, I remembered you.

---

* * *

In front of a gate leading to an A-rank dungeon in South Korea, a young man holding a long spear was conversing with some people. He was Yu Byeong-jun, an S-rank spear-user hunter of South Korea.

“An undead dungeon?”  
“Yes! Moreover, according to the vanguard's report, the mana levels inside the dungeon are unusual.”  
“Hm, that’s good. It should only take half a day at most, so prepare for an interview.”  
“Understood!”

He nodded at the enthusiastic response of his subordinate.

‘Half a day? I’ll clear it in less than that.’

With his chin raised, Yu Byeong-jun stepped confidently into the gate.

Once he entered the dungeon alone, some of the onlookers began to whisper among themselves.

“It’s an A-rank dungeon. With that level of mana, wouldn’t it usually trigger unusual situations?”  
“Right? The likelihood of it being a special dungeon seems high.”  
“Even though he insisted he was fine, the approval was granted…”

The two looked toward the gate entrance.

“Still, since he’s an S-rank hunter, will it be okay?”  
“Since he’s S-rank, there shouldn’t be any problems, right?”

After sharing similar sentiments, they returned to their work.