Ch. 6 The Heavyweight (3)
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 6 – The Heavyweight (3)
It’s strange. Really, incredibly strange.
Before and after being transported here, I’ve never taken a selfie with my own hands.
Even after I started taking photos post-transportation, it was always someone else, like Kim Ji-eun, forcing me to take pictures.
But now, I’m about to take a photo of myself.
And I’m planning to offer it as a tribute to others.
‘Calm down. They’re not all bad people. They’re here because they like me, after all.’
It took a lot of inner turmoil and contemplation to make this decision.
These were people who adored and celebrated even a single photo of my daily life. Sure, some might have ulterior motives like betting points, but there were also those who supported me purely out of fan love.
Their joy and excitement at my growth were familiar to me, someone who had once been an ordinary person who enjoyed celebrities and sports.
So, I convinced myself that it was okay since I’ve received so much from them through my contracted Constellations.
——————————————————————————————————————————
[Reina’s Thighs Collection]
ㄴ“Wow, this is rare.”
ㄴ“She always wears baggy tracksuits in her daily life and full-body armor in battle, so this is really precious.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Maybe, just maybe, it’ll be fine. I used to search for fancams of celebrities too.
——————————————————————————————————————————
[Reina in Bikini Armor Fan Art]
ㄴ“Won’t this get deleted?”
ㄴ“They let it slide since it’s clearly a drawing.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Really… really…
‘No. I’m dying of curiosity.’
The more I thought about the posts I’d seen, the more hesitation and fear grew, but I shook my head and pushed through.
Above all, I was too curious right now.
My future, perhaps something even grander than the apocalypse Jung Chan-soo spoke of, might depend on this.
To those who’ve already seen and know everything, offering a wholesome photo of myself that I took shouldn’t be a big deal.
——————————————————————————————————————————
[Reposting the Question, Offering a Tribute Photo] (tribute.png)
——————————————————————————————————————————
In the end, I closed my eyes and uploaded it.
The post included a photo of me awkwardly smiling in front of a mirror.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“This angle is insane. It really looks like a selfie.”
ㄴ“Is this real-time? Is she in a hotel???”
ㄴ“Wow, silk pajamas, wow, cleavage.”
ㄴ“What’s with the screenshot fiends? This is precious.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
The reaction was explosive. Just adding a photo icon to the post caused the view count to skyrocket.
‘Did I mess up again?’
The comments multiplying like crazy gave me chills.
I knew they liked this kind of thing from what I’d seen, but this reaction was beyond my expectations.
The issue was the angle of the photo.
I was too embarrassed to look through all the comments, so I didn’t realize that the angles of the photos posted by the so-called screenshot fiends were mostly limited, as if they were viewing a game character.
The angle, close to first-person, which they praised as being like a selfie, was only possible because I took the photo myself.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“Sorry. Ask away, lol.”
ㄴ“What’s the deal with Gale Sword and Crushing Sword that the swordsmen are arguing about?”
——————————————————————————————————————————
But since I’ve paid such a price, I should get something in return.
I spotted the guy from earlier in the comments. His nickname was Arati, the one who scolded me for posting a question without any prior posts.
After seeing the photo, he immediately started explaining to me.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“You’ve probably heard of it while browsing the community. It’s one of the most famous modern sword styles in Fate Road.”
ㄴ“Sword styles?”
ㄴ“Since it’s a place where people who know a thing or two about swords gather, of course they aim for the ‘absolute’ extreme. The concept of the Infinite Sword doesn’t exist yet.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
The community where all the Constellations who have conquered the Tower and reached a transcendent state gather is called Fate Road.
Fate Road is where the collective intelligence of countless Constellations converges, and they don’t hesitate to share knowledge or debate for their own growth beyond transcendence.
‘No wonder I didn’t know.’
As a transmigrator who’s read the entire story, there’s no way I wouldn’t know about concepts in this world.
But the massive, hidden world behind the story was something I couldn’t even imagine.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“Gale Sword originates from a sword style created by a guy named Honcheon Daeje from Tower 1155, and Crushing Sword comes from a style created by Vulkar from Tower 1263. They’re the latest known styles, but their tendencies are completely opposite, which is why there’s so much arguing.”
ㄴ“I think I get it now.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Thanks to his surprisingly kind explanation, I gradually began to understand.
This made it easier to follow the arguments of those still fighting in the comments.
‘The knowledge I had was just a tiny fragment.’
At the same time, I felt a deep sense of disillusionment.
The concepts and methods the Constellations in the community casually talked about were realms so distant that even reaching them would require immense effort.
Even the protagonist, Jung Chan-soo, would likely be the same.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“If you’re going for Gale Sword, you’ll have to change everything from habits to basic techniques. Crushing Sword only needs slight adjustments from where you are now.”
ㄴ“To reach the peak with Reina’s style, she has to go for Gale Sword.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
In reality, Gale Sword and Crushing Sword are like ultimate destinations or styles that even Constellations who’ve conquered the Tower with a single sword strive to reach.
At my current level, aiming for them and making gradual changes is the best I can do.
If even they are arguing so fiercely, I can’t make a hasty decision.
Moreover, I can’t act openly since I might be exposed for infiltrating this gallery under a disguise.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“No matter how much you argue here, the admins have to step in to relay it to Reina.”
ㄴ“I know, so let’s just donate for Reina’s sake. I’ve set up an account.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
One saving grace is that there’s a limited way for me to communicate with them.
As Serpina mentioned in the comments, if she, as the admin, consolidates the opinions and relays them to me, all I have to do is act accordingly.
“Uh, where to?”
“To the sanctuary.”
The next morning, I hailed a taxi at the hotel entrance.
Through the rearview mirror, I saw the Hobgoblin taxi driver, wearing white gloves, nervously swallowing as he recognized me.
The news of my arrival here had already spread last night.
The taxi took me to a facility in the city center that resembled a grand cathedral.
It was the sanctuary where I could communicate with the Constellations.
“Uh…?”
The sanctuary on the 30th floor was particularly large, and there were far more visitors.
Naturally, as I stepped out of the taxi, eyes began to turn toward me.
Even with a cap and sunglasses, my silver hair and unmistakable appearance made it impossible to hide.
“L-Lady Reina. We heard the news in advance.”
A group of people pushed through the crowd and rushed toward me.
The leader was a branch manager from the Alliance Council, responsible for managing key facilities like the sanctuary.
“This way, please. We’ve prepared for you to meet the Constellation.”
The middle-aged man, sweating profusely despite his forced smile, was one of the politicians who controlled the countless residents of the 30th floor. Yet, he bowed and groveled before me.
No matter how influential a resident is, they’re ultimately just here to support climbers of the Tower.
Especially for those who’ve lost their power and become ordinary residents, the authority and power of top rankers must seem like the heavens.
“We’ve prepared the quietest and deepest spot for you, hehe. Let us know if there’s anything uncomfortable.”
There was a long line, but I had a free pass.
The branch manager flattering me and the people in line just glanced at me, as if it were natural, and no one complained.
‘This is convenient.’
With my hands in my pockets, I walked calmly, no longer feeling awkward or uncomfortable with such treatment.
Honestly, it’s convenient. This world is like that from the start.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Inside the sanctuary, the prayer rooms were dimly lit, solemn, and extremely quiet spaces.
As I entered the room lit only by candlelight and the thick door closed behind me, I was left alone in the silence.
This was a familiar place, essential for communicating with Constellations.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“Ahhh, if Reina hits 2000 Insight, she won’t need the sanctuary to communicate!”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Suddenly, a comment Serpina had left flashed in my mind. She had lamented that if my Insight stat reached 2000, I could communicate with Constellations without needing the sanctuary.
‘2000 isn’t just a number.’
Sadly, fulfilling her wish seems unlikely. I’m too pressed to invest 2000 points into Insight just to skip sanctuary visits.
Moreover, even if I hit 2000 Insight, not all restrictions would disappear.
“It’s been a while.”
Soon, a voice reached me as I knelt in the center of the room, taking deep breaths and adopting a reverent posture.
It was Serpina, the first Constellation I contracted with, A Thousand Silver Blades.
“As you know, we failed again this time.”
I slowly tried to communicate as I listened to her voice.
The number of questions, the accuracy of answers, time limits, and distortions in meaning—the restrictions on communicating with Constellations were no joke.
Overcoming these restrictions and gaining help from a Constellation was also one of the skills a challenger needed.
“Pathetic. Especially at the end, when you, a core force, threw yourself to protect some fool. I can’t stand it.”
Serpina’s familiar scolding began.
In the past, I would’ve responded coldly to such criticism, thinking her strict and nitpicky nature was just her personality.
What else could I do? Once the contract was made, it couldn’t be undone unless I died.
To me, Serpina was just a useful tool for leveraging my transmigration knowledge. So, unless absolutely necessary, I didn’t visit the sanctuary even when the cooldown was up.
“I’m sorry. I’ve failed to live up to your expectations due to my shortcomings.”
“…You, saying such things…”
But this time was different.
Because I knew her true feelings from watching the community she created and managed.
‘Since when did she have a tsundere concept?’
I smiled faintly and looked up at the ceiling, unlike my usual bowed posture.
Her strict guidance, clearly distinguishing between the carrot and the stick, was her belief. Yet, behind the scenes, she was someone who rejoiced and despaired over my every action. My fan.
Realizing how much I’ve received from her, I thought it was only right to express my gratitude.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
If you think about it, regressors are just losers who already lost once and had to run it back…Absolute losers~♡ Sloppy~♡ Incompetent~♡ Can’t even do it in one attempt, aha~♡ How pitiable~♡
Placeholders
0 Comments