Chapter 10 – Named (1)

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‘…I shouldn’t overuse it.’

Eventually, at the requester’s insistence, I pretended to sleep, lying on my side with my eyes closed, and uploaded a single photo.

Watching them cheer and go wild, I felt my tension rise.

It’s strange, but this “selfie” I take is undeniably a weapon in my arsenal. However, it’s a weapon that loses its effectiveness if overused.

If I carelessly exploit their enthusiastic reactions, I’ll lose that power.

So, I must use it wisely. This is directly tied to my own safety.

‘Tomorrow, I’ll meet Shadis and secure the remaining ability. I should also try training as I’ve heard.’

Although I’ve seen and experienced much more than in the past, I still feel a bit of that old excitement from back then.

Moreover, this time, I have more accurate and extensive information than the vague memories I recall.

If I follow through diligently, I can shed the inefficient habits I’ve accumulated and reach a higher level more quickly and precisely.

“You came as promised.”

“Ah, you said you’d report me if I didn’t.”

The next morning, I took a taxi to the meeting spot, where Shadis was already waiting, leaning against a wall with her hands in her pockets, her face sullen.

Her attitude was still displeased, but since she couldn’t outright defy me, she answered curtly while sneaking glances at me, quickly pulling her hands out of her pockets.

‘Cute, though.’

I couldn’t help but smile at her behavior.

I recalled the gallery users who, based on Kim Ji-eun’s petite and neat figure being the closest to my taste, had debated my preferences.

Their assumptions were completely wrong, but looking at her outward appearance, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable for them to think that way.

At the very least, it was true that I felt more comfortable around her than with men.

“I told you to come out with at least some basic gear.”

“I don’t have the money for that.”

However, just like yesterday, Shadis’s outfit was far too light.

She wore no armor or weapons, just the same crop hoodie and short pants as yesterday. Even her shoes were sandals, leaving her feet bare.

“I’m taking you along for other reasons, but there’s a chance things could get dangerous. I’ll lend you some gear, so put it on.”

I opened my inventory in midair and pulled out a few miscellaneous pieces of equipment.

Nothing too extravagant—just some protective gear and a dagger she could use as her main weapon.

“W-wait, a soul vault…”

Shadis took them, her eyes wide as she muttered in awe.

It was an incredibly rare reward that only a few possessed, and she was stunned to see the inventory I had worked so hard to obtain.

‘This is what a ranker is like…’

The inventory opened before her eyes was as beautiful and mysterious as if space itself had split.

Though there were limits to what could be stored, it was still an incredibly rare and coveted reward.

And the items she casually pulled out and tossed over—what about them?

The metal gleaming with a blue hue was no ordinary material, and even a simple shin guard was of a quality worthy of being a reward from the 30th-floor main dungeon.

Shadis stared at her, dumbfounded.

Unlike her own petite frame, which hadn’t changed in 300 years, the silver-haired human woman stood over 170 cm tall.

Though she hid her appearance under a baggy tracksuit, hat, and sunglasses, it still felt as if light shone through.

In truth, Shadis knew a bit about her.

From the start, Reina Frontier stood out even among rankers.

Though currently ranked 15th, her unique combat style, strength, beauty, and personality combined to make her one of the most popular and well-known figures.

Even as Shadis turned to crime and abandoned climbing, news of Reina kept reaching her ears.

‘They said she was cold, arrogant, and merciless.’

As she equipped the gear, Shadis swallowed dryly.

When she first realized the wallet she’d stolen belonged to Reina, she felt as if the world had collapsed.

Given what she knew of Reina’s temperament, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she’d been executed on the spot.

“I didn’t expect you to go this far for me.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“On the 68th floor, you executed the raid team’s executives for failing their mission.”

“That was because they conspired to sabotage the raid, and the evidence and witnesses were clear.”

“On the 97th floor, you castrated and executed 21 members of a criminal organization for touching your belongings…”

“They went beyond touching my belongings—they drugged me and attempted to assault me. That was just retaliation.”

But as Reina had told Shadis, the Reina she knew was just a collection of fragmented, exaggerated rumors.

Left speechless, Shadis finally closed her mouth and finished equipping the gear.

At the very least, the cold, arrogant noblewoman she’d imagined didn’t exist.

‘It’s been so long; it feels awkward.’

It had been nearly a year since she last geared up.

As the sensations she’d forgotten over that year began to return, Shadis fiddled awkwardly with the dagger in her hand.

“The dungeon we’re heading to is the Crumbled Tower. The setting is a ruined building and its surroundings, with a nest of mutated bat monsters as the enemies.”

“W-we’re going there with just the two of us? That’s a 12-person dungeon…”

“It’s enough.”

Reina naturally took the lead. Leading a party and raiding dungeons was second nature to her by now.

In contrast to Shadis, who was fully geared, Reina was still in her usual baggy tracksuit.

‘C-can I do this?’

While Reina seemed completely at ease, Shadis found herself breathing heavily and trembling uncontrollably as they approached the dungeon entrance.

Though it had been over a year, the intense trauma she’d suppressed was beginning to resurface.

Despite being a 300-year-old adult, before entering the Tower, Shadis had been just a dark elf seamstress living an ordinary life in a village.

She’d watched her comrades, who’d been with her since the lower floors, get slaughtered, their entrails and blood splattering across her body as death loomed just inches away.

The enemies, who seemed overwhelmingly powerful, roared with unbridled malice and hostility.

“Shadis… run… never come back…”

The last words of a comrade, half of their body gone, were a desperate plea for her to escape this hell and never return.

‘No. I can’t do this.’

Since that day, Shadis had lost everything, even her will to fight.

Even now, the sight of those mutilated bodies haunted her dreams, and her body stiffened in fear.

“I’ve seen many like you.”

At that moment, something warm brushed against Shadis’s cheek, snapping her out of her trance.

“Ah…”

Returning to reality, Shadis sighed as she saw Reina looking at her. She felt ashamed for showing such a pathetic side, especially after being lent gear.

“I’m sorry. If I were any good, I wouldn’t be stealing to survive…”

“It’s not wrong.”

Reina shook her head at Shadis’s bitter words.

“Many go through this. This place is like that. It’s not wrong or strange.”

“You…”

Shadis reflexively opened her mouth to retort that someone as strong as Reina couldn’t possibly understand, but she realized that was just her own prejudice.

She still didn’t know much about Reina.

“Are you going to encourage me by saying I can overcome this? I’ve heard that plenty of times.”

“I’m just stating facts. At the very least, don’t hold me back in this dungeon.”

Though Shadis couldn’t help but feel a bit snarky, Reina’s response was different from what she expected.

“Don’t forget that you’re repaying your debt right now.”

At that moment, Reina lifted Shadis’s chin with her index finger, leaning in close and glaring coldly over her sunglasses.

‘Ah…’

Shadis, speechless, could only nod hurriedly.

This time, she caught a glimpse of the icy, charismatic queen-like figure she’d heard about in rumors.

But the pounding in her chest wasn’t solely due to fear.

——————————————————————————————————————————

[Look, she’s at it again, charming everyone. That just comes naturally to her, huh?]

[Does this girl not realize why women flock to her?]

[Reina… I wish she’d do that to me.]

[Her looks are her justification. If I did that, people would scream.]

[Have you seen Reina act like that with men? She recoils if they even touch her. This is definitely yuri bait…]

——————————————————————————————————————————

Of course, there were those who cheered at the scene, though Reina herself was unaware.

And so, Reina and Shadis entered the dungeon together.

——————————————————————————————————————————

[Reina taking that dark elf in—it’s definitely for that, right?]

ㄴ“Obviously. She’s trying to get the Echo Instinct like we wrote in the guide.”

ㄴ“This’ll be fun to watch. For Shadis, a 30th-floor rookie, this is an insane carry. She’s gonna get some sweet tips and level up fast.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

The gallery users chatted excitedly, watching real-time photos and videos shared by a few users as they followed Reina’s dungeon run.

For them, this was a natural and enjoyable event.

After all, the essence of being a Tower challenger was fighting enemies and overcoming trials.

Whether they were pure fans or those who saw her as entertainment or an investment, they all cheered for Reina as one.

——————————————————————————————————————————

[Reina one-shotting 30th-floor mobs lol]

[Ah, if she moved just a bit more aggressively, we’d see her navel!]

[Look at that dark elf’s wide eyes and open mouth. She’s never seen a fight like this before.]

• ··

——————————————————————————————————————————

The most intense reactions came when Reina, glowing with radiance, swiftly cut down the giant mutated bats charging at her from all sides.

No one expected her to struggle in a mere 30th-floor dungeon, even with her stats reduced.

This was the result of the strength she’d consistently demonstrated.

——————————————————————————————————————————

[That composition—if it were a selfie, it’d be insane.]

ㄴ“For real, where’s Selfie King?”

ㄴ“They only come at night, huh?”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Instead, they turned their attention to something else.

One of those things was a unique user who uploaded photos of Reina from unusual angles.

ㄴ“I’ve only seen that kind of composition here. Never in other fan galleries.”

Even seasoned users acknowledged the uniqueness and rarity of it.

It was only natural for users to wait and hope for that person—nicknamed Riverstone—to appear.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
If it was me, I would have used them as meatshields for the next raid for trying to drug me.

Though, it would also be funny if they get TS and locked in a cage where they are starved and forced to eat each other for food.