Ch. 70 True Intentions (1)
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 70 – True Intentions (1)
“We meet again sooner than expected. I thought our paths wouldn’t cross during this expedition.”
“I suppose so…”
It seemed the unease was mine alone.
Diana, who had sidled up to whisper to me, looked visibly pleased to be working alongside me again.
“A fork in the road. This dungeon isn’t large enough for a full-scale battle, but we should stay prepared.”
As we ventured deeper, the path immediately split.
The Main Dungeon of the 151st Floor was set within a fog-shrouded castle, forcing us to choose between left and right from the outset.
‘They’re not even trying to hide it. I couldn’t pull off something this blatant.’
Like the others, I was here to follow orders, not lead.
Yet Jung Chan-soo, the raid leader, commanded with unnerving calm—as if he knew nothing about this dungeon, despite clearly being informed.
As planned, my group (including Chan-soo) took the right path, while the others went left.
“Doesn’t seem like we’ll face hordes of enemies…”, Diana murmured.
Her guess was close.
The core challenge here wasn’t monsters.
It was the penalty blanketing the castle—a gimmick tied to the fog of oblivion. The longer we stay, the more we’d forget about ourselves.
Terrifying, but the key was to move fast. The Constellations had stressed that overcoming fear and rushing forward was the way to clear it.
“Enemies!?”
As we sped through the corridor, the first foes appeared—exactly as I’d anticipated.
The party raised their weapons, but only Chan-soo and I remained unshaken.
“Stay calm. They’re just mirrors of ourselves.”
Chan-soo lifted his sword at the group before us.
These enemies replicated our appearances, abilities—everything.
“They’re not mere illusions. They wield our exact powers.”
“So don’t use any troublesome skills. They’ll copy and turn them against us.”
The mirror images that appeared before the split parties were flawless duplicates—save for their icy, emotionless expressions.
Reina warned that the copies could replicate even her Radiance, the light she used to purify the Corrosive Venom. Chan-soo nodded in agreement.
The reason for these mirrors in a dungeon shrouded by the fog of oblivion was simple:
How well do you know yourself?
This was the test.
‘We must break through quickly. The matchups are already decided, but…’
Chan-soo strategized swiftly. To outsiders, it seemed improvised, but he’d long planned which party member would face which mirror.
There was no need to fight your own reflection when allies could handle it instead.
“…Diana takes Silvia’s copy. And lastly, I’ll—”
“Fight mine?”
Reina smirked at his hesitation.
Two copies remained: his and Reina’s.
Considering class advantages, compatibility, and current conditions, this was the optimal arrangement.
“If you’re fine with it. Just hold out—no need to overexert yourself.”
“You think I can’t handle a mere copy?”
Reina scowled, irritated by his doubt.
‘If she’s in danger, I’ll step in.’
Chan-soo nodded at her defiance.
Reina had always been this way—unyielding, unbroken.
That was her greatest strength, and why he kept an eye on her.
“Begin.”
The moment the battle started, clashes erupted violently.
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ㄴ“Isn’t this like a pseudo-duel? This’ll be fun to watch.”
ㄴ“Chan-soo’s plan is solid—maximizing advantages while minimizing risks.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Though busy with the Heavenly War, some Constellations focused intently on the 151st Floor’s events.
The mirror images’ unique nature sparked heated reactions.
High-rankers rarely fought each other seriously—this was the closest fans would get to VS debates playing out.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“I get Chan-soo’s intent, but it’s still kinda harsh…”
ㄴ“What choice is there? Reina’s the lowest-ranked here.”
——————————————————————————————————————————
Reina’s fans sighed in frustration, understanding Chan-soo’s motive:
‘Take hers down first.’
He charged at Reina’s copy, aiming to shatter the balance and speed up the clearance.
Objectively, Reina was the weakest in the party. He planned to crush her copy before his own could defeat her.
But—
“??!”
Reina’s copy lashed its sword like a whip, forcing him to block hastily.
——————————————————————————————————————————
ㄴ“LOL, didn’t see that coming?”
ㄴ“Who’d expect a weapon swap right before the raid?”
——————————————————————————————————————————
The stunned look on Chan-soo’s face amused the watching Constellations—a rare sight for someone of his demeanor.
‘She even changed weapons? So that’s why she took the Weapon Selection Pass.’
Regaining composure, he parried the copy’s strikes, studying its power—a direct replica of Reina’s evolving strength.
‘I hope she’s grown.’
He genuinely wanted her stronger. If she could create miracles alone, she might one day become his miracle.
“—!”
After deflecting a barrage of slashes, Chan-soo lunged, his crimson aura devouring the copy’s Radiance.
The scene mirrored their first meeting—when he’d seen her as a variable to eliminate.
“Still not enough?”
His grip closed around the copy’s throat, slamming it through a window into the courtyard. Unlike the resentful Reina of the past, this copy’s empty eyes showed no emotion.
But then—
“Kgh?!”
The copy’s eyes flashed crimson, mana surging as it wrenched free.
Chan-soo’s lips curled faintly.
If the copy grew stronger, it meant the real Reina was pushing her limits in battle.
‘She’s grown. Much more than before.’
As the copy escaped using Transformation, the hint of a smile touched his face.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Mom… the weird creepy pervert uncle is acting weird again!Crush his balls!
Anyway, technically you can call this borderline simping, smh.
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