Ch. 37 150th Floor (1)
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 37 – 150th Floor (1)
“The 150th-floor raid will proceed as scheduled. All members of the raid team must gather in perfect condition, without a single flaw.”
‘Putting on airs…’
Even though I knew that was just his natural demeanor, I couldn’t help but snort inwardly as I watched him standing at the podium, speaking.
There might be someone here who dislikes or resents Jung Chan-soo more than I do. After all, you never know what’s in someone’s heart.
But no one here dared to oppose him.
After all, he was the undisputed strongest in the Tower at this point and the leader of the raid team.
“We will now move to the press conference location. Those not participating in the press conference, please exit to the left…”
After the meeting ended, everyone began to disperse.
Since most Rankers had gathered on the 35th floor due to my incident, the meeting for the 150th-floor raid was also held here.
Still, nearly half of them had to come anew, but surprisingly, there wasn’t much opposition.
It was because the 30th to 59th floors, which were based on Earth, were quite popular among the Tower’s residents.
“Five days left. It’s awkwardly short.”
“It’s better to rest and adjust your condition during the remaining time.”
Originally, we had planned to prepare for over a week, train with the new powers gained from the lower floors, and bring our condition to its peak, but the assassination incident and its aftermath had thrown everything off.
Kim Ji-eun chattered beside me, clinging tightly.
Still, this time, it seemed better to follow her advice and rest instead of doing anything unnecessary.
‘We’ll clear it anyway.’
In fact, while others were tense and the media inside and outside the Tower were hyper-focused on the 150th-floor raid, I thought it would be cleared relatively easily.
Not only because of my own achievements but also because Jung Chan-soo, the core of the raid team, had finally completed the Star Series and awakened the Constellation Fragment.
In the original story, he obtained it a bit later, but this madman had already gotten it.
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[Do you think Jung Chan-soo will reveal his Star Series? If he uses it, they’ll definitely clear it, but given his personality, he’ll probably hide it.]
ㄴ“He’s so sneaky, he’ll probably try to hide it 100%. But if he needs to use it, he definitely will.”
ㄴ“Since he’s completed the Star Series, there’s no rival for Jung Chan-soo up to the 180th floor, right?”
ㄴ“In my opinion, they can clear it even without Jung Chan-soo stepping up at this point.”
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I wasn’t the only one who thought this way. The gallery users were also predicting an easy clear of the 150th floor.
So, unlike when I was preparing for continuous bloodbath, I had some leeway this time. The continuous bloodbath was purely my own fight, but the 150th-floor raid involved over 100 members of the raid team.
“It’s been a while since we came down here, so it’s fine to enjoy ourselves for a day, right?”
“Is it okay after such a big incident?”
“Actually, it’s safer right after an incident like this. We’re not going into a dungeon or anything.”
Kim Ji-eun chuckled and naturally crossed her arms.
Though I didn’t show it, like me, Kim Ji-eun also loved this place because it reminded her of her hometown.
Whenever we took a break, the 55th floor, which had a particularly strong Korean vibe, was the place she visited most often. Using her as an excuse, I also frequented that floor.
“The guild members are all working, and we’re just going to play?”
“If they had made it to the 150th floor, they would’ve joined us, right?”
I chuckled and stood up without pushing away Kim Ji-eun’s arm, which she had subtly linked with mine.
“I heard. You properly took care of Shadis for a few hours. I can’t lose to that.”
At Kim Ji-eun’s suggestion to go to the 55th floor, I clicked my tongue lightly.
Even if we went to the 55th floor together, we rarely acted together in public places due to personality, attention, and awkwardness, but today seemed to be an exception.
“But today… Can you please take off that tracksuit?”
And at that moment, Kim Ji-eun, who had been fidgeting, finally said what I had been waiting for.
I had been wondering why she hadn’t said it, as she usually nagged me about it until my ears bled.
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[I’m so tired of that baggy, tacky tracksuit.]
ㄴ“If she just dressed like a normal person, her popularity would double.”
ㄴ“She’s tall, so she’d look good in Earth-style suits like Kim Ji-eun.”
ㄴ“That bitch Sylvia is annoying, but her image is similar to Reina’s. She’d look good in similar clothes, right?”
ㄴ“Bikini…”
ㄴ“Pants are for amateurs. The more someone likes her, the more they would know that she’d look better in a skirt.”
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Reina’s fashion? Surprisingly, it’s a topic that’s been beaten to death in the fan gallery for years.
It’s because I’ve never paid any attention to it. That’s why it’s not just Kim Ji-eun.
The fan gallery users, who argue over what kind of clothes would suit me best, all agree that they want to tear up the tracksuit I always wear.
The existence of the fan gallery, how it survives, and the benefits it brings me—all of that.
It was only very recently that I changed my thinking a bit, considering all of that.
‘Well, even I wouldn’t be able to stan someone who dresses like this.’
Even in my past life, I had celebrities I liked.
I knew how much effort celebrities, who live off public attention, put into winning their fans’ hearts.
Compared to that, I’ve been freeloading all this time. All I’ve done is train, fight, and climb the Tower to get stronger day by day.
In fact, most of the users when I first learned about the fan gallery’s existence were those who liked that about me.
But even those who said they liked my identity as a warrior and didn’t want me to dress up like a celebrity secretly wished I’d show more diverse sides of myself.
After all, those who see us as celebrities, athletes, or even pets they can dress up as they please are all deeply immersed in this.
“Really, really? You’re really going to stop wearing this annoying… no, this boring outfit?”
“It’s not just you. Everyone who sees me is going crazy telling me to stop wearing it.”
Kim Ji-eun’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hand when I finally declared I’d take off the tracksuit.
It was a reaction I hadn’t seen in a while. I don’t think she reacted like that even when we broke through the 149th floor.
“But I don’t know what to wear.”
I had been thinking about it for hours, but I couldn’t do it alone. I wanted someone to give me a push, and fortunately, the person who wanted that more than anyone was right beside me.
My personal fan, who was as passionate as the fan gallery users.
“Of course… I’ll help you.”
“You’re bleeding from your nose.”
She nodded with trembling eyes, as if she couldn’t believe this was real. She was so excited that blood was even dripping from her nose.
It was a cringy situation, but I could understand Kim Ji-eun’s reaction.
Being able to dress up the person she admired and loved the most as she pleased—I’m sure I’d have been happy too.
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[Thank goodness for Kim Ji-eun.]
[There have been some incidents here and there, but the gallery atmosphere lately is legendary.]
[Look at the meme makers going wild today.]
[The newbies are so annoying… We’ve been here for years…]
[It really feels like Reina has changed lately, lol.]
.
.
.
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That evening, I chuckled softly as I looked at the heated reactions in the gallery from my room in the 55th-floor hotel, where I had decided to stay for the night.
Perhaps because of the influx of new users to the gallery lately, the energy was much stronger than when I first learned of the gallery’s existence.
‘It’s not like I did anything grand.’
What I did with Kim Ji-eun today wasn’t really that spectacular.
Perhaps due to the trauma of growing up in unfortunate circumstances in the real world, Kim Ji-eun became obsessed with enjoying the power and wealth she gained in the Tower.
Today’s activities included eating at an expensive high-end restaurant, shopping for Earth’s luxury brands, which were already popular in the Tower, and finally drinking expensive alcohol at the hotel’s rooftop bar.
Thanks to that, Kim Ji-eun is now completely drunk and sleeping soundly in her room.
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ㄴ“Radiance is so OP. Does it multiply her alcohol tolerance?”
ㄴ“I want to see Reina completely drunk, but I’ll probably never get to see that.”
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Thanks to my trait, Radiance, which even purifies alcohol, I was only slightly tipsy despite drinking such strong liquor.
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ㄴ“Kim Ji-eun’s gallery is also reacting well. They say Reina fulfilled Kim Ji-eun’s wish. Even I could see how happy she was today. It felt more like Reina was accommodating her.”
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One comment caught my eye.
It was a comment saying I had fulfilled Kim Ji-eun’s wish.
It wasn’t wrong. The part about me accommodating her was also true.
In fact, wearing awkward and uncomfortable clothes today and following Kim Ji-eun around was out of character for me.
It was also a kind of repayment for Kim Ji-eun, who had worked hard to help me until now and would continue to do so.
“I’ve always said my wish is to return to my hometown with everything I’ve achieved in the Tower. I want to go back and properly take revenge on those who wronged me.”
At the bar, Kim Ji-eun, completely drunk, chuckled and muttered something that brushed past my mind.
Her wish had always been to return to her hometown with all her achievements from the Tower.
After all, all challengers in the Tower know that if they climb to the top, they can return to their hometown.
“Now, I don’t need any of that. If I can stay by Reina’s side for the rest of my life…”
Though she didn’t finish her sentence before falling asleep, I could understand her feelings.
Spending the rest of her life by my side… Hearing that, a bitter smile naturally formed.
As someone who already knew the future of those who conquered the Tower and became Constellations, I was relieved that her feelings had changed like this.
She might be able to spend her life with me, but she probably wouldn’t be able to return to her hometown with everything she had now.
The moment she returns to her hometown, she’ll just become an ordinary human again, having lost everything.
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ㄴ“I’ve never felt so betrayed and angry. But what can I do? I have to take comfort in the fact that there are so many others like me who couldn’t let go of what they had and became ghosts.”
ㄴ“I’m curious. What choice will Reina make?”
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Some were curious about my choice.
In my case, I had already given up since there seemed to be no way to return to my “real” hometown.
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[Today’s photos and videos compilation]
ㄴ“Ooooh!!”
ㄴ“It’s here! Selfies!”
ㄴ“Please increase your activity level. The gallery’s fate depends on it.”
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I chuckled and prepared to do one last thing before going to sleep.
Posting the photos I had taken of myself throughout the day in the gallery.
As I had seen many times before, the photos I took were quite popular due to their unique composition.
It’s strange to say this about myself, but the selfies I took undoubtedly held a significant share of the currently trending posts.
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[Riverstone, can we talk privately?]
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It was then that a mysterious private message arrived from someone.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for your support, Novelpia!!
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Either you become a normal human or you become a redditor.Both options are a lost, so you could pick the third one: Suicide.
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