Ch. 72 True Intentions (3)
by AfuhfuihgsChapter 72 – True Intentions (3)
One thing I’d learned from lurking in the fan galleries was just how deeply invested the Constellations were in the Tower’s challengers.
Most treated them like athletes, obsessing over rankings and achievements, fueling fanbase rivalries. These were the backbone of Fate Road’s culture—competitive, passionate, and meddlesome.
But the second largest group?
‘And then there’s these people.’
I sighed, watching the Constellations feverishly dissecting shipping wars in the forums.
To them, challengers were characters—not just fighters, but figures to project romantic fantasies onto. Their daily lives, relationships, even scandals were entertainment.
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[Mods, can we stop feeding the shipping bait?]
ㄴ“Seriously, how long are we gonna keep seeing this childish fluff?”
ㄴ“It’s doomsday. Who cares who Reina likes? We’ve got a ranking battle going on!”
ㄴ“These shippers need periodic beatdowns. Coddling them just makes it worse.”
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The clash between these two factions was constant.
Right now, the forum was in chaos over Chan-soo’s oblivious remark—“I’m glad you’re here”—igniting another wave of delusional theories.
‘Serpina’s probably suffering too.’
I smirked, imagining her stuck in the Heavenly War while her forum alter ego stirred drama about Kim Ji-eun.
But Serpina’s posts were just playful trolling—harmless fun.
Back when I first discovered the fan galleries, few cared about shipping.
Now?
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[If I see even a hint of factionalism, instant ban.]
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Perbas’s warning was necessary. The influx of new fans—drawn to me as a person—risked splitting the fanbase.
A divided fanbase meant weaker support. And in the Tower, fanbase power translated to tangible rewards.
I couldn’t ignore that.
“Couldn’t sleep? You look exhausted.”
“Guess so.”
The afternoon after clearing the 151st Floor, I slumped on my bed while Kim Ji-eun, already dressed for work, eyed me.
“The 151st was cleared too fast—everything’s rescheduled. And now Chan-soo’s already planning the 152nd…”
“Can’t blame him for hurrying.”
She grumbled about her workload, but I understood Chan-soo’s urgency.
His regressor memories ended at the 170th Floor. Beyond that? Unknown.
Every second in Alternative World was borrowed time for him. The pressure was crushing.
‘Not a future I want to see either.’
If the strongest faltered, the fallout would be catastrophic.
But now, thanks to the fan galleries, I had a lifeline—collective intelligence from Constellations who knew more than Chan-soo or me.
“Rest. I’ll handle things.”
“I wish, but… I’ve got work too.”
I patted her head but shook my own.
The ranking battle against Lienblad was on. For my fanbase—and their rewards—I had to win.
‘At least I beat him in the 151st.’
According to Ji-eun, Lienblad’s team bailed the moment mirror images appeared. Meanwhile, Chan-soo’s faction (and I) pushed through, securing the first clear.
But rankings hadn’t shifted yet.
“Wait—why? You never cared about achievements before!”
Ji-eun gaped when I announced I’d grind dungeons for ranking points.
She wasn’t wrong. Previously, I saw no point.
Ranking up only gave minor stat boosts—hardly worth the effort.
“The Constellation ordered it.”
“Oh…”
I outright told her: I was competing against Lienblad.
Perbas had pressured me, so it wasn’t a lie.
Ji-eun, cowed by the word “Constellation”, just nodded.
“Are you sure? You’ve never grinded achievements before. The Tower recognizes more than just dungeon clears.”
“I know. Fighting would be simpler.”
Achievements weren’t just about clearing dungeons.
There were hidden conditions:
- First Discovery of secret dungeons.
- Flawless Clears (no damage).
- Speedruns.
- Absurd ones like “Absorb 1,000 Poison Strikes” or “Get Hit 100 Times in One Dungeon.”
‘But just clearing untouched dungeons should be enough. There are plenty left in the lower floors.’
I had no interest in hunting obscure achievements.
I’d compete as a warrior—my strength was my weapon.
Lienblad, a stoic lizardman, would likely do the same.
This would come down to who could conquer more dungeons in the same timeframe.
“Reina! I—I thought you should know…”
That evening, Ji-eun returned with shocking news.
“Say that again.”
“Lienblad… took a part-time job in the lower floors.”
We stared at each other, baffled.
‘This madman. How desperate is he?’
There was an achievement called “True Understanding”—where high-rankers temporarily demoted themselves to perform menial labor in the lower floors.
It offered no tangible rewards—just ranking points.
And Lienblad was doing it just to outscore me.
“No time to waste.”
I grabbed my gear.
I wasn’t in a position to slack off. He was defending his rank—I was the one who had to take it.
Author Note
A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading.
Translator Note
T/N (Translator’s note):
Fair play on him, respectable person.Too bad plot will strike and he will lose.
Just have to see how he takes it, the crybaby way or the beat up way.
What, you expected a potential good thing to happen?
Haha… no! Smh…
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