Chapter 76 – The Meaning of Competition (4)

R̃êäd̃ ̈ón̈ ̂K̃ät̃Ŕë​âd́ĩn̈ǵC̃​ãf̀é

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ㄴ“An achievement obtainable in dungeons above the 100th floor. If we confirm it like this, we can reduce unnecessary and meaningless competition.”

ㄴ“With this, it’s certain…”

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My thoughts were not wrong.

Checking the bulletin board again, the users had come to an agreement and modified the competition conditions.

Achievements obtainable in dungeons above the 100th floor meant that both I and Lienblad would definitely be able to gain something.

‘Yeah, how great would it be if we could go in a direction that benefits each other as much as possible.’

I was reminded of a conversation I had once in the comments section of the bulletin board. That the community is ultimately just a community.

I already know that becoming a Constellation doesn’t mean everything is over.

Even Constellations of Serpina’s high caliber periodically go to the battlefield to fight and strive for their own growth.

Wasting this precious opportunity of being inside the Tower would ultimately be a loss for everyone.

I managed to prevent a crisis that was about to happen. It was largely thanks to a few users who dared to stand against the overheated atmosphere.

‘There are indeed many people who are worthy of being Constellations.’

Having experienced childish posts and malicious anti-fans who were watching me, my trust in the Constellations had decreased significantly, but fortunately, there were quite a few who contrasted them.

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[Then we need to revise the strategy?]

[An achievement obtainable in dungeons above the 100th floor… we need to use our brains a bit. The efficiency changes drastically as the difficulty increases]

[Damn it, aren’t we losing out here? Feels like we’ve technically just matched the favorable conditions for the side defending]

.

.

.

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Naturally, those who were writing strategies on the bulletin board began to create and upload new strategies.

I chuckled as I watched them.

Those who know a lot see a lot, and they said that with these conditions, I, who have to break through the ranking, am at a disadvantage compared to the opponent defending the ranking. But they don’t know that I’m peeking at all the strategies they write.

From the beginning until now, what I believe in is exactly this.

The reason I could confidently declare in front of Lienblad and actively appeal to change the conditions was all thanks to this.

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ㄴ“What does it mean to reflect enemy attacks more than 100 times as mentioned in the 122nd floor dungeon?:”

ㄴ“The enemy that appears there is a Lich, and it literally means deflecting the unique magic dark magic bullets that it shoots 100 times.”

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I can even directly ask questions and get answers if I have any curiosities.

As long as I can continue to peek at this fan gallery, I will win most competitions. I believed so.

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ㄴ“So, what do you guys think is Reina’s level right now? Looking at the competitors inside the Tower, as well as the more distant future.”

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Since there were people gathered who were so immersed in writing strategies and knew a lot about swordsmanship, I slyly asked one more question.

I want to honestly hear what level I am at now, having started to act diligently according to their strategies and starting to see results one by one.

It was essential since my goal had changed from Jung Chan-soo to a higher and stronger place, including Gale Sword.

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ㄴ“Isn’t she still at the crawling stage? ㅋㅋ”

ㄴ“If you compare it to cooking, she’s just now getting the necessary ingredients and tools.”

ㄴ“The situation keeps changing… but if it goes according to the pre-written strategy, she’ll show proper potential around the 170th floor.”

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“170th floor…? That’s far away.”

I smiled bitterly as I read the replies of the high-level players.

I thought I had been running without wasting time since I first learned about the existence of the fan gallery, but I still lack a lot.

I’m changing my weapon and replacing my abilities, changing my style itself, but it’s still too far to reach a completed state.

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ㄴ“Still, this is incredibly fast.”

ㄴ“That’s right, considering the mid-way overhaul, it’s like Reina is directly looking at the strategy guide and moving.”

ㄴ“That’s why the influx of new people is constantly increasing. It’s much more interesting to watch compared to other challengers.”

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Nevertheless, the reason I can stay calm is because my growth is fast and accurate enough for them to acknowledge.

From the beginning, the Tower is such a place. A place where you slowly climb one step at a time, and eventually, the results come out.

Since I don’t age much once I enter here anyway, I can just invest my time steadily.

“It seems Lienblad’s party is heading to the 118th floor dungeon. I looked it up, and it seems there’s an achievement for clearing it without getting hit.”

“An achievement for clearing without getting hit. It’s definitely an achievement that will help with stable combat.”

I raised the corners of my mouth as I listened to Kim Ji-eun, who was putting on her robe and taking out her weapon, a staff, preparing to enter the dungeon.

If it’s a goal worth achieving, there’s no problem in using competition as an excuse. Because there’s something to gain.

The 122nd floor dungeon that our party will enter this time is a dungeon where the boss is an undead wizard, a Lich.

It is a particularly unique double-structured dungeon, and it must be divided into a party that fights the boss and a party that performs missions outside.

Here, I took on the role of facing the boss alone.

To be exact, the goal was to achieve the achievement of allowing the boss to attack 100 times and blocking all of those attacks.

‘The achievement is a bonus. I can even do the necessary training here.’

The Constellations who wrote the strategy said that I would be able to become more familiar with high-speed combat using the Four-Point Sword in the process of achieving this achievement.

I can achieve the achievement and do the necessary training. This is exactly the healthy competition I wanted.

“Let’s go in. If everything goes as planned, we’ll be out in a day.”

I looked back at my party members, including Diana and Kim Ji-eun, and stood at the front, entering the dungeon first.

***

“You’ve worked hard.”

Serpina took off her equipment, which was scratched here and there, and her torn clothes, and put down her weapon. At the same time, she connected to Fate Road as if she had been waiting for this moment.

If she wasn’t a contracted Constellation with a contractor to watch over and a gallery manager, she would be called an addict.

“I can’t hear these words from you unless it’s at times like this.”

The first thing that flew in as soon as she connected was Perbas’s personal communication. She let out a hollow laugh at those words.

“This Heavenly War is at its end. There’s been a lot of talk here and there, but it seems like it’s going to pass somehow.”

Serpina muttered in a voice that was much more tired than on the first day of the Heavenly War.

It was true that she had chosen hardship for more points, but it was also true that the enemies from the outer universe who were rushing in were getting stronger compared to the power of the Constellations.

“If this continues, there may be a front line that collapses within 100 years at the shortest.”

“…That’s a big problem. Everyone agrees that the system itself is gradually sinking.”

Those who fight directly on the field can’t help but feel it. That the fight is getting harder as time goes by.

In fact, it was a story that had been coming out on Fate Road for quite some time.

That according to the existing system, the enemies would eventually break through and the world, no, this entire universe would be destroyed.

“New heroes need to come out.”

There was a bone in Perbas’s words. In fact, this crisis has been a problem that has continued since ancient times. It was the heroes who shone more uniquely than others who solved such problems.

The so-called transcendence. Serpina’s eyes slightly hardened at those words.

She tried to become that transcendence. However, Serpina was also just one star in this vast world.

‘But when will such sun-like beings come out again?’

There were so many challengers called promising prospects that you could trip over them.

However, not many of those promising prospects truly break their limits and become the stars among stars.

“How’s Reina doing?”

“…When that child first came to me, I thought there was no hope.”

At the mention of Reina, Serpina, who was soaking her body in a huge and hot bathtub prepared by the servants, chuckled.

In fact, that thought hasn’t changed even now. Reina doesn’t have talent in swordsmanship.

“But it’s strange. From some point on, it’s as if she’s opened her mind’s eye and is only choosing efficient answers. Even if you and I give sincere advice, the Constellation’s advice will barely reach 40%…”

“Hasn’t she always been quick-witted?”

“She was. As if she knows something.”

Her golden eyes sparkled.

At the same time, Reina’s figure breaking through the dungeon was visible on the large screen she was looking at.

Wearing the dark black full-body suit she had gifted, she was rapidly wielding the Four-Point Sword, not missing a single one of the countless bullets fired by the giant skeleton.

‘The basics are being established.’

“It’s time to see her in person.”

Even to Serpina, Reina’s movements looked quite usable.

It seemed she had met the minimum conditions to pass on her secrets one by one.

“See her in person? Don’t tell me?”

“I earned some points thanks to all the hard work I did this time. It’s worth investing in.”

The blessings and teachings given by the Constellation are not just about giving gifts and telling them in words.

Just as the malicious troublemakers directly interfered in the Tower at the cost of huge points, Serpina can also pay a fair price and give teachings to her contractor, Reina.

“Will it be okay when you’re so busy?”

She snorted, dripping hot water as she got up from her seat, at Perbas’s words mentioning the ranking competition that was in full swing.

‘I didn’t think this moment would come so easily.’

Because of Reina’s miserable talent, and because of the awkward relationship that had become estranged due to her clumsy response, she thought the moment to directly pass on her strength would never come.

Serpina’s heart also began to pound for no reason.

It was something that happened without her knowing at the thought of being able to meet the person she had only been watching on the screen.

“Am I too engrossed?”

She was slightly embarrassed because this was the first time this had happened.

As the founder and main administrator of the fan gallery, it ultimately means she is the most passionate fan.

Now that she’s going to meet the challenger she’s cheering for, she can’t help but look forward to it and get excited.

Author Note

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

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
A real teacher teaches those who want to learn, not those with impressive talent.

In this case, she is level-headed enough to do that, but most teachers are still noobs, smh.

Oh yeah, go beat up Kat because he made me do so much work, smh!