Chapter 9 – Returning to the Beginning (3)

Ｒè​ad ȯｎ Ｋa​&t;​R​eａd​i&n;​gCäϝë

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「Ability: Euphoric Bloodthirst (D) has been deleted, and Quick Step (E) has been added.」

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Since I can only hold 30 abilities at the moment, I had to delete one to make room for a new one.

Following my pre-planned strategy, I deleted the ability with the least synergy and replaced it with Quick Step.

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「Quick Step (E) resonates with Dance of the Wind (B).」

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‘It worked.’

The newly added ability began to resonate with my existing abilities, creating a synergy effect.

This process of stacking and combining abilities was part of the path to a higher realm, as the Constellations in the community had mentioned.

I tested it by lightly stepping forward with my sword in hand.

Even I was surprised by the movement.

With just a slight movement of my muscles, I had already taken several steps forward without making a sound.

Dance of the Wind, an ability that makes my movements as smooth as a breeze, had combined with Quick Step to create a new, enhanced form.

And this wasn’t the end. As I acquire more abilities, the synergy will continue to evolve.

Even as a transmigrator, I didn’t know all the details, but the Constellations in the gallery had it all figured out.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

With a faint smile, I left the dungeon.

I wondered how they would react this time.

They must have already heard through Serpina that I’ve changed a bit.

If I continue to act according to their heated discussions…

I don’t know for sure since I haven’t experienced it myself, but from their perspective, it must be quite thrilling.

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[Reina actually got Quick Step. Look at the synergy activating!]

[Admin, you’ve really done something big this time.]

[The first step is the most important, and she just breezed through it like that?!]

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But when I returned to the hotel that night and checked their reactions, they were even more intense than I had expected.

New posts were flooding in real-time, and the post I had seen last night was already buried under dozens of new ones, pushed to the next page.

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Currently, there are three main topics of discussion in the gallery, and all three were drawing massive reactions from the users.

The explosive atmosphere in the community was largely due to the overlap of these topics.

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[This is definitely refreshing. Wasn’t she supposed to be the cold, emotionless type?]

[Wow, this is so good…]

[Seeing her act out of character is driving me crazy. I’m adding more points.]

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The first topic was the video Serpina uploaded of what happened in the sanctuary today.

I had anticipated Serpina’s actions and acted accordingly, but the reaction was bigger than I expected.

‘I wasn’t always like this…’

As I read the posts and comments they wrote after watching the video, my face started to burn.

They, and even Serpina, seemed to have misunderstood my personality, likely due to the events I experienced early on after being transported here.

Back then, I was like a cornered dog.

Dropped into an unfamiliar world without explanation, I had to survive in a dangerous place where my life was constantly at risk.

The influence of the socially inept regressor protagonist, Jung Chan-soo, also played a role. Plus, being transported into a woman’s body for the first time, I had to fend off lowlifes, which added to the immense stress.

So, I minimized contact with others, kept my words to a minimum, and treated everything with cynicism.

Coupled with the harsh and precarious reality, the mask I wore began to shape my personality into something truly cold.

I think I’ve improved a lot since then, but remnants of that time still linger.

Of course, the Constellations in the gallery are the ones who gathered because they liked that version of me.

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[The admin must have said something right. Look at her moving to get the ability right away. This is satisfying.]

[Alright, I’ll admit it this time. She’s got a point.]

[She’s always been good at picking out the best and avoiding the worst. If she keeps this up, she’ll really grow.]

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The second topic was, of course, about me starting to act according to their guides.

The users who had been unsure cheered and marveled, praising Serpina for saying the right things.

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ㄴ“If you’re grateful, send donations.”

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Serpina even boasted about her donation account in the comments.

“…Did it really come across that well?”

I smirked and recalled what Serpina had urgently told me.

Since she couldn’t mention it directly, she had to speak vaguely, and some parts of her sentences were muted, some words were swapped, and some parts were filled with static, making them hard to understand.

In truth, the reason I could act so well wasn’t because I understood Serpina particularly well, but because I was a transmigrator and could infiltrate the fan gallery to spy.

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[What do you think of Shadis’s potential?]

[That dark elf brat bit off more than she could chew. Reina’s more of an S than you’d think. Once she bites, she doesn’t let go.]

[Kim Ji-eun, Shadis… Why are all the people who approach her first so short? Does Reina have a type…?]

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And the final topic was about the pickpocket I caught, the dark elf Shadis.

The gallery users don’t just talk about me. In fact, they often discuss the people around me more.

Kim Ji-eun, my oldest companion and a ranker herself, naturally gets a lot of attention, as do other rankers like my guild members and Jung Chan-soo.

Even though I’ve only fought a handful of people, VS battles have been a long-standing tradition in the gallery, and they often speculate about my non-existent love life, pairing me with this person or that.

‘I’m just an amusing toy to them, I guess.’

Fortunately, while the users showed strong interest in Shadis, who had recently appeared by my side, they didn’t seem too deeply concerned.

To the Constellations, even I, a revered ranker, am just a cute junior. Someone like Shadis, who can’t even compare to me, isn’t even worth worrying about.

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“At least the mood isn’t bad.”

After checking the latest posts in real-time, I sighed in relief.

Honestly, I’ve had a lot on my mind since I first discovered the fan gallery.

Realizing that much of the help I’ve received from the Constellations came from their donations and advice only added to the pressure.

They’re not just cheering for me; they’re actively helping me.

Satisfying them could bring greater rewards, but disappointing them would only hurt me.

If I hadn’t known about their existence, I wouldn’t have cared, but now that I do, I can’t help but keep an eye on the fan gallery I’m spying on.

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[By the way, the guide says to combine Quick Step and Dance of the Wind for adaptation training. What does that mean?] 

• Riverstone

ㄴ“Do swordsmen have special training methods? Here’s a tribute photo.”(tribute.png)

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Of course, there’s still work to be done.

Taking a deep breath, I posted my second question on the board.

Just getting the ability isn’t enough. It’s not like a game where you press a button and a skill activates instantly.

You need to undergo grueling training to truly master the stats and abilities you’ve acquired.

I know a few methods, but it would be much better to get direct answers from the Constellations in the gallery.

No matter how suspicious they seem, they are the ones currently training to reach higher realms.

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ㄴ“A selfie!”

ㄴ“No, seriously, how do you take photos from this angle?! I can’t do it.”

ㄴ“Wow, is this from the dungeon earlier?”

ㄴ“Please upload more photos of Reina from this angle.”

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‘These people…’

Most of the comments that started pouring in were about marveling at the photo I uploaded, not the question I asked.

The angle, which only I could take since I took the photo myself, seemed to be a huge shock to them.

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ㄴ“Training methods vary. What’s most efficient differs for each swordsman.”

ㄴ“Then what method would suit Reina best right now?”

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Fortunately, one proper answerer appeared. The nickname Arati was familiar.

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ㄴConsidering Reina’s physique, her human race, and her current stats… This would be best. Cutting ten falling water droplets, repeated ten times.

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He suggested a training method that sounded insane even in text.

It was something I’d never heard of before, but I instinctively knew it would be effective.

Proof. The very embodiment of that statement is the people in the gallery.

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ㄴ“Since personal photo exchanges are against the rules, how about I take a photo you want and upload it?”

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Normally, I’d be frustrated and have to put in the time and effort to figure things out myself, so it’s only natural to feel grateful to someone who answers so readily.

Feeling a bit giddy, I made the mistake of asking if there was a photo he wanted to see.

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ㄴ“Wow, holy crap.”

ㄴ“Why am I not a swordsman?”

ㄴ“Ask for a bikini photo if you’re bold.”

ㄴ“What are you talking about? She only wears rash guards even when swimming. That’s not a screenshot fiend’s job; it’s brainwashing.”

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Thanks to that, everyone else started going wild.

Wearing a rash guard is a miracle in itself; I’m someone who absolutely avoids any kind of exposure.

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ㄴ “Take a photo of her sleeping face ‘this’ close.”

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“Haah…”

Of course, the request wasn’t sane either.

Author Note

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

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Selling your body for personal gains is a very effective strategy.

Look at the Lewd Saintess and Kat for example, so crude yet so effective.

Smh…