Chapter 16 - The Rival (Part 1)
“Pre-interviews with the leaders? Haa, what a hassle...”
“As you know, even I can’t step in for this one. Plus, with the recent failure on Layer 150, we need to boost morale, right? Still, it’ll be short, just like always.”
Kim Ji-eun shook her head firmly, as if there was no helping it. With so little time left, she wanted to devote it entirely to training—or if not that, at least get some proper rest. But as the leader of a faction and a ranker, there were duties she couldn’t avoid.
Even if I didn’t want to step forward, people’s eyes would always turn to me. Sometimes, I had to accept that attention and make use of it. That was responsibility.
The pre-interviews ahead of the Continuous Blood Battle cycle were no different. Since rewards varied by ranking, competition heated up inevitably. It wasn’t just those in the tower—people outside focused intently on the top rankers’ battleground too.
When the downsides grew severe, like sabotaging rivals or injuring them to monopolize rewards, the top faction leaders united to establish a new order and prevent such incidents. And Jeong Chan-su had led that effort.
Just as depicted in the story, Jeong Chan-su despised unnecessary internal competition and attrition among his people. Opponents were crushed by force and eliminated until the emerging powerhouse Jeong Chan-su and his allies bent the top factions to their will. Resisting that resolve wasn’t easy.
“Shall I come with you?”
“Use that time to do your own job. What I said still stands. Everyone in our guild clears at least 100 waves.”
I stopped Kim Ji-eun, who looked ready to tag along if I so much as hinted at it. She needed to push her final training too. These leader gatherings were annoying, sure, but I’d done them plenty of times. Mutter something about doing my best, wrap it up, and leave—not exactly rocket science.
I’ll swing by the sanctuary on the way back.
Yawning, I shoved my hands into the pockets of my tracksuit and stepped out alone into the street. Unlike Layer 30, the upper layers were full of people accustomed to my face, so I didn’t need to hide it much—no major stares followed.
The cooldown for visiting the sanctuary had ticked down since my last trip. Might as well stop by and chat with the constellations while I was out of headquarters. No doubt the gallery was still ablaze with armor debates right now.
“Some are as motivated as the rumors say, and others have clearly lost their steam.”
“Can’t be helped. That Layer 150 raid just went south...”
The reporter, Edmond, smacked his lips and fired off shots from his magic stone camera nonstop.
This event on Layer 135 was where faction leaders gathered before the Continuous Blood Battle to pledge adherence to order and address the masses following them through the media. Though newly official, participation was high. With top tower leaders and rankers meeting periodically, the occasion’s importance had naturally grown.
People gathered, and those people naturally communicated. Plus, those assembled were the tower’s rankers and faction heads—a miniature political arena, in other words.
Solarian’s really sitting out this Continuous Blood Battle as a group, per the rumors?
The fallout from Layer 150’s failure is huge. Jeong Chan-su’s faction will solidify even more.
A few arrivals began subtle games of one-upmanship. To them, this bizarre political stage was a survival tool. Even if short on power, info, or resources, political savvy could cover it. Building allies and checking enemies was basic.
“Long time no see, Belual.”
“It’s been ages for you. Is that ring by chance the S-grade Eclipse Ring you got last time?”
S-grade gear, flashy suits—they greeted each other warmly but flashed their forces to avoid yielding ground. Even without political aims, they were rankers vying for position. They loathed any image of inferiority.
“Don’t you think it’s overkill every time? Is this an item showcase or a meeting?”
“Don’t say that, Se-jin. It’s only natural they muster their best, meager as it may be.”
Sylvia Kaaz was no different. Not a faction leader, but as a top-10 ranker, she’d armed and adorned herself with her finest too.
“Only one person needs no such preparation—and everyone acknowledges it.”
Flushing her elf-pale cheeks, Sylvia glanced toward Jeong Chan-su, standing apart in a plain suit.
All are mere tools for him. No one in this tower can defy our sole hope—not even Se-jin, not even me.
Just watching from afar reddened her pointed ears’ tips. Sylvia Kaaz had been with Jeong Chan-su since her lower-layer days, one of his devoted comrades, ready to do anything for the man she admired—a loyal retainer through and through.
“That bitch dares...!”
Then Sylvia’s eyes caught a loathsome sight. Unlike the others, Reina sat at a desk in baggy, rumpled tracksuit, unmoving. Hidden behind oversized sunglasses, her face tilted faintly—she was clearly asleep.
Others, used to it by now, didn’t approach or speak to her.
A mere 15th rank... rejecting his grace...
Sylvia’s beautiful face twisted unmistakably in fury at Reina.
To win Jeong Chan-su’s heart, Sylvia had overcome her elf instincts for eternal monogamy, even tolerating his unofficial harem with other heroines. She’d once thought Reina would join them too. Reina, unknown before his regression, was special.
Had she? Sylvia would’ve treated her as a subordinate but still as a comrade.
Know your place!
But Reina had rejected Jeong Chan-su’s recruitment. She’d become an official rival, one step removed from his faction.
“People like her are necessary too. Just in case—but don’t touch her. She’s essential for future tower raids.”
Reina’s faction was negligible next to Jeong Chan-su’s, which monopolized most rising top rankers. Over Moon had no one in the top 50 besides Reina and Kim Ji-eun.
Yet Jeong Chan-su always showed interest in Reina. Unaware of his regressor secret, Sylvia sometimes felt his attention on her exceeded his on herself.
“Calm down, Sylvia. Want another scolding?”
“Kuh...”
Sensing the tension, her comrade Lee Se-jin grabbed her arm with a panicked look. Biting her lip, Sylvia swallowed her rage.
She’d once nearly dueled Reina over her casual attitude toward Jeong Chan-su. Confident of victory, but he’d stopped her. That day, Sylvia first heard disappointment from him—and despaired.
“It’s fine. Official occasion or not, I can’t let that arrogant wench slide without a word.”
Forcing calm, Sylvia mustered a smile. No outbursts planned. Just a warning? She was top-10 ranker; Reina, five spots below at 15th. In the tower, might made right. Bowing to the strong was etiquette.
And Sylvia believed in that law more than most.
“...?”
“Snap out of it. Dozing off at an event like this?”
Sylvia hadn’t yelled. She’d just approached Reina’s desk, slammed it with a bang, and glared.
Jeong Chan-su wouldn’t mind this much.
“I’ve done jack today, just sat here quietly—why pick a fight again? Sylvia.”
Reina jolted awake, frowning as she removed her sunglasses. She’d been deep in community browsing; rude awakening sharpened her edge naturally.
Their deep red and emerald eyes clashed midair.
“It’s Sylvia-nim! My rank, age, status—superior in every way...”
“Got it, got it. Sylvia-nim.”
Reina waved dismissively at the bristling Sylvia. The scene had repeated so often, onlookers just shrugged.
“Can’t fathom your rank obsession. Battle outcomes shift with situations and conditions—you know that.”
“If you were bottom-tier, I wouldn’t care. But we’ll tangle plenty, like it or not, so shouldn’t we establish order for contingencies?”
Sylvia replied gravely, voice low, to Reina’s wry smile. A clash of philosophies, really. Reina knew strength’s tower meaning but wielded it only when essential; Sylvia ingrained it daily.
“Is that so? Jeong Chan-su doesn’t seem to think that way.”
“Don’t you dare utter his name so casually!”
Realizing why Sylvia hushed, Reina smirked at distant Jeong Chan-su. Taking it as provocation, Sylvia lunged, grabbing Reina’s collar.
“Hey. Let go?”
In that instant, Reina’s voice changed too.