Chapter 18 - Rival (3)
···
Slipping out of the sanctuary, I headed straight back to headquarters and checked the community. As expected, Serpina had shared our conversation there, heating up the boards. The debate over which armor to gift me wasn't just petty squabbling—it mirrored the long-term path I was forging ahead on, which was why it burned so hot. And though they didn't know it, I'd been lurking, posting questions and absorbing their arguments to truly understand. By now, I'd already made up my mind.
'A faster, sharper sword. That's what I choose.'
I'd picked Gale Sword. A blade tip like the wind—unbound by form, free, light, and the pinnacle of speed. Both sides had solid logic and evidence; it came down purely to my choice. I simply went with what tugged at my heart and instincts a little more.
···
The Gale Sword vs. Shattering Sword debate had been fierce bait in the gallery, but its ripple effects weren't that huge. A few sword-focused users were yelling loud, but most didn't know much about that level of technique—and even constellations at the peak like Serpina were still training and researching to grasp its true value. They'd just tossed it out as a direction, never dreaming I'd master it inside the tower for real. Not that I blamed them; even I, scraping info by posting questions, barely grasped the fragments yet.
Instead, the hotter topic now was my showdown with Sylvia. My bold "I'll win for sure, so believe in me" to Serpina had gone viral as video, pouring fuel on the fire. Fans cheering from the heart, investors betting points—all had stakes, sharpening their nerves.
In reality, only Sylvia, me, and a few close aides knew about it—a minor thing. But not in Fate Road, the constellation hub watching tower climbs and beyond. Shockingly, my move was drawing real eyes there.
"Why... go for a showdown like that? You'd normally ignore it."
"With Sylvia's personality, she'd keep picking fights anyway. Better settle it now than later."
Right after waking from my nap—framed as rest. Prepping to hit the training grounds, I filled Kim Ji-eun in on the Sylvia thing. Predictably, she panicked, worry first.
"You think I'll lose?"
"N-No way!"
I chuckled at her unease; she jolted, shaking her head. But the anxiety in her eyes lingered.
"But if that pointy-eared bitch beats you... I couldn't stand it. If it were me fighting her, maybe."
"Same here. So I won't lose."
I gave a wry smile, ruffling her muttering head. My shoulders carried more than gallery users—Kim Ji-eun and everyone watching me in reality hung in the balance. Knowing that weight, I'd never lose this fight.
"Official events are done anyway, so I'm holing up here starting today. Sorry, but cover for me."
"Got it."
Zipping down, shrugging off my top, I grabbed my sword and dove into training. Five days till the next bloodbath cycle. Not one step outside—I had to reach my target realm.
'Gale Sword basics. Form of Transcendence.'
Water drops fell one by one from bottles Kim Ji-eun magically fixed around me as I gripped my sword. Gallery users couldn't imagine, but using their direct answers and strategy posts, I'd practice one peak of the latest sword art constellations debated and refined: Gale Sword.
Their guides said Form of Transcendence was basic—something I could learn with my current abilities.
'What I've done as a possessor in this tower so far? Child's play. This is the real deal.'
Form of Transcendence wasn't some system reward trait or ability that popped up with a ding and auto-mastered. It transcended years of fighting on traits and abilities from the tower. This was the path to becoming a true swordmaster.
Deflecting my blade, I moved. Soft and swift as wind, yet unshaken. Muscles and radiance exploding in unison, I slashed at the falling drops in one breath.
'I can do it.'
I'd reach it in time. My eyes sparkled with certainty.
Post predicts Reina mastering Form of Transcendence in time and fighting differently.
Comments were positive. Sword-training constellations especially went wild, They were hyped on Reina’s talent like they’d chugged stimulants.
'Yeah. Looks solid to me too.'
Watching, Serpina glanced at the screen beside her and sighed softly. It showed Reina training live. Third day already. She'd poured every non-rest moment into it.
'Not a wasted motion—straight toward Form of Transcendence.'
Of course, grinding time and body didn't guarantee results. Hitting even 50% yield was success. But Reina moved like she knew exactly what to chase.
"That stubborn girl. She's always been top-tier at ramming her head into things. She'll get what she wants this time."
Then Perbas messaged. Watching Reina too, he was stunned, tongue out in admiration.
"Perbas, did you explain Form of Transcendence to her in detail?"
"No way. Just mentioning direction was tough—no time for tiny forms."
She'd asked just in case, but he denied. So Reina was nailing it solo, no constellation help.
"...Towers are mysteries even at this level. How's the investigation?"
Serpina scratched her head, chuckling, shifting topics. Perbas had reached out first over their shared task.
"Bigger than expected, but still sane. Private bets? Common stuff."
He shared Fate Road intel. Reina's Tower 3445 wasn't alone—others had climbers, galleries, constellations. In-tower fandom fights were cute compared to inter-tower rivalries, which ballooned massive.
"Plenty of annoyances, but point-all-in gamblers are the worst."
Serpina eyed private betting hardest. Not content with official sponsorships/bets/payouts, they swarmed any rivalry, cross-tower, running personal pools. Big ones meant anything goes: bribing rivals, sabotage, hiring tower infiltrators.
"Idiots dreaming quick riches, betting lives instead of training to higher realms. Pathetic for constellations..."
"That's why they're stuck there."
Perbas snorted at her rage. Tasters of instant power from tower rewards often balked at bone-grinding practice. Failures turned to point gambling, falling.
Serpina and Perbas had overcome or leveraged it to contract constellation status.
"Jeong Chan-su faction's reaction?"
"Don't get me started—jaw hurts."
Jeong Chan-su's fandom—rival alert too. Explosive growth from debut, hot allies galore: Tower 3445's biggest.
"Whole group's flipping out. That elf bitch ranks top three in their fandom."
As Perbas smirked, the Reina-Sylvia clash was a faction-wide earthquake for them.