Chapter 19 - Continuous Blood Battles (1)

The constellations of Fate Road, especially those who enjoyed watching challengers in the newly opened Tower 3445, had a strong tendency to be drawn to those displaying unique and entertaining spectacles. Whether to witness sights they never saw during their own tower climbs, or to feel vicarious satisfaction from the scenes they once dreamed of, and so on. Gathered with various motivations, they couldn't help but find Jeong Chan-su and his comrades—who had rocketed to ranker status with overwhelming power and fearless momentum—irresistibly compelling material.

They were the kind of characters who could star as protagonists and their entourages in a single story. The allure they possessed was more than enough to form a massive united fandom.

…In reality, the atmosphere in this united fandom centered around Jeong Chan-su wasn't so bad. Not only Sylvia's personal fans, but other fandoms as well, predicted Sylvia's dominance and believed she'd win the showdown. They buzzed with excitement over immortalizing footage of Reina groveling at Sylvia's feet, openly boasting about storming Reina's fan gallery to humiliate her with it. To the largest fandom, armed with overwhelming firepower, Reina's smaller but tightly knit fanbase made for a perfect sandbag to bully whenever they got bored.

Of course, a minority watched this with intrigue or anxiety. But they were mere flickering candles before the gale of public opinion.

"Is she that confident to pull this off?"

"Yes, sir."

Those oblivious to the storm raging in the community were now conversing alone in a quiet space.

'She's usually not like this, but whenever she's tangled with her, she blows it up.'

Jeong Chan-su let out a small sigh as he watched Sylvia, hands clasped demurely, bowing her head as if pleading for trust. Unlike her savage scowl toward Reina, the current Sylvia embodied the noble, elegant elf aristocrat exactly as he'd hoped when he saved her from a fate of corruption and defilement.

"It's already happened, so I won't intervene. I trust you."

Had he known in advance, he'd have stopped it, of course. But Sylvia had already acted, and she was certain this personal grudge between individuals posed no issue for their factions.

"I don't think I'll lose, but even if I do, it'll just be me humiliated before that bitch. It won't affect the plans you've devised."

Sylvia acted as if she knew precisely what Jeong Chan-su hated most. In truth, only their closest allies like Kim Ji-eun and Jeong Chan-su knew of the Reina-Sylvia showdown—excluding Fate Road, that is.

"Relay this to Sylvia: She'll obtain something useful for this fight."

'But why are even my constellations drawing attention to this petty skirmish? Was there ever something like this? Is this normal?'

Recalling the words of his constellation—audible thanks to his insight stat over 2,000—Jeong Chan-su hardened his expression as he watched Sylvia bounce away joyfully with the random reward box he'd handed her. The possibility of a secret even he, a regressor, didn't know gnawed at him deeply.

The future he knew had long been twisted by his own hands, but this unease felt fundamentally different.

'Just like the moment I first saw her.'

The face of a silver-haired woman glaring at him flashed in Jeong Chan-su's eyes as he stood alone.

***

"Whoa… An S-rank Random Box!"

"It's not like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it's your first time seeing one."

A brilliant light descended from the sky, alongside a crystal box that boasted its high grade at a glance. Kim Ji-eun gasped in admiration, and I chuckled softly.

Random or not, by ranker level around 150 floors, getting one or two was normal… or so I'd thought, before learning this was essentially fan donations from Fate Road users.

'No wonder that bastard Jeong Chan-su and his crew get showered with goodies!'

A larger fandom naturally meant bigger donations. The protagonist's party getting prime rewards wasn't some contrived plot convenience after all.

I claimed the reward, already knowing its identity from the box. It wrapped snugly around my wrist—an S-rank prize infused with sci-fi tech. Activating it unleashed nanomachines that swarmed my body, forming a sleek, sturdy black futuristic suit.

"I-it's… incredible. Perfect timing for an S-rank armor we needed."

Serpina had hinted, but normally, I wouldn't know what it was. For those watching—and relishing—my reaction right now, I hammed it up as best I could.

"You're not that thrilled? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It looks amazing."

"…No, of course I am."

My hopelessly wooden acting made Kim Ji-eun tilt her head, but I'd done my utmost to show excitement. That should suffice as courtesy. What mattered was proving results to them in the end.

"You look lighter on your feet than before."

"Yeah. That's what I wanted."

Hermetica's strengths were its lightness and speed. Satisfied with the form-fitting armor's performance, I seized the moment to ask Kim Ji-eun for a favor: Attack me with magic.

To test the new armor and the power I'd honed through training.

"Here goes!"

Without suspicion, Kim Ji-eun aimed her staff—taller than herself—and unleashed a spell. We'd sparred like this often, and she trusted I wouldn't get hurt, so she went all out.

S-rank ability: Flame Dance.

Dozens of flaming blades erupted, filling the training ground and hurtling toward me.

'Before, I'd have tanked this head-on.'

Gripping my sword, I dropped low at the sight and surged forward. Not brute-forcing enemy strikes, but minimizing unnecessary impact while efficiently subduing foes. More movement, but less overall mana and stamina drain.

"That movement…! It's totally different from before!?"

Kim Ji-eun's eyes widened as I pierced her magic with fluid, blinding speed, platinum radiance trailing like afterimages. Reaching her in an instant, she gaped in disbelief.

"Not bad, right?"

Deactivating the armor, I smirked in satisfaction. The new ability's synergy, and above all, novel swordsmanship taught directly by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the ultimate experts—the constellations themselves. That was my foundation.

"It looks impressive, but you've really gotten stronger, right?"

"Sure, but proof's still needed."

I could peek at the gallery and be certain. But to outsiders like Kim Ji-eun, my path might look like a bed of thorns or a smooth highway. Either way, proof was essential.

And that moment of reckoning was nearly here.

Continuous Blood Battle was an official trial from the tower's system. Like entering a dungeon, challengers could access it via their authority— even opening the status window anywhere to dive in. Thus, our guild gathered to enter together, though we'd scatter solo upon entry.

"Most of you've done this before."

Prepared, I scanned the tense guildmates. Many were close, long-time comrades like Kim Ji-eun.

"Don't get complacent. And we're definitely getting stronger over time—with normal training and rewards, that is."

I wasn't as green at leading anymore. Encouraging and prodding them was my job too.

"So no settling for worse than last time. At least 100 stages minimum. Beat your personal best."

"What if we fail?"

"Hmm, 100 hours of training with me?"

Kim Ji-eun's joking quip to ease tension drew my chuckle, but the guild's faces paled. Basic stat gaps aside, no one in the guild outlasted me. They dreaded training till collapse with me especially.

"…Kidding. Just survive. Life's worth more than punishment."

I shifted tone right before entry. Reasons for fighting on varied, but all required staying alive. Same for me and my people.

…I won't lose anyone else anymore. Even if I can't always prevent it.

Manipulating the status window flipped the world. Guildmates and headquarters vanished; I stood alone in a dim, cavernous expanse vast enough for a colosseum.

The giant man-eating crickets lunging at me from that space incinerated the instant I stood still and emitted radiant light.

'Getting the hang of it.'

Rewards in Continuous Blood Battle start 30 stages below your record. Facing stage 2's giant centipedes, I still stood motionless, letting the charging foes burn in my light. Clear fast, conserve stamina max.