Chapter 33 - Indomitable (3)

Anyone doubting Reina's victory—who sniffed out the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enemies in advance thanks to her contracted constellation's warning and prepared the perfect counter—is gone now. The tense, nail-biting standoff flipped in an instant to pure ecstasy and joy.

Users flooded the gallery again, posts exploding as the rankings shot up.

··· Though Reina couldn't check out the gallery's festival vibe just yet.

"Trying to run?"

"As if."

Reina smirked, and Decar—realizing she was looking down on him—sighed and shook his head. He had no choice but to admit it. Their complete defeat.

"Just one question. Why didn't you run after the warning? No—how did you even think to fight back?"

"I don't run. You said it yourself ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠earlier—no grudge against me personally. Means someone put you up to killing me. Don't know who exactly, but..."

In response to his earnest question, she answered while subtly glancing skyward. Anyone watching this scene knew exactly what that meant.

"Petty grudges like that don't scare me. Not when there are people who believe in me even more."

"Impressive."

Her bold declaration—delivered with a laugh, as if his defeat was never in doubt—might've looked like victor's taunt or strongman's leisure to Decar, who didn't know the truth. But to those watching from above, it was a thrilling catharsis, like her proclaiming their victory.

'You're something else, girl.'

At that moment, Serpina let out a hollow chuckle at the gallery exploding. Just like one post said, Reina lately seemed to know exactly what users wanted and delivered.

"I want to scratch that noble light of indomitability, even once."

Decar raised his polearm, biting his lip. He had no options left. She'd smashed the head of a guy begging for his life without blinking. No matter what, she wouldn't let him walk.

His only way out? Beat Reina here.

'But you said it—pointless without resolve to die.'

He planned to go further. Not just fight to survive, but with death's resolve—to wound that body and face.

What he pulled out looked crudely simple—an item with extreme effects. A common suicide bomb: trade life for transcendent power.

"Never thought I'd use this when I got it. Time to end it—Moonlight Sword Radiance!"

Decar erupted his surging mana and charged Reina in one breath. Unprepared for a suicidal rush, her eyes widened in shock.

"You..."

"Why that look?! You're the one preaching resolve and overcoming!"

His instantly amplified polearm grazed her hair by a hair's breadth.

'A solid hit's lethal.'

Even she couldn't guarantee surviving that power. For the first time, cold sweat beaded as she backpedaled.

Sword clashed with polearm—floors cracked, air roared, dust rained from the ceiling.

"Thanks for waking the beast I forgot since coming here."

"Kuh?!"

Her sword flew from a fiercer blow as life ebbed from him; the pole haft slammed her empty guard. A split-second slower dodge or weaker block, and the blade would've bisected her.

"Haa..."

With a boom, her body slid meters back on her feet, shattering the floor in a long scar. Decar's lifeless form crumpled like a cut puppet; Reina jammed her sword into the ground, grinding her teeth against the pain.

Her abdominal armor shattered from the haft hit; the mere cloth beneath vanished flawlessly, exposing writhing, flushed white skin.

"Last one was creepy. Bastard."

Bent over, clutching her throbbing gut, she bit her lip. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Fresh from the prior bloodbath, but pain was pain.

Amid the gruesome corpses, Reina huffed a laugh at the floating reward. To the Tower, her assailants were mere XP. The 33 challengers she'd slain lingered as numbers.

Real fights with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠real threats tallied instantly upon victory. Had she lost, they'd claim this around her corpse.

'What's this now?'

But then, something even she hadn't foreseen: a new trial unlocked upon condition met. Unknown even to her as possessor.

"Reina-nim!"

"Did that guy run after all."

Her gut still throbbed from the final blow allowed. Drained, she trudged up to the mall's upper shopping area, where Shadis's party greeted her amid wrecked cars in the lot, barrier holding firm.

The assassin threatening them bailed when odds turned. No big deal—his identity exposed, gallery users likely dissected it already. Punish later.

"A-Are you okay?"

"Cheap win at this price."

Shadis gaped at her shattered armor and bare abdomen. Awkward grin; she futilely covered it. Just throbbing, but the stares embarrassed.

"Terrorists infiltrating dungeons via all means to commit crimes. Heard rumors, but never thought it'd hit us."

"They targeted Reina-nim? And dragged us in too?!"

Wayne muttered gravely; Groll's eyes bulged in horror. Hiding it to the end seemed impossible.

"They came for me, yeah. Quasi-rankers tailing from upstairs, pros at this assassination gig."

"No way..."

"Sorry for involving you. But keep this quiet—no spreading. I'll handle it discreetly."

Rooting out the backers could shake Tower society, but she knew exactly who. Better no spotlight; urged silence.

"Not even telling the Federation?"

"Nah, that's different."

Not the public—but those who needed to know, would. She won, snagged sweet rewards, but ending quiet felt off now.

'Assassination Gallery. Worth hitting?'

Her initial desire for quiet closure shifted—mostly emotional. Even fan users lamented their reign of terror as unstoppable.

Instead of hiding till waves passed, she wanted to smash their noses. No matter their prowess, in this Tower, she was the ranker. Unless Jeong Chan-su or his crew flipped, no one outranked her.

That pre-final-fight taunt ignoring her and her fandom? Part of it.

'This is big.'

But that final moment added a killer reason. Beyond provocation—to draw out more hostiles.

"Wh-What the hell happened?!"

"Wasn't talking shit at dawn. Real intruders tried killing me in the dungeon. This is proof."

Exiting, Jake rushed pale with other Federation execs. She opened inventory, dumping gear looted from them—blood and flesh still clinging to high-end stuff only elites wielded.

"Report to Federation Council HQ now. Killed 'em all in the chaos, but they were hired."

"Wh-Who dares assassinate Reina-nim in this Tower?!"

"Investigation'll tell. Who knows? Maybe some high-up wanted pawn play."

Snickering at sweat-drenched Jake, she blatantly pointed skyward.

Constellations. By common sense, Tower rankers were their playthings. Unable to deny, they shut up and rolled eyes.