The sentence from the senior Archmage was filled with considerable anger.
Unlike usual.
It seed there was sothing more to the disdain for the Constellations, not just because they had succumbed to the tower, but I didn’t ask about it right now.
From Stage 5 onward, I kept asking whether the Constellations were still watching .
ㄴSword of Light) After Stage 5, the Constellations will be able to see you as a player. It's not possible in the waiting room.
ㄴSword of Light) This is from the previous batch of players. Pandemonium might be different, though.
ㄴSword of Light) And if the Constellations’ presence bothers you, you can block them.
ㄴㅇㅇ*) Block the Constellations? Is that even possible?
ㄴSword of Light) It's not like you’ll directly feel their gaze, but you’ll get that feeling when you're staring at the notification window.
ㄴSpear King) They’ve probably never seen Pandemonium, so it’d be funny to ss with them and block them right away.
ㄴㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ) Haha, sounds great. If it doesn’t help, just block them imdiately.
Absolute Ruler) After you attract the Constellations’ curiosity, they’ll probably open a quest window with a reward to observe your climb.
Absolute Ruler) If they want to watch, tell them to pay for it~~ (lol)
ㄴSword of Light) I blocked them after Floor 30 because I found them annoying.
ㄴArchmage) too.
ㄴIce Queen) Frozen!! Blocked at Floor 32!
ㄴShrine Maiden) Hehe, I left them for a bit out of boredom but blocked them around Floor 50.
ㄴSage) Pilgrim, everything depends on perception. Whether it's those two great beings or soone like . I was able to block them because I thought the Constellations didn’t know much.
Hard-mode players really have a different mindset, huh. Hard-mode and Normal players would have been thrilled by the attention from the Constellations and posted on the gallery.
Hard-mode players didn’t care much. The Constellations weren’t much of a concern.
ㄴElf Guy) Hard-mode climbers usually felt pure joy when the Constellations showed interest. The ones who survived as top-tier players just have too much intuition.
ㄴElf Guy) I was one of those with too much intuition. Who’s a re commoner?
ㄴElf Guy) Ahhh!
ㄴElf Guy) Seriously, that’s what you get for taking it seriously...!
ㄴArchmage) Anyway, fundantally, the Constellations are not on the players' side. They’re enemies we’ll have to fight soday.
ㄴArchmage) Just rember that.
ㄴㅇㅇ*) Ah, so I should just get the rewards and leave.
ㄴㅇㅇ*) You won’t throw a quest expecting to fail, right? I just need to succeed, right?
ㄴSword of Light) Yeah, that’s right.
ㄴArchmage) Smart, climber.
ㄴIce Queen) Frozen! Smart!
ㄴㅇㅇ*) Are there any rewards I shouldn’t accept?
ㄴArchmage) Divine powers.
ㄴSage) The divine powers offered by the Constellations are useful against monsters, but later, when you face the Constellations as enemies, you’ll beco a worthless insect who can’t do anything.
ㄴAbsolute Ruler) Most of the divine powers they offer, we, the Hard-mode survivors, can replicate with help. Using inter-dinsional trade, we can make them even more solid.
ㄴAbsolute Ruler) Wow, Lord, when the climbers need advice, you write long ssages. Very kind~
I was in a position where I had no choice but to trust the seniors from the Transcendent Gallery.
It was them who had saved my life countless tis.
Just a few days ago, when I faced the Golems, if I hadn’t received advice in real ti, I would have had a very high chance of dying.
ㄴㅇㅇ*) But if it's from the previous batch of Hard-mode players, ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) wouldn’t they recognize Sword of Light’s Dragon Slayer or Heavenly Demon’s Flexible Fist Techniques?
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Oh, that’s an interesting thought.
ㄴSword of Light) It doesn’t matter if they recognize it. The Constellations can only physically intervene after Floor 70.
ㄴSword of Light) I’m fairly certain.
ㄴSword of Light) Once you reach Floor 70, Han Yuseong, I’m confident you’ll be able to turn the tables and defeat them.
What?
ㄴㅇㅇ*) ?
ㄴArchmage) It’s possible, if you’re a climber.
Don’t be so sure.
What’s the basis for that belief?
ㄴShrine Maiden) Heeheehee!! I’m ready for complints.
? What complints?
Shrine Maiden, suddenly losing her mind...! Laughing so foolishly...!
ㄴShrine Maiden) Climbers, I’ve made a contract through inter-dinsional trade. If I inject magic into the back, I can unfold the ‘Veil of Secrets.’ From Stage 5, the Constellations will pop up, and if you open the gallery with your terminal when you see them, it’ll feel weird, so I’ll cover them up.
ㄴHeavenly Demon) Just block them in that mont.
ㄴCorrect. The greatest answer.
ㄴShrine Maiden) Hmm. Always using only fists, and no awareness... Heehee, actually, I didn’t make this with the Constellations in mind, but it’ll still be useful for missions.
ㄴAdmin) Mm, yeah. Anything will help.
Understood.
I fully understood.
Our Transcendent Gallery seniors didn’t see the ‘Constellations’ as a threat at all.
They just had a bit of anger toward them.
***
The notification window appeared, informing that the Constellations had just recognized and were now watching .
As I read through the seniors' posts in the gallery, I began to form my own rules.
When it’s a quest-type stage, and I need to talk a lot, I’ll block the Constellations.
Then, when it’s a dungeon-type stage where talking isn’t necessary, I’ll unblock them and carefully take the rewards.
When I feel there’s nothing left to gain, I can block them completely, just like the Transcendent seniors.
This Stage 5 is quest-based, but I didn’t plan on blocking the Constellations.
If I act too ticulously from the start, they’ll get suspicious.
I’ll only block them when I’m about to use the gallery.
Floor 5.
Once I properly aggro them and consecutively block the Constellations at the 3rd floor’s stairway, they’ll probably co with rewards in hand.
『Quest! – Locate and rescue the escort target, then escort them to the designated location.』
Shouldn’t they at least tell who the escort target is?
As I had that thought, another notification window appeared in front of .
『A golden line will descend above the escort target’s head.』
It’s just like a ga, huh.
Of all places, I happened to be in a cramped alley.
Pop—
I followed the faint golden light shining from above.
Passed by a densely packed crowd.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Fortunately, the Phaethon’s Pitch-Black Armor I was wearing didn’t look like gaudy plate armor but more like a sleek black leather suit, so it didn’t attract much attention.
I found the person under the golden light descending from the sky.
At the far end of the street.
A dead-end alley that didn’t seem like a place anyone would pass through.
A red-haired woman was awkwardly standing there, her back pressed against the wall.
[NPC – Second Daughter of Baron Everhart, Karmin]
I recognized Karmin. And the mont I looked at her, I could tell who was targeting her.
Their intent was unmistakable.
I could feel killing intent directed precisely at Karmin.
The ones I’d faced before gave off killing intent too, but they usually charged at right away.
It was the first ti I’d seen soone deliberately releasing killing intent just to intimidate.
Three figures in black robes.
I ignored their hostility and stood next to Karmin.
[Skill 'ntal Barrier' has leveled up. Lv.5]
“Rough situation you’re in, huh?”
Karmin’s eyes widened as she looked at .
“...Huh?”
“Do you know what those shady folks were planning to do to you?”
Though she looked flustered by my words, Karmin slowly opened her mouth.
“...It’s clear they were sent to kill .”
“That so?”
The mission was labeled as an escort.
Which ant that, for now, the quest would proceed as long as the ‘Karmin’ in front of stayed safe.
Killing intent.
Was it because I’d been exposed to the dense killing intent from the three surrounding Karmin in this corner?
Or was it because I recalled what Sword of Light had said—that Aura ultimately responds to the user’s will?
“That thing.”
Instinctively—
[Skill 'Killing Intent' Lv.1 – Acquired.]
I consciously drew out the killing intent in a more analytical way.
“Is this how it’s done?”
[Skill 'Killing Intent' has leveled up. Lv.3]
Does it scale based on mana or rank?
The level’s going up fast.
[‘Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon’ is intrigued by your killing intent.]
[‘Saint Who Chases Light’ is concerned by the number of enemies and the fact that most of them outrank the player. She recomnds a swift retreat.]
[‘Giant Who Swallowed the Moon’ says that fighting multiple enemies in this alley would be sheer folly.]
[‘Judge with a Thousand Eyes’ advises that you should take only the escort target and withdraw quickly.]
More advice followed after that.
It was annoying, so I closed the window.
But it was definitely different this ti.
ㄴAbsolute Ruler) Now you’ll start to understand the limits of what you can do.
ㄴSword of Light) Rank is only a sowhat objective indicator. It’s objective, yes—but it can always be overturned depending on individual ability.
ㄴSpear King) What matters is your judgnt. You can tell now, right? When it’s ti to kill, and when it’s ti to run?
Unlike the advice I read from the Transcendent Gallery seniors last night while eating a sandwich—
ㄴSword of Light) If you can kill, do it. You’ve probably noticed it by now, but NPC behavior patterns aren’t that different from humans. Inside the stage, they’re living, breathing people.
ㄴSword of Light) They get shaken by unexpected variables. They feel fear.
[Organization Umbra, 4th-Rank Combatant – Leon]
[Organization Umbra, 4th-Rank Combatant – Wolf]
[Organization Umbra, 3rd-Rank Combatant – Nick]
The three weren’t moving—probably because of my killing intent.
Wolf opened his mouth.
“If you’re not involved with that bitch, go on your way. I don’t want unnecessary bloodshed.”
That was all I needed to know.
That guy was the leader.
You only swing a blade when it’s least expected.
Dragonslayer Footwork, Form 3.
Micatus.
A blink-type movent technique that instantly closes the distance between and the target.
Slice—
Wolf’s head was cut clean off.
[‘Judge with a Thousand Eyes’ is questioning what they just saw.]
[‘Saint Who Chases Light’ is horrified.]
[‘Warrior Fueled by Wrath’ praises your strike.]
[‘Giant Who Swallowed the Moon’ quietly watches you.]
“You two?”
Leon and Nick hesitated, swords in hand.
That’s not sothing they should have done.
Even a mont’s hesitation—that’s what gets you killed.
“Stay put.”
I passed by Karmin and deployed Micatus again.
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