82
* * *
The area around the tower was always bustling. However, since Magnetic joined Yeoun Guild and began active hunter work again, the floating population had noticeably increased.
“He’s coming to conquer today, right?”
“Probably? Looking at the video upload schedule, there’s a high chance he’ll come today.”
Two hunters sitting on the outdoor terrace of a cafe kept glancing around the tower area.
“Has Doun made a signature yet? It’s cute that he doesn’t have one, but I still want to get one.”
Magnetic’s fan, who went by the Veritas nickname ‘Monday’, muttered. It had already been two years since she became Magnetic’s fan. She’d been a fan since Magnetic was still with Chronos, but unfortunately, she had never received a single autograph.
The unshakeable ranking #1, Magnetic.
Even without applying the age-old logic that people look handsome when they’re good at their job, he had an objectively killer face, overwhelming rankings that made achievement-oriented hearts race, and an air of mystery from the almost complete lack of revealed information.
Honestly, she thought he was someone who couldn’t help but gain fans. And indeed, that was the case.
“I’ll bet 5,000 won on ‘he hasn’t made one.’ He doesn’t even take photos well.”
The woman sitting across from Monday chuckled and sipped her drink. With so many self-proclaimed fans clinging to him, maybe being able to apologize while feeling sorry was a talent in itself. There was even a joke going around that if you wanted Magnetic’s autograph, it would be faster to become a bank employee or real estate agent.
High-ranking hunters were ambiguous beings—neither ordinary people nor celebrities—but there were definitely fans who supported and liked them.
However, their attitudes toward fans varied completely. Some would take photos and give autographs like celebrities, but there were also many who were baffled and startled by such requests, not understanding why people would ask them for such things. Magnetic was clearly the latter type.
“Chansol takes photos well and sometimes replies to DMs too.”
“Seeing how well he gets along with Slope, I don’t think he’d ever take photos. Somehow…”
The woman using the nickname ‘Breeze’ on the Veritas system let out a deep sigh. If Monday was a longtime fan of Magnetic, she was a fan of Slope.
Kyung Samin. This bastard who looked like the textbook definition of a delinquent pretty boy idol was, contrary to his appearance, someone who only provided fan service as rarely as beans sprouting during a drought, and only when he felt like it.
‘Crazy bastard… Does having a handsome face mean everything?’
Still, Slope would occasionally give autographs if you said you were a fan. Instead, he would sharply refuse photos or any other requests.
The funny thing was that Slope, who put up walls with fans like this, acted affectionately toward his guild members regardless of gender, treating them like lovers.
That’s why she was even more pissed off. A man who’s only warm to his own people. She wondered if forbidden fruit was allowed to taste this good.
“Ah… I’m getting reality-checked doing this.”
Even as she said that, her gaze remained fixed near the tower. While the two were chatting and passing time like this, it happened.
“Huh? Hey, hey. I think they’re here.”
When she turned her head toward where her friend was pointing, she could see a tall, well-built Slope leading the way, followed by a pale face with a cap pulled down low.
The man with a lean but solid build was even wearing a mask properly, but she could recognize him immediately.
‘Those eyes, they’re really still that color?’
It was Magnetic, who had been making the Veritas forums buzz for a while now. Magnetic’s eye color, frequently appearing at the tower for conquests, had been heating up the forums day after day.
[Chat┃Recent status of that bastard who went into hiding and caught chunibyo.jpg (721)]
[Chat┃Looks obviously like acceleration skill side effects, let’s not mock (310)]
[Chat┃What the hell did he do while resting to come back with mismatched eyesㅋㅋ (415)]
It was complete chaos. Countless posts that went too far were overflowing. Only after normal people and Magnetic’s fans rushed in with comments, thrashing them and creating public opinion for self-regulation, did the momentum finally die down.
‘Life is really harsh. That bastard too…’
Magnetic was busy repeatedly bowing his head while gently pushing away papers and pens handed to him by people who had gathered around. When he fell slightly behind his group, Slope appeared like a ghost to take Magnetic away.
‘…Huh?’
Due to the considerable difference in build, Magnetic, half-hidden behind Slope, seemed to move without much resistance. Breeze, who had been quietly watching this scene, tilted her head slightly and muttered.
“That bastard’s clothes look exactly the same as what he wore yesterday?”
“Who?”
“Slope.”
“Don’t all combat uniform designs look similar?”
“No. That bastard usually doesn’t wear the same combat uniform two days in a row…”
“Maybe he liked those clothes. Ah, Doun went in…”
The figures of the Yeoun Guild members disappeared into the rippling light. Monday, who had been disappointed, turned her head without regret and rested her chin on her hand.
‘Did that bastard stay out overnight?’
While Breeze was narrowing her eyes and mentally deducing Slope’s private life, Monday chuckled.
“Hey, at least you have the fun of looking at clothes. What about our Doun? Even if his combat uniform gets torn to shreds, he has 50 million of the same design and only wears those… What is he, Crayon Shin-chan or what?”
“Crazy, calling him Crayon Shin-chan.”
Her friend’s complaint made her lose her train of thought. Well, what did it matter to her whether Slope stayed out overnight or not?
Moreover, since Slope, who didn’t hide his fan feelings for Magnetic, was someone who insisted on wearing only the same design hunter uniform, the possibility that he wanted to copy that couldn’t be ignored.
“Phew, got my eyes purified well today too.”
Since their business was done, there was no reason to stay here longer. The two people, after light stretching, got up from their seats.
After looking at faces that seemed like they should appear on music shows winking and throwing finger hearts, they naturally sighed when they turned their heads away.
“In my opinion, Yeoun will hit mid-three hours this time. The 53rd floor mid-boss is the key.”
“Still, they should be getting their teamwork down by now, so it might be shortened even more…”
“Nah, I think those guys will take a full four hours. 100%, man.”
Inside the cafe, it was packed with guys acting like critics among themselves, evaluating everything. Some were even staring into space with half-open eyes, probably writing posts on the Veritas forums.
They didn’t want to be in the same space as these half-baked guys boasting about conquest this and skills that. The two people, clicking their tongues inwardly, quickly left the cafe. Even if it wasn’t the high floors that top rankers frequented like eating, it was time for them to participate in conquests too.
‘Could I join Yeoun before I die?’
Unless new tower functions were added, it was safe to say there was no way to join Yeoun Guild, which only accepted applications from at least B-class hunters.
Unlike high-ranking hunters who started with grade advantages from the moment of awakening, the world that ambiguous C-class and lower-grade hunters lived in was a bit different.
“How many people are going into today’s conquest?”
“Twenty-eight, I think.”
“It’ll be swarming again.”
While Yeoun Guild was sending eight people for the 53rd floor conquest, they were mobilizing twenty-eight people for the 29th floor conquest. Rather than feeling self-deprecating about the overwhelming difference, it just felt like a story from another world.
At least normal people would feel this way, but there were also many humans who hid behind the cowardly yet convenient means of anonymity to pour out their filthy thoughts.
* * *
[Welcome to Veritas System access.]
[Chat┃Will Yeoun break through to 54 today? (31)]
54th floor requires a tank but there’s no one to tank in the current 8-person party for Yeoun, at most just Slope? right
(31 comments)
-ㄴㄴ Slope can’t tank, heard that bastard has no defense skills
└(Author): He’s S-class, can’t he just tank with his body?
└└Would that work? Why would a dealer body-tank when there’s a tank ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s more cost-effective to bring their own tank
-My heart swells with excitement thinking about seeing the gangster combination
-Yeoun’s tank is that Ppomi fanboy #2, so he’ll probably run around in meat shield overclocked state ㅋㅋㅋ
-God Magnetic has special immunity, why would he go in as a tank? Just run around with style, damn it
└Our hyung as a meat shield? Haang~ I like it even more❤
└└…….what is this..
-Can’t our God Magnetic just tank and DPS everything? ㅋㅋ Revive the mana shuttle jjamppong from Chronicle days and let’s carry Yeoun~
└He’s honestly a glass cannon though
└└Does King Magnetic’s special immunity look like a joke to you?
└└└He’s not invincible against magical beasts’ skills. From the 50th floor, magical beasts’ skills hurt like hell, so charging in recklessly is too risky
* * *
[Chat┃(Comment Event) 50,000 won to those who guess Yeoun Guild’s 53rd floor conquest time (2344)]
[Author: Album(B)]
(Photo)
Account balance verified first ㅇㅇ
Leave Yeoun Guild’s 53rd floor conquest time in hours, minutes, seconds in the comments, and I’ll check when the video comes out and send 50,000 won each to the first 2 people who get it right
(2344 comments)
-HandMaster(E): 1st
└HandMaster(E): 2 hours 51 minutes 33 seconds
-Maegnetic(F): 2 hours 44 minutes 17 seconds
└Clock(C): Ah thought it was the real one ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Normal Person(D): Fake Magnetic welcome ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
.
.
-Dark Lord Kaizen(B): 3 hours 3 minutes 3 seconds
└Similar Look(C): Has the Lord arrived?
└└Dark Lord Kaizen(B): Yes
└└└Shortcoming(B): ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ The concept is insane
* * *
While meaningless posts were flooding the Veritas forums, the 53rd floor of Veritas Tower was so hot with heated atmosphere that it was suffocating.
The unpleasant space with tough vines layered on the floor had lost its shape and was completely devastated. Black scorch marks and finely cut vine pieces were scattered sparsely on the ground.
“Ugh…”
Do Hyeonwoo wiped the sweat flowing down his chin with the back of his hand. The amount of mana drained from summoning huge meteors over a wide range was too much, making his brain feel like mush.
Through his slightly blurred vision, he could see Lee Doun in dark gray combat uniform. His two eyes, which were holding a staff and watching the front, were bright blue.
The clear pupils looking at the notification window that appeared seemed to briefly show excitement. This was because another popup appeared before the eyes of the eight conquest participants along with the notification announcing successful conquest.
[Your alliance has successfully conquered the 53rd floor.]
[Time elapsed after entry: 2 hours 49 minutes 29 seconds.]
[Notice: This record is a new Korean record for Veritas Tower 53rd floor.]
[Sorting by highest contribution calculated by Veritas System.]
[Loading information……]
[Calculation complete.]
[1. Magnetic]
[2. Slope]
[3. Cooler]
.
.
[Notice: Special skill ‘Leaping Steps (A)’ acquired by meeting acquisition conditions.]
[Notice: Viewing detailed skill information.]
Kim Chansol, who quickly checked the skill’s detailed information with an excited face, widened his eyes and muttered.
“Crazy. Isn’t this a movement skill?”
It was the moment the world’s first movement skill appeared.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
