I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents
Chapter 42
Title: Looks like they’re about to depart now.
Author: Isolationist
Hard difficulty, 66th floor.
ㄴ Just a month ago, it was an unprecedented topic of interest, but now no one cares. Upvote if you agree.
ㄴ After the Transcender appeared, interest in the hard difficulty side just died .
ㄴ Still, I‘m curious how many will survive.
ㄴ But how high is the difficulty of the 66th floor? If a large number can enter, can‘t they just overwhelm it with numbers?
ㄴ Elf) The entry limit for the 66th floor is 50 people. Even if more could enter, the result would be similar. Only a handful will survive anyway.
ㄴ You asked how high the difficulty is. (Elf)
ㄴ Elf) It‘s hard to explain in words. You’d have to experience it to understand.
ㄴ Sewer Sword Sage) Imagine the difficulty, which had been rising step by step, suddenly jumping up 10 steps at once.
ㄴ Isolationist) In reality, it feels more like 20 steps — This world is a vast, isolated room.
ㄴ Spear King) They‘ll all get slaughtered.
ㄴ But you all survived and broke through the 66th floor, right? Aren‘t you underestimating the Transcenders of this batch too much?
ㄴ Dragon King of Demons) The newbies in this batch lack the experience of fighting alone. They won‘t make it.
ㄴ Priestess) Hawa~ The hard difficulty Transcenders of this batch grew too complacent in their progress.
ㄴ Light‘s Sword) The essence of the Tower was never about cooperation from the beginning.
ㄴ Light‘s Sword) Individual strength is what matters most.
ㄴ Ice Queen) That‘s right! Freeze~!
<Strategy Union> Guild Leader Targon looked at the players gathered before him.
Players from all corners of the world.
Some were from the same world as him.
Others came from a place called the Central Plains Martial World.
Their races were equally diverse.
Targon believed in those who had gathered under his and the <Strategy Union>’s name.
Targon climbed onto the podium at the center of the 66th-floor staircase waiting room.
“I believe in you all. We will definitely conquer the 66th floor.”
As his gaze swept over the members, he continued.
“In the history of the Tower, there has never been a time when the 66th floor was cleared without casualties. We will break through this floor of despair with minimal losses.”
As Targon‘s words ended, voices rose from all around.
“Stating the obvious again, Guild Leader.”
Targon‘s lips curled slightly.
The one who had just spoken was Namgoong Hyun, one of the core members of the Strategy Union.
“The previous batches were just weak. We will ascend without a single casualty.”
The woman next to Namgoong Hyun chuckled softly.
“Save those words for after we‘ve cleared the 66th floor and ascended properly.”
It was Moyong Hwayeon, her black hair tied tightly.
“We will not lose. Absolutely not.”
Moyong Hwayeon added with conviction in her voice.
THUD THUD—
Targon descended from the podium and drew the greatsword strapped to his back.
“We‘re moving in.”
The hard-difficulty players who had reached the 66th floor began warming up, gripping their weapons.
The effects of leveling up were truly remarkable.
My nearly shattered mind instantly sharpened.
After ensuring Carmine, the top-priority protection target, was safely loaded into the carriage, I rummaged through the cold, lifeless bodies scattered on the ground.
But there was nothing useful.
Not just from the cannon fodder, but even from the belongings of Kylas, the 5th Rank Knight, there was nothing worth taking.
“TCH.”
The blade of Kylas‘s sword was completely chipped away.
Likely damaged by the 4th Rank technique I had unleashed earlier.
In the end, I only took a few potions and items with clear utility and stored them in my inventory.
I mounted my horse and stroked its mane.
CLOP CLOP—
Whenever Lengel slowed the horse‘s pace slightly, the carriage curtain would part, and I could feel Carmine’s gaze on me.
If her gaze had been merely friendly before, after I killed the 5th Rank Knight Kylas, it seemed tinged with deeper curiosity.
A strong intuition told me there was still more to come.
Ventura Academy—Carmine Everhart‘s clear destination.
As Lengel had said, it was unlikely the Raphaelo Viscountcy was unaware of Carmine‘s intended destination.
There would undoubtedly be enemies blocking the academy‘s main gate before we could escort Carmine inside.
That would likely be the final barrier.
I activated the talisman given by the Priestess senior, the “Veil of Secrecy” hidden on the back of the Formation Talisman.
To prevent the Constellations from observing my gallery activities.
Title: Ended up killing a 5th Rank Knight.
Author: Anonymous*
The biggest crisis since the 4th-floor Golem. But this guy was a bit weird. He kept smiling until the moment he died. Oh, and I achieved the 4th Rank.
In terms of pure strength, the 5th Rank Knight Kylas was naturally more threatening than the Golem.
But my first encounter with the Golem, where I was moments away from death, left a far stronger impression.
Comments flooded in as soon as I posted.
ㄴ LMAOOOOO killing a 5th Rank on the 5th floor, reaching the 4th Rank on the 5th floor. What the hell is this guy?
ㄴ The fact that a 5th Rank even appears on the 5th floor in Pandemonium is insane.
ㄴ Ah, it‘s been a while since I had a drink~~~ Don’t die, Transcender~~
ㄴ What‘s the side dish?
ㄴ Orc.
ㄴ You psycho….
ㄴ What? The ears are a delicacy.
ㄴ EWEEEEEEEE!
ㄴ About 5th Rank Knights and above being weird… Well, most of them aren‘t right in the head.
ㄴ Sewer Sword Sage) It‘s safe to assume all 5th Rank Knights and above have at least one screw loose.
ㄴ Archmage) Mages are the same. Especially those above the 6th Rank—you can‘t judge them by appearances.
ㄴ Archmage) Even with a normal face, you never know what kind of vile things they‘re up to.
ㄴ Sage) Well said.
ㄴ Mages objectively admitting they‘re flawed somewhere
ㄴ Spear King) 5th Rank… killed on the 5th floor? That‘s a terrifying growth rate.
ㄴ Heavenly Demon) Overly rapid growth often breeds arrogance. That‘s what worries me.
ㄴ Anonymous*) Well, my environment doesn‘t really allow for arrogance. I was almost dead just a moment ago.
ㄴ Light‘s Sword) The Heavenly Demon is right. Your growth is far faster than even I expected. You’ve been through a lot. Was it a good fight?
ㄴ Anonymous*) Nah, I got beaten up until Doombringer activated, then barely managed to kill him with 4th Rank swordsmanship.
ㄴ Light‘s Sword) Well done.
ㄴ Bro, you just reached the 4th Rank and immediately used a 4th Rank sword technique? That‘s insane
ㄴ Output doubles when you‘re about to die, right?
It was a close call.
This time too.
ㄴ Anonymous*) By the way, I saw other posts saying something about hard-difficulty players entering the 66th floor.
ㄴ Anonymous*) A post went up in the Transcender Gallery. Looks like they‘re currently entering the 66th floor.
ㄴ (Dragon King of Demons) They‘ll be struggling hard, constantly on the verge of death. You should focus on climbing smoothly.
ㄴ They‘ll probably keep struggling and facing death, though.
ㄴ Dragon King of Demons) Hmmm! But you took down a 5th Rank Knight. How likely is it that another one of that caliber will show up?
ㄴ This guy‘s probably gonna make another 5th Rank spawn
ㄴ Anonymous*) By the way, does Ventura Academy just let anyone in who wants to enter?
ㄴ The academy director might have changed by now.
ㄴ If it hasn‘t, they’ll let in those who are desperate.
ㄴ Anonymous*) Desperate?
ㄴ Priestess) Hawa~ They‘re quite fond of helping those in dire straits.
ㄴ They‘re the kind of person who pathologically enjoys aiding the suffering.
ㄴ Priestess) What was it… Back in the Transcender Gallery days, the Ventura director had a nickname.
ㄴ Anonymous*) What was it… Oh, right. They called him the “Savior-Disease Patient.”
ㄴ Archmage) That‘s right, the Savior-Disease Patient. If you’re in trouble near the academy‘s main gate, he might come to your rescue.
ㄴ Archmage) If the director‘s still the same, his name is Mandels. A mage.
…Just from the description, it sounds like a complete lunatic is sitting as the academy director.
ㄴ Anonymous*) By the time we exit this forest, there‘ll probably be enemies lying in wait. Senior Light’s Sword, about the “Qi Sense” you barely mentioned in the swordsmanship manual—how do I properly manifest it?
ㄴ ? You‘re saying they explained it in just one line? How lazily was it written?
ㄴ Anonymous*) It was something like, “After circulating mana, spread it across the ground as if pouring it out.” That was the gist.
ㄴ That‘s an absurdly lazy explanation.
ㄴ You‘d need to be a once-in-a-generation prodigy to understand that.
ㄴ Heavenly Demon) A prodigy could pull it off with just that.
ㄴ Hmm… If the Transcender isn‘t at that level, it’d be strange in its own way.
ㄴ Anonymous*) Nah, I‘m not.
ㄴ Light‘s Sword) I might have been a bit too vague. I was probably half-asleep when I wrote that.
ㄴ Half-asleep? Unnecessarily honest.
ㄴ Sewer Sword Sage) Don‘t just focus on spreading it across the ground. Extend it outward in all directions.
ㄴ Heavenly Demon) Just let it flow out explosively.
ㄴ Spear King) It‘s similar to projecting killing intent, but the difference is that there’s no specific target.
The explanations hit me like a barrage.
I vaguely grasped the concept.
Just as I was about to close the gallery after leaving a farewell comment—
ㄴ Zutak) How are the Constellations reacting?
ㄴ Anonymous*) They just seem surprised at everything.
ㄴ Well, can you blame them? Constellations or not, they‘d be shocked.
ㄴ Any cute reactions?
ㄴ Dragon King of Demons) I am a bit curious about that.
ㄴ Anonymous*) …Honestly, I was too busy fighting with my notifications off to see the Constellations‘ reactions.
I wasn‘t in a position to appreciate their cuteness.
ㄴ Anonymous*) I‘m heading out.
ㄴ Don‘t die.
ㄴ If you die, the gallery won‘t be as fun.
ㄴ Ice Queen) Freeze~! Stay alive!
I closed the gallery and stored the terminal in my inventory.
The dense forest still stretched ahead.
From horseback, I activated Qi Sense.
WHOOSH—!
A gray current, visible only to me, swept through the forest like a tide.
The current carried my will—to pierce through this dense forest and envelop everything.
A shiver ran up my shoulders.
Movement.
A scout?
I looked into the distance.
High atop a towering tree, a shadow crouched like a spider.
I had almost dismissed it as just another patch of shade.
The wind blew.
I felt a gaze piercing through from below.
Our eyes met. The figure twisted its crouched body on the branch, trying to flee instantly.
There was only one chance.
Now.
My right arm moved like lightning.
SHWING—!
What I threw was a black javelin.
The target: the scout.
If he died, so be it, but killing him wasn‘t the goal.
No scream came.
THUD—!
Instead, there was the sound of something crashing to the ground.
I dismounted and sprinted to where I had thrown the javelin.
“GUH… UGH…”
A man in black clothes writhed like a bug.
The javelin was lodged in his left hip.
How much did this guy know?
I decided to try interrogating him.
