As you climb the tower, it’s inevitable to band together.
However, for climbers of different races and origins to rally around a single focal point is nearly impossible.
Over the long years, they gathered in groups of like-minded individuals, forming countless factions that eventually became yet another rule of the tower.
“Just a bunch of people I can’t stand.”
Because of this, I didn’t particularly like those who formed factions.
I had witnessed firsthand how the madness and stupidity of those banded together in groups could distort everything.
Some of them even openly clashed with me.
“That flag… it’s Tachyon. One of the Five Great Factions!”
“Doesn’t sit well with me.”
So I scrutinized the factions that gathered even more strictly.
In particular, the large factions that Eden admired and praised were all beneath my notice.
While major factions are powerful and can offer plenty of support, their strength often makes them difficult to intervene in when needed.
Moreover, most of them are entangled with the so-called “heroes,” a group of idiots I had no interest in associating with.
The type of faction I sought was mid-sized—strong enough to make an impact when needed but without a direct grudge against me.
“It’s not entirely wrong. For similar reasons, some people intentionally join smaller factions.”
Norha, listening to my words, glanced at me cautiously.
“But they’ll probably realize that too. If you can’t prove your abilities, it might get dangerous.”
“Do you think I can’t prove myself?”
I chuckled at her careful statement.
Her cautiousness was appreciated, but there was no need to worry this time—I was confident.
After all, what I wanted from my faction was simple: to shield me from bothersome matters while taking care of themselves.
I had no intention of consuming a faction or turning it upside down.
I was already busy with my own tasks, so why would I bother with something so annoying?
“Cardian, huh.”
A faction’s banner caught my eye.
Norha, who knew this faction better than I did, explained that Cardian was a mid-sized faction of decent scale.
It was a relatively new faction, less than five years old, meaning it hadn’t yet accrued too much karma.
Despite its youth, it was well-managed and had gained some recognition in the lower and middle levels of the tower.
“Let’s meet them.”
Of course, I didn’t make a decision right away.
Even for smaller matters, I would arrange meetings.
Deciding on an affiliation without any understanding would be madness.
“Well, sending an official message and scheduling a meeting could work too.”
“That would definitely attract attention. I think it’s better to handle this quietly first.”
Norha seemed hesitant when I said I would discreetly meet with Dyke, the head of Cardian’s training center.
But for someone like me, accustomed to working in the shadows, sending formal messages and arranging official meetings felt far too awkward.
No matter how I looked at it, the losses outweighed the gains.
“Who’s there?”
As planned, we intercepted him as he appeared to be heading home.
“Director, I heard you went out of your way to visit earlier, only for it to be in vain.”
When he instinctively reached for his weapon and began gathering strength without underestimating even the second floor, I pulled back my hood, offered a faint smile, and greeted him first.
“Wait a minute, could it be…?”
At that moment, Dyke’s eyes widened in surprise.
He seemed to recognize us, having sought us out himself earlier.
“You did come to see me first, but to approach me in this way?”
“As you know, innocent dark magicians must always tread carefully.”
Dyke dismissed the coachman, stepped off the carriage, and engaged us in conversation alone, his initial wariness giving way to strong curiosity.
Fortunately, I had a perfect excuse for situations like this.
Being a dark magician, I told him it was not for my sake but his that I had to act so cautiously.
He couldn’t argue and nodded in agreement.
“You came to me… does this mean what I think it does?”
“That’s correct. If there are those who seek us out, we have no reason to refuse.”
He glanced around the empty surroundings, then scrutinized both Eden and Norha beside me before speaking, his expression incredulous.
It seemed he found it hard to believe that I had bypassed much larger and stronger factions to approach Cardian.
“A female dark magician… I’ve heard that you’re a relatively recent arrival from Earth. Thanks to that, Earthlings still maintain close ties. Is there a reason you haven’t joined a faction centered around your homeland?”
“Simply because I have no reason to join them.”
The factions led by Earthlings—who at best had only been climbing the tower for about ten years—were still far from even reaching mid-tier status.
They weren’t worth considering from my perspective.
Besides, as anyone who has climbed higher knows, origins lose their significance the further up you go, where both people and resources grow scarce.
“…Let me invite you to my home discreetly. This isn’t the sort of conversation we should have in a back alley.”
After a brief pause, Dyke led us to his home.
Despite the unexpected nature of the encounter, his serious demeanor and quick judgment suggested he was a capable person.
“His reaction is better than expected. Before, just being a dark magician was enough to draw suspicion and scorn from people like him,” Eden remarked.
“If we hadn’t achieved what we have, it would’ve been the same this time. It’s proof of how strong and valuable we’ve become.”
“People like him,” Eden’s phrase, was clearly something he picked up from Leoden.
It referred to the so-called mainstream figures of the tower, as well as the majority who latched onto that mainstream.
But I had already seen the illusion behind those words.
Mainstream, fringe—it’s all ultimately determined by individual strength and accomplishments.
Even in my incomplete past life, I had glimpsed pieces of that truth.
Those who stood at the very pinnacle of the so-called mainstream reached out to ally with me and draw me into their ranks without hesitation.
Although, in the end, they betrayed me spectacularly when it became clear I lacked the power they needed.
But this time, it will be different.
If I build steadily from the very beginning, I’ll eventually become the center myself.
“What kind of work did you do back in your homeland?”
“Were you some kind of noble lady?”
Norha, who was once a wanted criminal, and Eden, who had endured scorn as a dark magician, still seemed hesitant in unfamiliar situations like this.
Meanwhile, I, casually receiving the service of Dyke’s staff in his home, laughed faintly at their foolish remarks.
“Stand tall. At least for now.”
I sincerely advised them.
Showing hesitation or insecurity even before negotiations begin is an unwise move.
‘Having climbed as high as the 15th floor, the elf Norha was branded and exiled by her former faction, the Shadow Veil. A few years ago, she joined Leoden and became the mentor to Eden, his pupil. And now… Shin Jia, a total beginner who set foot in this place just a month ago.’
When you invite people to your home, it’s only proper to treat them well.
Before diving into the main topic, Dyke lightly entertained his guests, having already gathered basic information about them.
The personal details of individuals like them had already spread widely among figures of his rank, such as training center heads.
‘I naturally assumed that elf was the leader. What kind of monster has Leoden been raising?’
His gaze flickered toward Shin Jia, his thoughts clearly shaken.
Even without getting to the main point and just through casual conversation, it became evident who was leading the group and driving their achievements.
It was hard to believe, but the one at the center of it all was Shin Jia, a total rookie who had entered the same cohort as his own fledgling trainees.
“The secret achievement is well-known, which makes it even harder to believe. Even with deliberate effort, gathering all ten members and rotating support teams would still make it nearly impossible to complete.”
When the time seemed right, and after finishing his tea, Dyke finally brought up the main topic.
“Especially since there are so few people who truly understand dark magic. As Leoden’s pupil, I’m sure you’re aware of the rumors surrounding you.”
“That’s true.”
“Both my organization’s upper management and others will need something convincing to accept this. If we had that, I would strongly advocate for your inclusion.”
Dyke spoke cautiously.
While the group clearly possessed talent, they also carried undeniable risks.
Essentially, what Dyke proposed was a form of trial or test.
Though it might seem arrogant to make such a suggestion to someone who sought him out first, he was confident in his reasoning.
‘They would likely hear similar conditions elsewhere. The fact that they sought me out quietly shows they’ve thought this through.’
For any mid-sized faction, recklessly accepting a dark magician with questionable origins as a member was nearly impossible.
Dyke’s stance was simple: for the benefit of both sides, they should proceed cleanly and transparently from the start.
“What do you need us to do?”
As if she had already anticipated this, Shin Jia showed no signs of being unsettled.