Is LunaCollis strong enough to increase her stats?
If not, then it doesn’t make sense.

The corners of my mouth twitched.
Regardless of the victory, an exhilarating sensation wrapped around my body.

【Strength 10 (+1.04)】

The strength stat, which had been creeping up in small increments, finally surpassed 1.
This was the result of killing dozens.

But there was no sense of guilt.

‘Better me than dying.’

Is it hard to kill people?
Then do you want to die instead?

At that question, I shook my head firmly.

“……”

Luna stared at me.
She had a blank expression as if she didn’t expect me to refuse.

‘Why did she think I would give up the final blow?’

Luna’s past.
It’s certainly a tragic story.

But it wasn’t enough to make me give up on my own growth.
We didn’t have that kind of relationship.

Even Kim Min-seong, who I’ve known since the 1st floor, shouldn’t have made such a request.
If he had, I would’ve been immediately repulsed.

Luna fumbled with her words.
It sounded like an excuse.

“…You’re strong, right? It wouldn’t make much of a difference anyway…”

Hearing that, I could understand how such a shameless thought came to her.

‘A starving beggar would long for even a single bean, but a rich man wouldn’t care about one.’

It’s a misunderstanding.
I’m not rich.

In fact, I’m more like a beggar, desperate for a single bean, just like Luna.
I couldn’t afford to give up 0.03 of my stats.

Luna’s calculation was wrong in this regard.

“It’s your past. You should overcome it.”

Had she forgotten that the person she was asking for help was a lowly Earthling?

‘I shouldn’t talk, since I’m abusing a bug I got by luck, but still…’

Luna’s shoulders slumped.
She must’ve wanted to break the emotional knot in her heart by killing LunaCollis, but sadly, it wasn’t going to happen.

「Victory for Scarlet’s team. Congratulations.」

Daimus called the match to a close.
LunaCollis’s corpse was sent somewhere.

“How did we win this?!”
“Who is that guy?! Is he not an Earthling but a Murim warrior?!”
“Take off your helmet! Let’s see your face!”

The crowd’s cheers shook the arena.
If it weren’t for the speakers, Daimus’s words would’ve been completely inaudible.

「We will guide you regarding the rewards.」

We moved to the waiting room.
It wasn’t my first time using a portal, so I didn’t panic.

“…What about the other team members?”
“They should be receiving their rewards.”

If a life-risking match is completed without the elimination prevention option, you receive extra rewards besides the prize money.
A typical example is victory points.

“You can also take any money or equipment the opponents had.”
“Won’t the Colosseum collect them?”
“Extremely rare equipment or artifacts will go through a retrieval process. However, players possessing such gear are incredibly rare. You can be sure that there’s none of that on the 2nd floor.”

Matches without the elimination prevention option were typically only worth earning Nero Cooper.
But life-risking blood battles were different.
The rewards were incredibly sweet.

“…Why did you call me here?”

Is there something you intend to give me?
I waited for Daimus’s words.

Daimus spoke with a serious expression.

“I’ll assist you in the procedure to move to the 3rd floor.”
“……”

That was an unexpected turn of events.

‘I was expecting decent equipment, like a Golden Dagger or something. Suddenly, what is this nonsense?’

Golden Dagger-type equipment, or something of equal value.
I was expecting something along those lines.

But Daimus’s words were entirely different.

I tried my best not to show surprise, focusing hard on managing my expression.
The experience of being forced into a choice by two senior girls from a high school near my middle school helped me in that moment.

As I said nothing, Daimus continued.

“I believe the 2nd floor is too small of a space for an Error Player. So…”
“So, you want me to go to the 3rd floor because it’s uncomfortable, right?”
“…That’s not what I meant. Please don’t misunderstand.”

It wasn’t a bad suggestion.

‘But it’s not exactly an enticing one.’

There was no reason for me to accept this offer.

‘From my perspective, staying on the 2nd floor and fighting would let my stats be copied. Why go up?’

If I kill just 20 LunaCollis, like Necher Fer, I’d gain a full stat increase.
That exchange rate was so sweet that my teeth were ready to fall out.

But to give this up and go up?
Was this even logical?

“I don’t feel the need to.”

I crossed my arms and sat with my legs crossed.
I couldn’t help but take a haughty posture, probably due to my habit of playing with dragon smoke.

Even though I took that stance, Daimus said nothing about it.

‘But I’m still curious.’

To reach the 3rd floor, 10 victory points are required.
With this win, I had barely earned 1 point.

‘So how would I get there?’

Daimus answered.

“Player ascension is controlled at the discretion of the administrator. If a player proves their worth, they can be sent up even without meeting the conditions.”
“…So victory points aren’t an absolute rule?”
“Correct. Do you remember the warning posted during gladiator registration? That’s the rule set by the floor’s owner. Anything beyond that can be adjusted by the administrator.”

Matches are held once a week.
If you can’t win, you’ll become the Emperor’s slave.
Victory earns 1 point.

“There’s nothing about ascension in the rules, is there?”
“Whether it’s 1 point or 10 points, it’s the administrator’s authority. I’m using my authority to send the Error Player to the 3rd floor.”

I knew what I had to say next.

“…I’m not exactly thrilled.”
“Can you tell me why?”
“Why?”

I could never say it.
If they knew the filthy thoughts of an Earthling, I didn’t know what might happen.

I kept my mouth shut.
Silence is golden.
I passed the problem back to them.

‘Why the hell do they want to send me up so soon?’

I hadn’t been tormenting the new Earthlings like the others.
I hadn’t gathered my team to pick on the weak.

Honestly, I felt wronged.

“I’ll be honest. On the 2nd floor, there’s no opponent left for an Error Player.”
“……”

That hit me.
It pointed out the most important condition in my plan—the part about facing opponents who could actually kill me.

‘There were too many spectators.’

What happens when they all start talking?
The rumors will spread uncontrollably.

‘They’ll whisper that I should avoid fighting Error Players.’

Rather than growing through soul absorption, I’d hardly be able to find any proper fights.

There was no choice.
I had no choice but to move to a floor where I wasn’t known.

‘…’

Something felt off.

I stared at Daimus.

‘There were too many spectators, huh?’

Even if it was a life-risking match, how could the place be so packed?
It was like a blood sport festival for Earthlings, something akin to the thrill of slaughter…

Daimus’s eyes twitched.
I didn’t miss that moment of reaction.

‘This bastard wants to send me away, doesn’t he?’

Once I thought that, everything clicked into place.

The conflict with LunaCollis.
The administrator who showed up at just the right time and suggested the match.

I wet my lips and opened my mouth.

“…Are you serious?”
“Excuse me?”
“Did you really think you could control a dragon, doing things your way?”
“…!!”

I need to go to the 3rd floor.
I’ll accept that reality.

‘But I won’t go easily.’

I thought through it.

When I was in the Earthling entertainment,
Daimus had made a mistake and gifted me a Golden Dagger.

Could I find an appropriate word for this?

I thought back to Kim Min-seong from two days ago.
The way he babbled and convinced the Scarlet team.

“I must have looked pretty silly to them.”
“……”
“Even though I was ‘forbidden,’ I didn’t expect anyone to try to control me.”
“No, that’s not what I meant by suggesting it…!”

The Tower of Struggle is vast.
Being an ascender doesn’t mean knowing everything.

Blinky, Jo Seohui, and Daimus.
They didn’t know about the skill bugs.

In fact, Daimus misunderstood my strength.

‘If I can say anything in front of him, maybe I could convince him with strong words.’

That was the right idea.
I saw confusion flicker on Daimus’s face.

“I understand the meaning of your words, but the intentions behind them are unpleasant.”
“I-I’m sorry!”

Daimus hurriedly bowed his head.
His apology was completely different from the one during the Earthling entertainment.

‘Was his apology then a half-hearted one?’

If that was an apology, this one was closer to contrition.

I didn’t accept Daimus’s apology.
I would stay silent until he showed sincerity.

Did he read my intentions in my eyes?
Daimus took something out from his inventory.

“I thought the Error Player might be uncomfortable, so I prepared this gift. I should’ve handed it over and explained earlier. I apologize for my mistake.”
“……”

It sounded different now.
If I hadn’t remained silent and gone up quietly, he might have just shoved this down my throat.

‘This is why people’s image matters.’

Daimus handed me a fragment.
It was part of something that seemed to have been originally a white crystal.

[White Dragon Heart (5%)][B]
Type: Collectible Artifact
Stats▼
【Intelligence: +10】
【Durability: ∞ (Indestructible)】
Options▼
【Dragon’s Piercing Lv.1】
【Dragon’s Power Lv.1】
【Frost Emission Lv.1】
【Mystical Resistance Lv.1】

My eyes widened.
With something like this, I’d gladly accept the suggestion to go to the 3rd floor.

“Cough.”

I tried hard to suppress the smile tugging at my lips, conveying an air of inevitability as I took the heart of my comrade.

At that moment,
The piece of White Dragon Heart melted away as if it were dissolving.

[‘Illusionary Tome’ devours ‘White Dragon Heart.’]

Damn.

“……”

If Daimus wasn’t in front of me, I would have cursed at the Illusionary Tome.

[The Illusionary Tome is growing.]
[‘Devour Lv.2’ is leveling up to ‘Devour Lv.3.’]

Watching the Tome grow on its own, I felt no joy at all.