CH 2

Chapter 2: Regressor is too weak (2)

"...Um. Is there anyone who wants to speak up? Or perhaps constructive feedback? I'm willing to consider it positively right now."

A fairy was chattering above my head. But I couldn't focus on the fairy's words.

‘...I returned because I suffered an injury.’

Status: Injured

Regressing back to the time when you first entered the 0th floor.

Right before regressing, those were the messages I had seen. The word to be noted was 'injured.'

However, before I regressed, the only injury I had was a tiny scratch where a grass blade had scraped against me, causing a drop of blood to seep out.

In gaming terms, it was a minor injury one would suffer on receiving just 1 damage.

But, the system regarded it as an ‘injury’, and I returned to the moment I first entered the tower.

No, it could also be a mere coincidence. 

It seemed like an experiment was necessary.

"..."

I looked at the fairy's expression and hit my fingers strongly against my palm.

Thup!

Although I hit my palm hard enough to feel a slight sting, there was no sign of regression.

"Hmm..."

It seemed that this level of damage was not considered an ‘injury’.

This time, I punched my forearm with all my strength.

Smack!

A numbing sensation spread throughout my arm, and just as the flesh began to turn slightly red-

Status: Injured

Regressing back to the time when you first entered the 0th floor.

***

"F*ck! Where the hell am I?"

"... "

With the familiar voice of a balding middle-aged man, I slowly got up from the dirt floor.

It seemed the impact wouldn't send me back in time unless someone hit me with a lot of force.

That was indeed something to be thankful for.

But the experiment wasn’t over yet.

I strongly pinched the back of my hand with my fingernails.

"... No regression again."

Even though I pinched it hard enough to leave a bruise, there was no sign of regression.

Standing up from my spot, I plucked a single blade of grass growing around me.

“…”

I got chills just at the thought of hurting myself with this.

It was like the same creepiness you feel when you accidentally get a cut from the paper while reading a book.

Although instinctual resistance was strong, I had no choice but to do it.

With a "saaak," the blade of grass traveled along the back of my hand.

“Ugh, f*ck.”

It was an unpleasant sensation to the point of getting goosebumps. Soon, blood droplets oozed out of my hand.

Status: Injured

Regressing back to the time when you first entered the 0th floor.

***

"F*ck! Where the hell am I?"

With this, I had somewhat figured out the conditions for regression; One needed to receive a fairly strong blow to regress, but no matter how this condition was fulfilled, regression occurred immediately after, even if the injury was due to just a blade of grass.

“It sucks.”

The condition of regression was way too low… and too ordinary.

I tried to think it over, but no matter how much I did, I felt like I was screwed.

After all, it was not like regressing often was a good thing.

Let's compare it to regression after death.

Usually, those who experienced death regression had no qualms or regrets about regression. 

Why? 

Because they were in a situation where they were going to die anyway, so it was better to regress.

But it was different for me.

Even if things were going the way I wanted them to, a slight mistake could force me to regress.

If death regression was like a well-tamed racing horse, I was like someone riding a wild horse in a vast meadow.

"Hello! Greetings to all you inferior humans who are wasting your lives! Nice to meet you!"

I was lost in thought for a moment when the tutorial fairy appeared with her characteristically cute background noise.

"...I'll just give the essential explanation and move on quickly… okay? I don't want to do it either, but this is the procedure, so I can't help it."

I only heard the fairy's explanation with one ear, as I already knew what it was going to say anyway.

"Status window!"

"Status chaaange!"

"Staaatus! Win-dow!"

At this point, people were shouting 'Status Window' all around.

This was when I first regressed.

Excited by the word 'regression' in the status window, I had rushed out and got my ankle caught in some grass, regressing.

In retrospect, it was a stupid regression.

After the brief frenzy of people shouting 'status window' everywhere, the courtyard returned to a state of calm again.

This time, I chose to wait and see.

Information had always been a valuable resource for regressors.

So rather than actively stepping out, I wanted to collect information first.

And as I observed, people seemed to be divided into three main categories:

First, those who gathered together to talk to ease their anxiety.

-“My mom must be worried...”

-“I was cooking when I came here... what if my house caught on fire?”

Perhaps it was to escape from reality, but some people talked about everyday things… rather than the tower or their future plans.

-“What's your trait?”

-”...”

-“… Hasn’t something called a trait or characteristic appeared in your status window?"

-"..."

-"...Is that so?"

There was also a sneaky person among them who secretly tried to find out about other people's traits.

Meanwhile, the second group was hanging out near the pile of weapons in the middle of the clearing.

-"Hmm… I like swords.”

-"Do you think it is a novel…? In practice, the unconditional king is a spear, a spear!”

They were the people who each picked up a weapon they liked and played around with it.

-“Oops, why is this so heavy?”

-“If I wield this incorrectly, wouldn’t it break my back?”

Of course, modern people didn't usually have an opportunity to wield a weapon, so their posture was sloppy.

But these people were preparing to fight. They were clearly aware of this place’s dangers.

And the third and final group... Each of them was doing something weird:

Thump! Thump!

-A man was vigorously digging the ground with a shovel he found in the pile of weapons,

Swish! Swish!

-A woman was repeatedly striking downward with a sharp sword,

"Hmm... hmmm..."

-One man was even rummaging through the pile of weapons, seemingly searching for something.

They were all wasting their energy doing bizarre things.

Unable to overcome my curiosity, I approached the man digging the ground.

He was a plain-looking 40-year-old man dressed in a formal suit.

But now, the pants were already ripped, converted into shorts, and the jacket was buried in the pile of dirt with only the sleeves sticking out.

Thump! Thump!

The man continued to dig the ground vigorously with his shirt sleeves rolled up.

"Excuse me."

I spoke cautiously.

The man stopped. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, his gaze turned to me.

"...What?"

Although he replied brusquely, I didn't take offense.

"Why are you digging this ground?"

"Don't know."

The man seemed extremely guarded toward me.

“… All right."

Although I retreated willingly, I had a feeling of what the man was thinking.

Hidden Piece…

The people in the third group seemed to have read too many web novels or webtoons, as they appeared to be searching for Hidden Piece from the very beginning:

Like digging for a treasure buried underground at the starting point of the tutorial, swinging a sword 100,000 times to get a bonus skill, or searching for a legendary weapon hidden in a seemingly ordinary pile of weapons… they had covered all the cliches.

It was an act that might look foolish to others, but I didn't want them to stop. After all, if they really found something, I could just snatch it from them after regressing.

In the end, I just sat down next to the group of people who were chatting.

The fairy had earlier mentioned that a ‘system’ will appear. So, I decided to wait and see until something happened.

I couldn't tell the exact time since I didn't have a watch, but it felt like about 10 minutes had passed.

Notice: Announcing the rules of the tutorial stage

A translucent window appeared before me.

"What, what is it?"

"...An announcement?"

Judging from the reactions of others, it didn't seem like I was the only one who could see it.

I turned my gaze back to the message in front of me.

Tutorial Stage

-Clear condition 1: Swallow the 'Golden Bead' hidden somewhere in the forest to proceed to the next stage. However, there are only 50 Golden Beads in existence.

-Clear condition 2: Defeat the boss, Goblin Shaman, to create a portal to the next stage.

"Hmm..."

Even a quick glance showed that there were way more than 50 people in the field. The tower was forcing people to choose between the two options:

Either work together to defeat the Goblin Shaman, or use the Golden Bead to find your own way out.

Usually, someone would say, ‘Let's all work together to defeat the boss!’ and lead the charge.

But here, everyone seemed selfish, and there was no one suggesting joining forces and working together to defeat the boss. Rather…

"Shall we join forces?"

"You seem like you can handle yourself. Shall we stick together?"

People stepped forward, finding the courage to ask others to be their allies. But it was clear that they wanted allies in order to get the Golden Beads. 

"Excuse me...if you don't have a team..."

I had received some recruitment offers myself-

“...Sorry.”

-Unfortunately, I had no choice but to refuse.

After all, I couldn't even cross the bushes.

And so, except for some weirdos, middle-aged people who denied the existence of the system, and cowards who didn't have the courage to fight, I was the only one left in the field without a team.

"..."

Swish! Swish!

I finally grabbed a sword and quietly settled down next to the woman who was still swinging her sword. 

It would be better to not engage with her unnecessarily. Earlier, I saw her threateningly brandishing the sword at a man who proposed to form a party with her. 

"..."

After giving me a quick glance, the woman ignored me and kept swinging her sword.

She was an Asian beauty. Her black hair tied with a string in a ponytail suited her very well. Of course, her beauty had nothing to do with me.

Swish!

"Ugh..."

I also tried swinging the sword with all my might, but my shoulder felt like it was going to come off, probably because my posture was wrong.

The sword was much heavier than I thought, and controlling the direction of the blade was not an easy task.

But I had to get used to it.

If I didn't become stronger, I would forever be stuck repeating tutorials.

The tower I knew was a place where the weak couldn't survive. My body would continue to regress. So, I had to get used to the sword with my mind.

Swish! Swish!

I can do it.

Swish! Swish!

I will definitely become a hero.

Swish! Swish!

Definitely.

.

.

.

.

.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Seeing as the sun was about to set, it definitely didn't seem like a short time though.

"Phew."

I swung the sword so much that my hands trembled, and my palms felt like they’d get torn from fatigue. I stopped barely due to the fear of regression.

Swish! Swish!

The ponytail girl was still swinging her sword without showing any signs of exhaustion though.

"Heh."

Seeing her like this - swinging a sword with a cold, but symmetrical face - she really was beautiful. Her nose was sharp... the beauty mark under her eyes was also sexy...

Fwish!

She must have noticed me staring at her face, as she turned her head and glared at me.

"..."

A regressor must have a goal.

And I just set my first epic goal:

To become friends with her and learn to wield the sword.

Apart from the visual pleasure I'd have, getting stronger was a bonus. It was like killing two birds with one stone.

Thump! Thump!

Swish! Swish!

And so, while using the sound of a shovel digging the ground and a sword cutting the air as ASMR, I set my first goal.

"Quaaaaaaagh!"

But suddenly, a human scream echoed from somewhere in the distance.

I didn't know about anything else, but I couldn't forget that voice. It was the same irritating voice of the bald man that was heard every time I regressed.

It seemed-

"...F*ck."

-Someone had died.