286 - Regression Is Too Much

**286 – The Regressor's Battle (5)** The language known as Korean is truly enigmatic, with even the word 'silence' capable of expressing a wide range of emotions. "...?" Choi Ji-won's silence, if we were to delve deeper into it, would translate to something akin to 'Huh?' It's the silence you offer when you hear something unprecedented, when someone makes a startling statement, 'What do you mean? Please elaborate.' "..." On the other hand, Jake... well, perhaps an angel’s silence is rather unsettling. His pupils dilated, gaze flickering, movements freezing—eventually abandoning the coffee he'd been incessantly sipping. That's when she knew for sure. He had to be an angel. If Jake were truly a punk, he would've retaliated, tilted his head in confusion, questioning her words. In the original novel, there are scenes where others feign composure in 0.1 seconds, but the keen protagonist catches that brief lapse. However, this angel was exceedingly clumsy, making it impossible to even pretend. This is why regressors are invaluable. They can handle bizarre situations without breaking a sweat. Were I not a regressor and spouted something like that? I wouldn't know how to manage; I'd have to resign myself to being branded insane. Beyond that lies uncharted territory. "You. Speak. Oddly." Jake finally responded. Yes, Jake did. Those were not the words of a drone soaring through the air. "I came with a proposal. If you're not interested, just decline." Although his reply was drone-like, his words were choppy yet understandable. His expression was severely distorted, his eyes pleading like a cat’s. Evidently, he was perturbed. "I have no idea. What you're saying." Even without common sense, surely he understood by now. He was asking me, wordlessly. Please feign ignorance. Just this once. I'm admitting fault. "Why are you doing this?" "Ji-won, let's pause for a moment." Another question surfaced in my mind. Why is he concealing his identity? And why can't he acknowledge it? Why resort to such nonverbal expressions? Simply labeling him as a crazed angel adhering to his concept… seemed overly desperate. The angels I’ve encountered thus far were polite, but their demeanor carried an inherent formality towards humans, or rather, a distinct sense of separation. The only exception was Anael. Was he the second exception? If not, there must be a ‘reason.’ The reason he can't reveal himself as an angel. The reason he must remain silent rather than vocalize it. Angels have always presented themselves with a sense of confidence. Clad in pristine white robes, halos glowing brilliantly, wings unfurled, they would act as guides, leading the way. This is the first time I've encountered an angel who wishes to conceal her celestial nature. So, why? How could this be? Aren't angels supposed to reveal themselves with pride? "…" There was a time on the 23rd or 24th floor where ghosts frequently appeared. An angel had asked me to recite the phrase 'Forgive me,' and as a result, I felt a sense of relief. Because in any disciplinary procedures to follow, my culpability would be reduced. What we can glean from this is that angels are monitored to a certain degree. They possess autonomy, but simultaneously, they are regulated. “Hmm.” Thus, it makes sense to think that this angel has shaken off that control. It's likely that she has temporarily freed herself from oversight. That's why she’s dressed in punk attire an angel would never ordinarily wear, her hair styled into a short black bob, eyes intentionally smudged. Again, for what purpose though? What torment is this? “Elixir.” The only truth in her words. Her identity, name, appearance may all be fabrications, but there is one piece of information that is genuine. There are management staff in the arena, and you can acquire potions from them. It's logical to suspect this as a trick. “For now, go on. I've added you as a friend.” “Did you accept her offer?” “So, off you go.” “Understood.” The man hurried away. I didn’t watch his retreating figure, but the backside of his loose clothing appeared suspiciously bulky, as if concealing something. “Wow, was that man really an angel? He seems quite the rogue…” After the angel departed, Choi Ji-won asked softly. “I also tossed it over, and she caught it.” “Hah…” “From what I gather, the angel seems to have been trying to procure something while we obtained the potion.” A potion. It's something nearly impossible to come by. I claimed to aim for a ‘perfect’ resolution, but testing every conceivable scenario wasn’t feasible. There were numerous hidden elements that initially demanded bizarre actions, often impossible to uncover through normal play. I couldn't simply sit down and stand up a thousand times or dig at the ground on the off chance of uncovering a secret. Attempting all that would take far too... long. So far, we've secured three bottles of potions. One on the second floor, and one each for myself and Choi Ji-won on the fourth floor. I haven't seen another potion since then. It's possible they're hidden, but I haven't discovered them. But here, a magical potion? That suggests the hidden elements related to the ‘management team’ are incredibly complex, and acquiring them without unconventional thinking is impossible. And that angel… she leaked crucial information. She revealed the most significant reward from a previous floor. Common sense would never allow such a thing. It’s akin to a game developer revealing the story’s ending. "But you did it anyway." It must have been risky for Jake, the angel. Much like Anael's fears, if caught, he’d face some form of ‘punishment’. Yet, he did it anyway. "Why did he?" "What, what is it?" Choi Ji-won asked, her eyes glimmering with curiosity. "We need to find out now." "...What is it?" We need to discover it now. The information is too sparse, so my guess could be wrong. Anyway, just remember this: "There's a magical potion on this floor." And. "In obtaining that potion... the angel wants something." ** Even though I deeply desired that potion, I decided to clear the 28th floor first. Then I would either contact management or secure the potion. Since they said I had to rank high to meet with management. Or I would have to back down. "Please arrange a match as soon as possible. With anyone." "Yes! Registration complete!" My current rank is around 950,000. Likely due to my impressive one-second match completion, my ranking climbed significantly. However, from now on, I’ll need to adjust my strength to manage my reputation. Naturally, the battles were straightforward. Easy, but too easy. "Human, you... ugh!" "Haha, the meat is so tender... ugh!" "The secret technique I honed back in my village... "Gyaak!" Those ranked lower couldn’t face me. I was superior in physical capabilities and excelled in combat skills. "How do you find my staff technique?" Of course, there were some very technically skilled individuals. Those lacking in physical prowess, yet their weapon techniques were elegant and refined. Clearly, they had been honing their skills for a long time. "Kuuuk... Take the power of my secret weapon!" "No, this is too easy to be called a secret weapon... Kyaaak!!!" Even those individuals couldn’t withstand my ‘cold energy’. I emphasize repeatedly, cold energy would incapacitate all enemies below a certain level. In layman's terms, it was a skill prevalent in Western studies, and my opponents were ordinary people. "...Are you that companion of Choi Ji-won?" "Oh, that's right." As I continued to win, other players approached me. While they didn’t come to challenge me, they seemed merely curious. "You're quite strong." "You're not that strong, right?" According to the players I met, there are currently about 10 players on the 28th floor. All of them are strong and confident in their skills. The cream of the crop. Those leading humanity. Oh, right, since I’m staying on the 28th floor, I tend to encounter them frequently. "Oh, you’re Choi Ji-won." Some The individuals I encountered were rather amicable and seemed ordinary at first glance. "...Did you get plastic surgery?" "Huh?" "You disgusting bitch." "...Hey. What are you talking about?" There were others who seemed profoundly mentally unwell. Was it that eccentric individuals were inherently kind, or did benevolent lunatics ascend the tower faster? I’m not certain. Regardless, my ranking soared quickly. Naturally, as I hadn’t lost a single match. My win rate was a solid 100 percent. They claimed they adjusted their strength, but often opponents simply felt the disparity in our levels and forfeited. Perhaps my acting was poor. Was it this winning streak? Or was it my raw power? I quickly gained notoriety, and even though my rank was still relatively low, I earned a substantial amount from my matches. This meant more gamblers were taking notice of my fights. People were paying attention to me. After three days, when my rank reached approximately 10,000, "Hey, why can’t I get a match?" "My opponent, Cortu, is sick." "…From what I saw on the terminal, it seemed like he was out drinking and partying last night." "They claim he has a drinking problem..." "…This is the fourth time now." Gradually, cases emerged where people began avoiding matches with me. If my rank continued to climb, those aspiring for first place would eventually pursue me. Since I was ranked high but not at the top, I occupied an ambiguous position, and I was being sidestepped altogether. Opponents scheduled to face me suddenly fell ill, met with accidents, or had to return to their home planets due to family emergencies. I inquired if I could select someone within the top 100 ranking, but they stated it violated the rules. It was permissible for high-ranked individuals to challenge lower-ranked ones but not the other way around. "This can't go on," I thought, reflecting on the situation in my small bedroom (essentially my private quarters) allocated to me. "Junho." "Hm, what’s up?" Choi Ji-won approached cautiously, her expression grave. "One of the players... died in a match?" "What?" The death of another player.