319 - Regression Is Too Much

Chapter 319 – The Regresor of War... (3) The second day wasn't much different. No variables, no hustle, and I had plenty of time to relax. It was a day void of any ‘dopamine rush.’ "Wow." "Let's go." First, I got up from the lodgings they had prepared for us and looked around the base. Although the 29th floor was practically the highest level developed by humans, there were quite a few people there, all seemingly pursuing ‘extra rewards’ like us. Those who managed to reach this far understood the significance of these rewards. Every floor of the tower is a test, but also an opportunity to grow stronger. There are some exceptions, but the difficulty typically increases with each higher floor. But what if you missed out on the "maximum reward" available on the 29th floor just because you could easily pass through it? Not only would you fall behind other players, but you would also struggle to respond when more challenging floors emerged later. While Nana Jiwon’s goal was to prepare for the monster invasion after reaching the 30th floor, other players had no such objectives. Although God urged them to climb the tower, there was no clear time limit, nor was there competition among players to be at the forefront. From what I observed in the real world upon my return, there were only a few skirmishes between players. There were instances where people died due to fights among arrogant fools who couldn't let go of their pride, but these were uncommon, and most players treated each other like coworkers in the real world. (Perhaps it was different inside the tower, but that's how it was in reality.) In any case, players were far stronger than ordinary people, could earn a lot of money, and were praised. In other words, they were the 'chosen ones.' It was fair to say there was a sense of privilege, and even a kind of camaraderie. I seem to have strayed off topic, but in conclusion, what I wanted to say was that players who had reached this point were obsessed with honing their skills. There were more people guided by the desire to "become stronger" than to "save the world" like Nana Choi Ji-won or Firefighter Park Cheol-jin, and such individuals wouldn't miss out on the chance to strengthen themselves on the 29th floor. Anyway, after surveying the base, we headed out to observe the monsters' ecology. The primary food source for monsters was humans or their own kind, with their level of cannibalism raising questions about how they maintained their populations. "Monsters are naturally spawned by magic! Until we defeat the Demon King, monsters will continuously emerge!" A brave soldier provided us with some useful information as we were worrying, but the more I learned, the more doubtful I became. "Oh, is there a Demon King here?" "He's not here right now, but he'll return someday!" "...Why do monsters keep appearing when there's no Demon King?" "That... I don't know!" So the reason monsters appear is because of the monsters themselves. The Demon King wasn't present. When I asked why, the soldier mumbled and couldn't give a clear answer. "No, that's why..." "It's just like that." A passing player clicked their tongue, watching Choi Ji-won try to make the soldier understand. "These soldiers, they come back to life even when they die. They don't understand even when I talk to them about reality. They're like real NPCs, so don't bother." "…" Monsters that regenerate endlessly. Absent perpetrators. Soldiers who revive even when dead. This... truly felt like a stage set to showcase a battlefield to the players. The only exception might be the soldiers? Whatever it was, I felt uneasy. Weren't they being used as mere tools? Of course, feeling bad is one thing, and information is still information. We continued bustling around the base, gathering additional data, and were able to enhance our understanding of this floor. While there wasn't any particularly convincing information, there was plenty of useful data. "Junho, I think we've gathered enough information." "Then let's go to the soldier." After wrapping up our exploration, we took down some weak monsters and gained the soldier's approval. Although I felt relieved at the thought of returning to the real world tomorrow, I also worried about how long it would take to completely clear this floor. In any case, since there wasn't much we could do about it now, I made plans with Jiwon for the future. "If I get the reward for this floor, I'll score a nice piece of gear from the 26th floor..." Suddenly, my head started spinning, and I felt dizzy. It was similar to waking up too quickly after lying down for a long time. This was the first time something like this had happened since the status window appeared, and my body had become stronger. Now, my body didn't need long rests, and I was always full of energy. "Junho, are you okay?" "No, it’s... My head suddenly feels dizzy... Ugh." "What’s wrong?" "...My head hurts." Now, apart from the dizziness, I felt a pulsating pain. My magic was boiling, refusing to listen, and when I focused my senses, my soul also rippled. My body was hot. Every part of me ached. It felt like I’d come down with a severe flu. "...This is strange." Even as I groaned in pain, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Suddenly falling ill? It could happen. Someone might have secretly poisoned me, or perhaps I had coincidentally contracted a disease that only affects players. What was peculiar about this situation was... "Why... aren’t you regressing?" There were absolutely no signs of regression. I could feel the genuine pain and dizziness, and my hands trembled slightly. This wasn't 'damage’? Why was that? “Ow…” “You’re really flushed now. Let’s get you a potion, a potion.” “…Perhaps.” As Jiwon Choi suggested, I took out a potion and drank it down. I could feel the glances of the other players, but I couldn't afford to pay attention to them at the moment. -Gulp, gulp. That familiar refreshing sensation. The invigorating sweetness. Now, I should feel energized and my mind should clear. “…Why?” The potion had no effect. It quite literally had ‘no’ effect. What was the reason? Even a potion that could regenerate severed limbs? Could it be a curse? But if it were a curse, shouldn’t I have regressed a long time ago? “…Status window.” I called out the status window with a trembling voice, yet the status window that had always been with me stuttered and refused to open. Ten seconds. It took a full ten seconds before the status window flickered and revealed itself. [LV:¨¯©¯¨«] -[Read also:] -Regression [EX] -Φ [δ] (in English) -I![∀] "What is this?" A status window with garbled letters. The world seemed to spin. Choi Ji-won's hand tenderly stroking my back felt warm. My body felt searing, like it was on fire. “…Regression.” If I harm myself now, could I return to my original state? Maybe. Maybe I could. Even on the status window, the ‘Regression’ entry was still intact. But even if I regressed, what could I do? If I reached this point again, would the same thing happen? “Junho, can I move?” “…I have to move.” It hurts. It really hurts. But now is the time to move. I need to find the slightest clue as to why I’ve become like this. I have to do something before I regress. That... is the truth. And if I had to choose someone, it would be him that I’d want to see first at this moment. “…The soldier.” The soldier was exceptionally strong. I thought I should start by observing him. The reason was simple. It was just that he was too strong. The soldier didn't have a motive to harm me. In fact, he seemed to have no desires at all. Yet, if this strange phenomenon was occurring, it probably had something to do with the soldier. He was a powerful entity that defied common sense. Truthfully, I didn't know what connection the hero had to this situation. However, my body was compelled by the urgency to act before reverting. It would be ideal if I could gain some information, and even better if I could secure some assistance. Anything was better than standing idly by. Yes, I had to do something. "...I'll be right back." "J-Junho?" I staggered towards the central tent. The piercing eyes of the other players were noticeable, but I ignored them and pressed forward. "…" Even though it was the hero's dwelling, there was no one guarding it. Perhaps because there was no need to. After a moment of hesitation, I opened the entrance without further delay. “…Are you there?” It was the same tent I had visited just hours ago. The hero had greeted me while lounging in his chair, and I remember leaving almost immediately. But what I remember now felt different. Everything was the same, from the table, the reception chairs, the bookshelf, to the mounted monster heads on the wall. “Hero?” In truth, the hero was gone. I hadn't realized it because of how unwell I felt, but now that I looked around, the powerful presence that had filled this space was missing. I stood there, staring blankly, perplexed by this unexpected situation. "…Who sent you?" At that moment, when the hero’s grumbling voice came from behind, my vision became strange and distorted. It felt as if my body was falling. Only when pain hit me, did I realize delayed. "...Why didn't you stop it?" The fact that my head was severed horizontally. [I have taken damage.] [Returning to the moment I entered the 29th floor.] *** “…” The situation didn’t feel real. What was this? What had actually happened? It was hard to process. Strangely, my status window had become erratic, and I didn’t revert despite the pain. I couldn't comprehend the hero’s attitude either. Previously, the hero’s demeanor was clearly that of a spectator. There wasn’t any hostility, and he merely seemed irritated. But suddenly, he attacked me. He decapitated me in one swift motion, and I couldn't grasp the change in his demeanor. The hero's parting words were also significant. The words, “Why didn’t you stop it?” were filled with pure confusion. I hadn’t noticed the final blow initially, and even if I had, it wasn’t an attack I could have parried. The hero was much stronger than I was, and surely he knew it. But isn’t it somewhat odd that he asked, “Why didn’t you block it?” rather than saying “Die” or “Get out.” Why question my failure to block an unblockable attack? His voice was too serious for it to be a mere question of personality. Yes, let’s assume the hero had returned. That might be true. Compared to the situation I am currently facing, this could be considered ‘minor.’ What about my condition? I had just come back. I had just returned to the past. "...It hurts so much." But my head... It’s still throbbing even after I've come back. As if a trace of something had been left behind.