WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: LiteraryGirl

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ I'm an Infinite Regressor, But I've Got Stories to Tell

Chapter 257

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The Mastermind VIII

The next plan was simple: Bring copies of Go Yuri from the simulation universes and scatter them throughout the Divine Realm.

No matter how vast the Mastermind’s computational power, built upon the consumption of nearly all human brains, it couldn’t possibly hold up against that kind of chaos.

Q: What do you think Infinite Void’s reaction will be when it hears this plan? (3 points)

“Sunbae, are you insane?”

Correct.

I, the Undertaker, would forever be remembered as the first human to hear the words “Are you insane?” from an Outer God.

“There’s a reason people say not to poke a sleeping tiger! Just leave the pink one alone!”

“Calm down. I’m not talking about summoning Go Yuri into the real world—that is, the 107th universe. Do you think I’ve lost my mind? I’m only suggesting we bring fake Go Yuris from the other simulation universes.”

“Ugh!” Infinite Void scoffed, stomping its foot in frustration. “Sunbae, are you an idiot? There’s no such thing as a fake or real Go Yuri!”

From my perspective, it was laughable. After all, this being had blurred the line between real and fake itself, becoming little more than a bootleg copy of Cheon Yo-hwa.

“Well then, let me ask you outright. What exactly is Go Yuri to you Outer Gods?”

“......”

-......

Infinite Void and the Admin of the Infinite Metagame exchanged a glance. The former was the first to speak.

“A walking embodiment of humanity.”

“What?”

“Hmm. It’s hard to explain. You see, the brains stored here were created by combining the minds of over 8 billion humans, right? Together, they form something you might call a human brain or an absolute consciousness. In a similar sense, the pink one is like... a human brain with arms and legs, walking around freely. At least, that’s how it seems to me.“

Then, softly, Infinite Void muttered, “But calling it a humanbrain is inaccurate. The pink one isn’t limited to humans—it encapsulates everything, every object...”

“I don’t get it.”

“Right? I don’t either. Imagine, sunbae—from my perspective, it’s like a being carrying data equivalent to an entire universe walking around!”

Infinite Void shuddered, visibly uncomfortable. The Admin of the Infinite Metagame chimed in then, its speakers crackling faintly as the slime Fairy King softened the mechanical voice.

- Explanation: From this entity’s perspective, it’s much simpler.

“In what way?”

- Explanation: It’s you, Undertaker.

?

- Clarification: In other words, the “Go Yuri” or “pink one” is perceived by this entity as identical to you, the Undertaker, at least from this entity’s perspective.

???

Both Infinite Void and I blinked, baffled. The ever-curious Infinite Void reacted first.

“Wait, wait, wait! Are you saying you see the pink one as the same as sunbae?”

- Affirmation: Correct.

“What? That makes no sense! The pink one spends most of its time in the capital, while sunbae is always running around. Are you telling me your eyes see two versions of sunbae all the time?”

- Denial and affirmation: This entity lacks physical eyes. Please verify whether your own eyes are properly attached. If the term “eyes” is symbolic of perception, then yes, that is accurate.

Infinite Void’s jaw dropped. I might have mirrored its expression, had I been looking in a mirror.

I took over the questioning, demanding to know, “Then how do you distinguish between the ‘Undertaker in the capital’ and the ‘true Undertaker?’”

- Answer: I cannot. However, the true Undertaker is almost always accompanied by this entity’s priestess (the traitor), so I designate the one closest to her as the true Undertaker.

“Ah...”

The Admin’s answer stirred a memory within me.

The 555th cycle. That was when Oh Dok-seo, previously almost powerless, suddenly gained the identity of a “novel possessor.”

The Admin of the Infinite Metagame had chosen the priestess to counter me. Looking back, something strange had occurred during that cycle.

‘Dok-seo... not only targeted me but also tried to recruit Go Yuri into her party.’

At the time, I assumed Dok-seo had fallen victim to Go Yuri’s brainwashing ability. But could the truth have been something else?

“Admin of the Infinite Metagame, when you influenced Oh Dok-seo in the 555th cycle to keep the ‘Undertaker’ in check... were you referring to both me and Go Yuri?”

- Affirmation: Naturally.

The laptop screen displayed a (˃ω˂) emoticon.

- Explanation: To this entity, there have always been two Undertakers.

“......”

The revelation left me stunned.

What surprised me more was the realization that I had asked the Outer Gods about Go Yuri’s identity in past cycles.

That’s right. Back then, Infinite Void and the Admin of the Infinite Metagame had dodged my questions. Or rather, they gave me answers, but ones I couldn’t fully grasp.

Why were they being so clear in their answers now? Was it because we were inside the Mastermind’s Divine Realm?

“This discussion is pointless right now...” I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “For now, the Mastermind takes precedence over Go Yuri. While we don’t know whether Go Yuri is an enemy, the Mastermind is undoubtedly hostile.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“So, once we’re fully prepared, we’ll summon the Go Yuris and detonate the ‘bomb.’ Then we’ll escape while it’s still ticking.”

- Affirmation: Understood.

We resumed hacking.

Wires emerged from the Admin’s laptop, snaking toward the brains. Having done this once already, the process was much faster this time.

Watching Infinite Void fend off the brain tendrils, a thought struck me.

“By the way, Infinite Void.”

“Yeah? What’s up, sunbae?”

“To my knowledge, Go Yuri reflects the ideal form desired by whoever sees it. To some, it has blonde hair, to others, black. How did you come to see Go Yuri as having ‘pink’ hair?”

Infinite Void tilted its head. “Pink is pink. What do you mean?”

This time, I tilted my head in confusion.

Our mirrored gestures made us look like reflections.

“You call Go Yuri the ‘pink one’ because of its hair, right?”

“Yep.”

“You said earlier that Go Yuri looks like the universe itself. How can something that vast have pink hair?”

Infinite Void blinked, narrowing its eyes. “That’s what I’m saying, sunbae. It’s pink.”

“Yeah, pink.”

“Exactly, pink.”

“?”

“?”

An awkward silence hung in the air.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, an eerie realization struck me—a static charge of unease coursing through my mind.

Could it be?

No. That would be absurd.

But if it were true, it would explain why Infinite Void and I had been talking past each other.

I spoke slowly, testing my theory.

“Go Yuri... has universe-colored hair.”

Infinite Void responded effortlessly.

“Right, pinkhair.”

“......”

“I mean, I’ve been saying it all along, sunbae. Its hair is pink. It’s an indescribable color, so I call it pink. It doesn’t mean pinkactually exists. You’re usually good with metaphors, why aren’t you getting this?”

Infinite Void grumbled to itself, then turned back to fight off the tendrils.

I couldn’t continue the conversation.

Go Yuri was dangerous. But bombs are impartial, exploding for everyone. Go Yuri was just as perilous for the Mastermind as she was for us.

- Report: Compared to the previous layer, the number of simulation universes on this layer has decreased by more than 200.

- Analysis: This indicates significant damage. The Dang Seo-rins casting the Cursed Song Incantation on the previous layer appear to be performing effectively.

“Good. If dropping Go Yuri can cause this much chaos, the overload should be even more severe.”

- Affirmation: Agreed.

I steadied my breathing. “We’re fully prepared.”

- Affirmation: Indeed.

“Infinite Void!” I called out, looking upward.

Unlike before, Infinite Void had already torn apart the ceiling of the simulated universe. The Admin and I were standing on its enlarged palm, ready to ascend at a moment’s notice.

“Remember the plan! No hesitation. Not even for a second. Once Go Yuri appears, it can’t be allowed to lock eyes with me. Get me out immediately!”

- Sunbae, this is seriously stressing me out.

Infinite Void’s voice echoed from the ethereal gaps of the torn sky.

- Can’t we just compromise? Forget efficiency and pack this place with Dang Seo-rins instead of Go Yuris?

“Don’t be stupid!” I roared back. “How many times have I explained this? Using only one type of virus would be begging the enemy to create a vaccine. Go Yuri isn’t optional—she’s essential!”

- But... thousands of Go Yuris? I feel like my head’s going to explode the moment I see them...

“Just close your eyes and move the platform on my signal! How hard is it to move a hand? If it’s too hard, quit being an Outer God!”

- Damn it. I already tried quitting, but no one let me, so now I’m stuck like this, sunbae!

“Enough talk! Move! Stop whining, you Anomaly!”

- Waaaah. Sunbae’s bullying me...

Infinite Void shut its eyes tightly.

Whoosh!

Its eyelids, as vast as galaxies, closed, releasing an immense gust of ether that ruffled the cables connected to the Admin’s laptop.

The cables stretched toward approximately 5,000 brains, fully connected as before.

“Admin of the Infinite Metagame!”

- Report: All simulation universes have reached apocalyptic destruction, leaving only the Undertaker and Go Yuri alive. Time has been paused.

“Pull them in! Remember, the one who’s grinning for no reason is Go Yuri. Don’t confuse it with me!”

- Affirmation: Initiating virus extraction.

Whoosh!

Hooks formed at the ends of the cables and plunged into the brains. The Admin, acting in Infinite Void’s place, began extracting the Go Yuris. From the outside, it looked like a claw machine game. Except the claw, the prizes, and even the machine were all horrors beyond human comprehension.

- Report: 5,427 “Go Yuris” are being retrieved. They will soon pass through the simulated universes into the Divine Realm.

- Countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2...

Squelch! Splat! Squelch!

Thousands of brains vomited blood simultaneously. The spilled blood took on human forms, coalescing into shapes all too familiar to me—unforgettable even in my nightmares.

5,000 of them.

- 1.

“Infinite Void!”

Just before the Go Yuris opened their eyes, Infinite Void moved without hesitation, lifting its orbital-elevator-like palm.

We rose in altitude rapidly.

I immediately swung my Aura.

Bang! Buh-bang! Bang!

The cables linking the Admin to the Go Yuris were severed all at once. This severed the connection between the Admin and the extracted viruses.

I then threw myself flat onto Infinite Void’s palm.

- Oh?

- Oh my?

- Huh?

- Hmm?

From far below, faint voices rose up.

- Hello?

- Yes, hello.

- Nice to meet you.

- Indeed, nice to meet you.

- Oh, you too?

- Yes, you too.

The voices were sweet, infused with a magnetic charm that was impossible to ignore. Even against my will, the words pierced my ears like a song designed to ensnare.

- But isn’t this impossible?

- Yes, something has interfered.

- Fascinating. I thought the demon promised not to touch us.

- Lately, the demon’s Aura has grown stronger. Perhaps it broke its word.

- Could that be possible?

- But here we are.

- Intriguing.

- How are we talking like this?

- Perhaps?

- Perhaps.

A brief silence.

Then, in perfect unison, the voices called out:

- Guild Leader?

I inhaled sharply.

Though I couldn’t see through Infinite Void’s massive hand, I knew instinctively. The thousands of Go Yuris below had simultaneously turned their gaze upward, looking directly at me.

Never in my life, even through countless cycles, had I felt terror like this.

‘Infinite Void! Move! Now!’

Abandoning all dignity as a regressor, I pounded and clawed at Infinite Void’s palm, urging it to ascend faster.

To its credit, Infinite Void didn’t hesitate. Though barely three seconds had passed, it raised me to the next level in less than four.

Its movements were swift. The ether winds carried us upward faster than light.

From a logical perspective, our surprise attack—the “bombing raid operation”—had been flawless.

Oh? Oh? Oh? Oh? Oh?

Just as the gap between the layers began to close, the last voice drifted up from below.

The once-fractured chorus of 5,000 voices had merged into one unified whisper.

- Truly.

- Guild Leader, you are...

- Fascinating.

Boom.

The gap between the universes shut tight.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Waaaaah!”

I collapsed onto the floor, gasping. Infinite Void, having pulled us up so quickly, fell over as well. The Admin’s laptop skidded across the ground before settling.

The cacophony of our landing could only be described as chaotic.

“Hah... Haaah... I’m alive?”

“Waaaah! I told you I didn’t want to do this, sunbae!”

“Shut up! Do I look like the Undertaker to you? Am I still me?”

- Request: Silence, please.

“Don’t let your guard down! That thing turned ‘universe-colored’ into ‘pink’ and fooled the Outer Gods. Who knows what else it can do?”

“This is all your fault! Why did you have to drag me into this mess, sunbae? I was fine before you came along!”

“Cheon Yo-hwa... Yes It’s still Yo-hwa’s face and voice. Her memories are intact. No signs of perceptual distortion or brainwashing detected.”

- Request: Silence, please.

“Did it work? Did it really work? Incredible. It worked! I must be a genius!”

“I’m starting to wonder how long I can put up with this, sunbae!”

“Stop sneaking formalities into your speech! Quit copying Yo-hwa—it’s confusing!”

- Request: Silence, please.

A loud, grating noise blasted from the Admin’s speakers, silencing both me and Infinite Void.

The Admin pointed with its spindly robotic arm, directing our attention forward.

- Observation: The brains are rupturing spontaneously, even without our intervention.

“...What?”

It was true.

The once-intact tanks were cracking and leaking. The brains inside were oozing blood and decaying rapidly.

- Report: Scans indicate that the number of simulation universes has dropped from 5,651 to 722. Destruction is ongoing in real time.

In other words...

- Analysis: Operation Virus successful.

- Explanation: The Undertaker’s proposal to deploy Go Yuri as a “bomb” has effectively damaged the Mastermind.

Using Anomalies to destroy Anomalies.

My plan to pit Outer Gods against each other had succeeded beyond expectation.

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