Regression is Too Much - Chapter 124

WeTried Translations

Translator: ZEROSUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 124

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The regressor is surprised (6)

[...Stop.]

“…Huh?”

I had no idea how many times I had regressed up to this point. I hadn’t been counting, and even if I had been, I would have forgotten the total by now.

“…Wait, you could talk?”

This, however, was the first time the doppelgänger had ever spoken to me. Literally the very first time. You can imagine my surprise when the guy who had only been mumbling incoherently until now suddenly started speaking in a human language.

“I mean, why start talking now…”

I didn’t entertain the thought that this might be a trap, a pretense of conversation before an attack. For a regressor, a one-time ambush or betrayal like this held little meaning, and besides, my opponent was myself. If I were going to set a trap, I certainly wouldn't have done it in such a crude manner.

[…]

“…Hey, why did you stop talking?”

But the doppelgänger fell silent again. This time, however, the silence didn't feel like the madness-tinged quiet from before. It seemed more like the cautious silence of someone choosing their words carefully, as if the concept of ‘language’ itself was foreign to them.

[…]

“…”

After a long period of silence passed.

The question the doppelgänger posed was simple.

[…Is this the first time?]

“…Is what the first time?”

[It is the first time.]

The doppelgänger nodded his head slowly, as if he understood. While this was the first time he had spoken to me… it felt like he was talking about something else entirely.

“Sit down.”

With those words, the doppelgänger plopped down right where he stood. I also hesitated for a moment, watching him, before cautiously sitting down as well. Once he confirmed that we were both seated, the doppelgänger began his story.

[Why are we fighting?]

“…Because you attacked me?”

[Why would I have attacked you?]

“…How should I know?”

[That is what I want to talk about.]

The smile on the doppelgänger’s lips slowly widened.

[My memory is faint… but I will explain it to you as best as I can remember.]

And the story the doppelgänger began to tell… was quite shocking.

The Doppelgänger’s Perspective

[…Floor 1?]

When I came to my senses, I was surrounded by complete blackness. I cautiously extended a foot and tapped in front of me, feeling something solid. It seemed I was trapped somewhere.

[Hooo…]

This was right after I had sliced through the Minotaur in a single strike and used the portal that had formed over the Goblin Shaman's corpse. But to suddenly find myself in this situation. Does this Tower not even give you a moment to rest?

[It's okay. Let's calm down.]

Still, there was no need to panic. Just like I did in the tutorial, I just had to overcome this step by step.

Besides, this was only the 1st floor, so I didn't think a challenge beyond all common sense would be waiting for me.

I took a moment to steady my breathing and waited quietly. The surrounding darkness faded away, and a bright light shone from all directions.

[Ugh…]

As my eyes adjusted to the light, what I saw was a white temple. It was a temple with pure white pillars supporting it on all sides, in a style similar to that of ancient Greece, but slightly different.

[…?]

Just moments ago, I was in the tutorial's clearing, but then I suddenly appeared in a temple. I stood there blankly, unable to adapt to the polar change in the environment, when a message window appeared before my eyes.

-Clear Condition: A monster modeled after your own appearance has appeared. Defeating it is the only way to survive.

[…A monster?]

In the distance, I could see a silhouette. Was that monster modeled after me? It seemed the task for the 1st Floor was to defeat that monster over there.

[Hmm…]

I gripped my sword with a sense of reluctance, rotating my wrist before slowly approaching the silhouette. I still wasn't sure about the structure of this floor, but I figured it was best to do as I was told for now. As long as I didn't advance to the next floor immediately after clearing it, the possibility of achieving a perfect clear still remained.

At the same time, the other figure seemed to have noticed my presence, as I saw it walking toward me. As we walked towards each other, the distance between us closed in an instant.

[…]

“…”

Finally, we reached a distance where a sword would connect.

“…Ha, really. What an old cliché.”

The monster let out a hollow laugh, as if finding the situation absurd. His appearance was identical to mine, with the only difference being the clothes he wore. No, on closer inspection, his expression seemed a bit darker as well.

[Uh, uh uh…]

“I can definitely feel it.”

In the moment that the monster guy gripped his sword tightly and was about to charge at me.

[W-wait a minute.]

“…?”

I stopped the approaching monster without thinking. The aura he was emitting was far from ordinary.

If we fought, I would definitely lose. I would be crushed, one hundred times out of one hundred.

[Can’t we… try to resolve this with a conversation…?]

After all, solving everything through fighting is the way of beasts.

An intelligent person should use an intelligent person's methods.

[So, you're saying you've already cleared up to Floor 4?]

“That’s right.”

[And this is Floor 5?]

“That’s right.”

[And I'm a doppelgänger created based on your memories?]

“Exactly.”

[Hmm…]

To be honest, from my perspective, the situation was utterly bewildering. I went through all sorts of hardships to finally clear the tutorial, only to be told that I was a doppelgänger of the original?

From my point of view… It was unbelievable.

[But are you sure I'm the doppelgänger?]

“…Huh?”

[I mean, think about it. It’s possible that you’re the doppelgänger created based on my memories, and you were just injected with fake memories of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor, right? In what world is there a Tower that lets you clear the 1st floor for free.]

In fictional works, doppelgängers are never aware that they are doppelgängers. When I pointed that out, the guy who had been insisting he was the original also started to look serious.

“…It's true that the cliché of discovering you were the doppelgänger all along is pretty common…”

[Isn't there some way to verify it?]

And so, the two of us, looking completely identical aside from our clothes, sat down and began to compare our memories.

[The house we lived in is the same, our first love in elementary school is the same… even our favorite actor is the same…?]

“Hmm…”

The problem was that our memories were completely identical. There wasn't even the 'memory gap' that doppelgängers in stories tend to have. Aside from our memories after the tutorial, there were absolutely no differences.

[Hmm…]

“Hmm…”

As both of us were agonizing over ‘a way to tell who is the real one.’

“Regression.”

[Huh?]

“What would happen if one of us regressed?”

The 5th floor Kim Jun-ho suddenly threw out a question that made my head spin.

[Wouldn't we both just regress at the same time?]

“Well… that’s a high possibility, but…”

An unexpected debate began, and countless hypotheses rose and fell, one after another. Of course, with a lack of evidence, we couldn't reach a conclusion. In times like these, the solution is simple. To experiment.

[I'll try regressing first.]

“Alright.”

The privilege of a regressor is that there is no opportunity cost when attempting something challenging. I stopped the 5th floor Kim Jun-ho and struck my own chest with my fist.

Smack!

With the sound of the impact, I regressed.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 1.]

[So that's what happened, but you're saying you don't remember any of it?]

“That’s right.”

[It seems we don't share each other's regressions…]

Amazingly, the 5th floor Kim Jun-ho didn't remember any of it. The proof was that he had tried to cut me down in an instant just like the previous time, and I was only able to calm him down and have a conversation after a great deal of effort.

[Now you try regressing. If you're the doppelgänger, you shouldn't be able to regress, right?]

“That’s true, but… wait a minute. Something’s bothering me.”

The 5th floor Kim Jun-ho rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. He rolled his eyes, pondering something, then shot up from his seat in surprise.

“Hey.”

[…?]

“How are we supposed to clear this?”

[Huh?]

Come to think of it, he was right. If we could both regress regardless of who was the doppelgänger, this fight would never end.

Defeating an opponent inevitably requires violence, but we were in a position where taking damage from violence would just make us regress… If we were to actually start fighting, there was a high probability that it would become a truly endless battle.

“Hmm…”

[Hmm…]

Are we, like, really screwed? That thought crossed my mind… but then a pretty good idea suddenly popped up.

[But does victory really have to be physical?]

“?”

[I mean… wouldn't it count as a victory if the opponent just gives up?]

“Let’s test it.”

Having reached an agreement, we both dropped our swords to the floor and focused our minds on sincerely acknowledging defeat to the other.

I lost. He won. I am the doppelgänger. I have been defeated.

As I was concentrating with my eyes squeezed shut, I felt a tapping sensation on my shoulder.

“Hey.”

[…?]

“Go touch that.”

The 5th floor Kim Jun-ho pointed behind him with his thumb. Following his gesture, I saw a blue portal floating in mid-air. I assumed that passing through that portal would mean Floor 5 was cleared.

“I think you're one hundred percent the doppelgänger, you know? A message window just popped up for me saying I cleared it. Did you get anything like that?”

[…No.]

“For now, just go and touch that portal.”

[…]

I did as he said and placed my hand on the blue portal… but unfortunately, nothing happened. Was there something wrong with the portal?

No. That couldn’t be it. The truth was, I had already realised to some extent—the fact that I was the doppelgänger.

The 5th floor guy’s memories were just too vivid and realistic. They weren't something the Tower could have arbitrarily created.

“…I’m sorry.”

[…]

“For now… should I clear it, regress, and come back? There might be a way to get you out of here…”

The original Kim Jun-ho’s expression became slightly downcast, perhaps because he felt some sort of sympathy for me.

But regardless of whether he felt sympathy or not, a terrifying idea popped into my head.

[Wait a minute.]