WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 013

──────

The regressor is too lazy (5)

The goblin squad crawled in perfect formation, low to the ground.

When the scrawny guy made a cryptic hand-signal, the goblins nodded and slipped into the nearby brush.

“…Wow.”

Maybe because their skin was naturally green, but even knowing where they hid, I could not see a single shape.

Back when I cut through the ring of grass around the clearing it was the same. Goblins stayed invisible until they helpfully screeched, Kerrrk, Kerrrrk.

These ones, perhaps under scrawny’s trait, kept completely silent.

No everyday civilian dragged into the tower less than three days ago could ever spot foes like that.

“Hm…”

I had several options here, and I wanted to choose with care. The price of a wrong choice was another three-day torture session.

Possible plan one, steal the Golden Marbles for myself.

Even if I do not swallow them now, just holding them could be handy… trade with other survivors, set bait, endless uses.

But then I would have to fight not only specs but also the thug and his goblin platoon.

I still did not know how strong they were, and I could not allow even a single hit, so the difficulty would be brutal.

Plus I would need to finish before Ji-won-ssi arrived.

Plan two, help the survivor group and mine them for information. They had lived outside the clearing for three days, while I knew nothing of the outside.

If I took out thug and scrawny, then built friendly ties, I could learn plenty. Ji-won-ssi would probably approve too.

“Hm…”

The second plan sounded better. If I later meet someone desperate for marbles, I can try the first idea. Right now, marbles give me no edge.

Since I can regress, I want to milk the tutorial for every benefit before moving on.

“Hyungs, there is something here. Come have a look.”

While I weighed choices, scrawny was luring the others toward the goblins.

“What is it? Let me see.”

The thug lumbered ahead first.

Specs hesitated, then cautiously followed them both.

They were showing their backs, perfectly relaxed. Leave them alone and they would be skewered, fwoop, in seconds.

“Up we go.”

Now was my cue. I rose slowly, careful not to rustle.

Shoes in good shape. Muscles a bit stiff from lying down, but fine.

I gripped the sword in both hands.

“Huup!”

And sprinted at the thug.

Why not target scrawny who controls goblins? From my view the thug was the greater threat.

I did not know how strong his “telekinesis” was, but it looked like pure unblockable true damage—my worst matchup.

Ten meters between us.

I would reach him in about two seconds.

The target, the back of his neck. His focus was split, dragging specs over.

One clean stroke, same as cutting goblins. I could do it.

Five meters left. All senses sharpened, the nape seemed to loom.

One swing and—

“KYAAAAAA!”

Only now spotting me, the woman shrieked.

Damn it. I wanted to shout I came to help, but to her I was just another attacker.

“…Tch!”

Flustered, my ankle twisted slightly. I regained balance fast, speed barely dropped, yet—

“…Huh?”

The thug turned his head my way.

Two meters left.

“…”

“…”

Our eyes met.

Everything except us slowed down.

In his eyes I read joy fading and confusion blooming. In my eyes, he saw something too, and his face began to contort.

Whatever. I would just cut his neck.

A chill.

The hair on my nape stood upright. Something was terribly wrong.

My darting gaze caught thug’s right hand, stretched toward me, fingers curling as if to grip tight.

Telekinesis.

If it hit I would regress. I had to dodge.

But how? Telekinesis fires instantly, like a bullet. Humans cannot dodge bullets.

“…”

No, I can. If I know the aim in advance.

I locked on his face again.

Those murderous eyes were fixed on my throat. Before my thoughts could settle, my body dropped flat.

The world plunged downward.

Shwoooosh!

Something hissed over my head, brushing my hair.

He missed.

Give him another moment and I was dead.

I powered my crouched legs, sprang up, and slashed upward.

Skrk!

That familiar feedback. I had felt it dozens of times on goblins.

“…Eh?”

A pure, innocent question—thug’s final word.

A red line ran from his crotch up to his right shoulder, then cracked open.

Shlaaash!

Blood fountained, and he fell.

“…”

I wiped the spatter off my face with a sleeve.

It was my first human kill, yet the shock was smaller than I expected.

Maybe I was half-asleep, maybe just tired. Self-disgust fluttered in and out, but I kept a straight face.

Better not bawl, though maybe it means I am turning into the Tower’s brand of lunatic.

No answer will come from brooding. Better think productively.

Winning the opening bout was nice, but I still had a job.

“Let’s go.”

We stood in brush ringed by goblins. If they all jabbed at once I would almost certainly take a hit.

So the real target was scrawny who controlled them.

I reset my stance—

“Su… surrender. I surrender, please spare me!”

Scrawny flattened onto the ground.

“Kerrrk, Kerrrrk.”

The goblins shuffled out of the brush, knelt beside him, and prostrated.

“…?”

A fusion dogeza by human and goblins, first time in my life.

How exactly was I supposed to react?

Die, die, die.

Scrawny, Park Jun-woo, fought not to wet himself.

He was an ex-delinquent, had seen maniacs who did crazy stuff once they were drunk.

“Gonna kill you” was as casual as good morning to him.

But that man… was different.

“…Why surrender?”

The blood-splattered man cocked his head in honest confusion.

Jun-woo had witnessed killings before. The Tower was savage, any clash ended with someone dead.

Yet he had never seen anyone so… used to it.

The thug who now lay split in two had been a recognized powerhouse, using Telekinesis to strike vital points and down strong monsters with ease.

And this stranger killed that thug in one stroke.

No fancy trait, just a plain sword.

People had been inside the Tower for only three days.

Yet the stranger snatched a human life as calmly as if he had ended dozens already.

What modern man could wield a blade like that?

What modern man could exude such thick killing intent?

Jun-woo guessed the stranger’s past dripped with more blood than he could imagine.

“…I will do anything. If you want me to lick your shoe soles, I will. Just… spare my life.”

Flat on the ground, palms rubbing together, Park Jun-woo begged.

In truth, had the thug faced Kim Jun-ho head-on, Jun-ho’s odds were much worse.

Even if Jun-ho dodged a couple of shots, he could never evade Telekinesis forever. One graze would force a regression, pretty much a hard-counter.

Today’s outcome was pure ambush success.

Had Jun-woo collected himself and commanded the goblins, he could most likely have forced a reset.

“Please… spare me…”

But the stranger handled a real blade too well, looked too accustomed to killing, stared at Jun-woo with blank eyes, and did not realize one hit would finish him.

Those factors merged into Jun-woo’s total capitulation.

“…Well, works for me…”

And this mix of misunderstanding and chance produced a new result.

[You can acquire a trait.]

A fresh possibility was born.

Footnotes:

Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried