Regression is Too Much - Chapter 223

WeTried Translations

Translator: ZEROSUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

________________

Chapter 223

──────

The regressor is mentally weak (2)

"...Ms. Su-hee's whereabouts were supposed to be top secret... may I ask where you got that information?"

Michael Zetter asked in a stiff voice. It was an obvious mistake. At this point in time, I was supposed to know nothing about Dok Su-hee's location. Panic hit me in an instant, the blood drained from my head, and my vision spun. My brain completely froze.

"Huh? It was a secret? That's strange."

Despite that, my mouth moved on its own. More accurately, my brain was buying itself time to recover.

"No, but... hmm..."

"Please, go ahead."

"So, what I mean is..."

Think. What's a good excuse? In this situation, the only option is to sell out Dok Su-hee. I have to say she told me. But what if Michael Zetter knows what kind of relationship we have? What if he knows we have bad blood?

Well, then I'd just regress.

"Su-hee told me. We worked together on Floor 3."

My rapid calculation ended there. I bet that Dok Su-hee had not shared every detail with Michael Zetter. We really did team up on Floor 3. It was a good connection, and we've kept in touch ever since.

"...I see. If Ms. Su-hee told you herself, then I believe she had her reasons."

Thankfully, either the excuse worked or he chose not to push it. Michael Zetter simply nodded and moved on. He definitely seemed to trust Dok Su-hee.

"Then let me return to the original point. You asked about Ms. Su-hee's whereabouts?"

"Yes. I couldn't reach her at all."

"Ms. Su-hee entered the Tower."

"...The Tower?"

If she entered the Tower, she'd clear a floor and come back out before long.

"Because of that, it may be hard to contact her for quite a while."

"...Pardon?"

Seeing my lukewarm reaction, Michael Zetter frowned like I didn't even know that much.

"Ms. Su-hee is the type who climbs in one long run once she starts. She packs every necessity into her ability, Inventory, then focuses entirely on climbing without returning to reality."

"..."

"One time I told her, 'That isn't efficient'... and she said she had her reasons. She said there was someone she absolutely wanted to show, after becoming strong."

He added that he did not like it, but everyone had a method that suited them. Listening to him made my throat tighten for no reason.

What are you supposed to do when someone you used to hate, someone who betrayed you, keeps showing you consistent goodwill? How am I supposed to react when they insist they've changed?

Honestly, you can just let it pass. Just go, "Oh, I see," and accept it as fact. Stay cold. Act like you don't care.

But kindness with nowhere to go is a pitiful thing, and I'm not the type who can reject someone that harshly. More than that, people are built to like those who like them. Maybe this tiny bit of goodwill growing toward Dok Su-hee was just basic human instinct.

"More importantly, didn't you say you had a favor to ask?"

Of course, I didn't want to admit I felt any goodwill toward her, so I changed the subject quickly.

"A favor, yes. Then I will speak directly."

Michael Zetter naturally opened the fridge, chugged an entire bottle of water, and finally got to the point.

"One month ago, do you remember me saying I would bring about the age of players?"

"Yes. I remember."

"The reason I said that is simple. I thought it was the most efficient path. I believed strengthening the players' position was the fastest way to save people. I always prioritize efficiency."

"Efficiency... you mean."

"Yes. Right after my birthday, I enlisted in the military, and I became the youngest member of the special forces in history. After that as well, I chose only the options that let me serve my country most efficiently. It was the same in the Tower. My goal was not to become stronger, but to climb faster. I believed that was the most efficient way to conquer the Tower. Accepting the position of Association President came from the same logic."

Emphasizing once again that he always valued efficiency, Michael Zetter pulled a shining medal from his pocket and set it on the table.

"Because I lived efficiently like that, I was always the most exceptional person wherever I went. At school, in the military, and in the Tower."

"Isn't that at least partly true?"

"Let's call it partly true. Not only me, most players tend to think they are special. It isn't an absurd thought, since the number of players is small. But if even ordinary players develop a sense of privilege, what happens to those who are special even among special players?"

"..."

"Maybe that's why... we drift down the wrong path. 'If not me, no one can do it. Special me has to act now. I am the chosen one, so I must solve this problem.'"

He didn't name anyone, but I could hear the sincerity in his voice. Probably because he was talking about himself.

What Michael Zetter said hit me too. Those words had the same texture as thoughts I've carried myself.

I, the regressor, have to do it. I have to change it. Only I can do it.

Me, Dok Su-hee, Michael Zetter... maybe even Choi Ji-won.

The more special people think they are, the more they try to force results through sheer strain. At the core, we're just humans, yet we mistake ourselves for something beyond human.

"But I understand now. There are many people in this world more exceptional and more special than me. I do not need to carry everything myself. If something is beyond what I can do alone, I can rely on someone even more exceptional."

Michael Zetter toyed with the medal on the table.

"So my favor has only two parts. First, please keep climbing the Tower as fiercely as you are now. Become even stronger, and when the day of invasion comes, protect our humanity. Can you do that?"

"That... you don't even need to ask. It was our goal from the start."

"I'm truly relieved there are excellent players like you. Then, my second favor."

Zetter gently pushed the medal on the table toward us.

"Please, take this medal."

"...What kind of medal is this?"

"Proof that I lived my youth fiercely."

"...That's too much pressure."

"...Ha ha."

Michael Zetter let out a small laugh. It felt like the first time I'd ever seen this man smile.

"I... am about to try changing history from this point on. Grateful people are helping me, but events may not go as intended. To be honest, I am afraid. I am tense. I simply do not show it, as a soldier."

"..."

"Even if everything goes wrong... I wanted at least this medal to remain. If it burdens you too much, you may refuse."

"No, no... we'll take it."

Right, I had forgotten for a moment. Michael Zetter was about to face the United States Government. He was going to fight and win against people who could foresee the future through the Book of Truth.

When you're fighting opponents like that, you can't guarantee you'll come out unharmed. He... probably wanted to leave a trace of himself in this world, even if he died.

-Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

An electronic tone rang from Michael Zetter's chest.

"It's time."

He stood up and walked to a wide living room with nothing around him.

"For a while, I won't be in a position to climb the Tower. I'll remain on Floor 29. With your level, you'll catch up to me in no time."

"...Of course."

"When you clear Floor 29, I'll see you again."

With those final words, Michael Zetter disappeared.

To step into a war that would change the fate of the world.

"Wasn't saying he was nervous a bit overdramatic, honestly? His expression didn't change at all."

"No. According to Bung-bung, Michael Zetter was genuinely tense."

"...That's kind of cool."

After Michael Zetter left, I felt warm emotions for the first time in a while.

Michael Zetter, "the most famous player," admitted he could not accomplish everything alone. Even if he failed, he realized others existed who would keep fighting for humanity.

Not just me and Choi Ji-won, there are truly many great players in this world trying hard to climb the Tower. It doesn't have to be me every time. If I can't do it alone, then we join forces and do it together. We hold each other up.

While I was at it, I reached out to people I knew.

-I've been fine. More importantly, have you considered joining our guild?

The blunt man, Kang Chan.

-We've been doing well! How about you, Jun-ho-nim?

The Ahn brothers, Ahn Gyeong-jun and Ahn Gyeong-nam, who had recently been absorbed in training to handle their abilities.

-Me? Same as always. Come visit sometime, I'll buy you meat.

Firefighter Park Cheol-jin, who had been saving people nonstop lately.

-I'm just getting by. Do I even need to be doing well?
-What's wrong with you? Did something happen? Me, I'm always fine, you punk.

Even friends who adapted well to the era of the Tower's appearance.

I couldn't send greetings to some people like U.S. healer William Smith or Dok Su-hee, who were unreachable at this point... but they were each doing their best in their own place.

They're all good people, excellent people. People who make life better just by being around.

The one that's wrong is the Tower, which pushes people like this into torment and conflict.

The Tower that was built to judge humanity induces evil acts. It induces conflict. It induces despair.

The most disgusting part is that it does all this while wearing a kind mask.

On the surface, the Tower takes the stance of, "Isn't it enough if you just behave well? Problems only happen because you're trash." As if humans are truly the problem.

People are not the problem. We never needed to fight each other in the first place. When the true enemy is watching with bloodshot eyes, nothing is uglier than internal conflict.

Even if conflict rises among people, I'll mediate it. For the greater goal, I will gladly sacrifice myself.

We can do this. We will not bend. We will not give up.

Humanity will survive the Tower.

"Are you sure it's okay not to regress?"

"Yeah. It's not like we lost that much time, and more than anything... we received this medal."

After placing Michael Zetter's medal somewhere visible,

"Let's go."

With my resolve set, I headed for the Tower with Choi Ji-won. Not just to climb one floor, but for humanity's victory as a whole.

-You have entered Floor 23.

***
This resolve of mine, this warm heart yearning for humanity...

"No, seriously, it wasn't me?"

"Got proof? Do you have proof!!!"