WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 031

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Too good at grinding (2)

"The system will give you a detailed explanation… Tutorial, start!"

Right after the fairy scattered the weapons and left.

"Hello? scrawny-ssi?"

"Yes, hello… what did you say?"

I approached scrawny and offered a handshake.

This was the scrawny who had provided me with the very substantial trait, Awe [C], in the past.

And I was just about to experiment on whether I could extract a trait from this guy a second time.

"Now, I have something to show you. Would you mind following me for a moment?"

Right after being summoned to the Tower, anyone would be hesitant if a suspicious man suddenly appeared and asked them to follow.

In an unfamiliar environment, a stranger suddenly tells you to follow him? It's normal to be suspicious.

However,

"...Should I?"

Scrawny pondered for a moment, then obediently followed behind me.

The reason was simple.

-Curiosity [A]

-Opposites tend to attract. People feel an unexplainable curiosity towards you and are instinctively drawn to you.

It was thanks to the Curiosity trait I had gotten from Ji-won.

A trait named after an emotion basically serves the role of amplifying that emotion.

On top of that, the trait's grade is a whopping A-grade? It's no trouble at all to grow a very faint curiosity into something massive.

And so, by the time scrawny followed me and arrived at the weapon pile...

Shwaaak!

I drew a sword at a tremendous speed and performed my own sword dance.

As flashy, as cool, and as sexy as possible.

It was on a different level from the swordsmanship I had shown to the group of men in front of the weapon pile in the past.

I was much stronger than back then, and the level of my swordsmanship had also risen.

"...!"

The people around me were pushed back by my aura, taking a step back. My swordsmanship trait is only F-grade, but from an ordinary person's standard, I am a master of the sword.

It probably felt like watching a martial arts movie. I know the feeling. That's how I feel when I watch Ji-won.

"...That's!"

I could see Ji-won's eyes widening in the distance, but I didn't pay it much mind. I was planning to regress soon anyway.

"Now, how was it?"

After finishing the sword dance, I asked the scrawny kid.

"..."

He couldn't answer, dripping with sweat.

His eyes were darting all over, avoiding my gaze, and his mouth was hanging so wide open that a fly could have entered without him noticing.

"That... was amazing. It was fast, fluid, and above all... it was cool."

Although words of praise poured from his mouth, the guy was unknowingly taking small steps backward.

It seemed the 'Awe' trait had activated. But no emotion flowed in from him.

So it's impossible to obtain the same trait twice.

Alright, let's accept that for now.

"How about you travel with me? Even outside this clearing."

I extended the hand that wasn't holding the sword to scrawny.

"I can tell just by looking. You have a good trait, don't you? I will protect you."

"..."

"I promise you. I will do my best to protect you. What do you say?"

A feeling of dependability. Or relief. Or elation.

Any of those emotions would be good. Those kinds of positive emotions were all slated to become nourishment for the 'Hero' trait.

Now, scrawny. Take my hand.

You've just grasped a golden rope. I trust you're not a fool who would kick away an opportunity like this...!

"...Alright."

The scrawny kid gently took my hand.

His face was flushed red.

"...?"

Why is it flushed red?

"It feels incredibly... reassuring. I'm from a bit of a delinquent background myself so I've seen a lot of guys who can fight... but they were a drop in the bucket compared to you."

Scrawny said, his head bowed low with a reddened face.

"From now on... please take care of me, Hyung-nim."

"Uh, ughh..."

That final 'Hyung-nim' was somehow so incredibly creepy that I let go of his hand without realizing it.

"Ah..."

Scrawny reached his hand out towards me with a yearning gaze.

This isn't it. This isn't right...

I ended up smacking my own cheek hard without thinking.

Slap!

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 0.]

The process was a little strange, but I confirmed that it's impossible to obtain a trait from the same person twice.

I succeeded in drawing out the emotion of 'Relief', not to mention 'Awe', but there was no feeling of absorbing the emotion.

Alright, so what's the next thing to do?

None other than to kill the Minotaur and practice swordsmanship.

Is there a way to do three things at once, you ask?

There is.

"I came from the future."

"...What are you talking about so suddenly? Who are you?"

"First, just watch my swordsmanship."

It was just a matter of proceeding as similarly as possible to the turn where I had lost to the Goblin Shaman.

The only difference was that I started by revealing my regression to Ji-won.

I saved people, practiced swordsmanship with Ji-won, and waited patiently until Park Cheol-jin the firefighter found us.

The development that followed was the same.

Splish!

"Guaaaaaaaah!"

When the Minotaur fell into the swamp, and the exhausted Goblin Shaman trudged towards the tree stump.

Slice!

I cut the beast's neck from behind just like that.

You backstabbed me once, so I backstabbed you once.

Let's call it even now, Goblin Shaman.

"Th-that's... a portal?"

"W-wooooooow!"

This time, I was able to confirm that people were entering the portal normally.

It would have been great if I could have seen this sight in the previous turn.

If there was one disappointing thing, it was that I caught the Minotaur again, but my achievement level didn't rise.

It seemed that obtaining achievement levels multiple times was also impossible.

If that's the case... It meant there's a limit to how strong you can get on each floor.

I don't think that's good news. It's become impossible to just grind levels and crush the upper floors.

"...Kim Jun-ho."

"Go."

"...Alright."

I confirmed Ji-won went through the portal, and then I regressed.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 0.]

The next thing to do is trait grinding.

I learned that I couldn't get the same trait twice. But that didn't mean I had gotten trait experience from every single person.

You could say the state of things had holes here and there.

I remembered people's faces one by one, distinguished between those I had saved and those I hadn't, and proceeded with the trait grinding.

Expressing it in words makes it sound like it required a tremendous amount of grinding, but I was able to get traits from everyone by repeating the regression just four times.

In the first place, I had already gotten traits from over 100 people when we pushed the Minotaur... so getting traits from the rest wasn't that difficult.

For reference, all the emotions I obtained were emotions classified under the 'Hero' trait, but even after completing the grind, the grade did not increase.

It's a bit of a shame... but well, it can't be helped.

And finally, I decided to experiment with the effects of a trait.

Which trait, you ask?

-Hero [C]

-In a moment of crisis, people think of you. You become stronger when you fight to protect someone.

This one.

In truth, I had never once activated the 'Hero' trait until now.

This was because since getting this trait, there was never an occasion to fight while protecting someone.

Right after getting it, I was chasing Ji-won's tail and catching mutant goblins... and when we defeated the Minotaur, I was in the role of protecting the Goblin Shaman.

Therefore, I wanted to clarify the condition, 'You become stronger when you fight to protect someone'.

And what do you do when you're curious?

You experiment.

"W-waaaaaaah!"

While wandering the forest, if I heard a piercing scream from somewhere, I ran in that direction.

A man who had fallen in terror, and a mutant goblin drooling while holding a large club.

It was a familiar situation.

Here, if I were to intervene between the two of them.

[The effect of the Hero trait has been activated!]

"Oh..."

I can feel my physical abilities have improved a little.

Slice!

"Kke-eeeeeek!"

As I instantly sliced up the mutant goblin, the trait's effect melted away like snow. I see. It seems the effect is only maintained while an enemy is present.

"Th... thank you..."

"Kyaaaaaaaak!"

Another scream from far away.

I didn't even answer his thanks and ran towards the source of the scream.

"...Oh."

This time the conditions were different.

Two women were running like mad, and one mutant goblin was chasing them.

If I were to intervene between them...?

[The effect of the Hero trait has been activated!]

[The effect of the Hero trait has been activated!]

As I expected, I was able to confirm that the trait activates multiple times.

"...Nice."

With this...

I should be able to defeat the Minotaur.

A very long time passed.

I continued the grind right up to the point where I got so sick of it I felt like quitting everything.

I had obtained traits from every single person in the clearing.

I examined every nook and cranny of this island's structure to the point where it became familiar to my eyes, and as a result, I came to the conclusion that there were no hidden pieces I had missed.

There might be some, but... I didn't want to search anymore to find them. I felt like I was going to puke.

I had finished all the prep work I could.

Now, all that's left is to throw my body into it.

If my plan succeeds... it will be possible to defeat the Minotaur single-handedly.

Everyone in the clearing will survive.

And the Minotaur will die.

By my hand and no one else's.

Thwack!

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 0.]

"..."

I regressed, but I didn't act rashly. I didn't even talk to myself.

It's because of the Curiosity trait.

A trivial action of mine could attract unnecessary curiosity and ruin the plan.

"Fuck! Where the hell is this!"

I wait for the right time, calmly.

"Hello! All you lowly humans who are magnificently wasting your lives! A pleasure to meet you!"

Holding my breath, I just look down at the dirt floor.

"The system will give you a detailed explanation… Tutorial, start!"

And so, when the tutorial's fairy finally left the clearing.

And a bewildering silence descended. I slowly rose from my spot and picked up a sword from the weapon pile.

A familiar weight. A familiar grip. A familiar texture. Holding the sword feels stabilizing.

After that, I turned my head and looked for Ji-won. I already knew where she would be summoned.

"...?"

Ji-won looked at me with a gaze containing a slight question. Watch closely what I'm about to do.

"Everyone."

I began to speak in a voice more subdued than ever before.

I knew what I had to say. Because it was something I had repeated many times in the past.

"My name is Kim Jun-ho. For just a moment, please look over here."

Choi Ji-won.

"I don't know whose scheme this is... but in a crisis situation like this, we must stick together."

This is my answer.

Footnotes:

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