WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 032

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The regressor’s conditional strength (1)

"The number of people gathered in this clearing is well over fifty, just at a glance. This means not everyone can swallow a Golden Marble to move on to the next stage. This Tower, it's trying to drive us apart."

Familiar lines. A familiar situation.

If you feel like you've seen this before, you're probably right. In the past, I once pretended to be a good person to get Ji-won's attention.

I acted like a man with high ideals but insignificant power, and I succeeded in learning swordsmanship from Ji-won...

What I have to do this time is the same.

I'm going to act like a virtuous man.

"But it's written that if we defeat the boss, a portal will be created. This means there is definitely a way for all of us to survive together."

Am I a good person? A hero?

No.

I don't have the qualities of a hero like Ji-won's father, I'm just an ordinary person who sometimes can't even trust himself.

But there's a reason why someone like me is going out of my way to pretend to be a good person.

Cooperation.

For my plan to succeed, I needed everyone's absolute cooperation.

I decided that to draw out everyone's cooperation, playing the part of a 'Hero' would be more ideal than being a crazy psychopath.

...Besides, if I'm going to clear the tutorial this time, wouldn't it be better for my reputation to be positive rather than negative?

"Everyone. Instead of fighting each other, we must join forces."

In a past regression, when I gave the same speech, the reaction I got was complete disregard and ridicule.

But this time is different.

"Ugh... Ummm..."

"Hmm..."

The people were completely absorbed in my speech.

Even the firefighter Cheol-jin, who didn't believe in things like the Tower or the status window, was giving a small nod.

It's only natural. With the A-grade trait 'Curiosity', they can't help but listen to my story.

If the me of before was a 'young man frustrated by his high ideals but lack of power', the me now is a 'young man with both high ideals and great power'.

I've gained the power to act proactively.

Now, it's time for a little variation. I had a different goal, after all.

"Everyone. I am strong."

Step.

I raised my sword towards the sky.

"I'm probably stronger than everyone here combined."

These are people who don't even have a level yet. It's only natural that I'm stronger than them, with the exception of Ji-won.

Now, I'll show you a performance.

Be in awe.

"Hoo..."

I build up my momentum.

I tense my muscles and widen my eyes.

My target is my old nemesis.

A blade of grass.

"Hup!"

Slice!

The sword I swung with all my might cleanly bisected the grass.

From a normal person's perspective, the sword would have been nearly invisible.

But ending it here would lack impact.

Slash. Slash. Thrust. Spin. Slash.

I use my physical abilities to their absolute limit.

Just as I had shown the scrawny kid in the previous regression, I showed off my swordsmanship with all my strength, and the eyes of the people watching blankly began to widen.

Shock. Admiration. Surprise. Fear.

I wasn't acquiring any traits, but I could feel their emotions clearly.

"Haaah..."

Finally, my sword dance was over, and I plunged my sword firmly into the ground.

The look in their eyes was different from before.

If at first only curiosity could be read, now respect, amazement, and a faint fear could be read.

The 'Awe' trait had been activated.

Everything is going according to plan so far. A crazy combo that starts with the Curiosity trait and leads into the Awe trait.

I've succeeded in taking control of the clearing's atmosphere.

The only variable would be Ji-won intervening... but she was just watching with her arms crossed, seeming to observe the situation for now.

Now, for the finale.

"Everyone... I can feel it."

I picked up a new sword from the weapon pile and pointed in the direction where the Minotaur was likely sealed.

"Because I am stronger than you, I can feel it. Over there, there is a tremendous foe. It is targeting us."

Normally, even if I said I could feel a monster, people wouldn't have believed me.

But thanks to the combination of the Curiosity and Awe traits, they are now overwhelmed by my presence.

"That thing... is targeting us. It's sharpening its blades to harm humans. It's coming to covet our blood!"

"Ugh... Uwaaaaah...."

Some were so completely immersed in my story that a man's legs gave out and he collapsed.

"But... it's alright."

Now, it's time to reassure the people. I tried my best to put on the coolest smile I could manage.

"I will protect all of you."

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

"I! Will become your shield!"

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

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

"So... please believe in me."

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

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

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

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

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

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

A feast of messages obscured my vision.

That's right. This was my aim.

A real enemy. And me, protecting people from that enemy.

The 'Hero' trait can be stacked.

Therefore... if I fight while protecting everyone in this clearing?

I can stack the trait nearly 200 times.

I can feel vitality filling my entire body.

My body feels light. My muscles are overflowing with power. I feel like, right now, I could make what I've only imagined a reality.

Elation. I feel a sense of elation.

The me right now... can do it.

It's possible to crush the Minotaur!

"Alright, everyone. Please follow me. From now on, we're going to hunt the boss..."

Clang!

"Hup..."

I barely managed to deflect the sudden sword strike.

A strike so fast it would have been impossible to react to if my traits hadn't been stacked.

There's only one person here who could launch such an attack at me.

"...You. What are you?"

Ji-won. She was the one who swung her sword at me.

"Setting aside where you learned that swordsmanship... what are you planning to do, taking these people with you?"

Ji-won glared at me as if I were some kind of cult leader.

"...You must feel it too. The monster's presence."

Ji-won nodded her head.

"That's right. I feel it too. But is there really a need to go with all these people?"

"...That's the effect of my trait. The more people I protect, the stronger I get. I'm not just taking them along to die with me."

"...Protect them? You?"

Ji-won lets out a smirk.

"Ha... I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm also sorry for speaking informally. But look at me straight."

"...?"

"Look at me properly, and feel it."

“...”

Instead of answering, I looked straight at Ji-won, just as she said.

Because I was stronger now, I could feel it. How stable her stance was. What her extended right foot signified. What the way she held her sword meant.

And... just how strong she was.

"That's right. You are strong. But you're weaker than me. And that monster is even stronger than me."

“…”

"If the two of us joined forces, we might barely be able to win... but you're going to take everyone here? It'll be hard enough just to win, but you're saying you'll fight while protecting them? Do you even have the strength to protect them?"

Her words were true.

I had the Hero trait stacked nearly 200 times, but...

I was still two steps below Choi Ji-won.

The Minotaur was a foe so strong that even Ji-won couldn't guarantee victory.

In a situation like this, there's no way it's possible to defeat the Minotaur without anyone getting hurt.

"If you want to fight, go alone. Don't drag these people into it."

Choi Ji-won informed me with a hardened expression on her face.

“…”

The elated feeling, as if I could fly, plummeted to rock bottom in an instant.

The plan to ridiculously stack the Hero trait and defeat the Minotaur in one fell swoop.

My plan had failed. The reason was simply a lack of power.

But now, there was no way to get stronger.

I had obtained every possible trait, and scraped together the maximum achievement level.

It wasn't as if I could grind levels by hunting goblins, so it was correct to see this as my growth limit.

My limit... was here.

“...”

Should I give up?

I grinded so hard, but the result was a lack of ability.

Just... it wouldn't be so bad to save only those I can and move on.

There's no need to save everyone, is there.

"No. I won't give up."

Think.

Use your head.

There must be a way.

But the only combat-related trait I have... is the Hero trait, but I'm already in a state of protecting everyone in this clearing.

There was no one else to protect. In other words, there was no way for me to get stronger.

A good way.

A way to get stronger.

A way to protect more people.

-Hero [C]

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

Someone. Is there no one?

People? Someone?

"...There is."

Crack!

[You have taken damage.]

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

A familiar space, if you could call it that.

"Guooooooooo..."

The Minotaur glared, tightly bound by its seal.

"Kereuk... Keolok, keolok..."

The place where the Goblin Shaman was struggling to breathe and coughing. I carefully sat cross-legged next to the Goblin Shaman.

"Kereuk? Human... I smell a human..."

"Hello?"

I bring my mouth close to its ear and offer a greeting.

The Goblin Shaman flinched upon hearing my voice, its mouth agape.

"Human! A human is here! Human! He...."

In a past regression, he had asked me for help, to defeat the Minotaur.

However,

"Goblin Shaman. I need your help."

This time, the one who needed help was me.

Footnotes:

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