WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor; Abstract

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◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 033

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The regressor’s conditional strength (2)

"Goblin Shaman. I need your help."

"...Kereuk?"

The Goblin Shaman looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, 'What the hell is this guy?'

He frowned and twitched his nose, then let out a short laugh.

"Kereuk... Human. I am a dying goblin. I think you've chosen the wrong person to ask for help, human."

Then the Goblin Shaman let out a series of coughs, keolok keolok.

It seems he still doesn't quite understand what I'm saying.

"...Shaman."

"Keolok... Kerorok..."

"I'm a regressor. This isn't the first time we've met."

"...?"

"You told me everything. The ancient labyrinth. The human adventurers. The voice of a god. The reason you came to this Tower."

"...Kereuk. Human. You're saying strange things."

The Goblin Shaman turned his head, feigning ignorance, but I clearly saw his cloudy white pupils waver.

"I'm telling you, it's true. This is the third time we've met. Do you have any idea how much I suffered because you dived into the swamp with the Golden Marble?"

I slowly recounted the story of what I'd experienced in this Tower.

The moment I first came to my senses. The moment I was happy to get the Regression trait. And the moment after the Goblin Shaman backstabbed me, when I heard the voice he left on the stone.

I thought I'd done a pretty good job telling the story, but...

"...So what do you want me to do about it, Human?"

The Goblin Shaman scratched the back of his head.

"Get to the point. Kereuk. I could undo the monster's seal right now."

The creature threateningly pushed his staff forward.

"...Calm down."

Just as he said, if the Shaman were to release the Minotaur's seal here, I would have to regress.

But he didn't. This meant he also had some interest in my story.

"What do I want? It's simple."

I remember the Goblin Shaman making all the other goblins commit suicide, eliminating any source of food.

"The goblins on this island. Bring all of them here."

"...Kereuk. And then?"

"My trait makes me stronger when I fight while protecting someone. If I'm protecting all the goblins, I should be able to blow that monster away in one shot."

"...Kelkel."

The Goblin Shaman burst out in a disbelieving laugh.

"...Human, are you by any chance an idiot?"

The creature waved the hand that wasn't holding the staff.

"I hate humans. I'm maintaining this seal with the thought that I want humans to suffer. Human."

"...I know."

"Then do you take me for a fool? Human? Why should I help humans?"

“…”

He was right.

There was no reason for the Goblin Shaman to help us.

If anything, the creature would enjoy watching us suffer, he has no reason to help.

But I didn't answer and silently brought my hand to the creature's nose.

"...Human. What is this? Kereuk."

"Smell it."

"...It just smells like a human hand. I don't know what you want me to smell. Kereuk."

"That was what I wanted to say."

"...Kereuk?"

Sniff. Sniff.

The Goblin Shaman flared his nostrils and sniffed my hand again.

"...Kereuk."

It seemed the creature realized what I was trying to say.

"The smell of blood. It's not there, right?"

In this regression, I didn't even kill the weakling goblins swarming in the bushes.

I only went as far as knocking them all out.

I remember how, in the past, the Goblin Shaman told me I reeked of the blood of his kin.

See. There's no blood smell this time. So help me out a little.

"...Kereuk."

The Goblin Shaman hung his head low.

"It's meaningless, human. You simply didn't kill my kin in this 'regression'."

"...That's right."

"And even if you defeat the monster and move on to the next stage... I will lose my memories and wait for other humans to arrive. Kereuk. I will drive those humans to despair."

"That's also right."

"Then, human, there is no reason for me to help you right now. Moreover, you will kill me after you defeat the monster. I am not an idiot, human."

"Why is there no reason?"

I shrugged my shoulders as if I couldn't believe it.

"You. You said you lose your memory and are reborn after we move on, right? Since you're going to die anyway, it doesn't matter if you die a little early, does it?"

"...This human must be crazy."

The Goblin Shaman let out a dry laugh. But I know that he doesn't have much attachment to life anyway.

"And... for just once, wouldn't it be nice to have a regression where humans and goblins don't harm each other?"

“...”

The Goblin Shaman stopped moving when he heard my words.

This Tower forces us to kill each other.

Humans, to live, and goblins, to not die.

And I was asking for that to stop, just once.

For everyone's sake.

"...Kereuk."

The Goblin Shaman slowly closes his eyes.

"Kereuk. The human is an idiot. He brazenly demands that I die for him. This kind of thing is nothing but a meaningless, futile act."

Opening the eyes he had closed, the Goblin Shaman looked in my direction.

"And... I am an idiot too."

The creature smirked and flicked his hand.

"I'll do as you wish, human. I suppose it would be fine for no one to die, just for once."

[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!]

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

"I will release the seal, human."

"Wait just a moment."

My whole body is hot. My head is a little dizzy, but it doesn't feel bad. It feels like I've been drinking heavily.

"Everyone, please wait just a bit. I need to concentrate."

The two hundred or so people standing behind me. Similar to the last regression, I succeeded in persuading the people in the clearing and bringing them here.

How did I deal with Ji-won's opposition? I insisted I had a solution, and she somehow allowed it. Though, she did threaten to cut me down if it looked like I was doing something foolish.

"...Is this really okay?"

"Well, they said it was fine..."

For some reason, the people were trembling and stealing glances around.

The reason was simple.

A horde of hundreds, no, thousands of goblins stood in a crowd behind them.

The reason I came up with the idea that the Hero trait would activate on goblins is simple.

If I were to protect a demi-human race like elves or dwarves, would the Hero trait activate?

It probably would. They were intelligent beings, after all.

Then what about goblins? The Goblin Shaman actively communicated with me. No one could deny that the creature was an intelligent being.

There's no reason why the trait wouldn't activate for goblins.

Of course, there was the possibility that the Goblin Shaman was a special case...

"Kereuk, kerereuk..."

"Kelkel, kereuk? Kerererereuk."

The horde of goblins chattered loudly in their own language. The common goblins were cruel, human-harming, and hideous monsters, but...

-Hero [C]

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

Those creatures were also a "someone". In other words, my trait works on them.

[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!]

"I think I’m ready now."

Feeling like I was gradually adjusting to the overflowing power, I sent a signal to the Goblin Shaman.

"Kereuk. Then I will release the seal, human."

The purple rope that had connected to his staff snapped.

"Guooooo..."

The Minotaur slowly rises from its spot.

It opened and closed its hands as if in disbelief, then finally picked up its axe.

"Guoooooooooooo!!!"

"W-uwaaaaah!"

"Kyaaaaaaah!"

A roar so loud it could deafen you.

The creature's two large eyes were clearly glaring at me.

Its writhing muscles are building up power to crush me.

In the past, I might have gotten scared by its overwhelming presence and run away, but...

But now, I could tell instinctively.

That's not the war cry of an excited warrior, but the cry of a frightened beast.

"You can feel it too, huh?"

Step. Step.

Twirling the sword in my wrist, I began to walk, one step at a time, toward the Minotaur.

Thump. Thump.

"G-guwoooo!"

And with every step I took, the Minotaur backed away, little by little.

Even a child could tell. That the creature was scared.

"...Haha."

It's not a monster made to be beaten. It's just a device that exists to set the time limit for Floor 0 and to provoke conflict among the people.

This was the Minotaur that even Choi Ji-won, a monster beyond comprehension, said she couldn't guarantee victory against.

And that absurd monster was scared of me, running away.

That fact felt so good that I laughed without realizing it. I suddenly turned my head back to look for Ji-won.

“…”

Ji-won scanned my body from top to bottom, her face completely stiff.

So the day has come when that woman is wary of me. I did say I would catch up to her one day, but to actually do it feels brand new.

Of course, this is nothing more than a temporary doping... but still, a win is a win, isn't it?

My grinding paid off. I felt a sense of pride.

"Guaaaaaaah!!!"

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

Thinking that my back turned against it was a chance, the Minotaur charged like mad.

I smoothly spun around on the spot and faced the creature.

"Come on."

Perhaps because I was concentrating, time seemed to slow down a little.

I put strength into both hands gripping the sword.

I once again recall Ji-won's teachings.

My target is... the neck.

A neck covered all over with muscle, but the me of now can do it.

No, it should be easily possible.

Right now, at this moment.

I was a hero.   

I lightly kicked off from my position.

I swung the sword naturally.

And by the time both my feet landed softly on the ground…     

-[Wondrous Achievement Notification!]

-You have succeeded in defeating the hidden boss, 'Minotaur, Demon of the Labyrinth'!

-There are no casualties! An achievement experience bonus will be awarded!

-A special reward will be given to [Kim Jun-ho] for his great contribution!

The Minotaur's head rolled across the floor.

Footnotes:

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