WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

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◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 035

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The regressor’s conditional strength (4)

“…I thought I heard there were no problems.”

The angel Zeziel stroked his chin in dissatisfaction.

He clearly remembered receiving a report from a 9th-rank angel that said, ‘There are no issues!’.

He was told the headcount was done, the background knowledge including the status window was explained, and the weapons were distributed before they withdrew…

Was he wrong to trust the angel, who, despite having a playful side and enjoying scaring humans, was the type to get his work done?

No. If that angel had the ability to predict this, it wouldn’t have been stuck at the 9th rank.

Whatever the case, the job he had to do was the same. To measure the sins of humans and make them pay an appropriate price.

Zeziel’s grey eyes quickly scanned the group of humans.

“You, come forward.”

As the angel flicked his finger, a human was lifted into the air by a supernatural force and pulled in front of the scales.

“Wh… what the! Fuck!”

The one who was dragged out was a bald, middle-aged human with a pot belly.

The first one always had to serve as an important example.

The wise angel Zeziel, through his long experience, had come to understand a significant part of god's creation called 'humanity', and accordingly, he had reached a state where he could surmise a human's inner self just by looking at their outer appearance.

To put it in human terms, it was a state where he could judge them by their appearance alone.

And in Zeziel’s view, that middle-aged man had a truly foul personality.

He would be the type to live with alcohol and cigarettes constantly in his mouth, spitting on the streets and walking with a crooked gait.

Every sentence he spoke would contain a swear word, and he would be a pathetic human, so devoid of consideration that he would cause harm to others without even being aware of it.

That was the true nature of the bald, middle-aged man… or so he judged.

“Fuck, fuck… I shouldn’t have listened to that bastard… Fuck!!!”

And surprisingly, all of Zeziel’s bold assumptions were spot on.

The man was selfish, pathetic, and useless.

“Eu-euaaaaargh!”

“Now, now… accept your fate.”

The middle-aged man was finally dragged onto the scales.

“It’s alright. We will only be measuring the sins you committed on Floor 0.”

Humans and sin share an inseparable relationship.

Ever since the first man and woman committed the original sin, the species known as human has been born with sin on their backs from the very moment of their birth.

Thud.

The heavy body of the bald middle-aged man was placed on the scales.

The needles on both sides of the silver scales began to spin wildly.

“You should start thinking about how you will pay the price.”

The humans might think the situation is unreasonable, but…

The angel Zeziel believed this ‘price’ was a device that showed god’s generosity.

After all, allowing them to enter the tower that god built in exchange for a price was the same as forgiving their sins.

“I… recommend paying with your stats.”

The status window and stats were all part of the grace bestowed by god.

They were far more valuable than the lifespan or body parts of a mere human. Even a murderer who had killed many people… could enter Floor 1 if they paid a sufficient amount of stats.

However, the majority of humans, especially the younger ones, often chose to pay with their lifespan.

The reason was simple.

‘It’s because of greed.’

Greed for power.

They want to maintain their strength, even if it means offering up their lifespan, a price not immediately visible.

Greed for life.

There may be no death more glorious than dying in the Tower, yet they make an ugly struggle to preserve their flimsy lives.

They were so very different from angels, who could sacrifice their own lives for the public good.

“Eugh… euaaaaaargh!”

“How unsightly.”

This was why Zeziel despised humans. Because they were unsightly to behold.

“Eu, euuuugh…”

About 30 seconds must have passed.

Just as the middle-aged man’s struggles began to subside, the wildly spinning needles of the scales came to a halt.

A moment of anticipation. A smile graced Zeziel’s lips.

“Well now… shall we check the weight of your sin?”

The angel’s cold, grey eyes slowly moved to the scale’s needle.

“…Huh?”

Then, they began to shake uncontrollably.

“Next.”

Nothing.

“…Next.”

Nothing again.

“…”

Nothing this time either.

The sins that the humans had committed… there were none.

The core of this ‘judgment’ is the way humans pay the price.

Whether they pay with their lives, with stats or abilities, or by using their creativity to pay with precious memories, future relationships, or even their innate luck.

The method of payment itself was the test, but…

These humans had no price to pay at all.

Therefore, there was nothing to test. All of them had a free pass to Floor 1.

He had already sent about 30 people to Floor 1.

There was only one scenario in which things could have turned out this way.

“…Did they defeat the hidden boss?”

The case where they defeated the hidden boss, and everyone came over using the Goblin Shaman’s portal.

In that case, it was possible that none of them had any sin.

After all, killing things like goblins did not count as a sin.

“Hmm…”

He had heard of a case in the past where talented humans summoned to the Tower had united to defeat the Minotaur.

Of course, it wasn’t a case where everyone survived… but it meant that the story wasn’t impossible.

“You. Did you defeat the Minotaur?”

Zeziel pointed to a human female with ponytail hair. Although she was infinitely weak compared to Zeziel, she was the strongest among the humans.

However, the human female shook her head from side to side. Her expression seemed to be full of worry for some reason.

Instead of answering, she stretched out her hand and pointed to another man.

“…Is it you? Come forward.”

Zeziel summoned him to the front of the scales.

“…As expected, you have no sin.”

The scale’s reading likewise pointed to 0.

If there was a difference, it was that a bull head-shaped sigil had appeared in the center of the scale.

“This is…”

The mark of a human who was given a special reward.

It was a sigil Zeziel remembered.

He had been told that such a sigil would be given when a human defeated a hidden boss based on an immense trait or innate talent.

He had heard that there were cases in other tutorials where talented individuals had gathered to defeat a hidden boss.

But to Zeziel, this human male seemed even weaker than the pony-tailed woman from earlier… but well, he must have come up with some good method.

“First, my congratulations. It is not often that the hidden boss is defeated… You have achieved a great accomplishment.”

Zeziel recited the prepared script with a business-like attitude.

“…Thank you.”

The man nodded with a sour expression, for some reason holding his right arm up high.

It was a posture as if he were ready to strike his own chest at any moment… but Zeziel just let it be.

Humans were a strange species to begin with. One shouldn't try to understand a human with a mental illness.

“Now, there are a total of three options. Please choose one of the three.”

Zeziel first held out a large axe.

“The name of this axe is the ‘Berserker’s Axe’. It’s an axe that improves physical abilities the more grievously you are wounded.”

“…Show me the next one.”

This axe is quite valuable on the lower floors.

It seems the human has no eye for things.

Zeziel immediately took out the next reward.

“This is the ‘Berserker’s Potion’.”

“…What are its effects?”

“It tremendously increases regenerative power. It’s a miracle elixir that can heal injuries that would be fatal for a normal person in just a week.”

“…Show me the next one.”

He isn't choosing this potion either?

Sighing internally, Zeziel finally took out a small pill.

“Lastly, this is the ‘Berserker’s Pill’. The effect is simple. If you eat it, your Strength stat will increase.”

“…I’ll take that one.”

The human male quickly took the pill.

To think he had such a poor eye for things. If it had been Zeziel, he would have taken the axe or the potion without hesitation.

Well, the choice was entirely up to the human. And it was not an angel’s role to judge.

“Then I will send you to Floor 1.”

“Wai…”

Zeziel stirred his divine power and sent the human male straight to Floor 1.

About 170 humans remained. Zeziel was tasked with the duty of judging them in the shortest time possible.

It was highly likely that all of them were without sin… but still, work was work, wasn’t it?

“Next. Come forward to the scales.”

Just by performing the duty given by god, Zeziel was happy.

[You have entered Floor 1.]

“…”

There wasn’t even a moment to injure myself.

If I had known he could send me to the next floor this quickly, I would have regressed sooner.

I should have checked if I could get the special reward more than once, what a shame.

Well, it’s not something I can do anything about.

I feel like I’ve gotten everything I could from Floor 0, so I have no major lingering regrets.

It bothers me a little that I didn’t reveal my Regression to Ji-won… but my heart just aches whenever I see her, so I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her.

I was lost in thought for a long while… when the scent wafting to my nose suddenly felt familiar.

A musty… and cozy smell.

“…What is this?”

When I came to my senses and looked around, a familiar space greeted me.

I’m sure I saw the message that I had entered Floor 1…

So why am I back in my studio apartment…?

Footnotes:

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