WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 038

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The Earth is changing rapidly (3)

You might think it's an exaggeration when I say the Earth will be destroyed in ten years.

The reason I think that is because currently there are mainly two types of people passionately climbing the Tower.

There are only heroes who risk their lives out of a sense of duty to save humanity, and there are madmen who can casually risk their lives just to become stronger.

The problem here are the madmen.

They will diligently climb the Tower, growing stronger and stronger.

Even I, at this very moment, could probably win a gold medal if I went to the Olympics. But what about after a year, five years, or even ten years pass?

What if an immense power capable of parting seas and crumbling mountains falls into the hands of a psychopath?

What if a lunatic appears who is capable of destroying the Earth simply 'for fun'?

Humanity will not be able to avoid ruin.

That's why I think humanity will be destroyed in ten years. Ten years.

The reason modern political systems divide power into pieces and scatter it around is the same.

Concentrated power is strong, but it's just as unstable. Everything depends on the one person who holds that power.

In the end, what needs to be done is simple.

I have to climb the Tower as fast as possible.

Before people become too strong, this Tower must be conquered. To prevent the Earth from being destroyed on someone's whim.

I waited for about another month to see how things would unfold.

『 The Unites States Government Officially Recommends Climbing to the 2nd floor... 'Internal Investigation of Survival Rate Shows It Is Not Dangerous.' 』

It seemed the floor embargo also applied to players, as I couldn't see the details of the 2nd floor either. It was probably because I was still staying on Floor 1.

I could only glean that it was relatively safe.

『 Items from the 'Tower', a Future Resource for Humanity... Global Corporations Begin Investigations. 』

After it was revealed that items could be brought out of the Tower, every country began to systematically support Tower climbing.

They also began creating a hero image for their own players who showed tangible results.

『 US Government Launches Player Association... First President is ‘Mighty Michael’ Michael Zetter.』

The first to act was the United States.

As if they had been preparing in advance, they enacted special laws at an incredibly fast pace.

They also created a 'Player Association' to officially support players, though this support was limited to connecting them with special forces instructors, promoting them nationwide as heroes, and providing generous financial backing.

It might not have seemed like a big benefit to players who had Floor 1.. but it was a surprisingly effective method.

Players could use the 1st floor to live materially affluent lives...

But as is always the case with humans, they were not alone.

『 High-grade Potion Sold for 2 Billion Dollars at New York Auction. 』

For their families, for their friends, for their lovers. Or because they wanted to become heroes. The number of people registering their names with the Player Association grew by the day.

『 Korean Government Awards Presidential Commendation to Player Choi Ji-won... First in the Country to Successfully Climb to the 10th floor. 』

Also, a familiar name was appearing in the Korean news.

Choi Ji-won. It was only natural for a crazy overpowered person like her to stand out. The media was putting her in the spotlight, re-examining her father and hyping her up like crazy.

The reason governments around the world were promoting heroes was simple. They needed tangible results to pacify the angry public.

They needed something to show that the government was doing something.

The politicians simply chose players as that symbol.

『 China Announces World's First to Reach 20th floor. Credibility is Low. 』

In the current situation, there was no way to verify who had climbed how far.

Society hadn't improved at all. Crimes by the gifted didn't decrease. But thanks to the existence of heroes, the people could at least see a single ray of light.

Of course, if I wanted to, I could regress and stand right next to Ji-won. No, someday I could become the world's best player and monopolize all the wealth and fame.

But there's a reason I don't.

It's a bit random, but the survivors of the tutorial, officially called players, wanted to share their stories.

The people who went through extreme experiences were mentally devastated, and they sought a place to lean on by sharing their stories.

Only a player could empathize with another player. In a way, the creation of a site called 'Playernet' was inevitable.

The reason I suddenly brought up Playernet is simple.

Because my story was posted there.

<Sharing the story of how everyone survived the tutorial.>

I've read all the posts you guys wrote about the tutorial, you know? Everyone barely survived death and had to fight... it just felt so desperate.

But I never fought. To be precise, I did nothing in the tutorial. You're probably wondering how that's possible, right?

I wonder how it was possible myself.

First off, just like you guys, I fainted and woke up in a clearing, right? I was so out of it until that fairy-like bitch showed up that I just sat there blankly.

But then suddenly some guy stood up? I don't remember his name, but he was a person with a strange, captivating charm. He wasn't handsome, but you just kept looking at him. You know what I mean, right?

Anyway, this person was going on about how we should stick together... but I wasn't listening and was just staring at his face, you know? Then this guy suddenly picks up a sword and starts doing a sword dance.

Honestly, I've never seen anyone use a sword that well in my entire life. Should I say it felt kind of overwhelming? After the sword dance, he looked like a different person. He was cool, but also a bit scary to approach, that kind of feeling.

I was a little intimidated so I just sat still, but then this guy talked with some woman, told us to wait a moment, and then disappeared somewhere, cutting through the grass. About an hour later, he came back and told us to follow him.

When I followed, there were literally thousands of goblins laughing among themselves, and he just told us to ignore them and walk through;;

I was so scared I thought about running, but then I just thought 'whatever' and followed. I felt like that guy must have had a plan.

But when we got there, there was a huge bull-headed monster, you know? Some bastard the size of a truck was holding an axe and panting, and I flinched without even realizing it.

Then suddenly the bull-head started running straight at me;; I freaked out and was running away, but some middle-aged dude grabbed me and told me to look behind.

I listened and looked back, and the bull-headed monster's head was rolling on the ground;;

After that, the Goblin Shaman or whatever? He suddenly just dropped dead and a portal opened. During the judgment, since I didn't do anything, they said I had no sins and just let me go.

It's nice to be alive, but I feel a bit weird about it. They say it's safe, but I'm too scared so I haven't gone up to the 2nd floor.

If that guy suddenly snaps and decides to kill everyone, I'm not confident I'd survive.

===

-Isn't this a lie? You expect us to believe this?

-It's real. I was in the same tutorial as this person, and everything is a fact without any exaggeration. For your reference, the 'some woman' mentioned turned out to be Choi Ji-won. That man is stronger than Choi Ji-won.

-I saw the bull-headed monster too. It looked like it could kill everyone even if there were 1000 people.

-If this is real, then isn't that guy a regressor? Honestly, how could a bastard who just entered the Tower do something like this?

-That's right. The Earth must have been destroyed once, and the last survivor used a regression artifact to come back. He's probably monopolizing all the hidden pieces.

-If anyone knows the contact information of the person in the post, I will offer a reward. Please send me a private message.

“…”

I had no intention of playing the hero anymore.

To be precise, I planned to hide as much as possible.

Even if I have to use the Hero trait, I plan to hide my identity.

I showed far too much in the tutorial. Obsessed with saving everyone, I had unknowingly made a terrible mistake.

The biggest weakness of a regressor, who is practically invincible, is 'getting caught as a regressor'.

Why? Because regressors have a clear counter.

Sealing.

Death regressors are fearless. They often go around sticking their noses into everything, confident that if they die, they can just do it over. They are fundamentally not very cautious.

But what if a regressor gets sealed, whether by magic, an item, or something else? His regression stops.

He is deprived of the right to start over after dying. His body remains rigid and will not be released until the end of the world, and perhaps even after.

Time will forever flow according to its natural course.

Of course, the condition for my regression is much easier. Since I regress from just a scratch, maybe I could avoid being sealed if I quickly injure myself before it happens. It's also possible that I could get hurt during the sealing process and regress.

Even so, there was nothing good about being known as a regressor. You never know when or where a madman targeting me might appear.

However, I still haven't given up on my dream of rising in the world.

The goal... is to get casually acquainted with the heroes climbing to the top of the Tower, including Choi Ji-won.

I'm aiming for a relationship where we know each other, but aren't super close. A relationship that won't take a toll on my mental state.

If they are heroes climbing the Tower out of pure goodwill, I believe they will look out for me in subtle ways even if what I've done isn't known.

When they conquer the Tower and are rewarded, I should be able to snag a spot next to them.

To sum it up in one sentence... I plan to climb the Tower as quickly and as secretly as possible.

And to achieve my goal, there was one thing that needed to be done first.

My own enhancement.

I have to get as strong as possible. And I have to climb the Tower as fast as possible.

After skimming through the news and cramming the information into my head, I fiercely struck the back of my hand with my fist.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 1.]

"Ugh, it's been a while, so this is a bit dizzying."

Is this my first regression in two months?

To be honest, I've been living very carefully to avoid regressing by accident. I not only put up a mosquito net to avoid getting bitten, but I also plastered foam protectors all over the hard furniture.

That's how I was able to safely last for two months... This sensation, which I'm feeling for the first time in a while, is very unfamiliar.

Still, I have to get used to it. Because I plan to regress constantly from now on.

"Shall we begin?"

This is the moment I just entered the 1st floor.

It's the exact moment I entered the 1st floor, right after receiving the pill from the angel, without even having time to react.

Without hesitation, I gulped down the 'Berserker's Pill' in my hand.

[Your Strength stat has increased by 10!]

A hot energy surged from deep within my body. Beads of sweat formed all over my skin.

But only the message about the stat increase appeared, the stat window still didn’t reveal its contents.

You sly thing. Do you plan to stay hidden until the end?

But it's fine. I can't see it, but the important thing is that my stats have increased.

Once again, I struck the back of my hand.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 1.]

Again, I looked down at the Berserker's Pill held in my hand.

This is the reason why I didn't immediately swallow the 'Berserker's Pill' I received from the angel.

To an infinite regressor, an elixir is more precious than anything else. Because if you know its location, you can consume it repeatedly.

Even a senior regressor I know, a certain Senior Baek, always started his regressions by first securing the elixir hidden on the spirit mountain.

Of course, I probably can't increase my Strength stat infinitely with this pill... but that's okay.

Just the fact that I can increase my Strength to its possible limit is an enormous advantage.

Gulp!

I swallowed the 'Berserker's Pill' in one go.

From now on, I won't be overpowered by anyone. A head-on fight? I'll overcome them all with overwhelming strength.

Just as I was painting such a rosy future and reviewing my plans.

“...Gack!”

Something squirmed inside my throat.

I had definitely swallowed it, but the Berserker's Pill shooted back out from my esophagus as if it were alive.

[Unique items cannot be consumed more than once.]

“...Hah.”

I let out a hollow sigh after reading the message that appeared before my eyes.

God, this guy...

He blocked it off...

Footnotes:

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