WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 041

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Floor 2 is too suspicious (2)

"You know what we want."

“…”

"The mark. Hand it over. You're capable enough, so can't you just get a new quest?"

The men were still threatening the woman.

Based on a quick glance, I can summarize the situation like this. First, that woman has obtained a Gold-grade mark.

How do I know? Something is flashing gold above her head—you'd have to be an idiot not to notice. It seems that when you get a mark, it comes with a feature that advertises it to everyone around.

And second, you're not supposed to use violence here.

I don't know the exact definition of violence, or what happens if you use it, but that woman is hesitant to just push the men aside and walk past.

The only thing I'm wondering is... can't she just jump over them to get past?

I have the kind of personality where I can't stand being curious. I spoke to the man standing in the center of the trio blocking the path.

"Excuse me."

"...What is it?"

The man, hearing a voice from behind, reflexively moved to push me away before barely stopping himself.

"That woman, why doesn't she just jump over to get past?"

"What?"

"I mean... you guys are blocking the way, but I was just wondering if she couldn't just quickly zip over the top."

"Ha. You just got here, didn't you? Don't be a bother, get lost."

Without giving a proper answer, the man turned to face forward again.

It seems like he doesn't want to tell me... so I guess I have no choice but to try it myself.

"Hnngh..."

I looked it up on the internet, and the world record for a standing vertical jump is supposedly 155cm. However, with my stats pumped up from my achievement level and the Berserker's Pill, my physical abilities are beyond that. I've surpassed the limits of ordinary humans.

I contracted my leg muscles as much as I could, then released all that stored power in an instant. The moment my feet left the ground, my body shot upwards so fast that my surroundings became a blur of afterimages.

This is the perspective of a superman. This is the world where Superman lives. This is what I have to get used to...

Thump!

"Kegh!"

For a moment, my vision flashed brightly, a sharp pain shot through my neck and the back of my head, and my view tumbled forward.

"What was that?"

"Did that bastard just jump?"

In the moment that the startled men turned around at the sound my head made, I saw the woman seize the opportunity, slipping through the gap between them and running towards the angel.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment you first entered the 2nd floor.]

"...Okay."

To think they physically blocked the ceiling.

If I'd known this would happen, I would have tried jumping a little more gently. But what feels unfair is that I jumped with my arms raised above my head, and I still hit my head.

I mean, my arms can pass through the invisible barrier... but it feels a bit unfair that my head can't.

I took off one of my leather shoes and tossed it upwards, and the shoe bounced back from a point about three meters up.

"Hey, frie..."

Before the noisy black man could talk to me, I walked over to the angel who was giving a passionate speech next to the fountain.

"As a bonus, the rewards for each grade..."

"Angel-nim."

"Please wait a moment! I'm in the middle of an explanation!"

After finishing the rest of his explanation, the angel finally looked at me.

"Yes, what is it?"

"It seems like there's some kind of protective barrier on the ceiling... and it looks like my arms can pass through it."

"And why is that a problem?"

"...Isn't it strange that arms can pass through, but heads can't?"

"It is not strange! A human is still a human without arms! They are still human without legs! But without a head, they are not human! The standard for all barriers is based on the head and chest! At least, that's how it is on the floors managed by Raphael-nim! To explain the reason in detail..."

"Thank you."

So this barrier thing blocks the head and chest.

Leaving behind the angel who seemed about to ramble on again, I quickened my pace into one of the alleys connected to the clearing.

-Clear Condition: Gain the recognition of a city resident and bring back the sigil of recognition to clear. However, you must not leave the city area. Get along with your fellow climbers!

-Clear Reward: Varies depending on the grade of the sigil.

I confirmed the sentence 'you must not leave the city area'. I checked it with my own body that it was physically blocked. I also confirmed the condition to get along with each other.

I'll have to experiment to find out the detailed conditions or punishment methods... but at least, I could tell that the people who arrived on the 2nd floor earlier were reluctant to use violence.

Now, what I want to investigate is the quest. I need to check how this thing called a 'quest' works.

"Coming through."

"Ah, yes."

Just then, a person with a floating silver sigil walked out from inside the alley.

Unlike the woman with the gold sigil, he walked straight up to the angel without any interference, presented his mark, and disappeared somewhere.

"...Hmm."

I'm sure I saw a group crouching down next to the alley I entered.

Do those street thugs who block the way ignore the Silver-grades?

Pushing aside my useless thoughts, I quickened my pace down the alley. As I walked straight along the narrow alley, the path suddenly widened again.

"...Hm."

If the 2nd floor is a single city, then the place I arrived at is a kind of residential area. A bed town. On one side, moderately sized houses were packed closely together, and on the other side, shops like a bakery, a blacksmith, and a grocery store were lined up.

Just then, a resident passed by me.

The way I knew he was a resident was simple. He wasn't wearing leather armor like the climbers, but clothes made of cloth.

"Hello?"

"...Hello."

The resident returned my greeting with a look that said he couldn't be more bothered. I paid it no mind and decided to ask what I wanted to ask.

"This is my first time here... could I possibly ask you for some directions?"

"...Yes, I suppose. It's not like I have anything else to do anyway."

He surprisingly nodded obediently and motioned for me to follow him.

"You're a climber, right?"

“...”

"No need to hide it. Everyone here knows. We know this is Floor 2, too. In the first place, we're all here because of a contract with God-nim."

The male resident spoke calmly.

"...Aha."

"We were motivated at first, too... but it got bothersome doing the same thing over and over. It's not like there's a separate reward for us, either. We just give out the same task every time."

The resident led me to the front of a bakery.

"For example... the owner here will give you a silver mark if you bake a loaf of bread and submit it. The ingredients, of course, will be provided by the owner."

"...Is it that easy?"

"There are even easier ones."

This time, the resident led me to a beggar lying in front of a small alley.

"If you give this man anything to eat, he'll give you a copper mark. You could probably even give him the failed byproducts from baking bread at that bakery earlier."

“…”

"Don't look at me like that. In the first place, there's no limit on the number of marks... and it's not like we get anything for giving out more or less."

The resident shrugged. If what he said was true, then getting a Silver or Bronze-grade reward seemed to be practically a giveaway.

However, my questions weren't all resolved yet.

"What do I have to do to receive a Gold or Platinum mark?"

"Hmm..."

The resident tried his best to keep a straight face, but he couldn't stop his brow from furrowing slightly.

"Could you take a look over there?"

Following his words, I turned my gaze and saw a magnificent mansion at the far end of the long road.

"That's the house where the 'self-proclaimed nobles' live. Even in a situation like this, they're the bastards still making a fuss about maintaining their dignity."

"...Ah, yes."

"I've heard that you can get a gold mark if you earn their recognition. They say they'll even give a platinum mark if they really like you, but unlike the other marks which have no limit, they each only have three platinum marks."

"Oho..."

"However... I wouldn't recommend aiming for a gold mark. Those folks have really rotten personalities. Anyway, a useless bunch of bastards. If it were me, I'd just get a silver mark and be done with it. Ptooey."

The resident, as if just imagining it disgusted him, spat on the ground.

"Aha... thank you for the kind guidance."

After parting ways with the resident, I began to walk, looking around the street.

There were a great many residents. I could also see some players mixed in here and there.

So all of them are people who can give out Bronze or Silver grade marks...

"Hm..."

My mind is a mess.

The first question that comes to mind is, 'Can I complete quests from residents multiple times? Can I take multiple marks?'

And the second question that arose is the enormous gap between the Silver and Gold grades.

Getting a Silver-grade mark is too easy. It's practically a handout.

This was basically pushing anyone who wants to survive in the Tower, or anyone who wants to get stronger, to challenge the Gold grade.

Is this intentional? Or is the angel who designed the 2nd floor just an airhead?

And the third is the conflict between the residents who give copper and silver marks, and the residents who give gold marks.

It seemed like there was some backstory to it.

But even more than those three questions, one much larger question was eating away at my mind.

"Suspicious... too suspicious..."

I don't know if it's because I'm an avid webnovel reader... or if this Tower encourages flexible thinking.

But personally, I think it makes no sense for the rewards to just stop at the Platinum grade.

"...No matter how I think about it, it feels like there has to be one."

A Diamond-grade reward. Or, a hidden reward you can only get once.

The structure of this town... it would be weirder if there wasn't a hidden reward.

Footnotes:

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