Regression is Too Much - Chapter 44

WeTried Translations

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 044

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The Regressor takes action (1)

"I said just give us the sigil and go, didn't I?"

"Hoo... Do you think kidnapping people is easy? The residents have their own little vigilante groups."

"We're telling you to hand it over because we know it's hard. Huh? Can't you just do it again? We don't have the ability."

When I walked into that same alley, a woman with a gold emblem floating above her head was arguing with the trio of thugs blocking the path.

"Get lost."

I didn't even give the guys a chance to react, I just slammed my elbow hard into the backs of their heads. I used my elbow because I figured they were such blockheads I might hurt my own fists on them.

It had always been a dream of mine to smack some ill-mannered bastards like this on the back of the head. Ah, that feels so refreshing.

"Are you crazy?!"

The woman's eyes went wide as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have, while the trio’s eyes rolled back as they passed out.

‘One… two…’

I completely ignored them and started counting silently to myself.

I had committed an act of violence, no two ways about it. Now... How long would it take for the master of the city to arrive?

‘Three…’

And so, when about three seconds had passed by my perception.

"Assault. The verdict is three hours of imprisonment."

Crash!

For a moment my vision flashed white, and then I lost consciousness.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 2.]

"Good, good. This is good."

Honestly, I thought I'd at least get to see the face of the city's master, but I never expected to lose consciousness in an instant.

No, I didn't even feel any pain. Their work was truly clean.

I don't know if I died or just fainted... but I confirmed that the master of this city is not someone I can dare to take on.

To be honest, I don't even know what hit me. At least with Ji-won's sword, I could see an afterimage, but with this, I couldn't even see that.

If I gather all the city residents and activate my Hero trait, could I win?

No… I don't think so. In the first place, just gathering the people is a problem. It's unclear if the city residents would even recognize the master of the city as an enemy.

“I suppose it could be exploited if I wanted to…”

But a loophole existed in the rules of the 2nd floor.

The master of the city doesn't appear the instant violence is committed. Three seconds. After a three-second grace period, the attack arrives.

And with my current physical abilities… it seemed like I could reach the angel if I ran with all my might from the alley entrance for about three seconds.

“If I think I can do it, I have to try.”

I'm sick of digging into the hidden circumstances of the 2nd floor.

I don't want to waste time thinking about a perfect solution either.

The unreasonable structure of this Tower? How it encourages people's wickedness?

It's not too late to change the complicated stuff later.

It'll all disappear when I regress anyway. I'll just do what's right in front of me for now. Let's get the platinum reward first and think later.

Let me say it again… this time, I'm doing things however the hell I want.

“First…”

Baron Licht, I want to beat the crap out of this bastard first.

“Nice to see you. Baron Lich… Gack!”

I smacked Baron Licht right in the face as he was smiling brightly and extending his hand.

Immediately, Baron Licht's body went limp as he fainted.

Thwack!

After delivering a powerful soccer kick to the bastard's family jewels, I didn't hesitate to snatch a platinum sigil from his hip and stuff it in my pocket.

Flash!

Immediately, a platinum-colored emblem appeared above my head. It was enormous in size, and its shimmering light was bright enough to be blinding.

I was literally a walking electronic display. If I walked out of the mansion like this, word would spread in an instant.

People from other streets would all swarm over and form a human wall, and the players on this street would grab onto my ankles, demanding to know how I got a platinum sigil.

And I can't use violence against them. Why? Because the master of the city was watching with his eyes wide open.

Simply stepping outside the mansion would restrict my every move. A structure where someone else's greed obstructs my achievement.

In this situation, there's no normal way to leave this mansion but…

That's fine. I had a plan of my own. I secretly spoke to a resident who happened to be passing in front of the mansion.

“Hey, you there. The resident. Ah, I'm on the second floor of the mansion. Look up.”

“Uh, uhh… Yes?”

“I'm a climber. And I just beat up that good-for-nothing Baron Licht. As proof, I have a platinum-colored emblem floating above my head.”

“Ah, uh… Yes. I see that.”

“You're grateful, right?”

The resident nodded his head reluctantly.

“…Right? I guess he was a real pain in the ass…”

“Then help me out a bit.”

“How could I… I'm just a mere resident. I don't have the power to help you.”

“It's fine. It's a simple job. First, could you get me a set of clothes? If you help me, I'll give you a good pill. It's good for your health.”

“…Good for my health, you say? Is that for real?”

It seems I've finally found a useful way to use the Berserker's Pill.

“…”

A moment ago, a player in leather armor brushed past me. But he paid a surprising amount of attention to me. He didn't even glance my way.

The reason was simple.

It was because I wasn't wearing leather armor, but the ordinary cloth clothes worn by the residents.

The fact that clothes were the way to distinguish players in the first place was ridiculous.

If you made up your mind to change clothes, there was no way to tell like this.

“…He looks a bit like the East Asian guy who was summoned in front of me earlier.”

The black man, David something-or-other, passed by, tilting his head as if he was unsure.

Even a guy who had seen my face couldn't recognize me just because my clothes were different.

Leather armor is obviously an item. Logically speaking, there's no reason to take it off.

Unless, of course, your purpose is to disguise yourself like me.

In this place where people's attire was standardized according to their class, changing clothes became the most effective means of disguise.

Of course, a question might arise here.

No, how can people not recognize me when there's a big, beautiful emblem floating above my head? Why do they just pass by? That kind of question.

The solution to that is simple.

“You're keeping it safe, right?”

“…Yes.”

I had entrusted the platinum sigil to the resident who brought me the clothes earlier.

I was worried the resident might suddenly flip out and shoot magic at me, but thankfully, nothing of the sort happened.

It seems the condition for a resident to be forcibly changed is determined by the ‘sigil creation box,’ and simply possessing a sigil has no effect.

The emblem is generated only for a player when they hold a sigil.

Just because a resident is holding a sigil, an emblem doesn't appear. After all, when I handed the sigil over, no emblem appeared above the resident's head.

In other words, if a resident holds the sigil, there's no chance of drawing aggro.

Thus, I was able to walk through the streets pretending to be two friendly residents and escape the players' attention.

It was nothing short of a perfect plan.

I crossed the street smoothly, passed through the alleyway, and finally, just as the plaza came into view.

I could see the thugs blocking the road.

“…Hey, aren't those just residents? Let's let them pass.”

“Jeez, you idiot. Didn't you hear? Ji-hun told me earlier, some bastards pretended to be residents by changing their clothes and got through here. The people blocking the road didn't realize it until after they had reached the angel.”

“…That happened? How did Ji-hun find out?”

“He said he heard it from the guy who taught him how to block the road here. Apparently, that guy extorted a gold sigil and went up long ago. Hey, you two residents. Come over here.”

I had succeeded in perfectly disguising myself as a resident… but these guys seemed to be professionals in the path-blocking thug business.

To be so thorough even with things that could be dismissed as trivial. They have the mindset of successful people.

The thug who called me and the resident over puffed out his chest and shoved it towards me.

“Here, try hitting my chest. They say violence is allowed between residents and players.”

“…”

Is this bastard an elite thug or something? To instantly devise a perfect way to distinguish between players and residents.

A player wouldn't hit him for fear of punishment, and it wouldn't matter at all if a resident hit him.

But if there was one thing the guy didn't consider…

“Thank you for your help up to this point. You can give it to me now.”

“…Yep.”

…it's that I came here already prepared to beat someone up.

As the resident took the platinum sigil from his pocket and handed it to me, a brilliantly shining platinum emblem immediately appeared above my head.

“Uh, uhh…”

In the moment the two stunned thugs' jaws dropped.

I forcefully shoved the thug who told me to hit his chest with my shoulder and immediately started running towards the angel.

3 seconds.

I ran. Squeezing every last bit of strength from my leg muscles, I ran and ran.

2 seconds.

“Hey! You, angel! I've brought the sigil! Send me to Floor 1 right away!”

I informed the angel in advance that I've brought the sigil. I could see the angel, looking slightly flustered, but nodding its head.

And so, 1 second.

Just before the stern punishment of the master of the city could pass judgment on me.

I threw my body towards the angel…

Whoosh!