WeTried Translations

Translator: ZEROSUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 071

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The Regressor racks his brains (2)

“…”

The reticent young man, Kang Chan, came to his senses in an unfamiliar clearing.

"Wh-where is this?"

"Isn't this some kind of hidden camera show?"

Unfamiliar people. An unfamiliar space. It was a situation where anyone would be tense, and Kang Chan was no exception.

"...Why does that guy's face look so murderous?"

However, Chan was the type whose expression would harden when he got nervous, so those around him simply misunderstood. Of course, the fact that his natural appearance was fierce must have played a part.

"Mom..."

"Fuck, fuck..."

And so, as time passed, the feelings of anxiety, impatience, and fear gradually subsided.

"...So where is this place?"

"The weather is so humid..."

Just as people began to take an interest in their location.

A man muttered softly.

"...Status window."

It seemed most people didn't hear it, drowned out by the sound of whispers, but Chan, sitting right next to the man, clearly registered the voice.

"Huh, huh?"

And he also saw the man's wide-eyed, startled reaction that immediately followed.

"...Status window."

It was a natural next step, in a way, for Chan to mutter 'status window' as well.

It was simple curiosity. He had no intention of taking the initiative in a situation like this. Chan, with his so-called 'tough' appearance, often invited unnecessary misunderstandings from others, and because of that, he was a man who trusted the saying 'staying still is half the battle' more than anything else.

But even Chan couldn't maintain his composure after seeing his own status window.

-Intimidation [S+]

-The weak shall rightfully look up to you. You can emit an aura to plunge surrounding life forms into a state of fear.

“…!”

Startled, Kang Chan shot up from his seat. He was in such a state of panic from seeing the 'S+' that he failed to notice everyone's eyes locking onto him.

"...Intimidation?"

The moment he muttered that.

Roooooar!

It was like the gaze of a predator. The aura of a murderer for whom killing had become second nature.

An energy that any living creature would fear emanated from Chan's body, and every human in the clearing, without knowing why, instinctively lowered their eyes.

“…”

After glancing around at the people, Chan finally realized what he had done. He had drawn an insane amount of aggro from strangers in a strange place.

The best course of action would be to turn off the trait right now, sit down, and act as if nothing had happened...

The problem was, Kang Chan, still new to his ability, was not used to using it. It felt like writing with his left hand. The control was there, yet not there, a frustratingly elusive sensation.

Nevertheless, the fact that he had to deactivate the trait was undeniable. There were even people trembling so hard from the pressure of his killing intent that they were wetting themselves. Chan focused all his nerves, grunting and straining, to turn off 'Intimidation'.

“…”

Was it because he was too focused on deactivating the trait?

"Hello there! I'm here to gloriously waste your life... huh?"

Chan failed to notice that a small, child-sized, winged, grotesque creature had approached right in front of his nose.

"What are you doing?"

“…!”

The moment the Tutorial's fairy shoved its face in his, he was utterly startled.

A strange environment. Strange people. An uncontrollable ability. And in a situation where his stress had reached its peak, a monster suddenly appeared in his face.

Thwack!

No one could blame Kang Chan for being a barbarian or a thug for instinctively landing a headbutt in this situation.

But no matter how fitting an action is for the situation, the responsibility for it must be borne entirely by the one who committed it.

The Tutorial's fairy, its eyes rolled back, crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

Belatedly, the 'Intimidation' trait that had been on the whole time was deactivated.

-[Impossible Achievement Notification!]

-[For the first time in human history, you have subdued an angel!]

-[You can evolve one of the traits you possess!]

-[A random B-grade item will be awarded!]

The moment a message window popped up before his eyes with the sound of a crude fanfare.

“…”

Though he had only just entered the Tower and knew nothing, Kang Chan could be sure of one thing.

It seemed the situation had gotten royally screwed up.

It was the result of a series of coincidences.

The angel that guides Floor 0 is originally a low-ranking angel from the 9th rank, one in charge of menial tasks. Naturally, its physical power was weaker than a human's, and its nature was so basic that it wasn't even permitted a halo, the symbol of an angel.

Therefore, there was no such thing as a Tutorial's fairy. It was just that the angel in charge of Korea's 'Floor 0' was well-versed in human culture and had a nasty personality, so it had merely acted the part of a monster that blows up people's heads.

But perception is originally based on others, and the reality of it is never important. The unfamiliar situation made people passive and led them to misunderstand the lowest-grade angel as the 'Tutorial's Fairy'.

"...Wh-what is that? Something collapsed on the floor."

"Did anyone get a good look? What did he do?"

"...My legs were suddenly shaking so I was just looking at the ground."

"Wait, wait! Look closely at its appearance. Isn't that... the 'Tutorial Fairy'? The situation is a perfect fit, isn't it? Suddenly summoned somewhere, and a child-sized winged monster appears..."

"Then, did that man just take down the fairy? As soon as he was summoned? Does that even make sense?"

Ironically, perception has weight, despite being intangible. The weight of the false reputation of the 'Tutorial Fairy' transferred over to Kang Chan.

"Was I mistaken...? That person must have just been summoned too..."

The gazes of the people, who had been glancing furtively at Kang Chan with a subtle fear.

"Hey, hey! Get a grip! Haa... Humans. Could you please wait a moment?"

After another angel appeared, tended to the unconscious angel, and left after explaining about the Tower.

"...It was really a Tutorial Fairy?"

"...Just how many people has he killed?"

Their gazes transformed, now mixed with complete terror. The fact that no one had seen Chan use any physical force only fanned the flames of their imagination.

"Hyung-nim!"

But not everyone was trembling in fear.

"I want to serve you as my hyung-nim! Within this space called the Tower, it seems there is no one else I can trust and follow but you, hyung-nim!"

"M-me too! Please let me serve you as my hyung-nim!"

While normal people felt only fear from Chan's killing intent, for some, a feeling of admiration blossomed in their hearts upon facing it.

In short, they were the ones who had lost their minds. Wanting to be with a person who looked like he had killed thousands.

Chan didn't have the slightest desire to be with these crazies but,

"I just checked my status window, and it seems my trait is A+ grade! Of course, it's nothing compared to you, hyung-nim, but..."

"Mine is S-grade! Please allow me to serve you!"

The problem was the fact that these guys looked far stronger than Chan. Right now they were misunderstanding things on their own, but the moment they realized Chan's true nature, there was no telling what they might do.

“…”

Chan clearly recognized the situation he was in.

People perceived him as an absurd monster. The only trait Chan had was 'Intimidation,' a trait specialized for bluffing. In other words, his actual combat power was nonexistent.

There were two main options here.

First, confess the truth that the aura from before was not his own killing intent but merely the effect of a trait. But as explained earlier, there was no telling what the madmen clinging to him now might do.

Second, use people's misunderstanding to take whatever advantages he could.

He could threaten others to steal their Golden Marbles, or he could play the role of 'hyung-nim' to those guys. As long as the illusion that 'Kang Chan is an overwhelmingly strong person' was maintained, the trait 'Intimidation' was close to a master key.

But this option had a clear downside. The moment his bluff was called, it would not end well. It was obvious that every single moment would be like walking a tightrope.

“…”

After long and repeated deliberation, Chan finally opened his mouth.

"...Do as you please."

If this Tower was similar to the ones in the stories Chan knew, then his life from now on would be no different from constantly having his neck on the line anyway.

If it was going to be dangerous one way or another... he would choose the option that offered an advantage.

"My name is Kang Chan."

He intentionally made his voice raspy. His expression, completely blank. His gaze, empty, looking at some distant point.

From this moment on, Chan decided to act the part of the overwhelmingly strong person they wanted.

"...I will kill anyone who gets in my way."

To survive in this Tower.

"...And that's what happened."

Chan, having finished his long explanation, fell silent.

I could understand being forced into a situation where he had to act strong because of a misunderstanding. I probably would have acted the same way in his shoes.

"...Could it be that entering Floor 3-5 was also..."

"Yes."

Kang Chan let out a smirk.

"I was trying to get a ride on the bus. The guys who follow me are strange in the head, but their abilities are second to none."

"...Where are they now?"

"They're probably working their way through another Floor 3-5. I was the last one to enter, so I got separated from my party."

Chan had originally intended to clear Floor 3-5 with his followers, but because the 3rd floor grouped people in fours, he was unavoidably separated from his party.

So I wasn't the only one who got screwed over. I had also failed in my attempt to ride the Choi Ji-won bus.

"But your explanation is incomplete."

"...What explanation are you referring to?"

"Your fist. In the story you just told me, there was no mention of that fist."

"...After I took down the fairy, I told you a message popped up saying I was the first to subdue an angel."

"Ah."

"I evolved the Intimidation trait. That should explain it."

Indeed.

I didn't know exactly what the reward 'Evolve Trait' entailed...

But just like emitting killing intent, it seemed an evolution suitable for acting the part of an 'overwhelmingly strong person' had taken place.

"Your earlier prediction was correct. This fist... must not be used carelessly. It's an ability with a huge risk."

Chan, who had muttered this self-deprecatingly, soon lifted his head and stared straight at me.

"I've laid all my cards on the table. Now it's your turn."

"...My turn for what?"

"As a regressor, you must know more about the 3rd floor than I do."

All his killing intent was gone, but Chan's eyes were still sharp.

"Do you have a plan? A plan to clear the 3rd floor?"

“…”

Kang Chan's ability. The crazy golem that reflects shock. The wolf. The mirror. The trauma. The arrows. The traps. The natives. The javelins. Dok Su-hee. The enchantments.

All the experiences I had so far fragmented and floated through my mind.

"Uh, um... Is everyone not coming?"

Just as Gyeong-jun, tired of waiting, cautiously approached to see what was going on.

"I have one."

The solution surfaced in my mind.

Just one.

A solution as narrow as the eye of a needle.

Footnotes:

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