Regression is Too Much - Chapter 73

WeTried Translations

Translator: ZEROSUGAR

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Regression is Too Much

Chapter 073

──────

The Regressor racks his brains (4)

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Even though I walked silently through the cave path, my mind was racing fiercely.

Let's assess our party once more.

First, there's me, the regressor. My own combat ability is top-tier, but because of the penalty where I regress if I'm so much as grazed, my actual combat effectiveness is the lowest.

Second is Dok Su-hee with her Enchant ability. The 'Explosion' she grants is extremely useful, and in the last moment I remember, she had taken out a piece of a wolf's heart and was about to do something. I needed to confirm the true potential of that ability as well.

Third is Ahn Gyeong-jun. Although he trolled us in the mirror room, his raw power itself seems to be quite strong. The wooden spear he throws carries a terrifying force, and when facing the golem, he had taken out a spear with a peculiar design.

Lastly, Kang Chan. He can use his 'Fist' ability, a power of immense magnitude, along with his killing intent.

"...How interesting."

Three out of the four members were hiding their true nature.

I hid the fact that I was a regressor, Gyeong-jun hid the spirit that fights in his stead, and Chan hid the true nature of his ability. It wouldn't be strange to title this novel The Players Are Hiding Their Power.

Of course, looking at it objectively, our combat power is by no means lacking. Chan's ability is conditional but has performance close to a cheat key, Su-hee was close to an all-around supporter with utility ranging from ranged attacks to defense, and Gyeong-jun, once he succeeded in Spirit Descent, was immensely strong though his intelligence seemed a bit lacking.

Therefore, I decided to execute a plan that any normal person would think of.

That is, to face the golem head-on.

"Now, everyone. Would you listen to my story for a moment?"

Just like the previous cycle, the wolf was dealt with in an instant by the Spirit Descended Gyeong-jun. We passed through the mirror maze without issue while blindfolded, and the arrow trap was destroyed in a single blow by Kang Chan.

"Kkeuaaak! Kkeuaaaak!"

The problem was the 'Fear' room, but because I had already experienced the situation where regression wouldn't stop even if I died of old age, I had become numb to it, and the content of the fear had changed.

It was a nightmare where a crazed version of myself massacred all my acquaintances. At first, I was in such agony that I cried my eyes out, but at some point, I was able to come to my senses. I think it was probably because the thought 'this is merely a trial' was dormant in my subconscious.

"...Are you awake?"

"...We cleared it at the same time."

When I got up, my eyes met with a tearful Su-hee. Considering she had to wake me up in the previous cycle, this was a huge improvement.

"This metal... has the property of returning any impact that exceeds a certain level."

And so, at last, we were able to stand before the golem's room once again.

"...Let's get ready. I can feel an energy from up ahead."

"...Is it really that strong?"

"It will be beyond your imagination. According to my 'Insight' ability, it might be stronger than all of us combined."

The difference was that this time, we were facing the creature in a state of full preparation.

After lying that I had a fictional ability called 'Insight', I repeatedly emphasized the fact that the golem up ahead was incredibly strong. At first, the others were skeptical, but eventually, they believed my words.

"Chan hyung-nim, please take the rear..."

I had Kang Chan, who I already knew was useless for this part, fall back.

"Suhee-nim, please prepare the wolf's heart in advance..."

I had Su-hee wait while holding the finely chopped wolf's heart.

"And, Gyeong-jun-nim, please get ready to fight. For real."

I guided Gyeong-jun to take out not the old wooden spear, but the ornately designed spear I had seen before.

"...Good."

Lastly, with a shield in each hand, I stared ahead. There was no point in me attacking. I had to focus on blocking the aftermath of the attacks.

Finally, all preparations were complete, and the four of us swallowed hard as we looked at the lump of metal that showed no signs of moving.

"Haaap...!"

The hand of Su-hee, which was clutching the piece of the monster wolf's heart, began to glow blue. The heart piece slowly disappeared as if it were melting ice cream, and soon only a blue flame remained, dancing on her hand.

Fwoosh.

Su-hee caressed the fire with a careful touch. She slowly placed the flame onto Gyeong-jun's spear.

The moment the flame touched the spear, it instantly turned transparent and began to burn fiercely on the spear's blade. What was peculiar was that even though there were various feathers attached below the spearhead, they were unharmed by the flames.

"...Hmm."

Gyeong-jun in his Spirit Descent state nodded his head in satisfaction.

He twirled the ornately designed spear once, lightly loosened his shoulders, and mumbled something with his mouth.

"Hup!"

He threw the spear towards the lump of metal.

Kwwwaaaaang!

At the same time as a sound that felt like it would tear my ears apart rang out, the spear came flying back towards Gyeong-jun along the exact same trajectory. The reflective property of the magic metal had activated.

Grab.

But Gyeong-jun simply stretched out his hand with a calm expression.

The spear, which had been flying to harm its master, disappeared into thin air at some point. No, it hadn't disappeared, it was caught in its master's hand.

If he could summon a spear from thin air... it wouldn't be against reason to recall a spear that had already been thrown. The important point was that he had a means to nullify the metal's reflective property.

Rumble!

As soon as it took the impact, the metal golem assembled in an instant. There were hairline cracks all over its right arm area. It was the mark left by Gyeong-jun's spear.

"...Hmph."

As expected, this alone wasn't enough. Although the lump of metal had hairline cracks, the impact wasn't big enough to shatter it, and the pieces of the wolf's heart were not infinite.

If I could see something like a 'golem's core', I would have tried more... but there was nothing of the sort on that smooth golem.

Chan's killing intent didn't work. The ultimate preemptive strike from Su-hee and Gyeong-jun also failed to inflict significant damage.

As for me... it goes without saying.

The situation was clear. We lacked attack power. The attack power to shatter that golem into pieces.

I shook my head and lightly bit my lip with my front teeth.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 3-5.]

"..."

It was proven once again that Kang Chan's Fist was essential to defeat the golem.

No, if we faced it head-on properly, we might be able to win somehow. A future where we bleed, grit our teeth, and cross the line of death to achieve victory might exist.

It would, if I wasn't in a position where I regress just by being grazed. In reality, with Chan and I being useless, defeating the golem would be a distant prospect.

In that case, we can only win if we reach the golem with Chan's 'Fist' saved. With that fist of brilliant destructive power, he could finish off the golem that deflects physical attacks in a single blow.

I don't know if defeating the golem will be the end of it, or if another trial awaits behind it. But what's certain is that Chan's power is needed to defeat the golem.

However, the 'arrow trap passage' also required Chan's power. Everyone except for the Spirit Descended Gyeong-jun has low durability. I’d regress the moment an arrow grazes me.

The problem can be summarised into simpler terms—there are two places where Chan's power is needed, but Chan can only use his Fist once.

And for simple problems, there usually exists a simple solution.

"Haaap... 'Iron Wall!' It's done!"

"...Hooo."

I took a deep breath and took a large step forward.

Clank.

The moment my foot touched the smooth stone floor, the sound of metal clicking into place came from somewhere, and exactly five arrows were shot towards my position.

In the previous cycle, I jumped back a long way to avoid it. This place was the very beginning of the trap passage, and the area behind was a safe zone. There was no reason not to dodge backward.

"Hup!"

Nevertheless, I gritted my teeth and twisted my body.

Holding the pair of shields I had picked up from the room where weapons were provided, one in each hand, I deflected the arrows flying from the left and right. At the same time, I lifted my left foot to dodge an arrow aimed at my ankle, rotated my body 90 degrees to evade an arrow aimed for my ribs, and tilted my head to avoid an arrow aimed at my face.

I had to assume a very strange posture to block the arrows... but the important thing was the fact that I had dodged them.

"...Haa."

Carefully, I lowered my foot and stepped on the same spot I had just stepped on.

I was able to dodge it without difficulty because I had seen the direction the arrows came from in the previous cycle. It was a good start. I could rejoice at the smooth beginning, but...

"...Shit."

As the one who had dodged the arrows, I could feel it instinctively. This, if I didn't know beforehand, I couldn't have dodged it. It wasn't in the realm of something that could be handled with reflexes.

The speed at which the arrows flew was too fast, the trajectories were cunning, and there was practically no sound. Even someone with animal-like senses would struggle quite a bit before this trap.

"Shit, shit..."

From my perspective where I regressed if I'm so much as grazed, it was the worst kind of trial. Nevertheless, I took another step forward.

Clank.

I heard the sound of something clicking into place, and at the same time, six arrows shot. I deflected two, and was able to dodge the next two reflexively, but I completely missed the remaining two.

Puk!

However, I was lucky. Thanks to hastily twisting my body, the part that was hit was an area covered by the leather armor enchanted with 'Iron Wall', and because it just grazed by rather than a direct hit, the armor held up with just some damage.

"Hoo, hoo, hoo..."

Replaying the path the arrows just came from in my head, I took another step forward. The place I stepped on was not random, but a position according to my own rules. It was a measure to reduce variables.

"...Hmm."

This time, I didn't hear any sound. Was it a safe spot? Just as the string of tension in my mind was about to loosen a little.

Puk!

"Ack!"

An arrow that flew from behind with a time delay lodged into my back, and I screamed as I fell forward.

[You have taken damage.]

[Returning to the moment of first entry on Floor 3-5.]

"...Wake up, brat."

Without answering Chan, I hesitantly got up from my spot.

If you've seen this far, I think you would have figured out what I'm trying to do.

There are two places where Chan's ability is needed.

The number of times Chan can use his ability is one.