Chapter 5: #Regression #1st Floor
My entire body trembled uncontrollably. It had to be from pushing too hard with those push-ups last night. And that was only twenty reps. I need to make exercise a regular habit, the thought dominated my mind.
I reached for the lukewarm water but paused. What flashed through my head was Jin So-yul chugging that cola.
“……Just one can.”
Cola (1 can) — 3 CP
50 CP, 300 CP…… Seeing it drop to single digits like this made it feel ridiculously cheap. And honestly, it probably was.
CP Balance: 3,000 → 2,997
The chill of the aluminum can seeped into my palm. Chiiiik—I cracked it open and took a swig, the fizzy rush hitting me with a glorious coolness amid the gulping sounds.
“Kraaah……”
It felt like I’d come alive. Along with the illusion that my sore muscles were loosening, I got to my feet and grabbed the tablet.
The screen lit up, revealing Jin So-yul. She was already on the move. Black training pants and shirt, a kitchen knife tucked into her waistband. Was she just immune to the winter cold, enduring it, or keeping her outfit light to avoid any movement restrictions?
“Mana at 2.3…… No clue if that’s high or low. No benchmark.”
No comparison available. More importantly…… her mana had ticked up a bit overnight. Absorbed it in her sleep, maybe? At any rate, she’d already left the one-room apartment and was heading somewhere.
I fiddled with the screen. This was what I’d been mulling over during last night’s workout. Was there some overlooked feature in the constellation system?
I spotted an icon in the top-right of the observation screen—one I’d never touched before. Hesitantly, I tapped it, and a new window popped up.
Activates overlay displaying environmental, threat, and situational data around the apostle.
Activate?
“Environmental, threat, situational data……?”
No hesitation. I swallowed dryly and activated it right away. The screen changed—or rather, numbers appeared in the top-left corner of the tablet, displaying some kind of info.
Temperature:1.2 °C
Mana Density:0.03
Nearby Threats:None
“So that’s what it means……”
I got the gist. Temperature, mana density, nearby threats. No threats now since she was on a Seoul street, but inside the tower? The keyword “observation” in Observer of the 0th Dimension. I’d thought it was just slapped on because I binged web novels, but there was a real connection.
“Probably the core ability.”
Muttering to myself—a habit from lonely bunker days—I sorted my thoughts. What we needed right now was real combat experience. Information was power to me.
Perfect timing: Jin So-yul was striding ahead. Direction…… Gwanghwamun Square, as expected. Right on cue, she spoke up.
“Constellation, are you watching?”
“Watching. You can’t hear me, though.”
“As I mentioned yesterday, I’m heading into the tower today. Before the military seals it off completely.”
Same tone as yesterday. She knew no reply would come, but talking to me had become habit. It overlapped with my own isolation somehow, drawing a wry smile.
“The tower’s interior has themes every five floors, up to a total of 100. Floors 1 through 5 are goblins.”
Goblins. Classic starter foes.
“Just watch out for the stealthy ones that approach quietly……”
Jin So-yul’s brow twitched faintly. Probably meant her current mana limited her detection range. No amount of combat experience could overcome hard limits. Ambushes—from beyond detection range.
……If the environment overlay’s threat detection worked independently of her senses—then I could cover her blind spots.
I wanted to send a message conveying that, but shook my head. 50 CP. Fine once or twice, but it’d add up, leaving me short when it mattered. I’d repeated this to myself all night. And cramming info into a message? It’d probably just be something vague like “Constellation: Observer of the 0th Dimension says not to worry.” Pointless.
Gwanghwamun Square was swarmed around the tower’s emergence site from yesterday. Police barricades ringed the perimeter; no military yet. A few loiterers near the entrance showed up on the observation screen.
“Hey, wanna go in? For real?”
“Hell yeah. You saw it yesterday—this is like a game.”
“Do awakened people get powers or something?”
“Fucking weeb delusions.”
“You called it a game yourself, dumbass.”
“Who knows. First in wins, anyway.”
“True…… Now! Go, go!”
“Charge—!”
“You two! Halt! Stop……!”
The two young men slipped through a gap and dashed into the tower. Chasing cops halted at the entrance.
“……Those two are dead. Constellation, remember what I said yesterday? Most who entered on day one died. A few survivors went mad and holed up…… The rest raved about it being a game.”
“……A game.”
“That’s why they’re deploying the military. Government wants to scout it properly since it seems game-like. Quick thinking, but…… pointless. Monsters resist physical force without mana.”
Modern firearms ineffective—standard trope.
“Those two just now? No mana, obvious. Once you enter, only the living come out, so that’s why.”
“Hmm.”
“The ones distorting info as a ‘game’? Social misfits, psychos. Delusional trash thinking they’re chosen.”
Blunt as hell.
“Heading in now, Constellation.”
Jin So-yul looked away from the scene, hopped in place a few times, then kicked off the ground—BOOM!
She rocketed forward in an instant, the observation screen shifting.
A cave of stone walls emerged. Torches hung at intervals along the walls, illuminating the narrow passage—the dungeon’s first floor. No sign of those two guys, so instances, huh? Independent spaces per entrant, even on the same floor.
The environment overlay updated.
Temperature:14.8 °C
Mana Density:2.7
Nearby Threats:Detected (3)
Directions:Front 20m / Left 15m / Left Rear 25m
“……!”
Three threats nearby. Directions and distances in numbers.
“……Two ahead. I feel them.”
Bandages wrapped on her hand—when’d she grab those?—kitchen knife reversed grip. Probably sensing the front 20m and left 15m. But my screen showed three?
“I can see what even Jin So-yul misses?”
At her current state, detecting 25m—especially rear—was tough. Maybe the angle.
Jin So-yul advanced toward the front. Stealthily, minimizing footsteps, body low, knife ready. At 20m, rounding the corner—a familiar green thing leaning against the wall. Goblin.
Zero hesitation once spotted; she charged. Her knife slashed its throat in a flash. Red mist sprayed—shwick. Flesh parting without a cutting sound, eerie as hell. Mana at work?
……!
No time for a cry; first one down. Then the second lunged from behind the left wall, claws swinging. She twisted her torso fluidly, grabbed its head barehanded, slammed it into the wall, and finished with the knife.
Pfook.
“……That makes two.”
She swung the knife casually, splattering blood. Overlay numbers updated rapidly.
Nearby Threats:Detected (1)
Direction:Left Rear 25m → 20m → 15m
Stealth goblin closing in silently, now at 10m. Jin So-yul oblivious. Send a message?
Momentary hesitation, but calculations finished fast. Stealth type beyond her detection. Might just be a scratch, but still.
Content: Goblin right behind you!
CP Remaining: 2,997 → 2,947
Observer of the 0th Dimension warns of the rear!
Her body whipped around reflexively. At the same moment, the goblin emerging from the shadows met her eyes.
For an instant, time seemed to slow. Jin So-yul spun, her arm lashing like a whip.
Kiiiiieeeek—!!!
Scream and collapse—third down. She kicked it away, then lunged to stab her knife into its throat.
Nearby Threats: None
Blood bubbling, silence fell. Jin So-yul exhaled once and looked up at the ceiling.
“Constellation, how……?”
Shock plain on her face. Stealth approaches were beyond her current detection. She’d know that best.
“……Thank you. Truly. Thank you.”
“Beyond expectations, this.”
My info exceeded hers. Beyond tags, I could provide solid support. Until new powers, this direction works.
As I pondered, Jin So-yul moved on.