CHAPTER 6: #Regression #Floor 2

While Jin So-yul swept through the remaining sections of the first floor, the overlay numbers updated relentlessly. In the process, a pattern emerged: her mana detection range was roughly within 20 meters. But she was vulnerable to approaches from behind.

In fact, there were three more stealthy ambushes—though, to cut to the chase, I didn't send any messages.

"I can feel it. Over here."

The first: a goblin slipping in from the side, muffling its sounds. Jin So-yul twisted her upper body with fluid grace, slicing a clean line with her kitchen knife. The sight of its head detaching silently from its body sent a chill down my spine for some reason.

The second: one dangling from the ceiling. She spotted its shadow on the floor and whipped her arm in an instant. The goblin was dead before it even hit the ground.

The third: two bursting out simultaneously from a passage fork. Jin So-yul dropped low, dispatching the right one first, then used the momentum to rocket toward the left. Crimson mist bloomed twice, and the situation ended in a flash.

Something I'd noticed from reading web novels: no matter how much of a munchkin the protagonist was, they usually got information from someone. Be it the info guild master, a heroine in disguise, or a system message. And right now, that someone was me.

But for combat at this level, my intervention didn't seem necessary. As expected of a regressor—she handled it with seasoned skill.

Jin So-yul ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pressed on without pause. At the end waited the message declaring the first floor cleared.

A constellation report popped up for me. 200 CP... It felt stingy at first, but I shifted my perspective. Just for clearing the first floor, they gave 200 CP. So what about the next floors? If she kept climbing without stopping, wouldn't the rewards keep piling up?

"First floor cleared... Took about 25 minutes? Pretty good. Back then, it barely took me two hours at first."

Jin So-yul shook the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blood off her kitchen knife into the air. She looked quite relaxed. Glancing at the bloodstains splattered on the cave wall, she added,

"Heading up right away, Constellation."

"... "

"Floor 2 should have goblin warriors. They're tougher than floor 1 but fewer in number. They're properly armed, but... the clear time should be much faster."

I nodded at Jin So-yul's words—words I couldn't respond to—and stared at the screen. A magic circle had appeared on the floor. Without hesitation, she stepped onto it, and light flashed as the screen switched.

The second floor looked starkly different. Instead of narrow passages, a vast space welcomed Jin So-yul. A massive cave with a high ceiling, jagged rocks protruding everywhere. The environment overlay updated immediately.

"Six of them..."

More than on the first floor. Was Jin So-yul's knowledge wrong? If so, wouldn't her regression memories be useless?

My thoughts were cut short by her words.

"Just as I remembered. If the first floor tests your courage to press forward, the second floor tests... the skill to see it through."

"Hm...?"

"When you step on the magic circle, the Tower checks your will to proceed. Most people want to go back out, so it sends them there—with rewards. Of course, I came straight up to floor 2, so I skipped that."

So the goblin count was indeed lower than floor 1. But unlike the previous floor's piecemeal fights... floor 2 wanted you to face them all at once?

Normally, you'd clear floor 1, exit for rewards, then re-enter floor 2 geared up. A situation that didn't apply to regressor Jin So-yul.

"Goblin warriors... I thought I'd die here back then."

The goblins encircling her were markedly different. A hand taller, with clubs or axes slung over their shoulders. Armed properly—did that mean different tactics?

But my worries were pointless. Jin So-yul charged in without a moment's hesitation.

The first goblin's club swung horizontally. Jin So-yul angled her knife's flat to deflect the trajectory.

Kaang—!

Metal met wood, and the club glanced off. The warrior's upper body wobbled, tangling with the second and third following on momentum. Basic pathing management was beyond them—this had to be floor 2's point.

Seizing the gap, Jin So-yul's knife flashed three times in succession. Crimson mist painted the air as swish, slice, shwick. Less than two seconds later, the three tangled goblins' heads were severed.

"These guys' counterattacks are key since they're armed. Failing to deflect that club would've hurt."

For someone saying that, she handled it flawlessly. Ignoring it herself, she continued,

"But their patterns are super simple. They don't know how to use weapons properly—just swing wildly. Nail the spacing, and you're done."

Jin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠So-yul's explanation was straightforward. But how many could replicate it just from hearing? The strength piled from stacking corpses—that was a regressor's essence.

Even lowly goblins... how grueling was it to reach this level?

The remaining three met the same fate. Jin So-yul used a rock as a springboard to leap and impale one. For the last two charging from different angles, she timed their overlapping paths for a single horizontal slash.

"...All done."

Curiosity struck, so I pulled up the apostle info.

Status: Combat Ready. That must've met some condition—a new tab appeared. HP, stamina, and mana in percentages.

HP and stamina weren't the same? Come to think of it, her HP was 3% when I first saw her. Maybe HP measured closeness to death, but samples were too few. Stamina seemed like endurance for actions, slightly depleted. Mana was current reserves.

Clearing up to floor 2 with negligible stamina and mana drain. Easy for her, of course. But she'd said most died on day one.

"Took about three minutes. Way easier when they're bunched up."

"Impressive."

Watching her fight gave me a strange feeling. Not the type where one swing levels everything or a punch topples buildings—just the strength of knowing exactly where to cut to kill.

Jin So-yul glanced down at her knife and sighed. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Zooming in on the tablet, I saw cracks and chips everywhere.

"I was gonna say it could last past floor 3, so no worries... but yeah."

"Definitely... won't hold up."

"If it breaks mid-climb, we're in trouble. Better stop here for today. My bad—I should've brought spares, but this was all I had at home."

She'd know best about this stuff. After staring into space for a bit and confirming no response from me, she stepped onto the magic circle. Screen transition. Seoul's streets unfolded.

Waiting for Jin So-yul outside the Tower: densely packed troops and barricades. Hardly any time had passed, yet military armored vehicles already ringed the plaza outskirts. Fully geared soldiers encircled the Tower, on high alert.

How would she get home? I watched the screen with concern... when something suddenly popped up before her eyes?

A translucent holographic interface glowing faintly—visible even on my observation screen.

"This is the floor 1 reward. Shop for items, dedicated community... and—"

Her finger swiped the interface with precise intent. Soon, something materialized in the air.

"Found it."

A parchment-like scroll etched with bluish runes. She tore it, and the pieces dissolved into light. Screen switched instantly to her familiar studio apartment. Probably a return scroll. No constellation report, so it must be climber-side rewards.

Setting the cracked knife in the sink, Jin So-yul rolled her neck and spoke.

"Floors from 2 onward give lots of points. Rare items sometimes too. That's their incentive. Got this return scroll from it."

Fair enough. No rewards, no one climbs.

"Best part: no need to go all the way to the Tower anymore. Enter anytime. That's floor 2's real reward."

"Good to hear."

"Hoo... Body's weak this era—pushed too hard. Gotta wash up first."

Languid voice. Even as a regressor, her current body was a woman's, awakened just a day ago. She started shedding her training clothes.

I quickly averted my eyes from the tablet. Clearing my throat pointlessly, I decided to browse the constellation system's shop. I'd only touched food so far—time for a proper look.

Food, daily goods, info, function unlocks, misc. Tapping the third opened the list.

"Buy info with CP...?"

More important than expected. The locked stuff... no access yet? Prices and descriptions were question marks.

Apostle Enhancement Analysis at 500 CP—pointless without tags. Locked was inaccessible. After some thought, I bought the Branch Basics Guide.

"Instances confirmed..."

Explained why those two young men didn't run into Jin So-yul. Separate spaces even on the same floor.

But crucial: randomized monster placements per instance. Her 9-year-old memories wouldn't match 100%.

Her "as remembered" likely meant floor layouts/monster types, not exact positions. Environment overlay's value skyrocketed.

"100-Day Rule..."

Fail the top floor in 100 days, a nation falls. That's why she dove in day two. Better to lead than let others bungle upward.

Once strong, she'd pace to floor 100—like before regression.

"Helpful for sure. Info... yeah, info's key."

Next, Constellation Rank Guide.

"Means... observation means? Communication means? Either way, it'll help."

Environment overlay went without saying. Communication would be great too—I already felt the limits of emotion messages.

Second unlock was a mystery—skip. Anyway, promotion needs 2+ apostles. With just Jin So-yul, I needed a second. 10,000 CP for slot, another 10,000 for the apostle... long road ahead.

I nodded, organizing the info. Instance structures from branch guide, 100-Day Rule truth, rank promotion conditions.

All converged on one conclusion.

Jin So-yul's memories: 9 years of experience. What monsters per floor, patterns, strategies.

My observation: real-time data for this instance. Exact positions, approach directions, numbers.

Combine memory and observation, and she'd be far stronger than solo regressor.

That was my conclusion.