The Regressor Tunes Up (5)
The Regressor Tunes Up (5)
"Everyone, gather here. This black protective barrier will break soon."
"..."
"..."
People followed my instructions, eyes uncertain. They looked reluctant, but they moved exactly as I told them.
"Before the barrier breaks, I'll divide you into five groups in advance. Those I call now, step forward. Yun Jung-hyun, William Smith, and..."
I called out the names from my memory one by one. These were the people who would serve as team leaders going forward. From now on, everything had to operate under a strict chain of command.
"Wait, how do you know my name? And who are you to suddenly..."
When someone started grumbling—
Boom!!!
"...Is it fine if I stand here?"
I stomped the ground so hard the frozen earth cracked, and they immediately jumped into position.
"..."
"..."
After a moment of silence in the chaotic atmosphere.
Crack, snap!
"Is anyone there? I am Baron Jorge! We need help..."
"Quickly, go inside the castle. There are winter clothes."
"...?"
After swiftly ushering the otherworlders including Baron Jorge into the castle, I turned to look at the group of players standing behind me.
"I imagine you're confused. You're probably wondering who I think I am to be so high-handed."
Now that I'd succeeded in seizing control of the mood, I dropped the blunt speech. I'm naturally polite, so formal speech suits me better.
"But there's no time to explain. First, let's all move into the castle. The inside is stocked with food, weapons, winter clothing, and other survival supplies. After you've taken a general look at the interior layout, we'll gather outside again. Ah, and Yun Jung-hyun, come with me for a moment."
While I briefly conveyed the necessary information to Yun Jung-hyun, the players poured into the castle in a rush. I'd deliberately staggered the timing, knowing that mixing them with the otherworlders would inevitably cause chaos.
"...I'll relay it exactly as you said."
After confirming that Yun Jung-hyun had left with a reluctant expression after receiving the information, I finally let out a sigh.
"Hoo..."
By now you've probably figured out that I'm not hiding the fact I'm a regressor this cycle. Which also means I'm already expecting to regress, and that I plan to use every card I have.
Of course, I don't plan to walk around announcing "I'm a regressor" with my own mouth, but they'll have their suspicions. I'm willing to take that risk to clear Floor 4.
My ultimate goal is to return to reality on Day 2 and stop Choi Ji-won from entering Floor 4.
But right now, it's uncertain whether I can even clear Floor 4 without any casualties, let alone save Choi Ji-won.
So my plan is this.
First, clear Floor 4 once without taking any damage. Secure all the rewards, and my objective is to completely understand Floor 4.
After I've claimed the rewards and grown stronger myself...
I'll create a situation where people can survive even without me. I'll train everyone hard until Day 2, then hide somewhere in the castle and start observing.
If any casualties occur, I'll regress immediately. If I confirm that people can survive just fine until Day 5 even without me, that's success.
What does this mean? It means that even if the strongest combatant, Kim Jun-ho, leaves for reality on Day 2, there won't be any problems. Floor 4 will survive on its own, while I'll talk with Choi Ji-won and help her prepare for Floor 4. This is the only solution that can resolve both problems at once.
"You there, what are you staring at? Aren't you going in?"
"Ah, no, sir."
Clearly, the road ahead is steep. I'm not exactly in a comfortable position myself. So I have no choice but to push hard.
What if bad rumors spread? What if people grow hostile toward me?
So what. I'm going to regress anyway. I can set things right just before I ascend to Floor 5. Right now, my priority is perfectly clearing Floor 4.
What if they exploit a regressor's weakness? What if I get sealed? I don't have the luxury to worry about that right now.
"Well then, it's about time..."
After confirming that all the players had entered the castle, I straightened my collar and leaped down from the outer wall.
I planned to scout the castle's surroundings while I had some spare time. There might be something hidden, like in the Tutorial.
I'll try every possibility. I'll scrape this bowl clean right down to the bottom.
"Let's see who wins."
**
The external search yielded nothing, but that in itself was information. The fact that there's nothing hidden in the ground around the castle means the castle interior is the main stage. Proof that my direction wasn't wrong.
"So, how was the information I passed on through Yun Jung-hyun?"
A dark room.
Baron Jorge. William Smith. Yun Jung-hyun. And me. The ones who distinguished themselves in the previous cycle had gathered once more in this cramped room.
"As for the food, we can distribute it as I mentioned. And did you find all the weapon rooms I talked about? Good. That's a good start."
The difference was that the foundation had been laid even though less than three hours had passed since Floor 4 began. Knowing the future, what reason was there to hesitate?
"..."
"..."
Because of that, the others' eyes as they looked at me were filled with uneasy reluctance. Obviously, we were meeting for the first time, yet I knew their names and even understood the layout of Floor 4. It was only natural for them to find it strange.
The reason they didn't press me about it was... well, it was obvious I wouldn't answer even if they asked, and in a situation where they had to survive right now, they didn't have the leisure to nitpick over such things.
These people had no intention of sitting idle just because I was spoon-feeding them. They wanted to take the initiative and contribute. Baron Jorge proposed blocking the gate with stones, exactly as he had in the previous cycle. He was competent.
"Ahem, that being said... I've given it some thought. How about we tear down some of the stonework and use it to block the castle gate? If enemies appear from outside, it would be a great help."
"Good. But instead, let's only block the main gate. We'll just reinforce the side gate."
"...But that will clearly create a vulnerability..."
"It's fine."
But from the perspective of someone who knew the future, his plan needed a slight modification. Blocking all the gates was a waste.
Monster swarms move like a wave. The pressure is heaviest head-on, and much lighter on the flanks. When monsters are shoving in from the front, none of them will find their way to the side gate.
"Instead, let's block the main gate solidly. One day should be enough, right?"
Blocking the gate was by no means a pointless act. The reason the monsters couldn't cross the wall during the day was precisely because we had sealed the gate.
"...You're saying monsters will appear?"
"Yes. They come out at dawn on Day 3. Enough to practically cover the horizon."
"..."
"Now, let's get back to what we were discussing."
But let's think about other people's Floor 4 experiences for a moment. What was Floor 4 like for those who made no preparations whatsoever, let alone fortifying the gate?
Obviously, monsters would pour in endlessly through the gate, and the castle interior would fill to the brim with creatures. A living hell. It would be strange if there were any survivors at all.
Yet, survivors there were. They'd barricaded themselves in rooms, but there were definitely people who managed to make it.
The reason is simple.
"The monsters' aggression has a cycle."
If they hid underground or on the third or fourth floor, the monsters didn't bother to move up or down.
The survivors who made it out didn't say that monsters attacked without pause. They said there were occasional lulls, and they rested during those times.
So what does that mean? It means there are periods when the monsters' aggression weakens. If you think about it in reverse, the answer is simple.
Nighttime. Night is when the monsters go on the offensive.
In fact, my experience backed this up. During the day, the monsters didn't display aggressive behavior. No powerful monsters appeared, and because of that the creatures couldn't cross the wall, giving us time to rest.
If you didn't know, you'd suffer from it. But once you know, you can use it.
"Now, I'll tell you how to use this later... For now, could the otherworlders please start by blocking the main gate?"
"...Very well."
Baron Jorge retreated, stroking his beard.
"I also have a suggestion."
This time it was Yun Jung-hyun's turn.
"I believe there's a need to search the castle. There are rooms containing weapons, and rooms containing food. It wouldn't be strange if there were rooms with something hidden in them. And as you said, monsters could also come from inside."
It seemed Yun Jung-hyun wanted to search the castle, just like in the previous cycle. He probably also hoped to snag the Hidden Piece on the third floor, just as before.
"No, there's no need."
But I already knew exactly where the Hidden Piece was. I could just casually walk over and take it out.
"Then..."
"There's a separate task for you players. We need stone to work on the gate, right?"
I handed him the large hammer I'd brought in advance. Yun Jung-hyun took it with a confused look.
"What's this for..."
"Are you any good with a hammer?"
From the last cycle, I'd learned that the safest places in this castle were inside the rooms. Thanks to their narrow entrances, monsters couldn't swarm in. They were also enchanted with things like corrosion resistance and wave resistance, making them immune to unusual monsters. The only downside was the cramped interior—you couldn't fit more than ten people in one room, but...
"From now on, I intend to tear down the interior walls of Floor 4."
"...Excuse me?"
"Let's connect all the rooms together."
If the interiors are cramped, I just need to make them wider.