The Regressor Makes an Effort (2)
The Regressor Makes an Effort (2)
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
"No, what is this intensity..."
"He's been hiding his strength all this time...?"
Ah, that cold, heavy sensation. I felt strength surge into my body.
But I wasn't particularly happy.
-Hero [C]
-In moments of crisis, people think of you. You become stronger when fighting to protect someone.
The Hero trait doesn't activate arbitrarily. It triggers when those being protected perceive, 'This person is protecting me.'
That meant they trusted me. This power wasn't a gift—it was a response to a clear need. That realization weighed on me.
"Now, as you can see, monsters are swarming. We have to survive this."
But that burden drives success. I won't let myself think, 'Failure is okay.' I have to give my best every time. That's the respect owed to the potential casualties.
"I've selected five team leaders in advance. There are six corridors total, so each team leader and their members will take one corridor and defend it."
"Then one corridor is left over?"
"I'll hold that one alone."
There's a reason I picked five. Six corridors, five team leaders—I'll take one alone. That's the right distribution of personnel.
"The team member lists will be provided by Mr. Yun Jung-hyun. They should be balanced."
The team lists were based on the room assignments Yun Jung-hyun made in the previous cycle. No one complained then, so they should be fine now.
"...Really."
"This seems adequate enough..."
Once the players were divided into teams, they looked genuinely convinced. As expected of Yun Jung-hyun—he has a good eye for people.
"Now, a few precautions. Goblins don't need special attention... Ah, wolves and orcs will come mixed. They target different heights, so... Also, sometimes a monster that looks like a black cat..."
Next, combat. I'll explain as thoroughly as possible, drawing on my past experience of what to watch out for.
"I'll fight alone, but you are many. Always be careful not to hurt your comrades. If someone is wounded, move them behind the line. William Smith has healing abilities and will patrol the first floor. Unless it's instant death, you can survive. Give up a limb if you have to—just stay alive."
Think of it—twenty players per corridor. Twenty players defending one corridor? It won't be easy, but it's not so difficult that it can't be done.
"While we fight, the otherworlders will handle support—procuring weapons, checking on the wounded. Protecting them is part of Floor 4 itself, so don't complain. That's it. Understood?"
"..."
The players, dazed, didn't answer.
"No answer?"
"Y-yes!"
When I pressed them, they snapped out of it as if waking from hypnosis. It's understandable to be flustered when someone you considered a mental patient suddenly acts like this.
"Now, then..."
Snap! I snapped my fingers.
"Move. What are you all doing?"
**
"Grrrrr!!!"
"Kieeeek!"
Shrieks. The monster chorus echoed through the mountains. An aura of death settled over the castle, and faces turned pale. Unilateral killing intent is that horrifying.
But it wasn't a big problem for me—I was used to it. No, there was a different problem.
"Someone's missing?"
"...Yes."
"Hm."
When we formed teams by the list, we were one person short.
Name: Eom Hong-jun. A middle-aged man with graying hair.
"He was definitely here until the first day..."
Now that we're looking for him, he's gone. A pile of food is gone too, so he must have left the castle.
"Judging by the timing, he didn't flee after seeing the monsters, did he?"
"No..."
I think something similar happened in the previous cycle. Someone packed up and disappeared outside the castle.
"One person is fine. Just make sure rumors don't spread. We can't have some stupid story that we can all run away and survive going around."
Mr. Eom had long since left the castle. Whether he went toward the monsters and was devoured instantly, or went the other way on some personal adventure... In my opinion, leaving the castle is suicide.
The cold here is insane, and the monster horde isn't slow. Even running the opposite way, he'd probably be caught before Day 5 ends. In the end, only destruction awaits.
"So aside from that Eom... whatever, everything else is fine, right?"
"Yes."
"Got it. Go now. They'll be here soon."
I rolled my sword wrist and cracked my neck.
"Just don't die, just don't die..."
Aside from Mr. Eom, every situation had been arranged as I wanted. From now on, I just do my best. If I fail, I'll either devise a new strategy or alter the conditions and try again.
"Ah, agh!!"
A frightened man's voice echoed from a corridor in the castle. I turned toward the castle wall and saw a wolf standing atop it.
"Awoooooo!"
No, two. Three. Ten.
Monsters wriggled up onto the wall, then dropped down inside.
Many died, but just as many survived by using the dying as cushions. Their burning gazes fixed on the castle.
"Grrrrr!!!"
"Woof! Woof!"
A pack of wolves rushed at me, eyes gleaming, drool dripping, wild killing intent aimed at my throat.
"Come on."
I don't have the burning sword I used before regression. I haven't figured out mana yet either.
But even without those, I can handle this. I've done it before—what's there to fear? The burden on my shoulders is so heavy I won't break here.
I gripped the sword with both hands, set my feet slightly wider than shoulder width, straightened my back, gaze forward, and moved with the feeling of using my shoulders rather than my wrists.
I cut.
Crack! In an instant, four wolves split in half. To cleave something in two with one stroke is already absurd, but cutting four at once is beyond human limits. It's proof that my strength and agility far surpass those of an ordinary person.
"Nice."
I checked my condition using the scattering light particles. Actually, I could do this much in the previous cycle too. The important thing is that it's far less taxing.
I swung with optimal timing, along the optimal path, with optimal efficiency—instinctive force control hammered into me from three days of nonstop fighting.
-Swordsmanship [C] >> Swordsmanship [C+]
Perhaps the Status Window recognized my growth, as my Swordsmanship rose from C to C+. But there's no time to celebrate.
The reason the wolves arrived first is that they're the fastest. A swarm of monsters—orcs, goblins, and more—is coming.
I have to keep up this shit for five more hours. Now it really feels like I'm back on Floor 4.
"Kieeeek!"
A goblin threw itself at me with a blunt dagger. That jolted me out of my thoughts.
"I'm not the Kim Jun-ho who regressed from a grass cut anymore."
Without even using the blade, I bashed its head with the pommel.
Repetitive work is what I hate most, but...
You can't live only doing what you like, can you?
**
The morning sun sparkled.
Seven swords lay scattered on the ground. I'd fought all night, picking up and discarding one after another until a whole pile formed.
"Huff..."
My body was still lively. Only my mind was tired. The dissonance was so bad I wanted to slump, but I sensed someone behind me, so I couldn't.
"Truly... you succeeded. Holding an entire corridor alone..."
Clap. Clap. Clap. Yun Jung-hyun approached, clapping softly. He looked exhausted, but better than I expected.
Anyway, now it was time to see if I'd regress or not.
"How's the damage situation? Is everyone safe?"
"Ah, I'll report. Twelve seriously injured total... They're being treated by William now..."
Twelve. For a hundred players, it's both a lot and not many. But more importantly...
"Casualties? Yes or no?"
"Casualties..."
Yun Jung-hyun's mouth curled into a grin.
"None."
"..."
The morning sun draped over my back. The cold leather armor slowly warmed.
Perfectly balanced teams. The monster combinations I already knew. And the fact that I took the hardest corridor and defended it perfectly.
There were more than enough reasons to believe we could pass Day 3 unscathed. Probability-wise, over seventy percent.
But even so.
"It's nice."
Success always made me smile.