The Regressor Makes an Effort (4)
The Regressor Makes an Effort (4)
-00 : 12 : 22
Sunlight streams through gaps in the collapsed ceiling. Morning.
"Am... am I alive?"
"Haah, haah, haah..."
Scattered voices of players. Sighs of relief break out here and there.
Yes. Sighs of relief. Not cheers of victory—sighs of relief.
"Minhee... Minhee..."
"Why... why you..."
Across the large room, people clutch the remains of corpses and cry. The faint smell of blood stings the nose unpleasantly.
"Hoo..."
When the wave first started, I thought I'd succeeded.
The strategy was to herd the otherworlders into a large room and block both side passages leading into that room.
As before, I took one side and the remaining players the other. A strategy that couldn't fail even if you wanted it to.
Yeah. If only a pitch-black orc hadn't suddenly appeared.
A black orc that, as if annoyed, slaughtered other monster packs with its own hands and strode up to Floor 4.
It was... strong. Its innate physical abilities were on another level. Even with my Hero trait, it took me twenty seconds to bring it down.
Regeneration that healed deep wounds in an instant. A height so great its head nearly brushed the ceiling. Strength to collapse the ceiling in a single blow. Skin as tough as thick wood.
It couldn't compare to the golem on Floor 3, but it was definitely a formidable foe. Not that I couldn't beat it. The twenty seconds were because its neck was too thick and its regeneration too strong.
Yeah, it was no match for me.
The problem was that an identical one appeared on the opposite side.
It instantly wiped out the group of players guarding the far passage, then entered the room and massacred the otherworlders.
I arrived quickly and brought it down... but there were casualties. That's the problem.
Less than twenty dead. About ten players, ten otherworlders. Compared to previous cycles, it's an absurdly low number... but once again, I failed to perfectly clear Floor 4.
"What... what went wrong?"
Such a monster never appeared before. Flying monsters, sure, but nothing that strong.
Isn't Floor 4 about exploiting weaknesses? Does that mean there's something I'm missing?
Because we went two days without casualties? Because we defended flawlessly on Day 3? What is it?
No matter how much I agonize, I can't reach a conclusion. After all that effort. I thought I would succeed this time.
While I rack my brain, the timer rings.
-00 : 00 : 00
[Settlement]
[Players] 91 / 100
[NPCs] 288 / 300 (Major NPC survival success +20000)
-Penalty Applied (None)
-A reward corresponding to 48800 points will be given to all survivors.
-First in contribution, [Kim Jun-ho], receives an additional special reward.
When I come to my senses again, I'm on Floor 1. I stare blankly at the message windows that pop up before my eyes.
48800 points. If I'd also saved Baron Jorge, the max score would be 50000.
"Hoo..."
Ignoring the surge of negative emotions, I drag my creaking body forward. Because that 'reward chest' is sitting on the far side of Floor 1.
With this reward... maybe I won't have to repeat failure.
-Transparent Gloves [B]
-Transparent leather gloves.
-Meditation [C]
-Calms the mind and provides a time for self-reflection.
Among the rewards, the same ones as the previous cycle appeared. Maybe it's customized, or maybe that's just how it's set... For reference, obtaining the 'Meditation' trait twice didn't merge them or evolve them or anything. Just a meaningless message popped up saying 'Proficiency has increased.'
-20000-point achievement reward: Mid-grade Potion x20
-30000-point achievement reward: All-Purpose Elixir [Unique]
Potion? You know what that is. As for the All-Purpose Elixir, they said it raises all stats by 10 when consumed, so I drank it right away.
"Hmm..."
Sitting on the bed, I look back on this cycle.
Using future knowledge aggressively to lead people was good. There was resistance early on, but by Day 4 people were even cooperating actively to get on my good side.
But... the orc that appeared on the last day is the problem. So strong that even mid-to-high-ranking players died.
What could have been the problem? Where did it go wrong? I have a few guesses, but nothing certain.
"If I don't know..."
I'll just have to do it again.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 4.]
***
"Let's just build the wall higher."
"What??"
"The current wall is... roughly the height of a four-story building, right? Let's raise it to six stories."
"...That seems difficult..."
"Just do it."
"...Alright."
Right after construction started, I realized it. Baron Jorge was right.
A wall isn't something you can just slap together instantly, even with superhumans.
Even with the night of Day 3 approaching, the wall hadn't risen much.
"Tch..."
The plan to raise the wall is a failure.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 4.]
***
"You, you, and you. Come here."
"...?"
"I'm appointing you as the 'Day 5 Commando Unit.' The mission is simple. Soon, a black orc will appear at night. Just don't die and hold on. Easy, right?"
"Ah, yes, well... understood."
I selected only the strong ones and had them stall the orc that appears on Day 5. The effect was clear; though they were seriously injured, they weren't taken down by the black orc, and I bought time to deal with it myself.
My mercenary tactics succeeded.
"Grrrrr..."
For a moment, that is—until the black wolf appeared.
"Wha, what the—!"
"It's going that way! Run!"
"Where do you run in a room... Aaaargh!!!"
The black wolf didn't fight the players. It moved cunningly, slipped between players' legs, and went straight into the room, biting the otherworlders' necks.
Once again, I failed to keep everyone alive.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 4.]
***
I set traps.
I changed the personnel arrangement.
I mixed up the order of countermeasures.
I aggressively used future knowledge, but all of it failed. Casualties gradually decreased, but never dropped to zero.
Wondering if I lacked power, I dedicated one cycle to properly training my mana.
I holed up in the room, used the 'Meditation' trait, and focused on the sensations inside my body.
After a day, two days, a week, I could feel something fuzzy swirling within me.
I hadn't learned any martial arts or swordsmanship like in novels, so I couldn't achieve a dramatic change. But just spreading mana throughout my body made me feel my physical abilities had improved.
Even so, I failed. Getting a little stronger didn't change anything.
By now, I could tell. It wasn't that I lacked power; this Floor 4 was a floor that wouldn't be satisfied until it saw casualties. A floor where someone must die.
The enemy adapts according to how you defend? Yeah, that part is true.
But I need to add: 'if no one dies, the monsters get stronger and stronger.' If the otherworlders don't die, the monsters become endlessly stronger.
It's like playing a game with a 'level scaling' system. If I try hard and prepare thoroughly, the enemy gets proportionally stronger. My effort doesn't feel very impactful.
"Haah..."
This cycle. Three otherworlders, two players died. People were a little sad, but most were happy, grateful just to have survived.
In truth, even this level is undoubtedly an incredible achievement.
Where is it written that I must save everyone? Only five casualties? While others are dying left and right, saving everyone but five—isn't that a miracle?
The word 'compromise' rises in my mind again. And with it, the discomfort that word brings lashes at me, commanding me not to compromise.
Does Floor 4 have the answer I want?
If I've been racking my brain over a problem with no answer? If I've been a clown dancing to absurd rules scrawled by a child?
If all this effort I've poured out has been meaningless?
Then... if the correct answer is to give up here and pour my efforts into Choi Ji-won instead?
"..."
But I can't. I already know the reason why I can't.
After the first regression. The number of victims dramatically decreased. Max twenty, min five. It's never been outside that range.
But... just because the number of deaths is the same doesn't mean the same people die.
Sometimes this person. Sometimes that person. Sometimes someone close to me, sometimes a stranger.
As variables change, the dead change too. Like spinning a slot machine, different combinations come out.
"...If I give up here..."
Someone will definitely die.
And the moment I go up to Floor 5, that result is fixed forever.
In effect, it's like I'm choosing who dies. I'm killing people.
In the end, I have to save everyone. But going on like this is endless. I've already tried everything I could think of.
"Let's do it."
Now that things have reached this point, I have to take a gamble.
"What was his name... Eom something?"
A dangerous gamble that might bring great sacrifice.
But before that, there's someone I need to check on. This man likely holds the clue.
I bit down on my tongue to steady my shaking mind.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 4.]
***
A middle-aged man leisurely packing food. As if he's going shopping, he hums a tune while gathering jerky and other supplies.
"Water? I can just eat snow... I'm looking forward to it. Heh heh."
His eyes are slightly glazed, but his expression is pure, childlike happiness unbefitting his age. What on earth is he planning that makes him so happy?
"Um... Mr. Hong-jun."
"Oh, you know my name? More importantly, who are you?"
"I have something to ask."
Eom Hong-jun, who always disappeared somewhere after the first day.
I need to uncover this man's secret.