The Regressor Is Startled (6) (Revised)
The Regressor Is Startled (6) (Revised)
[...Stop.]
"...Huh?"
I don't know how many times I've regressed by now. I never kept count, and even if I had, I would have forgotten it all.
"...You, you could talk?"
But a clone speaking to me was a first. The very first time. Until now the guy had only ever muttered to himself, and suddenly he started stringing together human language—just how surprised do you think I was?
"No, why now all of a sudden..."
I didn't consider that it might be a trap pretending to be a conversation. A one-off trap or a backstab like that meant little to a regressor, and besides, my opponent was me. If I were going to set a trap, I wouldn't do it this clumsily.
[...]
"...Hey, why'd you go silent again."
But the clone stopped talking once more. This silence, though, didn't feel like the mad silence from before—it felt more like the silence of someone cautiously picking out words because language itself felt unfamiliar to him.
[...]
"..."
After a long stretch of silence.
The question the clone finally asked was simple.
[...Is this your first time?]
"...First time what?"
[It is your first time.]
The clone nodded slowly, as if he understood. Sure, it was the first time the guy had ever spoken to me at all... but what he was asking seemed to be about something else.
"Sit."
The clone flopped down where he stood. I took the cue and sat down too, a little awkwardly. Once he saw we were both seated, he began to talk.
[Why are we fighting?]
"...Because you came at me?"
[Why did I come at you?]
"...And what am I supposed to do with that."
[I intend to talk about that.]
The smile on the clone's lips slowly deepened.
[My memory is hazy... but I will explain as best I can.]
And so the story the clone told... was pretty shocking.
****Clone's POV****
<Entering Floor 1.>
[...Floor 1?]
When I came to my senses, everything around me was pitch-black. I stretched out a foot and tapped forward—something solid. It seemed I was trapped somewhere.
[Ssss...]
I had just sliced down the Minotaur in one stroke and used the portal that formed over the Goblin Shaman's corpse. And now suddenly this. Does this Tower not even give you time to rest?
[It's fine. Calm down.]
But there's no need to panic. I can just get through it step by step, like I did in the Tutorial. It's only Floor 1, after all—I doubt anything beyond common sense is waiting for me.
I took a deep breath and waited quietly for a moment. The surrounding darkness vanished, and bright light shone from all sides.
[Nngh...]
When my eyes adjusted, I saw a white temple. It looked like something from ancient Greece, but slightly different—a temple where pristine white pillars supported the space on all sides.
[...?]
A moment ago I'd been in the Tutorial clearing, and now suddenly a temple? I stood there dazed, unable to adjust to the 180-degree change, and a message window appeared before my eyes.
<Floor 1>
-Clear Condition: A monster modeled after you has appeared. Your only way to survive is to defeat it.
[...A monster?]
In the distance I could make out a human figure. So that's a monster modeled after me? I guess the task on Floor 1 is to defeat that monster over there.
[Hmm...]
I rolled the wrist of my sword hand with a slightly uneasy feeling, then slowly walked toward the figure. I still didn't know exactly how this floor worked, but it seemed right to follow the instructions for now. If I just cleared it and didn't move on to the next floor right away, I'd still have a chance for a perfect clear.
At the same time, the other side must have noticed me too, because I could see it walking this way. We both headed toward each other, and the distance closed in an instant.
[...]
"..."
Finally we reached striking distance, close enough that a sword swing would connect.
"...Heh, wow. What an ancient cliché."
The monster let out a dry laugh, as if stunned. It looked exactly like me in appearance—the only difference was its clothes. No, now that I looked closer, its expression seemed a bit darker too.
[Uh, uhh...]
"Yeah, I can really feel it."
The moment the monster gripped its sword tightly and tried to rush me—
[W-wait, hang on.]
"...?"
Before I knew it, I stopped the approaching monster. Because the aura it was giving off was far from ordinary.
If we fought, I would lose. A hundred out of a hundred times, I would be destroyed.
[Can't we... settle this with words...?]
But solving everything by fighting is the way of beasts.
A civilized person has their own civilized methods.
**
[So, what you're saying is that you've already cleared up to Floor 4, right?]
"That's right."
[And this place now is Floor 5?]
"That's right."
[And I'm a clone made based on your memories?]
"Exactly."
[Hmm...]
Honestly, this was bewildering beyond belief. After all the hardships I'd barely survived just to clear the Tutorial, now I was told I was actually the original's clone? I couldn't bring myself to believe it.
[But, are you absolutely sure I'm the clone?]
"...Huh?"
[No, think about it. Maybe you're the clone made from my memories, but you were implanted with fake memories of Floors 1, 2, 3, and 4. Right? What kind of Tower lets you eat a Floor 1 for free?]
Every clone that appears in fiction never knows it's a clone. The moment I pointed that out, the guy who'd been insisting he was the original got a grave look on his face.
"...It's true that 'I was actually the clone all along' is a pretty common cliché..."
[Is there any way to verify it?]
And so the two, identical except for their clothes, sat down and started comparing memories, each laying everything out.
[The house we lived in is the same, my first love in elementary school is the same... even my favorite actor is the same...?]
"Ssss..."
The problem was that our memories were completely identical. There wasn't even the "memory gap" that clones in fiction usually have—aside from the memories after the Tutorial, there was no difference at all.
[Hmm...]
"Hm..."
As we both racked our brains trying to figure out who was real—
"Regression."
[Huh?]
"What would happen if one of us regressed?"
Floor 5 Kim Jun-ho suddenly brought up a possibility that made my head spin.
[Wouldn't we both regress at the same time?]
"Hm... there's a high chance of that, but..."
An impromptu debate broke out, and countless hypotheses surfaced and vanished. Of course, we lacked evidence, so we couldn't reach a conclusion. The solution in situations like this is simple. Just experiment.
[I'll try regressing first.]
"Alright."
The privilege of a regressor is that there's no opportunity cost when attempting something bold. I stopped Floor 5 Kim Jun-ho, then drove my fist into my own chest.
Bam!
With the impact, I regressed.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 1.]
****
[So that's what happened, and you're telling me you don't remember any of it?]
"That's right."
[Seems like we don't share each other's regressions...]
Amazingly, Floor 5 Kim Jun-ho didn't remember any of this. The proof was that he had tried to cut me down in a single stroke just like the previous cycle, and I had to barely calm him down before we could talk.
[Now you try regressing. If you're a clone, you won't be able to regress, right?]
"That's true, but... wait. Something's bothering me."
Floor 5 Kim Jun-ho propped his chin on his hand and fell into thought. He rolled his eyes around for a moment, mulling something over, then suddenly jolted and sprang to his feet.
"Hey."
[...?]
"How are we supposed to clear this?"
[Huh?]
Now that he mentioned it, he was right. If both of us could regress regardless of who was the clone, this fight would never end. To defeat the opponent, violence was necessary, but both of us were in a position where we'd regress upon taking damage... If we ever got into a real fight, there was a high chance it would be a never-ending battle.
"Hm..."
[Hmm...]
Is this really, completely screwed? The thought crossed my mind... but then a decent idea suddenly occurred to me.
[But victory doesn't have to be physical, does it?]
"?"
[I mean... wouldn't it count as a win if the other side just gives up?]
"Let's test it."
After we agreed on that, both of us dropped our swords to the ground and concentrated with all our might on sincerely conceding defeat to the other.
I lost. That person won. I am a clone. I have been defeated.
As I shut my eyes tight and focused, I felt a tap-tap on my shoulder.
"Hey."
[...?]
"Try touching that."
Floor 5 Kim Jun-ho pointed behind him with his thumb. When I followed his gesture, I saw a blue portal floating in midair. I figured passing through that portal would clear Floor 5.
"I'm a hundred percent sure you're the clone. I just got a message window saying I cleared the floor—did you get anything like that?"
[...No.]
"For now, try touching that portal."
[...]
I reached my hand toward the blue portal like he said... but unfortunately, nothing happened. Was the portal broken? No. No way. I actually knew it deep down all along. The fact that I was a clone. The memories of Floor 5 guy were too vivid and too realistic. They weren't something the Tower could arbitrarily fabricate.
"...I'm sorry."
[...]
"Right... if I clear it and then regress, maybe there's a way to bring you out with me..."
Maybe out of pity, the original Kim Jun-ho's expression turned a little melancholy.
But whether he felt sorry or not, a terrifying idea surfaced in my head.
[Wait.]
"...Huh? Why?"
[Don't go just yet.]
A way to use this situation.