The Regressor Is Kind of Strong (4)
The Regressor Is Kind of Strong (4)
The goblin horde crawled forward in lockstep, scuttling closer.
When Anchovy made a mysterious gesture, the goblins nodded and hid themselves in the nearby bushes.
"...Wow."
Maybe it's because they're naturally green, but even knowing where they were, I genuinely couldn't see them.
Actually, the goblins had been hard to spot even when I was passing through the grass around the clearing.
I only knew their positions because they'd conveniently cry out with 'Kerrg! Kerrrrg!' and the like.
But these goblins, perhaps due to Anchovy's trait, weren't making a single sound.
They weren't enemies that ordinary people, summoned to the Tower less than three days ago, could possibly detect.
"Hmm..."
I had several options here, and I wanted to choose as carefully as possible.
Choosing wrong would cost me three days of torture.
My possible options... First: snatch the golden orbs from them instead.
Even if I don't swallow an orb right away, just possessing one could be useful.
I could use it to trade with other survivors, or as bait... The applications are endless.
But then I'd have to take on Glasses, Punk, and the entire goblin army.
I still don't know how strong those bastards are, but since I can't afford to take a single hit, the difficulty would be immense.
And I'd have to deal with all of them before Choi Ji-won arrived.
Second: help the survivor group first, then extract information.
These are people who've spent three days outside the clearing. And I really know nothing about what's out there.
If I deal with Punk and Anchovy and build a friendly relationship with them, I should be able to get useful information.
As a bonus, if Choi Ji-won sees it, I'd earn some favor.
"Hmm..."
No matter how I think about it, the latter seems better. If I later meet someone desperately hunting for golden orbs, I could try the former, but right now the orbs don't benefit me.
Since I have regression anyway, I'd feel better grabbing everything I can in the tutorial.
"Hey guys, there's something here. Come take a look?"
While I hesitated, Anchovy was luring the others toward the goblins.
"What is it? Let me see too."
Punk sauntered over first.
Glasses hesitated for a moment, then cautiously followed the two of them.
They might have been suspicious, but with their backs turned, their guard was down.
If I left them like this, they'd end up skewered with a thud.
"Alright."
Now was the time to act. I stood up slowly, careful not to make any noise.
My legs are in decent shape.
My muscles are a little stiff from lying down, but this should be fine.
I gripped the sword with both hands, and with a "Hup!"
I broke into a full sprint toward Punk.
Why not target Anchovy, who commands the goblins? From my perspective, Punk is far more threatening.
I don't know how strong his 'Telekinesis' is, but it looks fucking hard to block.
In game terms, it's unblockable true damage. For someone who can't afford a single hit, that's the ability I have to watch out for most.
The distance to Punk was about ten meters.
I could cover it in about two seconds.
I'll aim for the back of his neck. He's distracted right now, trying to lure Glasses in.
I have to cut cleanly, in one stroke. Just like cutting a goblin. I can do it.
Five meters left. All my senses are sharp. The back of his neck seems especially close.
If I just swing the sword like this...
"Kyaaaaaa!"
A woman who finally spotted me let out a piercing scream.
Fuck. I wanted to explain I came to help, but from her perspective, I'm just a thug attacking her group.
"...Tch!"
Flustered, I twisted my ankle slightly.
I managed to regain balance, so my speed didn't drop much, but—
"...Huh?"
Punk turns his head toward me.
Two meters left.
"..."
"..."
Our eyes met.
It felt like the world slowed down except for me and Punk.
I could read in his eyes the joy fading and confusion blooming.
Whatever Punk saw in my eyes, his expression began to slowly twist.
It doesn't matter what he saw. I'll just cut his throat and be done with it.
A chill.
The fine hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood on end. This is bad. Really bad.
My eyes, busily searching for the cause, caught Punk's right hand stretched toward me.
His right hand slowly began to clench, as if about to grab something.
Telekinesis.
I'll get hit. I'll regress. I have to dodge.
But how?
Telekinesis is usually instant.
No different from dodging a bullet. Impossible with a human body.
"..."
No. I can dodge.
If I know where he's aiming, it's by no means impossible.
My gaze returned to Punk's face.
His eyes, dripping with murderous intent, were clearly fixed on my throat.
Before I could even organize my thoughts, I instinctively dropped to the ground.
My vision rapidly lowered.
Swish!
Above my head, with a strange sound, I felt something graze my hair.
I dodged.
If I give him more time, I'll be the one taking the hit.
I put all my strength into my crouched legs and surged upward, slashing up as I rose.
Shhk!
A familiar sensation ran through my hand.
The same feeling I'd experienced dozens of times cutting goblins.
"...Huh?"
A question far too innocent for Punk to utter.
That was his last breath.
The red line running from his crotch to his right shoulder soon cracked open.
Crak!
He gushed blood and collapsed.
"..."
I wiped the blood off my face with my sleeve.
It was my first kill, but the shock wasn't as bad as I thought.
Actually, maybe it's just because I'm half-asleep. I'm tired too.
A hint of disgust at myself flickered, but I didn't let it show.
Is it lucky that I'm not sobbing pointlessly, or should I be sad that I'm becoming a madman fit for the Tower?
It isn't something I'll find an answer to by agonizing over it anyway.
Rather than useless worry, it's better to think productively.
Setting aside the successful first fight, there's something I need to do now.
"Here I go."
This place is the middle of a bush surrounded by goblins.
If the goblins all thrust their spears at once, there's a very high chance I'll take a hit.
In other words, I need to target Anchovy, who controls them.
Just as I was about to get back into a fighting stance...
"I... I surrender! I surrender! Please spare my life!"
Anchovy threw himself face-down on the ground.
"Kurrk! Kurrrk!"
The goblins, who had been watching the situation, also came out of the bushes and prostrated themselves next to Anchovy.
"...?"
A synchronized dogeza by man and goblin. A sight I'd never seen in my life.
How... am I supposed to take this?
**
'Going to die. Die. Die.'
Anchovy, Park Jun-woo, had to give his all to keep from pissing himself.
He was a so-called deadbeat, and he prided himself on having seen plenty of crazy bastards who did bizarre things when drunk.
The words 'I'll kill you' felt almost like a casual greeting.
But that man... is different.
"...Why surrender?"
The blood-soaked man tilted his head as if he couldn't understand.
This wasn't his first time witnessing a murder. The Tower was a brutal place, and whenever a fight broke out, someone always died.
But someone who looked so... accustomed to it? That was a first.
Even Punk, now split in half dead, had been a recognized powerhouse.
He'd easily take down fairly strong monsters by targeting their vitals with telekinesis.
But he killed that Punk... in one blow?
And not with a trait or superpower... but purely with a sword?
It had only been three days since people entered the Tower.
But that man... took a human life so calmly and skillfully, as if he'd done it dozens of times.
What modern person could use a sword that well?
What modern person would radiate such thick murderous intent?
I don't know for sure, but that man's past must be reeking of blood beyond anything Park Jun-woo could imagine.
"...I'll do anything. I'll lick the soles of your feet if you want. Please, just spare me..."
Park Jun-woo, prostrated and rubbing his hands together desperately.
In truth, if Kim Jun-ho and Punk had fought head-on, Kim Jun-ho's chance of victory was far lower.
Even if he could read his gaze and dodge once or twice, he'd never be able to avoid telekinesis forever.
Telekinesis that triggers regression on even a graze is practically a counter to Kim Jun-ho.
This outcome was only possible because Kim Jun-ho succeeded in an ambush.
If Park Jun-woo pulled himself together right now and commanded the goblins, there was a very high chance he could force Kim Jun-ho to regress, but...
"Please... spare me..."
The fact that he's too skilled with a real sword, something a modern person would never touch.
The fact that he seems accustomed to killing. (It was his first time.)
The fact that he stares expressionlessly at Park Jun-woo. (It's just because he's tired.)
And the fact that he doesn't know he can win with just one hit, among other things...
These complex factors combined to drive Park Jun-woo to total submission.
"...Well, it works for me..."
And the result of this mix of misunderstanding and coincidence...
[You can acquire a Trait.]
Gave birth to a new possibility.