The Regressor Is Conditionally Strong (2)
The Regressor Is Conditionally Strong (2)
"Goblin Shaman. I need your help."
"...Kerruk?"
The Goblin Shaman looked at me as if thinking, What the hell is this guy?
He wrinkled his nose, twitching it, then let out a short laugh.
"Kerrruk... Human. I'm a dying goblin. Looks like you picked the wrong person to ask for help, human."
The Goblin Shaman then coughed, a rattling Kellock, Kellock.
It didn't seem like he'd fully understood what I was saying yet.
"...Shaman."
"Kellock... Kerolock..."
"I'm a Regressor. This isn't the first time we've met."
"...?"
"You told me everything. The ancient dungeon. The human adventurers. God's voice. What brought you into this Tower."
"...Kerruk. Human. You spout strange things."
The Goblin Shaman pretended to brush me off and turned their head away, but I clearly saw their cloudy white eyes waver.
"I'm serious. This is the third time we've met. Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused me when you grabbed the golden orb and disappeared into the swamp?"
Slowly, I laid out the story of this Tower that I'd lived through.
The moment I first came to my senses. The moment I was overjoyed to receive a regression trait. And then, the moment after the Goblin Shaman stabbed me in the back, when I heard the voice left on a stone.
I thought I'd told the story pretty well, but...
"...So what do you want, human?"
The Goblin Shaman scratched the back of their head roughly.
"Get to the point. Kerruk. I could just release the seal on that monster right now."
He thrust his staff forward threateningly.
"...Relax."
He was right—if the Shaman broke the Minotaur's seal here and now, I'd have no choice but to regress.
But he didn't. That meant he was at least somewhat interested in what I had to say.
"What do I want? Simple."
I remembered that the Goblin Shaman had made all the other goblins commit suicide to eliminate any chance of them yielding food.
"The goblins on this island. Bring every last one of them. Right here."
"...Kerruk. And then?"
"My trait makes me stronger when I fight to protect someone. If I'm in a position where I'm protecting every single goblin, I'll be able to blow that monster away in one shot."
"...Kelkel."
The Goblin Shaman let out a hollow laugh, as if they couldn't believe it.
"...Human. Are you... stupid?"
He waved the hand not holding his staff dismissively.
"I hate humans. I'm only keeping this seal going because I want humans to suffer. Human."
"...I know."
"Then did I look like a fool to you? Human? Why should I help humans?"
"..."
He had a point.
The Goblin Shaman had no reason to help us. If anything, he'd be happy watching us suffer—he had no reason to help.
But I didn't answer. Silently, I brought my hand up to his nose.
"...Human. What are you doing? Kerruk."
"Take a sniff."
"...It just smells like a human hand. I don't know what you want me to smell. Kerruk."
"That's exactly what I wanted to say."
"...Kerruk?"
Sniff. Sniff.
The Goblin Shaman flared their nostrils and sniffed my hand again.
"...Kerruk."
He'd caught on to what I was getting at.
"The smell of blood. You don't smell it, do you?"
In this cycle, I hadn't killed a single one of the weak goblins swarming the bushes.
I'd only knocked them all unconscious.
I remembered that in the past, the Goblin Shaman had told me I reeked of their kin's blood.
So. This time, no blood smell. Give me a hand.
"...Kerruk."
The Goblin Shaman hung their head low.
"That means nothing, human. A human simply didn't kill my kin in this 'cycle.' That's all."
"...True."
"And even if a human somehow defeats the monster and moves on to the next stage... I'll lose my memories and wait for other humans to come. Kerruk. I'll drive those humans into despair."
"Also true."
"So, human. Right now, there is no reason for me to help you. On top of that, after you defeat the monster, you'll kill me. I am no fool, human."
"Why wouldn't there be a reason?"
I shrugged as if I found this absurd.
"You said it yourself: after we move on, you lose your memories and are reborn. If you're going to die anyway, what's wrong with dying a little earlier?"
"...The human is clearly insane."
The Goblin Shaman laughed emptily. But I knew that in the end, he held no great attachment to life.
"And... wouldn't it be nice, just once, to have a cycle where humans and goblins don't harm each other?"
"..."
The Goblin Shaman stopped moving when he heard that.
This Tower forces us to kill one another.
Humans kill to survive, goblins die because they don't want to.
And I was asking him to stop that cycle, just once.
For everyone.
"...Kerruk."
The Goblin Shaman slowly closed their eyes.
"Kerruk. The human is an idiot. Boldly demanding that I die for him. Something like this is nothing but meaningless nonsense."
He opened his eyes again and looked straight at me.
"And... I'm an idiot too."
He grinned, then gave a slight gesture with his hand.
"I'll do as you wish, human. I suppose, just once, it won't be so bad if nobody dies."
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
"I'm going to break the seal, human."
"Just wait a moment."
My whole body was burning. My head felt a little light, but it wasn't a bad feeling. It was like I'd drunk myself into a stupor.
"Everyone, please wait just a little longer. I need to focus."
The roughly two hundred people standing behind me. Much like in the previous cycles, I'd succeeded in persuading the ones gathered in the clearing to come here.
What about Choi Ji-won's objections? I insisted I had a solution, so she reluctantly allowed it. She did warn me that if I tried anything stupid, she'd cut me down.
"...Is this really okay?"
"Well, that person said it was..."
People were glancing around nervously, trembling.
The reason was simple.
Hundreds—no, thousands of goblins were standing in a horde behind them.
The idea that my Hero Trait would activate for goblins came to me simply. It simply occurred to me that my Hero Trait would activate for goblins.
If I protected other intelligent species, like elves or dwarves, would the Hero Trait activate?
It probably would. They're sentient beings.
Then what about goblins? The Goblin Shaman actively communicated with me. Nobody could deny that he was a sentient being.
There was no reason the trait wouldn't activate for goblins.
Of course, there was a chance the Goblin Shaman was a special case, but...
"Kerruk, Kerrrrruk..."
"Kelkel, Kerruk? Kerrrrruk."
The horde of goblins chattered noisily among themselves in their own language.
Ordinary goblins were cruel, harmed humans, and were hideous monsters...
—Hero [C]
—In moments of crisis, people think of you. You become stronger when you fight to protect someone.
But these goblins were also 'someone.' Which meant my trait worked on them.
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
[The Hero Trait effect activates!]
"I think that's done it."
I was starting to adjust to the surging power, so I gave the Goblin Shaman the signal.
"Kerruk. Then I'll release the seal, human."
The purple rope connected to his staff snapped.
"Guoooooo..."
The Minotaur rose slowly from where it lay.
Clenching and unclenching its fists disbelievingly for a few moments, it then picked up its axe.
"Guoooooooo!!!"
"U-uwaaaaah!"
"Kyaaaaaa!"
A roar loud enough to deafen me.
Its two massive eyes were staring directly at me.
Its rippling muscles were already gathering strength to crush me.
If this were before, I might have fled from that overwhelming presence...
But now, I could tell instinctively.
That wasn't the war cry of an excited warrior—it was the howl of a frightened beast.
"You feel it too, don't you?"
Step. Step.
Twirling the sword in my hand, I began walking toward the Minotaur, one step at a time.
Thud. Thud.
"G-guoooo!"
And with every step I took, the Minotaur edged backward little by little.
Even a child could see it—the monster was terrified.
"...Haha."
This was no monster designed to be defeated. It was nothing more than a device meant to impose a time limit on Floor 0 and stir up conflict among the people.
Even Choi Ji-won—an incomprehensible monster herself—had said she couldn't guarantee victory against this Minotaur.
And yet that absurd creature was fleeing from me in fear.
That fact felt so damn good I laughed.
I turned my head back to look for Choi Ji-won.
"..."
She was staring at my body, her face completely tense and hardened.
So the day had finally come when that woman looked at me with wariness. I had said I'd catch up to her someday, but actually doing it was something else entirely.
Of course, this was just temporary doping... but a win is still a win, isn't it?
All that grinding had been worth it. I felt genuinely satisfied.
"Guoooooo!!!"
THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD!
Maybe the Minotaur thought my turned back was an opening, because it charged at me like mad.
I pivoted smoothly in place to face it.
"Come on."
Time seemed to slow down, maybe because of my focus.
I tightened my grip on the sword with both hands.
I recalled Choi Ji-won's teachings once more.
My target was... the neck.
A neck completely covered in muscle—but with my current strength, it was possible.
No, it would be easily possible.
Right here, in this moment.
Because I was the hero.
I kicked off the ground lightly.
I swung my sword with a natural motion.
And just as both feet touched the ground softly—
—[Wonderful Achievement Notifier!]
—You have successfully defeated the Hidden Boss, 'Labyrinth Demon Minotaur'!
—No casualties! An achievement experience bonus is awarded!
—A Special Reward will be given to [Kim Jun-ho], who contributed the most!
The Minotaur's head rolled across the floor.