The Regressor Is Conditionally Strong (3)
The Regressor Is Conditionally Strong (3)
"..."
The Minotaur's head had rolled right up to me, its eyes meeting mine.
Yeah, I bet you're dumbfounded too. Did you ever expect a guy this strong to get one-shot in the Tutorial?
But life is just one surprise after another. I never expected to get dragged into the Tower either.
Come to think of it, I didn't hear a single gasp of admiration.
I flicked the blood off my blade and turned around to look at the people.
"..."
Their reaction was profoundly lukewarm.
No, actually, it's more accurate to say it just hadn't sunk in yet.
Out of nowhere, they wake up in a clearing, a fairy shows up and blathers on about whatever, then right after that some man starts running his mouth about trusting him, puts on a sword dance, and leads everyone off somewhere. They follow along without really thinking about it, and out comes a huge bull-headed monster bellowing at them, only to get its throat slit in one stroke and die.
From their perspective, it must have been baffling. They just walked when told to, and things kept happening around them.
"...Achievement Level? What's this?"
A man was poking at something in front of his eyes.
His voice was pretty familiar... Ah. The same man who had been the first to shout 'Status Window'. There wasn't a big group 'Status Window' shout this time, so I guess he must have whispered it to himself.
His adaptability really is something else.
Anyway... I should tell them what they need to know.
"Everyone, would you try saying 'Status Window'?"
When I kindly guided them, people started murmuring "Status Window" one by one... and soon they became absorbed in the message windows that appeared before them.
Since they have no levels yet, they'd only have Achievement Levels like me. They never killed a goblin.
"...Will they be okay?"
When I shoved the Minotaur into the swamp, my Achievement Level went up too, so Achievement Levels seem to rise even without a direct contribution. They just helped kill a hidden boss, so their Achievement Level must have shot up nicely. Even I'm in a situation where I'm barely covering my lack of levels with Achievement Levels, so their direct combat power might not be that different.
And besides, once they get normal levels later on, won't these people end up much stronger than in previous cycles? Or they could just kill a monster or two on the next floor after going through the portal. Just taking the portal and handling things there works.
The issue is they have no real combat experience, so they aren't used to fighting...
But real combat inevitably produces casualties. They'd have to fight goblins, too.
I can't just let people die so they can build up experience.
While I was mulling it over, the Goblin Shaman settled down next to me.
"Hey."
"...Keuruk."
Standing beside me, the Goblin Shaman looked down at the Minotaur's head.
It nudged the head with its foot a few times, then looked up at me.
"Human. You got what you wanted, so will you fight us now? Keuruk. I've heard that humans grow stronger by killing their own kind."
"No. And the Achievement Levels will probably be enough."
"...Keuruk."
The Goblin Shaman that had been poking the huge bull's head melted away, and the real Goblin Shaman came trudging over from the direction of the swamp.
Look at this guy. Testing me right up until the end.
"...Keuruk. Good work, human."
It waved a hand, and the gathered goblins began dispersing in every direction.
"...Yeah. You worked hard too. Want me to send you off in one go?"
"Keruk. This is a monumental day where humans and kin did not slaughter each other. Do you mean to stain such a day with blood, human?"
It rummaged inside the skull it wore over its head, then gulped down something it pulled out.
"Human. That regression of yours... it resembles my kin who repeat their deaths in the Tower."
"...It is similar."
Goblins who come back to life even when killed, and me, who regresses when injured. You could say we're alike, in a way.
"But human... humans retain their memories. Keuruk."
"...So what?"
"Sometimes... remembering can be more painful. One day it may feel like a curse. Keuruk."
"..."
"Do your best, human. I'll be right here, doing my best to kill humans."
After saying that, it grinned and crumpled to the ground right there.
"..."
Whatever it swallowed earlier must have been something toxic.
So, regression might feel like a curse, huh?
I know that well enough. I'm doing my best to make sure it doesn't.
Had to get that last obnoxious remark in, didn't it.
And how exactly am I supposed to claim this special kill-contribution reward? Why isn't there any guide for it?
While I was grumbling to myself.
Woom.
-[Achievement Notifier!]
-You have defeated the boss.
-A portal is generated at the boss's location of death.
At last, the portal revealed itself.
"Hmm."
I thought about it for a while... but I decided to go in first instead of regressing here. There's no other way to save *everyone*, anyway. And sooner or later, I had to experience the next stage.
"Alright, go in one at a time. It's probably safe..."
No, wait. Now that I think about it, that could end badly. What if some monster suddenly jumps out? Sure, they have Achievement Levels, but these people have no normal levels and no combat experience. I should go in first, and if anything seems off, I'll regress.
"...Wait about five minutes after I go in, then come through."
I threw myself straight into the portal.
[Moving to the next stage.]
Nod.
A man in a suit bowed politely.
"Welcome, humans. Did you have an enjoyable experience?"
The space had a tidy yet chilly atmosphere. More of it was veiled in shadow, as if not all the lights were on, but...
judging only by what I could see, it was designed like a human-world courtroom.
The peculiar thing was there were no seats for defense attorneys or prosecutors; only the judge's seat existed.
And in the center of the courtroom, there was a large scale.
"You must have thought you barely survived... are you bewildered?"
Having finished his greeting, the suited man took a seat at the judge's bench.
"First, I'll ask a question. What do you think you'll be doing here?"
This Tower is a Tower built to judge humanity.
At the same time, it is a Tower built to test humanity. It is mankind's final chance to avoid God's wrath.
Perhaps that's why God did not permit just anyone to enter this Tower.
Only God-fearing, obedient lambs who follow His rules were permitted entry.
However, since the world has grown so corrupt, He is also well aware that such people are few.
A merciful God decided to grant leniency. He decided to give everyone a chance to enter the Tower, so long as they paid the price.
"From now on, you humans will stand trial. You will undergo screening to enter this Tower."
Tap.
The place the man pointed to held something that looked like a giant spring scale.
"This scale... measures the 'Weight of Sins' of each of you."
The man rubbed his white-gloved hands together.
"What sins did you commit to survive? Did you stab a comrade in the back? Did you strangle your sleeping benefactor? Or did you, determined to be the only survivor, finish off a dying Goblin Shaman?"
He tapped the pan of the scale with a thud.
"Every single wicked act you committed... this scale will calculate it precisely. And you will pay the appropriate price."
It is absurd. It is unfair.
After creating a situation where people have no choice but to kill or be killed, they force you to pay for the sins you committed.
This is nothing short of tyranny.
But... God has always been like that.
God is one who rages as He pleases when His creations' behavior doesn't suit Him.
God is one who makes rules as He pleases and punishes those who break them.
God is one who erased an entire kingdom for daring to challenge Him.
God is one who commanded a father to offer up his two sons as a sacrifice.
God is capricious. God is cruel. God imposes His rules upon humanity.
And humanity always simply accepts it.
This time is no different.
"Now. Step onto this scale one by one. And pay the price."
Humanity... simply accepts it.
Humanity has always been like that.
"The method of payment is up to you. You may pay with your lifespan, you may pay with your Status Window's Stats... or if that doesn't suffice, you may offer up parts of your body. You merely need to pay a sufficient price."
The man grinned.
No, he was the 5th-rank Angel Jeziel.
This was his favorite moment.
When humans who cannot accept their own sins wail. When they rack their brains in a frenzy trying to figure out how to pay the price. When they realize that even their lives aren't enough to pay the price, and they plead with God.
His finest masterpiece was one man who asked if he could pay the price with someone else's life.
Humans become infinitely selfish the moment their lives are on the line.
Though that may only be natural... since God says He dislikes it, the Angels simply carry out His will.
"Now, please come up one at a time."
While the Angel sat at the judge's bench, the humans were seated in the gallery.
Snap!
When he snapped his fingers, the lights above the shadow-covered gallery seats lit up.
And at last, the humans were revealed.
"...Huh?"
Angel Jeziel drew in a sharp breath.
So many.
There are too many people.
The total number who enter Floor 0 is 201. Why 201 and not 200?
Because God loves the number three, and thus summons people in multiples of three.
Accordingly, the prepared gallery seats also number 201.
It goes without saying, but normally over half the seats are empty.
Because Floor 0 is designed for mutual slaughter. Because it's made so that you can hardly survive without sinning.
However... right now, every single seat was fully packed.
Jeziel did a quick sweep with his eyes, but he couldn't spot a single empty seat.
"..."
An unprecedented incident. Total human survival on Floor 0.
Angel Jeziel had no choice but to admit it.
Something... is going strangely awry.