The Regressor Takes Action (1)
The Regressor Takes Action (1)
"Just hand over the badge and go."
"Hah... You think kidnapping people is easy? The residents have their own vigilante corps, you know."
"I know it's not easy, that's why I'm telling you to hand it over. Eh? You can just do it again, right? We don't have that ability."
When I walked into that familiar alley, a woman with a golden pattern floating above her head was arguing with the three punks blocking her way.
"Get lost."
Without a moment's hesitation, I drove my elbow into the backs of their skulls with everything I had. Used my elbow because I was worried the skin on my knuckles might split against these thickheaded bastards.
I'd always dreamed of cracking some rude bastard's head like this. Ahh, that felt good.
"...! Are you insane?"
The woman's eyes went wide as if she'd just witnessed something obscene, while all three punks' eyes rolled back as they collapsed unconscious.
'One... two...'
I ignored them completely and counted in my head.
I'd committed undeniable violence.
Now... how long until the City Master arrived?
'Three...'
And so, roughly three seconds later by my perception.
"Assault. Verdict: three hours imprisonment."
Kwaaaaaaaaaang!
My vision flashed white, and I lost consciousness completely.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 2.]
***
"Fine. Fine. I'll give you that."
I'd thought I might at least catch a glimpse of the City Master's face, but I didn't expect to black out instantly.
No, I didn't even feel any pain. Their technique is remarkably clean.
I don't know if I was killed or just knocked out... but I've confirmed that this City Master isn't someone I can even think about challenging.
Honestly, I don't even know what hit me. At least with Choi Ji-won's sword I could see afterimages. This one I couldn't see at all.
If I gathered every resident in the city and activated the Hero trait, could I win?
No... I doubt it. The real problem is gathering people in the first place. And it's not clear whether the city residents would even perceive the City Master as an enemy.
"I could exploit this if I wanted to..."
But there was a loophole in Floor 2's rules.
The City Master doesn't appear the instant violence is committed.
Three seconds. After a three-second grace period, the bastard's attack arrives.
And with my current physical abilities... if I sprinted at full speed from the alley entrance for three seconds, I could probably reach the Angel.
"If it's probably doable, I'd better try it."
I'd finally gotten sick of digging into Floor 2's hidden backstory.
I don't want to agonize over a perfect solution anymore either.
This Tower's unreasonable structure? It encourages human wickedness?
The complicated stuff can wait. I can change things later if I want.
It'll all vanish once I regress anyway. For now, I'll deal with what's right in front of me.
Let's get the Platinum Reward first and think after.
I'll say it again... this time, I'm doing whatever the hell I want.
"First..."
Baron Licht, I really want to beat the shit out of this bastard.
"A pleasure. Baron Licht... guh!"
I swung hard and smashed the face of Baron Licht as he extended his hand with a smile.
Baron Licht's body crumpled instantly, unconscious.
Thwack!
I delivered a powerful soccer kick to the bastard's fallen form, then without hesitation, I pulled one Platinum Badge from the scabbard at his waist and tucked it into my clothes.
Huaaak!
A platinum-colored pattern blazed to life above my head, enormous and so blindingly bright it dazzled the eyes.
I was a walking billboard. If I walked out of the mansion like this, the rumors would spread in an instant.
People from other streets would swarm in to form a Barrier of Benevolence, and the players on this street would grab my ankles demanding to know how I'd gotten a Platinum Badge.
And I couldn't use violence against them. Why? Because the City Master was watching with their eyes wide open.
The moment I stepped outside the mansion, my every move would be restricted. A structure where someone else's greed obstructs my achievement.
I couldn't leave the mansion through normal means, but...
It was fine. I had a plan of my own.
I pulled aside a resident who happened to be passing by the front of the mansion and spoke quietly.
"Excuse me, resident. Ah, it's the second floor here. Look up."
"Uh, uhh... yes?"
"I'm a climber. And I just knocked out that obnoxious Baron Licht. As proof, a platinum-colored pattern is floating above my head."
"Ah, uh... yes. I see."
"You're grateful, right?"
The resident nodded, still looking bewildered.
"...Right? He was an obnoxious little bastard, after all..."
"Then please help me."
"What can I do... I'm just a resident. I don't have the power to help you."
"It's fine. It's simple. First, could you get me a set of clothes? If you help, I'll give you a nice medicinal pill. Eating this boosts your virility."
"...Boosts my virility? Is that true?"
It seems I've finally found a practical use for the Berserker's Potion.
"..."
Just a moment ago, a player in leather armor passed right by me.
But he showed a surprising lack of interest. Didn't even look at me.
The reason was simple.
I wasn't wearing leather armor, but the plain cloth clothes the residents wore.
It was funny that players were distinguished mainly by their clothes in the first place.
Because if you deliberately change your clothes, you become indistinguishable.
"...Looks familiar, though. Like that Asian guy who got summoned in front of me earlier."
The Black guy, David whatever his name was, tilted his head with a puzzled look and passed by.
Even someone who'd seen my face couldn't recognize me just because my clothes were different.
Leather armor is obviously an item. Common sense says there's no reason to take it off.
Unless it's for disguise, like I'm doing.
In this place, where people's attire is standardized by class, changing clothes became the perfect disguise.
Now, you might wonder: Wait, there's a huge, beautiful pattern floating above your head—why don't people recognize you? Why do they just walk past?
The solution is simple.
"You're holding onto it, right?"
"...Yes."
I'd left the Platinum Badge with the resident who brought me the clothes earlier.
I was worried the resident might suddenly snap and shoot magic at me, but fortunately, that didn't happen.
It seems the standard for a resident's forced reformation is determined by the 'Badge Generator,' and simply possessing a badge has no effect.
The pattern generated when holding a badge is limited solely to players.
A resident holding a badge doesn't generate one. After all, no pattern appeared above the resident's head when I handed it over.
In other words, as long as a resident holds the badge, no aggro is drawn.
And so, I was able to walk down the street, the two of us passing for a pair of friendly residents, escaping the players' attention.
A truly perfect plan.
I smoothly crossed the street, passed the alleyway, and just as the square finally came into view—
I spotted the roadblock punks.
"...Hey, aren't those just residents? Let them pass."
"Ah jeez, you dumbass. Didn't you hear the story? Jihoon told us earlier, a while back some bastards changed into residents' clothes and passed through here. The guys blocking the road didn't realize it until they'd already reached the Angel."
"...That happened? How'd Jihoon know that?"
"Said he heard it from the guy who taught him how to block roads here. The guy who taught him supposedly snatched a gold badge and went up ages ago. You two, residents. Come here."
I'd completely fooled them as a resident, but... these bastards were true artists of roadblocking.
Taking every precaution for even a minor thing. They have the mindset of high achievers.
The punk who called me and the resident over puffed out his chest and thrust it toward me.
"Here, try hitting my chest. I heard you can use violence between residents and players."
"..."
Was this bastard some kind of elite punk? He'd devised a perfect way to distinguish a player from a resident in an instant.
A player wouldn't hit him for fear of punishment, and a resident could hit him without any issue.
But there's one thing the bastard didn't consider...
"Thank you for helping me this far. You can give it to me now."
"...Yep."
I'd already come ready to beat the crap out of someone.
The moment the resident pulled the Platinum Badge from his clothes and placed it in my hand, a brilliantly shining platinum-colored pattern blazed to life above my head.
"Uh, uhh..."
The two punk bastards' jaws dropped in shock at that very moment.
I shoved the punk who'd told me to hit his chest hard with my shoulder, and immediately started sprinting toward the Angel.
Three seconds.
I run. Squeezing every ounce of strength from my leg muscles, I run and run again.
Two seconds.
"Hey! Angel! I've brought a badge! Please send me straight to Floor 1!"
I announce to the Angel in advance that I have the badge. The Angel looks slightly bewildered, but I see them nod.
And then, one second.
Just before the City Master's solemn judgment could descend—
I hurled my body toward the Angel...
Wooong!
[You have cleared Floor 2.]
[Please select your Platinum Reward.]
My body passed straight through the portal, successfully arriving on Floor 1 once more.
My plan had worked exactly as intended.