Choi Ji-won Is Too Strong (3)
Choi Ji-won Is Too Strong (3)
Zhuge Liang. Sima Yi. Zhou Yu.
What all capable strategists have in common is the ability to achieve two or even three gains from a single move.
I may not be a phoenix, but I'd like to think I'm at least a stork...
The core of this plan is to have Choi Ji-won follow the exact same path I once took to liberate Floor 2.
Putting the City Master off her guard is the most obvious benefit.
But pushing Choi Ji-won forward to clear Floor 2 instead of me brings three additional advantages.
First.
I can hide my identity.
It wouldn't be bad to step forward and be hailed as Korea's hero, but...
Like I said, the regression is the problem.
First off, what am I supposed to call my trait? I might be able to brush it off with a lie at first, but what happens later if someone invents a machine to scan traits like in a hunter series? Or if someone has an ability that can analyze another person's trait?
Let's say I get incredibly lucky and manage to gloss over the trait itself.
When I use my regression to obtain useful information, passing that info along is extremely tricky.
If I were an outsider, I could just toss the info out and bolt. But as a close ally, questions about the source of the intel and how I acquired it are bound to follow.
I could make excuses at first, saying it's just a coincidence or whatever... but that can't last forever.
Because Koreans, who've become intimately familiar with the Tower medium through webtoons and web novels, will inevitably start thinking of the existence known as a 'Regressor'.
The only weakness of an Infinite Regressor is having the fact that they regress exposed. Stepping into the spotlight brings more harm than good.
That's why putting Choi Ji-won forward was such an attractive option. She's going to be worshipped as Korea's hero anyway, so adding a little more to her fame won't make a noticeable difference.
Here's the second point.
I can strengthen my relationship with Choi Ji-won and Firefighter Park Cheol-jin.
I don't mean becoming comrades like in previous cycles. I mean deepening our business relationship.
Right now, our connection is just the brief bond we formed in the Tutorial. That's it.
There's some lingering gratitude for being rescued, but nothing beyond that... barely more than a vague acquaintance.
But let's look at the two people in front of me again.
Choi Ji-won is set to rise as Korea's representative player in name and reality, and Firefighter Park Cheol-jin was also a player who would make a name for himself.
If I firmly plant my mark here and now?
It'll absolutely be a huge help later, whether in the Tower or in reality.
The government's prized gem, supported by Kim Jun-ho? Whew. Just imagining it feels incredible.
Finally, the third point.
I can feed Choi Ji-won the Diamond Reward.
Of course, there's huge merit in me taking an Elixir for myself when we eventually climb to Floor 3.
But I believe investing in Choi Ji-won is worth more than that.
If I build a good relationship here on Floor 2, I'll be able to receive Choi Ji-won's help going forward.
I could outsource fights against enemies I can't overwhelm on my own... (The City Master is a terrible matchup for me in the first place.)
I was also curious to see just how strong Choi Ji-won, who was already powerful, could become if she got her hands on an S-rank Trait.
There's also an element of repaying the favor for her help.
I'm not that heartless of a bastard.
To shamelessly use Choi Ji-won and then turn away with a casual 'Good job' would gnaw at my conscience.
I've already taken everything I needed from the Diamond Reward anyway... so conceding it to Choi Ji-won in the end is fine. I'll hand the Platinum Reward over to Firefighter Park Cheol-jin.
"First... let's work on the Bronze-class residents on each street."
And so, Choi Ji-won, Firefighter Park Cheol-jin, and I dispersed to our assigned streets.
Now it's truly starting.
We collected the Badge Boxes from the Bronze-class residents. Then, with their cooperation, we swept through the Silver-class residents in one go.
You might ask, isn't this just repeating what I've done already? And you'd be right.
But the difference is that the one leading the charge is Choi Ji-won. I'm just staying in the back, hat pulled down low, helping out here and there.
"Everyone. Let us fight. Let us change this absurd system with our own hands!"
While I used the Curiosity Trait and the Awe Trait to manipulate people at will, Choi Ji-won commanded them with her innate charisma.
Her confident posture. Her upright gaze. Her radiant appearance.
The devilish leather armor, which would probably look like a rookie's getup even on Vin Diesel, gave off a refined aura when draped over her body.
"...Oh."
The way she handled the nobles was different too.
Unlike me, who hid among the residents and launched one-sided attacks out of fear of getting hit, Choi Ji-won just walked right through the front door and smashed the noble's mansion.
Choi Ji-won probably has no levels right now. She cleared the Tutorial without killing a single Goblin, and even though her bonus stats went up from her Achievement Level, they wouldn't match the stats from when she used to slaughter Goblins back then.
That's why the strongest Choi Ji-won I remember is the one from when she pushed the Minotaur into the swamp.
But the current Choi Ji-won looks even stronger than that version of her.
Of course, the Choi Ji-won from that time was faster, stronger, and sharper.
However, while the current Choi Ji-won's physical abilities might be lacking compared to the one who took down the Minotaur, the precision and detail in her movements are on a different dimension.
'She's fully adapted to her changed physical abilities.'
A genius like Choi Ji-won had been given three weeks.
In that time, she steadily grew. And Boongboong-yi would have matured over those three weeks as well.
There was a reason why Choi Ji-won clears Floor 10 one month and one week from now.
"...I've improved a lot, haven't I?"
Choi Ji-won turned to look at me after snatching the Badge Box from the unconscious noble.
"...I trained like crazy on Floor 1 to become stronger than the 'you' I saw that day. I also revised my swordsmanship... to match my current physical condition."
The corners of her lips lifted slightly.
The result of her fully adapting to her changed physical abilities and revising her swordsmanship accordingly was... truly overwhelming.
Of course, I'm currently stronger when I stack the Hero Trait.
But... if Choi Ji-won steadily accumulates levels and decks herself out in high-quality traits and items,
I got the feeling that she might just become the strongest in the world.
"A pleasure. I am the City Master."
We finally faced the City Master.
"Here, I'll just give you the Diamond Badge... so why don't you put down those bags and leave? Or will you fight me to win freedom for the residents?"
It might be startling to have her suddenly ask for a fight, but I had told her about the City Master beforehand, so Choi Ji-won wasn't too flustered.
"...Miss Ji-won?"
"..."
Nope. She was fucking shocked. Choi Ji-won's eyes didn't know where to look.
"...I can't beat that."
Choi Ji-won bit her lower lip slightly.
"That person... is a monster."
Even Choi Ji-won called her a monster.
Even Choi Ji-won, who had fully adapted to her physical abilities, couldn't dare measure up to the City Master.
"It's fine."
But it was fine. Winning the fight wasn't the objective.
"That woman... is the type who enjoys the fight itself. She won't come at us with all her strength from the start."
Do you think I'd be crazy enough to push Choi Ji-won into certain death? I had a plan.
I believed Michael Jeter's story.
The City Master doesn't fight seriously from the beginning. He said she toyed with Jeter like a game, then delivered one powerful blow at the very end.
I'm going to aim for that gap of carelessness.
"But..."
"You remember the plan, right? Do your best, but aim for the spot I subtly pointed out. As discreetly as possible. I'll drive in the wedge while she's caught off guard. Trust me."
If it really looked like something would go wrong... I'd regress before Choi Ji-won got seriously hurt.
"...I'll trust you."
After hearing me out, Choi Ji-won seemed to steel her resolve and stepped forward.
"You wish to fight? Very well. I don't dislike people with spirit."
The City Master nodded with a satisfied smile, while the Angel was visibly flustered.
"Uh, uhh...! If you fight here...!"
"This much should be acceptable, no? Lord Angel? I will ensure the residents are not harmed."
"Ugh... Gah! I'm not taking responsibility for this!"
The Angel, carrying a wooden board summarizing the grade-based rewards, grumbled and disappeared somewhere.
"F-fight? With the City Master? Weren't we just going to talk things out? Using the Badge Boxes as leverage..."
"Let's just bail. This is insane."
The residents who had flocked to the square like a cloud frantically fled to their homes at the news of a fight, and the players who had figured out the situation peeked out, mixed in among the residents.
"If I win, you'll have to put down those bags and leave."
"...If I win, you will stop this class-hierarchy play."
"Well, if you can win, that is."
The empty square.
In the exact center, Choi Ji-won and the City Master faced each other.
The terrified residents had long since been holed up in their homes, and the alleyways were packed with players who had taken positions to watch the fight.
Quite a few people were watching the two figures, yet the square was utterly silent.
Yet that silence was not a cold silence, but a heated silence that felt ready to explode at any moment.
"...Is this fight for real?"
One player unknowingly gulped.
They had felt it faintly ever since the residents started acting strange. That something on Floor 2 was going weird.
Then, a sudden riot? A revolution? Something had happened regardless.
At first, they were curious about what was going on...
But now, all the players realized the reason.
That woman. The woman with the ponytail was the ringleader.
She was the culprit who had turned Floor 2 upside down, and now she was about to have a showdown with the City Master.
Because they were people who had gone through life-or-death battles in the Tutorial, they understood instinctively.
What they were about to witness from now on would be a fight unlike anything they'd ever seen in their lives.
"This should be entertaining. Don't you think?"
The City Master loosened up, twisting her neck from side to side.
"Hoooooh."
The moment Choi Ji-won slowly exhaled and drew Boongboong-yi from its scabbard.
Choi Ji-won and the City Master.
The two figures vanished.