The Regressor Is a Cloud (4)
The Regressor Is a Cloud (4)
Step. Step. Step.
I walked the cave path in silence, my mind racing furiously.
Let me go over our party once more.
First, me — the Regressor. My actual combat ability is on the higher end, but because of the penalty that sends me back from even a scratch, my effective combat strength is the lowest of the group.
Second, Dok Su-hee with her enchant ability. The 'Explosion' enchant she grants is incredibly useful, and in the previous cycle, she had pulled out a wolf heart fragment and was about to do something. I needed to confirm the true value of that ability as well.
Third, Ahn Gyeong-jun. He trolls us in the mirror room, but his raw strength seems formidable. The wooden spears he throws carry terrifying force, and when facing the golem, he had produced a spear with an unusual design.
Finally, Kang Chan. Along with his killing intent, he can unleash an absolutely monstrous 'fist.'
"...Interesting."
Three out of four members were hiding their true selves.
I concealed the fact that I'm a Regressor. Ahn Gyeong-jun hid the spirit that takes over his body in combat. Kang Chan hid the true nature of his ability. You could practically title this 'Players Hiding Their Power' and no one would bat an eye.
Objectively speaking, our combat strength wasn't lacking at all. Kang Chan's ability had conditions to meet, but its performance was practically a cheat key. Dok Su-hee was close to an all-purpose support — ranged attacks, defense, and utility. Ahn Gyeong-jun, once the possession kicked in, was terrifyingly strong. Though his intelligence seemed to take a hit.
So I decided to go with the plan any normal person would come up with.
Namely, face the golem head-on.
"Alright, everyone. Hear me out for a moment."
The wolves were dealt with instantly by the possessed Ahn Gyeong-jun, same as the previous cycle. We passed through the mirror maze blindfolded without issue. Kang Chan smashed through the arrow trap in one go.
"Guaaagh! Guaaaaaaaaagh!"
The problem was the usual 'Fear' room. Whether it was because I'd already experienced the nightmare of aging to death with no regression stopping it and had grown numb, the content of the fear had changed.
It was a nightmare of my insane self slaughtering everyone I knew. At first, I was in agony, tears and snot pouring out of me, but at some point I managed to pull myself together. I think it was because the thought 'This is just a trial' had been sleeping in my subconscious.
"...You're awake?"
"...We cleared it at the same time."
When I got up, I locked eyes with Dok Su-hee, who had tears streaming down her face. Considering that she'd been the one to wake me up in the last cycle, this was considerable progress.
"This metal... when it takes an impact beyond a certain level, it has the property of reflecting that impact back."
And so, at last, I was standing before the chamber with the golem once more.
"...Let's get ready. I can feel the presence up ahead."
"...Is it really that strong?"
"Beyond what you're imagining. According to my 'Insight' ability, it might be stronger than all of us combined."
The difference this time was that we were facing it fully prepared.
After bullshitting about having a made-up ability called 'Insight,' I repeatedly stressed just how strong the golem ahead was. The others were skeptical at first, but in the end they believed me.
"Chan, you take the rear..."
Kang Chan, who I already knew was a steamed bun with the filling already gone, was moved to the back.
"Su-hee, please have the wolf heart ready in advance..."
Dok Su-hee was put on standby, holding the finely diced wolf heart.
"And, Gyeong-jun, please get ready to fight. For real this time."
I nudged Ahn Gyeong-jun into drawing the ornately designed spear I'd seen before, not the old wooden one.
"...Alright."
Finally, with shields strapped to both arms, I glared forward. There was no point in me attacking. I had to focus solely on blocking the aftershocks of attacks.
At last, all preparations were complete, and the four of us stared at the unmoving lump of metal, swallowing hard.
"Hup...!"
Dok Su-hee's hand, clutching the monster wolf's heart fragment, began to glow blue. The heart fragment slowly melted away like ice cream, until only a blue flame remained, dancing above her palm.
Fwoosh.
With a careful touch, Dok Su-hee stroked the flame. She slowly laid the flame onto Ahn Gyeong-jun's spear.
The moment the flame touched the spear, it turned transparent, then began blazing fiercely along the spear's blade. What was peculiar was that despite the various feathers attached beneath the blade, they remained perfectly fine in the flame.
"...Hm."
The possessed Ahn Gyeong-jun nodded in satisfaction.
He twirled the ornate spear once, rolled his shoulders loose, worked his mouth around a bit, and then—
"Hup!"
He hurled the spear at the lump of metal.
CLAAAAAAAAANG!
A sound like tearing eardrums rang out, and at the same time, the spear came hurtling back toward Ahn Gyeong-jun along the exact same trajectory. The reflective property of the magic metal had activated.
Snatch.
Yet Ahn Gyeong-jun simply stretched out his hand with a calm expression.
The spear, which had been flying to harm its master, vanished from the air at some point. Or rather, it hadn't vanished — it was already in its master's grip.
If he could summon a spear out of thin air... then recalling a spear he'd already thrown wasn't exactly unreasonable. The important point was that we had a means to neutralize the metal's reflective property.
RUUUMBLE!
The moment it took the impact, the metal golem assembled itself in an instant. Fine cracks were scattered across its right arm. Traces left by Ahn Gyeong-jun's spear.
"...Hm."
It wasn't enough. The lump of metal had cracked, but the impact hadn't been strong enough to split it, and the wolf heart fragments weren't infinite.
'If I could spot something like the golem's core, I'd try more, but...' That sleek golem had no such thing.
Kang Chan's killing intent didn't work either. Dok Su-hee's enchant combined with Ahn Gyeong-jun's decisive first strike didn't deal meaningful damage.
And me... obviously nothing.
The situation was clear. We lacked firepower.
The firepower to shatter that golem bastard to pieces.
I shook my head from side to side, then bit down shallowly on my lip with my front teeth.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 3-5.]
***
"..."
It was proven once again that Kang Chan's fist was essential to bring down the golem.
No, maybe if we fought it head-on properly, we could somehow manage to win. A future might exist where we bleed, grit our teeth, cross the line between life and death, and emerge victorious.
But only if I weren't the type who regresses from a scratch. With me and Kang Chan both effectively dead weight, defeating the golem was a distant prospect.
Which meant we had to reach the golem with Kang Chan's 'fist' still in reserve. That fist and its blinding destructive power could take out the golem — which repelled physical attacks — in a single blow.
Whether downing the golem would be the end of it, or if another trial waited beyond, I didn't know. But one thing was certain: Kang Chan's power was necessary to bring down the golem.
However, the 'arrow trap corridor' also required Kang Chan's power. Aside from the possessed Ahn Gyeong-jun, everyone's durability was low. Hell, the moment an arrow so much as grazes me, I regress.
In the end, summarizing the problem was simple. Kang Chan's power was needed in two places, but Kang Chan could only use his fist once.
And simple problems usually come with simple solutions.
**
"Hup... 'Iron Wall!' Done!"
"...Hoo."
I steadied my breathing and took a big step forward.
Clank.
The moment my foot touched the smooth stone floor, the sound of metal engaging came from somewhere, and five arrows shot out, aimed precisely at where I stood.
In the previous cycle, I evaded by leaping backward. This was the very start of the trap corridor, and behind me was the safe zone. There was no reason not to dodge backward.
"Hup!"
Still, I gritted my teeth and twisted my body.
Gripping the two shields I'd grabbed from the weapon room at the start, I deflected arrows coming from left and right. Simultaneously, I lifted my left foot to avoid an arrow aimed at my ankle, rotated my body ninety degrees to dodge one targeting my ribs, and turned my head to evade one aimed at my face.
I had to contort myself into a ridiculously awkward posture to block all those arrows... but what mattered was that I dodged them.
"...Hah."
Carefully, I lowered my foot and stepped on the same patch of ground I'd pressed before.
Since I'd observed the arrows' trajectories in the last cycle, dodging wasn't too hard. A good start. I could celebrate the smooth beginning, but...
"...Fuck."
As the person who dodged those arrows, I knew it instinctively. If I hadn't known beforehand, I wouldn't have dodged that. This was not something you could handle on reflex.
The arrows flew too fast, their trajectories were cunning, and they were nearly silent. Even someone with animalistic senses would struggle mightily against this trap.
"Fuck, fuck..."
From the perspective of someone who regresses from a scratch, this was the worst possible trial. Even so, I took another step forward.
Clank.
The sound of something engaging rang out, and six arrows shot toward me. I deflected two and reflexively dodged two more, but I completely missed the remaining two.
Thunk!
But luck was on my side. Because I'd urgently twisted my body, the spot they hit was covered by the leather armor enchanted with 'Iron Wall,' and since they grazed me rather than hitting directly, the armor held up with only surface damage.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
Replaying the arrows' trajectories in my head, I took another step. My foot placement wasn't random — I was following my own set of rules. A measure to reduce variables.
"...Hm."
This time, I heard nothing. Was this a safe spot? Just as the tension in my chest was about to loosen a little—
Thunk!
A delayed arrow from behind embedded itself in my back, and I collapsed face-first with a scream.
[You have taken damage.]
[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 3-5.]
***
"...Get up, whelp."
Without answering Kang Chan, I wobbled to my feet.
If you've read this far, I imagine you've figured out what I'm trying to do.
Places where Kang Chan's ability is needed: two.
Number of times Kang Chan can use his ability: one.
Which means, one of those places has to be handled without Kang Chan's ability, under my own power.
So... I am going to get through this damn arrow trap.
Without getting hit even once, I am going to clear this arrow-pouring corridor.
"...Two."
Even if it means regressing over and over without end.