The Hero's Regret
“Hah... hah... hah...”
“Master, just one more!”
“Hup! Hup! No, can't, can't.”
I threw the heavy barbell I was gripping down onto the floor and muttered.
“No, oppa, is this right? You finally said you'd do training, so I came to help, but you're making me say these weird lines.”
“Hey, keep the concept. You need to say that line to feel the strength.”
“What kind of training is this in the first place? I thought you'd be swinging a sword, using hero sword techniques, but you're just picking it up and setting it down. Wouldn't it be more fun to pick up my heart and put it down?”
“How hard is it to lift this? It has to be hard for it to count as training. Your heart can always pick it up and put it down. It's too easy.”
“Wow, bad guy.”
“Enough, let's continue.”
“Yes, yes. What I just did, let me see... barbell? Is this it? Then next is overhead press, or wait, I don't even know what it is...”
“Since it's me, it's fine. You just count the reps. Don't forget the lines. Hah! Hup!”
Why am I doing this?
Because it's the best way to get stronger!
Before regression, why didn't I do this? I can't understand it.
Back then, I really just blindly swung the sword like Lily said.
But this time, the situation is different. Since I've trained insanely in the previous life, I'm proficient with the techniques.
Even after 20 years, I won't forget them.
A bit rusty, but I'll adapt quickly.
So, the software is the same as in my prime in the previous life.
The problem is the desperate hardware. In the original world, I didn't really enjoy exercise or anything, just average.
Here, average isn't enough.
Think about it. I have to walk over 10 kilometers a day while riding a car every day,
And the only thing I had to lift was a water bottle, but now I have to run in iron armor.
It's killing me.
So, for the next two months until the Holy Sword quest, I'll train as hard as possible to build strength.
Even if I train for two months, how much will I change?
“Haaah! Hah, hah.”
I put the barbell down again and caught my breath.
“Hah, hah... Status Window.”
The window with all kinds of numbers appeared in front of me.
Status Window. One of the two cheat skills I received when summoned to this world.
I don't know who sent me, but they must have sent me with empty hands.
No, since they were going to give something, why not give two? Stingy.
Well, both are cheat skills, so no big complaint.
The first skill, Status Window, is literally a status window.
It shows my various abilities and conditions numerically.
Why is this a cheat skill?
First, being able to see how strong I am numerically is a big advantage.
I can accurately know how strong I've become.
Second, this has an incredible function: I can immediately know my current situation.
For example, whether I'm hungry or need to drink water, how much stamina I have left,
If I'm poisoned, if I have a disease, what kind, where the injured parts are.
It explains everything with numbers and intuitive pictures.
And alarms to wake me up, notes for when I need something, time check, calendar!
This is like a smartphone in this world!
Of course, only I have it.
And the second skill, Growth.
This is truly a hero-like skill.
It has levels from 1 to 10, and each level gives a 10% growth bonus.
Here, 'growth' means all the values I can raise through effort.
Studying, music, art, running, holding breath, cooking... and even the muscle strength I'm trying to raise now.
I can treat it as all of them.
So, now I'm 1.1 times faster, and at level 10, 2 times faster to get stronger.
Of course, when I reach the human limit, growth stops.
So, I can't break mountains with my fists or fly by jumping.
Of course, there's the 'Limit Break' passive, but I have to get it along with growth level 10.
By the way, before regression, I camped around the Demon King's Castle for almost a month,
Got Limit Break by chance, trained to the point of death, and in two weeks, cut off the Demon King's head.
I just walked into the castle, cut a few times, and before the Demon King could say anything, it was over.
Well, anyway, Growth is a versatile skill.
Besides growing quickly, it also prevents stat decline.
My thoughts were long.
“So, my current strength is... 25.”
It's not that bad. Really. The strongest person in the world was 160kg?
The numbers are capped at 100... so am I 40kg? A bit weak, not serious.
“After two months... can I reach 50?”
Well, thanks to growth, recovery is fast too, so if I exercise every day and sleep well, I can raise it quickly.
“Is this oppa crazy? Talking to the air?”
“Hmm, Status Window doesn't show to other people.”
“Muscle training is enough for now. Now, I should run around the castle for an hour and rest.”
“Yes, okay~. Shall I prepare the bath?”
“Oh, thanks. I'll run and then bathe, so prepare it nicely and coolly.”
“Yes~”
Let's go.
“Kyu~”
After sweating profusely and bathing in cool water, I feel refreshed.
“Today, I was supposed to bathe together... Eh, you're already out?”
“Kukuk. I knew that, so I ended the workout a bit early.”
“Ah, mean.”
“Ah. I have a gift for you.”
“Ooh! A gift? I was expecting... Eh, it's a book.”
“Yeah. I bought it at a bookstore after going to the training.”
“Eh, this is a magic book?”
“I saw it exactly. I have a mission for you.”
“No way, are you telling me to learn the magic here...”
“That's right.”
“Ah, it's too difficult.”
“I'll be by your side. So, you should be able to heal me, right? At least learn healing magic.”
“Well, if you say that... I'll work hard.”
“Good, thanks. I'm tired now, so I'm going to sleep.”
“Eh? It's still daytime?”
“It's the first day of training. I'm really tired. No matter what you say, I'm sleeping.”
“Then sleep well~ I'll wake you up tomorrow morning.”
“Okay, see you.”
Actually, the reason I'm asking to learn magic is just an excuse. There's going to be a professional mage in the hero party, so what am I going to do with magic?
I just needed time to be alone. To think.
I pulled the curtain and crawled into the blanket.
“Status Window.”
Immediate response. I scanned the menu with my eyes and selected note.
Hmm, it's time to seriously think.
How should I do from now on? How can I avoid becoming like the previous life?
How can I become happy?
‘Go home, back to the original world?’
I gave up last time, but a chance is given again.
It might be the last one. Probably the last one.
The last chance to see the faces of everyone I loved in the original world.
‘Yeah, that must be it.’ Then, I should subjugate the Demon King and return...
But, what happened to the original world while I was here?
Did time stop? For me?
What will happen if I go back now? Will I return to the moment I regressed?
Or, including the time before regression, will I arrive in the future 30 years later?
If it's the latter, I'll return to a world completely different from what I know.
Will the people I loved still be there?
If they are, will the changed ones welcome me back?
If they reject me... No. I can't experience that again.
I'm not that brave.
‘Then, if I stay here instead?’
If I stay here, I can't ignore the Demon King.
I'm the hero, and anyway, staying here means the Demon King is the only threat.
‘Hmm, anyway, the goal for now... is to subjugate the Demon King.’
Actually, I'm not sure. Do I really have to defeat the Demon King? Even if I defeat him, can't I just suppress him and put him in prison somewhere?
Because if the Demon King dies, my ability disappears. I don't want that.
Look. These skills, Status Window and Growth, are too convenient.
This time, I won't just throw them away.
‘Okay, then for now, let's disable the Demon King.’
I don't know if that will work.
To disable the Demon King, I need to be quite strong. Suppressing without killing is harder.
For that, Limit Break is essential. ‘Get Limit Break.’
‘Again... what about the party?’
Well, the party isn't a problem. I was on good terms with those guys.
Only... Floris. The Saintess. That woman is the problem.
‘Haaah...’ I met Lily and changed, got better, but when I think that 'thought', I don't know what it is.
‘What kind of emotion is this? Anger? Sadness? Both?’
First, I know my chest is tightening.
‘I don't want to meet her again...’
But if I form a party, I'll meet her somehow. And going to the Demon King like this now? Doesn't make sense.
I don't know how long it will take to get Limit Break.
Honestly, if I see her now... I don't know what I'll do.
‘Can I treat her indifferently? No, I can't.’
Can I just ignore her? Treat her as if she doesn't exist?
Or, cut off her head?
‘Cutting the Saintess's head with the Holy Sword... I kind of like it.’
The feeling when the Holy Sword pierced my heart. Short, but I could definitely feel it.
Indescribable pain. The sense that life is slipping away from me.
Fear of death.
‘Then you should feel a little of that too, right?’
I want to show you. I want you to feel it. How you made me.
‘Ah, what am I thinking...’
The current Saintess is just a girl. What I hate is not the Saintess.
Yeah.
What I hate is the future Floris, and Floris is not the Saintess.
The person I'll meet in the hero party now is the Saintess. Not Floris.
‘Thinking this way makes it a bit better.'
I'll decide on this later. Because no answer comes.
‘Ah, my head hurts...’
Let's think about the problem in front of me first.
The Holy Sword. I have to get the Holy Sword no matter what.
Since becoming strong is the top priority now, all the stats and effects in the Holy Sword are essential.
If there's another reason, it's regression.
When I decided to die, I had no abilities at all.
Then, isn't the Holy Sword the one that sent me to the past?
I have to figure that out for sure.
‘Good... then from tomorrow, training again.’
I promise the day I'll go find the Holy Sword.