182 – The regressor’s agony (4)

The conditions for accompanying regression I guess are as follows.

First. I feel strong emotions towards a certain object.

Second. At the same time that I felt an emotion, the subject must also feel a strong emotion towards me.

Third. After regression, memories of all previous times when ‘I’ felt emotions are injected into the subject.

This was close to a type of big data that Choi Ji-won and I obtained through repeated regression. There is a high possibility that it may not be completely accurate, but I am confident that the big picture will be similar.

And according to this guess… It is highly likely that Dok Soo-hee has regained her memories of the time she betrayed herself.

To summarize the timeline, I felt ‘anger’ because of Dok Soo-hee’s betrayal, and this is where her memories are saved.

After returning, I listened to Dok Soo-hee’s story and activated the awe trait, and here the condition that Dok Soo-hee felt strong emotions was met. Afterwards, my emotions must have crossed the threshold as I felt guilty for blowing off Soo-hee’s arm.

In other words, when Dok Soo-hee regressed for the first time after I entered the 4th floor, she would have regressed as well. How much did I regress back then? I don’t remember very well, but I think I regressed for at least 3 days.

“… “

But with just these three days of regression, and not multiple regressions, but just one regression, will Dok Soo-hee be able to know that the regression originated from me? There may be a lot of circumstantial evidence, but I don’t think it’s enough to be certain.

“This watch. “What do you want to say?”

In other words, there is no reason for me to give information first here. After organizing my thoughts, I see the situation clearly.

“Hmm. Are you pretending not to know?”

However, Dok Soo-hee narrowed her eyes, perhaps because I had given her information by organizing my thoughts. She keeps tapping my watch with her right hand.

“Okay. “I’ll let my side play first.”

Suddenly, a warm cup of coffee appears in front of me. It was probably taken out of the inventory right away.

“Would you like to drink it?”

“… “I don’t drink coffee.”

“Really?”

Dog Soo-hee shrugs her shoulders and begins to tell the story.

“To be honest, I didn’t doubt it at first. It’s just that my plan was read. So I thought, I was punished.”

“But?”

“But after clearing the third floor… Oh, I was unconscious. Anyway, after clearing the third floor and returning to reality… When I was looking at the empty spot in my arm and contemplating the pain… “Time went back?”

Her right hand tried to grab my wrist, so I moved my arm to avoid it. I seem to have the upper hand in reflexes. Do you think there is a chance of victory if you make a surprise attack?

“At first, I thought I had gained the ability to regress. I seriously wondered if I had gone crazy. The scene where Junho betrays his brother, which I had never experienced, also came to mind. However… No matter how much I think about it, I think you showed off a lot on the 3rd floor. “It didn’t look like someone experiencing the situation for the first time.”

“… “

What Dok Soo-hee said is true. I predicted the appearance of the wolf in the first room, took the lead in practicing how to break through the mirror trap, and broke through the needle traps coming from all directions with my body. Yes, now that I think about it, it is not at all strange that Dok Soo-hee is convinced that I am a regressor.

“It is said that he was quite active even on the 4th floor… My doubts became confirmation. On the topic of going through the first four floors, does it make sense for everyone to survive? If it wasn’t the first time, it would make sense. Perhaps a regression ability with a limited number of reps or a limited duration? “If certain conditions are met, others can regress as well.”

“… “

“And judging by the reaction now… I think I know at least that it wasn’t intentional for me to regress together. “At first, I thought they were intentionally making me regress and then observing my reaction, but I’m disappointed.”

“So what do you want to say?”

From what he was saying, it seemed like he hadn’t figured out the condition that it would return if it passed by, or the exact point of regression. Well, it makes no sense to know this. I raised my head threateningly and glared at Dok Su-hee.

“I didn’t come here to fight, brother.”

Then Dok Soo-hee spreads both palms and retreats a little.

“Again, I hope you will accept me as a colleague. I was foolish on the third floor. I was consumed by the thought that I had to climb all the way up the tower with this ability. It’s actually a good ability too. Now something like this is possible.”

Tang. A metallic sound echoing from the glass table. There was a pistol lying on the table.

“But… There are many strong people in the world. There are also people with greater abilities than me. “A regression or something.”

“… So?”

“As I said on the third floor, I want to climb all the way up the tower. Monopolizing the rewards is just part of the process.”

“… “

“But what if there is cooperation from a person with regression abilities? If it were us, wouldn’t we be able to climb all the way up the tower? The reason I haven’t contacted you all this time is… I wanted to prove that I was the best and most capable colleague. “This arm is proof of that.”

Dok Soo-hee shows in front of me the right arm that was clearly missing.

“I got the elixir at an auction. And you know the player association president, right? I am now a member of his direct team. Michael recognized the potential of my abilities. If we can return together multiple times, I can be confident that I am the best colleague. “There are truly endless ways to use inventory capabilities.”

Conflicting emotions such as love, hatred, envy, inferiority, self-love, and self-destruction swirl in the colorless eyes. Dok Su-hee was crazy.

Here, if I also have emotions above a certain level, Doksuhee will definitely satisfy the regression conditions. I calmed down and buried my back in the chair.

“First, I’ll think about it.”

“… “Is that all?”

“Uh. So go now.”

“… Great. “I said everything I wanted to say.”

Dok Soo-hee looks at me one last time and leaves. The pink watch is still on my wrist.

“Are you finished?”

“… “Did you hear that?”

“No. “I don’t think it’s polite.”

Kang Chan and Choi Ji-won come in a moment later. I immediately asked Kang Chan a question.

“That… Kang Chan. “You must have been betrayed by Dok Soo-hee, so why did you go together?”

“Iyura. At first, it was a request from the president of the association. “They asked me to stop a monster that would appear in Korea.”

Kang Chan looking down at the cold coffee. The pistol that Dok Soo-hee summoned earlier has already disappeared.

“But as I got older, I realized that she had matured a lot. “It would be fair to say that she was humbled.”

“… “

“I believe that traitors do not get a second chance… Aren’t you just a high school student? “I thought so.”

According to Kang Chan, Dok Soo-hee has definitely changed. Although he sometimes mumbles strange things to himself, he is basically sincere and polite. Of course, I don’t know whether the change is just a temporary change or a true change.

“Whoa… “

Dok Soo-hee’s return. This is a huge variable.

Actually, there is a definite solution.

Kill Dok Su-hee and enter the 16th floor. Then, the past is confirmed, and Dok Soo-hee disappears from this world forever. I don’t have to worry any more.

“Whoa… “

But… I don’t know. I feel guilty about killing the girl who shows a different side now. Although he is a traitor… You are doing me a favor now.

If it were an old man, I would have killed him. Choi Ji-won would have rehabilitated her. I was now at a crossroads of choice.

“Junho, what’s wrong?”

“This…” “I’ll let you know later.”

But the real problem is not just Dok Soo-hee. I was looking further into the future.

In the future, will I be able to climb the tower without fighting with anyone or having feelings for anyone?

That can’t be true.

When I think about the malice underlying this tower, when I think of its dark, sticky design, I can’t help but have feelings for someone, no matter what. Hatred, love, whatever.

However, if it is a group of humans that I detest, it is certain that a bad ending will await them when they return together. They will be the ones who will use the time they have returned in the worst way imaginable.

“… “

Yes, I thought the regression was too loose. As long as you are given the reversal ability called regression, the tower can be cleared unconditionally, unconditionally. I also set the clearing of the tower itself as a constant, to the point where I paid attention to whether I was broken or not in the process. The ability to return has that much potential.

But if the negative emotions I harbor can also trigger regression… The story changes. The possibility that not only the people I love but also the wicked can return has a profound impact on the future I envision.

The solution is… there is. There is one very easy solution. That’s how I become numb.

Even if you are betrayed by someone, stabbed, trolled, or even if you kill someone, you should not feel anything.

All you need to do is not even feel guilt, let alone hate, and be able to look at everything in the world dryly.

Choi Ji-won, all you have to do is distance yourself from your colleagues and climb the tower in solitude.

I only have to sacrifice myself.

“… “Why me?”

It’s like the thing I wanted to avoid so much… Like a worn-out returner.