354 – Regression (2)

Regression. Not a half-regression, but a true regression. If that is possible, everything can be solved.

“If I start over from the beginning, I can do better because I know everything. I can fix it in the direction I want.”

Just as the main characters of web novels desperately wish for a return at the last moment, I also wished for a return. I wished to go back to the beginning.

Well, this is natural. In today’s world, who hasn’t imagined going back at least once, and who doesn’t regret the present? If only I had made a better choice, if only I had gone in a different direction… That’s what humans do.

“…What are you going to do?”

In fact, what really matters is the method. How to regress. What to do after regressing is important, but the method of regression itself is also important.

In fact, the best thing is that the ability evolves. I realized the true way to use the power called ‘Regression’, and I used the ability that evolved one level to return! The protagonist who awakens the hidden power! Awakening! Victory!

“I wish.”

As you know, I am not that kind of talent. I am not a man who burns with passion, and I am definitely not the type to become strong in a crisis. I don’t even expect it in the first place.

But the things I’m good at are… thinking. Planning. And trying.

“I think it was the 17th or 18th floor. Do you remember?”

“…What floor was that?”

“Why, that. There’s a level where you have to awaken your magic power.”

“ah.”

17th floor. A floor that can only be cleared if you have awakened your magic power. Since I had already awakened my magic power, I was able to clear it easily, but this floor was actually one of the biggest crises I had ever experienced.

The 17th floor was a structure that gave a magical shock to the body as soon as you entered, and made those who entered faint. This was to stimulate the magical power that was dormant in the body and awaken it more quickly, but from my perspective of returning after taking damage, it suggested the terrifying possibility that I could be trapped forever. (Fortunately, I was able to avoid returning because I had already realized the magical power.)

Here, I thought, ‘Will there be an enemy who interferes using magic power in the future?’ and started training to resist the ‘magic shock’ that is applied when entering the 17th floor. Fortunately, I was quite familiar with magic power, so I was able to adapt quickly.

-The current verdict is… that the climber has not yet reached the 17th floor.

Surprisingly, the 17th floor was judged as ‘having entered a floor if you receive a magical shock’. I, who resisted the magical shock, was judged as not having entered the 17th floor at all.

Of course, at that time, this method was not applied to ‘regression’…

“It might be possible.”

If a country has become this strong, it might be possible. No, this is the only answer.

A return that is not a limited return to the moment you entered each floor, but a return that is truly a return to the beginning. A return that goes back to the tutorial. A return that allows you to start everything over again. If that return is possible, then this current crisis can be overcome. It can be overcome.

“There are two main methods I’ve thought of now.”

First, recognize the ‘judgment’ of regression and resist it.

Just as the magical signal on the 17th floor determines when a floor has been entered, there will surely be a similar determination for the return. There will be something that records when I enter a floor and sends me back to that point when I return.

What if I could catch that signal? What if I could resist that signal the moment I enter a floor? What if I could twist the judgment to say, ‘I haven’t entered the 29th floor’?

Maybe… we can go back to the 28th floor before that.

If this doesn’t work? I have another plan.

“at the same time.”

Do you remember the ‘Sane Training’ I’ve always done? Every time I entered each floor, I repeated the training to regain my senses as quickly as possible in preparation for the threat, and I reached a level where I could confidently say that I regained my senses much faster than the average person.

If you grow it, grow it, develop it further, and take it to the extreme.

“What if I take damage at exactly the same time as I enter the tower?”

If you take damage, you will revert to the moment you entered each floor.

But what if the moment you take damage here and the moment you enter each floor are exactly the same? Nothing might happen, but… maybe you might come to your senses on the previous floor. Yes, it’s entirely possible.

It’s all just a possibility so far… but if I, in ‘that world’, succeeded in returning to the past, there is no other way. This is the only answer. That’s why I absolutely must succeed. To return everything to the way it was.

“Jiwon, what do you think?”

“… It’s possible. I think it’s possible. It’s a plan that suits you, Junho.”

Choi Ji-won listened to my plan and slowly nodded.

“But it’s not a plan without problems.”

“…”

“The doppelganger on the 5th floor… He said he was friendly to you, so let’s say so. I don’t know if he’ll give in again, but I’ll assume so. Junho, since you said so.”

To return means to start everything from scratch. However, it is not a complete new beginning. Those who have memories will retain them because of my ‘companion return’. That is the return. That is the difference from a world that has lost its connection to the ‘center of the world’.

But the memory remains.

“What are you going to do about Cheonma? We worked so hard to take him down.”

It is said that the memories of Cheonma are also preserved.

As expected, Jiwon Choi. She quickly discovered the weakness in my plan.

“Cheonma also returned with him. He must have all his memories. What are you going to do after you return to the past?”

The Heavenly Horse that was defeated using companion regression. This one is the biggest problem.

First of all, this guy is a Munchkin itself. Even without the condition of ‘regressing when damaged’, he is too strong to be defeated, and it is impossible to win a fight. Unless you bring a warrior from the 29th floor, it is impossible to be an enemy.

The problem is that I over-stimulated him in the most recent round. I made him believe there would be a ‘next time’ before I killed him, and he accepted death without a second thought. I guess he was gritting his teeth at me.

It doesn’t matter now that the guy is dead, but what if he regresses again? What if Cheonma, who has all his memories, regains consciousness in Guntar’s body? Not only will he be given enough time… but what if he finds out that it was before me and Choi Ji-won even reached the 28th floor?

I don’t know. I have no idea what will happen. But I know for sure that this will be a huge variable. If he tries to kill me, there’s no answer, and if he stays quiet because he’s aware of the nonexistent archangel, then he’s lucky. If he kills someone and finds out that ‘there is no angel who presides over the regression. I was fooled’… that’s a disaster.

“Junho, you too have become much stronger this time… in the ‘process’. It might be possible to get our bodies out. But what about the others? If Cheonma stays on the 28th floor and kills everyone, what will happen to the other players?”

“…”

The biggest flaw in my plan. The biggest Achilles heel. It’s the horse.

“If you wear a ring…”

What if you put a ring on Cheonma? It won’t work since there’s no status window in the first place. But what if you put a ring on a book this time?

“No. Absolutely not.”

That would be no different from Kim Jun-ho of ‘That World’. Absolutely not. I still remember that sad look. He succeeded in getting Choi Ji-won back, but it was a fake Choi Ji-won. In the true sense, it was not the Choi Ji-won who shared everything with me. Since returning together was impossible in the first place… it would be okay to think of her as someone else.

“…”

First of all, returning to the past is difficult, but defeating Cheonma is even more difficult. The problem here is that the moment you return to the past, you must stop Cheonma.

So, it means that you can think of a way to stop Cheonma first, and then think of a way to return to the past. But can you stop Cheonma? Cheonma, who has all the memories… Is it possible to deceive him again?

Fighting is impossible. Even if I activate the ‘Hero’ trait on everyone in the arena, I can’t win against Cheonma. I don’t know how strong Cheonma is, and even if my strength with the Hero trait is equal to Cheonma’s strength… I can’t take any damage at all. You want me to win against an opponent of equal strength without getting hit once? That’s impossible.

Is there… no way? Is there… a way… a way…

Me, lost in my thoughts. Choi Ji-won, who is beside me and thinking along with me. I can’t lose her like this. I absolutely must come up with a solution. However, even though I am in a relatively stable state, for some reason my mind won’t work. Concentrate, please concentrate. I mean, come up with a solution.

Kim Jun-ho. How did the Kim Jun-ho of that world defeat Cheonma? He can’t fool Cheonma. That means he can’t kill him either… Did he just break it? Did he focus on breaking the 28th floor without worrying about the damage to other people? But that’s not my style.

Yes. Let’s think like a guy. Let’s think about the past. Let’s trace the footsteps I’ve taken so far and find a new path. I’ve been through all kinds of things. The answer is definitely in my experience. I’m a returner. I’ve been on the top for longer than anyone else, and I’ve suffered more than anyone else. I can do it. I know.

“… If it were me.”

Suddenly, the image of the warrior flashed through my mind. His cold gaze.

“You can do it.”

It’s possible. It might be possible. No, it definitely will be possible. This will work.

“Cheonma… can be taken down. At least it can be neutralized.”

Warrior. If we use the guy’s case… we will definitely succeed. With that confidence, I explained my plan to Jiwon.

“Is it completely okay? If only you could do something about Cheonma…”

And if the problem of Cheonma is solved, even theoretically.

“Regression… Want to try?”

All that remains is to put the plan into action.

The name of the plan is… a bit cheesy.

“I’ll try.”

It was decided as ‘excessive regression’.