Regression Is Too Much - Regression Is Too Muchchapter 254

254 – The Returner’s Concerns (1)

-Entered on the 26th floor.

“Wow.”

The muscles that had been tense in preparation for an unexpected attack relax. Even though it wasn’t confirmed to be safe yet, I opened my mouth and looked around without realizing it. There is also a belief in body-fitting armor made using the ‘Ring of Transformation’.

“And… “

The same goes for Choi Ji-won. We started looking around frantically, like a couple who had just arrived from the countryside.

A skyscraper rising high into the sky. Next to it is bubbling magma. Next to it is a snowy mountain covered in permanent ice. Next to it again is a sheer rocky mountain.

Steampunk is a place where machines made of steam engines walk around. Science fiction with flying drones. A fantasy where an elf is stretching out. A ronin sipping bamboo leaf syrup. A monster hiding in a dark alley.

Based on the large circular plaza in the center where we are now standing. A wide variety of worlds, life, and buildings were lined up in all directions.

Is this what it would look like if dozens or hundreds of worlds were mixed together? Worlds so far apart that they seemed to fit together were coexisting in incomprehensible harmony. I mixed cabbage, soybean paste, pizza, cake, and ramen, and it feels like a strange combination. It’s hard to express in words.

“… It’s Choi Ji-won.”

“Who is next to me?”

Against this avant-garde background, this large square in the center existed all alone. There were several people sitting in a plaza that looked like a Colosseum made of pure white marble, and they were all muttering something while looking at Choi Ji-won.

“Choi Ji-won. Is that right?”

Among them, a woman walks towards me, and she pushes her face towards Choi Ji-won. An attitude that causes an argument no matter who sees it.

“That’s right.”

“Hmm… “

The woman who was watching Choi Ji-won up and down soon takes a couple of steps back.

“There were rumors, but it wasn’t a rumor. Welcome.”

“… “

“Who is next to you? Boyfriend?”

“I am a colleague.”

If another player asks about our relationship, Choi Ji-won answers without hesitation because he had promised to answer ‘colleague’. The woman looked back and forth between me and Choi Ji-won and said, ‘Welcome.’ Again, and then turned back toward the group.

“… “

“… “

After the woman is far enough away.

“What is that woman?”

“She’s a woman I know. Maybe she’s Italian or something. She later becomes quite famous. “I was here now.”

“Okay? “I don’t know much about players from other countries.”

I shrugged my shoulders and started looking around the 26th floor again. This place… There are more players than you think. There are so many.

And above all, they are all strong. In my first encounter, there was not a single opponent I could be sure of winning. (This is the standard when considering regression.)

“What is going on here?”

Highest player density we’ve ever seen. A strength that far exceeds the ‘average’ I previously knew. When I was thinking about what this meant.

“Welcome! Climber… Junho?”

An angel flies in and opens its eyes wide.

“… “Anael?”

“Junho! It’s an honor to see you again!”

This angel will be Anael, the sign angel whom we have met regularly since we first met on the second floor.

“Who caused an accident this time and got a seat?”

“Exactly! “You’re so sharp!”

Anael, with a smile the size of a hamburger gourd. With her smile still on, she took out a paper pamphlet from her arms and handed it out to each of us.

“What is this?”

“This is a brief map of the 26th floor!”

“… ?”

When I open the paper pamphlet, I see a detailed 26-story structure drawn, like a map of a theme park.

〈26th floor〉

-Choose whether you are satisfied with this or whether you want to cross the line.

Message windows appear one after another. The explanation for this floor is quite… It’s difficult. Is this unidentifiable strangeness the concept of this floor?

“The 26th floor is a rest area and a base! Some climbers even call it ‘Meeting Square’! It doesn’t matter what you call it! The important thing is that the 26th floor has two special features!”

Anael extends her hand to us who are looking at the pamphlet and lifts two fingers.

“First! Physical and magical violence is prohibited on the 26th floor! It is not a loose rule like the second floor, but a rule set by ‘authority’! Just thinking about breaking the law can result in disadvantages, so please be careful! “

“… “Violence is prohibited?”

Choi Ji-won, who was listening, tried to scratch the back of his hand with his fingernails.

-Tall.

“Huh?”

It stopped just before my fingernails and the back of my hand made contact. It doesn’t seem like he stopped on purpose. It looks like some kind of measure has been taken, like the ceiling on the 25th floor.

“… “Shouldn’t you have done this on the second floor as well?”

“Because the archangel in charge is different!”

Ana El lightly folds one of her fingers.

“And second! The 26th floor is a floor shared by all players, and can be accessed at any time from the 1st floor!”

“You can come anytime?”

“Yes! You are free to return to the 1st floor or come back to the 26th floor! That’s why it’s a ‘base’!”

“… Aha.”

It was only then that I realized why I, from the future, had difficulty ‘gathering information.’ Themselves.’

However, if there is such a layer, there is no need to build a separate community. You can exchange important information or items here.

“Ho… “

Well, it’s not like the status window has its own ‘gallery’ where you can exchange opinions. This is a level that can be considered a ‘large community of players’.

I also understood that there were so many people. Beyond the 26th floor, players who are currently at the forefront will often stop by the 26th floor. A place where all players on the 26th floor and above gather. That place is the 26th floor.

“So there’s nothing else we need to do here? Is it just cleared automatically?”

“You’re right! Plus, rewards are given! When you return to the first floor later, you will see that a special feature has been added!”

“… “It’s a completely distributed floor.”

Isn’t this a floor entirely for players? They provide convenience, give rewards, and let you eat one layer raw.

“On the contrary, you should not take it too lightly!”

Perhaps sensing my presence, Anael’s tone of voice, which had always been lively, changed slightly.

“The 26th floor… It’s a kind of turning point!”

Ana El spreads her arms wide and slowly spins in place.

“I think you’ve already realized that the higher you climb the tower, the stronger you become! The nobility of a being can be assessed by the nobility of its spirit, but a beautifully trained body also elevates its status. “They just have different directions, but they are all definitely great people!”

Chuck. She spins around and points at me and Choi Ji-won.

“In that sense, Junho and Jiwon… I can say that he is a very good human being! Aren’t you well trained not only mentally but also physically? If you could put a value on humans, your two names would be at the top!”

Anael slowly moved the hand that was pointing at the two of us from left to right. Soon a line was drawn between us and her. It is not an actual line, but a line made of light floating in the air.

“But from here… From the 26th floor onwards, climbers cross a certain line.”

From noble mtl dot com

A serious light appears in her eyes. This is the first time Anael speaks in such a calm and serious tone.

“The lower levels of the tower tested many elements of man. Quickness, wit, reasoning ability, cooperation, spirit of improvement… It is safe to say that the focus was on human nature and character. Even if your absolute power is lacking compared to others, it is a level that can be cleared if you have the right attitude.”

That’s true. The floors after the 4th floor required certain philosophical values from humanity, and were designed to be cleared only when the conditions were met.

This means that even Mr. Kim, who was of a low level and had poor characteristics, was able to climb the tower quickly if he had the courage to do so. Unlike the towers in other creative works, it is ‘relatively’ safe so that people do not die in droves.

“If you don’t, from here on out. From the 26th floor, Ilshin’s ‘power’ is used as the basis. If you don’t have talent. Unless you’re used to violence. If you are not prepared to fight to move forward… This is a floor that is no longer recommended for climbing the tower. “We always emphasize this for the sake of the climbers’ lives.”

However, it is different from the 26th floor. Absolute ‘force’ is needed. In addition to philosophy, if you don’t have strength, you can die in an instant. Anael said that.

“And one more thing. If you go further from the 26th floor… We gradually break away from human boundaries.”

“… What does that mean?”

“I repeat… I can say that Junho and Jiwon are still very great, amazing human beings. So if we go further than this… A superman in the true sense of the word. We are headed towards a being that surpasses humans.”

“… “

“Climbers who are not ready to go beyond, beyond, beyond humans… Are also… It must stop here. This is a layer with that meaning. It is a concept that encompasses responsibility, identity, and pure power itself.”

I remember what the King of the Maze said on the 25th floor. It is said that freedom was lost while struggling to be free.

There were parts of what Anael was saying right now that were consistent. I climb the tower to protect my humanity and at the same time prevent the destruction of humanity. Become stronger.

But the result… If I could surpass human beings and become something more than human. Will I regret it or will I be satisfied? Before I knew it, my worries became deeper.

“What! It all depends on the climber’s choice! However, we recommend that you think carefully before heading to the 27th floor!”

Only then did Anael return to his usual tone and retreat far away.

“I see another climber coming in, so I’m going to go guide him! Please come back later!”

“Uh, uhh! Yes!”

I was about to ask why the previous angel in charge was replaced, but I had already moved away. I guess I’ll have to ask next time.

“… If a human mind exists in a body that transcends humans, is it a human? No, isn’t the mind affected by the body and transformed?”

“Jiwon. “Let’s think about that later.”

I grabbed Choi Ji-won’s arm, who was absorbed in the topic Anael had raised earlier, and started walking to the place called ‘marketplace’ written on the map.

That is that, this is this.

“Let’s take a look around first.”

Worry about it later.

Now is the time to look around the 26th floor in more detail.