Chapter 33: The Regressor is Conditionally Strong (2)

 

“Goblin Shaman. I need your help.”

 

“...Heh?”

 

The Goblin Shaman looks at me with an expression that seems to say, “What’s this guy’s deal?”

 

He snorts, his face scrunching up in distaste, and then breaks into a small laugh.

 

“Heh heh... Human. I’m a dying Goblin. You’ve chosen the wrong one to ask for help.”

 

Then, the Goblin Shaman bursts into fits of coughing.

 

It seems he still doesn’t quite understand what I’m trying to say.

 

“...Shaman.”

 

“Cough... Cough...”

 

“I’m a Regressor. This isn’t the first time we’ve met.”

 

“…?”

 

“You’ve told me everything. The ancient dungeon, human adventurers, the voice of a god, and why you came to this tower.”

 

“...Heh. Human, you speak nonsense.”

 

Although the Goblin Shaman turns his head away while muttering a curse, I clearly see his milky white eyes waver.

 

“Seriously. This is the third time we’ve met. Do you know how much trouble I had to go through because you decided to dive into the swamp with golden beads?”

 

Slowly, I unravel the story of my experiences in this tower.

 

From the moment I regained consciousness, to the moment of joy when I acquired the Regression trait, and even the moment when I was double-crossed by the Goblin Shaman and heard the message he left on a stone.

 

I thought I had shared my tale quite earnestly, but...

 

“...So what do you want me to do about it, human?”

 

The Goblin Shaman scratches the back of his head, clearly unimpressed.

 

“Let’s get straight to the point. Heh. I could easily break the monster’s seal right now if I wanted to.”

 

He menacingly brandishes his staff.

 

“...Calm down.”

 

As he claims, if the Goblin Shaman were to release the Minotaur’s seal here and now, I’d have no choice but to regress.

 

But he hasn’t yet. Which means he’s somewhat interested in what I have to say.

 

“What do I want? Simple.”

 

I remember how the Goblin Shaman had all the other goblins kill themselves, effectively eliminating any source of food.

 

“Bring all the goblins on this island. Right here, to this spot.”

 

“...Cough. And then?”

 

“My trait gains strength when I’m protecting someone during a fight. If I’m in a situation where I’m protecting all the goblins, I could obliterate that monster in one go.”

 

“...Ha ha.”

 

The Goblin Shaman laughs, as if the idea is absurd to him.

 

“...Human, are you perhaps an idiot?”

 

He gestures wildly with his free hand, the one not holding the staff.

 

“I despise humans. I maintain this seal with the hope that humans suffer. Understand, human?”

 

“...I get it.”

 

“So do I look like a fool to you, human? Why should I help you people?”

 

“...”

 

He’s right.

 

There’s no reason for the Goblin Shaman to assist us.

 

In fact, he’d probably relish seeing us in pain; he has no incentive to help.

 

But without saying a word, I simply place my hand near his nose.

 

“...Human, what are you doing?”

 

“Smell it.”

 

“...It just smells like a human hand. I don’t understand what you want me to smell. Cough.”

 

“That’s exactly my point.”

 

“...Heh?”

 

Sniff. Sniff.

 

The Goblin Shaman flares his nostrils, smelling my hand once more.

 

“...Ah.”

 

It appears he has caught on to what I’m trying to convey.

 

“The smell of blood. You don’t sense it, do you?”

 

In this round, I didn’t even kill the frail goblins lurking in the bushes.

 

I only knocked them unconscious.

 

I remember, in the past, the Goblin Shaman told me that he could sense the smell of his kinsmen’s blood on me.

 

See? No scent of blood this time. Help me out here.

 

“...haah.”

 

The Goblin Shaman lowers his head solemnly.

 

“It’s meaningless, human. You simply didn’t kill my kindred this ’cycle.’”

 

“...True.”

 

“And even if you do manage to defeat the monster and move on to the next level... I’ll be here, memory wiped, waiting for other humans to come. Cough. I’ll plunge them into despair as well.”

 

“That’s also true.”

 

“So, human, there’s absolutely no reason for me to assist you now. Especially since you’ll likely kill me after you’ve slain the monster. I am no fool, human.”

 

“And why is there no reason?”

 

I shrugged my shoulders, as if baffled by his conclusion.

 

“You… You said you’ll be reborn with wiped memories after this cycle, right? If you’re gonna die anyway, does it matter if it’s a bit sooner?”

 

“...There’s no doubt humans are insane.”

 

The Goblin Shaman chuckles sardonically, but I know he isn’t particularly attached to life.

 

“And wouldn’t it be nice to have at least one cycle where humans and goblins don’t harm each other?”

 

“...”

 

The Goblin Shaman freezes upon hearing my words.

 

This tower forces us to kill each other.

 

Humans kill to survive, and goblins kill to avoid being killed.

 

And all I’m asking is for it to stop, just once.

 

For everyone’s sake.

 

“...Cough.”

 

The Goblin Shaman slowly closes his eyes.

 

“Haah. Humans are fools. Boldly asking me to die. Such a trivial act is nothing but a meaningless endeavor.”

 

Opening his eyes, the Goblin Shaman looks in my direction.

 

“And... I’m a fool too.”

 

He chuckles softly and snaps his fingers.

 

“As you wish, human. Maybe it’s not so bad to have one cycle where nobody dies.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’ll unseal it, human.”

 

“Wait a moment.”

 

My body feels warm. My head is a little fuzzy, but it’s not an unpleasant sensation. It’s as if I’ve downed a lot of alcohol.

 

“Everyone, please wait for a moment. I need to concentrate.”

 

Behind me stand around two hundred people. Much like the previous round, I had successfully persuaded the people who were in the vacant lot to come here with me.

 

How did I manage to get Choi Ji-won to agree? I insisted that I had a solution, and somehow she relented. Although she did warn me she’d cut me down if it looked like I was wasting time.

 

“...Is this really a good idea?”

 

“If he says it’s okay, then...”

 

For some reason, people were nervously glancing around, trembling.

 

The reason was simple.

 

Hundreds, no, thousands of goblins stood amassed behind them.

 

The reason I thought my Hero’s Trait could be activated for goblins was straightforward.

 

Would my Hero’s Trait activate if I were protecting a different race like elves or dwarves?

 

Most likely, yes. They are sentient beings after all.

 

So, what about goblins? The Goblin Shaman communicated with me actively. No one could deny that he is a sentient being.

 

There’s no reason why my Trait wouldn’t work on goblins.

 

Of course, there was a chance that the Goblin Shaman was a special case, but...

 

“Kekek, Kekkekkek...”

 

“Kekel, Kekek? Kekkekkek.”

 

The goblin horde was noisily chattering in their own language.

 

Ordinary goblins were cruel, human-hating, grotesque monsters, but...

 

 

 

They, too, were ‘someone.’ In other words, my trait applied.

 

 

 

 

“I think it’s working now.”

 

Slowly adapting to the overflowing power, I signaled to the Goblin Shaman.

 

“Cough, then I’ll release the seal, human.”

 

The violet rope connecting Minotaur to his staff snapped.

 

“Gruuuuuuuu...”

 

Slowly rising from his position was the Minotaur.

 

Clutching and unclutching his fists as if he couldn’t believe it, he soon picked up his axe.

 

“GRUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!”

 

“Wo-woahhh!”

 

“Aaahhh!”

 

It was a roar so loud it felt deafening.

 

His enormous eyes were unmistakably locked onto me.

 

His twitching muscles were gathering strength to crush me.

 

Had this been before, I might have been overwhelmed by his formidable aura and run away...

 

But now, I instinctively knew.

 

That wasn’t the war cry of an excited warrior; it was the howl of a frightened beast.

 

“You feel it too, don’t you?”

 

Step by step, I began walking toward the Minotaur, twirling the sword in my wrist.

 

Thump. Thump.

 

“Gr-GRUUUUUU!”

 

And as I closed the distance, the Minotaur retreated, little by little.

 

Even a child could see it. The beast was intimidated.

 

“Hah.”

 

Normally, Minotaur isn’t a monster created to be slain in the Turtorial. It exists merely as a mechanism—to set the time limit for the Tutorial floor—and to provoke conflicts among people.

 

Even Choi Ji-won, a monster beyond comprehension, had said she couldn’t guarantee a victory against this Minotaur.

 

Yet this unbelievable monster was fleeing before me, intimidated.

 

The very fact was so satisfying that I couldn’t help but smile.

 

Suddenly, I turned my head to look for Choi Ji-won.

 

“…”

 

Choi Ji-won scans me up and down with a stern expression.

 

I never thought the day would come when she’d be on guard because of me. I did say that I’d catch up to her someday, and now that I actually have, the feeling is surreal.

 

Of course, it’s just temporary doping... but a win is still a win, right?

 

The hard work has paid off. I can feel a sense of pride.

 

“GRRRAAAAAAA!!!”

 

Thump, thump, thump, thump-thump.

 

Thinking it saw an opportunity when I turned my back, the Minotaur charged at me crazily.

 

I spin smoothly in place to face the creature.

 

“Come.”

 

Maybe it’s because I’m focused, but time seems to slow down just a bit.

 

I tighten my grip on the sword in both hands.

 

I recall Choi Ji-won’s teachings once more.

 

My target is... the neck.

 

Although it’s a neck covered in muscle, with my current state, it’s possible.

 

No, it’s more than just possible.

 

Because, at this moment, I am… ‘hero’.

 

I lightly push off from my position.

 

The swing of my sword comes naturally.

 

And just as both my feet softly touch the ground—

 

 

The Minotaur’s neck rolls on the ground.

 

– – – End of Chapter – – -

 

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