269 - Regression Is Too Much

269 ​​– Proven by the Regressor (9) [Completion rewards for clearing the 27th floor have been granted.] - Clear reward for the 27th floor. - You can earn 200 contribution points. Duplicate usage is not permitted. "It seems impossible to ride it. It's also not feasible to step back and use it repeatedly. Just because you've managed to defeat it several times doesn't mean you should splurge on contribution." Choi Ji-won spoke while touching a small box labeled ‘Delete Reward.’ “They say they’ll provide 200 contribution points… If you give all of these to one person, I think I could buy something very expensive at the shop. It seems all those tricks aren’t effective. If this is the case, I should be more cautious, shouldn’t I?” “...” “If you want to purchase an expensive item, you’re at a disadvantage because you must battle without that item while climbing the tower. If you buy cheap items, you won't receive any contribution points, preventing you from buying expensive items later. I think I need to be very strategic… Ah, my head hurts.” She browsed through the various items on the 26th floor, pondering carefully about what would be the most efficient to purchase. “It’s okay to use your contributions immediately to become stronger, but… Junho: If I follow your words, can we say we’re rather ‘over-spec’ at this point? I think it would be better to save the contributions. What do you think?” “...” “Junho?” “Oh, yes. Sorry. I was just lost in thought for a moment.” “…If it’s important, should I give you some time to think?” “Would you do that? Thank you.” In truth, Choi Ji-won couldn’t focus on what she was saying at all. It was because she felt uneasy, as if something was constantly gnawing at her stomach. Before she returned to the 26th floor, within the confines of my mind, I replayed my conversation with the warlock. A warlock who toyed with the lives of people. It was something I said in response to or out of disgust to win an argument immediately. You didn't try your best, don’t be a hypocrite, you trash, and so on. But to say it was entirely insincere, that’s not true either. To some extent, I believed the warlock wasn’t doing ‘his best.’ More precisely, I didn’t think he chose the ‘best method.’ Was it really necessary to exploit people's lives? Should I deceive fellow humans and use them as fuel? I thought the warlock had crossed a line that should not be crossed. No matter how desperate things became, I believed we shouldn’t treat our fellow humans like livestock. There was a lot of rejection towards that, and my anger surged. Aren't there certain things you can do, and certain things you must not? “I…I think this is where the part that can be justified ends.” However, you shouldn't ask the warlock, 'Did you do your best?’ The moral goodness in cultivating humans and using them as beasts of burden. Except for crossing that line… It’s true that the warlock did his best. “Wow.” The world teetered on the brink of destruction. There weren't many choices available. The warlock probably didn't have many options either. In the grand scheme, this was also a point where you could see how populated the world remained even during the warlock’s turn. Most importantly, the word 'failure' doesn't equate to 'I didn't do my best.' Haven’t I done my best when I had to return after facing numerous hardships? No. Yet, I failed. This is because humans are fundamentally fallible. Yes, what I did was deceitful. A person with a silver spoon telling someone with an earthen spoon, ‘Why do you live like that?’ Looking down on them and saying, 'You should try harder.' Did I not do my best? No. I always did my best too. In fact, I tried harder and longer than others. To truly crack a single layer, I repeated regressions, gathered information, analyzed situations in detail, and achieved the results I wanted. I implicitly thought, ‘I worked hard, so naturally, I should get good results.’ I believed the outcomes I got were the fruit of legitimate efforts. However, there are people in this world who aren't given a chance to strive. Some people cannot invest enough time. You can’t criticize a child born in a slum who starves to death at age three for not trying hard enough. You can’t criticize a young person who inherits their parents' debt at birth, asking why they didn't prepare for the future. Did the warlock want to kill someone? I don't know. Maybe he did want to kill. Because he's a warlock. However, if we set aside moral standards, we can’t rebuke him for not trying his best just because he failed. Again, failure doesn’t mean you didn’t give it your all. “At first... Was I ever this arrogant?” My thoughts became blurred due to regression. I just said it out of anger. It was an unreasonable attempt to win the argument. There are plenty of reasons, but I've decided not to make them. Because, indeed, I was wrong. When did this all start? Certainly... I think I was the type of person who, upon hearing others’ stories, thought, ‘That can happen.’ I still believe that’s the case. When did it begin to change? It seems regression became something normal at some point. Racing towards success, having celebrities on TV recognize me, and being capable of changing my fate with my own actions… I thought it felt like a natural right. I considered myself special. It's true that I'm unique, but I was wrong to think it was all my doing. I acknowledged my shortcomings. I'm not a superhuman. Not a hero. Just a conceited fool, intoxicated with arrogance. I vowed to ‘be confident,’ but I failed to keep that promise. “Ji-won.” “Huh?” “This has been on my mind…” Having gathered all these worries, I sought counsel with Choi Ji-won. In my eyes, someone closest to the ideal line was Choi Ji-won. “Junho, there's something off about you.” Choi Ji-won sighed. “Am I not a superhuman either? I'm just trying to keep my promises.” “But I…” “I think it's true you made mistakes. It's also true that your thoughts have gone astray. But it can be corrected, right?” She spoke softly and placed her hand atop mine. “How can anyone be perfect? Humans make mistakes and lose their way. Isn't what's important the self-doubt when you're wrong and the desire to get back on track when you realize you've erred?” Choi Ji-won added that even a warlock isn't in a confident position as you've described. “If you've realized how unique your power is, and always remember that it's a strength others don't possess, I don't think there'll be any issues. Junho, you weren't trying to ‘deceive’ me, right?” “...” Choi Ji-won was clear in her words as well. What I did was a mistake and deceit. I shouldn't have spoken down to someone striving to save the world in the way I did. Yet, she also mentioned that what matters is correcting it. Yes, you can fix it. “Thank you.” You just need to be better. You need to grow. Realizing you lost your way is an accomplishment in itself. Philosophers always emphasize the importance of self-reflection. All you need to do is remain vigilant and maintain the effort to improve. “I don't have the conscience to say these things aloud.” It's something that should be said by a third party, and it's a bit embarrassing to proclaim it myself. It's like playing the drum and janggu all on your own. Still, I'm relieved. Because I can correct my mistake. I’m fortunate enough to be given a chance to fix it. In that sense, I'm the luckiest person in the world. “Let’s move on.” [You have taken damage.] [You will return to the moment you first entered the 27th floor.] *** – Thud. Thud. In the dark cave, footsteps echoed. “… ” The warlock retrieved his staff. It's an intruder. The figures... “One?” Indeed. One. It was only the sound of a single person's footsteps. The intruder, walking at a brisk yet steady pace, soon arrived at the heart of the cave. The identity of the intruder was finally revealed... To one's amazement. He was a young man clad in unusual attire made of fabric. He bore the appearance of a swordsman, with a sword at his waist, and an aura enveloping his entire being that was profoundly mysterious. “Hey.” A towering figure, he relaxed his neck and spoke first. “I apologize. I said you weren’t doing your best.” “…?” The warlock looked at him, bewildered. Regardless, the man continued speaking. “I was... arrogant. I dismissed your efforts. I still don’t think your method is right, but I shouldn’t have called it the ‘wrong way.’” “What are you talking about suddenly showing up here?” “They say if you do your best, you’ll achieve the best results… I wrongly assumed others were the same way. I’m sorry.” A nod. A bow of the head. The warlock’s fingers, which had been poised to attack, paused. “So, I want to apologize to you in my own way.” The man removed his transparent glove and gestured outside the cave with his bare hand. “Let’s go outside.” “…?” “Let’s step outside.” He erred. He made mistakes, he was arrogant. A man admitted his own faults. Yet at the same time, the ‘best’ moment he alluded to in the lost timeline existed. “Bingryong, let's take it down.” He sought to prove it.