The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 13
Episode 13
Orc Karan, regenerating endlessly.
He’s what you might call the signature attraction of Nen Village.
Why, you ask?
Well, it’s a long story, but to put it simply.
He’s the final content of the Beginner Village.
To escape the Beginner Village—or rather, the Beginner Region—there’s only one way.
Defeating the field boss I mentioned earlier.
But most people avoid it.
Naturally.
‘Raids are hell, after all.’
But why call it hell when it’s content created by the game itself?
You might wonder such a thing.
A fair question, certainly.
Isn’t the flower of RPGs naturally the raid?
Then let me ask you the opposite.
Can you lead a raid with novices who haven’t even adapted yet?
They’d be sick of it from the start.
No, you wouldn’t even want to imagine it.
The boss is difficult, sure, but what’s truly terrifying is that the real enemy lurks within your own ranks!
‘Well, even with perfect coordination, some things are hard to break.’
Naturally, as befits the gatekeeper of the Beginner Region, it’s extremely challenging.
It should be, really.
Most ordinary people struggle to kill even a single rabbit—imagine if the boss were easy.
The balance would be completely broken.
And so the boss difficulty is absolutely insane.
As a result, most people never even experience a raid.
Sure, they can attempt it, but they can’t clear it.
That’s why PanTube is so popular.
People get vicarious satisfaction watching raids.
How thrilling it must be.
‘It was the same back then.’
Wasn’t it the same in old PC games?
Bosses you couldn’t possibly beat without spending real money.
Didn’t you feel catharsis watching streamers defeat such bosses in your stead?
Most people who love games would relate to that.
Of course, there’s also the satisfaction of raising your stats through effort and beating such a boss.
But in the Beginner Region, that’s impossible.
There are simply too few avenues for improvement.
It’s early on, so there’s no helping it.
You need talent, luck, or at least wealth to make it work.
Only then could you defeat the Beginner Region’s boss.
Without at least one of these, most players couldn’t even clear it, let alone gain experience.
‘It’s no coincidence that raid videos dominate PanTube.’
That’s why the field boss in the Beginner Region had a special nickname.
The Rookie Maker.
Defeat one boss, and you instantly become a rookie.
Conversely, if you couldn’t even do that, you weren’t treated as a rookie at all.
Naturally, this culture spawned something inevitable.
What, you ask?
Isn’t it obvious?
Records!
Or more directly—rankings!
Ultimately, it all came down to who was stronger.
This was still a hot topic even before Jin-woo’s regression.
The Beginner Region boss records.
Naturally, lower levels and faster clear times earned higher evaluations.
And the first place had never changed even once.
‘Kaiser.’
Pantheon’s unshakeable rank one.
Despite being an early player, he’d never once lost the top spot.
He was also the benchmark by which all Beginner Region boss records were measured.
Kaiser’s record remained unbroken even before the regression.
A staggering level 31, 31-minute solo kill.
Of course, the video still existed.
It was also PanTube’s most-viewed video.
But now that record was in danger of being broken.
‘If I break it now, I’m definitely taking first place?’
I’d vaguely decided to aim for rank one.
But it didn’t feel real.
Of course not. This was Kaiser we’re talking about!
I couldn’t even imagine defeating Kaiser.
But looking at the current situation…
‘I’ll definitely win.’
The First Epic title I’d just obtained.
I’d gained far too much from it.
Even if I challenged him right now, I might actually have a shot?
No, more than that—I’m already level 14.
Just one more level, and I’ll unlock another skill.
Why wouldn’t I be able to?
I’m not sure how much impact a single skill will have here, but at least it won’t hurt.
‘Phew.’
The thought of defeating Kaiser made me realize something.
Why am I getting nervous about this?
Gulp.
Even my dry throat was swallowing hard.
This life really has become different.
I felt it anew in that moment.
I just need to keep going like this.
Then I can do it.
‘That’s right. Nothing more, nothing less—just keep going exactly like this.’
Thinking that way put my mind at ease.
So, shall I go?
With that thought, I headed toward the village.
Why head to the village, you ask?
Even though my inventory is still spacious and there’s no particular reason to go, why am I going anyway?
It’s truly bothersome, but there’s no helping it.
To defeat the Field Boss, I need to clear a prerequisite Quest first.
‘How annoying.’
And it’s a Quest I have to do together with other players.
I really don’t want to do this.
But what can I do?
The system demands it.
When the system says jump, I jump.
‘Oh.’
I mustn’t forget to remove my equipment before heading to the village.
If they recognize me as a beta tester again, it’ll be troublesome.
Well, more accurately, it’ll be a pain.
Besides, even if they recognize me now, it’s not like I’ll get the First Title or anything.
So I’ll go in as a beginner.
This feels like some veteran player bullying newbies.
Wait, is it?
Well, I suppose it’s not entirely wrong.
Anyway, who cares.
* * *
Three hours and thirty minutes had already passed since Pantheon opened.
The internet wasn’t nearly as chaotic as I’d expected.
Why, you ask?
Everyone was too busy playing Pantheon!
Rather than waste time talking, I’d accomplish even more!
That determination filled me.
Of course, some arrived quickly and left reviews.
For instance, they’d write “Pantheon Review” and then
“Can’t leave a proper review—gotta hurry. ttyl.”
Posts like these were everywhere.
Well, just seeing this proved it was already a success.
It felt like the entire world’s internet had gone quiet for a moment.
That was the power of Pantheon.
Not because everyone wanted to start first or secure their spot—it was simply because it was fun!
Tensor was one of those players.
‘Damn, this is incredible!’
This wasn’t the frustrating virtual reality game from before.
The beta testers hadn’t exaggerated when they called it a perfect virtual reality experience.
That’s exactly what it felt like.
The NPCs seemed like living, breathing people.
How could simply talking to an NPC be this entertaining?
And it genuinely was.
“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?”
“Haha! Indeed! Most adventurers are rushing off to the Hunting Grounds, but you seem different.”
“Yes, getting to know the village is so much fun, hehe.”
“Nen Village truly is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes! Absolutely!”
I wasn’t exaggerating—it really was.
Medieval European architecture.
And since it was perfect virtual reality, it felt like I’d traveled to Europe.
With the medieval aesthetic, it even felt like I’d slipped through time.
Just looking at it brought joy.
And the kind villagers too.
I felt like I’d grow genuinely attached to this game.
“You’re quite kind, adventurer. Say, could you help me with something?”
“Oh! Yes! Of course!”
A quest!
Isn’t that another highlight of RPGs?
Though it was just a simple quest.
A genuinely mundane quest to move some cargo.
But even that made me feel satisfied.
I cleared several quests purely for fun, not to gain anything.
In doing so, it stopped feeling like a quest and started feeling like genuine good deeds.
This sense of fulfillment was genuinely heartwarming.
Phew! That was incredibly fulfilling.
‘I only meant to play a game!’
I never expected to feel this sense of accomplishment.
It truly felt like I’d traveled to another world.
Helping various people felt like becoming the protagonist from a novel or manga.
It felt wonderful.
After clearing the tutorial, I spent the next few hours talking to people and completing what they called Quests—though they were really just odd jobs.
But it was entertaining nonetheless.
Naturally, completing Quests granted me generous experience, and my level rose faster than expected.
‘Already level 6?’
Isn’t this faster than hunting?
Moreover, when I reached level 5 earlier, I even obtained a skill.
And it was a Rare-grade skill at that!
Probably because I’d completed so many Quests helping people, I acquired a skill called ‘Guardian’.
A defensive skill that increases health and defense when protecting someone.
It looked quite promising.
Excellent! So it’s true that good deeds bring their own rewards.
I hadn’t expected any compensation, but receiving rewards like this while others were out hunting made it feel all the more special.
Then.
I spotted someone standing in front of the Butcher Shop, looking troubled.
“Oh? Hans!”
“Ah! Tensor, is that you?”
My rapport with him had already increased through several Quests.
As proof, he was calling me by my nickname rather than formally.
It was truly gratifying.
Tensor thought this to himself as he looked at the troubled Hans.
Hans clearly had the air of someone about to offer a Quest.
Though there were quite a few players wandering nearby, none of them approached the troubled Hans.
Did they think he didn’t need help?
No—standing in front of the Butcher Shop, they probably assumed he’d offer some pointless Quest and avoided him.
Those shameless fellows.
When someone’s in trouble, it’s natural to help them first.
‘I’ll never become like that. I’m an adventurer with integrity.’
Absolutely right.
Tensor felt slightly embarrassed by his own thoughts, then turned to Hans and asked.
“You look troubled. Is something the matter?”
“Hmm, I can’t speak of this to other adventurers, but you—I can trust you with this.”
“Haha! I’m honored you think so highly of me.”
See?
Hans already trusted me, didn’t he?
Indeed, one must live righteously and see the results for oneself.
Tensor felt a deep sense of satisfaction welling up from within his heart, and he listened attentively to Hans’s words.
I wondered if this might be some kind of Quest.
But what was this?
“Well, you see, the Butcher Shop has found itself in quite a predicament. We’re out of deer—completely out of deer.”
“Out of deer?”
“Yes, deer. Strangely enough, they’ve been hard to come by lately. I wouldn’t normally bring this up to just any adventurer, but since it’s you, I thought I’d mention it. The other adventurers are still only catching rabbits, after all.”
“Haha, that’s true.”
“I think someone of your caliber should be more than capable of hunting deer, so I’m taking the liberty of asking for your help.”
“Of course! Absolutely!”
I’d never hunted before, but I couldn’t simply ignore someone in need!
The moment I accepted, a Quest message appeared.
[You have accepted the Quest.]
[Quest ‘Hans of the Butcher Shop’s Request’ has been created.]
[Hans of the Butcher Shop’s Request]
*Description: The deer population has apparently declined sharply of late. Something seems amiss. The cause remains unknown, but as a result, Hans of the Butcher Shop finds himself in quite a difficult situation.
*Objective: Hunt deer and procure meat for Hans.
*Reward: Moderate experience, 5 Gold
*Party Size: 2-person Quest (currently 1 person)
An unexplained phenomenon?
Isn’t this one of those typical Quests you see in games?
Moreover, it’s a prerequisite Quest—one of the linked follow-up Quests that come after!
I never expected to stumble upon such an opportunity.
Indeed, living righteously pays off.
Though the last part of the description did catch my attention.
A 2-person Quest, no less.
“Phew, I’m truly grateful you’re willing to help.”
“Of course I’ll help! Isn’t that what people do—help each other in times of difficulty?”
“Hahahaha! You’re right, Tensor—you’re different from the other adventurers!”
Watching Hans laugh heartily with enthusiasm, Tensor asked carefully.
The fact that it was a 2-person Quest was bothering him.
“Um, but Hans, do I need to hunt the deer alone?”
“Oh no, that’s not it.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“It’s just that the way the deer have been disappearing lately has me quite uneasy. Besides, since the deer live in rather dangerous forests, I’d feel bad sending you alone.”
“Ah, I see.”
Though I tried not to show it, I felt a bit disappointed.
After all, I possessed the rare skill ‘Guardian’—couldn’t I handle this alone?
Well, there’s nothing I can do about it.
It must be determined by the system.
So I’ll have to wait for another user then.
Of course, what else could I do?
Sigh.
A breath escaped me unbidden, but I had no choice but to wait.
There was nothing else for it.
‘Would another user really be willing to help?’
These people were like scoundrels—they’d ignore someone in trouble and just go their own way.
Ah, I wish Hans had just told me to go alone, even if it took a bit longer.
While Tensor was thinking this, a figure came sauntering from the distance with a carefree gait.
Clearly a beginner’s outfit, no question about it.
Not that Tensor looked much different, but at least he wore a leather breastplate—that much set him apart.
There was a difference, in any case.
‘Just another clueless beginner.’
I had grown by helping others like this.
To anyone’s eye, that beginner looked like he’d been chasing rabbits and come up empty.
Look, his clothes were even a bit dirty.
Predictable.
Definitely a user who’d just come from hunting rabbits.
He’d probably pass by like all the other scoundrels.
Or so I thought.
“Hey there! Hans!”
“Whoa! Well, well! If it isn’t Jin-woo!”
“Huh?”
A reaction on an entirely different level than what I’d received.
There was a stark difference from how Hans had been treating Tensor, whom he’d grown somewhat closer to.
It was the kind of reaction you’d give an old friend.
Who was this guy?
Walking around so casually, and Hans greets him like that?
Isn’t he obviously some kind of hoodlum?
His face… was admittedly handsome.
No, he looked like some pretty boy gigolo.
Definitely had that hoodlum look about him.
If you were a man, you should look manly like me…
‘Hmph.’
Anyway, this pretty boy beginner came over, swinging his hand casually as he approached.
What was so delightful about a guy like that?
But contrary to Tensor’s thoughts, Hans was greeting him with unbridled enthusiasm.
“Oh, how’s business treating you?”
“Haha, thanks to you!”
“Hahaha! Just happy to help—next time I’ll give you a better deal~.”
“Ah! You promised me, didn’t you!?”
“Hehehe! Would I ever go back on my word?”
“Don’t you do that quite often?”
“Well, yes! Hahahaha!”
They bantered back and forth like old friends trading jokes.
Tensor felt an inexplicable unease wash over him.
It had nothing to do with the man’s parasitic appearance—absolutely nothing.
He simply felt disgusted.
He had been building intimacy through Quests all this time.
And yet he was inferior to this guy?
Anyone could see that this man appeared far closer to Jin-woo than he was.
And on top of that.
“Ah! Perfect timing!”
“Hmm?”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Ah, you know my rates aren’t cheap, right?”
“Hehehehe! Of course, I wouldn’t expect you to do it for nothing.”
“Well then, I have no reason to refuse!”
“Hehehehe! If you’ll do me this favor, I have nothing to worry about! Yes indeed!”
“Make sure you compensate me generously.”
“Ah, don’t you worry!”
The moment he spoke, the system responded.
[A user with high intimacy has joined the Quest.]
[Hans’s rewards have been added.]
That man truly irritated me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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