The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 14

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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 14
Episode 14
[A party is formed through the Quest.]
[You join the party for ‘Butcher Shop Hans’s Request Quest’.]
A party Quest.
Hunting is new to me, and parties are new to me as well.
But I can do this well.
After all, I have Guardian, a Rare-grade skill!
That novice-looking guy will definitely be carried by me.
Wondering if he might actually be skilled, I checked my party member’s information.
[Lv. ?? Jin-woo]
-Current information is set to private.
‘Huh?’
Private?
You could set it that way?
Naturally, Tensor, who had only recently started, was flustered.
He hadn’t known it was possible to set information to private.
Besides, this was his first party anyway.
Regardless, that wasn’t what mattered.
‘Setting it to private means he doesn’t want it revealed, right?’
The reason was obviously because his stats were pathetic.
What other reason could there be?
It had to be that.
Tensor continued down his twisted path of reasoning.
Whether Jin-woo appealed to him or not, what could he do about it?
It was a Quest.
He couldn’t just troll his way through it.
[Butcher Shop Hans’s Request]
*Description: The number of deer has apparently decreased drastically of late. Something seems amiss. The cause is unknown, but as a result, Hans at the Butcher Shop finds himself in quite a predicament.
*Objective: Hunt deer and procure meat for Hans.
*Reward: Moderate experience, 20 Gold.
*Party Size: 2-person Quest (currently 2 members)
The Quest rewards had increased, or so I’d heard.
It really did go from 5 Gold to 20 Gold.
Wasn’t that a bit much?
Tensor thought that for a moment, then shook his head.
You don’t do a Quest just for the rewards like that!
I’m different from those mercenaries.
Yes, absolutely.
So whether it increased from 5 Gold to 20 Gold or not doesn’t matter.
I’ll simply do my best, just like always.
‘Yes, let’s think of it that way.’
I don’t particularly like this Jin-woo fellow.
But I’ll work hard for Hans’s sake.
He seems to be in a bind, after all.
Tensor reassured himself that he would carry the party, his confidence unwavering.
Jin-woo observed Tensor and pondered.
‘Why is he acting like that?’
I haven’t done anything to warrant it, yet he’s already looking at me sideways.
What did I do wrong?
Actually, there’s nothing like that at all.
The only thing I did was talk to Hans.
No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure it out.
Could it be because I talked to Hans?
No way.
Even if he were gay, that couldn’t be it.
Is he a yandere gay?
Oh man.
That would be pretty terrifying.
‘God, please let that not be the case.’
A chill ran down my spine, and I shuddered involuntarily.
As I glanced at Tensor again, party member information flickered into view.
[Lv. 6 Tensor]
-No current class
-1 skill
“Huh?”
I let out a surprised exclamation without thinking.
Wait, he’s not hiding his information even though we’re on a party quest?
Right, most people here are newbies.
Now that I think about it, that makes sense.
Looking at it now, party member information is far more detailed than expected.
It shows your class and even the number of skills you have.
Most people set it to private specifically because of that.
But this is a world of newbies, after all.
They simply don’t know any better yet.
‘More importantly, he’s level 6.’
I’m relieved to have a higher-level player in the party.
I was worried since so many people are still stumbling around catching only rabbits.
Fortunately, now we can attempt the preliminary quests.
Once we finish this, there won’t be any more party quests.
No problem.
Should we wrap this up quickly then?
But why does that person’s expression look so strange?
It was Tensor’s expression that seemed off.
It feels odd to say this, but…
It was repulsive.
That sinister smile—ugh, it was downright unsettling.
What was he thinking?
“Is there something on my face?”
I asked just in case.
Tensor forced an expression brimming with composure, but it only came across as revolting.
“Ah, I thought you were impressed by my level.”
“I see.”
Wow, there really are people who say that about themselves.
Is he judging me by my beginner’s attire?
Most people would be irritated and flaunt their strength.
But Jin-woo wasn’t like that.
Why?
Because I figured—well, a newbie can act like that sometimes—and let it slide.
After nine years, how many clueless newbies had I seen?
I just accepted it as it was.
I should play along appropriately.
“Right, I see. That’s impressive. It must have been hard just catching rabbits.”
“Haha! I’ve never hunted even once!”
“What?”
“I reached this level by helping the villagers, befitting my status as an adventurer.”
“I see.”
At Tensor’s words, my face twisted.
Seeing that, Tensor naturally assumed I was showing inferiority.
Well, what else could he think?
Wasn’t I the one who was surprised seeing his level in the first place?
He was completely treating me like a beginner.
Level 6 was quite high for now, after all.
But still, that wasn’t it.
‘Reaching level 6 through quests alone…’
The efficiency wasn’t terrible, but how many quests would he have had to complete for that?
There were no titles to be gained from doing many quests in the first place.
That’s why I never did it.
But he actually did.
My expression couldn’t help but contort.
This guy is seriously twisted.
He actually enjoys helping others? Is that what he’s doing?
I need to finish this Quest and end the party quickly.
‘Ugh, this is exactly why solo hunting is better.’
I’ve met quite the strange person.
Just look at him now.
Walking ahead with that overflowing confidence, speaking so assuredly.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Haha, don’t worry—just follow my lead.”
And this guy claims he’s never even hunted before.
He must have some decent skill.
Though at best it’s probably just Rare-grade.
Even the way he walks so confidently is irritating.
I’ll just have to bear with it.
But then,
“The forest with the deer isn’t that way—it’s this direction.”
“Ah….”
Tensor, who had been walking so confidently, suddenly faltered.
Then, as if he’d known all along, he nodded and spoke.
“Oh, right. Of course. I just got confused for a moment. Let’s go then.”
Watching him walk again after that,
I felt my breath catch in frustration.
He’s absolutely unbearable to watch.
Should I just reveal my information instead?
‘No, there’s no need for that.’
Jin-woo’s current level and skill count are in a completely different league.
There’s nothing to gain from telling him.
It would only invite unwanted attention.
He’s disgusting to watch, but I have no choice.
Sigh, let’s just finish this as quickly as possible.
* * *
There were two Hunting Grounds near Nen Village.
One was the Northern Hunting Ground, close to the Mine Field.
The other was the Southern Hunting Ground, with its forest and plains.
Naturally, Tensor and Jin-woo were headed to the Southern Hunting Ground.
They were going to find deer, after all.
Of course they had to go into the forest.
Arriving at the Southern Hunting Ground was fine, but there was one problem.
“Get that bastard!”
“Damn it! How is a rabbit this fast?”
“Hey! Don’t stab my feet with your sword!”
“Just dodge it! Stop getting in the way!”
“Drive it! Drive it!”
“Got it!”
The marketplace floor was never this chaotic.
Despite the relatively small number of people who had chosen Nen Village early on, hundreds of hunters had flooded into the Hunting Grounds, creating a sea of humanity.
Well, the Hunting Grounds were spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people comfortably.
The fortunate part was that we needed to head into the forest rather than the plains, so it didn’t really concern us.
The problem was that the forest was equally crowded with people.
And…
“Insane! Wolves are coming!”
“The plains and the forest are completely different!”
“There are aggressive monsters here too! Be careful!”
“Hey, don’t come this way!”
“And you shouldn’t come this way either! Ugh, seriously!”
The people seemed considerably on edge because of the aggressive monsters swarming in.
I had to navigate through all these tense hunters.
This was troublesome.
Well, as long as I was careful, it should be fine, right?
The real problem was the monsters.
‘What do I do? I’ve never hunted before.’
Gulp.
I was nervous.
But I tried not to show it.
Why?
Because he was right behind me.
I glanced back over my shoulder.
There was Jin-woo, strolling leisurely with a long yawn and an air of indifference.
‘What is he relying on? Ah, he’s relying on me.’
I answered my own question silently.
Well, that made sense.
To anyone’s eyes, Jin-woo looked utterly disheveled.
The unmistakable appearance of a novice who had failed to catch a rabbit.
That’s why I thought the same way.
When a monster appeared, I’d have to catch it impressively.
Tsk, there’s no helping it.
Even if I didn’t like it, I had to do it for Hans.
‘Hehehehe.’
I indulged in fantasies all by myself.
A low growl echoed before Tensor.
Still at some distance.
About twenty meters, perhaps?
A single wolf snarled from that distance away.
“Grrrrr.”
A stroke of fortune.
Though the wolf was an aggressive monster, there was only one.
The other parties I’d seen on the way up were all fighting packs of two or three wolves.
This creature appeared to be alone.
If it’s just one, I can handle it!
This was the perfect moment to show off!
“Please stay behind me.”
Khhh! How impressive, Tensor!
Of course, that was only Tensor’s own thought.
Jin-woo simply stood there, looking bored and indifferent.
But Tensor, oblivious to this, struck every dramatic pose he could muster.
A Tower Shield purchased with money earned from Quests.
A shield that covered most of the body, with considerable defense and durability.
With this, my Rare-grade Guardian skill would surely perform admirably.
My preparations were flawless.
Now I just needed to hunt!
“Come on, bring it!”
As Tensor called out confidently, the wolf responded.
It looked remarkably ferocious.
The oppressive aura unique to aggressive monsters was no joke.
My palms were sweating from it.
To think it was this thrilling.
Truly, this was an incredible game!
In the moment Tensor was freshly experiencing the vitality of the Pantheon.
The wolf howled loudly and charged forward.
“Kraaaagh!”
It tore up the ground beneath its paws, launching itself into the air.
That was how forcefully it had struck the earth.
And so the wolf’s speed exceeded all imagination.
‘This… this is!’
Too fast. I’d invested all my points into health, trusting in my Rare-grade Guardian skill.
A clear mistake.
I should have allocated some points to agility.
But it was too late for regrets.
In the blink of an eye, the wolf was upon me.
Tensor flinched and raised his shield to protect himself.
Then came the wolf’s body slam crashing down upon it.
Boom—!
“Ugh!”
The impact was so tremendous that even I, who had invested everything into stamina and strength, felt my body shake.
My level was definitely higher than the wolf’s.
Yet the full force of its charge exceeded my imagination.
Still, if I could just land an attack somehow…!
I swung my sword to coincide with the moment the wolf struck my Tower Shield.
But the creature sensed it and quickly retreated backward.
‘This is troublesome.’
The damage I just took wasn’t that severe.
My shield had blocked much of it, and the Guardian’s effect had proven quite effective.
But separate from the damage itself.
The creature’s agility was far too high.
I couldn’t land a hit to save my life.
‘This is a close fight.’
But even this much is impressive, isn’t it?
Looking at other parties, five or six hunters were struggling against just two wolves.
Now look at me.
Facing a wolf one-on-one without backing down!
This alone proves just how exceptional I am!
Sure, my attacks aren’t connecting, but.
Being able to hold my own in a one-on-one fight is something!
Isn’t this what a capable tank looks like!
“Grrrrr.”
The wolf lunges at me again.
But not a chance!
Crash—!
Didn’t I block that one better?
My body didn’t shake, and the damage was far less than before.
At this rate!
I might actually win!
Excited, Tensor raises his sword to strike again.
The wolf simply launches off the Tower Shield and soars into the air.
“Huh? What?”
Then, falling from above, the wolf bares its savage fangs at me.
There’s no way to dodge this.
Should I raise my shield to block?
But the shield was too heavy to react in time.
There’s no choice.
I have to swing my sword!
“Hah!”
I’d thought it couldn’t dodge while airborne, but the wolf twisted its body to evade and lunged forward, trying to sink its fangs into me.
Tensor’s face went pale.
Ah, so this is how it ends for me.
I underestimated it far too much.
The very moment Tensor was about to be struck down.
A single blade wrapped in pure white light materialized before my eyes.
And then….
*Slice.*
“Huh?”
*Thud.*
“Don’t waste time here. Let’s hurry and find some deer instead.”
The wolf’s severed head tumbled to the ground.
And there, casually butchering the corpse and harvesting meat, hide, and bone, was Jin-woo. Tensor experienced a moment of cognitive dissonance and simply stared blankly at the scene.
Wait? Wasn’t he the incompetent one who couldn’t even catch rabbits?
He reacted to a wolf?
More than that—he killed it in one strike?
Could it be a monster with weak defense that dies in a single hit?
Tensor pondered this thought and turned his head to observe the other parties.
“Damn it! This wolf hide is too tough!”
“What the hell—the wolf’s fur is deflecting our blades!”
“That just means your attack power is pathetic!”
They continued their frenzied assault.
Yet the wolves stood firm, counterattacking relentlessly.
Right? That’s how it should be, isn’t it?
So why did it die in one hit?
In that moment of confusion.
I heard whispers from several other parties.
“D-did you see that just now?”
“H-he killed the wolf in a single strike?”
“I-is he a Ranker?”
“No, that’s not it—isn’t he a Beta Tester?”
“Damn, that must be it. How else could he already one-shot a wolf?”
“L-let’s not mess with that guy.”
Everyone looked shocked.
Wait?
Then I’ve been spouting all sorts of nonsense in front of that person?
My face suddenly burned so hot I thought it might burst.
Wow, the virtual reality implementation is incredibly well done.
They even included something like this.
As Tensor inwardly cursed beneath the blanket, Jin-woo spoke to him.
“Let’s go quickly.”
“Yes, sir!”
What? He’s being far more polite than before?
Not that I care.
At least I don’t have to see that disgusting expression anymore.
Though it was somewhat awkward watching the other users hunt.
But what can I do?
That power control I just used was the best I could manage.
‘There’s no helping it against pathetic monsters like wolves.’
Let’s leave this place quickly.

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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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