The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 197

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

Episode 197
197
[All processes have been completed.]
[You will be transported to Nen Village in the Deron Kingdom, your designated starting region.]
[May the blessings of the gods be with you.]
As the tutorial ended and the message appeared, Sban found himself transported to the Plaza.
The bustling Plaza was packed with users, and new arrivals continued to stream in.
Nen Village in the Deron Kingdom—a realm that had become far too famous by now.
Once an unremarkable settlement, the village had exploded in popularity after it became known as the starting point of the legendary Jin-woo.
Many NPCs had struggled with the influx as if struck by plague, but they quickly adapted.
Humans were creatures of adaptation, after all.
The same applied to users as well.
Pantheon had long since become a global phenomenon.
Researching before starting was essential.
Most of those who came to Nen Village did so because they were interested in Jin-woo.
There was no way they would have arrived without gathering information.
As a result, the newcomers possessed considerable knowledge about this place.
Sban was no exception.
‘So this is the village where Jin-woo started…!’
It was a strange feeling, wasn’t it?
The landscape was one I had seen countless times in videos and information guides.
Yet seeing it in person felt entirely different.
With my heart racing, I pondered my next move.
Most who arrived in Nen Village would take the Jin-woo tour guided by the Village Chief, but I was still undecided.
The tour sounded appealing, but above all, my goal was to become as strong as Jin-woo.
I couldn’t simply wander around sightseeing.
Alright! I’ve decided!
With that determined expression, Sban resolved to go hunting.
To become as strong as Jin-woo, I couldn’t just enjoy myself!
‘Solo? Or should I form a party?’
Of course, hunting presented numerous choices.
Whether to hunt with a party or go solo.
Either way worked, but forming a party would lower the difficulty.
Though I harbored the desire to become as strong as Jin-woo, I understood reality well enough.
No matter how talented I was, there were limits to what I could handle alone.
Even famous rankers belonged to Guilds, which said something.
If I possessed overwhelming abilities like Jin-woo, it would be different, but I didn’t.
Hadn’t I already felt this during the tutorial?
I wasn’t sure if I had talent, but even if I did, it wouldn’t be overwhelming.
So Sban made his decision quickly.
I need to form a party.
The difficulty was one reason, but now I had more options to choose from.
‘I could even go to dungeons.’
With a party, I could enter dungeons that I couldn’t access solo.
Either way, it was a good thing.
If there was one major problem, it was just this.
‘They said there were plenty of people looking for parties on the way to the Hunting Grounds.’
The problem was finding a party itself.
Nen Village had so many people that
finding a party wasn’t particularly difficult.
But meeting good people—that was the hard part.
Wasn’t there a common saying about it?
When five people gather, there’s always one weirdo among them.
‘They said finding people wasn’t that hard anyway.’
Still, it was better than not finding anyone, so Sban headed straight for the Hunting Grounds.
Along the way, I saw many people looking for parties,
but none of them even glanced at a complete beginner like me.
A predictable reaction, really.
I listened carefully and searched for those recruiting beginners.
After all, this was the Beginner Village.
There had to be parties looking for beginners too.
But I couldn’t rely solely on those who were soliciting as I walked by.
“Um, excuse me?”
I stepped forward and tried to join a party.
But then.
“What? You’re a beginner, aren’t you?”
“Yes, yes?”
“Beginners should team up with other beginners, right?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Don’t waste our time.”
I felt a surge of indignation at those words.
As if they’d started with level 10 from the beginning.
What kind of thing was that to say?
I felt bad, but I didn’t say anything back.
If that was the rule here, I had to follow it.
There had to be places looking for beginners like me.
But there weren’t many beginners looking for other beginners either.
More than that.
“You’re a b-beginner too, right? Could you possibly let me join your party…?”
“Ah… what do we do? Our party has too many beginners, so we’re actually looking for someone with a bit more level.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Yes, enjoy~”
But if they only hired experienced players, where were beginners supposed to gain experience?
In this cutthroat marketplace of recruitment, Sban couldn’t help but sigh.
Still, if I keep searching, I’m bound to find something, right?
I moved forward with hope in my heart.
As I walked along.
It took a while before I spotted them.
Someone dressed similarly to me, crying out desperately.
And they were looking for fellow beginners just like myself.
“Two beginners looking for a party! We welcome other beginners too! We’re having trouble finding a party, so we’re recruiting!”
Their plea was so earnest that even the passersby were looking at them with sympathy.
Of course, everyone wanted to recruit stronger players.
No one wanted to recruit beginners.
Which is why I thought it made sense for beginners to band together like this.
But the world wasn’t that kind.
In any case, Sban smiled, thinking himself fortunate, and approached the person crying out so desperately.
That person, seeing Sban dressed similarly to them, showed obvious delight.
Sban spoke to them.
“I heard you were recruiting for a party.”
“Ah! Welcome! I’m Hallak! My level is 2, and this one here is….”
“Level 2. Palsia.”
Hallak, the man who welcomed them so enthusiastically, and Palsia, a stern-faced man with a fierce expression.
The two seemed to already know each other.
They appeared quite close, and judging by how they stuck to each other’s side, it was certain.
As expected.
“We’re friends, and we’ve been hunting just the two of us, but it’s been tough, so we’re recruiting for a party! Welcome, by the way, what’s your nickname….”
“Ah! I’m Sban, sorry for the late introduction. My level is… 1.”
Perhaps because both of them were level 2, I felt a bit awkward.
My words gradually dwindled.
But Hallak spoke as if it was no problem at all.
“Ah! It’s fine! We’re beginners too. We only leveled up after catching a couple of monsters, so it’s the same thing. Anyway, nice to meet you! Come join our party!”
“Ah! Really?”
I looked at Hallak with hopeful eyes.
Then Hallak laughed as if it were obvious and spoke.
“Of course! Beginners should stick together. No one will let us join their parties when they hear we’re beginners, so shouldn’t we beginners band together?”
Those words were absolutely right.
So right that I nearly choked up.
Ever since arriving here, I hadn’t even seen the Hunting Grounds, just spent an hour searching for a party.
That sorrow nearly burst out in that moment.
Sban simply nodded and expressed his gratitude.
“Yes! Thank you so much! I’ll work hard!”
Delighted by Hallak’s welcoming words, Sban accepted the handshake.
Along with a message inviting him to the party, he was able to join it.
Since Sban had watched the videos beforehand, he displayed his information window so he could see their names and levels at a glance, and tried to check both their details through the party window as well.
But then.
[Lv.?? Hallak]
-Current information is set to private.
[Lv.?? Palsia]
-Current information is set to private.
[Lv.1 Sban]
-HP: ■■■■■■■
-MP: ■■■■■■■
‘Huh?’
They set their level, HP, and MP to private?
I could understand hiding their class and other details, but why hide those two specifically?
It didn’t make immediate sense to me.
But I figured it was possible.
After all, there were even guide posts mentioning that in beginner parties, it was better to hide information as much as possible between strangers.
I didn’t think much of it.
Hallak spoke with such enthusiasm.
“Let’s just find two more people and head to the dungeon! I happen to know a good one.”
“Ah! Yes, that sounds good.”
“Then I’ll go recruit more party members.”
Hallak recruited party members by calling out to passersby like a street vendor, while Palsia and Sban waited quietly in place.
With the taciturn Palsia and an increasingly awkward Sban standing there waiting.
Without realizing it, Sban found himself reading Palsia’s mood.
Shouldn’t he say something?
So, just in case, he asked Palsia first.
“…How long have you been playing?”
“…Today.”
Seeing the curt response, I figured he didn’t want to talk and decided not to press further.
He was even staring at me with a rather menacing gaze.
I decided it was best not to say anything and remained quiet.
I simply waited, watching Hallak call out to people from a distance.
With so many other recruiters around, Hallak was losing the competition.
In fact.
‘Hmm?’
He didn’t even approach those who looked like they’d join any party, the ones who were already equipped with decent gear.
Couldn’t he at least ask them?
Sban had thought one way, but Hallak apparently thought differently—he completely ignored anyone who seemed even remotely equipped and sought out only beginners.
How should I put this?
I sensed something odd, yet I couldn’t quite pinpoint what made it strange.
Could there be some hidden agenda at play?
Sban shook his head without reason.
Perhaps he simply wanted to band together with other beginners.
I dismissed it as unimportant.
Why would I harbor such suspicions?
Besides, those who appeared equipped hadn’t even looked Hallak’s way in the first place.
Had he approached them, they likely would have ignored him entirely.
Hadn’t I felt that myself on the way here?
Hallak must have his reasons.
With that thought, I observed Hallak, and as I did, Palsia watched me with a furrowed brow before smoothing his expression.
Of course, I didn’t notice Palsia’s reaction.
How much time had passed?
Hallak returned with two other people dressed as beginners.
Like Sban, Hallak, and Palsia, they wore completely novice attire with only robes.
But judging by the way they held hands, they appeared to be a couple of players.
“Haha! I was fortunate enough to bring a couple!”
The man responded to Hallak’s words with gratitude.
“No, we’re the fortunate ones.”
With that, he removed his robe.
A remarkably handsome face came into view.
The kind of man who would be called handsome no matter where he went.
Such a man smiled softly and spoke.
“I’m Ujin. I just started, so naturally my level is 1.”
“Ah! Nice to meet you. I’m Sban!”
“Level 2, Palsia.”
“Also level 2, Hallak. I’m the party leader.”
With that, everyone exchanged greetings.
The woman from the couple also removed her robe.
The woman’s appearance was extraordinary.
While the man was quite handsome, the woman was equally stunning.
For a moment, both Hallak and Sban were taken aback.
Even the typically stoic Palsia’s jaw dropped momentarily.
The woman then introduced herself.
“I’m starting for the first time with my brother, so my level is 1, and my nickname is… well, Aji.”
“Aji and Ujin? Pleased to meet you! Now that we have everyone, shall we head out?”
Everyone agreed to Hallak’s suggestion and began to rise when—
Sban tilted his head, sensing something was amiss.
As he did, he caught sight of a man named Ujin.
Not because he was handsome, but because there was something oddly familiar about him—as if he’d seen him somewhere before.
Unable to place the memory, he simply shrugged and followed Hallak.
Meanwhile, the two couples who had entered the party donned their robes once more and began whispering amongst themselves.
“Brother, I’m so excited. Fortunately, no one seems to recognize us.”
“The time we spent was worth it.”
“Still, reversing just the name felt a bit excessive.”
“I told you, they won’t figure it out.”
What were those two talking about?
Though he couldn’t hear them, Sban found himself wondering if they were simply flirting with each other.

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