Chapter 14: Status window is too unfriendly (1)
A special trait can be acquired.
"…Trait?"
Suddenly? I can acquire a trait?
The moment I thought that, my body froze in the position of scratching the back of my head.
"..."
No, it wasn't just me.
The scrawny man prostrating and begging,
The woman clutching her throat with both hands, struggling to breathe, as she looked at the fallen bully,
The bespectacled man trying his best to remain calm but was unable to hide his trembling legs,
And another man whose legs gave out and sat down,
They all remained motionless.
I couldn't even hear any sound of their breathing or beating heart.
It feels more like time has stopped rather than me being frozen.
A special trait can be acquired.
It was considerate of the tower to give me time to choose a trait, but...
Despite only telling me to choose, there was no separate option presented before me.
Like, 1. A good skill.
2. An even better skill.
3. A skill that looks like garbage at first glance but is actually a cheat if used well, so the protagonist will choose it anyway.
They should at least present options like this so I can ponder and make a choice.
Just telling me to choose a trait without any explanation, where did they learn this rude behavior?
Not only are my eyes not moving, but my body isn't either... What the hell is up with the jerk who made this kind of system?
"...Hm?"
While I was venting my complaints in my mind, I suddenly felt a strange energy, and without realizing it, I became startled.
Disgusting yet... sublime, and yet... a frightening energy.
The energy was surprisingly emanating from the prostrate scrawny man, swirling and intermingling in an ambiguous manner, creating a peculiar shape.
"..."
No one taught me, and it wasn't indicated by the status window, but I instinctively understood.
That's emotions... The emotions harbored by the scrawny man towards me.
Just by looking at it, I could vividly feel the emotions imbued in each energy, as if licking them with my tongue.
The red energy represents fear.
It's the feeling of fear towards me, who possesses the power to effortlessly cut a man in half.
The blue energy represents disgust.
It's the feeling of disgust towards a killer who ruthlessly takes away the lives of others.
Finally, the yellow energy represents awe.
It's the instinctive reverence, admiration, surprise, and a hint of fear shown towards someone possessing great strength.
"..."
This scrawny fellow, he was thinking of me in this way.
An impressive and terrifying killer.
Personally, I think it's normal for someone with regression abilities to do something like this, but from the perspective of someone who doesn't know, it must seem remarkable.
I'm a killer... that's true. But you also just tried to kill someone. You're no better.
So why is this tower showing me his emotions?
It's obvious. If I choose one of those emotions, it will become a trait. After all, it said in the beginning, "[A special trait can be acquired]."
"Hmm..."
Now that I'm actually trying to choose a trait, I'm hesitating.
If regressing means the traits disappear... then it doesn't really matter which one I choose here.
I can taste all three traits, experience them firsthand, and then properly choose the best one when I decide to move on to the next stage of the tutorial.
But what if the chosen trait becomes fixed once selected?
What if the traits still accompany me even after regressing?
What if I move on to another round and can't obtain a trait from this scrawny man again...
It's the first trait I will acquire.
Let's set aside regression for now and think about it.
Even in regular games, the traits obtained early on heavily influence the subsequent gameplay.
If I choose fear here... I would receive a trait that allows me to instill fear in my enemies or perhaps my power intensifies when the enemy feels fear. It seems simple yet powerful.
If I choose disgust... well, I wonder if it encourages instinctive disgust? It's not very intuitive, so I can't quite grasp it.
Since it stems from killing, maybe it would grant me the trait to kill people more effectively.
Talking about it like this, I really seem like a psychopath.
Lastly, awe. This one is also not very intuitive.
The literal meaning of awe as an emotion is 'respectful and fearful admiration.'
It should be just respect... I wanted to complain about why fear is mixed in.
But if someone suddenly butchered a person in front of me, I would probably feel fear too, so it made sense.
"Hmm..."
Fear. Disgust. Awe.
The contemplation was short, and the decision was swift.
Shwaaaah!
As soon as I made my decision, the yellow energy came rushing in as if it could read my mind.
I chose 'awe.'
The reason is simple.
Fear? Disgust? It's true that they offer abilities that can be quickly and easily used.
Just instilling fear alone would provide endless possibilities.
Imagine using regression to gather future information and then saying to the opponent, 'I know everything about you. You'll die tomorrow,' causing them to collapse in fear and wet themselves, no matter how strong they are.
Becoming immediately stronger? It's important, yes.
But I was envisioning something bigger.
Someday, when I conquer this tower.
When I step out of this tower.
When I become a globally recognized hero.
If my abilities simply revolve around inducing fear or disgust... will I be truly hailed as a hero?
Instead, my achievements might be snatched away by a handsome and prosperous pretty boy, and I would become known only to a select few... a kind of urban legend.
Regardless, emotions like fear and disgust make it extremely difficult to cooperate with others.
In the end, it means I have to act alone like a lone wolf.
Considering the nature of this space called the 'Tower,' it didn't seem like a good choice.
In one of the web novels I read, there was a novel where the protagonist says, 'This fucking tutorial is insanely difficult,' and despite possessing overwhelming power, they end up trapped in the tower.
Why? Because they didn't have any comrades to help them.
If there are floors where we have to accomplish a common goal, fear and disgust would become serious issues.
Ultimately, I'm convinced that choosing 'awe,' which is safe and looks cool, is the right answer.
"…Hmm."
The slowly flowing yellow energy ceased.
I didn't feel any noticeable difference in my body. It felt just like usual.
But I had a great means of self-reflection.
"Status window."
Name: Kim Jun-ho [LV: 5]
Attributes:
- Regression [EX]
- Awe [C]
"…Hmm."
I lightly tapped 'awe' with my fingertips.
Awe [C]
- Praise for your greatness. Fear of the incomprehensible.
"What is this?"
Is the creator of the tower a graduate of the Department of Korean Language and Literature?
Or perhaps their hobby is to throw ambiguous choices and enjoy watching people ponder over them.
The explanation written was nothing but a string of vague words that seemed like empty rhetoric.
I don't expect an explanation like 'Deals 160% damage based on attack power' as if it were a game. However, I think they should at least explain what it is and how it works.
Unconsciously, I realized that my hand was reaching for the back of someone's neck.
Ah, come to think of it, I pressed the status window with my own hand...
"..."
The time freeze had been lifted.
Since it was too quiet, I realized it too late.
"Save... save..."
The scrawny man was still lying down and trembling...
The reactions of other Men were quite different.
The bespectacled man, who was limping, had regained some stability.
The Extra Man, who had collapsed due to the loss of strength in his legs, was barely standing.
And the woman, who was struggling to breathe, had a flushed face.
Her face was so red that it made me worry if she was about to die.
"Are you okay?"
Unconsciously, I asked about her well-being. She looked really unwell.
"..."
But she didn't answer.
She clasped her hands together and whispered softly.
"...Cool."
"…?"
I tilted my ear slightly, thinking I might have misheard.
Cool? Me?
While my entire body was covered in blood? While the stench of blood was pulsating?
I was well aware that being cool was something far beyond my reach more than anyone else.
If that's the case, the answer is simple.
Is this the power of 'awe'?
To others, I must really look cool. It's the power of a great trait.
It wasn't exactly the effect I was expecting, but I realized that I chose my attribute well.
Finally, could this be my chance to experience being popular?
"Oh, really?"
I naturally took a step forward toward the woman in front of me.
Tap!
Simultaneously, people took a step back, distancing themselves from me.
"..."
It was as if they were wary of my approach.
Wait, didn't they say I looked cool earlier? Why are they running away?
Without realizing it, my expression turned dismayed, and the woman waved her hand as she looked at my face.
"Oh no... It's not that I don't like you... It's just that we don't really match... You're amazing... That's why... I'm just a bit hesitant."
"..."
I glanced away and shifted my gaze to the still-floating status window.
- Awe [C]
- Praise for your greatness. Fear of the incomprehensible.
"...Fear."
Did the yellow energy contain all three—fear, horror, and awe?
Damn this unfriendly status window!
--- END OF THE CHAPTER ---
