Chapter 34: The Regressor is Conditionally Strong (3)

“...”

The severed head of the Minotaur rolled to a stop, locking eyes with me.

Yeah, you must be as stunned as I am. Who would’ve thought that a creature this strong would be taken down in a single blow in the tutorial?

But then again, life is a series of surprises. I never expected to be dragged into this tower in the first place.

Come to think of it, I’m not even impressed anymore.

I wiped the blood off my blade and turned around to look at the people behind me.

“...”

They gave a lukewarm response.

No, lukewarm doesn’t capture it. It’s more like they can’t wrap their heads around what just happened.

One moment, they wake up in a vacant lot. A fairy appears and starts chattering away.

Then some guy starts ranting about trusting him, dances with a blade, and leads people somewhere.

They followed without much thought, and the next thing they knew, a giant bovine monster was roaring, only to have its head severed and killed in an instant.

From their perspective, it’s just baffling. They merely followed instructions, and such weird things happened automatically.

“…Achievement Level? What’s this?”

One man is fidgeting with something in front of him.

His voice sounds oddly familiar... Ah, he’s the same guy who shouted ‘Status Window’ at the beginning. We didn’t have a collective ‘Status Window’ chant this time, so he must’ve muttered it to himself.

He really is quick to adapt.

That aside... I should fill them in.

“Everyone, can you try saying ‘Status Window’?”

Upon my gentle prompting, people started murmuring ‘Status Window’ one by one...and soon, they became engrossed in the message window that appeared before them.

Of course, since they haven’t gained any levels yet, they’ll only have Achievement Levels like me. They haven’t killed any goblins, after all.

‘...This should be fine, right?’

Based on my experience of pushing the Minotaur into the swamp and still gaining an Achievement Level, it seems you can gain Achievement Levels without direct participation.

I’ve just slain a hidden boss, so my Achievement Level must have skyrocketed.

Even I’m currently compensating for my lack of levels with Achievement Levels, so their actual combat effectiveness might not be that different from mine.

If they later gain regular levels as well, won’t these people become much stronger than in previous iterations?

Or they could just go through a portal to the next stage and die at the hands of a monster or two.

The problem is the lack of actual combat experience...

However, in real combat, casualties are inevitable.

I can’t just let people die under the pretext of gaining real-world experience. Also, we’d have to betray the goblins for that.

As I was pondering, the Goblin Shaman took his place beside me.

“Hey.”

“...Heh.”

The Goblin Shaman stood next to me, looking down at the severed head of the Minotaur.

He nudged the severed head with his foot before looking up at me.

“Human. Now that you’ve gotten what you wanted, will you betray us? Heh. I’ve heard that humans must kill their own kind to become stronger.”

“No, I won’t. And I think Achievement Levels will suffice.”

“...Heh.”

The Goblin Shaman who had been nudging the Minotaur beside me disappeared, and the real one emerged, trudging in from the direction of the swamp.

Wow, this guy. Keeping me on my toes till the end.

“...Heh. Well done, human.”

With a wave of his hand, the gathered goblins began to disperse in different directions.

“...Same to you. Shall I send you on your way?”

“Heh heh. It’s a monumental day when humans and goblins didn’t kill each other. You want to stain it with blood, human?”

He fumbled with the skull atop his head and gulped down something from within it.

“Human, your ability to return... It’s similar to my kin who repeatedly die within the Tower.”

“...I can see the resemblance.”

Goblins who resurrect after death and me, who returns after being injured... We are quite similar.

“But human... human retains the memories. Heh.”

“...And so?”

“Sometimes... remembering might be more painful. There may come a time when it feels like a curse. Heh.”

“...”

“Do your best, human. I’ll be busy killing humans over here as well.”

With those words, he grinned and abruptly collapsed where he stood.

“...”

It seemed that whatever he had swallowed was poisonous.

So, there might be a time when the ability to return feels like a curse, huh?

I know it all too well. I’m doing my best to make sure it doesn’t come to that.

Did he really need to say something unfortunate at the last minute?

And how exactly do you receive the “Special Reward for Boss Elimination”? Why isn’t there a guide?

As I was grumbling to myself...

Finally, the portal reveals itself.

“Hmm.”

I’ve been thinking about it for a while… Rather than regressing now, I decided to go to the next floor as well.

There is no other way to save ‘everyone’ anyway.

And sooner or later, I’d have to experience the next floor.

“All right, one person at a time, please go in. It should be safe...”

No, wait. Now that I think about it, this could be a big problem.

What if a monster suddenly pops out?

They have Achievement Levels, but these people lack both regular levels and combat experience.

I should go in first to check the atmosphere, and if something seems off, I’ll regress.

“...Wait for me to go in, and then follow after about 5 minutes.”

I hurled myself into the portal.

Bow—

A man in a suit bows, greeting me politely.

“Welcome, humans. Was it a pleasant experience?”

Somehow this place exudes both elegance and coldness. Most areas are still shrouded in darkness, but...

Judging from the illuminated parts, it looks similar to a human courtroom.

What’s unique is that there are no seats for lawyers or prosecutors, only a judge’s bench.

And in the middle of the courtroom, a large set of scales sits prominently.

“You must have narrowly survived... are you shocked?”

The man in the suit smoothly took his seat at the judge’s bench.

“First, let me tell you what you will be doing here,” he said.

This tower was built to judge humanity.

It’s also designed to test humanity, serving as the last chance for mankind to evade divine wrath.

Perhaps that’s why the gods have not allowed just anyone to enter this tower.

Only the young lambs who have faithfully followed the divine rules are permitted entry.

However, the gods also understand that such individuals are becoming increasingly rare in a world that has grown chaotic.

So, the magnanimous gods have decided to be generous. If the ‘price’ is paid, anyone may have the chance to enter the tower… That was the gist of his explanation.

“From this point on, you will be standing in the judgment seat. You will undergo screening to enter this tower.”

Snap.

The man pointed towards a large set of scales resembling a balance.

“These scales... measure the ’weight of your sins.’”

The man rubbed his white-gloved hands together.

“What sins have you committed to survive? Did you stab your comrades in the back? Did you strangle a benefactor in their sleep? Or did you perhaps deal with the Goblin Shaman, deciding to survive at the expense of all others?”

The man tapped the pans of the scales.

“Every sin you’ve committed... these scales will accurately calculate. And then, you will have to pay the rightful price.”

It’s irrational. It’s unfair.

After creating a situation where one can only kill or be killed, they demand a price for the sins committed.

This is nothing more than divine caprice.

But that’s always how gods have been.

When they dislike the behavior of their creations, they rage indiscriminately. They make rules as they please and punish those who break them. They’re the ones who’ve wiped out entire kingdoms for daring to challenge them, and compelled a father to offer his two sons as sacrifices.

Gods are arbitrary. Gods are cruel. They impose their rules on humans.

And humans, they always just accept it.

This time is no different.

“Step onto the scale, one by one. Then pay the price.”

Humans only accept it.

They always have.

“The method of payment is up to you. You can pay with your lifespan, your stats in the status window, or even offer a part of your body. Just make sure it’s a sufficient price for your sins.”

The man grinned.

.

.

.

No, Archangel Zeriel of the 5th Order grins.

He enjoys such moments the most: When humans scream, unable to accept their sins. When they rack their brains to pay the price. When they plead with him after realizing their lives aren’t enough for payment.

The true masterpiece was a man who asked if he could pay the price using another person’s life.

In moments of life and death, humans transform into boundless selfishness.

While this may be expected, it displeases God. And the angels merely act accordingly.

“Alright, come up one by one,” he says, sitting in the judge’s seat, while the humans were sitting in the audience gallery.

Snap!

With a flick of his fingers, the lights above the darkened gallery switch on.

And the humans finally reveal themselves.

“...Huh?”

Archangel Zeriel, almost unknowingly, forgets to breathe.

There are too many of them.

A total of 201 people have entered the ground floor. Why not 200? Because God loves the number three and summoned people in multiples of three.

So, there are exactly 201 seats in the gallery.

Naturally, most of these seats should be empty.

The design of the tutorial floor ensures a kill-or-be-killed scenario. The rules make it hard to survive without committing sins.

But right now, every single seat was filled.

Zeriel quickly scanned with his eyes, but not a single empty seat could be seen.

“...”

An unprecedented event: every human has survived on the tutorial floor.

Archangel Zeriel had to admit it.

Something... was terribly wrong.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

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