124 – The Returner is Surprised (6) (Su-woojeong)
[…] Stop.]
“… Uh?”
I don’t know how many regressions have occurred so far. I didn’t count them, and even if I did, I would have forgotten them all by now.
“… “Did you know how to speak?”
But this is the first time my alter ego has spoken to me. Literally the first time. How surprised I was, when the guy who had been muttering until now suddenly started muttering human language.
“No, why did you come now… “
I don’t think it might be a trap that attacks by pretending to have a conversation. Not only did this kind of one-time trap or betrayal not mean much to the returner, but the other person was myself. If you were going to set a trap, you wouldn’t have set it crudely like this.
[…] ]
“… “Hey, why don’t you talk?”
But the alter ego stops talking again. However, this silence was not the existing silence filled with madness, but seemed closer to the silence of carefully choosing words because ‘language’ itself was unfamiliar.
[…] ]
“… “
After a long period of silence.
The question asked by the alter ego was simple.
[…] Is this your first time?]
“…What?”
[This is my first time.]
The other person slowly nods his head as if he understands. Although this is the first time that guy has spoken to me… What he was telling seemed like a different story.
“Sit down.”
As he said that, his alter ego flopped down in his seat. I also noticed and sat down hesitantly. After confirming that both people were seated, the alter ego began to talk.
[Why are we fighting?]
“… “Because you attacked me?”
[Why did I attack?]
“… “What if you ask me that?”
[I want to tell that story.]
The smile on the clone’s mouth gradually deepens.
[My memory is vague, but… I will explain as best as I can remember.]
The story of the alter ego started like that… It was quite shocking.
****Point of self-immolation****
[…] First floor?]
When I came to my senses, the whole place was filled with black. When I slowly stretch out my foot and kick in front, I feel something solid. I guess I’m trapped somewhere.
[Seup… ]
This is right after cutting down the Minotaur with a single sword and using the portal created on the corpse of the Goblin Shaman. But suddenly it’s like this. Does this tower not even give you time to rest?
[It’s okay. Let’s calm down.]
But there is no need to panic. Just like we did in the tutorial, you just have to overcome it step by step. Still, it’s the first floor, so there won’t be any difficulty other than common sense waiting for you.
Just take a moment to catch your breath and wait quietly. The surrounding darkness disappears, and bright light shines from all directions.
[Ugh… ]
When your eyes adjusted to the light, what you saw was a white temple. It was a temple close to the style of ancient Greece, but a little different, with pure white pillars supporting all sides.
[…] ?]
Until just a moment ago, it was an empty space in the tutorial, but suddenly it was a temple? As I stood blankly unable to adapt to the 180-degree change in environment, a message window appeared before my eyes.
＜1St floor＞
-Clear conditions: A monster that resembles you has appeared. The only way to survive is to defeat him.
[…] A monster?]
In the distance, you can see a human figure. That’s a monster that looks like me? I guess the task on the first floor is to defeat that monster over there.
[Uhm… ]
He shakily twirled his wrist holding the sword and slowly approached Inyoung. I’m not sure what the structure of this floor is yet, but it’s probably right to do as I’m told. As long as you don’t move on to the next floor after clearing it properly, there is still a chance for a complete clearing.
At the same time, I see them walking towards me, probably because they noticed my presence. As they walked towards each other, the distance narrowed in an instant.
[…] ]
“… “
Finally, I reached a range where I could swing my sword.
“… Huh, really. “It’s a cliché.”
A monster that laughs as if it is absurd. He looked exactly the same as me, but the clothes he wore were different. No, if you look closely, the impression seems a bit darker.
[Uh, uh… ]
“I can definitely feel it.”
The moment when the monster grabbed his sword tightly and was about to rush at me.
[Sleep, wait a minute.]
“… ?”
I stopped the approaching monster without realizing it. Because the spirit he gave off was unusual.
If we fight, I will definitely lose. If it’s a hundred, a hundred will be destroyed.
[We… Why don’t we resolve it through dialogue… ?]
But solving everything by fighting is the way of the beast.
Intellectuals have their own ways.
**
[So, what you’re saying is that you’ve already cleared up to the 4th floor?]
“That’s right.”
[This is the 5th floor right now?]
“That’s right.”
[I am an alter ego created based on your memories?]
“Exactly.”
[Uhm… ]
To be honest, I am completely embarrassed by this. After going through a lot of trouble, I finally cleared the tutorial, and in fact, I was the clone of the original?
From my perspective… Unbelievable.
[By the way, are you sure I’m an alter ego?]
“… Huh?”
[No, that’s right. In fact, you are an alter ego created based on my memories, but you may have been injected with memories from the virtual first, second, third, and fourth floors. Is not it? They say there is a tower in the world that eats up the first floor.]
All the alter egos that appear in creative works are often unaware that they are alter egos. When I pointed that out, the guy who claimed to be the original also got a serious look on his face.
“… Of course, it turns out that the cliché that I was my own alter ego is common… “
[Is there any way to verify this?]
The two people, who looked completely identical except for their different outfits, sat down and started comparing their memories.
[The house I lived in is the same, and my first love when I was in elementary school was the same… Even my favorite actor is the same… ?]
“Seup… “
The problem is that the memories of the two were completely identical. There wasn’t even a ‘memory gap’ that alter egos usually have in creative works, so there was no difference at all except for the memories after the tutorial.
[Hmm… ]
“Um… “
While we were both thinking about ‘how to tell who is real’.
“Regression.”
[Huh?]
“What happens if one of us regresses?”
Kim Jun-ho on the 5th floor suddenly had a problem that was making his head spin.
[Wouldn’t the two return at the same time?]
From Noble mtl dot com
“Um… That’s very likely, but… “
An untimely discussion took place, and numerous hypotheses emerged and disappeared again and again. Of course, no conclusion was reached because there was insufficient evidence. In this case, the solution is simple. Just experimenting.
[I will try to regress first.]
“Yes.”
The privilege of being a returner is that there is no opportunity cost in trying something challenging. I stopped Kim Jun-ho on the 5th floor and hit his chest with my fist.
Bah!
With the sound of impact, it returned.
[You have suffered damage.]
[Return to the moment you first entered the first floor.]
****
[It happened, but you don’t remember it at all, right?]
“That’s right.”
[It looks like they don’t share each other’s regression… ]
Surprisingly, Kim Jun-ho on the 5th floor did not remember any of this. Just like in the previous episode, he tried to cut me down right away, and the fact that we were able to talk only after barely calming him down is proof of that.
[Now, you too, go back. If you were an alter ego, you wouldn’t return.]
“Yes, but…” Wait for a sec. “There’s something that’s bothering me a little bit.”
Kim Jun-ho from the 5th floor, with his chin clenched in worry. The guy rolls his eyes and thinks about something, then jumps up from his seat in shock.
“Hey.”
[…] ?]
“How should I clear this?”
[Huh?]
When I thought about it, it was like that. If both were able to return, regardless of whether they had an alter ego or not, then this fight was a fight with no end in sight.
In order to defeat an opponent, violence must inevitably be involved, but we were in a position of regressing when we were harmed by violence… If you enter into an actual fight, there is a high probability that it will be a truly endless fight.
“Um… “
[Hmm… ]
Is this really f*cked up? I thought about it, but… Suddenly, a good idea occurred to me.
[But doesn’t victory have to be physical?]
“?”
[Just… Even if the opponent gives up, wouldn’t it be considered a victory?]
“Let’s experiment.”
After reaching an agreement, both people dropped their swords on the floor and concentrated their minds to sincerely admit defeat to the other person.
I lost. That person won. I am my alter ego. I am defeated.
As I closed my eyes and concentrated, I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Hey.”
[…] ?]
“Touch that.”
Kim Jun-ho from the 5th floor is pointing his thumb behind his back. He moved his gaze as he said, and saw a blue portal floating in the air. Perhaps if you pass through that portal, the 5th floor will be cleared.
“I think you are 100% your alter ego, right? A message window popped up saying I had just cleared it, but did you ever see something like that?”
[…] No.]
“First, touch that portal.”
[…] ]
I put my hand on the blue portal as he said, but… Unfortunately, nothing happened. Is the portal wrong?
No. No way. In fact, I knew it implicitly. The fact that I am an alter ego.
The memories of the guy on the 5th floor were so vivid and realistic. The tower was not something that could be created arbitrarily.
“… Sorry.”
[…] ]
“First of all… Should I clear it, regress, and come back? I think there might be a way to get you out… “
The original Kim Jun-ho’s expression looks slightly depressed, perhaps feeling sympathy for me or something.
But whether I felt sympathy for him or not, a terrible idea occurred to me.
[Wait a minute.]
“… Huh? Why?”
[Don’t go.]
How to take advantage of this situation.