Chapter 49 - The Regressor Takes Action (6)

The initials M.Z. stood for Michael Jeter.

In roughly two months, he would be appointed president of the American Player Association.

Nothing was known about his abilities, how powerful he was, or exactly what he had done... but I had heard he became president with overwhelming support from the American Player community.

I also remembered seeing the notice Michael Jeter had posted on Floor 2.

Its gist had been to choose potions after earning a Silver or Bronze reward, then use those potions to train intensely.

Whatever the case, Michael Jeter seemed like someone who wanted to help humanity. With my hopes raised, I began slowly reading his post.

<My experience on Floor 2 was incredibly unpleasant. The city's ruler nearly killed me.>

If you can read this, my friend, that means you've already cleared Floor 2, right? First, I'd like to congratulate you. Was my notice still up? It would break my heart if it had fallen down.

Friends, I think the Floor 2 I experienced was rather different from yours. I went beyond a Gold reward and earned a Platinum one. Oh, it was a truly horrible experience.

At first, after seeing a murderer struck by lightning and reduced to ashes, I thought this floor was quite sensible. Getting Bronze and Silver tokens was incredibly easy, too. For a very brief moment, I even thought the religious fanatics might be right—that this tower might be a blessing rather than a trial.

But, as I'm sure you all found, getting a Gold token was where the real trouble began. The nobles gave out tasks that involved hurting other people.

I don't know what you made of it, friends, but I thought it was a trap. I don't know whether the tower's creator really is God or just something pretending to be God, but either way, it was built to judge us, wasn't it? Given that, I thought a task demanding that I kidnap someone made no sense.

So before I knew it, I'd subdued the noble. I thought he was a monster disguised as a noble. But then I found a golden box and about three Platinum tokens tucked inside his clothes. I asked another resident, who told me the golden box was like Aladdin's magic lamp: it could produce unlimited tokens.

So I simply gave that resident the golden box. I gave the silver box he'd originally owned to the fallen noble. It would have been nice if the story had ended with, "And so, after defeating one wicked noble, Michael took his Platinum reward and lived happily ever after~"

Good Lord, I never dreamed that getting a token would make a huge symbol appear above my head. Nor did I imagine people would take advantage of the ban on violence between Players to block my way.

I swear to heaven, it was an accident. I wasn't trying to use violence. I only meant to pick up the man blocking my way and set him down behind me. But I'd forgotten just how strong I'd become. I never imagined I'd break his ribs.

Yes, I'd committed an act of violence. I got hit by the city's ruler's lightning, too. (Oh, you know about the city's ruler, right? I assume you do if you've talked to the residents.) It was an electrifying experience. The one tiny problem was that I endured a strike that was supposed to knock me out for about twelve hours. The city's ruler burst out laughing, too.

Since I'd withstood the lightning anyway, I asked her something I'd been wondering about. I challenged her over how unreasonable the Gold-tier tasks were. After hearing me out, she beckoned with a fingertip and said, "If you want to change the rules, come at me."

As you know, I'm pretty good at physical things, right? But I kept charging at her until I collapsed from exhaustion, and I couldn't touch her even once. Then she hit me just once, and it hurt so badly I thought I'd die. Thankfully, she let me go, saying, "Killing isn't allowed." It was a truly humiliating experience. If she'd wanted to kill me, she could have done it a hundred times over. If anyone out there has invented a time machine, I hope you'll tell me not to get cocky on Floor 2.

Oh, right. I'm not happy with the gloves I got as a reward, so if anyone has an item or elixir ranked B or higher, get in touch. I'm willing to trade.

Xxx – xxxx - xxxx

-Good Lord. That was a close call.

-Jeter, I'm saying this as a fan, but wouldn't trading items be dangerous?

-Buddy. Are you worried about Michael? I can tell you didn't go through the tutorial with him.

-That was an interesting story, Jeter.

(...)

The comments continued on and on. I didn't know what Michael Jeter had done in the tutorial, but he seemed to have become something of a legend in this community. Judging by the comments, everyone trusted him.

And there was the confidence that permeated his writing. The toughness to withstand the city's ruler's attack. Even the resourcefulness to try replacing a noble before I had.

I knew Floor 2 inside out because I was a regressor, but Michael Jeter had discovered all that information in a single attempt.

M.Z. He certainly had what it took to become president of the Player Association. I felt I could trust his posts in the future, too.

"More importantly..."

The city's ruler's words, "If you want to change the rules, come at me," suggested something beyond her belligerence.

They implied that she could change Floor 2's rules to some extent if she wanted to.

Before I regressed, when I'd suggested changing the Gold-tier tasks, her answer hadn't been "I can't," but "They need to remain unchanged."

In other words... if I succeeded in persuading the city's ruler, changing the rules was possible.

Several plans came and went in my head... and I decided to try the most rational option.

"... I should at least give it a shot, right?"

Fighting her was impossible for me anyway...

First, I'd try talking some sense into her.

[You have taken damage.]

[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 2.]

* * *

As soon as I regressed, I went straight to the angel in the square.

"Excuse me, angel."

"Yes!"

"Can the city's ruler change Floor 2's rules if she wants to?"

"... Where did that come from?"

The angel looked momentarily flustered, but apparently decided to do the job and answered me.

"I understand Archangel Raphael has granted her a certain amount of authority. Yes, I suppose she could."

"... Then could she also change rules like 'Climbers must get along with one another'?"

"Not that one. That's a core rule. Even if the city's ruler has been granted some authority, it's only over a small part of things! Fundamentally, she's part of Floor 2 herself, you know?"

"... What about you?"

"I'm just a guide! I'm here on assignment!"

A dangerous curiosity reared its head: What would happen if I hit this angel? But I decided to restrain myself.

It would be a real problem if something like an "Angel's Curse" suddenly appeared among my traits. Traits persisted through regression, after all.

Anyway, I'd received a definite answer from the angel: the city's ruler could change the rules to some extent.

"... I hate repetitive work."

From there, I did the same things as in the previous run.

I collected the Bronze token generators first and used those to build up my following. Once we'd taken over one street, we spread to the next.

Perhaps I hadn't managed to act exactly the same way, because collecting the tokens took a little longer than last time... but though the process differed, I ultimately found myself in the same situation.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am the city's ruler."

The city's ruler appeared in an instant using Flash Step. I asked why she had offered the city to God, and received the same answer again.

"This city has abundant resources, so it could become a utopia in the truest sense."

Everything up to this point was the same as the previous run...

But this time, my attitude was different.

Last time, I'd simply let her bullshit philosophy slide. This time, I intended to challenge it head-on.

"Have you... ever made an effort to understand what the residents think?"

"...?"

"The residents aren't coming to understand others. They're simply suffering. Did these people want to understand anyone else? They didn't, did they? You keep going on about understanding, understanding. Yet you don't even consider trying to understand other people yourself. You just stand there with your arms folded, watching them suffer."

She claimed to want other people to understand each other, yet showed no inclination to understand anyone herself. I was pointing out that contradiction.

"Put an end to this madness. Otherwise, wouldn't it only be fair for you to join this cycle of 'understanding' yourself?"

"... I don't understand what you're saying. Why should I understand them?"

But the city's ruler merely tilted her head.

"These people... are all residents of my city, you know?"

"... What does that have to do with anything?"

"And I am the city's ruler. Isn't it only natural that I do as I please?"

"..."

"Ah, let me explain a little further for you, climber... This city is an independent, self-governing territory. In other words, everyone in this city is my property. Do you understand now? I want a city that functions ideally. I never meant to become part of it myself."

I understood that this was a city-state. But her way of thinking was completely different.

The city's ruler saw her residents as possessions. That was why she felt no guilt and saw no need to seek their consent.

"You are a climber. That is why I treat you with respect. You aren't under my jurisdiction. Accordingly, you must respect my jurisdiction as well."

"..."

"Now, I'll give you this Diamond token... so leave that sack and be on your way. Or would you rather fight me and win the residents their freedom?"

The city's ruler pulled a Diamond token from the leather pouch at her right hip and waved it at me.

Every argument I'd painstakingly prepared became meaningless in the face of her theory that she owned the residents.

I knew it for certain. Persuading the city's ruler was impossible.

Like all crazy people, she was firmly entrenched in her own logic.

In the end, all I could do here was accept the Diamond token and clear Floor 2. I intended to pick up the Lightning Heart trait for now, after all.

[You have cleared Floor 2.]

[Please select a Diamond reward.]

"... Okay."

Fine. So she had no intention of changing her mind easily.

She wouldn't be satisfied until we had a fight.

In that case... fine.

I'd have to bring out my own trump card.

I chose the Lightning Heart trait, had its instructions hammered into my head, then struck my thigh hard.

[You have taken damage.]

[Regressing to the moment you first entered Floor 2.]

* * *

"Whew..."

Before the annoying Black man could start talking to me, I trudged over to a corner of the square and plopped down cross-legged on the ground.

For humanity's sake, Floor 2's structure needed to be overhauled.

A clever way to free the residents. A way for people to earn Gold rewards or better without committing sins.

And, at the same time, a way to get the most out of the Diamond rewards.

I had a plan in mind.

And the starting point for that plan was simple.

"... Taking your time, huh."

Wait.

Settle down in this square and wait as long as it took.

Until the brightest talent I knew reached Floor 2.

A Word from the Author (Afterword)

I'll revise this after I wake up...!

All criticism and feedback are welcome...!

Read Next Chapter