.
.
.
My head hurts..
Did I get hit? But by who?
It feels warm... and cold?
Gasp!
Junhwa opens his eyes. He finds himself laying on the ground, but instead laying on the wood of his room.
He woke up laying on a patch of tall grass.
Where am I?...
Junghwa stood up and looked out into the vast field of tall green grass moving with the direction the wind blows.
Ping!
-[ Notice! 2 people have entered your shelter.
The minimum amount needed has been fulfilled.]-
-[ Warning: The 2nd Game will begin in 8..8..8 hour.. hou.. sss... in 10 minutes!]-
Junghwa swipes the glitching screen away, ignoring it's warning.
Get out of my face system window! I'm having a moment....
This place...
" Could it be... The Dreamworld?" He muttered.
The Dreamworld is a place that the protagonist was able to reach when he slept, solely because of his regression ability...
Junghwa slowly turned around. In front of him was a large and fancy garden. It seemed like the yard of some king or princess.
Beyond the garden stood a large building, a white mansion that was made out of quartz.
Junghwa looks down at his clothes. " I'm still wearing my bloody clothes. No matter, it's not anyone's gonna see me... At least I hope he doesn't.."
He stepped onto the main path and walked forward while admiring the large garden.
This place... only regressors can enter this place.
If I remember correctly, there was one other regressor in Survival of The Fittest.
They weren't given the ability like the protagonist, as a result, they weren't able to enter this place.
So the fact that I reached this place...
What does it mean?...
Junghwa stops as he reaches the main entrance, two large and tall white quartz doors with symbols on the edges. " I should be able to open these doors quite easily."
Junghwa places his hands on the large and quite possibly, extremely heavy doors. He begins to push with all his strength, but they immediately swing open.
Causing him to fall on the ground, and flat on his face.
Creeeak... Creak...
"...There is no FUCKING way that this GIGANTIC BRAND NEW QUARTZ DOOR creaked AS IF IT'S AN OLD WOODEN DOOR!! What kind of physics exists in this place "
Junghwa angrily stands up and looks around the inside of the mansion. " All the light are turned off. Oh, there's actually candle-based lights... How nice.."
Although the exterior is made out of quartz, the interior is made out clean oak wood and various different stones that decorate the inside. Junghwa first sees a fancy staircase in the middle of the room that leads up to a single door.
That room... it's not time to get in there yet.
Junghwa smiles and looks up curiously, but then he walks around the staircase, and into an arched doorway behind it.
Now this is where the interesting things happen.
Oh, this hallway is darker than I thought it was going to be...
Junghwa enters a short hallway and walks through it. A bright light shinned as he reached the end.
Stepping into the bright room, he squints his eyes, adjusting to the brightness. After a few seconds, he opens his eyes to the sight of a large library that is at least two stories tall.
The Library of Omniscience.
Junghwa smiles at the sight of the great library, then he walks down the steps. " This library is the place where the protagonist could learn important things about an enemy he's facing. I mean, he could just keep dy8ng until he learned how to beat him, but he's not... that smart.."
I always got so angry when a heroine fell in love with him, but he was just too dense to figure it out.
He thought they were just being friendly...
Junghwa arrives at yet, another door, a stone door with white glowing symbols. This door also had a handprint at the center.
Junghwa smiles and reaches out to place his hand on it, but he suddenly feels a strong amount of pressure and pain on his hips.
Crash!
Junghwa crashes into the bookshelf on a wall after being kicked by someone who ran at him.
Junghwa coughs blood and looks up, clutching his bruised right side.
I was a worried this was going to happen...
A blonde man with a serious expression stood over Junghwa with a sword on one hand.
He wore a white hoodie, navy blue pants, and red sneakers.
The protagonist... Choi Minjae.
Minjae spoke calmly, but with a hostile tone. "Who are you? How were you able to reach this place?"
Junghwa struggled to speak. He breathed heavily while looking up at Minjae with caution and slight awe.
Due to Junghwa's silence, Minjae moved closer and stepped on Junghwa's bruised hip.
" Aarghh!"
Junghwa yells in pain, spitting out more blood. He looks up at Minjae, who seems nonchalant, but also like he's in a daze.
Shit. I can't talk. The pain is too much..
Junghwa taps on Minjae's shoe twice, signaling that he will talk and also begging him to stop.
Minjae, understanding, stops applying pressure then steps back. He unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Junghwa. " Speak. Tell me how you were able to reach this place. Are you a God? Or are you the Dreamwalker?"
Minjae momentarily lowered his sword, thinking. " No, I've met the Dreamwalker.. And you're not him."
He points his sword closer, causing Junghwa to put his hands up. Then Minjae asks aggressively, also looking at his bloodied shirt. " So, who are you? And what did you do?"
Junghwa smiles nervously, holding up his hands. " Well you see... I'm a Regressor. Just like you. "
Well there's no point in lying to him. It's honestly the only way he won't kill me right now.
Minjae's eyes widen before becoming hostile again. " A Regressor? You? ...that's impossible."
He pressed the blade on Junghwa's neck, slightly cutting him. His voice raised. " Don't lie to me!! How do you know about Regression!? You are a God, aren't you?!"
Junghwa glances at the blade, then looks up at Minjae with a serious expression. " I'm telling the truth. Tell me, what is the farthest Game have you made it to?"
Minjae answers hesitates to answer. He deeplt stares at Junghwa before speaking cautiously. " ...The 47th.."
Junghwa smiles. " So you couldn't defeat that guy, huh?~ Well how about next time you get there, you ....."
Minjae's eyes widen at Junghwa's words. He hesitatly retreats his sword and sheathes it again. " I didn't even think about it like that..."
Minjae looks at Junghwa, who slowly stood up. He spoke the first thought that came to mind after taking in this revelation. " Who are you?"
Junghwa still looked up at Minjae, due to their difference in height. He held out his hand, speaking in a friendly tone. " My name is Kim Junghwa. Nice to meet you."
Puzzled, Minjae hesitantly shook his hand. "My name is Choi Minjae... What regression are you on?"
I'll have to lie for now.
Junghwa's smile falters. " My 10th... Just like you, I assume.."
" Yes." He replies.
This might be enough for now...
" But... why have I not seen you during any regressions? And why is this the first time I've seen you here?" Asks Minjae, grasping the hilt of his sword.
Damn it. He'll take a bit more to convince.
I'll have to create a whole different backstory.
Junghwa stepped back, pretending to be scared. " W-wait! Just listen! I.. I was scared! I didn't know what was happening to me... I kept dying. But I began to learn. Survive..."
Minjae let's go of the hilt, then he makes a saddened expression with slight pity. " I see... You don't have to keep-"
Junghwa interrupted, tearing up. " No! I have to tell you everything.. So I can gain your trust."
How am I crying? Oh right, he broke my ribs.
Junghwa continues with his elaborate lie. "After I died a few times trying to save my friends, I decided to survive by myself for a while. Then I made it to the 47th Game with you. I saw how hard you fought. It inspired me... So I decided to try and save my friends."
Junghwa steps closer, making a fist of pride. " After I saved them, I uh... fell asleep and woke up here. Also, what is this place?"
Minjae looked around with Junghwa. " This place is called ' The Library of Omniscience'. In here you can find information on certain things that can help you complete a Game."
Listening to him explain what he learned is so amazing and nostalgic.
Minjae continues explaining. " They're all locked until you complete a Game. I usually come and read the information that I need to defeat a boss or get stronger."
I already knew this information. It highly unlikely that I'll read any of these books because I basically know everything.
Junghwa smiles, pretending to be surprised." Wow!~ So when things get too hard, instead of dying over and over to get information, you just come in here and read the information that you need?~"
Minjae smiles and nods pridefully as he finally receives appreciation for his suffering.
Minjae's eyes suddenly widen as he gets an idea. He extends his hand out towards Junghwa. " Junghwa, would you like form a partnership? I have a feeling that we could help each other in the future..."
Finally! This is what I've been waiting for!
Junghwa smiles and takes his hand, lightly shaking it. " I'd love to make a partnership with you."
This is the beginning of a great story...
Ping!
-[ Notice!
The 2nd Game will begin in 1 minute!]-
Junghwa's eyes widen.
What? 1 minute? But I have 8 hours before the next game!
Junghwa then remembers the system notification he received earlier.
Junghwa mutters. " Fuck."
" Excuse me??" Asks Minjae, confused from his sudden curse.
Junghwa looks up at Minjae with a serious expression. " I'm sorry, but we'll have to end this meeting early. My area's system glitched, so I have to go now... Please knock-"
Junghwa freezes before he says anything else, realizing that his next words could blow his cover.
I, a supposed first-timer, almost told him, who's entered and exited here many times, how to get out...
Alright, let's change our approach...
Junghwa clears his throat. " Um... how do I leave here?"
Minjae, slightly confused but understanding, lifts up his fist. " I have to knock you out in order for you to leave."
Correct! But just to be sure he thinks he knows my character...
Junghwa steps back, trembling, pretending to be scared. "So you have to knock me out so that I can't see how we leave?.."
Realizing the misunderstanding, Minjae raises his other hand while shaking his head lightly. " No, I mean... I have to knock you out in order for you to leave quickly. Also, I'm not usually in a hurry, so I just go to sleep to leave. Understand?"
Yeah, I knew that already. You could've explained it better, but this is good enough for now..
Junghwa nods. " Yes, I understand... I'm ready."
Minjae positions himself, grabbing Junghwa's shoulder with one hand while pulling back his other hand. He suddenly speaks up. " By the way, I felt your energy in here. That's how I found you."
Okay?? Why are you telling me this?
Minjae continues while aiming, a slight groan can be heard in his voice as he prepares to punch Junghwa. " Well, I also felt the energy of two others in here. And they weren't gods, they we're like us."
Junghwa's eyes widen. " Wait wha-!?"
Pow!
Junghwa is immediately knocked out. His body falls on the ground before it disappears.
-[ To be continued...]-