The Regressor Only Protects Me

Chapter 13. Rapid Development (2)

[You have acquired Skill Enhancement.]

[Skill Enhancement: By synthesizing identical weapons, you can obtain a higher-grade weapon. Current Artisan Level of Kang Sion: 1.]

Synthesis?

If identical weapons were being referred to, then it meant the two ‘Crude Spears’ I was holding now.

I gripped both spears in my hands.

Then, a synthesis window appeared.

[Crude Spear]

[Enhancement Success Rate: 10%]

[Failure results in 100% destruction of equipment.]

10%.

Perhaps it was because my proficiency level was low, but even so, the success rate was far too low.

It seemed that using the synthesis skill required accumulating much more proficiency.

Sure, theoretically, 1 out of 10 attempts would succeed, but I couldn’t rely on luck in battles where I was outnumbered.

I gave up the thought and continued crafting spears instead.

Each time I did, my proficiency increased, little by little.

“Oh? Look at this. A synthesis window appeared.”

It seemed Lee Joo-yeon, who was beside me, also had the synthesis window pop up.

Considering our similar crafting speeds, it wasn’t surprising for her to reach that point as well.

I resumed crafting more spears.

At that moment, Lee Joo-yeon casually began synthesizing her equipment.

“Synthesis is better, right?”

“W-wait.”

Startled, I tried to stop her, but it was already too late.

Fwoosh-!

A bluish light emerged from her hands, then exploded in midair.

Boom!

“Oh! I succeeded. It was a 10% chance.”

“…Ah.”

Fortunately, the enhancement was successful.

Otherwise, she would have lost two weapons at once.

I calmed my racing heart.

Success was all that mattered.

However, Lee Joo-yeon beamed brightly, then grabbed the newly enhanced +1 Spear and a normal spear at the same time.

“Oh. A +2 upgrade has only a 3% success rate. Life is all about big risks. Let’s go!”

“Don’t.”

Whoosh.

I immediately snatched the weapons out of her hands.

In her previous life, Jin Jae-hee had started the game in a university building located in Haeundae, Busan.

Because of that, she had no knowledge about the current matches.

Even so, Jin Jae-hee neither felt anxious nor impatient.

After all, Kang Sion was by her side.

She was with the League’s strongest Player.

Her goal was singular.

To survive this damn game at all costs.

And to return the world to its original state.

Kang Sion was the man closest to victory.

At least within South Korea, there was no one who could rival him.

This was a fact proven in her previous life.

Kang Sion was a central figure in the game’s storyline, and his comrades stayed by his side until the end, ultimately achieving victory.

In her past life, Jin Jae-hee had spent three years with him, and thanks to that, she had survived to the end.

Though she hadn’t made it past the final round, no one else besides their group had even reached that point.

After failing in the final round and meeting her death, she had only one regret.

‘If only we had met earlier.’

If they had met sooner, they could have reached the final round with more comrades.

They could have cleared the entire League together.

And now, she had been given that opportunity.

Jin Jae-hee had met Kang Sion, and the League had begun.

She couldn’t predict the immediate future, but she knew about the pivotal matches that would follow.

Thus, she would claim victory alongside Sion.

Of course, as time went on, the course of events would likely diverge from her past life.

8th Floor. Elevator.

Grooank. Clunk!

With some effort, the elevator door opened.

The pitch-black interior of the elevator shaft came into view.

Jin Jae-hee gulped and cautiously looked down.

The elevator was stopped at the 2nd floor.

Falling from this height wouldn’t kill her, but it would certainly result in broken legs.

And in this world, sustaining injuries meant death.

‘I have no choice.’

Reconnaissance during the early stages was critical.

She had to succeed.

Jin Jae-hee stepped back twice and then leapt forward in one swift motion.

She reached out and grabbed hold of the steel cable connected to the elevator.

Clank. Creak.

As she gripped the steel cable, the veins on her hands bulged.

Her body swayed slightly as the cable trembled under her weight.

“Huff, huff.”

Her breathing was labored.

Returning to the past hadn’t restored her physical stats.

With effort, she used her forearm strength to slowly climb the steel cable.

The Blue Team wouldn’t expect anyone to infiltrate through the elevator shaft.

It was a difficult route, but also the safest one.

After all, the purpose of the first round was to filter Players.

Only those with adaptability would make it to the true battlefield.

And the battlefield wasn’t confined to this narrow building—it extended to the world beyond.

Monsters and Players.

Battles for survival and power struggles among Players.

And above them all, the Administrators.

That world was a slaughterhouse drenched in blood and death.

Jin Jae-hee finally reached the 11th floor.

She stepped onto the edge of the elevator platform and began to carefully pry open the doors.

***

1st Floor. The Red Team’s base.

At some point, I had fallen asleep.

I wasn’t someone who slept much.

Before this ordeal, I’d sleep an average of 4 hours a day, 5 at most.

I rarely felt the need for more rest.

But today, I must have been utterly exhausted.

After crafting the last spear, I’d collapsed into sleep as if fainting, and soon began to dream.

Was this what they called a lucid dream?

I was fully aware that I was sleeping and dreaming.

After our parents passed away, my brother and I lived in a 30-year-old semi-basement apartment.

In summer, it would flood with water, and in winter, snow would seep into the bathroom.

The bathroom doorframe had an iron bar left behind by the previous tenant.

It was early dawn.

My younger brother was sleeping peacefully in the room that doubled as a living room and kitchen.

Without saying a word, I headed to the bathroom.

I silently tied an old rope into a circular loop.

My body was trembling uncontrollably.

Even though it was my own body, I couldn’t control it.

It felt as if I were watching a first-person video of someone else.

Slowly, I climbed onto the toilet and grasped the rope.

Overcome with fear, cold sweat streamed down my body.

Just as I slipped the noose around my neck.

Creak—.

The bathroom door opened.

Standing there was my little brother, Junho.

Junho rubbed his fists against his sleepy eyes, unable to properly see me through his drowsiness.

“Hyung, what are you doing…? I need to pee.”

“J-Junho.”

Junho asked me innocently, completely unaware.

Even at that moment, the noose was still around my neck, and my trembling hands gripped the rope tightly.

“…Kang Junho. Junho. Junho.”

This had to be a dream.

It absolutely had to be.

Before my brother could fully wake, I hurriedly climbed down from the toilet.

Then, I embraced him tightly.

“Hyung…?”

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”

Up until now, I’d only thought about myself.

Terrified of the future, convinced that life would only grow more painful, I had been ready to give up.

But what about my brother, left alone in the world after I was gone?

He was even more unfortunate than I was, yet I had selfishly thought of taking the easy way out.

“Hyung, I really need to pee…”

That night, holding my desperate, squirming brother close, I sobbed uncontrollably.

Tears I hadn’t shed even at my parents’ funeral flowed freely that night.

It wasn’t until I’d cried for what felt like an eternity that I finally woke up.

“Hah!… Hah.”

My breaths came in ragged gasps.

It felt as though my heart would burst, like I’d just finished a marathon.

For a moment, I was dazed, drenched in sweat, and utterly drained.

When I came to my senses and looked around, I realized there was a black coat draped over me.

And sitting nearby was Lee Joo-yeon.

“You’re awake. Hey, Saebom, he’s awake.”

Lee Joo-yeon, staring straight at me, called over a man named Lee Saebom, shaking him awake.

He was the man she had called her friend.

“Are you okay? You were sweating like crazy. You know, like those drama scenes where the protagonist wakes up from a nightmare, dripping in sweat. Saebom, you’ve seen those, right?”

“Alright, enough. Stop it, noona.”

“Wow, this is my first time seeing something like this. At first, it was strange, but now it’s fascinating.”

“Ah, I said stop.”

Saebom quietly walked over and handed me a towel.

Parted hair, rimless glasses, tall and handsome features.

Normally, I wouldn’t accept favors from others.

You never know what someone might be plotting.

But my face was drenched in sweat—it was unbearable not to wipe it.

So I carefully accepted the towel.

Saebom spoke to me.

“Must’ve been some dream, huh?”

“It’s none of your business.”

I replied coldly and pulled off the coat covering me.

Then I asked Saebom.

“More importantly, what’s the situation? The Blue Team—has Jin Jae-hee returned?”

“Jin Jae-hee? You mean that woman who was always by your side?”

“Yeah.”

“She hasn’t returned yet, and the Blue Team hasn’t shown up either.”

I turned my head to the left, where the spears, water, and food I’d prepared throughout the night were neatly arranged.

Then, turning my head to the right, I saw people carrying out various tasks.

They were carving wood with blades.

It wasn’t something I had ordered.

Among everyone here, the only ones not working were me and the two siblings in front.

“What’s that?”

I pointed at what the people were making and asked.

Lee Saebom glanced at it briefly before looking back at me to answer.

“I told them to do it.”

I frowned.

“And who do you think you are?”

Saebom stared at me blankly for a moment before responding nonchalantly.

“I’m nobody. At least, for now.”

As my mind cleared, sensations slowly returned to my body.

Then, the headache that had been lying dormant crept back.

Pressing my temples, I spoke to him.

“What did you tell them to do? Everyone needs to conserve their energy. We don’t know what’s going to happen next.”

I had no idea how long I’d been asleep.

Normally, I would have only slept for about four hours, but for some reason, it felt like I’d slept much longer.

Saebom propped his chin on his hand and looked at me.

“You need to rest. You’re clearly overworking yourself.”

“Stop deflecting and don’t worry about me.”

“I can’t not worry. If you keep pushing your body like this, you’ll become their target. And when your stamina runs out, you’ll die.”

I turned to look at him again.

And then he finished his sentence.

“And if you die, we all die. That’s the rule, isn’t it?”

Saebom handed me a tumbler.

Inside the tumbler was warm water.

As he handed it over, Joo-yeon gave me a thumbs up and said, “It’s lemon tea. Super tasty.”

Just as she said, there was a tea bag floating on the tumbler.

It was probably one meant for entertaining guests.

I stared at him while taking a sip of the tea.

Joo-yeon suddenly reached out, stirring the tea bag inside the tumbler for me.

When I silently stared at her, she gave another thumbs up.

Saebom grabbed Joo-yeon by the back of her neck and pulled her away as he spoke to me.

“Everyone agreed to it. I just suggested the idea. It wasn’t a decision I made on my own.”

“What exactly are they making?”

“Crossbows.”

“Crossbows?”

“Yeah, crossbows.”

Saebom stood up and walked off somewhere.

As he left, Joo-yeon, who was sitting next to me, stared intently at me before asking.

“So, how does it feel? Is your heart racing like crazy, just like a drama protagonist?”

I didn’t bother answering her.

Saebom returned, carrying one of the crossbows that the others had been working on.

“If you insert a spear made from a mop handle into the inner slot, it’ll work.”

I quietly observed what he was doing.

Saebom inserted the mop spear into the crossbow’s inner groove.

He then aimed at a wooden board across from him.

When he released the rubber band used as the bowstring, the arrow—crafted from the mop spear—flew out and embedded itself into the board.

Thwip—Thunk!

The mop spear, originally long enough to be considered a spear, had been shortened by half.

The length had been adjusted to fit the size of the crossbow.

Its tip had been sharpened to increase penetration power.

The power was impressive, but what stood out the most was its accuracy.

I took a closer look at the crossbow.

The bowstring Saebom had pulled was made from elastic rubber, like the kind used in pants waistbands.

The string was looped two or three times for added tension and durability.

Large nails secured the elastic on either side of the crossbow.

The frame, where the nails were embedded, was made of wooden boards.

Large nails.

Wooden boards.

Rubber bands.

Mop spears.

Nearly all the materials had been scavenged from the shopping mall.

The crossbow was small enough for an individual to carry with ease.

To think that such a weapon could be made by combining these simple items.

What stood out most was the precision of its construction.

I glanced at Saebom.

He was a talent.

“Rather than relying on human arm strength, elastic force is much stronger. It’s a weapon that utilizes that principle. I thought it’d be more efficient, so I asked everyone to make them using the same materials. Of course, we’ve still kept some weapons for throwing spears.”

It was quite a plausible crossbow.

It was simple enough that even a first-time user could easily handle it.

That explained why the Red Team members had been so busy earlier.

Saebom lifted the crossbow onto his shoulder and asked.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll restore everything to how it was.”

I alternated my gaze between him and the crossbow.

Then, I extended my hand.

Saebom naturally handed me the crossbow.

A status window appeared.

● [Temporary]

Crossbow (+0)(Crafted)

Rank: E

Attack Power: 2 (Per Shot)

Durability: 10

Special Effect: None

Difficulty to Use: Low

“How many arrows have you secured?”

“Using mop handles, broom handles, and other materials, we’ve made about 50 so far. If we keep going, we can secure up to 100.”

I repeated what he had done earlier.

Pulling back the rubber band, I hooked it onto the wooden notch and placed a mop handle arrow into the groove.

I aimed using the carefully crafted sight at the tip and raised the bow.

Thwip!

The arrow sliced through the air and embedded itself on the opposite side.

It needed further refinement, but for now, it was sufficient.

At least against humans, it was excellent.

“We’ve secured about three crossbows so far. Since they require precise work, it takes a full day to make just this many.”

Saebom took the crossbow from my hands as he spoke.

I sipped on the lemon tea from the tumbler, trying to regain my composure.

Time had already slipped by significantly.

We didn’t have much time left, and I wanted to leave the shopping mall as soon as possible.

Then, I suddenly asked him.

“Wait, what did you say?”

“We’ve secured about three crossbows.”

“No, after that.”

“Oh, it takes a full day to make them.”

“Are you saying I’ve been asleep for an entire day?”

At my question, Saebom checked his wristwatch.

He sighed lightly before replying.

“Yeah. Exactly 25 hours and 32 minutes. We even tried waking you up, but you just wouldn’t wake.”

Damn it.

Today marked the third day.

And the fourth day wasn’t far off.

I knew I had slept for a long time, but I didn’t expect it to have been a full day.

If the Blue Team had attacked while I was asleep, it would’ve been the end.

And as if fate was mocking me, the second incident began the moment I woke up.

Thump, thump.

Cherubs walked out from a tear in the void.

They marched in formation, beating their drums as they moved.

Among them, Administrator K yawned as she strolled out.

“Ahhh~ This is sooooo boring!!! It’s dull!!!”

K rubbed her eyes and glanced at the Red Team members.

“Why aren’t you fighting? Are you all scaredy-cats? This is why it’s boring. So boring.”

K shoved her hands into her pockets and continued.

“From now on, we’ll proceed with a special game. All three teams must participate.”

With a horizontal wave of her hand, a hologram window appeared in the air.

Everyone in the Red Team looked up at the window.

Dum dum dum dum.

The cherubs’ drumming picked up speed and intensity.

“This special game for Round 1 is…”

When K finished speaking, all of us wore tense expressions.