Chapter 65

# 65

User Manual for the Regressor 065

Ride Quality (2)

The situation is one where everyone's mouths are already wide open.

Of course, it's only natural for them to react this way.

The current performance of Kim Hyun-seong is far beyond what one would expect from someone who has been here for less than a year.

It's not just about having high stats.

Kim Hyun-seong is currently showing movements that are more than twice the level of his current stats.

Of course, as someone who is not a melee class, it's difficult for me to make an accurate evaluation, but even I, who don't know the details, can feel how special he is, so there's no need for further words.

The thoughts of Choi Young-gi of the Red Mercenaries and others are obvious.

'Monster.'

Or perhaps.

'Genius.'

It's all written on their faces.

Of course, it's not just Kim Hyun-seong who is receiving high praise.

The magical firepower that I and Jung Hae-yeon are displaying is also beyond imagination.

In my case, I rely more than half on Jung Hae-yeon, but the magic without any limitations in firepower is impressively hitting the targets.

The same goes for Seon Hee-young, who is taking care of Park Deok-gu, and Kim Ye-ri, who is fulfilling her role.

It feels like we have finally become a perfect team.

To put it a bit exaggeratedly, the entire process of hunting is even enjoyable.

Feeling the catharsis that comes when the puzzle pieces fit perfectly is, of course, not an easy task.

It's surprising that I can even feel it.

The fact that the beloved regressor is leading the party is enough to make such a difference, which is quite amazing.

'So different.'

At least by my standards, it's showing the perfect form of a party.

While continuing to chant spells, I sneak a glance at Jung Yura, and I see a very flustered face.

'Of course, it would be like that.'

Originally, the source of her inexplicable confidence lies in her contribution to the hunt.

Her plan was to take on the role of the necessary villain for the expedition, regardless of how she was judged by public opinion.

Even if her image was already tarnished no matter what choice she made, she could still play the media angle that her willingness to take on the villain's role made the dungeon's strategy possible.

Seeing all her plans fall apart, I can't help but feel like laughing.

"Next."

As if possessed, I chant spells and cast magic.

Each time a giant creature falls, a strange sensation rises within me.

The more Jung Yura's expression crumples, the more my lips curl up.

Finally, when all the monsters in front of us have fallen to the ground, a strange silence falls over the scene.

Most people look at Kim Hyun-seong with a bewildered expression, wondering if what just happened was real.

Unable to bear the prolonged silence, Choi Young-gi finally speaks up.

"It seems there really is a genius among us."

"Thank you for the compliment. I was just trying to mimic what I saw from all of you."

"No, not at all. I, and anyone else here, couldn't have done that. It's not just about having good stats; it feels more like the experience of a very seasoned warrior. To be honest, I feel a bit of self-loathing, both towards myself and towards the party members."

"Such..."

"The party members also seemed to have changed a lot overall. Honestly, when Blue recruited all of you at a high price, I thought it might be a bit of a stretch, but seeing your current performance, I can feel that it was the right decision. The day when Blue regains its former glory is not far off."

"I'm flattered."

"Ha ha ha. If things go well in the future, don't forget us."

Choi Young-gi, a talent like him, will never be forgotten.

'I'll do my best in the future.'

Of course, it's not just Choi Young-gi who is re-evaluating our party.

Despite the somewhat bewildered feeling, a lot of attention is being paid to Park Deok-gu and Kim Ye-ri, who are showing good performance.

The cleanup of the monster corpses is even being delayed.

I tried to rummage through the corpses to see if there was anything useful for research, but nothing has come up yet.

In this warm atmosphere, the only one who looks unhappy is Jung Yura.

'How will she react?'

The most curious thing is, of course, her approach.

There are two choices this time as well.

Either she can bow down for the sake of a good relationship, or she can stick to her previous attitude.

Of course, to choose the first option, certain conditions are necessary.

She needs to have a thick skin to retract her previous statements without hesitation and be despicable enough to throw away her self-respect.

It may seem easy, but it's not.

Of course, for someone like me, it's easy to throw away such things, but for ordinary people, they are surprisingly hard to discard.

Especially for someone in Jung Yura's position.

Those at the top know how to throw away their self-respect to protect what they value.

Politicians and business leaders who bow down for the sake of the people are like that.

I don't care if they are called pigs or rodents behind their backs, but at least in front of people, they show respect and apologize.

However, those in ambiguous positions cannot do this easy task.

They consider their self-respect the most important thing and see bowing down as a disgrace.

This difference, in my personal opinion, is the standard for judging whether someone is first-rate or second-rate.

'Which one are you, Yura?'

A complicated expression.

'Are you first-rate or second-rate?'

A crumpled face.

Seeing her slightly open her mouth, I can't help but realize that she is still second-rate.

'You shouldn't go into politics.'

A fight where the outcome can't even be estimated.

Watching this invisible fight for so long, I feel like a fool.

"Of course, it was surprising, but I was a bit startled by your sudden appearance."

"What do you mean?"

"If you were planning to change positions, you should have told us, right? While the result wasn't bad, we were also taken aback."

"Jung Yura, are you...?"

"Is what I'm saying wrong? Our side was thrown into confusion because of Hyun-seong. Don't you think the others feel the same way?"

"Of course, I was a bit surprised, but it wasn't a situation we couldn't handle. A single swordsman stepping forward wouldn't make our formation collapse. Thanks to Blue's proactive movement, we could achieve victory more easily. You should know that much."

"Of course, I'm not saying there was no contribution at all. I just wanted to say that it was a bit surprising. And if you could move like that, you should have done it from the beginning."

Her excellent scolding feels so warm.

"I moved cautiously because I thought our party members hadn't fully adapted to the dungeon. Especially, Deok-gu and Ye-ri were a bit struggling. Now that we've adapted, I tried to move, but I'm really sorry for not informing you in advance."

"I'm not asking for an apology, Hyun-seong."

While trying to maintain her meager status and position, her gaze won't be good.

Even if I hadn't manipulated the situation, she is now strangling herself.

Of course, her words are not without merit.

It's true that Kim Hyun-seong made a sudden move, and it's also true that Jung Yura was surprised by it.

If we assume that the situations of Jung Yura and Kim Hyun-seong were reversed, and Jung Yura used her acting skills to claim she was a victim, it wouldn't be an impossible situation.

However, just a few hours ago, Jung Yura was a national anti-favorite, criticized by everyone.

It's strange that she would receive good reactions.

"Your words are a bit harsh, Yura."

"I don't know why he keeps doing that."

"Instead of praising him, you're trying to bring him down. Even if Blue's party is envied, this is too much."

"Tsk. What can you say about a situation like this? It seems Yura needs to pull herself together, not Hyun-seong."

"What did you just say?"

"I can say it as many times as you want. I've been holding back, but I finally said it. I don't understand why you can't find a reason to criticize."

"I'm only speaking for the expedition's sake."

"For the expedition's sake? I don't think so."

"You should just stay quiet for the expedition's sake."

Especially, the harsh words from the Red Mercenaries feel a bit excessive.

Seeing the conflict escalate, I can clearly feel that Jung Yura's political life is over.

Her face is flushed red.

Other members of the Black Swan try to defuse the situation, but it's impossible.

Even the expedition leader Choi Young-gi, who has been mediating, doesn't look good.

In fact, I also wanted to criticize Jung Yura openly, but I couldn't take that position.

However, I feel like I can at least fan the flames a bit.

I thought hard about how to bring up the topic, but it wasn't easy.

I had to maintain the position of a victim.

First, I needed Kim Hyun-seong's permission.

I glanced at Kim Hyun-seong, and his eyes met mine. Without directly asking, he probably sensed that I wanted to speak, given the bright look in my eyes.

'Can I say a word, bro? You're good with words, Hyun-seong.'

He slowly nodded, giving me permission. I opened my mouth instantly.

"May I say a word cautiously?"

As soon as my voice was heard, several people's gazes fell on me.

"Yes, of course."

Teasing people is quite fun.

While it was interesting to observe her from behind the wall of public opinion, it's even more satisfying to tease and provoke her openly.

"Actually, I'm very sorry. I tried my best, but I might have caused some inconvenience... "

"No, no."

"Especially to the Black Swan members, I'm really sorry. To Jung Yura, in particular."

Her strange expression quickly elicits a reaction.

"Actually, I've talked with many party members, including Hyun-seong. I think you know that we joined this dungeon strategy to gain experience. While there were reasons why only our party from the Blue guild could enter the rare-level dungeon, our party's specs meant we couldn't help but cause inconvenience to you."

"No, that's not true, Ki-yeong."

"No, I really feel sorry about this. We tried our best to help you outside the strategy, but I think we fell short. I could see that Jung Yura was not pleased. We decided to try harder, but after watching the situation after the hunt, I think I understand what the problem is."

Jung Yura's face, which looks unnecessarily anxious, is visible.

It seems she thinks I might point at her with my finger.

Of course, that's not a bad option, but it's not the right answer.

After taking a deep breath and speaking slowly, I see the faces of those who are a bit flustered.

"It seems we are causing trouble."

"Excuse me?"

"Our party seems to be causing trouble for this expedition."

"Ah..."

"I thought you might be uncomfortable, but I didn't expect this level of inconvenience. We didn't come here to create such a situation... I sincerely apologize to all of you."

"No, no."

"I understand how important the atmosphere of the expedition is for the dungeon strategy. I read about it in the seniors' guides before entering the dungeon. While it's a bit disappointing, I can't continue to cause inconvenience and make a fool of myself."

"No, that's not... "

Confused voices came from all directions.

While I wanted to make the final statement, it felt right for the party leader to do it.

After pondering, Kim Hyun-seong nodded and spoke.

"Our Blue party should leave this place."

'Good timing...'

I was quite impressed that he understood my thoughts.

Of course, the atmosphere changed dramatically after Kim Hyun-seong's words.

"No, there's no need for Blue to do that. The problem is on the other side..."

"There's no need to do that. Who caused the trouble...?"

The public opinion that was my shield is now a spear piercing the Black Swan.

Choi Young-gi also seems to be in a dilemma.

However, I thought the words the Red Mercenaries could say were already set.

"It's not that we didn't help. You worked harder than we imagined. There were mistakes, but they are understandable. The one causing trouble is on the other side."

'Good rhythm, good melody.'

"Jung Yura."

"..."

"I'm really sorry to say this. I understand the hard work you've put in, but there's a part that needs your understanding for a smooth strategy."

"What are you...?"

"I will show consideration by recognizing your ownership of some of the dungeon's byproducts."

"Really...?"

"I suggest you leave the expedition."

The moment the scene I had envisioned in my mind was completed.