Regression Guidelines for the Supporting Character

Chapter 7

Main Quest: Meet the scattered protagonists and become their companion. (Progress: 0%)

You must meet the protagonists scattered in various places and become their companion. (Condition for companionship: Trust of the protagonist)

Protagonist

A key figure who will prevent the Great Calamity and protect the world.

The protagonists must be protected at all costs, as the Great Calamity cannot be stopped if they die.

* Warning! If even one protagonist dies, the quest will be considered failed.

Quest Failure: World Destruction

“Huh…”

I let out a dejected sigh at the status window that filled my vision.

Earlier, it was urging me to meet the villain, and now what? Protagonists? Is the Yeseong Guild Leader in front of me one of these protagonists?

‘Moreover, “protagonists”? Not just one person?’

It was good news that I didn’t have to stop the Great Calamity alone, but isn’t this too sudden? 

There was no way I could suddenly become a companion just because I was told to. At least, unlike with the villain, there was no time limit, which was fortunate…

“What are you thinking about?”

Kwon Tae-hyuk, who had been looking at me strangely as I frantically read the status window invisible to others, grabbed my arm.

“Your inability to answer looks suspicious indeed. Come with me.”

“No, I… ugh…”

I tried to make an excuse hurriedly but winced at the pain spreading from my arm.

Kwon Tae-hyuk didn’t seem to be applying much force, but my body, not much different from an ordinary person’s, couldn’t withstand even this much strength.

‘This is really bad.’

If I were to be dragged away by Kwon Tae-hyuk now and interrogated, not only would it be difficult to retrieve the inventory bag hidden under my clothes, but more importantly, there was a high chance of being separated from the child.

Just as I was trying to endure the pain and shake off Kwon Tae-hyuk, it happened.

“Excuse me, Guild Leader Kwon Tae-hyuk.”

“…!”

A low, gentle voice intervened between me and Kwon Tae-hyuk. 

I could immediately recognize who it was just by the voice, without seeing the person. Feeling my heart flutter, I slowly raised my head.

“This person is not affiliated with the research institute, but a victim.”

Curly brown hair and drooping eyes beneath it. A kind-looking face that didn’t match the black techwear outfit.

‘Hyung…’

I silently mouthed the title I couldn’t speak aloud while carefully looking at his face.

The last time I saw him, he was in my arms, pale-faced and bleeding. After regressing and meeting him again, he looked very healthy, just like the day we first met long ago.

As I struggled to swallow my emotions, a new status window appeared in front of me.

User Information: Ryu Sunghyun (Protagonist)

Age: 31

Representative Skill: Light Materialization (S-rank)

Title: The Radiant Sun

Attack Power: S-rank

Attack Speed: S-rank

Movement Speed: S-rank

Agility: S-rank

Special Notes▼

└Protagonist who will stop the Great Calamity

The information that appeared in the status window was already familiar to me. Except for one thing – that word next to his name.

‘So Sunghyun hyung is also a protagonist like the Yeseong Guild Leader?’

Ryu Sunghyun was the vice guild leader of the ‘Circle’ guild, the guild I had joined before the regression.

The Circle guild had cooperated in the raid on the research institute, and Ryu Sunghyun had come to the scene as a representative with guild members, proposing that I join the guild when we first met here.

Having lived a trash-like life, I had deep distrust towards people.

So I rejected Ryu Sunghyun’s offer… but he persistently held onto me, and unable to overcome his stubbornness, I ended up joining a guild for the first time in my life.

Ryu Sunghyun was a precious person who helped me somewhat overcome my distrust towards others and taught me how to get along with people. The two years I spent in the Circle guild were my most precious memories.

‘I was going to protect hyung no matter what, even without something like this.’

It was a bit bewildering that he was also an existence to stop the Great Calamity, like Kwon Tae-hyuk. I wasn’t sure if I could really believe the contents written in this status window.

Meanwhile, Kwon Tae-hyuk and Ryu Sunghyun continued their conversation with me, confused, between them.

“Do you have evidence that he’s a victim?”

“Yes. You can see it here.”

Ryu Sunghyun handed over the documents he was holding.

“These are documents my guild members just found in the research institute. It’s a list of victims who were experimented on, and this person is listed here. There’s even a photo, so it’s certain.”

What? There were such documents?

They kidnapped people as they pleased and even kept records? Those research institute bastards were really out of their minds.

Kwon Tae-hyuk finally let go of my arm after alternately examining the contents of the document and my face. It hurts like hell.

“…I’ve confirmed it. I misunderstood.”

Kwon Tae-hyuk, returning the documents to Ryu Sunghyun, spoke with a still cold attitude.

“However, since these documents were created by the research institute, it’s difficult to fully trust them. So, to prevent any further problems, I hope Mr. Cha Seo-hu will promptly go to the supporters for a simple examination and treatment.”

Kwon Tae-hyuk mentioned my name he saw in the documents, gave a stern warning, and then turned away.

Finally free from Kwon Tae-hyuk, I rubbed my still aching wrist and greeted Ryu Sunghyun.

“Thank you for your help.”

“It’s nothing.”

Ryu Sunghyun smiled gently and said, looking at my wrist,

“It’s fortunate that we had just received those documents. Come this way. I’ll guide you to a supporter. You need to get your arm treated anyway.”

“Ah, um…”

I was very grateful for the help, but getting examined by the supporters wasn’t good.

I was anxious about the inventory bag being discovered, and if I were separated from the child, I’d have to find them again.

What if another time-limited quest popped up after losing the child, like before? I had gone through so much trouble to find the villain, I didn’t want to do that again.

‘Moreover, those documents Ryu Sunghyun just produced… My information is one thing, but if the child’s information is also in there, things could get complicated.’

No matter how much I thought about it, getting out of here as soon as possible was the right answer.

For now, I obediently followed Ryu Sunghyun. As we walked past the combat vehicles towards the outside, supporters huddled in tents came into view.

“Then I’ll be going as I have some remaining work to do. Get treated well.”

Ryu Sunghyun, who had guided me right in front of the tent, turned and walked back towards the research institute.

“Are you here for treatment?”

After confirming that Ryu Sunghyun had moved far enough away that our conversation couldn’t be heard, I answered the hunter who approached me.

“Yes. But before that, this child needs to use the restroom. Is there a usable restroom nearby?”

I used the child as an excuse once again. It was shameless, but I had no choice as this excuse would work best.

“Ah, there are portable toilets set up over there. You can use those.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled genuinely at the hunter who had fallen for my lie, and the hunter’s cheeks visibly reddened.

Heading in the direction the hunter pointed, I saw a single-person outdoor portable toilet set up in a corner.

The location is good too. I pretended to enter the toilet with the child, opened and closed the door once, and then slipped out to the side.

If it had been daytime, someone else might have caught us, but in the thick darkness of midnight, it was easier to escape secretly. I hugged the child tightly and ran hard for a while.

“Huff, huff, ah, I’m dying, huff…”

Unless I used the hidden skill, running with the child in an F-rank body was not an easy task.

After running until I tasted blood in my mouth, I put the child down and collapsed to the ground as soon as the research institute was somewhat distant.

The child, who had comfortably escaped the research institute in my arms, quietly watched me as I sat on the ground gasping for breath.

I never knew saving one child would be this difficult. I feel like giving up on everything, villain or whatever.

“Haah…”

Leaving the child standing blankly with an expressionless face, I raised my head to look at the night sky. The sky was dotted with occasionally twinkling stars and a moon half-hidden by clouds.

Although we had barely escaped from the research institute, the real start was from now on. Because I had to live with this child who was like a ticking time bomb.

‘First, let’s sell the items stored in the inventory to get money. And I need to create a fake identity too.’

As I calmly organized the things I needed to do in the future, the quest came to mind.

‘If I need to become companions with the protagonists, does that mean I have to meet Kwon Tae-hyuk and Ryu Sunghyun again?’

I had just escaped from the research institute, and now it seemed I would have to seek out these two people on my own. Moreover, my first encounter with Kwon Tae-hyuk was already awkward, so I had no idea how to gain his trust and become his companion.

“My fate…”

I muttered the same lament I had been repeating for a while and let out a deep sigh. With a mountain of tasks ahead, I already felt exhausted.