Chapter 21: Sponge in a Pineapple House

Kim Seojin left the group behind and followed the Regressor, who didn't require any guidance.

"Why are you still following me? Are you glued to me or something?" the Regressor questioned.

"The City only has one entrance, and we're both heading there," Kim Seojin replied. "So technically, I can't be following you. It's just that you're walking ahead of me."

"In that case, you can take the lead," the Regressor offered sarcastically.

He slowed down, allowing Kim Seojin to pass him.

Kim Seojin responded with an eye roll, saying, "Do you really have to be so petty? I thought we were past that phase."

"There is no phase to pass," the Regressor stated.

Kim Seojin didn't dwell on the matter and changed the topic.

"What kind of challenges do you think we'll encounter?"

As Kim Seojin took the lead, he adjusted his pace to match the young man behind him.

"Who knows? All I know is that this time, the System won't provide any Stage Description. That's why a Guide was given," the Regressor explained.

"In that case, don't you think you made a mistake by leaving that guide behind? I was kicked out, but you could still stick to him. So why would you do it?"

"Do I need your permission to do what I want?"

"Was it because of me?"

"You truly think too highly of yourself. Are you some kind of princess for me to do something like this? Don't make me laugh."

"Whatever." Kim Seojin lazily responded. He could see that there were a lot of things that the Regressor was lying about.

He was especially lying about the fact that he didn't know what kind of challenge waited for them inside the City.

Seojin didn't know what else this guy was lying about. With him, it was hard to differentiate lies from the truth.

The only time he appeared to have human emotions was during their back and forth interaction.

"I suppose I will find out when the time comes," he mumbled under his breath, pushing that thought to the back of his head.

"What are you mumbling about?"

"Are you finally getting interested in my mumbling?" Kim Seojin laughed in response, enjoying the rare moment of light-heartedness between them.

He didn't know what was waiting for them behind these doors. But one thing was certain. It wasn't anything good.

"To think that there are even Mechas here."

Seojin stopped near the entrance of the city. Just the entrance walls alone were so tall that he couldn't even hope to climb over them.

The only things that were taller than the City walls were the tall and futuristic buildings inside the City, that appeared to be touching the sky.

What caught most of his attention were the giant robots that were standing like a guard near the city entrance.

He didn't know what material was used to make these giant robots or if they either worked. They appeared to be made from Titanium, but that was just his guess.

"How fascinating. These things should be really overpowered if they work."

He subconsciously reached out his hand to touch the foot of the giant mecha on the left side of the entrance gate.

"I would not do that if I was you."

Just as he was about to touch the Mecha, the Regressor's voice came from the back.

Seojin quickly stopped his hand. If even the Regressor was advising him against it, then he could only imagine how dangerous it could be.

'Does these things come to life on touch? I don't want to test this theory.'

He retracted his hand and moved away from the Mecha.

If they came to life and started attacking them, even with Battle Guidance, he didn't believe that he could take them down.

Even if the Mecha had a weakness, could his sword even reach it? That thing was massive!

"You are quite an idiot, aren't you? To think you don't even know about these things. Were you living under rocks or something?"

Taehyung observed the metallic gate before him, looking like he was trying to find something.

"Yes, I was a starfish living under a rock in the bottom of the ocean, next to a sponge who lived in a pineapple house," answered Seojin as he slowly walked back to Regressor who was sleeping standing before the giant door.

The giant metallic door looked even harder to break than whatever materials these Mechas were made from.

He couldn't even imagine how thick this door actually was. Only one thing was certain. It was impossible to break this door.

He didn't say anything, noticing Taehyung trying to search for something on the door.

He didn't want to break his focus, certain that he was looking for a way to open the door.

"There it is," he suddenly said.

He pointed at a specific point in the door.

"Keep that point in mind and press it only when I ask. There must be no delays or those Mechas will activate and you will be screwed."

"Hey, why will only I be screwed? There are two of them. You'll also be targeted, right? Right...?"

"..."

"Whatever makes you feel better," Taehyung replied while the corner of his lips slightly curved up.

He moved over to the other end of the gate, locating another very specific point.

"On the count of three!"

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

On the count of three, Taehyung pressed a specific point on the door.

Seojin did the same. He didn't know if the Regressor was messing with him and he did not want to test that theory either. If he could avoid these Mechas, he wanted to do that.

As they pressed the points, the two points started shining. A series of mechanical sounds reverberated through the air.

The gate slowly started to open, making it look like multiple puzzle pieces were being removed.

....

"How could they know how to open it?"

In the back, Triton was looking forward to watching these two arrogant youngsters make a fool of themselves, but he was stunned to see them actually open the gate.