A Veteran Player is Needed in the Apocalypse

Chapter 27 Provocation

The commander’s response came back after a long time.

“What… did you say?”

It was as if he doubted what he had heard.

I repeated myself with precise pronunciation.

“I said, I’m a regressor.”

“A regressor…”

“Literally, someone who has returned from the future to the past.”

“……”

The commander’s mouth opened slightly, then closed.

“…You’re saying strange things. Luna Moon used to play such pranks often.”

Hmm, the commander’s reaction was more dull than I expected.

I knew he was aware that Luna Moon was a player, so I thought he would take it more boldly.

“It’s not a joke.”

“Stop joking. You say you’re a regressor?”

“Did you react like this when you heard my mother confess that she was a player?”

“……!”

At my words, the commander showed a face as if he had been struck by a hammer.

Although being a regressor was a lie, I didn’t feel sorry for mentioning a dead person.

Anyway, I was tired of pretending to be a child.

If I acted like a regressor now, I could escape being treated like a child and avoid entering the military academy.

This wasn’t just for me.

It was to avoid the apocalypse.

“Didn’t you find it strange? That I am excessively mature and know too much about the military.”

“Do you expect me to believe you’re a regressor just because you’re more mature than other kids?”

“I knew everyone’s names at the officer meeting.”

The commander seemed to want evidence, so I laid out plausible examples.

“Do you think I could know so much about them just from hearing my mother talk? Do you think I, who had never held a gun in the slums, am skilled at handling firearms and shooting just because I’m a clever kid? Do you think it was just a spontaneous act when I climbed over Lady Daphne’s wall?”

“……”

The commander seemed reluctant to believe me.

However, the next words from his mouth were not of doubt, but a question of intention.

“Why are you revealing now that you’re a regressor?”

“Because you don’t know.”

“Know what?”

“That we don’t have time.”

As I watched the commander tilt his head slightly, I continued.

“In ten years, another apocalypse will begin.”

“What?”

The commander was quite surprised to hear that another apocalypse would begin.

“We called it the Second Apocalypse.”

“Another apocalypse in the future… I wish it were a lie.”

“I also wish there were no apocalypse. But in the future, where we were unprepared, I died.”

The commander’s eyes widened a bit at the mention of my death in the future, then settled back.

“When I opened my eyes, I had returned to my ten-year-old self. If this is my second chance… I thought I should prepare for the apocalypse this time. That’s why I’m keen on going on subjugation missions and paying attention to combat rations.”

“……”

After a long silence, the commander responded.

“It’s as hard to believe as when I found out Luna Moon was a player.”

“I understand. But I had to tell you. If we continue like this, there won’t be enough time to prepare for the apocalypse.”

I decided to explain everything that might raise suspicion from the commander.

“I’m telling you now because I found out in this regression that my mother was a player and that you knew it. I thought if you, who knew my mother was special, might take my story seriously.”

“Are you saying you didn’t know Luna Moon was a player in the future?”

“Yes. But I had a vague feeling that my mother wasn’t an ordinary person, so I sought out Lady Daphne in this regression to learn about her. That’s why I wasn’t so surprised to find out my mother was a player. If I’m a regressor, isn’t it plausible that my mother is a player?”

The commander seemed a bit confused by my clever logic.

“If you’re really from the future… then make a prophecy about future events.”

Hmm, it seemed the evidence I provided was insufficient.

As the commander of a zone, it was right to be cautious about whom to believe.

Unfortunately, I had no prophecies to share.

“That’s difficult.”

“Difficult?”

“The future has already changed significantly since I regressed. Originally, I didn’t come to you this quickly.”

Hearing this, the commander seemed to accept that I couldn’t speak about future events.

‘Good, then…’

“I can’t make prophecies about the future, but if you want more concrete evidence.”

Actually, it wasn’t impossible to tell the commander about future events if he wanted.

While a few things might have changed with my regression, I had already played through this world multiple times.

But I had no intention of pretending to be an awkward prophet.

As a seasoned veteran, wasn’t it right to prove my origin with my skills?

“Please allow me to challenge the training simulation at the academy.”

At my words, the commander flinched and looked at me with a gaze as if seeing something from another world.

“…Knowing about the academy’s training simulation suggests you might really be a regressor.”

“That’s because I’ve already graduated from that academy in the future. I assure you, I’m better than any current student at that academy. If I pass the training with superior performance, you won’t be able to help but believe me.”

“……”

The commander seemed to struggle for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“I’ll allow you to challenge the training simulation.”

I smiled without hiding my rising corners of my mouth.

If I prove myself through training, he won’t be able to bring up the academy again.

Slaughtering newbies isn’t something a veteran should do, but I had no choice this time.

—

Plato, the eldest son of Anton of the pro-Daphne faction, was an outstanding cadet about to graduate top of his class at the academy.

Even though his father was the leader of the pro-Daphne faction, under Anton’s fair education, which aimed to raise him as a commander recognized by all factions, he didn’t discriminate against any faction.

He was respected by many cadets because he never used his father’s name to solve problems.

However, Plato, who became a soldier bound by ideology more than Anton expected, became a thorn in Anton’s side as he never shied away from making straightforward comments.

While junior cadets admired Plato for his excellent grades in both theory and practice and for sticking to his principles, his peers and instructors, who realized the importance of obedience in the military, saw him as nothing more than a talented but obstinate cadet.

Nevertheless, the fact that he was set to graduate at the top of his class was undoubtedly influenced by his father, Anton.

Regardless, his obstinate nature manifested itself when he was ordered to participate in the training simulation with Hayden Goodman, the commander’s son.

“I refuse.”

“Plato!”

Hayden Goodman, the subject of the matter, was also standing in the corner of the principal’s office, looking at Plato, and the principal, shocked, called his name, but Plato did not back down.

“Even if it’s a simulation, I can’t bring myself to harm a child who hasn’t even enrolled yet. You know that injuries can occur even in simulations, right?”

“The commander himself has permitted it.”

“He permitted it?”

The academy’s training simulation was a mock battle.

Cadets were divided into Team A and Team B, starting from their respective bases, and the simple rule was to plant the flag in the opponent’s base or eliminate all team members to win.

It was a non-lethal battle conducted with mock military swords and paintball guns, but as the clashes intensified, punches were occasionally thrown, resulting in injuries.

The commander had permitted his ten-year-old son to participate in such training.

‘Could it be… that he wants us to lose?’

As if to confirm his suspicion, the principal’s next words fell within his expected range.

“And you can go easy on him during training.”

‘As expected.’

Plato shook his head firmly.

“You’re asking me to let him win, but I can’t disgrace a future cadet, a future warrior of this zone, by going easy on him. How embarrassing would it be if his first training simulation victory was because his opponent went easy on him?”

“Pl-Plato! Please watch your words…!”

“I’m fine.”

The principal glanced at Hayden Goodman standing next to him, but Hayden showed no signs of displeasure despite hearing everything.

Plato quietly observed Hayden’s shiny black hair and black eyes gleaming with a sinister curiosity.

‘This child is the rumored illegitimate son.’

The boy who reportedly threatened his father, Anton, with a smile from their first meeting.

A boy who climbed over Lady Daphne’s wall, ventured outside the zone alone to hunt hippopigs, and shared meals with other children—a boy whose true nature was unknown.

‘I had guessed he wouldn’t be an ordinary child.’

That’s why, when he heard that Hayden would be visiting the academy for a tour.

And when he heard about the training simulation challenge, he didn’t feel much resistance.

He thought it would be okay if it were this boy.

But participating in the training simulation with him was unexpected.

“Why me? There must be other cadets more suited to Hayden’s level.”

“Please, choose your words carefully, and that’s because…”

“I requested it.”

Hayden’s young voice interrupted.

He looked straight up at Plato and said.

“I wanted to see the best cadet at the academy.”

“…Thank you.”

For some reason, Plato didn’t feel that Hayden’s attitude was that of a mere visitor.

‘It feels more like a commander visiting to encourage his troops…’

Anyway.

If Hayden wanted to see the best cadet and wanted to participate in training with him, Plato decided to step back.

He believed it was an excellent quality for a warrior to aim for and challenge a superior existence.

‘But still, I don’t want to face a child…’

Plato offered a compromise.

“Assign me to Hayden’s team. That should balance things out.”

Hayden shook his head in surprise.

“Plato on my team? There’s no need for that! If someone as excellent as Plato is on my team…”

‘He is a boy who knows shame despite his unreasonable requests.’

Plato thought Hayden was refusing because he didn’t want to rely on Plato to pass the training, but the words that followed completely overturned his expectation.

“How can I prove I’m better than any cadet at the academy?”

Unable to let such a statement pass, Plato frowned without realizing it.

“What did you just say?”

“Oh, I forgot to mention.”

Hayden continued cheerfully, despite the principal’s shocked expression.

“My father allowed me to challenge the training simulation because if I prove I’m better than anyone at the academy, I won’t have to enroll. Frankly, I think enrolling at the academy is a waste of time.”

At that moment, Plato decided he would do his utmost to defeat the ten-year-old child.