My Infinitely Long End-Of-The-World Regression Journal

"Haaaa...wow, you sure are slow!" 

The purple-haired girl who looked straight out of a cultivation story jumped down, landing on her feet without much trouble.

I was doubled over nearby, almost out of breath. My stamina wasn't bad either, but with the speed she was moving, I had to run full-sprint, no holding back...for almost a full half hour.

I was nearly dead. I wouldn't be surprised if the regression voice entered my ears again.

"You need some more training. You can't survive the Lost Forest if you can't outrun the Pixies, you know? They'll eat you alive."

She skipped over to me, breasts still jiggling, and patted me on my back. Rather than feeling comforted, I felt my true powerlessness all over again.

I took a moment to catch my breath, before looking up at the girl.

"Why...are Pixies...chasing us?"

"Oh, that? Well, I kinda pissed them off by trying to fight one earlier, so, now they're trying to kill me. And you're with me, so...'us'!"

It was simple. A little too simple. I knew some people came out of the tutorial harbouring ridiculous potential, but this was insane. Let alone a week, barely a day had passed since the Tutorial ended.

"Alright, well...what's your name?"

I managed to stand up, staring the curvaceous beauty in the eyes. She smiled pridefully, placing a hand on her ample chest as she puffed up in pride.

"Ah~hem. This one will take the most gracious name of Sect Leader."

...

...

"I'm not calling you that."

"Oh, come on! Just do it once! Call me Sect Leader!"

The girl practically pleaded. I'm sure that, if I could actually see her eyes underneath her long bangs, they'd be shimmering with fake tears. What was more effective than her tears...was that damn body of hers! She held onto me, pressing her large chest against my side.

I had to focus deeply to keep my mind cool. Maybe she was teaching me a lesson after all.

"Okay, let's say that I do call you Sect Leader. Where is your sect, anyways? As far as I can tell, you're alone in this forest."

She sniffled, finally letting me go. "Well, I was...but then you showed up! So..."

She turned her head towards me with expectation, and the implication was obvious.

Without asking me, she had apparently already included me into her sect. 

I felt a little uncomfortable with joining a group after what had happened in my second regression, but I guess there wasn't really a reason to hesitate.

I had already decided to turn away from the city. Liliana, the Saintess, nor Nozomi would remember me, no matter how hard I tried.

"...yeah, sure. Why not, Sect Leader."

The girl smiled happily - she was practically beaming. I have to admit...I was a little happy to see that bright of a smile. Even if I didn't know her all that well...maybe I needed to see a smile like that.

"...add a respectful bow to your greeting, elder disciple!"

"Alright, now you're pushing it, Sect Leader."

---

My new 'Sect Leader', who I came to learn was called Viola, was now leading me on a tour through the place called the 'Lost Forest'.

"You see, Alan...this forest is pretty tricky. For example...try walking in a straight line!"

She ordered, and I looked at her strangely.

"Seriously? But it's just a straight line forward-"

"Just do it!"

She huffed out at me, her hands pressed against her hips.

Following her order, I walked straight forward. I kept walking, before turning around...and finding that Viola wasn't there. In fact, the entirety of the forest scenery behind me changed, only vaguely familiar.

"See? Not as easy as you thought it'd be, right?"

Viola's voice now came from my front. I turned my head back to see that...she was standing in front of me?

No, looking more closely at the surroundings, it was more apt to say that, somehow, by walking forward, I had ended up walking behind her. 

"This is what makes the Lost Forest the Lost Forest! You have to wander in…and once you're inside, you're basically lost wandering forever! Haha!"

"I can't believe you can say something so terrifying while laughing, Sect Leader…"

I stared around at the forest with bewilderment. I was looking at it with completely different eyes…

'Forever' wasn't a joking term to throw around. Then again, I'd never heard of a place like this before…

"Ah, I know that look in your eyes, but don't worry. People rarely get caught in here! I mean, I've been here for a looooong time, and I haven't seen anyone yet."

'How long is long?' I wanted to ask that, but looking at her, I just had an…off feeling. I still couldn't see her eyes, but I had the feeling, were they visible, there'd be some madness there.

"Well, if you say so." I decided to concede. For now, I didn't really have that much of a plan to get out. If just walking was enough to get lost, then running around frantically might end with me starving or dying of dehydration.

"Now then, should we go to the sect? Trust me, it's beautiful!"

Before waiting for my answer she had already started moving. Knowing how easily I could lose her among the trees, I quickly followed.

'...At first I thought she was just a little quirky, but now I'm not so sure that her crazy way of talking is just an act.'

We traveled through the forest like that for a while, and what I saw was impossible. In some ways beautiful, other ways terrifying.

There were creatures reminiscent of something you'd see in a fantasy world…also mixed in with ancient things that should've been long-fossilized like dinosaurs, like we had found ourselves in Jurassic Park or Journey to the Center of the Earth. 

All the while, Viola happily laughed, a real joy in her voice that made me think that she hadn't experienced spening time with someone in a long time.

Sure, she was beautiful. And more than a little crazy. But, more than that, I thought that she was someone who had learned how to make the best out of her situation.

I wasn't sure how long she believed herself to have been here. After all, I was certain that it only could have been a day. But, still, despite thinking that she was stuck in this forest for who knows how long, I didn't see an ounce of negativity from her.

Later, we sat down near a campfire. Viola hummed, warming herself around the flames. It wasn't that cold, but she just seemingly enjoyed the act of sitting around a campfire.

"...I've been thinking about this for a while, but why are you so good at navigating the forest? Jumping on and off of trees like it's nothing…it's not something that someone could normally do."

Viola looked at me, confused.

"What do you mean, disciple? It's not particularly that hard."

I would've laughed at her words in any other circumstance, but I really wanted to know. I felt guilty for pushing, but to put it simply, Viola was extraordinary. It was only after two months of doing literally nothing but training with the strongest ability users, that I managed to get them to the level of facing off against the Flood Dragon.

Yet she was moving like this on day two. This isn't about potential. Something else had to be behind her crazy capabilities.

From what I had seen, Viola had no obvious ability. She didn't look crazy muscular. If anything, her body was pretty soft and lithe…but she moved like she really was some sort of warrior from a cultivation story.

"Not that hard for you, maybe, but it would be impossible for most people."

I waved her off, leaning against a nearby log. She frowned at me, with unseen disapproval.

"For most people, you said. But why would I, your amazing and magnanimous Sect Leader be among 'most people'? And further than that, why are you? See? It's all because you're lacking in your training and cultivation."

She stood up and sighed. "If you were here for as long as I was, you'd learn this sort of thing too, disciple. The cultivation that allows you to even fight against the untouchable ones…"

Her words were just as mystical and somewhat insane as usual, but…she had merit.

She could apparently kill Pixies. That alone was huge. And, right now, I had a need to gain some power.

No, if anything, I craved power right now.

"...disciple."

I could see the reflection of Viola's face in the licking flames of the campfire. For some reason, the nighttime sounds of the forest seemed to quiet.

"When I asked you if you were willing to become my disciple…did you really mean it?"

Her voice was quiet. More sincere. Far less lively than before.

I didn't have anything to hide.

"Of course. I'm not going to be getting out of this place anytime soon, so why not? Besides, you're right." I laughed, darkly. "I lack training. I lack a lot of training. I haven't done nearly enough…" 

My words were self-deprecative, with good reason. The memories of my failures over three regressions were still planted in my mind like fresh wounds.

The pain of death. The pain of loss. The pain of regret. So much was swirling around in my head, still.

Viola turned to look up at me. For a second, I thought that I could see her eyes. They looked ancient. Immediately, I felt that I could tell that Viola was not a human being. Her eyes were far too…old. Different.

"I will help you, disciple. To reach what you want to attain. On one condition…"

She smiled sadly. It was an expression that I couldn't understand. Still, even with my confusion, I didn't hesitate to reply to her offer.

"Promise to visit me every time that you…'regress'. Okay?"

The words that I hadn't expected to come out of anyone's lips had just been spoken. My heartbeat quickened. I could feel my eyes involuntarily widened.

Viola kept that smile on her face, and turned away from me, her eyes once more disappearing under her bangs.

There was silence for a few long minutes.The only occasional sound came from the crackling fire.

"...I promise."

I spoke, in a voice that was surely lower than a whisper. Still, she heard me, and nodded.

"Then your training begins tomorrow morning! Hope you're ready, disciple!"

Like nothing had happened, Viola immediately went right back to her cheery self.

I wondered then about what the true nature of the woman called 'Viola' was. That answer eluded me. I wouldn't find out why Viola had made that sort of request until a few more regressions into the future. 

But for now, this was where my true training began.