Regressor Takes Everything

“Damn it… You fucking son of a bitch!!” An enraged tone of voice resounded in all directions to the extent that the listener felt sorry for them, and as if responding to the scream, the hunters surrounding them moved more and more busily.

It seemed to be quite burdensome in the aftermath of the magic overflowing in all directions, but compared to the time when a few people ended up dying, this time was holding up rather well. ‘It doesn’t make sense if all of your arms are smashed and you can’t win that either.’

Four arms turned into charcoal and hideous burns were all over the upper body. All of the weapons that symbolized him were scattered on the floor with their handles smashed, almost incapacitated.

‘It's a disaster if you see that he's still holding on.'

When he was watching him tenaciously fighting dozens of hunters with only magic power, he eventually felt a presence next to him: an unrealistic body that looked like it was carved out of obsidian.

After passing the level of greatness, he frowned at the disgusting muscles. "Mister. Cover up after the fight. It looks ugly.”

A tall black cougar, Jalapino, who was standing next to this scolding, raised the corner of his mouth. "It's been so hot for so long, wouldn't it be regretful for them if I covered it up now?"

"Who?"

“The spectators who want to see my muscles.”

“Such dogs…”

He thought they were all joking, but looking at them bustling around, it seemed that this was indeed true. Ignoring the smirking cougar, he tried to get a cigarette out of his chest but hesitated.

‘They were right here…’ He rummaged through his arms again, took out the pack of cigarettes containing Hydron, took out a cigarette, lit it, and inhaled deeply.

His mind, which had been hazy like fog, became clearer, and the pain in his lungs, which were showing hints of a seizure, disappeared as if the burdens had been washed away. It was a bit wasteful to smoke two cigarettes a day, but there's nothing wrong with preparing for an emergency.

As he was burning Hydron while watching the battle situation, he then heard a disgruntled voice from the side. “Smoking that kind of cigarette with an unhealthy body. That's why your magic doesn't progress.”

In turn, he smiled at the pitiful gaze that was directed toward him. "If you're that confident, come here. I'm going to stab you in the lungs so you can feel it too."

“Shouldn’t it be worse than it is now?”

“If you can’t cure it, why care? Anyway, if you become this bastard, everyone else will follow.” As he clicked his tongue and looked forward, he saw the figure of the guy who was currently being overpowered.

The tool used was a chain of binding especially made by Nam Cheol-soon. It was a suppression tool that glowed blue with magic power that strangled the whole body, and the magic power that spread in all directions completely disappeared.

Kududeuk!

“Aaaaagh!!” The brittle, enslaved arms suddenly sprout and begin to smash the restraining tools that entangled the rest of the body. Seeing that unusual appearance, the hunters quickly threw additional suppression tools, but they broke faster than they captured.

"This…!”

“Wait." He stopped and looked at the cougar who was about to run away. The wounds from the previous battle remained all over the body, but the bleeding had stopped and it was almost completely recovered. He seemed a little tired, but his defense seemed to be sufficient.

“Take this and go.”

He threw the belt he had prepared in advance, and the cougar who accepted it narrowed his eyes. "This… Isn't it similar to the weapon of the guy from earlier?”

“It’s not ‘similar,’ it’s the exact same thing.”

It was the bomb he hid in the weapon's hilt and blew off all of his arms. It was an item that also worked for disaster-level demons, so the price was enormous, but it was not his money to have. “If you fight moderately and find a gap, fill it right away. It will explode right away at that time.”

"I'd be swept away too."

“You can survive.”

When it came to muscle mages, weren’t they famous for being strong among S-class hunters? When he said that, the cougar looked at him with very displeased eyes. “Consider it fortunate that you are sick.”

“I think so too, now.” He chuckled and threw the belt away, and the cougar took it and filled it diagonally across his upper body.

“If I fail, I know you will finish it somehow.”

“Let’s see about that.” After that, the cougar ran, looked behind him, and pulled out his detonator. He was not an idiot either, so he prepared something stronger in case an unexpected occurrence were to happen.

‘What. Still, if it's that person, I'll be able to endure it….’

Looking at the fiercely fighting cougar’s back, he smiled shyly. ‘If you’re going to blow it, you have to make sure it does the trick.’

* * *

“Sup… … !” Kang Yoo-sik, who naturally opened his eyes, reflexively touched his shoulder, recovering from the vision within his dreams.

This was because the memory of being caught by a cougar who had been in the 16th week of pre-treatment and his shoulder being smashed came to mind. ‘Anyway, thanks to me, he won….’

It was before the regression, but it was still unforgivable that he had to last 12 weeks, which ended without any injuries at all. Kang Yoo-sik, recalling the memory of being bullied by Ahn Seol-ah while being nursed by him, looked around the dark dorm with his body trembling.

From there, he found a notification window floating in the corner. [You have acquired the skill ‘Black Lotus Flower (S)’.]

“… … ”

He had been trying to learn the white lotus fantasy dream but had suddenly acquired another skill. Recalling that fact, Kang Yoo-sik put on a strange expression. ‘How am I supposed to look at this….’

For him, the stage or technique of the white lotus illusion was much too appropriate. Perhaps the efficacy that even Li Mei didn't know about was hidden within the white lotus illusion, so Kang Yoo-sik opened the black lotus blossoms lightly.

A black lotus flower blooming with a mandala appeared on top of his hand. Unlike the White Lotus, the fog did not appear, instead, other strange changes were visible around it.

‘Is space warped? No… … It's a bit different from that.'

To be precise, the surroundings changed to a more comfortable state than a moment ago. Breathing felt comfortable, and the entire body moderately tensed and adjusted to the best condition.

Kang Yoo-sik, who saw the change, clearly realized what effect the black lotus bloom had. ‘It changes the surroundings to suit me.’

It was an illusion that allowed one to reverse a situation that was unfavorable to them. That was the power of black lotus bloom. Kang Yoo-sik, who confirmed the fact, looked at the black lotus that bloomed on his hand.

‘However, it’s a bit tricky.’ Even just adjusting the inside of the inn, a considerable amount of mana was consumed. Considering that the wider the range, the greater the consumption, it seemed difficult to write.

‘As of right now, anyway.’ Being called up in stats was an overwhelming advantage over others, so there was no need to worry about that. Kang Yoo-sik, who decided to use it only when it was very much needed, canceled the black lotus bloom.

Then, he got up from the bed and called Percival. ‘Percival.’

Normally, the answer that would have returned like a knife when called. However, for some reason, Percival was quiet, and Kang Yoo-sik looked at the pendant with a puzzled expression. ‘Percival?’

-Yes.

Percival answered as if nothing had happened. Kang Yoo-sik looked at him with a strange expression. ‘Where were you? Did you get sick?’

– Yes? What do you mean by that…?

‘I called you earlier, but you didn’t answer.’ Kang Yoo-sik made a strange expression upon seeing how confused Percival seemed to be.

‘Can an item get sick too?’

It might be possible, but he had never heard of something like this happening in a normal state. Kang Yoo-sik looked at him suspiciously, and Percival answered cautiously.

-Well… … I guess it's because of the place called the Musaengwon.

‘Musaengwon?’

– Yes. There had been some slowing of consciousness before entering the place. And he seems to have felt a strong sense of déjà vu when Lord dispersed his fog a little while ago.

‘Hmm.’ Kang Yoo-sik made yet another strange expression at Persval’s story. ‘Is there something tremendous in it?’

He had vaguely known from before that something tremendous was hidden inside Musaengwon. This was because the Chinese authorities used all sorts of tricks to get inside, such as grinding bombs or calling in S-class hunters before returning. ‘Maybe it has something to do with Baekryon Moon-ju’s business….’

While Kang Yoo-sik was immersed in his thoughts on various possibilities, he felt someone's presence outside the door, and from there heard a knock.

“Cadet Kang Yoo-sik. Are you awake?” It was Li Mei's soft voice. Kang Yoo-sik immediately got out of bed and opened the door, only to be greeted by a pure white uniform with lotus flower patterns embroidered everywhere. She seemed to have changed her traditional clothes into modern clothes, but it gave off a very strange atmosphere.

‘This… … .’ Kang Yoo-sik watched her carefully.

Li Mei gave a soft smile. “I have something to tell you… May I come in for a moment?”

“… … Yes. Come in.” Kang Yoo-sik, who obediently stepped aside, let Li Mei inside and closed the door. Li Mei came inside and sat on the chair she had placed in front of her table, and Kang Yoo-sik, who went and sat across from her, proceeded to look at her.

Li Mei was flawless in her outward appearance and spirit. However, Kang Yoo-sik found himself in a strangely nerve-wracking state before he asked, "You. Who are you?”

Li Mei made a puzzled expression. “What do you mean…?”

"Come on, I don’t plan on wasting anyone’s time here. Answer.”

Seeing Li Mei still making a questionable expression, Kang Yoo-sik smiled as he remembered the person he would come to as the representative. “Or should I call up Ihwa Danju?”

“… … .” Li Mei widened her eyes at Kang Yoo-sik's call and muttered in disbelief. “I see that the rumors were not exaggerated.” Eventually, mist seeped into the uniform, revealing Chen Tien's true form.

Kang Yoo-sik, who saw the changing process, made a slightly surprised expression. ‘Isn’t it a white lotus illusion?’

Seeing that she resonated with Dobok, it seemed that she hadn’t mastered it completely, but the effect itself was almost perfect. If she hadn't been in a state where her understanding of white lotus fantasy had increased while learning the black lotus flower, she would not have easily recognized it.

“Are you done now?”

“Yes. This is much better.” Kang Yoo-sik answered leisurely, and Chen Tien couldn’t help but admire him inwardly.

‘I thought I was taming a hound… … Now I see that it was a wolf.’ If he didn’t offer a proper deal, let alone a leash, this side might get hit the other way. Realizing that fact, Chen Tien carefully opened his mouth. “The reason I came to you is to make a suggestion.”

“What is your suggestion?”

“Kang Yoo-sik. I will make you a master of white lotus gates.” Kang Yoo-sik looked at the unexpected proposal with a surprised expression, and Chen Tien smiled at the reaction. “If I put my mind to it, it will be easy for me to make you a master of white lotus patterns. If you don't like that, I can give you money or something that's huge enough to match the position.”

The guild leader of the White Lotus Guild, or a reward comparable to that position, entering the world's top 10 guilds. Kang Yoo-sik made a slightly surprised expression at the enormous reward, even as he calculated it roughly. ‘Things are going better than I thought?

He thought he would have to bide his time, but the doors had opened themselves for him right at the very beginning. He didn’t know if it was because he had recognized the disguise, but Kang Yoo-sik looked at the unconventional proposal with a curious expression. "If it's that kind of reward, I think the requirements will be enormous."

“In a sense, it could be. But it will be of no value to you.”

Kang Yoo-sik made a puzzled expression at the cryptic answer. “What the hell do you want?”

"I don't know if you're still a beginner… If you go beyond the fog, a flower garden would appear. And beyond that flower garden, there is a small shrine.”

He had already entered the flower garden long ago, but Kang Yoo-sik did not express himself and quietly listened to the story. “Inside the shrine, there are objects that have been sealed by the first Baengnyeonmun master and have been maintained until now. That is what I want.”

An item sealed inside the shrine of Musaengwon. Hearing that story, Kang Yoo-sik suddenly remembered the information before returning. ‘That's what the Chinese government was looking for.'

However, what the hell are they doing, why were they both trying to have it like this? Seeing Kang Yoo-sik lost in thought, Chen Tien calmly continued his story. “Anyway, this will happen after you have completely mastered the white lotus dream. Judging from the fact that the lord of the moon brought them, they seem to have aptitude, but in the end, it will be a mere story from a few years later.”

"What… Hm, I guess so.” Although he had already learned something similar to White Lotus, Kang Yoo-sik replied with a smirk.

“So I will give you three days. If you accept, write the pledge on that day, and if you refuse….” After a brief pause, Chen Tien looked at him with cold eyes. “It would be better not to visit Baengnyeonmun again.”

With that, Chen Tien stood up as if the business was over, and Kang Yoo-sik threw out a question whilst looking at him slightly. “Isn’t it dangerous if I tell the story of today to Lord Baekryunmun?”

“Do you think the lord of the gate doesn’t know?”

“…You mean you let it go even though it was an act of rebellion?”

Chen Tien turned his head and looked at him calmly. “I have never rebelled against Baengnyeonmun. Rather, it's just a ploy to make Baengnyeonmun even greater than it is now….”

“… … .”

"It doesn't matter if I talk to the lord. However, since the previous offer will be considered a rejection, you'd better think carefully. Then see you again in three days.”

After those words, Chen Tien went outside, and Kang Yoo-sik began to stroke his chin. ‘It's not betrayal, it's a difference in direction?'

He didn't know the details yet, but Chen Tien's purpose was to raise the White Lotus Guild using the items sealed by the first White Lotus Master. And Li Mei seemed to be thinking of maintaining the seal, judging from her actions before returning.

Kang Yoo-sik, who had been analyzing the situation carefully, raised the corner of his mouth. ‘This is why it’s quite fun to come back…’

Originally, Kang Yoo-sik's situation was not so good. Chen Tien suggested three days. Considering the average acquisition period of White Lotus, it was virtually impossible to acquire even the wave that was said to tell one of the circumstances.

However, if he were to explain the situation to Li Mei, she would become hostile to Chen Tien, and there was no possibility of being punished for her self-confident appearance. In the end, except for accepting it, he found himself in an annoying situation where he would have no choice but to be checked by Chen Tien… It could have been!

‘If only I hadn’t learned the Black Lotus Flower.’

Perhaps he didn’t learn the White Lotus Phantom Dream, but he learned a similar Black Lotus Flower, so Li Mei would also have to explain the situation. Chen Tien made a game in his own way, but the game was made in favor of Kang Yoo-sik first.

‘Then, let’s go listen to the story on the other side this time.’

Now that they had heard of one proposal, it was now time to listen to the other party’s proposal.