The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 213

Countless questions swirled in Allen’s mind upon registering the sword.

Where did this sword come from? What was the ominous power it was emitting? Didn’t he manage to assimilate Se-Hoon? Assuming he failed, how should he proceed from now on?

Drifting in a sea of endless questions, Allen couldn’t find an answer. All he could do was stare helplessly at the sword piercing his chest.

This is dangerous...

And think that it might be the end of him.

Boom!

Allen was slammed into the opposite wall, brought along by Abgrund. The darkness compressed within the sword impaling him then exploded, engulfing his surroundings completely.

Storing days' worth of absorbed pitch-black darkness from the underworld, Abgrund had an overwhelming amount of darkness that even S-rank heroes wouldn’t dare face. And now, that darkness had swallowed Allen whole.

“Ugh...?!”

Crunch!

There was no special technique to the darkness whatsoever, just brute force. And normally, Allen could have dealt with such darkness with his skills. However, when the amount of brute force reached tens or even hundreds of times more than normal, the story changed.

The darkness was simply overwhelming; it consumed the space, even collapsing the boundaries of reality itself. Of course, Allen’s body was not spared.

There’s no... way out... Allen gritted his teeth, feeling his body being gnawed away at.

With his strength and knowledge right now, there was no way to break free from this situation. Realizing there was no other way now, Allen grabbed Abgrund’s blade with his right arm, which was still intact for now.

Akashic

His palm radiated a crimson glow.

Boom!

He was slammed against the wall once again, resulting in a pain that tore through his entire body. Unable to resist, Allen vomited up the liquid that had surged up his throat.

“Ugh! Cough!”

Staring at the dark red blood stained the ground, Allen, who was finally able to breathe again, grimaced in pain and hurriedly scanned his surroundings.

Se-Hoon was standing in front of him, holding Luize in his arms, and only two demons remained. Looking further past them, all he could see was a hemisphere of darkness that was swallowing everything inside it.

Taking in the scene, Allen rapidly assessed the situation.

Has it already captured two demons?

Even though they were A-rank demons, they couldn’t escape the embrace of the darkness in time. It was an absurd thing to occur, but at the same time, it made sense. After all, if not for his right arm, Allen wouldn’t have made it out either and would have died just as pathetically.

“Spatial teleportation, huh?”

Looking toward the direction of the voice, Allen faced Se-Hoon once more.

“I thought I could kill even an S-rank hero in one shot, but I guess things aren't that easy,” remarked Se-Hoon casually, a disappointed expression on his face.

It was an attitude that enraged Allen.

“You... when did you... cough! What are you trying to achieve...?!”

“What am I trying to achieve? Isn’t it obvious?”

Se-Hoon was utterly nonchalant, just watching as Allen continued to cough up black blood.

“It’s all for the One.”

“...What?”

Allen blanked out, momentarily forgetting the gut-wrenching pain. Se-Hoon had attacked him for the One’s sake? What kind of nonsense was that? He wanted to believe it was utter nonsense, but... Se-Hoon’s expression remained completely serious, without a hint of deception.

“I talked to the One last night. He said you guys don’t understand his revelation, let alone hear it properly in the first place.”

“What... what are you...?”

“That’s why he ordered me to clean things up, to recover all the Regions being wasted and transplant them into this one to resurrect himself.”

Showing who he meant, Se-Hoon lightly tapped Luize, whose expression was vacant. The indifferent touch to her cheek, done as if he were handling an object, confused Allen even more.

He still wanted to believe that Se-Hoon was deceiving him, but a part of him had begun to wonder if everything Se-Hoon said could be true.

Woong-

At that moment, a faint crimson aura surrounded Se-Hoon’s body.

Upon seeing it, Allen immediately convinced himself that if Se-Hoon was acting against the One's will, that power, which belonged to the One, couldn't last.

“No... that can’t be... If the One really ordered that, he would’ve retrieved his powers from us first.”

However, just as Se-Hoon’s power indicated the One’s will, the power Allen could still feel in his body also proved that he was following the One’s will. And since that was the case, he held the conviction that his abandonment was impossible.

Regaining his composure, he glared at Se-Hoon with bloodshot eyes.

“Seize him!!”

At Allen’s command, the two demons, who had been watching the situation unfold, swiftly charged forward. But Se-Hoon just watched quietly, without making a move.

“Set-”

From out of nowhere, a red magic array appeared before the demons.

“Shock Wave.”

Boom!

The demons were sent flying far away, and Luize, who had been limp until now, stood up normally.

“...”

Standing there silently, Luize’s eyes were glowing with a blue light. And upon seeing that, Se-Hoon removed Hati and took out Vargr from his Dream Storage, attaching it to her.

Clink-

Activated, a black steel mask marked with an X pattern covered her lower face, and the mana radiating from Luize grew even stronger. Having not expected such a thing, Allen just stared in stunned silence.

Ignoring Allen, Se-Hoon calmly gave Luize his orders, “Go and take care of them.”

“...Understood.”

Boom!

Acknowledging the command, Luize wrapped herself in a whirlwind-like cloak and flew toward the direction the demons had been flung.

Left speechless by it all, Allen’s eyes trembled violently.

What is happening...?

This situation was beyond his comprehension. He desperately hoped for another revelation from the One to provide the same answer as before, but nothing ever came.

Am I... Am I really doing the right thing here...?

The suspicion that he might be going against the One's will paralyzed him, making it impossible to choose any course of action.

“Cough!”

But that didn’t mean the backlash from forcibly drawing out the One’s power from his right arm had stopped either. Blood spilled from his mouth and nose; hastily activating spatial magic had damaged his brain severely due to the strain of forcibly using something he had never used before in his life.

“Ah... agh...”

The questions that plagued him twisted further, increasing his confusion. Feeling the headache that seemed like it would tear him apart, Allen staggered while gripping his head.

It worked perfectly.

Observing Allen’s breakdown, a slight smirk formed at the corner of Se-Hoon’s mouth.

“Wow... It really worked, huh?”

To the voice in his mind that was filled with curiosity and surprise, Se-Hoon responded as if it were an obvious outcome. “The more devout one is, the more likely they’ll end up like this.”

Dawn's strength came from their willingness to do anything for their mission, but ironically, so did their weakness.

What would happen if their actions contradicted the mission? Even something completely trivial could fully unravel their resolve.

“This... Luize girl is interesting too. She followed along perfectly, even though she hadn’t been instructed in advance.”

Not wanting to risk raising any suspicion, Se-Hoon had kept quiet. Yet the moment he placed the Synesthetic Mindscape Storage Device against her neck, she grasped the situation and acted as if she were unconscious.

“We do have a great synergy.”

Whether it was the Blast Dog or Luize, they always worked seamlessly together when it mattered, despite their usual bickering. Pleased, Se-Hoon watched Luize’s performance as she fought the demons in the distance for a moment before turning and making his move to wrap up the situation.

Fwoosh!

Retrieving the Ascension Ring from the Dream Storage and putting it on, Se-Hoon gripped Ewinia, the Legendary weapon he had newly acquired from Hraesvelgr.

Whoosh!

Ewinia’s green blade hummed, sucking in the air around it. Staring at Allen, Se-Hoon effortlessly controlled the flow of air. He was on edge, aware that even the slightest mistake could result in the wind's sharp edge slicing his own body.

“Guh... aaaaargh...”

Allen was still staggering, looking as if he would collapse at any moment. It would have been convenient if he remained in that state and offered up his life, but Se-Hoon, who had dealt with countless madmen before the regression, knew things never ended so easily.

And just as he expected, Allen’s staggering body suddenly stopped.

“Lies.”

Allen raised his head and glared at Se-Hoon.

Drip.

With blood streaming from his eyes and a demonic expression on his face, Allen, who had completely lost it, directed a murderous glare at Se-Hoon.

“There's no way the One will abandon me! You’re the one distorting the One’s will! You're twisting the revelation to suit your desires and toy with me!”

Woong!

Completely berserk, Allen's right arm exploded with crimson-colored mana, and veins across Allen's entire body bulged. The surge of mana was accelerating the corrosion of the mana circuits within Allen’s body, transforming them into something entirely different.

“Uh-oh, he’s connected.”

Crack!

Two horns suddenly pierced through Allen’s forehead, reaching toward the sky. His now mutated skull, which looked like it had formed antennas, connected him to the Akashic—the collection of knowledge granted by the power of Omniscience—and began absorbing knowledge.

With the additional knowledge, Allen gradually began to harness the Seeker's power better; the crimson-colored mana radiating from his right arm shining even brighter was proof of that.

Woong!

With Allen’s new control over the Seeker’s power, magic arrays began to fill the space around him, starting from the ground and multiplying rapidly. An intricate network of magic formed as dozens, even hundreds, of spell arrays intertwined.

Facing the oppressive atmosphere on an entirely different level from before, Se-Hoon tightened his grip on Ewinia and charged forward.

“That guy’s unique skill is assimilation. If you charge in half-heartedly, he’ll devour your attacks. If you’re going to strike, make it count.”

Acknowledging that her words matched what Se-Hoon had learned about the characteristics of the Right Arm from the Blast Dog, Se-Hoon nodded in understanding.

He closed in. Instead of bombarding Allen from a distance, Se-Hoon decided to strike decisively. But at the same moment, Allen’s eyes flashed with a ghastly gleam.

Ratatatatatata!

Beams of light shot out from the surrounding magic arrays all at once. Each was perfectly compressed with no wasted power, forcing Se-Hoon to swiftly swing Ewinia.

Slash!

Intercepting light beams, the wind flew out in all directions while the whirlwind surrounding Se-Hoon dispersed the resulting shockwaves. He couldn’t afford to make even the slightest mistake now. Se-Hoon continued charging forward, cutting through the net of light.

Is this what Hraesvelgr felt like...?!

No matter how many rays of light he fended off, there seemed to be no end in sight. Realizing that there would be no opening if things continued like this, Se-Hoon quickly scanned his surroundings.

More precision...

Changing his strategy, he began wielding the surrounding wind blades as if they were an extension of his own body, finely controlling them to adapt to every attack. However, to do such a thing, he had to strain himself to process all the calculations flooding into his brain and push himself to the limit.

Thankfully, that was when he heard the Seeker whispering into his ear.

“I can help with this.”

Hum!

Crimson-colored mana immediately filled Se-Hoon’s eyes and more accurately interpreted information rushed into his mind. Then, when all of the information had been perfectly processed with the Seeker’s backup, Se-Hoon moved.

Boom!

Se-Hoon kicked off the ground, charging straight at the light beams.

Mortal Combat Techniques: Gale Sweep

Slash!

In one go, the swirling wind swept away the hundreds of beams of light, allowing Se-Hoon's body to shoot through the gap and instantly close the distance to Allen. However, he still wasn’t close enough to strike with his sword.

So, Se-Hoon rapidly came up with his next move.

Celestial Infinity Blade: Golden Origin

Golden sword aura shot forward, like a sharp spear.

Allen’s eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively thrust his right arm forward.

Using the extensive knowledge he inherited from the Akashic, he analyzed the current situation and endeavored to forcefully absorb the sword aura. That was how he always used the power of his right arm, but things were different this time.

Crack!

Unbeknownst to him, the golden sword aura had the ability to resist interference and shake off any attempt at assimilation. It easily pierced through Allen's hastily erected barriers like they were paper and lodged itself into his right shoulder.

“Gaaaah!”

With a scream of agony, the magic arrays that had been firing beams of light behind him began to weaken. Noticing, Se-Hoon prepared to close the remaining distance to finish Allen off.

“Get back!”

But at the Seeker's sudden shout, Se-Hoon instinctively retreated.

Boom!

As soon as he moved back, a dense cluster of magic arrays erupted from the ground below him. Those magic arrays then connected with the existing arrays, moving with terrifying intensity.

At the unexpected sight, Se-Hoon’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“What is this...?”

“Uh, oh... Seems like he’s really pissed now.”

Until a moment ago, there had been a faint will to survive in Allen. But now, that was completely gone.

Facing the furiously churning magic before him, Se-Hoon had to consider his next move carefully.

“Lee... Se-Hoon...” Allen spat out, his bloodshot eyes filled with rage.

The moment he connected to the Akashic, Allen knew his time was ticking. Yet he couldn’t let go of his attachment to life because of his desire to witness the One’s resurrection with his own eyes.

But after Se-Hoon’s last attack, even that faint hope vanished. And it was only once it had that Allen finally gave up on everything and decided on his final course of action.

“I’m going to kill youuuuu!”

The only thought swirling endlessly in Allen's deteriorating mind was that he wanted to erase Se-Hoon—the person who mocked the One in front of him, humiliated him, and trampled on his only hope—completely from this world.

“Die!!!”

Allen activated all of the magic arrays, drawing every drop of his mana.

Akashic True Form: Universal Assimilation

The intricate magic arrays all connected into one, forming a massive, crimson sphere that tore through the ceiling like a sun rising on the horizon. It was the ultimate elemental spell created by the Seeker in the past—a sphere that could obliterate everything.

Abgrund collided with the crimson sphere.

Crackle!

The two forces clashed head-on. While the amount of darkness within Abgrund was still formidable, the crimson sphere slowly began to crush and disperse the darkness.

“Ha... Haha... Hahaha... Hahahaha!”

Watching the darkness being swallowed up, Allen felt an exhilarating pleasure, utter euphoria.

“Yes.... This is true magic.... This is proof that I was chosen by the One!!!”

Even on the brink of death, the thought that he wasn't wrong filled him with ecstasy. Completely drunk on the feeling, Allen looked down at Se-Hoon with a mocking grin.

“Abaddon.”

The vast darkness leaking out from Abgrund immediately compressed into a single point.

Whoosh!

Like before, the crimson sphere tried to consume even the compressed darkness. All it had to do was descend and sweep everything away, however, for some reason, it stopped moving.

Creak...

Shocking Allen, the entire magic array behind him shook, and the crimson sphere trembled as if it were about to collapse. The unsettling sight made him freeze.

Crack!

Then, a black hole appeared at the center of the sphere—a terrifying vortex that devoured everything. The crimson sphere had finally continued its descent to the ground, but it was disintegrating and collapsing into the black hole.

“No.... This is impossible.... This can’t be happening...”

There was no way the One’s true magic could crumble.

Desperately trying to reject the reality before him, Allen poured even more of his mana into the magic array, but nothing changed.

Abgrund’s weapon skill, Abbadon—a creation resulting from combining the power of Boundaries, the fundamental property of the underworld, with the Demonic Blood Art—rivaled the Seeker’s ultimate elemental spell.

“Ah... Agh...”

Allen was completely frozen, watching his entire world crumble before his eyes in disbelief. Then, suddenly, a sharp gust of wind brushed past him.

“...?”

Startled by the ominous sensation, he raised his right arm in front of him to check, but all he could see was Se-Hoon grinning with twisted satisfaction in the distance. His face immediately went pale, having realized his right shoulder felt lighter than before.

And, confirming his worst fear, Se-Hoon raised the Seeker’s right arm toward the sky.

Clack!

Allen staggered forward, reaching out with his left hand.

“No.... That... that arm belongs to me.... It has to be part of my body...”

He couldn’t let the One’s gift that was bestowed upon him be stolen. But unfortunately for him, Se-Hoon just looked at Allen’s desperate plea with a cold gaze.

“Too bad.”

With a flick of his hand, Se-Hoon stored the right arm in his void pocket through the Ascension Ring.

“Ahhhhhh-!”

Allen let out a scream of despair and charged forward, but Se-Hoon casually swung Ewinia.

Slash!

Separated from his body, Allen’s head flew into the air while his headless body crumpled to the ground, completely lifeless.

Trying to catch his breath, Se-Hoon stared downward at the corpse on the ground.

“I'll make good use of this.”

He smiled in satisfaction, pleased with the gain of perfectly seasoned material.