The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 244

She’s... angry at me? Se-Hoon raised an eyebrow.

While he knew she was more expressive than the first time he knew her, it was the first time she had said something so directly.

She used to always jump to action without even talking it out...

He remembered how she’d once crushed a steel anvil into a metal ball due to a three-month delay in weapon delivery, and how she’d wiped out the entire hideout, leaving no trace of it behind, of someone who stole her weapon.

Even the infamous Ryu Eun-Ha is changing...

“Lee Se-Hoon.”

Eun-Ha’s voice cut off Se-Hoon’s thoughts. Refocusing, Se-Hoon found that Eun-Ha had locked eyes with him.

“I said that I’m really, really, angry at you right now.”

Eun-Ha repeated herself, seemingly wanting to make sure he had heard her. Even with just a glance, Se-Hoon could tell she had a lot to say, so he quickly came up with the best response he could give.

“Huh? What? Wait, why am I here?”

Feigning confusion, he began looking around.

“...Do you not remember what happened?” Eun-Ha stared at him suspiciously.

“Hm... It’s all kind of blurry...” Continuing the act, Se-Hoon made sure to rub his eyes in confusion.

Eun-Ha just watched him quietly.

If what he had gone through was minor, he thought she might suspect he was making excuses. However, since it was such a large-scale battle, he was convinced she would believe him.

The Three Dogs would’ve just beat me until I remembered... but Ryu Eun-Ha won’t go that far.

Confident in his perfect plan, Se-Hoon kept up the act.

And in the end, it seemed Eun-Ha had fallen for it from the small sight she let out.

“...As far as I know, you went to the Pleasure District to assist Lea Claudell, who went there due to Puppeteer’s threats. But then you got captured by the Dream Demon.”

“That... is absurd.”

“To escape, you somehow managed to contact Wurgen, who arrived and ended up dismantling the Pleasure District and defeating the Dream Demon.”

Se-Hoon was shocked by Eun-Ha’s explanation, at least on the surface; internally he was completely satisfied.

No wonder he succeeded as a businessman.

Even if he had Wurgen’s help, it was unheard of for a mere student to take down one of the Ten Evils, much less a Harbinger of Destruction. Should the rumors spread, Se-Hoon would find himself entangled in numerous challenges.

Fortunately, though, Wurgen had tactfully claimed credit and minimized any fallout.

The deal was to give him all the glory anyway... I just need to grab the leftover loot later.

Having thought about it, Se-Hoon began strategizing how to claim his share. But then Eun-Ha’s calm voice pierced his ears.

“Now do you remember?”

“Uh... Bits and pieces, I guess.... Can I check the news for a moment?”

“Sure.”

Taking Eun-Ha’s phone, which she grabbed from the desk, Se-Hoon skimmed through the latest global headlines.

“The Eternal Nocturne Slays the Dream Demon, one of the Ten Evils!”

“Destruction of the Pleasure District: Is this a Turning Point in the War Against Demons?”

“‘UD Group will fill the Heroes Association’s Gaps,’ says Chairman Wurgen, announcing New Military Projects using the Undead.”

Seems like he’s having the time of his life.

Wurgen had properly seized the moment, blasting the Heroes Association while unveiling his new business plans.

Though it was an aggressive approach, the public supported him quite expressively due to his success, as they were tired of how the Heroes Association repeatedly failed to deal with rising demon crimes and other incidents, unlike Wurgen.

“Massive Amount of Missing People Emerge after the Pleasure District’s Collapse. Suspected to be Traitors affiliated with the Demon Force.”

“Heroes Association Branch Chief Accused of Hiding Information about Missing Personnel Connected to the Association.”

“Hero Association President: ‘The Association Exists Only to Protect Humanity. All those involved will be Thoroughly Dealt With after a Full Investigation.’”

It’s total chaos on this side.

The ones caught in the Pleasure District’s collapse were mostly demons and criminals, but there were also those hiding behind false identities. And the exposure of those people caused massive turmoil across society.

It’s mainly corporate and guild members who have been identified as traitors, but the Heroes Association is taking all the heat.

Despite their sincere efforts to investigate those who betrayed humanity, they faced criticism for their lack of results. It made Se-Hoon feel sorry for them, but there wasn’t much to be done.

They’re utterly powerless right now, after all.

The Heroes Association, in its current state, couldn’t handle the Ten Evils and the Demon Force without the help of someone like Wurgen. However, they also had no means to force his involvement either.

With such a feeble amount of strength, it was inevitable that their claim of managing the world’s danger zones and leading heroes was met with harsh skepticism.

Things might have been different if they had even one Perfect One supporting them... but it’s hard to imagine those guys taking on such roles.

Recalling their personalities, Se-Hoon shelved the thought and was about to continue scrolling through the news when Eun-Ha spoke again. “How is it? Did you manage to retrieve some of your memories?”

Se-Hoon frowned and looked up at Eun-Ha. Given her earlier anger, she was calm, almost too calm.

“Hm... I think it’s starting to come back to me.”

“What do you remember up to?”

“Uhm, only up to being overpowered by the Dream Demon...”

Se-Hoon trailed off. He had been about to give a vague answer, however he realized something was odd. Before, if he told her his memory was hazy, she would drop it and move on. But today, she kept pressing, asking what and how much he remembered. It was as if... she were cross-checking what she had heard.

“...”

Se-Hoon stared at Eun-Ha.

She was standing still like a statue, her lips tightly pressed together as she silently stared back.

Getting a feeling that her reaction was about to be even more terrifying than when she had activated her Soul Furnace, Se-Hoon quickly decided to confirm his suspicion.

“Who informed you about what had happened?”

“The Pilgrim,” Eun-Ha replied calmly. “He told me you planned the entire operation with Wurgen.”

Se-Hoon sighed inwardly. When did that old grandma spill that...

If not Wurgen, then it had to be Baek-Yeon who spilled the beans to the Pilgrim because Ludwig wouldn’t have talked about it casually.

Realizing things had gotten messy, he cautiously asked, “...How mad are you?”

“Extremely.”

Even he understood his lies had only escalated her anger. So, with his lies exposed, he began thinking about what kind of special course he would have to serve to calm her down.

“Lee Se-Hoon.” But then Eun-Ha suddenly called out his name, her voice slightly depressed.

“Yes?”

“Am I causing trouble for you?”

“What?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Se-Hoon just blinked.

And before he could properly respond, Eun-Ha’s gaze dropped slightly before continuing. “You know, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to protect you until now.”

Not only had Eun-Ha canceled her sponsorship contract with the Seraphim Guild to spend more time idling near Se-Hoon, but she had even looked into safer living arrangements for him.

Yet only now did she realize that the plans she had devised consistently had one significant flaw: none of them took Se-Hoon's personal preferences into account.

“I just wanted to keep you safe. But... I never even asked you if that’s what you fundamentally want.”

Don’t do this because it’s dangerous. Always seek my permission first.

She believed she was giving reasonable instructions as his dean—a hero protecting a young prodigy. However, now she could recognize that limiting his choices like that was no different from imprisoning him.

“I’ve always shown you my anger when things didn’t go my way.... In hindsight, it’s no wonder you kept things from me.”

“...”

“After all, who would open up to someone who just blocks them at every turn, basing their decisions solely on their own standards?”

Though Eun-Ha’s voice was calm, she was visibly disheartened and her gaze was unsteady. Looking into her eyes, Se-Hoon vividly felt her emotions—something he never experienced before his regression.

She really has changed a lot.

He quietly continued to watch her. Then, after a brief silence, he gave her an honest response.

“It’s not entirely like that.”

“...”

“I trust you, Dean. I really do. You’re someone I can rely on. It’s just... I’ve been scared.”

Se-Hoon didn’t want to make the same mistakes he made before regressing. His regrets, his memories of past failures that painfully lingered in his heart, fueled his actions.

“I regret eating your equipment...”

He couldn’t forget Eun-Ha’s last words as she died trying to save him from the Destroyer of Light. At that time, he hadn’t been prepared for the fight against the Destroyer of Light, resulting in Eun-Ha sacrificing herself to save him.

Even now, he still didn’t know what her last words truly meant, but he had always thought she was reproaching him.

But now that I’ve come to think about it, was I... also just disregarding others’ thoughts this whole time?

Se-Hoon had pushed Eun-Ha away, fearing her death, without considering her feelings as well. He smiled bitterly, realizing they had both been driven by the fear of each other’s death.

“Dean.”

“What is it?”

“I promised myself that I'd wipe out the Demon Force and the Abyss of Demons from this world. And I’m willing to take on even more dangerous missions to do it.”

Eun-Ha’s eyes wavered.

“My wish is the direct opposite of your wish for my safety. And there’s no room for compromise. You know we can’t reason with these enemies.”

“...”

“So, what will you do now?”

Se-Hoon laid his intentions bare and forced an answer from her. He decided to be bold since he couldn’t keep acting independently and hiding his plans even though they were for Eun-Ha’s sake.

“I’m not going to push you guys out of danger. Instead, I’ll be pulling you all into it.”

Just like his relationship with the Three Dogs before the regression, Se-Hoon now found his and Eun-Ha’s developing similarly.

Eun-Ha was quiet, lost in her thoughts.

“I don’t want you to be in danger, but, at the same time, I don’t want to go against your wishes,” she said slowly, finally sorting out her thoughts.

After all of her contemplating, she had found a solution.

“So, I’ll just get rid of them before you can.”

If the Demon Force and the Abyss of Demons were the only things driving Se-Hoon to take the dangerous path, then she would just erase them from the world altogether. It was a straightforward and neat answer, very much like Eun-Ha herself.

And Se-Hoon couldn’t help but smile at that.

“That sounds like a rather difficult task. Are you sure you can handle it?”

“I’m willing to take the risk.”

While he knew that erasing the Demon Force and the Abyss of Demons couldn’t be done by just being willing to do it, Se-Hoon didn’t bother to argue.

Instead, he only had one thought: That’s where I come in.

As a regressor, there was no way he couldn’t manage that. He reached his hand out to Eun-Ha.

“I’ll be looking forward to working with you.”

“...Me too.”

There was no notification about an increased bond level or the creation of a new Fatestone, but as they shook hands, Se-Hoon was certain their bond had grown deeper.

This is good enough for now.

From now on, Se-Hoon could comfortably rely on Eun-Ha for help, resolving most of the problems that had been giving him headaches.

However, just as Se-Hoon felt relieved, Eun-Ha spoke up again. “Okay, now that our personal matters have been resolved,” she said, pulling her hand away. “As the Dean of Borsippa, I will proceed with the official reprimand.”

“...What?”

Se-Hoon found himself blinked in surprise again. Hadn’t they just worked everything out? However, Eun-Ha's words seemed to harbor lingering resentment, so Se-Hoon tried to gauge her emotions again.

And all he found was that Eun-Ha, with her eyes devoid of personal feelings, seemed to regard him purely as a troublesome student.

“Don’t worry too much.”

Today was the day Se-Hoon learned a valuable lesson.

“I’m only a little angry now.”

He learned that being a student wasn’t always a good thing.

***

Seven finger-sized puppets stood in a row on top of a small puppet stage, one about the size of an adult male’s torso.

And it wasn’t long before one of them, the one resembling Tuner, began moving around.

“From strategizing in a grand castle to participating in a puppet show—what a joke.”

At the mockery, Puppeteer, who was manipulating the puppets in front of the stage, immediately snapped back, “If you don’t like it that much, why don’t you find us a suitable place to hold a meeting, then?”

“Woah, I’m just kidding. Well, since we’re all here, let’s start with a status update.”

Raising his hands in surrender, Tuner turned to a puppet dressed in a black priest’s robe with a veiled face—Apostate.

“What about your battle with the Pilgrim? Anything to report about it?”

“Nothing.”

Despite the extremely curt response, Tuner didn’t show much surprise and just moved on to the next puppet.

“What about you? I heard you got tangled up with an S-rank and an A-rank.”

The puppet covered in white thorns and stitching—Demon’s Edge—remained silent, seemingly in thought.

“The redhead and the blonde’s strength both neared a Perfect One’s,” he bluntly said after a moment.

The others’ interests were immediately piqued. Though the Ten Evils knew that Eun-Ha and Aria, who had fought alongside the Pilgrim to hold Demon’s Edge along with Apostate at bay, weren’t ordinary heroes, it was still surprising to hear they were so close to being Perfect Ones.

“The Weapon Eater, sure, but the Myers family’s eldest daughter too? Should we consider her S-rank, then?”

“Her physical stats are below the mark. The sword she wields is what’s dangerous.”

“I see, then. Next...”

Throughout the entire battle, the Heaven Eye only engaged in sniper duels with the Visionary and Beast King merely stood guard in front of Babel. Since there was nothing noteworthy about the two’s reports, the meeting quickly proceeded.

Next, the puppet with a swirling black face—Doppelganger—spoke. “I couldn’t intervene because I was busy controlling different bodies. I’m assuming the other two will have more to bring to the table.”

Doppelganger then looked at Tuner and Puppeteer.

“How did the Dream Demon and the Destroyer of Fragmentation die?”

The other Ten Evils all focused their gaze on Tuner and Puppeteer. They had finally touched on the main reason for the emergency meeting.

Under the weight of their stares, Puppeteer thought for a moment before answering. “I don’t know. The Dream Demon attacked me, so I didn’t see what happened.”

“...You didn’t manage to see anything?”

“Yeah. By the time I came to my senses, it was all over.”

At the disappointing answer, everyone’s gaze naturally shifted to Tuner, who seemed to have been waiting to answer.

“The Dream Demon got a little greedy. She attacked Puppeteer to keep Se-Hoon all to herself.”

“Is that kid really worth all that?” Heaven Eye asked, causing Tuner to shrug.

“How should I know? The details of their fight happened in the Dream Castle. But considering the Dream Demon managed to awaken the Destroyer of Fragmentation, it’s likely she exploited the boy’s synesthetic mindscape.”

“Do you know if a Harbinger of Destruction can become human again?”

“How would I know? I’ve never researched them before.”

“...Useless as ever.”

Casually ignoring Apostate’s sharp remark, Tuner tried to continue his report. Before he could, however, the black puppet that was completely featureless—the Elder Lord, the first demon to exist in this world and the Ten Evil’s leader—expressed its will without moving.

“Five remain.”

Rather than coming from its head, the voice strangely seemed to come from its heart. And even though a puppet was being used as a medium, the Elder Lord’s presence was so overwhelming that everyone winced.

“What is lost cannot be returned.”

The Elder Lord declared his decree.

“Do as you wish.”

Leaving behind those words, the Elder Lord’s puppet collapsed, and the remaining Ten Evils glanced at each other.

“So, just act like we normally do, then.”

“Ugh. What a waste of time.”

“I’m out.”

Doppelganger, Apostate, and Demon’s Edge disappeared in turn, and the rest of the Ten Evils left without saying much. With them gone, Puppeteer looked down at the seven scattered puppets on the stage and smirked to herself.

“What a bunch of misfits.”

Despite the situation, they still decided to work independently. But while absurd, it was not surprising given their history.

I guess this is what you get when making beings with perfected synesthetic mindscapes work together.

The Ten Evils were all self-centered beings who couldn’t work with others, much like Perfect Ones. And normally, that wouldn’t have been a problem. Now, however, things were different.

It’s probably because of Lee Se-Hoon.

The audacious first-year student had used both the Ten Evils and Perfect Ones as tools to achieve his goals. It could just have all been a coincidence, but the evidence was damming.

Shifting her gaze to the ceiling, Puppeteer’s eyes darkened as she watched the blue meteor shower shimmering across the Celestial Coordinate System. She had finally discovered the enchantment left behind to prevent her from taking control of her puppets in the Pleasure District.

Not only did he sneak in secretly, but he also left something like this behind...

If anyone still claimed that all of that was a coincidence, they were denying reality.

“Wow...”

While Puppeteer was staring at the meteor shower, Tuner appeared behind her and began admiring the enchantment hiding inside the Celestial Coordinate System with her.

“That’s quite an impressive enchantment. Is this what got you?”

“Just get to the point. I’m not in the mood to entertain you.”

Hearing the irritation in Puppeteer’s voice, Tuner chuckled.

“You’d have already lashed out at me by now. I guess being on your side paid off.”

“Get it straight. You’d let him go on purpose, too.”

“Yeah, I did.”

Tuner’s eyes gleamed behind his mask.

“He’s the kind of material I don't want to share with others.”

At those words, Puppeteer turned to Tuner.

“So, what do you want from me?”

“I was planning to do this alone, but my body and resources both got trashed in this mess. So you see, I’m running a little tight,” Tuner explained before reaching into his robe and pulling out a frozen purple shard—the Dream Demon’s heart.

Observing the shard, Puppeteer’s interest was finally piqued. And seeing that, Tuner confidently asked, “How about we form an alliance? The two of us can kill the Perfect Ones and share Se-Hoon’s body parts.”

“...”

Puppeteer seriously considered the proposal in silence. Before, she wouldn’t have even entertained such an idea, but now it was hard to resist.

If the opponent has teamed up, we’ll have to do the same.

Whether it was the Perfect Ones or the Ten Evils, the influence of a single person was bringing them together within themselves.

And at that thought, of how much influence a single human was exercising, Puppeteer let out a faint smile.

“Alright, let’s do this.”