The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 249

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, had been destroyed beyond recognition during the early days of the war against the Demon Force. Several decades later, however, Lisbon had been perfectly restored—with one addition.

The new Lisbon was now home to Peregrine, the headquarters of the Pilgrimage Church.

“Damn, this place is huge...”

Walking out of the Void Space Terminal of Peregrine, Se-Hoon looked at the city before him. Buildings surrounded a massive plaza that stretched from the coast to the city, all managed by the Church.

And at the far end of that plaza was a building that stood out even amidst Lisbon’s grand buildings. Touched with gold laces, the building’s white exterior drew attention to it. The building, which had a golden statue of a ring at the top of its tallest bell tower, was easily recognizable by Se-Hoon.

That’s the Peregrine Cathedral.

It was the building that served as the Pilgrimage Church's main sanctuary and Karl Andersen's residence.

Having only heard of the building in stories before, Se-Hoon observed the cathedral’s appearance with interest.

It’s supposed to be one of the cornerstones maintaining the Pilgrim’s Path... but it doesn’t look all that special.

The building only had basic defense systems installed, and no traces of the Pilgrim's Path, which protected humanity's territory, were visible. Thinking he had possibly overlooked something, Se-Hoon meticulously scrutinized the plaza.

That was when Sung-Ha, who was trailing behind Se-Hoon with a slightly confused expression, decided to ask, “...Can we really just go and meet him like this?”

“Who knows? If he’s not too busy, he’ll meet us. Otherwise, we’ll just have to wait until he’s free.”

Seeing how casual Se-Hoon was, Sung-Ha looked at him in disbelief. Meeting even an archbishop of the Pilgrimage Church was difficult enough, let alone getting a proper appointment. And yet Se-Hoon was acting as if meeting the one above even them, the Pilgrim himself, was easy even if he showed up unannounced.

It was complete nonsense that Sung-Ha would usually dismiss, but he also knew everything was slightly different whenever it came to Se-Hoon.

If it’s this guy... maybe it’s possible?

Considering Se-Hoon was already familiar with three Perfect Ones, the Pilgrim joining the circle wasn’t all that surprising. Looking at Se-Hoon, Sung-Ha realized anew that Se-Hoon had become an unbelievably influential figure in just half a year.

How did he even manage to gain such influence in such a short amount of time? Pondering the answer, Sung-Ha soon realized there wasn’t really anything extraordinary about what Se-Hoon had done so far.

All Se-Hoon had done was simply satisfy the needs of others and then ask for help in return—a straightforward yet challenging approach that worked even with Perfect Ones.

“They’re coming to greet us.”

Sung-Ha broke out of his thoughts. While surveying the cathedral, Se-Hoon seemed to have spotted a familiar face.

Heading over, the two quickly crossed the plaza and soon stood before Jane, who was waiting at the cathedral’s entrance.

“It’s been a while, Lee Se-Hoon.”

“This is our first time meeting since last semester. How have you been?”

“I’ve been the same as always,” Jane replied, giving him a gentle smile. She then returned the question. “I heard you were involved in some major incidents recently. Are you doing alright?”

“Oh, I’m fine. By the way, this is—”

“We know each other,” Sung-Ha abruptly said, cutting off Se-Hoon’s introduction. “We’re from the same year, so we’ve crossed paths a few times.”

“Really?”

Curious, Se Hoon looked at Jane for confirmation, and she nodded with a slight smile.

“We were on the same team during the second-year elimination exercise. We finished in second place, barely missing first.”

“We would have won if I had proper support that time.”

“He said the same thing back then.”

From how Jane just effortlessly brushed off Sung-Ha’s grumbling about past events, they seemed a bit friendly. However, rather than genuine friendship, it seemed to be because one was blunt and the other was kind.

“I’m sorry, he tends to speak without thinking...”

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I know he doesn’t mean any harm, and I’m well aware of what he’s like.”

“Yeah, don’t mind me.”

“You just keep your mouth shut.”

Shushing Sung-Ha, who kept making unnecessary comments, Se-Hoon turned to Jane and asked, “So, how did the thing I mentioned go?”

Before coming to Peregrine, Se-Hoon had asked Jane to convey his wish to meet the Pilgrim. Going through the Church involved too many formalities and also had the risk of unnecessary rumors spreading.

“Well...”

Hesitating over how to answer, Jane sighed and gestured inside the cathedral.

“Let’s go inside first; I’ll explain there.”

The two followed Jane into the cathedral, which, despite its vast size, was remarkably quiet. There were occasional conversations, but they were soft and barely echoed, lending a solemn atmosphere typical of a cathedral.

I guess cathedrals are all the same.

Recalling the cathedrals he visited to learn divine mana long ago, Se-Hoon glanced around as Jane led them to what appeared to be a reception room.

“Please, have a seat wherever you feel comfortable.”

Although Jane said that, Sung-Ha stood behind the sofa where Se-Hoon sat in the center, sensing that it wasn’t his moment to step forward.

“Well... to get straight to the point, the Pilgrim won’t be returning for a while.”

Having taken a seat across from them, Jane explained the situation steadily. “Due to the recent death of the Dream Demon and the collapse of the Pleasure District, he is focusing on reinforcing the Pilgrim’s Path, as we can’t predict what moves the Demon Force might make.”

“Oh...”

Given all the chaos nowadays, it makes sense...

While reinforcing the Pilgrim’s Path—the holy barrier protecting humanity’s territories from the Abyss of Demons—was something humanity wished would be done as fast as possible, Se-Hoon thought it was being done at a bad time.

He couldn’t afford to wait until the work was done. The Pilgrim’s Path was a barrier encircling all uncontaminated areas, stretching even longer than the Earth’s circumference of forty thousand kilometers.

He’ll probably finish it quickly, but it’ll still take at least a month.

Given how critical Jin-Hyun’s condition was, a month was far too long.

And Jane understood that, too.

“Considering your situation, Lee Se-Hoon, it will be difficult to wait until the reinforcement of the Pilgrim’s Path is completed. As such, the Pilgrim left something for you.”

Taking out an item from her void pocket, Jane then placed it on the table before Se-Hoon’s curious eyes.

“This is...”

It was a golden ring, seemingly made of metal, that was identical to the Pilgrimage Church’s symbol. It looked like an ordinary souvenir with no power, but Se-Hoon quickly realized what it was.

Stigmata?

It was a Stigmata, a unique Holy Artifact that the Pilgrim crafted and tailored for the archbishops. According to texts Se-Hoon read before his regression, they were all made of pure divine mana.

And now, having seen it in person, Se-Hoon realized that it was indeed not made of common metals.

It’s as if... there’s something in there, but not actually.

The ring’s surface was smooth like metal, but the closer he looked, the more it resembled clumped mist.

Finishing his initial examination of the Stigmata, Se-Hoon looked up at Jane.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“He just told me to give it to you. He said, if you have the qualifications, it’ll make sense on its own...” Jane explained, looking puzzled. It seemed she hadn't fully understood the Pilgrim's instructions herself.

Briefly pondering the Pilgrim’s words, Se-Hoon nodded.

“Alright, I’ll take a look.”

[Stigma]

[Tier: Advanced] [Quality: Average]

[An item personally crafted by the absolute being, Karl Andersen, who has witnessed the existence of a god.

Originally filled with the overflowing power of divine mana, it now barely maintains its form as its source has faded.

*Will be completely destroyed once all remaining divine mana is exhausted]

It’s completely hollow now.

It was originally the raw material for Stigmata, but the Pilgrim seemed to have deliberately removed all of its divine mana. Now, it was a strange item that wasn’t very useful in its current state.

Gazing at it, Se-Hoon contemplated what its significance could be.

Qualifications...

Was it a test to see if he was worthy enough to meet during such a busy period? Unsure, Se-Hoon set Stigma aside and considered the Pilgrim’s possible intentions instead.

I don’t know what the qualifications he is asking for are, but I do know that he wants to see something from me.

Going down that line of thought, Se-Hoon soon found the answer.

Is it the Divine Mana Conversion Device?

Recalling the device the Pilgrimage Church commissioned him to develop, Se-Hoon connected the dots and naturally realized what to do with the empty shell.

Will he only meet me if I fill this with pure divine mana converted from ordinary mana?

Though it felt a bit excessive, Se-Hoon couldn’t think of anything else the Pilgrim would demand of him.

Setting such tough conditions... I guess he is a Perfect One, after all.

However, it wasn’t out of malice; it simply meant the Pilgrim didn’t have the luxury to bother unless it was worth his time. Having figured out the Pilgrim’s intentions, Se-Hoon stared at Stigma, deep in thought.

Okay, then. How should I do this...?

Like the mass production of sword aura equipment, converting normal mana into divine mana was another one of the toughest challenges in the equipment industry. Most people usually gave up right away, but Se-Hoon had enough knowledge and experience to at least give it a try.

Using the method I know is out of the question since I don’t have the equipment or time.... Then, let’s just go with a shortcut.

He didn’t need to create the fully functional Divine Mana Conversion Device right now—just showing a bit of potential would suffice. With a plan in mind, Se-Hoon stood up.

“I think I need to climb to the top of the building. Is that alright?”

“Huh? Well... as long as you don’t break anything...”

“Alright, I’ll be back. You wait here.”

Leaving the reception room, Se-Hoon quickly found the stairs and climbed to the top of the highest bell tower of the cathedral. From that vantage point, he could see not only the city but also the sea beyond the horizon.

Looking out at the scenery, Se-Hoon grabbed Stigma tightly.

“Let’s get started, shall we?”

Woong-

Moving according to his will, the divine mana stored within his body flowed straight into Stigma, which began emitting a golden glow. He could just pour all of his remaining divine mana into it and restore it completely, but that wasn’t what the Pilgrim wanted. So, instead of filling Stigma with more divine mana, he focused on examining its structure.

Like other Holy Artifacts, you can’t inspect it in detail by infusing ordinary mana.

He had learned and done it thanks to the help of some priests, but now that he could use divine mana himself, he could do it alone. Mapping out the structure of Stigma, Se-Hoon then used Soul Honing to establish a temporary mana circuit within himself that mimicked it.

Clang! Clang!

As soon as the mana circuit was completed, he and Stigma became interconnected, creating a feeling of seamless unity as if they were originally one—a phenomenon that occurred when the assimilation rate between the user’s body and their equipment reached one hundred percent.

Swoosh-

Something invisible started appearing before Se-Hoon’s eyes.

From various parts of the city, white energy was rising skyward. At first glance, it looked like a mix of mana and divine mana, but it was slightly different. No matter how one brought forth their mana or divine mana, it was impossible to see.

I still wonder how the Pilgrim even managed to discover this.

The unique energy was something that could only be observed when the assimilation rate with a piece of equipment infused with divine mana reached one hundred percent. When it had been revealed pre-regression, there were various opinions about its nature, but Se-Hoon had always simply called the energy “faith.”

Since it makes up what we call divine mana, that’s the only thing it can be.

Faith, imbued with willpower, became divine mana. Recalling the structure revealed to the public before the regression, Se-Hoon unleashed his Shadow Thread.

Swish-

Under normal circumstances, he couldn’t interfere with the energy. But now that it was visible to him, he could. Connecting threads to the various points where faith energy was rising with himself, Se-Hoon focused his mind on a strong will.

Restore Stigma to its complete state.

There was no need to calculate how much divine mana was required or how it should be infused. He simply repeated his wish, much like praying to an omnipotent god.

And the moment Se-Hoon’s will made it to the faith energy, a transformation began in the city’s sky.

Woong!

Golden specks flickered within the white faith energy, rising high into the sky, transforming into divine mana that gathered around him at his command.

“What...?”

“What on earth...?”

The people in the plaza stared in awe at the sky that had been filled with divine mana without warning. They all watched as the immense cloud of divine mana converged on the cathedral's bell tower.

Golden light gathered inside the ring statue, illuminating the surroundings with intense brightness. And yet, not a single observer found it blinding.

Hurry up and get inside already.

Urging the divine mana still lingering outside, the remainder immediately flowed into Stigma, which was in his hand.

Woong!

The stream of divine mana poured endlessly into the golden ring, and with a flash, the light illuminating the bell tower vanished.

Craaaaack-

The Stigma began to change.

The surface that felt like metal split open, shedding its shell and revealing its true form. The ring now shimmering golden with an exuberant amount of divine mana, exuding a presence far beyond what it had before.

[Stigma]

[Tier: Hero] [Quality: Perfect]

[An item personally crafted by the absolute being, Karl Andersen, who has witnessed the existence of a god.

Infused with the overflowing power of divine mana, it can maintain a steady flow of divine mana almost permanently. With this ring, those who can wield divine mana can pull out vast amounts from it.

*Proliferates the amount of divine mana stored inside significantly when infused with more divine mana

*Allows complete control over the divine mana within when the user possesses divine mana

*Excessive use of divine mana will permanently reduce the total amount contained within]

“Wow... is this the real thing?”

The Stigma was a storage device that enabled the near-permanent use of divine mana to a certain threshold. It was likely the Pilgrim had created it specifically for maintaining his powers indefinitely.

Looks like the restoration process went well... are there any issues in the surrounding areas?

Walking closer to the window, Se-Hoon glanced outside. A large crowd was gazing up at the bell tower, some clasping their hands while others were bowing in prayer. Thankfully, no one seemed to have fainted.

Everyone seems to have plenty of faith... well, I guess this is the headquarters of the Pilgrimage Church after all.

He had once used the faith of others, causing a few priests to faint, but fortunately, the large number of people seemed to have distributed the burden.

Stepping away from the window to avoid being seen, he looked down at Stigma.

He said the rest would take care of itself... is it going to shoot light into the sky or something?

Observing the fixed Stigma, Se-Hoon was trying to see if something would happen to it when a massive rumble echoed from outside.

Though he immediately thought something had exploded or an earthquake had hit, he soon realized the building hadn’t shaken. Confused, he looked out the window and noticed something at the opposite far end of the plaza leading to the coast.

Whoosh-

Cutting across the sea, a white barrier rose and stretched from the coast to beyond the horizon—the Pilgrim’s Path.

“So, if I want to meet him, I have to go there myself, huh?”

As if demanding a Divine Mana Conversion Device on the spot wasn’t enough, the Pilgrim now ordered him to come himself.

Se-Hoon sighed.

“A Perfect One is a Perfect One after all...”

***

Out in the open sea, a white barrier stretched into the distance. Above it was a path, which a blond man, Karl Andersen, had been walking on before suddenly stopping.

Seeing that, Aria, who had been following at a distance, looked at him curiously.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It looks like we’ll soon have a guest.”

“A guest...?”

“I don’t mean a demon or a monster.”

Shaking his head with a smile, Karl turned his gaze to the horizon, toward the energy of the Pilgrim’s Path connected to the cathedral.

He’s done it slightly clumsily... but still, it’s well made.

He had intended to test the extent of the divine mana—stored within Se-Hoon—that Se-Hoon could use, but he hadn’t expected him to manage that much. The unexpected potential piqued Karl’s interest.

If he can pull something like that, he might just be able to handle creating the Divine Mana Conversion Device I asked for...

Thinking that Se-Hoon would arrive soon enough with the Stigma replenishing the divine mana he lost, Karl smiled and looked back at Aria.

“Let’s keep moving.”