297 - Regression Is Too Much

297 – The Regressor’s Struggle (16) Oddly enough, 'convincing an angel,' which I thought would be the easiest part, turned out to be anything but. "Ah, you can't!" "No, I've already told you, we're going to kill it. The Archangel Raphael himself has approved." "But that still won't work!" We tried to leverage the authority of the Archangel, attempted to cajole and soothe him, even tried threats, and every conceivable method. Still, Angel Jake stubbornly refused. "Our Archangel will come and resolve this! You can't do it!" "What if he doesn't come?" "He will come!" "...I'm telling you, the Archangel Raphael directed us to do this." "Then it still won't work! The 28th floor is under our Archangel's jurisdiction! If rumors spread that another Archangel resolved our issues, we wouldn't be able to hold our heads high!" So, the issue was clear. They insisted they had to resolve it themselves for the situation to settle. If a 'messenger of another archangel' suddenly appeared and fixed everything, the issue wouldn't be truly resolved or something along those lines. "Alright, I'm out, out." Ultimately, I had no choice but to retreat. In the next attempt, instead of mentioning the archangel, I tried saying something like, 'I saw it in a dream.' "...You saw it in a dream? Does that even make sense?" "Since I know how to manipulate souls, my sixth sense has been activated. Every night as I sleep, I see strange images, and among them, I see the future of the 28th floor." "…" "The archangel... won't come. The 28th floor will be destroyed by the Heavenly Devil. We have to stop it." I figured he'd be persuaded if I took it this far, but... "A dream is just a dream! Don't try to deceive me!" "Oh, damn." Angel Jake held his ground once again. In the end, I had to retreat and devise yet another approach. "I saw it in a dream. The Heavenly Devil awakens." "..." "Of course, the Archangel will come, but he will be slightly late, and there will be significant damage." "T-That can't be..." "But!!! We can stop it now! Let's address this situation first, and ensure it doesn't reach the Archangel! How about we take down the Heavenly Devil ourselves?" "…" "The Archangel arrives in time, yet a bit too late, and everything could get messy. How about we handle it early?" The plan was progressing better than expected. Of course, ordinary individuals wouldn't buy into it. Angels aren’t fools. Who would believe that one simply saw it in a dream? It would be fortunate if they didn't sprinkle salt to ward it off. "Should we try it…?" Yet, Angel Jake was currently in a fragile mental state. This was a critical situation where he disguised himself as a human and entered the tower without realizing it was forbidden. He was surely grasping for reasons. He must have been in a condition where he needed to do something. “My partner and I will fight first. If that doesn’t work, we’ll go find that potion and consume it. Of course, if the Archangel comes, we can wrap things up, but do we really need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?” “Indeed…” Exactly. We barely managed to convince Angel Jake. It's hard to believe he fell for it three times. ** Did the Archangel give us a hint? Or did he modify his algorithm? in an exceptional manner? “The next target for Cheonma Guntar is Choi Ji-won.” “Are you sure?” “I’m certain.” The next opponent for Cheonma was decided to be Choi Ji-won. Honestly, I wanted to attack him 2-on-1 instead of 1-on-1, but the arena's management wouldn't allow me to approach the Cheonma, who was locked away in his quarters. Even if they permitted it, they would prepare various countermeasures. (The arena managers consider Guntar a star of the next generation.) The only way to draw Cheonma out of his room was to drag him into the ring. It was a method in line with the arena's practices. And so, the day of the match arrived. “… Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” Choi Ji-won was ready for the battle. Cheonma had never killed a human before. He had never demonstrated anything impressive. The same went for Choi Jiwon. Besides, since the arena hadn't particularly promoted this match, it didn’t draw much attention. Only a few who had heard rumors came to watch. The small arena was relatively quiet. “… Wow.” I looked down at the arena, waving my hand in the stands. It would have been better if I were fighting. Watching others fight, especially Jiwon, tugged at my heartstrings. No, let's trust her. Let’s believe in Choi Jiwon. She is the strongest swordsman I know. If you had to choose the strongest player in the world, she would be in the top five. Cheonma was at his weakest point, having not grown at all. Choi Jiwon was in perfect condition, fully prepared. The strongest swordsman on Earth. The greatest devil in the universe. “…” “…” Drones flew in the sky. Choi Jiwon and Cheonma Guntar. Neither of them spoke. They simply stood still, gazing at each other. A master recognizes another master. Had the battle already begun? The eyes of the two strong figures were busy analyzing each other's stances, magical power, and weapons. From above, from below. From below, from above. “… Ahem.” “Ahem, ahem.” The tension of the battle quickly spread to the audience, and even those viewers who had been chatting through their terminals fell silent. The sight of the two standing motionless… inexplicably captivated their attention. Like a magnet, it drew all eyes. – Sreung. Cheonma. Guntar made a move. It wasn't an attack. He picked up one of the weapons lying on the floor. "A sword." The weapon Guntar chose was a sword. Coincidentally, the weapon hanging at Choi Jiwon's waist was also a sword. "Ha." Choi Jiwon let out a short sigh. Guntar didn't respond. At this stage, Cheonma showed no emotion whatsoever. Over time, after a few battles, he would either explode in anger or laughter. Initially, he was simply expressionless. Perhaps he hadn't fully mastered control over his body yet. "Players, are you ready?" Without a separate commentator, a drone flying in the air acted as the referee. In the circular stadium reminiscent of the Colosseum, the only noise was the mechanical voice of the drone. “…” “…” There was no reply from the players. They merely adjusted their weapons in hand. "Begin." That was the signal. -Jjaeaeaeaaeng!!!! With a sharp metallic sound, the two figures vanished in an instant, reappearing at the stadium's periphery. Disappearing and reappearing. Disappearing and reappearing. It seemed as if they were witnessing a phenomenon of teleportation accompanied by intense noise and flying sparks. “…!” Every spectator gaped in awe. They had come to the stadium without high expectations. They never imagined witnessing such high-level engagement here. "Oh." In the midst of it all, a tentacle wrapped in fabric like a turban let out an expression of admiration. The momentum of that tentacle was stable, and disturbing amounts of magical force boiled within its body. It was undoubtedly a formidable expert. The tentacle continuously moved its tip between the fabric garments as it commented at one point. "The human woman is being pushed back." Indeed, while the general audience was merely dazzled by the flashy teleportation, a closer observation revealed that Choi Ji-won was constantly being pushed back. "The balance of the human woman is excellent, but Guntar's sword is too heavy and fast." Choi Ji-won acted by the book. She made no mistakes. She always chose the optimal move. It was just that Guntar was too swift and forceful. With mere sword clashes, Choi Jiwon was already losing. If she tried to evade without clashing, the sword's trajectory was too perfect. Power. Power was the right word. Cheonma enforced her defeat. “Ehem…” “Hmm…” As the tentacle's commentary added layers, the other spectators who had been watching nodded in agreement for the first time. The audience in the arena began to perceive more as they gained experience. “…” On the other hand, I smiled inwardly. At present, it seemed as if Choi Ji-won was being forced back. “Boom boom. Let’s begin.” That’s because she had yet to use the ‘Heart of the Lightning’. – Flash! Blue lightning struck the stadium. Most of the audience closed their eyes from the dazzling light, but a select few resilient players kept their gaze fixed on the arena. -Kaaaang! Kaaaaang! Kaaaaang! The situation had reversed. This time, it was Choi Ji-won who was pressing the attack. The only advantage Cheonma had until now was his superior speed and strength. But now Choi Ji-won was faster. Choi Ji-won was stronger. Cheonma's heavy blade couldn’t touch her, while Choi Ji-won’s lightning continuously scorched Cheonma's plumage. It was now Cheonma who was on the defensive. “…!” There was no way Cheonma hadn’t realized the shift in dynamics. Holding his sword tightly with both hands, he altered his stance. From wielding a heavy sword to a swift and defensive one. He channeled his magical power to mitigate the additional damage from the lightning. It was a remarkably quick and agile transformation. "You've found the optimal solution." The tentacle commented. Yes, this Cheonma was no ordinary foe. He was none other than the ‘Evolving Heavenly Horse’. He had the talent to steal martial arts techniques from others just by observing, and he was a ruthless annihilator who eradicated all humans on a planet. He adapted into the most efficient form to combat Choi Ji-won. Once again, an even sword battle ensued. Choi Ji-won was faster and stronger, yet the swordsmanship of the Heavenly Horse was formidable. His intention was clear. He aimed to stall for time. He might have realized that the ‘Heart of the Battle of the Ice’ technique was tailor-made for short, decisive battles. However, only six exchanges occurred. “?!” “How?” Choi Ji-won was the one pushing forward. The wounds on the Heavenly Horse’s body grew severe. Her blade seemed ever sharper. The bleeding plumage flittered in the air. The reason was simple. Choi Ji-won had also adapted to counter the Heavenly Horse’s defense. ‘Transformation’ wasn’t a skill exclusive to the Heavenly Horse. We already knew the Heavenly Horse was a monster. We knew the techniques we were familiar with resembled Hahae. To claim victory, she had to swiftly finish the fight, but she understood that Cheonma might be trying to buy time. “Is she… a genius?” Choi Jiwon stated she was confident. Despite facing a monster, she declared that she had dedicated her entire life to the sword. Even at only 20 years old, she assured everyone that her mastery was deeper shaded than anyone else's. Time flows differently for a genius. What one cannot achieve even after dedicating their entire life, another can accomplish in an instant. For one person, it was a battle that lasted just a minute, but for another, it was sufficient time to advance. Cheonma's swordsmanship changed. For a brief moment, they seemed matched, but soon they were pressed back. A swift and agile sword. An illusionary sword that dazzles. A valiant sword that defeats enemies. A heavy and cumbersome sword. A relic sword that is gentle. A powerful and dynamic sword. A transforming blade that shifts every moment. A replica that mimics Choi Jiwon’s sword. None of them could withstand beyond five strikes. They were insignificant before Choi Ji-won's blue lightning. The crackle of electricity swung. Blood splattered. A long gash carved into Cheonma's chest. A human woman might win. Everyone thought so at that moment. -Chae-Ang! Choi Ji-won stepped back. Her breaths were ragged as she parried the sword unexpectedly thrown at her by Cheonma. She could have forcefully deflected the sword and charged forward, but Choi Ji-won didn’t. Cheonma had drawn a dagger from his chest. Charging recklessly would have led to being skewered. "I acknowledge it." “…” "You... are a genius swordsman." Cheonma spoke. Had Cheonma ever spoken so soon? Did this bloody battle hasten his growth? Choi Ji-won's expression hardened as if she had reached the same conclusion as I had. "So then." Cheonma picked up a whip lying on the ground. A dagger in one hand. A whip in the other. "I will show you my respect." The bloodied water spirit declared. This was just the beginning.