299 - Regression Is Too Much

299 – The Battle of the Returnee (18) Choi Ji-won declared that if it were Kim Jun-ho, he could defeat Cheonma. "Wait. I think I understand." "Huh?" "Destruction." I had also been watching the battle. I could guess what Choi Ji-won was trying to convey. "First and foremost... Cheonma's goal is to buy time. Am I right?" Cheonma grows stronger as he fights. He continuously becomes more formidable, absorbing and learning from his opponent's techniques. The problem is, the trigger for this strengthening is the fight itself. "That's why we have to defeat him before he becomes too powerful." A fully matured Cheonma is unstoppable. I’m certain I wouldn’t dare challenge him unless a munchkin of 'Archangel' level came along. From my point of view, as someone who experiences regression when damaged, the deadline is when Cheonma can wield his magic. If you get hit by that dark crimson magic, you'll immediately be handed a ticket back to regression. Therefore, the best course of action is to kill him as soon as you see him. We're not the protagonists of a comic book; there's no need to prolong the battle. You can unleash your ultimate attack as soon as he appears. However, as my thoughts reached this point, an idea suddenly struck me. This might seem a bit irresponsible, but I had to voice my idea. "But... couldn't you do it?" Choi Ji-won can regress with me. Therefore, Choi Ji-won could also utilize this destruction method through regression. In theory, I could use the 'Heart of Cold' to reach a peak of madness... but my body can’t handle it right now. Choi Ji-won is stronger at the moment. If I could do it myself, I would. Just watching doesn't suit my personality. However, I believe Choi Ji-won can do it better than I can. So, I insisted that it was better. Choi Ji-won, after listening to me, said, "NO?" She shook her head. No. "First of all, there's something wrong. Cheonma is regaining his power. He's not growing." "...I see what you mean. Isn't it the same?" "No. The speed is different." Choi Ji-won is a genius. She discovered a method to dismantle every new technique Cheonma employed. First of all, that’s an achievement I absolutely couldn't accomplish, and most humans couldn't replicate. "But it's like forging a new path. Cheonma is returning to a path he’s already taken. You can’t compare the speed." "Hmm..." However, Cheonma's power increased faster than that. It's similar to 'regression'. If you look at the protagonist of the original possession story, they start off weak, but then one of their seals gets released during a fight. When two seals are released, they become incredibly strong. Cheonma's case can be seen as similar. "And most importantly, since I've fought, Cheonma has been holding back his power. At least, that's how it seems." "...What?" As Choi Ji-won finished explaining, my jaw dropped. "But if I were just a bit stronger and more skilled, there were several attacks that would have been fatal to Cheonma. I kept getting confused about that part. Was it still within the realm of hope or divine intervention?" "...What do you mean? I don't quite understand because I'm not the one who fought him." "Currently, I'm uncertain." Choi Ji-won tapped on a terminal and roughly drew a wolf that looked remarkably fierce. "Alright, this is Cheonma. From what I sensed during our fight, he's holding back his strength." "Oh, okay." Cheonma concealing his power isn't surprising when you think about it. Someone like Cheonma is accustomed to hiding things. "But when you watch the fight, I'm clearly making progress. "Right?" "I think this is Cheonma's plan." "What do you mean?" "In my opinion, he considers swordsmanship the most suitable technique to use against me. That's why the fight went on for so long. After that, he brought out his whip and daggers, right? Swordsmanship itself is much more challenging. The whip and daggers are relatively simpler. Yet, the battle stayed balanced?" "Cheonma's techniques weakened, but his body grew stronger, keeping the balance?" "Correct." According to Choi Ji-won, the previous battle seemed to be part of a highly calculated plan by Cheonma. When his physical abilities were at their lowest, he'd use his most convincing swordsmanship, and as his physical prowess gradually increased, he'd switch to simpler techniques. "However, there were two moments when I felt unsure." I'm just an observer, so my memory is a bit hazy, but Choi Ji-won, who fought firsthand, recalled each moment clearly. "When my arm got injured, if I had been a bit stronger, the wound could have been fatal. I could have hit my armpit instead of my arm, and that's not an area that can heal easily, even with the regenerative powers of a Suin. It's a joint, so it doesn't relate to brute strength." "If I'd cut there, wouldn't I have been unable to use my arm entirely?" "Yes." Cheonma narrowly avoided the strike, which nearly hit that critical point. "But thinking back, if only my condition had been a bit better. If only I had been a bit faster, the injury would have been fatal at that point. It had nothing to do with Cheonma's response; I was just too weak to reach him." "Hmm..." I understood what Choi Ji-won was getting at. She was confused about whether Cheonma anticipated her weaknesses and chose not to dodge, or if he genuinely couldn't avoid her attacks. "But if you're saying he 'couldn't' dodge, that doesn't make sense. Cheonma is hiding his strength right now." "What if he's not hiding his power?" Choi Ji-won had been the one to assert that Cheonma was concealing his strength. But now, was he not hiding it? It's puzzling. What are you trying to convey? "The second peculiar thing is when Cheonma wielded a spear." This time, she illustrated him holding a spear on the terminal. "When Cheonma picked up a new weapon, I consciously let go of everything I'd learned before. It was a different weapon, requiring a different approach." "Is that possible?" "It's difficult, but doable. Especially since it's just Boongboong and me." Choi Ji-won, casually mentioning something so remarkable. "But when Cheonma used the spear, I made a minor mistake." "A mistake?" "Right, there was an opening. By my standards, it was a clear gap. It was the same weakness that got exploited when Cheonma used his sword." A bad habit Choi Ji-won showed when Cheonma was wielding his sword. A detrimental gap. Because of it, I held my breath, thinking I'd fixed it immediately. In the process of clearing her mind to face the spear, Choi Ji-won said she repeated the same mistake. "But Cheonma remained silent. Even though he saw the repeated vulnerability." "...So?" "Then what?" "What's the big deal about that?" "Doesn't it seem strange?" Choi Ji-won drew a sword next to the spear. "Even though the weapons are different, the technique remains the same. Most things you can do with a sword can also be done with an axe or spear. While there are moves unique to each weapon, the 'concept' of fighting doesn't change." "So, what you're saying is." Cheonma is a master. Strangely, such a master didn't exploit a weakness he should have attacked. "It's odd too. I'm positioned to counter Cheonma's techniques, so even if I'm resetting my mind, Cheonma doesn't need to do that, right?" "Hmm..." "Cheonma can't mix techniques. You can almost be certain of that. But do you realize the implication here?" The sword beside the spear. An axe next to it. A whip beside that. "Perhaps Cheonma... can't reuse techniques he's already employed. It's strange when you think about it. Understanding a technique by observation is one thing, but using it effectively is another. Cheonma executed a bewildering array of techniques with great skill." Everything, an X marked on it. On the sword. On the spear. On the axe. "Junho. Try recalling your memories. You mentioned Guntar used 71 weapons during his time in the arena. Cheonma is doing the same. Cheonma deliberately employs a variety of weapons. Initially, I thought he was trying to buy time, but..." "..." "Could it be some sort of 'restriction'?" "... Restriction." "That's what I mean." Choi Ji-won circled the sketch of the fearsome wolf. "Cheonma isn't 'choosing not' to use his strength; he might simply 'not be able' to use it." "..." "And he isn’t using a variety of weapons by choice. Perhaps he has to use them. I think we need to investigate this aspect to take Cheonma down." It's possible. It's just a possibility at this stage. "I can verify it by battling again." But as long as she has 'Regression,' she can test it out. Choi Ji-won still has numerous opportunities left. Yet the thought occurred to her once more. "So... why do you think I should be the one to fight?" Why me out of everyone? Not Choi Ji-won. "Of course, because of your Han-gi." Choi Ji-won responded casually. No, what does my Han-gi have to do with the limitations on Cheonma that I've been discussing? "Cheonma isn’t using magical powers. I need to determine if he can’t use them or simply chooses not to. Either way, he won’t wield magic until he's sufficiently strong." "Right?" "But your Han-gi... isn't it almost impossible for anyone to withstand it unless they counter it with magical force?" "Ah." ... Truly?