304 - Regression Is Too Much

**Chapter 304 – Clash of the Regressors (23)** "Stabbing... that's fine. Slashing is also okay. I still have some regrets about how I handled things when our swords clashed. Right now, Cheonma's power is equal, so we can face each other, but we also need to think about situations where he unexpectedly unleashes his strength. He might pull a trick like deliberately releasing his power like last time, so be cautious of that too. Oh, and when defending against attacks near the lower part..." "Junho." "In the end, a sword should block the line, not the surface. You can place the sword and defend with the surface, but that heavily relies on the sword's rigidity. Even though the sword I'm using is a renowned dwarf sword, unless it's a Bbung Bbung grade sword, it might break if used too roughly. Always be cautious about that..." "Junho!" "Huh, huh. Jiwon. What is it?" "Let's return to the real world and take a break for a moment." ** A quiet restaurant. This place was only accessible by reservation, but Jiwon Choi mentioned she got introduced to it by a government official she knew. "It's truly delicious." The portions may be small, but the taste is exquisite. But what can I say? Is it worth the price? Even though we're financially free now, seeing people act like this shows that human nature isn't easily changed. "Junho, look at this." While I was enjoying the tart served as dessert, Jiwon showed me her phone screen. -Eerie, eerie... The NPC disease trending among teenagers nowadays... txt "... What's this?" "You said people look like NPCs now. When I Googled it, this is what I found?" "... Are you crazy?" "Hehehe..." "Ha, never mind..." I finished the tart, chuckling. Beautiful music, delicious food, good company, and pleasant times. I sipped my green tea, echoing phrases often posted by a used car dealer on his Instagram stories. Jiwon probably brought me here because she wanted to say something, but she waited patiently. "So, have you been feeling okay lately?" Choi Jiwon asked cautiously. "What?" "It's just that lately I've been feeling like I'm struggling. I don't know how severe my regression is because my memories are fuzzy, but I think it's quite bad." "Hmm." Jiwon was worried about my condition. I thought she'd bring up something else. "I'm okay. Really. It's enjoyable." "... Truly?" "Yeah. I feel like I'm getting stronger, so I find the battles fun." "..." "Mental health... To be honest, I'm not okay. I think it's just temporary, though." "Really?" "Yeah. My mental health has been unstable because I keep regressing in the same environment. You were chatting well with the waiter earlier, right?" "..." I don't think Jiwon ever asked me to take a break before. Does my condition look that bad? I felt a bit uneasy, but I was also glad that she was concerned about me. Part of me wondered if I was pushing myself too hard. "It's okay. It's alright." But now is the time to fight. Time to push myself. I have mastered the Cheonma's sword. Next is the spear. Then memorization. And next... and next... There's still a lot of martial arts to master. The road ahead is long. I can see the peak of the mountain I'm climbing, but I can't stop here. "I can feel it. This is my moment." I must become stronger. ** Even though I boasted to Choi Ji-won, I hadn't become significantly stronger. There was no terrifying realization of swordsmanship. I had just gotten a bit better at what I do. In contrast, my progress in conquering Cheonma was incredibly fast. I not only familiarized myself with all the sword techniques used by Cheonma, but I also started to get the hang of other martial arts. It's understandable to call it a sidegrade rather than an upgrade. Should I say that my flexibility has improved? "When the opponent has a longer shooting range... it's better to step in as far as possible. For me, it's uncomfortable to just hover near an opponent's shooting range. It seems more effective to launch an attack and create variables." Although it improved, my swordsmanship focused on attacking. Swordsmanship aimed at taking down the opponent before getting hurt myself. That's the foundation, and it reflects the determination embedded within my swordsmanship. The problem for a genius like Cheonma is that he immediately grasped the essence of my swordsmanship. That's why all his techniques were either designed to counter me or advantageous in outplaying me from a distance. He wanted to hold me down unilaterally without giving me space to attack, but he kept regressing and constantly building counters for this. "... You." "Hah." From that point, Cheonma put down his spear. The next weapon he used was a whip. Then an axe. Then a bow. Then a scythe. He would mix in his dark skills here and there, but unlike before, he didn't overtly unleash his dark skills, allowing me to face him. "Wow...! Crazy..." "You're afraid of getting hurt. Why is that?" Occasionally, Cheonma would openly target my skin. It might have been just a glimpse from Cheonma's perspective, but from mine, it was deadly. It was the first time Cheonma realized, with his unique observational skills, that I was afraid of getting hurt. "... Should I mix in a bit of bluffing?" I realized that not just against Cheonma, but in high-level battles, my weaknesses could be exploited like this. Afterward, I intentionally mixed in some bluffing. I pretended not to be afraid of getting hurt, pretended to be alright, feigned giving him flesh but taking the bone in return. Early on in my return, Cheonma would constantly target my skin because my acting was awkward, but eventually, even Cheonma was deceived. There are those who have always been afraid of getting hurt, after all. The number of weapons used by Cheonma gradually increased. It seemed he utilized over two-thirds of the weapons on the floor, and his expression slowly grew blank. Considering he used to have either a fierce grin or a vile smirk on his face, it could be said he was gradually losing his composure. Perhaps, if Choi Ji-won were given enough time, she could do the same as I did. No, she would do it better than me. The reason she entrusted me with the task of facing Cheonma is that she knew this moment was a golden opportunity for my growth. That's why... I admire Choi Ji-won. She pushed me forward even knowing I would suffer, even if it broke her heart. She knew it was for my sake, and that I'd be grateful one day. If she were merely afraid of being disliked, she wouldn't have done this, which means she has immense faith in me. Just as much as I believe in Choi Ji-won, she believes in me. Well, I didn't realize I'd be so engrossed. Time passed. In the repeated instances, all that remained was my soul. Cheonma was gradually pushed back, and I forced him to resort to a wider variety of weapons. The fact that Cheonma, who was so formidable, was cornered brought an odd sense of satisfaction. From Cheonma's perspective, I must have been an incredibly unreasonable foe. He carefully devised martial arts to exploit my weaknesses, but I had already comprehended those arts thoroughly. Of course, Cheonma used his unique eyes to introduce weapons and martial arts that I hadn't yet mastered, pushing me back, but even that was slowly coming to an end. The gap in information. The gap in experience. I knew Cheonma very well, and though Cheonma also saw my weaknesses, what he knew was limited. It was a battle I could only win. It was then that I started thinking I might be able to defeat Cheonma completely. "Really... strange." Cheonma laughed heartily, yet there was a hint of despair. "Who are you?" "... " "Who are you, who despises me yet seems so familiar and so readily accepts my attacks? I've killed everyone who has genuinely witnessed me in combat. The only exception was the Daecheon incident, but you don't possess their aura. It doesn't make sense, it's illogical." He kicked the various weapons scattered on the floor with his foot. "I acknowledge it. You are... a formidable opponent. Because I still have to fight fiercely, I'll present you with a very generous offer." Chuck. Cheonma showed the palm of his hand. The distinct hand belonging to Suin reached out toward me. "I will guarantee the safety of you and your comrades. For now, how about we part ways?" "…" Intuitively, I realized this was a turning point. If I accepted this offer now, I could also gain information. Thinking about the future, it seemed like the right thing to do. "Get out." Yet, my pride was wounded. The tone of that bastard still held the belief that he could kill me. What Cheonma felt wasn't a sense of crisis, but annoyance. I didn't like that. "… Is that so." Cheonma withdrew his palm, slowly closing his outstretched hand. "It can't be helped." He clenched his fist, taking his stance. "I will kill you." He unleashed the dark magic within his body. The true presence of death filled the room. Even as he felt his breath being stifled, he gripped his sword tightly. Cheonma no longer concealed his power.