Absolute Regression

Chapter 488: Putting Down the Sword Just Because It’s a Hostage Situation

Myungshin had issued a contract to himself.

To avenge his deceased parents.

It was the first contract he had ever made in his life—and it would be the last.

He had accepted his own commission with this single coin. Now, if he survived this fight, he would accept a single coin commission from others as well.

And in that moment, Myungshin savored a sense of relief he had never felt since birth.

Because for the first time, he was looking his life directly in the eye—something he had never managed to do until now.

Even in this situation, the King of Killing showed no emotion. He simply gazed at him.

‘Even now, as I say I’ll abandon you—do you have nothing more to give me than those eyes?’

The words of Geom Mugeuk came to mind.

―Don’t assign meaning to that.

Until now, he had believed there was a deep, hidden heart within those transparent eyes—something he couldn’t yet understand.

Again, the words of Geom Mugeuk rose to the surface.

―Even if there were meaning, what great meaning could it possibly hold?

Right, there was nothing in those eyes.

The only reason he tried to find meaning was because he feared that if there truly was nothing there, then his entire life might be nothing as well.

He hadn’t considered him special—only the special version of himself had survived.

Once his thoughts were sorted, Myungshin did not look back.

He was the head of the group that annihilated his family, and he had raised him as an assassin while hiding that fact.

That alone was more than enough reason to settle things with him.

Even before that, he had already told Geom Mugeuk.

“Among the guests, five assassins are mixed in.”

At his words, the guests—already frozen stiff from the earlier situation—turned pale. A fight had broken out, and now they were being told that assassins were pretending to be guests?

They truly wanted to run out, but couldn’t. At the entrance stood the host, whose identity had been exposed, and if they made any move in this situation, they would undoubtedly be the first to die.

Some shed tears in fear, some collapsed to the ground, and some simply trembled as they watched everything unfold.

Geom Mugeuk made no effort to mention their safety. he didn’t warn against touching them, nor did he bluff as if killing a hostage wouldn’t make him flinch.

If anyone had investigated him, they would know full well that he was someone trying to spare them.

He would actively use them as hostages. That was why thime was a benefit: he wouldn’t kill them recklessly.

Myungshin pointed out the exact five.

“The assassins are the third, fourth, and fifth from the left. The eighth and ninth.”

Over there stood the King of Killing and the five assassins whose identities had been revealed.

On this side were Geom Mugeuk, Hui, and Myungshin.

Amidst the tense standoff, Geom Mugeuk and the King of Killing’s gazes met midair.

The King of Killing did not appear anxious. His expression seemed to suggest that this situation was merely one of many he had already predicted.

“Why did you join hands with them?”

What desire of the King of Killing had been stirred that made him ally with them?

The King of Killing replied impassively.

“I cannot speak of the contractor. It’s the assassin’s code.”

The contractor behind this assassination must be them.

Geom Mugeuk slowly drew the Black Demon Sword as he spoke.

“I have principles, too. My demonic path doesn’t break tavern tables. But just for today, I’ll break that rule.”

Just before the fight could break out, Hui spoke up.

“There aren’t five assassins. There are six. Including that one over there.”

Hui pointed to a guest sitting alone in a corner seat.

Even Myungshin did not know who he was.

Hui, with the unique senses of a bodyguard martial artist, had identified the hidden assassin.

“As expected! There’s no deceiving your eyes, uncle.”

As Geom Mugeuk expressed his delight, Hui’s voice transmitted via inner sound.

―There’s still another whose identity I’m uncertain about. Do not lower your guard.

If that were true, it meant they had really prepared thoroughly. It meant an assassin capable of deceiving Hui’s eyes had been hidden among the guests. ṛåΝОᛒĘṢ

Meanwhile, Myungshin, realizing the existence of an assassin even he hadn’t known about, came to a realization.

‘You didn’t trust me.’

Originally, he would have helped him in this fight and killed Geom Mugeuk. In such a situation, an assassin he wasn’t aware of should never have existed.

Perhaps that man had been prepared in advance to kill him.

Suddenly, he recalled something the King of Killing had said.

―If we hadn’t been friends, you’d be dead already.

His relationship with him became even clearer. Any lingering chance that he might have misjudged him vanished completely.

‘It’s not because we were friends that I survived.’

Now he could be sure. He had simply been intrigued and amazed that a child he picked up out of curiosity had risen to be his second-in-command. For the sake of the Underworld, he needed an executioner to carry out assassinations. That’s the only reason he had spared him.

He had just refused to admit it, not wanting to feel miserable. He had gone so far as to carve out an ice cliff just to give it meaning.

In his heart, Myungshin pictured himself scaling the ice cliff and reaching the summit.

“We’re not friends anymore, so go ahead—try killing me!”

The will to kill the King of Killing blazed in Myungshin’s eyes.

Geom Mugeuk looked toward Hui. He said nothing, but Hui could already sense Geom Mugeuk’s intent.

It was a signal to watch Myungshin’s back.

This fight was Geom Mugeuk’s own, yes—but it was also Myungshin’s, and at the same time, Hui’s.

While the three of them fought, Geom Mugeuk intended to eliminate all the assassins in this place.

‘I’ll finish them off as quickly as possible, then go help the other two.’

Geom Mugeuk shouted.

“Those not identified as assassins, lie flat on the ground!”

At his words, everyone except the assassins dropped to the floor.

At the same time, Myungshin charged toward the King of Killing.

Cheng-cheng-cheng!

Their daggers clashed in midair. They knew each other better than anyone else—both their martial arts and their strength.

Pushed back by the fierce onslaught, the King of Killing was driven out of the tavern.

Geom Mugeuk could tell. He had taken Myungshin outside on purpose.

Because he was confident the remaining assassins could kill Geom Mugeuk in here. So that they could fully unleash the trap prepared in this space of death.

Hui looked at Geom Mugeuk, and Geom Mugeuk gave a silent nod. Normally, he would never leave this spot—but Geom Mugeuk spoke with his eyes.

Trust me. Protect him. I’ll be right behind you.

Hui’s hesitation didn’t last long. This time, he hadn’t volunteered to guard Geom Mugeuk just to protect his life. He wanted to protect the one Geom Mugeuk wanted to protect—and even more, the belief Geom Mugeuk carried.

Sssst.

Hui vanished without a sound.

At that exact moment, the assassins in the hall simultaneously reached out toward Geom Mugeuk.

Hidden within the folds of their sleeves were special concealed weapons.

Soul-Slaying Thunder.

A weapon designed in the Underworld for assassination.

The Soul-Slaying Thunder was so powerful that if the user’s inner power were lacking, it could blow off their own arm.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!

The weapons exploded outward with a thunderous roar.

Geom Mugeuk flipped the table and channeled his inner energy. Just as he moved to use the table as a shield—

Shuk-shuk-shuk!

From tiny holes in the bottom of the table, steel needles fired toward Geom Mugeuk.

It was a trap that anticipated someone would use the table as a shield against attacks.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the six assassins’ Soul-Slaying Thunder was a decoy for this very ambush—this one hidden move was that powerful.

Thankfully, Geom Mugeuk’s instincts reacted faster than the attack. If he had hesitated even slightly, he would have been struck by that piercing assault.

Papapapapapapak!

Even amidst the chaos, throwing weapons embedded themselves into the table. The Soul-Slaying Thunder wasn’t an ordinary concealed weapon. Each shot could shatter steel swords and pierce stone walls with brute force.

But the table, charged with Geom Mugeuk’s inner power, didn’t break.

Geom Mugeuk hurled the table and flew toward the assassins.

As the assassin struck down with his sword to swat the table away—

Geom Mugeuk was no longer behind it.

Slice.

Geom Mugeuk’s sword, sliding across the floor like a gust, slashed through the assassin’s abdomen.

The assassin’s bisected body collapsed to the ground.

The stench of blood rushed out, and screams erupted from the guests lying flat on the floor.

More Soul-Slaying Thunders rained down toward Geom Mugeuk.

Papapapapapapak!

The throwing weapons pierced through the floor.

But Geom Mugeuk was already slicing through the air, rushing toward the second assassin.

At that moment, another assassin slammed down the abacus on the counter.

That instant—

Puh-puh-puh-puh-pung!

The abacus beads exploded forward all at once. They appeared ordinary, but the moment they separated and flew, they were anything but.

A concealed weapon known to kill any enemy within range without fail—

Ghost Calculation Pellets.

Dozens of abacus beads shot out at terrifying speed. The pellets of the Ghost Calculation Pellets weren’t just any concealed weapons. Rumor had it that they could even pierce the Protective Energy of elite masters.

Geom Mugeuk threw himself to the side. It was an attack that looked impossible to dodge, yet he found a thread of life between the deadly lines. He twisted his waist, arms, and body violently, bending and weaving through the incoming storm.

Though his movements looked grotesque, not a single pellet struck Geom Mugeuk. The Ghost Calculation Pellets merely grazed past his entire body.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh!

The abacus beads blasted through all four walls.

Sunlight poured in through the holes, drawing dozens of glowing lines through the room.

A spectacle of light formed in an instant.

Between the rays formed by the sun, more throwing weapons glittered as they flew.

Shwik-shwik-shwik-shwik!

The top-tier assassins didn’t hesitate. Their decisions were swift, their movements fearless. Had their opponent not been Geom Mugeuk, they would’ve already exchanged polite nods for a job well done.

Dodging the flying weapons, Geom Mugeuk vaulted over the counter.

Thwack!

The jaw of the assassin who had launched the Ghost Calculation Pellets shattered, and his body was hurled backward.

At that moment, another assassin was pulling on the hanging curtain in the kitchen. The instant it was pulled—

Chwaaaaaaaaak!

A cascade of Bone-Melting Acid poured down from above Geom Mugeuk’s head.

Chiiiiiiiiik.

A noxious odor rose with the smoke.

This acid ambush was a coordinated follow-up to the earlier abacus assault. If one tried to eliminate the user of the abacus weapon, this counterattack with Bone-Melting Acid would immediately follow.

But Geom Mugeuk’s form blurred across space and escaped the area in a flash.

Wind God’s Four Steps displayed divine footwork even within this tight space.

Another assassin charged, kicking a table as he lunged forward.

The moment his foot struck the table, it shattered, and everything on top flew into the air.

Dishes, bottles of liquor, and food all leapt up from the table.

Among them was a chopstick holder filled with chopsticks.

Pop!

What exploded in front of Geom Mugeuk was the chopstick holder.

It was a mechanism set up so that when the chopstick holder was struck and the chopsticks shot out, the container would burst and release a poison mist.

Who would pay attention to a chopstick holder when someone flips or smashes a table? This too had been made by Myungshin. That was why the King of Killing had taken Myungshin outside—because most of today’s preparations had been developed by Myungshin.

Hoo—

Geom Mugeuk, having taken the poison mist directly to the face, collapsed to the floor.

The man who had attacked by overturning the table was also cut across the chest by Geom Mugeuk’s sword and fell alongside him. Even in death, he wore a satisfied expression—he had fulfilled his mission.

Two assassins cautiously approached Geom Mugeuk’s fallen body to confirm his death.

Just as they moved to make sure, thrusting their daggers toward Geom Mugeuk’s neck from both sides—

Shwik.

Their blades stopped midair.

Geom Mugeuk had opened his eyes at some point, and both his hands had already gripped their wrists.

With his hands still holding their wrists, the two tried to strike down with their free hands—

Whoosh!

Geom Mugeuk exhaled the poison mist he had been holding in his mouth.

So potent was the poison that the two assassins let out screams of agony and died writhing in pain.

Then, the last remaining assassin seized one of the hostages who had been lying flat on the floor.

“Aaagh!”

The assassin, grabbing a woman, pressed a dagger to her throat.

“Drop the sword. Or this bitch dies.”

“Looks like you didn’t do your research on me. I’m not the kind of guy who puts down his sword just because someone’s playing hostage games.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Geom Mugeuk rushed at him.

Shhhhk.

Using Divine Lightning Step, he surged toward the assassin holding the hostage.

Just as the assassin shoved the woman forward as a shield and slashed from behind—

Srrk!

Squelch!

The sounds of flesh tearing rang out in rapid succession.

Tragically, both the hostage woman and the assassin collapsed.

Blood streamed from the severed neck of the woman, and from the heart of the assassin.

At first glance, it seemed the assassin had killed the hostage. But to everyone’s shock, both had been killed by Geom Mugeuk.

The dying assassin asked, astonished,

"……How did you know?"

In the hand of the slain hostage woman was a dagger.

Astonishingly, she was also an assassin. As she was pushed forward, she had prepared to strike at the critical moment. Her martial prowess was even greater than that of the assassin who had pretended to take her hostage.

She had been the linchpin among all the assassins prepared for today.

Had he not known in advance, even Geom Mugeuk could not have avoided such an unexpected and lethal attack.

But Geom Mugeuk had cut her down—and the assassin behind her as well—as if he had known everything beforehand.

To the dying assassin, Geom Mugeuk left behind a line he would never understand, even in death.

“My uncle said there was still one he wasn’t sure about.”