Absolute Regression

Chapter 489: When Someone Who Knows How to Protect Decides to Act

Myungshin was swinging his dagger in a trance.

Sparks flew from the dagger that clashed with the King of Killing.

The fight between the top and second-ranked of the Underworld.

A single mistake in a fight like this would lead to death.

The clashing daggers moved so fast they were nearly invisible to the eye.

He had sparred lightly with the King of Killing before, but this was his first life-and-death battle.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The daggers struck each other rapidly.

His footwork, just as fast as the attacks, dazzled with its brilliance. He used extreme focus and light body movement techniques to evade the incoming daggers, twisting his upper body.

The sound of daggers striking rang clear, while metal scraped against metal.

‘He’s strong!’

More than his head or instincts, it was Myungshin’s hands that felt it first. The King of Killing’s attacks, though heavy, still carried a degree of composure. In contrast, he was pouring out everything he had.

Despite the difference in skill, the reason he could fight on equal footing was because of his fighting spirit.

Myungshin had resolved to risk his life. His death-defying spirit barely made up for the gap in ability.

Over a hundred moves passed in an instant like that.

Chaeng!

With a loud metallic clang, the two stepped back.

They were standing on the roof of a building across from the tavern.

Myungshin’s breathing was rough, while the King of Killing remained calm. That was the extent of the skill gap between the two.

‘But that’s fine.’

Having accepted death, Myungshin felt no fear.

Every time he went on an assassination, he imagined the moment when failure would mean death.

That naturally led to scenes like this in his mind.

Martial artists rummaging through his corpse, trying to figure out where the assassin came from.

No one buries an assassin’s corpse, so they would dump the body in a field. Then wolves would come prowling and tear into it.

Myungshin believed this was the end all assassins faced.

But to die fighting the King of Killing?

‘That’s a pretty decent death, actually.’

Just then, the King of Killing looked toward the tavern across the way. Through the window, the chaotic fight inside could be seen in flashes.

“The Young Cult Leader won’t make it out of there alive.”

Myungshin spoke calmly.

“The Young Cult Leader will come out alive.”

Though Myungshin, who always used honorifics, now spoke informally, the King of Killing didn’t mind.

“If so, it means all the traps you set are meaningless.”

Myungshin knew that’s why he had been lured outside.

“I appreciate your trust in me.”

Even knowing that, he had still come outside for three reasons. First—

“It won’t matter. Not to that Young Cult Leader.”

He had faith in Geom Mugeuk.

The Geom Mugeuk he had read about in reports, and the one he had seen with his own eyes. Combining both led him to that conclusion.

It had only been a few days since he met him, yet he had influenced Myungshin more than anyone he had ever encountered.

So much so that he even thought about rewriting the report he had submitted about him. Of course, that was no longer necessary now.

Another reason was that if he had remained at the tavern, the King of Killing would have stayed too.

That would have made things just as difficult. Instead, he hoped that while he stalled for time against the King of Killing, Geom Mugeuk would take care of the others and come out. It was a choice he could only make because he believed in Geom Mugeuk. ɌΆΝọ฿ÊṤ

And the final reason was because he wanted to kill the King of Killing himself.

He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he had the desire to end this grudge with his own hands.

It was just then.

Shhk!

Myungshin dodged a hidden weapon flying in from behind him. It wasn’t thrown to kill—only to draw his attention.

A man was now standing on the roof of a building to the side. It was Hyeolla, the one who had taunted Myungshin earlier and had his tongue cut off by the King of Killing.

With only his expression and eyes, Hyeolla pleaded to the King of Killing: let him handle Myungshin.

Hatred burned in his eyes—he blamed the loss of his tongue on Myungshin.

The King of Killing looked between Myungshin and Hyeolla, then gave a slight nod of permission.

Given his nature, he would’ve normally provoked Myungshin with all sorts of ridicule, but now he couldn’t say a word.

Hyeolla charged at him with his sword.

Myungshin didn’t evade. He met him head-on, swinging his dagger.

Assassins are those who kill with preparation and planning. That’s why, when the opponent is completely off guard, they should be able to kill swiftly and quietly with no resistance. And so, there are things an assassin should never do.

An assassin must not use footwork techniques.

An assassin must not use martial arts.

The need to use those meant the assassination had already gone wrong.

Using footwork or martial techniques only meant the kill had failed.

So now, as he fought openly, it wasn’t a battle as an assassin—it was closer to a fight as a martial artist.

It was purely a battle of fundamentals. A fight of martial arts, hidden weapon techniques, and light body movement skills.

Shhhwik!

The sword grazed Myungshin’s face as it flew past.

Even as the cold edge brushed his skin, Myungshin charged in with his dagger.

Hyeolla twisted his body to dodge the dagger and angled his sword along with the motion.

The sword, passing just beside his face, suddenly veered, trying to slash across it. But Myungshin had already lowered his stance and was stabbing toward Hyeolla’s abdomen.

Chaeng chaeng chaeng!

Hyeolla redirected his sword again, barely blocking the attack.

As expected of an assassin representing the Underworld, their fight was extraordinary.

Their movements were like the wind, and when they attacked, they were fierce like wild beasts.

The short, metallic clashes continued without pause.

However, little by little, the sword began to lose ground to the dagger.

Hyeolla had been enjoying more success lately as an assassin, so he had confidence in defeating Myungshin.

Unfortunately for him, this fight wasn’t one between assassins—it was a fight between martial artists. And in terms of fundamentals, he was outmatched.

’Damn it! I won’t lose to the likes of you!’

But as Hyeolla was increasingly pushed back, his coordination began to falter.

Puk!

Blood burst from Hyeolla’s shoulder.

He believed himself to be the true second-in-command.

But the gap between them was far greater than the tongue he had lost.

Hyeolla attempted to use his trump card, but Myungshin didn’t miss the brief opening that always came with such big techniques.

Puk! Puk! Puk!

Myungshin’s dagger pierced Hyeolla’s chest in rapid succession.

“Ghuurgh…”

Hyeolla coughed up a torrent of blood.

His gaze turned to the King of Killing. In his eyes was a reproachful glare—why wasn’t he helping? But the King of Killing couldn’t help him, even if he wanted to.

From the moment he began fighting Myungshin, he had sensed Hui’s presence. If he showed any opening, Hui would strike without hesitation.

He was the Cult Leader’s guard.

Earlier, he had wanted to kill Myungshin outright, but he couldn’t—because of Hui.

If he rushed in to kill, he’d be the one to die.

The opponent had the skill to make that instinctive threat a reality.

It was at that moment—

Papapapapak!

The wall of the tavern across the way was riddled with holes. It was clear Ghost Calculation Pellets had detonated.

The heavy scent of blood drifted through the holes. The fierce fight inside was still ongoing.

Myungshin caught his breath in front of Hyeolla’s corpse. He understood now why the King of Killing hadn’t intervened in their fight. He could sense Hui was protecting him.

And because of that, he couldn’t help but think of Geom Mugeuk.

‘You really…!’

He hadn’t just said they should be friends. He hadn’t just promised to spare him. He had meant it.

The King of Killing looked silently at the tavern, then suddenly spoke.

“The one you should be seeking revenge on isn’t me, but the one who hired us.”

“That’s true.”

Myungshin admitted it without resistance.

“Then why?”

He knew what the King of Killing had left unsaid after that sentence.

Why did you betray me?

Myungshin understood that the King of Killing genuinely harbored that question.

That’s why he didn’t feel angry. That was simply the kind of person the King of Killing was.

He had spared him, even raised him as an assassin—so why wasn’t he grateful? Why had he betrayed him?

Because he was someone who asked such questions. He was someone who couldn’t understand the complexity and breadth of human emotions.

“And you… why did you kill your father?”

A murderous aura surged from the King of Killing’s clear eyes.

But Myungshin didn’t mind at all. In fact, he welcomed it. In battles between masters, the more enraged the opponent became, the greater the advantage.

“Feels unpleasant hearing that, doesn’t it? Just like you don’t think you betrayed your father, I feel the same way.”

The King of Killing stared at him in silence.

Myungshin thought that perhaps the reason he had been captivated by the King of Killing was because of those clear eyes.

Not a sense of evil—but of purity.

Unconsciously, he had perceived him that way. Sometimes, the impression created by appearance overpowered everything else.

The King of Killing began walking slowly toward him.

In his gaze, Myungshin could read the determination to kill him.

Myungshin wiped Hyeolla’s blood off his dagger and began walking toward him as well.

He could have stalled by drawing the conversation out, but he didn’t. This revenge didn’t belong to Geom Mugeuk—it was his alone.

‘I’ll fight with everything I’ve got.’

The two clashed once again.

Chaeng chaeng chaeng chaeng chaeng chaeng!

Expected trajectories and unpredictable ones intertwined.

He blocked some attacks with skill, others with instinct.

His inner force lagged behind—his arm throbbed as if it might tear off—but Myungshin clenched his teeth and kept fighting.

If the top-ranked held fearsome strength, the second-ranked did too. But this clear difference in ability wasn’t something sheer willpower could overcome.

Pak!

Blood spurted from Myungshin’s arm.

Shiiiiiik!

At the moment the follow-up strike was about to pierce his heart—

Chaeng!

A sword knocked away the King of Killing’s dagger.

The one who struck it aside was Hui, revealing himself from hiding.

This was the moment the King of Killing had tried to stab Myungshin—a golden chance to attack him directly.

But had he done so, Myungshin would’ve died without a doubt. So Hui made the choice to protect him instead.

Myungshin quickly pressed an acupoint near the wound to stop the bleeding and said,

“I didn’t want to owe you anything... but thank you.”

Hui gave no response. He was only protecting Myungshin because it was the Young Cult Leader’s command—he held no personal feelings for this assassin.

Myungshin got back to his feet, ready to fight again.

Then a voice came from behind.

“What kind of traps did you set up in there? I almost died!”

Geom Mugeuk was walking out of the tavern.

The King of Killing couldn’t hide his surprise.

He hadn’t expected him to not just finish up inside but also emerge this soon. And Geom Mugeuk looked completely unscathed—not even a scratch on him.

Truthfully, Myungshin was just as astonished. Forcing himself to mask the shock, he asked,

“So? How were all the traps? I made most of them, you know.”

“If I’d known you were the one who made those traps, I wouldn’t have asked Uncle Hui to spare you.”

Myungshin could feel it. It wasn’t a rebuke—he was being complimented for how exceptional his traps were.

How many people in the martial world could joke like this under such circumstances? After escaping that tavern of death, anyone else would’ve flaunted their survival with at least a smug remark. But instead, he was lifting his opponent up. He was showing what true self-respect looked like.

‘I lost.’

He felt a sense of respect for Geom Mugeuk. Respect for a young man barely out of his teens? But he wasn’t ashamed in the least. After all, this man had also saved his life.

“Are you hurt badly?”

At Geom Mugeuk’s question, Myungshin realized it was time to leave the rest of the fight to them.

He didn’t stubbornly insist on continuing.

As regretful as it was, he knew now that with his skills, it was impossible to kill the King of Killing. Clinging to pride would only get in the way of Hui or Geom Mugeuk. The King of Killing was far stronger than he had imagined.

Myungshin leapt down from the rooftop.

“Trying to fight with a body used to hammering things... it was rough. I’ll take a break now, so you handle him.”

With that, Geom Mugeuk soared through the air and landed in the spot where Myungshin had been standing.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

It was a word of gratitude for Hui, who had fulfilled his request to protect Myungshin.

Once Geom Mugeuk stood behind him, Hui’s expression changed. Now that the one he had to protect was Geom Mugeuk, he became an entirely different person.

Such was the nature of guards—they changed completely depending on who stood behind them.

Watching Hui’s back, Geom Mugeuk felt it clearly.

Hui wanted to fight the King of Killing.

This fight was truly an inevitable clash born of two opposing fates.

‘If Uncle Hui has to fight—’

Then there was something he could do to support him. Something he was just as good at as swordsmanship.

Geom Mugeuk called down to Myungshin, who now stood beneath the roof.

“Do you know why your leader joined hands with them?”

“No idea. Do you?”

“They probably offered him something. That they’d make him king of all assassins. That he’d become ruler of the night.”

Myungshin thought that might indeed be the case. His leader was someone utterly obsessed with killing. Maybe that was the only offer that could ever have worked on him.

“It sounds persuasive enough... but in the end, isn’t it just saying they’d use him as a blade-for-hire?”

As he saw that clear gaze tremble, Geom Mugeuk began to truly provoke the King of Killing.

"A ruler who obeys someone else’s orders—what kind of ruler is that? A ruler of the night bowing his head to the ruler of the day? Pathetic. Ruler, my foot! He’s nothing more than a tool."

Geom Mugeuk continued to hurl provoking words at the King of Killing, aiming to shake his heart before the fight began.

"He only knew how to imitate someone else’s life. He never once considered what kind of life he should live himself…"

And then it happened.

Kaaaang!

Two sword flashes appeared simultaneously and vanished.

One sword flash aimed to cut Geom Mugeuk clean in half. The other blocked the incoming attack.

It was Hui who blocked the King of Killing’s strike. It hadn’t been an attack to kill—it was a warning: shut your mouth.

Of course, Geom Mugeuk wouldn’t be Geom Mugeuk if that made him stop talking.

With a relaxed expression, as if assured Hui would block any strike, he continued to provoke the King of Killing. This time, using Myungshin.

"Do you know why that man is trying to break your principles?"

Even Myungshin was genuinely curious about that one.

"Why?"

"Because he’s jealous. He’s the top-ranked assassin who kills without a shred of principle, while you, the second-ranked, act with a code…"

Kwakwakwakwaang!

From the King of Killing’s sleeve, Soul-Slaying Thunder erupted. Its power was far beyond that of the assassins they had faced earlier in the tavern.

But an even more astonishing sight followed.

Hui’s sword spun like a windmill, knocking away all the flying hidden weapons.

Seeing it, Myungshin was stunned. He hadn’t even imagined someone could deflect Soul-Slaying Thunder from that distance.

‘The Cult Leader’s guard… he’s far stronger than I imagined.’

Hui and the King of Killing stared each other down.

No further reason for this fight was needed—they simply loathed each other more than anyone else.

A battle of natural enemies, each representing the extremes of the martial world.

And on this day, the usually silent Hui spoke.

"Assassins look down on guards. They think we only know how to stand there and protect. So today, I think it’s time to show him."

That guards and assassins are two sides of the same coin.

"How deadly someone who knows how to protect can be… when they decide to kill."