Absolute Regression

Chapter 585: It's Hard Because You’re Strong

It was an unforgettable night.

Everyone stood on the sparring stage and looked up at the night sky. As they stared at the pouring stars, no one opened their mouth.

They simply looked up at the stars in silence. Because silence was the most fitting response.

When they were suddenly assembled and brought outside, many had thought this:

They're going to kill us all now that the excavation is almost over!

They had never once left this place since entering it.

But it wasn’t that. The Sword King had everyone look up at the night sky.

At first, everyone was puzzled, but gradually, a rush of emotion followed.

The beautiful stars, the outside air they hadn’t felt in so long.

In that moment, they felt they were truly alive.

At least for that moment.

If they survived, with that money! With that hope! They could escape the endless stray thoughts that haunted them.

It was as if the stars and wind were saying this:

You are alive.

Had they been alone, the emotion might not have been so overwhelming. But because those who had endured that hell together were now looking up at the sky with them, tonight’s starlight felt even deeper.

Among them was the Sword King.

He, too, was looking at the stars. For a long while.

Then suddenly, the Sword King turned his head and looked at Geom Mugeuk. They had come out to show the officers, and there Geom Mugeuk was—gazing up at the stars more intently than anyone else.

With those deepened eyes filled with starlight, what might the Young Cult Leader be thinking?

Everyone had different thoughts, but there was likely one thing they all shared.

They would never forget these stars, this night air.

When Hong In opened his eyes in the morning, the events of the previous night felt like a dream. In fact, he had even dreamed. Though he had woken up as a shooting star fell and scattered everyone apart.

In that dream, he used the money he saved here to open a small martial arts hall in a friendly village, married a kind woman, and lived happily for the rest of his life.

One thing had been added to that dream.

He would survive, no matter what, and look at the stars every night.

As Hong In was about to rise from the bed, he stared at the pure white blanket that had been covering him.

Naturally, his gaze turned to one spot.

Geom Mugeuk was sitting cross-legged atop the blanket, circulating his energy. Had he stayed like that through the entire night?

All of this had begun ever since that new recruit arrived. Was it really because of that newcomer?

“Alright, everyone, wake up!”

Hong In shouted as he got down from the bed.

The officers washed up and had breakfast as usual. It was a morning just like any other, but the atmosphere flowing among the officers was subtly different.

After finishing their preparations, they once again gathered in front of the iron wall.

“Now, we all know why we have to focus, especially today, right? No need for me to explain.”

At Hong In’s words, all the officers laughed. It had been a long time since they had laughed together like that.

Hong In stepped forward and spoke on behalf of everyone to the Sword King.

“Thank you for last night.”

The officers standing behind Hong In all bowed their heads to the Sword King in unison.

The Sword King stared at them for a moment before speaking in a low voice.

“I was too late, wasn’t I?”

A booming reply rang out, “Not at all!”

The Sword King’s gaze turned to Geom Mugeuk. His eyes seemed to ask, “Are you satisfied now?” To which Geom Mugeuk replied not with words, but with a bright smile that said, “How could this not be satisfying?”

“Alright, let’s begin the work!”

Kang, kang, kang.

With Geom Mugeuk’s cheerful hammering as the signal, the officers began their assigned tasks.

This was how the excavation team operated. Geom Mugeuk would dig swiftly, and the officers would follow up to finish the job.

Excavating the mechanism was more difficult than on the first day. Complex devices were being uncovered all over the place.

But Geom Mugeuk’s hand movements remained light and nimble. The more difficult the work became, the more he had grown accustomed to it.

That didn’t mean he tried to do everything on his own.

“Please lend a hand over here.”

Whenever necessary, he called on the officers for help. If it looked like it might be too difficult for them, he even asked the Sword King to assist. Because of that, the work progressed smoothly and without delay.

Bit by bit, the mechanism buried underground began to reveal its true form. Like a living organism, it stretched and branched out in every direction.

Having a fair amount of knowledge in mechanical formations, Geom Mugeuk could tell:

‘This isn’t something made in recent times.’

It was a mechanism crafted long ago, yet its precision surpassed anything of the present. Even in the era it was made, it must have been the work of a master artisan. Of course, that didn’t mean dismantling it would be more difficult. The field of mechanism formation studies had advanced dramatically since then.

Just as the work continued—

Clang!

Everyone turned toward the sound. One of the officers had a panicked expression. He had accidentally triggered something.

Srrrk—

The walls on both sides opened, revealing dozens of holes.

“Watch out!”

At the same moment that Geom Mugeuk’s shout rang out—

Shwshwshwshwshwshwshwshwshwshw!

Dozens of lethal hidden weapons erupted from both walls at tremendous speed.

In an instant, Geom Mugeuk’s sword spun.

Fwiinnnnng—

A small circle rapidly expanded, creating a violent gust of wind.

Fwhirrrrrrrr—

It was Geom Mugeuk’s sword wind. He hadn’t dared to parry each one individually, fearing he might miss even a single one—so he unleashed a wind with his sword.

Papapapapapapapak!

The flying hidden weapons were caught in the sword wind and hurled back toward where they had come from.

But not all of them were blocked. Geom Mugeuk had intercepted the ones fired from the left wall.

The hidden weapons from the right wall should have caused screams from the officers standing there—but not a single cry rang out.

When Geom Mugeuk turned around, he saw the back of the Sword King. It was he who had rushed forward in an instant and deflected all the hidden weapons with his sword.

Since they had stood back-to-back, neither of them had seen how the other had blocked the hidden weapons. The officers likely hadn’t caught it either, but it must have been a truly spectacular sight. Geom Mugeuk regretted not being able to witness that technique himself.

But had he really been confident enough to not miss a single one? Or had he thought it was fine if at least one person died?

“Is anyone hurt?”

At the Sword King’s question, Hong In shouted in reply.

“No one, sir. Thank you for saving us.”

The officers looked around at one another in relief. Was it because they had seen the stars last night? The feeling of being alive was more overwhelming than ever. Not a single person blamed the colleague who had made the mistake.

Their gazes turned to the ground. Dozens of hidden weapons lay scattered across the floor—deflected by Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King.

They had expected the Sword King to block them, but they hadn’t imagined that Geom Mugeuk would be able to handle all those hidden weapons as well.

As the others looked at him with astonishment, Geom Mugeuk spoke.

“I told you I could take on a hundred men at once, didn’t I?”

It was the moment they confirmed with their own eyes that Geom Mugeuk was truly a formidable master. Yes, they should have realized it back when the Sword King had treated him so differently.

After expressing their gratitude to the Sword King, the officers gathered around Geom Mugeuk.

On behalf of them all, Hong In stepped forward and expressed his thanks.

“Thank you.”

Now, both Hong In’s tone and demeanor toward Geom Mugeuk had become courteous.

“Please treat me casually like before, as the new guy.”

He was the best at the work, had overwhelming martial skill, and had even saved their lives—how could they treat him the same as before?

“I enjoy being the secretly strong youngest member! So feel free to treat me comfortably!”

At Geom Mugeuk’s joke, not only Hong In but the other officers burst into laughter as well.

Hong In granted Geom Mugeuk’s wish.

“Thanks, youngest.”

Work resumed once again.

As if nothing had happened, Geom Mugeuk focused intently on the task.

With Geom Mugeuk leading the effort, the work that had seemed impossible to estimate was already finished.

At this rate, they would likely be able to fully excavate and dismantle the mechanism by tomorrow.

“Work complete!”

At Hong In’s shout, Geom Mugeuk yelled, “I’m hungry!” It would have been nice if it had ended there.

“But aren’t you going to hold a welcome party for the new guy?”

Naturally, the Sword King’s hand reached for the shoe hanging at his waist. But throwing it in front of everyone wasn’t an option.

Especially not at the person who had saved them all.

*         *         *

“So, he actually brought booze and meat this time?”

At Lee Ahn’s report, even the Fist Demon King let out a helpless chuckle. Every time a report came in related to Geom Mugeuk, that usually serious and fearsome face twisted into an expression that didn’t suit him at all.

“It looks like the Young Cult Leader is still doing fine. After all, it wasn’t medicine or a coffin he brought,”

Lee Ahn joked.

One-Slash Sword Supreme responded with a chuckle.

“Wouldn’t medicine have been better though? At least from the enemy’s perspective.”

Lee Ahn laughed, understanding what she meant. Facing Geom Mugeuk at a drinking table was likely harder than blocking his sword energy.

“Well then, I’ll report again as soon as new updates come in.”

She left the room and stepped into the courtyard.

Outwardly, she smiled, but deep inside, she was worried about Geom Mugeuk.

He bought a blanket, looked at the stars, bought alcohol.

But could Geom Mugeuk really be just fooling around? On the contrary, that was why she worried more. Because she knew better than anyone what kind of person Geom Mugeuk was.

‘Even there, the Young Master must be working himself to the bone.’

The stranger the reports were, the harder he was likely pushing himself.

Then, someone spoke behind her.

“Worried about the Young Cult Leader?”

When she turned around, One-Slash Sword Supreme was walking toward her.

Lee Ahn answered honestly.

“The Young Cult Leader saw something in him that I couldn’t.”

One-Slash Sword Supreme nodded.

“Yes, that’s the kind of person he is.”

If Lee Ahn had interpreted the Sword King’s hidden side as unsettling, One-Slash Sword Supreme took it positively. She meant: don’t worry—he’s someone who sees what others can’t.

“You know well what kind of person the Young Cult Leader is, don’t you?”

Yes, and because she knew, she worried. And because she knew, she also couldn’t bring herself to worry at all—that was Geom Mugeuk.

“Yes! Who am I to worry about whom? From now on, I’ll wrap my worries tightly in a blanket and lock them away.”

The two women exchanged a smile. They hadn’t spent much time together before, so things could’ve felt awkward and difficult. That’s why Lee Ahn was so grateful for how comfortable One-Slash Sword Supreme had made it.

Just as she was about to continue on her way, One-Slash Sword Supreme stopped.

“Lady Lee.”

“Yes, Supreme.”

Then came an unexpected piece of advice.

“When the time comes to make a decision, don’t hesitate.”

Caught off guard by the sudden counsel, Lee Ahn inwardly felt flustered. That wasn’t advice about not hesitating during martial combat.

It meant not to hesitate when making a life decision. And it didn’t sound like she was saying to make decisions quickly—rather, to make them properly.

“Yes! I won’t hesitate.”

At her spirited reply, One-Slash Sword Supreme smiled and walked away.

Lee Ahn stood there for a moment, watching her back. Just moments ago, she had seen regret in her eyes. It had been a spontaneous word, born from deep regret.

‘What decision did you hesitate on… that you now regret so much?’

*         *         *

The mechanism had fully revealed itself.

Its form resembled a buried monster, now exposing its bones and innards from the earth.

All the officers underground gathered to watch it. It was truly a moving moment. After all, they had endured so much just to see this.

Of course, none of them knew what awaited beyond that iron wall. There might be even greater dangers in store, or perhaps that space was simply the end. They knew nothing for sure.

All they could do was hope that this process would end even one day sooner.

The man who specialized in mechanisms spoke to the Sword King.

“This mechanism was created using very ancient techniques.”

“Can you dismantle it?”

After examining the mechanism, the man nodded with a confident look.

“Yes, I can.”

At the Sword King's nod, the man turned to the officers under his guidance and spoke firmly. All of them had been trained by him.

“Begin the operation.”

Geom Mugeuk stood beside the Sword King, watching the mechanism dismantling team at work.

“Thank you for the welcome party yesterday.”

The Sword King shook his head. That party was chaos. Maybe it was because they had gotten some fresh air for the first time. Once Geom Mugeuk took the lead in setting the mood, everyone had lost their minds laughing and shouting.

When Geom Mugeuk, drunk, had said he wanted to hear Great Brother’s song, he had gotten up on the spot, so the Sword King had no idea what happened afterward. But at that time, he had mumbled something to himself. “Crazy.” Words directed both at Geom Mugeuk and at himself—for actually throwing a welcome party for him.

“To be honest, I’m still confused. Whether that was your genuine intent, or just a performance.”

Without hesitation, Geom Mugeuk answered.

“A performance.”

The Sword King looked at Geom Mugeuk.

“If no one were watching me, I don’t think I’d have done any of that. Even now, I’m trying with you, instructor. Trying to show you how special I am.”

“You’re saying all this out loud?”

“Confession is also a part of the effort.”

“Alright, let’s go with that. But why are you trying so hard?”

After a brief silence, Geom Mugeuk answered honestly.

“I think I’m scared of fighting you.”

The Sword King's gaze toward Geom Mugeuk deepened.

“That’s probably why I’m trying to build a good relationship, even if it's like this. So that in the end, when you're about to kill me, even for a split second, you’ll hesitate. And because of that hesitation… I’ll kill you.”

The Sword King looked at him, baffled.

“If you’re going to say everything so honestly, doesn’t that defeat the point?”

“This is all part of the strategy.”

Seeing Geom Mugeuk put on a deliberately sly smile, the Sword King turned his eyes back to the dismantling work.

Then, the Sword King suddenly spoke.

“It’s never easy for a person to change their fate.”

After a brief pause, Geom Mugeuk asked,

“With your level of skill, Master, couldn’t even fate be changed?”

The Sword King gave no reply.

Of course, Geom Mugeuk understood. Whether it was Jo Chunbae running a stall in Maga Village, the Sword King standing before him now, or himself—changing one’s life was an incredibly difficult thing.

Because when you’re strong, it’s hard because you’re strong; and when you’re weak, it’s hard because you’re weak.

“You got angry once. When I called the ones I killed your ‘comrades.’ So, what exactly are you doing with people who aren’t even your comrades?”

Then he asked the question he truly wanted to ask.

“Is there someone above you, instructor?”

Geom Mugeuk’s heart pounded. Would Hwa Moogi’s name come from the Sword King’s lips?

But the Sword King said nothing. Geom Mugeuk didn’t ask again. This too was a question he had to save, to ask only when the time was right.

At that moment, the mechanism expert approached and reported.

“The dismantling is complete.”

From everyone present, he could feel emotions scattering in all directions—surprise, tension, fear, and expectation.

Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King stepped to the very front of the iron wall. The other officers gathered behind them. Let this be the end of that long, grueling ordeal.

“Then, I will open it.”

Krrrnnnkkk—

The sound alone made it clear how long the door had remained sealed.

Under everyone’s gaze, the iron wall slowly began to open.