Absolute Regression

Chapter 589: Now You Finally Seem Like the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult

Yeon Baekin silently looked down at Gi Seok’s corpse.

When he first received the report of his death, Yeon Baekin didn’t believe it. He had exploded in a shout, demanding what kind of nonsense that was.

Even though he knew full well that none of his subordinates would dare spout nonsense in front of him, he simply didn’t want to believe it.

Moreover, they claimed he had suddenly collapsed and died while walking. He had possessed skills incomparable to regular martial artists—his death was utterly absurd.

A physician entered the room where Gi Seok’s body lay. He was the most skilled physician in the area.

“How did he die?”

Yeon Baekin skipped all formalities and went straight to the cause of death. The physician cautiously replied.

“Upon examining his insides, all his internal organs were completely destroyed.”

Yeon Baekin felt a grim sense of confirmation.

“Was it poison?”

“No, it wasn’t. It appears he received a powerful external blow, which caused the damage.”

Yeon Baekin's gaze shifted to Gi Seok’s body. There were no signs of impact on the surface. Not even a single bruise.

“It seems like someone used an extremely powerful Internal Heavy Strike Method to apply force only to the interior. But I’ve never seen a case with zero external traces like this before.”

Furthermore, according to the witnesses, no one had directly struck him.

So then someone had launched a punch from a distance and caused this? It was an unbelievable level of mastery.

As he considered who the assailant could be, two people came to Yeon Baekin’s mind.

The first was the husband from the couple who had come to his office. Since Gi Seok had not died from a bladed weapon but from external impact, perhaps that man's large fists had come to mind. He had been a striking presence.

‘But that man had no reason to kill Gi Seok.’

The next person who came to mind was the one underground.

‘Could it have been him?’

Had he released the officials because he foresaw something like this? Was he using this incident as a pretext to cast Yeon Baekin aside? Or was he truly enraged that the people he had freed had been harmed?

Whatever the motive, the only one nearby with the power to kill Gi Seok in such an astonishing manner was that person. Even if he hadn’t done it himself, he was certainly capable of sending someone of that level.

‘No matter the reason, to kill one of my limbs like this!’

This death felt like a warning aimed directly at him. As if to say, “You’re next.”

After the fear came a surge of rage.

‘This is my martial hall. My land and my people.’

Leaving the room, Yeon Baekin headed straight for the sparring grounds.

He had to find out for sure whether it had truly been that person. If so, he would have to beg forgiveness on his knees if that’s what it took to calm his wrath. After all, he had just killed Gi Seok on his way out.

When he arrived at the sparring grounds, someone stopped him from descending underground.

It was the mechanical device specialist who had once been a subordinate of the Sword King.

“You cannot go down.”

“Step aside. I must meet him.”

Yeon Baekin intended to force his way through if needed. At that moment, the device specialist turned his head to the side. Naturally, Yeon Baekin followed his gaze.

Far off in the spectator seats, a man was sitting. Had he been there from the beginning? How could he have failed to notice someone there, no matter how urgent things were?

The man sat with both arms draped over his knees and his head lowered. Was he holding something in his hands? All Yeon Baekin could see was the white glint reflecting from it in the sunlight.

“You should turn back.”

Yeon Baekin turned his head again to respond that he couldn’t, when—

An unfamiliar force compelled him to look back once more.

The man who had been sitting far away was now standing right beside him. He hadn’t sensed the man approaching at all. It felt as though the man had teleported—or as if he had been standing there from the beginning.

Usually, one’s gaze would go to the face first, but with this man, Yeon Baekin’s eyes were drawn to his body.

Long arms, long legs—he had a perfectly sculpted physique. It was the first time he had seen someone with such flawless musculature. If there were ever a person to embody the phrase “not a single unnecessary muscle,” it was him.

The man’s fists were tightly wrapped in bandages. It was unclear whether he was injured or simply protecting his hands.

Only after taking in his physique did Yeon Baekin finally look at the man’s face. In truth, he should have looked at it first. If he had, he wouldn’t have idly examined the man’s body like that.

The moment he met the man’s hollow eyes, Yeon Baekin felt his entire body freeze. It wasn’t because the man exuded killing intent.

There was no emotion in his gaze. And yet, it was unmistakably the look of someone who had killed many people. Behind this man, Yeon Baekin could see a hellscape filled with screaming, burning flames.

By the time he came to his senses, Yeon Baekin was already hurrying back the way he came. The fear that struck when their eyes met had made him lose a moment of memory. He couldn’t even remember how he had turned around.

When he looked back at the place from a distance, the man was nowhere to be seen.

*         *         *

Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King walked together through the dark passage.

What kind of gate would be waiting this time? If it was stronger than the previous one, passing through wouldn’t be easy.

Even on the walls of this passage, there were all sorts of symbols, characters, and drawings he couldn’t make sense of.

“It’s here too. That same symbol.”

The same emblem they had seen earlier was drawn in several places. Was it the crest of the clan that had designed this gate? Or did it hold some other meaning?

“You know what this symbol is, don’t you?”

“Why do you think I know?”

“Just a feeling. It didn’t seem like you’d be involved in something you didn’t understand.”

“I appreciate the compliment, but I’m not that great of a person.”

“Now you’re being modest, too.”

“I said I’m not!”

Though they exchanged words casually, the two moved forward cautiously, sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.

And once again, about halfway through the passage, the gate began to activate.

Ssss...

A formation was triggered, and the surroundings transformed.

A desolate wasteland revealed itself. The rising heat from the ground shimmered over the distant horizon, and wind carried dust up into the sky.

“I like this formation!”

The reason Geom Mugeuk was pleased was because the Sword King was beside him.

“It seems this is a gate we’ll have to break through by joining forces. I like that I won’t be alone this time. Look over there.”

Where Geom Mugeuk was pointing, a signpost stood.

—No one may leave unless all are killed.

“Seems like we’re going to see a lot of blood, judging by how it even gives us a warning.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, the Sword King nodded.

From far off, enemies charged in, kicking up dust. Their steps made the earth tremble, and their war cries echoed in every direction.

“Now I understand why the elixir chamber was placed right before this.”

The number of enemies rushing in was staggering. They swarmed like ants.

“You sound like you’re enjoying this.”

“Seeing this many enemies after such a long time has me a little excited.”

Of course, it wasn’t fear that excited him—it was the joy of being able to unleash his full power. These weren’t real people but manifestations from the formation, so he could cut them down without hesitation.

“To get excited at the thought of bloodshed… Now you finally resemble the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.”

“I’ve had a hard time keeping it hidden.”

Geom Mugeuk drew his sword.

“I’ll take this side. Ah, do you know what’s great about fighting together? You can fight with your back against a wall.”

It meant he trusted the person behind him that much.

“What if that wall collapses toward your side?”

“It’ll be as soft as a cotton blanket.”

The moment he finished speaking, a wave of sword energy burst forth from the Black Demon Sword.

Shhhhhh—

Those at the front jumped back to dodge the sword energy. But those behind didn’t react in time and were swept away.

Geom Mugeuk gauged their martial level by observing how they dodged his sword energy.

With that single move, he became certain.

“This is just the first phase. Conserve your internal energy while you fight.”

No matter how many of them there were, he was sure this wasn't all of them.

Geom Mugeuk charged toward them. The Black Demon Sword slashed through them. Everywhere he passed, enemies collapsed in a line, stabbed through the heart.

But conserving internal energy didn’t mean he would never use sword energy—it would be unwise to completely avoid it. After all, it consumed stamina.

Swaaaaash!

The sword energy released at close range couldn't be avoided. Dozens were swept away and died all at once.

But they kept surging in, stepping over the fallen corpses. It was an overwhelming sight that could crush one’s spirit just by watching.

Amid the battle, Geom Mugeuk turned to glance toward the Sword King.

At the flash of the Sword King’s blade, a dozen enemies fell simultaneously. Even without emitting sword energy, even those out of reach of his sword had their necks severed.

‘Formless Sword Energy!’

Geom Mugeuk instantly recognized the Sword King's divine prowess. It was this formless sword energy that had elevated the Sword King to the title of the Greatest Under the Heavens in the previous timeline.

Because it couldn’t be seen, it was many times more difficult to dodge than regular sword energy.

Was it confidence? The Sword King made no attempt to hide his use of formless sword energy in this fight.

No matter how many swarmed in, this side had Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King was wielding formless sword energy.

In a flash, all those enemies were felled.

Sssssss...

The piles of corpses vanished entirely.

No time to rest—once again, from far off, enemies charged in, kicking up clouds of dust. They ran faster than the first wave.

“This is my first time seeing formless sword energy.”

“Think you can dodge it?”

“I think I’ll need to revise my strategy.”

“What kind of strategy?”

“The kind that’ll make you hesitate at the final moment, instructor.”

At that, the Sword King gave a cryptic smile.

“In that case, you’ve already fallen for my strategy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll pretend to hesitate... and then cut without hesitation.”

“And you’re telling me that now?”

“To confuse you.”

The real fight with this man would happen after they entered the final chamber.

There was no doubt he had brought Geom Mugeuk here because he needed him. It wasn’t just to get through these gates. There had to be another reason.

Just as curious as what awaited in that chamber, Geom Mugeuk wanted to know that reason.

‘So make sure you survive—and enter that room with me.’

Meanwhile, the second wave of enemies charged in, hundreds of blades gleaming in the light. Though their numbers had decreased compared to before, their momentum was sharper than ever.

The two of them handled the attackers calmly. Geom Mugeuk didn’t use the Nine Calamities Demon Art, and the Sword King only employed Formless Sword Energy, never once revealing his personal signature techniques.

Had they been ordinary masters, it would have been nearly impossible to endure.

The sheer number of foes was overwhelming, and their individual skills were no small matter either. Most of all, the enemies showed no fear.

Even if one managed to hold them off, internal energy was the real issue. Any typical martial artist would have run dry of internal energy before finishing off this second wave.

But Geom Mugeuk was still brimming with internal energy. In fact, it was almost unnoticeable that he had used any at all in the battle thus far.

The Sword King was also unyielding. Though the second wave of enemies was clearly stronger than the first, they were still cut down the same way as those before.

In the face of Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King's martial prowess, such differences in skill meant nothing. From a relative standpoint, the first wave had been amateurs, and the second were no different.

Once again, the two of them wiped out every last one.

And once again, the piled corpses vanished completely.

Yet again, enemies were coming. This time, they advanced more slowly than before—as if deliberately approaching to be slain.

“This feels like the final wave.”

Even a formation like this had its limits. Even up to now, the formation must have required an enormous amount of money, internal energy, and mental strength.

“You sound disappointed it’s the last.”

“I am, honestly. Fighting alongside you has been so much fun. I wouldn’t mind if we had ten more stages from here.”

“You just want to steal my martial arts.”

“Every time, you see right through me. All I’m learning is how sharp your intuition is, instructor.”

The Sword King quietly stared at Geom Mugeuk, then shifted the conversation to matters outside.

“Aren’t you worried about what’s happening outside? The shield is here, but the ones you’re supposed to protect are out there.”

“Should I be worried?”

There was a brief pause before the Sword King spoke again. He hesitated slightly, as if unsure whether to say it.

“By now, someone else would’ve arrived.”

Geom Mugeuk understood. The person he spoke of was another of the Twelve Zodiac Kings.

“They might descend here… or try to keep your people trapped.”

In other words, even he couldn’t predict how that person would act. But one thing became clear from those words—the Twelve Zodiac Kings, while united in purpose, often moved with great autonomy. Geom Mugeuk had already known they occasionally clashed in opinion, but today made it even more certain.

“Why are you smiling when I said they might capture your people?”

“Because I’m happy. You’re saying it out of concern for me, aren’t you?”

The Sword King gave him a look that seemed to ask, Is this really the time to be making jokes? Then he brought up Lee Ahn.

“Didn’t you say she was like your heart?”

It meant she could be in danger. This time, Geom Mugeuk answered truthfully.

“It’s alright. Another shield is there.”

The Sword King asked in surprise.

“The Demon Supremes are there?”

“The day I first met you, I summoned them right away.”

The real reason was because he knew the Sword King would later become the First King among the Twelve Zodiac Kings—but to the Sword King now, it likely sounded like Geom Mugeuk had recognized his worth and called for backup accordingly.

Meanwhile, the third wave of enemies launched their assault. This time, they emitted sword energy. They were clearly more skilled than the previous waves.

Shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik shwik!

Dozens of strands of sword energy tore through the air from all directions, ripping the skies apart. The murderous aura imbued in those attacks chilled the air around them.

Amid the web of sword energy—woven like spider silk—Geom Mugeuk and the Sword King danced through the sky. No matter how tightly the enemies wove their net, they couldn’t ensnare the two.

From between the sword energy threads they had created, real sword energy flew—a clear demonstration of what true sword energy was.

With every flash of the sword, the enemy’s net of sword energy was ripped apart. The large web shrank, and shrank again.

The final enemy launching his last attack was pierced from both front and back. Geom Mugeuk had struck from the front, the Sword King from behind.

The blades, having passed through the body, pointed at one another.

Ssssss—

Along with the fallen corpses, the final enemy impaled by their blades vanished.

And so, the two of them were left pointing their swords at one another. They stared in silence for a moment before Geom Mugeuk smiled and withdrew his blade first.

“Well done.”

“You too.”

It seemed the formation had ended here, as no more enemies came rushing in.

“This might have set the record for the fastest anyone has ever broken through this formation.”

However, even though all the corpses had vanished, the surrounding wasteland remained unchanged. The formation had not yet been dispelled.

Geom Mugeuk looked around. He checked to see if perhaps an enemy had been left alive.

But all the corpses had already disappeared, and the wide wasteland was empty. No new foes appeared.

The only thing left in the area was the signpost they had seen at the beginning.

—No one may leave unless all are killed.