Absolute Regression

Chapter 594: Though He Never Raised a Child Himself

"Exit through the gate we open for you."

The Fist King and his subordinates understood. They knew the gate mentioned by the Fist Demon King was the Gate of Hell.

Kang Hu, the Fist King, did not get angry. On the contrary, a faint, unreadable smile formed on his lips.

"If it’s a gate you open for me, I’d gladly go."

The moment he finished speaking, the Fist King's subordinates, who had been standing around him, leapt forward in unison.

Raised as killing machines, their presence exuded pure murderous intent. Their number exceeded thirty.

While silently observing their grim aura, the Fist Demon King turned his gaze to Lee Ahn. His eyes were asking:

Will you try it?

Lee Ahn didn’t answer recklessly.

Her gaze turned toward the enemies. And she asked herself:

‘Are you ready to dive into that killing aura?’

The important moments in life, or moments of crisis—

One must never leave decisions to impulsive emotions. That question was meant for someone else to answer.

The first to respond was the Soaring Sword Art that had achieved greatness.

—Have you forgotten which martial art you’ve trained in?

Next to answer was the Sun and Moon Sword in her hand.

Whoooong.

The Sun and Moon Sword hummed softly in her grip. Since the moment she received it, their continued resonance had built a bond, and now it truly recognized her as its master.

The last to respond—was her effort.

—Even if the whole world betrays you, effort never does.

The countless days of cutting sleep short for training flashed through her mind.

At last, Lee Ahn answered her father’s question.

"I’ll give it a try."

It wasn’t a response born of emotion or impulse—it was an answer forged by her life.

To her careful reply, the Fist Demon King simply nodded.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme had anticipated this fight.

Could Lee Ahn truly win?

No answer came immediately. If she herself saw this battle as a close match, then surely the Fist Demon King did as well.

That was why she could tell. The one who trembled and feared this moment more was not Lee Ahn—but the Fist Demon King. Behind that stern, terrifying face—what kind of whirlwind of emotion must be raging?

‘So win, Lee Ahn. Do it for your father.’

Savor the moment a martial artist becomes truly strong. More than defeating a hundred weaker foes—this, this moment of overcoming the insurmountable!

Lee Ahn straightened her back and stepped forward.

The taut tension grew to the brink of explosion. Though it was a duel with a beauty worthy of being called the finest under the heavens, there was no room for the crowd to enjoy such a spectacle.

The aura emanating from Lee Ahn was no ordinary thing. Sensing this, her opponents pushed their killing intent even higher.

Chaaang.

Lee Ahn drew her sword cleanly. It was her first time facing multiple opponents who used fist techniques.

The moment the straight blade of the Sun and Moon Sword gleamed in the sunlight—

She charged toward the enemies. The proper tactic when fighting a group was to avoid being surrounded. However, Lee Ahn defied that logic and threw herself right into their midst.

Shhhik.

The instant her feet landed on the ground, her sword spun wide, and blood splattered from its tip. They all moved so quickly it was impossible to tell whose blood it was.

Faster than the fists flying in from all directions, Lee Ahn lunged at the enemy directly in front of her, thrusting her sword forward.

Shhhik!

Just as her opponent twisted his body to throw a punch, her own body spun in the opposite direction. In that split second, her target changed.

Pook!

Lee Ahn stabbed an enemy who had charged from behind, then shoved him forward. Even as he was dying, he grabbed her sword with his gauntlet-covered hand.

Chwaaak!

Her sword sliced through his torso and continued to sever the neck of another enemy who had been rushing in from the side.

Seogeok!

The sharpness of the Sun and Moon Sword didn’t just cut through flesh and bone—it also cleaved through the gauntlet the enemy had worn.

As Lee Ahn tore through the heart of the enemy formation, both advantages and disadvantages appeared at once.

The disadvantage was obvious: she now had to face enemies charging in from all directions. But the advantage was this—none of them could carelessly release their internal energy.

What if thirty-some enemies all released their energy at once and attacked her?

It wouldn’t just be hard to dodge—getting hit even once would offer them the perfect chance to concentrate all their energy on her.

That was precisely why she hadn’t opened the battle with the full power of Soaring Sword Art. If this turned into a contest of internal energy and energy, she knew she’d be at a disadvantage.

But in the heart of the enemy formation?

Shwaaang!

Sword energy burst from her blade and whipped through the air. The enemies hesitated to unleash their energy for fear of hitting their own, but she held no such concern.

Without waiting to see the result of her sword aura, she slid in the opposite direction. She didn’t check how many had been wounded or killed by her slash.

Like someone moving through a preordained sequence, there was no hesitation in any of her actions.

Papatatatak!

Cutting through the spray of blood, the glare of Lee Ahn’s sword shone with terrifying brilliance.

An arm that had aimed for her head was severed, and the fist that followed to avenge it sliced through empty air. She had already charged at another opponent.

Pang! Pang!

Fists flew at her from every direction like fired iron bolts.

Her body weaved between the punches. She fought with the determination not to get hit even once—because one solid strike could bring it all to an end.

One of the enemies rushed in, trying to slam into her and knock her down with his body.

Pook! Pook! Pook!

She twisted her body, stabbing his chest in rapid succession, and hurled him backward.

The attack that had been flying at her from behind struck the corpse instead.

This time, enemies charged in from both sides. Their thinking was simple—if they could just grab her and bring her down, it would all be over. It was a foolish tactic to use against an expert like Lee Ahn, but they were also seasoned warriors who could release internal energy.

Like a game of tag, she slipped between them using her footwork technique.

Each time her sword traced the air, flesh was severed and blood splattered.

Lee Ahn was truly fast and powerful. Fighting in a state of selflessness, she wasn’t even aware of how well she was doing.

In truth, what troubled her most wasn’t the fists—it was the blood. The blood spurting in every direction. Her greatest fear was that blood splashing on her face would get into her eyes.

It was a concern she’d never even imagined before experiencing a battle like this.

As the enemy’s numbers dwindled, the fight grew harder. No longer relying on sheer numbers, the enemies now organized into proper formation.

Bang! Kwaaang!

And then they began unleashing their internal energy. The force bursting from their fists surged toward her. They no longer cared about friendly fire behind her.

Bang! Kwang!

Their energy strikes collided with one another. They intended to crush Lee Ahn between waves of converging energy.

Thud!

Her body was hit once and slid backward with a screech. If her protective energy had been even a moment late, her internal organs would’ve been destroyed. The ones still standing were the strongest—because they were strong, they had survived.

Her internal energy was gradually running low. With her current reserves, she could still take on any single foe. But it wasn’t enough to kill all thirty-plus subordinates of the Fist King, each equipped with gauntlets.

Fuaaak!

Drenched in blood, Lee Ahn fought in a frenzy. She dodged a flying fist and rolled across the ground.

Like someone desperate enough to grab even a pebble when they fall, she slashed at ankles while rolling.

Paaaah!

She plunged her sword into the chest of a fallen enemy. When she pulled it out, blood burst out like a fountain.

She was now a figure soaked entirely in blood. There was no elegance in this fight—only murderous intent as both sides fought to kill. It was a real battle, raw and brutal.

No one from either the Fist Demon King’s side or the Fist King’s side intervened. As Lee Ahn grew more and more exhausted, it was not the Fist Demon King but the One-Slash Sword Supreme who became visibly tense.

The One-Slash Sword Supreme glanced at the Fist Demon King.

‘Impressive.’

He was surely worrying many times more than she was. Yet he remained still, hoping Lee Ahn would overcome this on her own.

She thought that if it had been her, she wouldn’t have been able to just stand by and watch like this.

‘You’ve never even raised a child—so how can you endure this so well?’

A young man with a red bandage stared at the Fist King. His eyes asked whether he shouldn’t step in, given that all their subordinates were dying. But the Fist King showed no response.

He didn’t seem to regret their deaths in the slightest. His expression said: If they can’t even kill one girl, then let them all die!

Among the two experts who had followed the one with the red bandage, the man clutching a sword to his chest frowned.

This was not a way of fighting he would ever have chosen. Standing by while subordinates died? He couldn’t understand it.

Was this some kind of game? Were their lives a joke? They should’ve all joined the fray to create chaos. That way, they could’ve used their numerical advantage.

Now, only the rough sound of Lee Ahn’s breathing echoed through the space.

"Haa, haa, haa..."

Finally, Lee Ahn could see the state of the battlefield. The surroundings were utterly soaked in blood. Every other enemy had become a corpse. She couldn’t even recall how she’d killed them all.

Now, only four enemies remained.

And those four were convinced of their victory.

"You stubborn bitch. Finally used up all your energy, didn’t you?"

Their faces were pale. When the fight had begun, they’d never imagined they’d be the last ones left standing.

"You’re not expecting help now, are you?"

Lee Ahn’s ragged breath began to settle.

"Yeah. I’m out of internal energy."

Then she added meaningfully,

"Except for just enough to unleash one technique."

In the next instant, the Sun and Moon Sword rose in front of her chest.

Chwarururuk—

In a flash, the Sun and Moon Sword began to split.

Four sword auras shaped like the Sun and Moon Sword.

Soaring Sword Art, Seventh Form: Rain of a Thousand Swords.

Swaaahhhhh!

The sword energy shot out in four directions like beams of light, piercing through each of their hearts.

Puk! Puk! Puhk! Puhhhk!

She had won! That brief joy—

Was interrupted when the man who had held a sword to his chest suddenly leapt forward in a surprise attack. His target was Lee Ahn.

‘If this little girl is this strong…’

He couldn’t even begin to imagine how difficult the battle with the Demon Supremes would be. That was why he wanted to eliminate this woman before moving on to the next fight.

Shiiiiing.

The sword he had been holding to his chest was now in his hand, and it flew straight for Lee Ahn’s throat.

Lee Ahn had no internal energy left in her body. And the man’s attack was far too fast to block without it.

At that very moment—

Whoosh!

A short gust of wind, like a candle being snuffed out, could be heard.

Flash—a single beam of sword light split the air.

Seogeok.

Lee Ahn saw it. The sword aimed at her neck had halted mid-air.

A red diagonal line began to form across the man's face, trailing down past his chin and continuing all the way below his torso.

Chiiik.

His body started to split along the red line.

Srrrkk.

The man’s form began to slide apart along the blood-red diagonal cut.

Perhaps it was because the slash had been too swift, or too sharp—there was no blood flowing from the severed edge.

Only when his halved body hit the ground did the blood finally erupt.

Beyond the spray of blood, the silhouette of a figure could be seen.

The one who had dashed forward like a beam of light and struck him down was none other than the One-Slash Sword Supreme.

At the tip of the One-Slash Sword in her hand—

Drop.

Only a single bead of blood trickled down.

Her sword felt almost alive. The chilling energy that flowed along its blade was like the sword’s own cold breath.

When she extended her hand, the Sun and Moon Sword—which had been embedded in a wall far away—soared through the air toward her via Void Telekinesis.

Receiving the sword, the One-Slash Sword Supreme handed it back to Lee Ahn.

"That was a magnificent fight."

The One-Slash Sword Supreme could see it clearly. This battle had become a catalyst for Lee Ahn’s growth. Even if one spent a lifetime wandering the Central Plains in pursuit of evil, such a battle wouldn’t come often.

Soaked in blood from head to toe, Lee Ahn received the sword respectfully. At the Sword Supreme’s words—calling it a magnificent fight—her eyes grew hot. ‘You fought so well, don’t cry now! Not yet! There are still enemies left!’

"I will never forget the grace you showed in saving my life. Thank you."

She probably shouldn’t have turned around.

The moment her eyes met with the Fist Demon King standing behind her, the tears she had been holding back began to fall. The instant she saw her father's face looking at her, she could hold back no longer. Regardless of whether enemies remained, regardless of how weak she might look, the tears would not stop.

They were tears of joy—because she hadn’t betrayed her father’s trust.

The Fist Demon King silently gave a single nod. He said nothing, but that was enough for Lee Ahn.

She could feel the deep affection behind that simple nod throughout her entire body.

A moment of silence hung in the air.

The Fist King looked on with a blank expression, making it impossible to read what he was thinking.

The next person to step forward was the Blade Ghost. As he walked out, he glanced down at the corpse of the fallen man and spoke.

"He wasn’t someone who should’ve died so pathetically."

The Blade Ghost turned his eyes toward the One-Slash Sword Supreme and asked,

"Do you know who it is you just killed?"

At his question, the One-Slash Sword Supreme slowly turned to face him.

From her body flowed a cold yet graceful aura.

If the sword aura she had shown earlier to Geom Mugeuk had felt like a storm of hundreds or thousands of sword blades, then this was the opposite.

A single sword.

The feeling of one lonely blade pointed right at you.

That was the aura of the One-Slash Sword Supreme.

"I don’t care who he was."

She spoke in a calm voice as she stared him down with those deep, solitary eyes.

"So don’t bother telling me who you are either."