After Regressing, I Gained the Power of the Demonic Dragon - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 27
16th Floor.
Twisted Waterway.
Roooaaarrr!
A narrow channel descended sharply toward the exit.
Three sluice gates hung from the ceiling at regular intervals, and torrents cascaded down from each one.
The red lever to close each gate hung in a spot reachable only by passing through the water itself.
With each gate sealed, the water pressure throughout the channel dropped.
The standard approach was to bore through each water jet one by one, pulling the lever as you advanced.
But if the current swept you back to the entrance before you could reach the exit, every closed gate would open again.
You’d have to start from the beginning.
[Current Water Pressure Level: 3]
[Gates Closed: 0/3]
Sang Hyuk gazed at the exit beyond the three sluice gates.
‘I’ll punch straight through without closing any of them.’
The moment Sang Hyuk’s foot touched the first water jet, silver scales flashed through the rushing current.
Dozens of palm-sized fish with razor teeth erupted all at once.
[Razor Scale Fish]
[Lv.16]
They rode the fierce current toward his face and throat.
Sang Hyuk swept his right hand through the center of the oncoming swarm.
‘Annihilation.’
Crackle!
The Razor Scale Fish in front crumbled to black sand.
With the middle of the swarm cleared, Sang Hyuk drove through the gap.
Crash!
The cascading water struck both shoulders, shoving him back toward the entrance.
His feet slid backward for a moment, but the Collapse Wanderer’s Boots kept him upright.
Sang Hyuk lowered his stance and punched straight through the first water jet.
The first lever appeared beyond the torrent.
Pulling it would lower the water pressure and stop more fish from emerging, but—
Sang Hyuk passed right by it.
More Razor Scale Fish poured from the open gate and chased after him.
Yet they were no match for him.
‘Annihilation.’
Crackle!
Every Razor Scale Fish that touched Annihilation vanished, swept away by the current.
The second sluice gate was wider than the first.
Water crashed down on his chest with such force that even lifting his feet was a struggle.
Then, cleaving through that torrent, a dark-blue carapace rose into view.
[Armored Crocodile]
[Lv.17]
A crocodile massive enough to fill half the channel lunged with gaping jaws.
Thump.
Violent mana surged through Sang Hyuk’s heart and flowed down both legs along the Demon Dragon’s Blood Flow.
Power returned to his legs, growing heavy with strength.
Sang Hyuk drove forward against the current and pressed his right hand against the beast’s upper jaw.
Crackle!
The armor-hard head and forelimbs transformed into black sand, scattering into the torrent.
The remaining body was swept away, passing beside him.
Even after passing the second water jet, Sang Hyuk didn’t touch the lever.
The final sluice gate was twice as wide as the first two.
A water jet engulfing the entire channel stood like a massive wall ahead.
Within it, eight thick tentacles writhed.
An enormous octopus clung to the base of the gate, spreading its tentacles to block the passage completely.
[Sluice Guardian Octopus]
[Lv.18]
The octopus was far larger than Sang Hyuk himself.
It was powerful enough that fighting it in the current seemed like suicide.
But.
‘Annihilation.’
Whoosh!
Starting with the tentacle that had shot toward Sang Hyuk’s waist, everything from limb to torso crumbled into black sand and scattered.
The remaining tentacles blocking the way lost their strength and fell into the water.
Sang Hyuk exhaled sharply and pushed his body forward into the current.
Crash!
The fierce water pressure drove his upper body down.
Still, the Demon Dragon’s Blood Flow circulated endlessly through his legs, and each step he planted held firm thanks to the boots.
Every time the current tried to sweep him back, Sang Hyuk immediately stepped forward again.
At last, having broken through the third water jet, Sang Hyuk pressed the control stone beside the exit.
Rumble!
The stone gate that had been sealed lifted upward.
「You have achieved the hidden objective.」
[Closed floodgates upon exit opening: 0/3]
Now all that remained was to return and close the three floodgates to complete the main objective.
Sang Hyuk turned his back to the open exit and surrendered himself to the current.
The fierce water now swept him rapidly back toward the entrance.
The moment the handle of the third floodgate came within reach, Sang Hyuk stretched out his right hand and pulled with all his strength.
Click!
Boom!
[Closed floodgates: 1/3]
He pulled the second and first handles in turn.
Boom!
Boom!
As the final floodgate sealed shut, the current that had swept through the waterway quickly subsided.
[Floodgates closed: 3/3]
[Times hit: 0]
「You have completed the 16th Floor individual trial: Twisted Waterway.」
[Clear rating: SSS]
「Your level has increased.」
[Lv.16 → Lv.17]
「The consecutive record for Flawless Ascent has been updated.」
[Individual ascent SSS rating: 16 consecutive]
「Hidden objective bonus rewards are being granted.」
[You have obtained Authority Enhancement Ticket Fragment x1.]
[Current assembly progress: 1/3]
[Collect 3 fragments to complete the Authority Enhancement Ticket.]
[The Authority Enhancement Ticket strengthens one Authority below rank 5 by one stage.]
‘So this is the hidden objective’s bonus reward.’
Sang Hyuk’s eyes gleamed.
If the Authority Factor was the resource for discovering new Authority possibilities, then the Authority Enhancement Ticket was a reward for directly growing an Authority you had already unlocked.
Whether it was Annihilation or Demon Dragon’s Blood Flow, ascending to the next stage would make him far stronger than he was now.
Before the Regression, he had never awakened to such tiers, but through the experiences of countless players, he’d long since learned how profoundly Authority stages determined overall power.
To be able to complete such an enhancement ticket with only three fragments was remarkable.
‘From now on, I’ll need to chase not just SSS clears—every hidden objective too.’
* * *
Four days later.
Having claimed that first hidden objective, Sang Hyuk continued climbing one floor per day.
The 17th Floor’s hidden objective was to never step on a single safe platform.
Sang Hyuk reached the exit by treading only on tilted walls and crumbling pillars.
[Hidden objective achieved]
[You have obtained Equipment Lottery Ticket Fragment x1.]
[Current assembly progress: 1/3]
[Collect 3 fragments to complete the Equipment Lottery Ticket.]
[Clear rating: SSS]
[Lv.17 → Lv.18]
It seemed that hidden objectives rewarded different fragments on each floor.
If he could pursue not just Authority enhancement but random equipment as well, the value of claiming hidden objectives only multiplied.
On the 18th Floor, he was forbidden from striking down even a single Guardian that gave chase.
Sang Hyuk erased only their weapons and ankles with Annihilation, cleared a path, then seized the trial’s core first.
[Hidden Objective Achieved]
[Obtained ×1.]
[Current Assembly Progress: 2/3]
[Clear Evaluation: SSS Rating]
[Lv.18 → Lv.19]
The 19th Floor was a labyrinth devoid of light.
To achieve the hidden objective, he had to reach the exit without igniting any of the torch pedestals scattered throughout.
‘Demon Dragon’s Eye.’
Even in darkness, the passages leading to the exit revealed themselves with crystalline clarity.
Sang Hyuk navigated the labyrinth without a single misstep, never encountering a single monster along the way.
[Hidden Objective Achieved]
[Obtained ×1.]
[Current Assembly Progress: 2/3]
[Clear Evaluation: SSS Rating]
「Your level has increased.」
[Lv.19 → Lv.20]
「Your consecutive record for has been updated.」
[Personal Climbing SSS Rating: 19 consecutive clears]
[Hidden Objectives Achieved: 4 times]
[: 2/3]
[: 2/3]
[Distance to Second Seat Wu Ji’s highest record: 1 clear]
Only one personal 20th Floor clear remained between him and standing level with Wu Ji’s twenty consecutive ascents.
Whoosh.
The magical energy gained from leveling up flooded through his body.
Thump.
The heart of the apocalypse dragon within his chest beat with deeper resonance than before.
Before that reverberation could settle, a new notification materialized.
「You have reached Lv.20.」
「You have obtained entry rights to the 20th Floor.」
「You have been automatically assigned to Iron Tier.」
「The Iron Rookie League is now open.」
[Iron Rookie Activity Range: Lv.20~30]
[Daily Participation Limit: 1 attempt]
[Time until current channel season ends: D-22]
A participation window Sang Hyuk had never seen before opened before his eyes.
[Iron Rookie League First Match]
His personal climbing challenge entry for today had already been used on the 19th Floor.
But the rookie league participation entry was separate from personal climbs.
It meant he could participate in the rookie league today itself.
Sang Hyuk pulled up the newly opened league guide.
The Iron Rookie League was the first competitive stage for players from Lv.20 to Lv.30.
It was a place where players of the same level bracket faced off in various formats: Annihilation Battles, Survival Battles, Territory Control Battles, and Guardian Battles.
Victories at the Iron tier did not elevate one’s rank.
Instead, wins, losing streaks, MVP selections, and battlefield commendations were recorded and reflected in the initial official placement after Lv.31.
The regular league progressed through tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, Challenger, and Legend.
The top sixteen positions in the Legend tier were currently held by the Sixteen Celestial Seats.
Starting from Bronze, each tier climb unlocked dedicated exchange lists and training battlefields, granting additional privileges.
Specific benefits could only be confirmed after reaching each respective tier.
Match rewards were substantial as well.
Victory earned league currency and personal ranking points, and being selected as MVP or achieving special commendations could even net growth rewards like .
Sang Hyuk currently needed one more to examine new Authority candidates.
Though not a guaranteed reward, it meant one additional path to obtaining an .
Match results also contributed to the nation’s seasonal score.
League season rankings were separate from official national rankings, but higher positions conferred advantages in national achievement points, channel funding allocation, and rare material distribution.
Achievement points earned as season rewards were then reflected in the official national ranking and the next quarter’s National Buff.
South Korea ranked at the very bottom in both official national rankings and league season standings.
There were few skilled rookies, and stable fixed teams with established coordination were rare, making consistent season score accumulation difficult.
Until now, Sang Hyuk had filled the gap in national achievement points through top floor clears, but now it was time to raise the league season ranking by defeating players from other nations directly in channel matches.
Even if opponents were now players instead of monsters, he was confident.
With the Demon Dragon’s Eye, I just had to find the weak point and land Annihilation.
Besides, the Channel League differed from the individual trials—every match from start to finish was broadcast to spectators.
The Impossible Seat’s Authority and combat methods, known only through records until now, would be revealed to the world for the first time.
Yet the only thing Sang Hyuk needed to hide was his real identity as Kim Sang Hyuk.
As long as he protected what lay beneath the Black Mask, there was no reason to conceal his power.
The Channel League was the Impossible Seat’s first public stage to firmly etch that name into the world.
‘I’ll show them something real from the first match.’
* * *
At that moment.
A new entry appeared on the 19th Floor’s public record board.
[South Korea – Private Player]
[19th Floor Clear Rating: SSS]
[Individual Ascent SSS Rating: 19 Consecutive]
[Current Level: Lv.20]
[20th Floor Entry: Acquired]
Within seconds of the record going up, screenshots flooded PlayerNet.
[Korea/Lv.42] SojuWithRiceBowl: Here it is! Floor 19 is SSS too. That’s 19 in a row!
[Korea/Lv.24] ThreeAlarmsCustomized: Floors 1 through 19 all SSS? Is that even real?
[Korea/Lv.36] RulesSpringEveryday: The Limitless Seat’s best record is 20 consecutive, so there’s just one left. If the individual 20th floor is also SSS, they’ll be tied.
[Korea/Lv.28] ChickenBeforeTheGame: 19 consecutive while getting the Impossible achievement, hidden tests, full Territory Control Battle clears? Are they using a cheat or something lol
One or two SSS ratings could be dismissed as good luck matching the trial’s demands.
But across nineteen different trials, not a single top rating had been missed.
Each time the Impossible Seat set a new record, the astonishment and anticipation of watching players only grew stronger.
[Korea/Lv.33] NewbieSentinel: If they keep this pace, they’re not just breaking records—they’re actually climbing to Legend Tier, aren’t they?
[Korea/Lv.42] SojuWithRiceBowl: At the top of Legend, they could even aim for a Celestial Seat. Is Korea about to get its first Celestial Seat?
[Korea/Lv.24] ThreeAlarmsCustomized: Insane. Just thinking about it gets me so excited!
[Korea/Lv.33] ImpossibleSeatDevotee: Korea’s first Celestial Seat! The day the Impossible Seat writes a new chapter in history is near!
The mention of Celestial Seat drew players from other nations into the conversation.
[Japan/Lv.48] DualBroadcastKim: I want to laugh and say it’s impossible, but seeing the records so far, it actually feels like it could happen—which pisses me off even more. Why a Korean player, of all things? I’d rather it came from Japan.
[USA/Lv.61] IronJack: Many newcomers showed promise in individual climbs only to fall apart once they entered the Channel League. To speak of a Celestial Seat, they’d have to prove themselves in the Channel League first.
[China/Lv.68] BeijingBlademaster: Agreed. We’ll have to watch the first match to see if they’re truly worthy of pursuing a Celestial Seat.
At those words, people’s eyes shifted to another section of the record board.
[Korea/Lv.28] ChickenBeforeTheGame: Oh right, they’re Lv.20 now. Does that mean the Iron Rookie League is open?
[Korea/Lv.42] SojuWithRiceBowl: Finally, we can actually watch the Impossible Seat fight instead of just looking at records!
[Korea/Lv.24] ThreeAlarmsCustomized: But… they’re not going to skip the League, right?
[Korea/Lv.36] RulesSpringEveryday: Rookie League performance feeds into seeding for the regular league. There’s no reason to skip it if you’re aiming higher.
[Korea/Lv.24] ThreeAlarmsCustomized: You’re right. Please show up. I’m holding my breath from now on!
[Korea/Lv.33] ImpossibleSeatDevotee: At last, I’ll finally see the Impossible Seat fight in person! I’m moving into the Iron spectator channel starting today!!!
Screenshots confirming that people had opened the Iron spectator list flooded PlayerNet.
They kept refreshing, waiting for a match featuring South Korea’s Lv.20 private participant to appear.
Believers and skeptics alike were equally curious: what power would the Impossible Seat—a figure who existed only in public records—actually display on the battlefield?
All attention converged on the Impossible Seat’s first Iron Rookie League match.
* * *
Sang Hyuk opened the Rookie League participation window and checked the public settings first.
[Display Name: Private]
[Protective Appearance: Black Mask]
Once the settings were confirmed, the Black Mask covered his face.
At the same time, the previously grayed-out participation option brightened.
Sang Hyuk looked at the glowing participation button.
Before the Regression, he’d only watched this stage from the spectator’s view.
Now it was his turn to step directly onto it.
Without hesitation, Sang Hyuk reached toward the participation option.
‘Participate.’
「You are using your Iron Rookie League participation ticket.」
「Drawing the first match’s game type.」
Ding.
「The game type has been determined.」
[Game Type: 4v4 Team Annihilation Battle]
「Beginning individual participant assignment.」
「Individual participants will be placed in ad hoc teams with other individual participants from the same country.」
[South Korea / Ad Hoc Formation Team]
[Current Members: 1/4]
Sang Hyuk’s participation information filled the first slot.
Soon three new participants entered the remaining slots one after another.
[Current Members: 2/4]
[Current Members: 3/4]
[Current Members: 4/4]
“South Korea team formation is complete.”
“The spectator channel for the first match is now open.”
Those who had been refreshing the spectator list discovered the newly opened channel.
The participant information displayed on the new channel showed South Korea, Level 20, with the public name hidden.
That information alone wasn’t enough to confirm he was the Impossible Left.
Still, people who held out hope entered one by one, and the spectator count climbed rapidly.
Sang Hyuk watched the rising numbers for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the match window.
It didn’t matter who they came hoping to see.
They’d find out naturally once the match began.
“Searching for the opposing team.”
After a brief moment.
Ding.
“The opposing team has been determined.”
[South Korea / Ad Hoc Formation Team]
VS
[Japan / Fixed Team ]
[All Team Members: Level 20]
[Sponsor: The 16th Celestial Seat ]
The South Korea team to which Sang Hyuk belonged was comprised of four people who didn’t even know each other’s abilities.
In contrast, the Jinryong Society was Japan’s well-coordinated fixed team.
Their first opponent had to be Japan.
Japan was a powerhouse that held the upper ranks of the Eastern Channel, while South Korea remained unable to escape the bottom of the rankings.
Whenever the two nations faced off, the matches almost always ended in Japan’s one-sided victory.
Japanese players wielded the gap between the nations at every opportunity, and Korea couldn’t even mount a proper counterattack.
This time, the opposing team was a rookie fixed squad backed by the 16th Celestial Seat, Jinryong.
By any measure, it was a matchup that predicted South Korea’s defeat.
Yet beneath the Black Mask, Sang Hyuk let out a quiet laugh.
‘Perfect.’
Sang Hyuk felt no tension whatsoever.
A Celestial Seat’s sponsorship didn’t mean the Celestial Seat itself would fight.
To Sang Hyuk, who possessed the Heart of the Apocalypse Demon Dragon, the Jinryong Society were ultimately just four Level 20 players.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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