Not A Regressor - Chapter 226

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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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I Am Not a Regressor Chapter 226
Seven Star Council (2)
“Wow, it’s been forever since I’ve been to the Association.”
Ha-eun let out an exclamation as she gazed up at the towering Association Building in Yeouido.
True to her words, it had been so long since the two of us had visited the Association together that I couldn’t even remember when it was.
‘I wonder how Han Manager is doing.’
Thinking of him with his appearance as if a gorilla had been reincarnated as a human, I chuckled softly.
Regardless of others, I was curious how the manager, with whom I’d accumulated so much history, was faring.
“Oh, right. While we’re here, let’s raid the Association’s slush fund!”
“Yep.”
That’s our sister for you.
I never know where she comes up with such brilliant ideas.
“Should I ask for Korean beef?”
“Of course. Meat tastes best when you’re eating it with someone else’s money.”
The two of us, excited at the prospect of filling our bellies with public funds, headed toward the Association with cheerful steps.
“It’s been a while, Kwon O-jin.”
Standing outside the Association, waiting for us, was Han Manager.
Upon spotting him, I approached with a sinister smile like that of a murderous gorilla created by a mad scientist, extending my hand.
Unbelievable as it was, his expression genuinely welcomed me after so long.
‘It’s harder to adjust now that I haven’t seen him in a while.’
I forcibly raised my hand, which had instinctively reached for a weapon, and grasped the hand he offered.
“How have you been?”
“Well… I can’t say I’ve been doing great with all the work, but I’ve managed without any major issues.”
Han Manager nodded with a wry smile.
“I’ve heard much about your accomplishments, Kwon O-jin. From the moment we first tried to recruit you into the Association, I knew you were an extraordinary person… but honestly, I never imagined it would be to this extent.”
From eliminating Cheon Do-yoon, the King of the Owl Faction, to your exploits in Japan, then your achievements at San Fruttuoso, and immediately after, facing the Leech Constellation Faction alongside Demian at the Cole Grande Family.
Of course, some of these rumors were ones I had deliberately manipulated or hidden.
In any case, they were accomplishments so tremendous that they couldn’t be attributed to an Awakened User who had only been awakened for less than two years.
“It was all possible because of the Association’s full support.”
“Ha ha. I feel apologetic since we haven’t really provided that much support.”
Han Manager flashed an innocent smile that didn’t match his appearance and turned to look at Ha-eun standing beside him.
“How have you been doing lately, Ha-eun?”
“I’m doing well, thanks.”
Ha-eun pulled my arm slightly and hugged it as if showing off.
Seeing the two of us clinging together, Han Manager chuckled and shook his head with amusement.
“When we first met, you both said you weren’t in a romantic relationship.”
“We really weren’t back then.”
“Ha ha. From my perspective, you two seemed like more than lovers even then.”
Han Manager continued, glancing down at Ha-eun’s now-intact right leg.
“Did you know? The Kwon O-jin who normally loved money so much insisted on using his own money to create Ha-eun’s prosthetic leg?”
“Huh? W-what? Something like that happened?”
Ha-eun’s eyes widened as if hearing it for the first time, and her cheeks flushed red as she tapped the floor with the tip of her shoe.
“When did that brat pull off such a sneaky stunt?”
Han Manager began pinching Kwon O-jin’s backside from an angle where he couldn’t see.
Kwon O-jin sighed as if his head ached.
“…Manager.”
“Ah, was it a secret? I apologize, Kwon O-jin.”
Despite his apology, Han Manager gazed at Ha-eun and Kwon O-jin with a satisfied expression.
“Shall we head inside now?”
Kwon O-jin walked briskly into the Association Building.
The memory of the past made my face burn without reason.
‘Thank goodness.’
Still, I hadn’t forgotten this memory.
Not yet.
“You can go straight to the Association Chairman’s Office.”
Han Manager boarded the elevator, which required a card key to press the buttons.
Following his guidance into the Association Chairman’s Office, I found an elderly man with the nickname “Viper”—Han Tae-ho—seated there.
“You’ve come.”
Han Tae-ho rose from his seat and approached Kwon O-jin.
“Yes. What did you call me for?”
“Have a seat first. Would coffee be alright?”
“Yes.”
“Please wait a moment.”
As the Association President, he could have ordered a secretary to prepare coffee.
Yet Han Tae-ho moved himself, preparing the coffee and setting it on the table.
“First, I heard there was an unfortunate incident recently, so I’m relieved you’re safe.”
Was he referring to being trapped in the Demon Realm?
“I was able to remain safe thanks to others coming to help me.”
“That’s only because of the virtue you’ve accumulated, isn’t it?”
Han Tae-ho took a sip of coffee and offered a bitter smile.
“…I wish that fellow had returned alive as well.”
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
It wasn’t difficult to discern who the “fellow” Han Tae-ho was muttering about.
“By the time I arrived, Cheon Sang-gil was already….”
“Ah, I apologize. I’m not blaming you. Just think of it as an old man’s lament.”
Han Tae-ho shook his head and continued.
He seemed to have had a personal connection with Cheon Sang-gil, and deep sorrow was etched across his aged face.
“In any case, humanity has recently lost two of the seven stars, hasn’t it?”
“…That’s right.”
Demian Salvatore of the Celestial Star and Cheon Sang-gil of the Tamrang Star.
The news that two of the Seven Stars had died in just a few months created a global panic.
“It seems the heads of state from various countries believe extraordinary measures are necessary in response to this crisis.”
“Extraordinary measures, you say…?”
“The Seven Star Council will be convened soon.”
The Seven Star Council.
It was a competition of sorts where candidates selected by each nation gathered to take an examination, and the awakened user who received the highest scores and evaluations became the new “Seven Star.”
“Are you saying they’ll fill the two vacant positions this time?”
“That’s correct.”
Han Tae-ho nodded.
The fact that he had specifically summoned me to share information about the Seven Star Council meant something.
“I’d like you to represent South Korea as a candidate in the Seven Star Council this time.”
“…Me, sir?”
I stared at Han Tae-ho with a bewildered expression.
He wanted to put me forward as a candidate to select the Seven Stars?
“But I’m still only an 8-Star awakened user.”
To be selected as a candidate for the Seven Star Council, one needed to be at least a 9-Star or higher awakened user.
In fact, the prevailing assessment was that even 9-Star wasn’t enough to be considered for the Seven Stars, so if I stepped forward as a candidate while still only 8-Star, controversy was inevitable.
“There’s no rule stating that only 9-Star or higher awakened users can be selected as Seven Star candidates.”
“But there are unspoken rules, aren’t there?”
“Those are merely unspoken rules—they don’t violate the actual regulations.”
Han Tae-ho was right; there was no regulation stating that only 9-Star or higher awakened users could be selected as candidates.
“Aren’t there other awakened users besides me?”
While South Korea didn’t possess many high-ranking awakened users, the nation still had over twenty of them in total.
Of course, most of them possessed what were commonly called “common-grade stigmas”—lower-tier marks.
But that didn’t mean there were no high-ranking awakened users with Zodiac Twelve Houses-level stigmas or higher.
“Isn’t Lee Woo-hyuk alone a 9-Star awakened user?”
The news that Lee Woo-hyuk, who had entered closed training, had recently broken through the 8-Star barrier and reached 9-Star was so well-known that even I, lounging in a hospital bed belonging to the Cole Grande Family, had heard about it.
“I’ve already contacted Guild Master Lee Woo-hyuk and obtained his consent.”
“What reason could you possibly have for going that far?”
“Cheon Sang-gil once told me that a new Seven Star would soon emerge from South Korea.”
Han Tae-ho’s deeply sunken eyes turned toward me.
“You are the new Seven Star that Cheon Sang-gil spoke of.”
“….”
Had he really been saying such things about me without my knowledge?
‘I had no idea he thought of me that highly.’
To be honest, there wasn’t a deep connection between Cheon Sang-gil and me.
We’d only had a few actual conversations.
“And considering the achievements you’ve demonstrated thus far, it wouldn’t be strange at all for you to be selected as a Seven Star candidate.”
Just as Han Tae-ho said.
Over the past year or so, my achievements had been nothing short of extraordinary—feats that other awakened users could never hope to match.
“Would you be willing to attend the Seven Star Council?”
“That’s….”
I narrowed my eyes and fell into thought.
The Seven Stars.
If I succeeded, it would certainly be an excellent opportunity to gain immense honor and power in one fell swoop.
‘Honestly, it doesn’t appeal to me.’
The timing was far too rushed.
It had only been about a year and a few months since I awakened.
Despite my considerable achievements thus far, it felt premature to aspire for a position among the Seven Stars.
‘It’s like a rookie actor winning the Academy Award for Best Actor.’
While skill mattered, career experience was equally important, wasn’t it?
And above all.
‘Even if I became one of the Seven Stars, there wouldn’t be much to gain.’
In my current situation, the honor and power that came with being a Seven Star weren’t particularly necessary.
Becoming a Seven Star would certainly bring various rewards, such as Cheon Sang-gil receiving autonomous control over Ganghwa Island, but for me, whose most urgent priority was raising Heukcheon’s rank, such rewards held little appeal.
“I’m asking you. South Korea needs a hero like you right now.”
Han Tae-ho bowed deeply toward me.
After Tamrang Star Cheon Sang-gil’s death.
South Korea was now in such chaos that calling it a complete mess wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Stock prices had plummeted as if jumping off a cliff, various crimes and terrorist attacks were surging, and riots were breaking out across the nation.
The difference between having and not having a ‘Seven Star’ was having an impact on the country beyond imagination.
Especially now, when fear of the Black Star Society terrorist organization had reached its peak.
‘This has nothing to do with me.’
My thoughts remained unchanged despite Han Tae-ho’s appeal.
I wasn’t some patriotic freedom fighter.
There was no reason for me to sacrifice myself entirely for the country.
“I apologize, but I must decline the offer….” “Of course, I’m well aware that even if you became a Seven Star, the only real benefit would be receiving the ‘Blessing of Stars.'”
Blessing of Stars?
“…What is the Blessing of Stars?”
“Hmm? You didn’t know?”
I hadn’t even considered being mentioned as a Seven Star candidate, so my knowledge was limited.
“The moment you become a Seven Star, you receive a blessing from the Constellations at the Spring of the Milky Way in the Star Palace. The Spring of the Milky Way is where three dragon veins intersect, and it’s said that simply receiving a blessing there can elevate an awakened one’s realm by a stage.”
Dragon veins.
And not just one, but three dragon veins intersecting at a single location.
“I have always been prepared to dedicate myself entirely to my country.”
I grasped Han Tae-ho’s hand firmly and nodded.

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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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