Not A Regressor - Chapter 374

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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 374
The Black Star Constellation (10)
Seahorse Constellation Sacred Domain, Dragon Palace.
A place where the Seahorse Constellation’s power to freely manipulate water could be unleashed at its fullest.
What filled this realm was no ordinary water.
Each droplet, every single one, was infused with the Seahorse Constellation’s power—”Seahorse Water” itself.
A single sip would spread lethal toxins throughout the entire body, while the pressure would crush like being trapped kilometers beneath the deep sea.
Even an Awakener, let alone another Constellation, would find it impossible to endure bare-handed within his Sacred Domain.
Why.
Why.
[Ugh, gah, cough.]
Black powder flowed from Anselladus’s eyes, nose, and mouth, mixing into the water.
He stared with wide eyes at the human before him—no, the monster.
[What… what the hell are you?]
Even as his entire body was crushed by water pressure, even as his cells were poisoned one by one by the extreme toxin.
As if time itself had been rewound, he regenerated in an instant and approached him, scattering black lightning in all directions.
[How… how is this possible?]
Yes.
I suppose regeneration could be explained away.
Even if he possessed some special authority or divine artifact unknown to me that allowed rapid recovery, how could a human endure dozens, hundreds of deaths?
Beyond the body’s capacity to withstand, the mind should have shattered first.
The human mind was not built to endure death.
Regardless of whether he was human or not, this was suffering enough to drive even a Constellation mad.
And yet.
[They say horsemeat is so tough, but it doesn’t last as long as I thought.]
Is it because it’s a seahorse instead of a horse?
With cold mockery playing at the corners of his mouth, Kwon O-jin, who gripped Anselladus’s throat, appeared perfectly fine.
[You… you insane monster…!]
[I’d rather not hear that from someone who turned his own child into a nutrient-rich mana solution.]
With a soft chuckle, he tightened his grip on Anselladus’s throat.
Crrrunch!
Clouds of Heukcheon erupted from his entire body, flowing down his arm and engulfing Anselladus.
[Cough! Gah! Aaaaagh!]
Crack, crunch!
Until now, Heukcheon had only absorbed the stigma’s mana dwelling within the body.
But since a Constellation’s body itself was composed of stigma mana, Heukcheon began devouring the Constellation like a carnivore tearing into live prey.
[No, please! Save… cough!]
Was life precious even to a transcendent being who lived eternally?
Anselladus writhed and shrieked in terror.
[I… cannot die… I cannot…!]
Not that I don’t want to die, but that I cannot die, you say.
Kwon O-jin tilted his head curiously and continued absorbing.
And then.
-Why, why can’t you understand! This is the only method to prevent catastrophe!
Memories flowed into my mind.
The image of Anselladus wailing in despair took shape in my thoughts.
I sorted through the memories flooding in like a flashback and let out a quiet chuckle.
[Without sacrifice, the world cannot be saved, you say. So you suggested turning Awakeners into magical essence solution?]
[Y-yes, but how did you…?!]
Anselladus stared at me with wide eyes, his expression one of shock.
[Sacrifice… sacrifice, indeed. Yes, your words are correct.]
Without sacrifice, the world cannot be saved.
That’s not wrong.
So then.
[Don’t worry. I’ll use you as a ‘sacrifice’ to contribute to saving the world.]
[What nonsense are you spouting….]
[If I devour you and grow stronger with the power I gain, then kill the Heavenly Demon, that’s a sacrifice, isn’t it?]
[Stop spouting such drivel!]
Anselladus cried out in desperation.
I shrugged and fixed him with a cold, emotionless gaze.
[Why, now that it’s your turn to be sacrificed, you don’t like it?]
[That’s….]
[Yes, yes. I understand without you saying it.]
I continued, bursting into a chuckle.
[No one who speaks of the necessity of sacrifice ever accepts it gracefully when they become the target themselves.]
That’s how everyone lives—forcing others to do what they themselves refuse to do.
Constellations and humans alike.
[The truth is, you didn’t create the magical essence solution to raise powerful Awakeners to prevent catastrophe. You did it simply to elevate your own ‘rank’ compared to the other Constellations, didn’t you?]
[No! I only made the necessary sacrifice to prevent catastrophe….]
[Then why did you feed the magical essence solution to your own child?]
[…What?]
I continued, my eyes growing dark and hollow.
[You said you’d grant power to talented Awakeners. If that were true, you should have given the solution to Awakeners from other Constellations, not from the Seahorse Constellation, shouldn’t you?]
The Seahorse Constellation ranked quite low among the hundreds of Constellations in terms of ‘rank’.
So then.
It would naturally be more effective to feed the magical essence solution made from dissolved Awakeners to Awakeners from other Constellations rather than to those of the same Seahorse Constellation.
[But you didn’t do that.]
Because if you gave away the magical essence solution you’d made by sacrificing your own child to Awakeners of other Constellations, your own ‘rank’ would fall even further.
[That’s….]
Anselladus’s pupils trembled.
Kwon O-jin’s shoulders shook as laughter burst forth.
Before I pointed it out, he likely never doubted that he was ‘righteous’.
Nothing resembled conviction quite like desire wrapped in lies.
[Don’t pretend to have beliefs with such pathetic lies, you bastard.]
[What do you know…!]
[I know plenty.]
Kwon O-jin smiled faintly and clenched the hand he had spread wide open.
[The sweetest lies are always the ones you tell yourself, after all.]
Kuuuurrrrgh!
Heukcheon’s clouds erupted upward in a violent surge, swallowing Anselladus’s body whole.
[Ah, An… Cough! Hack! Kraaaaaah!]
Along with Anselladus’s final death cry, a tremendous surge of magical power flowed through the Heukcheon that had consumed him.
‘Tch.’
Kwon O-jin furrowed his brow, enduring the Constellation’s power flowing into his body.
‘So even a lower-ranked Constellation is still a Constellation, after all.’
The magical power flowing through his body was dense and immense enough to send chills down his spine.
‘But.’
No matter how formidable the magical power, it was manageable compared to when I had absorbed a portion of the Heavenly Demon’s Heukcheon.
Kwon O-jin gritted his teeth and endured, preventing his consciousness from being swept away by the torrential surge of magical power.
And then.
-Ding.
A clear, melodious bell sound resonated in my ears—one I hadn’t heard in a long time.
‘This is…’
Kwon O-jin’s eyes turned toward the blue message window appearing before him.
[You have successfully absorbed the Seahorse Constellation!]
[You have achieved the eleventh blooming condition for Heukcheon!]
Kuuuurrrrgh!
Heukcheon’s clouds erupted from my entire body, swirling around me like a tornado.
Along with a thrill coursing down my spine came a distant sense of omnipotence.
[The eleventh blooming of Heukcheon strengthens the effects of its inherent properties!]
[You have acquired the new property ‘Sacred Domain Deployment’!]
Sacred Domain Deployment?
Kwon O-jin’s eyes gleamed as I gazed upon this new property that reeked of being overpowered from its very name.
Just as I was about to click the message window to check the detailed explanation of Sacred Domain Deployment.
[According to Heukcheon’s blooming stage, the memories of Awakener Lee Shin-hyuk are being transmitted!]
‘It’s been a while.’
How long had it been since the last transmission?
Well, I’m not sure how useful the first cycle’s memories will be at this point anyway.
Kwon O-jin closed my eyes and concentrated on the memories flowing into my mind.
-Why, why are you doing this…!!
I could see Lee Shin-hyuk wailing in anguish.
-Why are you doing this to me?! Why?!
Pitifully, desperately.
Clutching the severed head of Lee Woo-hyuk.
He shrieked at the masked demon before him.
-Who knows?
Behind the pristine white mask.
Eyes blazing with azure fire stared down at Lee Shin-hyuk.
-If you hadn’t abandoned me in that place back then, wouldn’t all of this have been avoided?
A voice that echoed with chilling resonance.
Lee Shin-hyuk’s pupils trembled violently.
-Abandoned you? What… what are you talking about?
-Hmm. So you really don’t remember.
The masked demon, the Heavenly Demon, looked down at Lee Shin-hyuk and chuckled, shoulders shaking with amusement.
-Well, memories do fade easily, after all.
For instance, the lunch menu you ate just the other day.
For instance, that overseas trip you took as a child.
For instance, pushing someone into a swarm of Enthorns to escape.
Like dissolving into the passage of time.
Memories fade, and recollections grow dim.
-But, do you know what?
The Heavenly Demon seized Lee Shin-hyuk’s throat as he crouched down.
-No matter how hard you try to forget, no matter how hard you try to erase it.
Absolutely.
-There are memories you can never forget?
Eyes blazing with azure fire stared down at Lee Shin-hyuk.
Why was it.
That those chilling eyes somehow felt pitifully, achingly lonely.
-What… are you saying.
-Haha. I just wanted to create one unforgettable memory for you as well.
The Heavenly Demon let out a low laugh and casually tapped the severed head of Lee Woo-hyuk that Lee Shin-hyuk was clutching tightly.
Sparks ignited in Lee Shin-hyuk’s eyes.
-You bastard!
With a shriek blazing with fury, Lee Shin-hyuk’s hand gripped the spear.
The spear tip moved smoothly under the guidance of the Compass, aiming for the Heavenly Demon’s throat.
-This is really.
The Heavenly Demon waved his hand lightly, as if brushing away an annoying fly.
Clang!
The sharp spear blade aiming for the throat bent like taffy and snapped.
-I was just going to give you a gift and move on quietly, but this is getting on my nerves.
With irritation lacing his voice, the Heavenly Demon tightened his grip around Lee Shin-hyuk’s throat.
-Gack, hack! Cough!
As Lee Shin-hyuk let out agonized gasps, his eyes rolling back white—
-That’s enough.
A man appeared from the side and grabbed the Heavenly Demon’s shoulder.
‘…That man.’
The first word that came to mind was white—a man whose very essence seemed to embody that color.
The man with snow-white hair and skin so pale it was almost translucent gently pulled the Heavenly Demon’s shoulder back, a serene smile playing at his lips.
-That child is important to your plan, is he not?
-…Tsk.
The Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue softly and released his grip.
Gasp!
Lee Shin-hyuk collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily.
-Fine, fine. See? I’ve let go. Is this enough?
-Do not forget.
The White-haired Man stared at the Heavenly Demon with eyes gleaming emerald.
-Our purpose is one and the same.
-I know.
The Heavenly Demon nodded slightly and turned away.
The two of them disappeared beyond the black clouds, leaving the fallen Lee Shin-hyuk behind.
And then.
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
The memory cut off with a burst of static.
-Ding!
[All memories of Awakener Lee Shin-hyuk recorded in the Lyra Constellation stigma have been transmitted!]
“Ugh!”
Kwon O-jin winced, clutching his throbbing head.
The White-haired Man he’d seen through Lee Shin-hyuk’s memories.
‘He shares the same purpose as the Heavenly Demon?’
Recalling the man’s face—that gentle smile concealing something unsettlingly sinister—I bit my lip hard.

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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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