Not A Regressor - Chapter 67

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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 67
Heavy Rain (9)
“Hah.”
I caught my breath while the downpour drenched me.
“….”
I gazed down at Jang Seok-ho’s corpse and released my transformation.
My arm, which had shrunk to the size of a small child’s hand, returned to its original form.
Tremor.
Perhaps it was because internal injuries had accumulated.
My right arm trembled faintly, like aspen leaves in the wind.
“…I can’t even clench my fist properly.”
Even though the wounds had fully regenerated, a dizzying pain still lingered.
‘So it’s not an all-purpose skill.’
Still, the fact that I’d recovered my body to this extent in a situation where I could have died at any moment was something to be grateful for.
Hydro Affinity.
The skill I’d thought was useless possessed potential that far exceeded my imagination.
‘I have even more reason to gather stigmas now.’
Seeing the true effects of the composite skill, I felt compelled to absorb stigmas more actively.
‘The composite skill starts with maximum proficiency anyway.’
It was unfortunate that there was no potential for further growth, but it had the advantage of not needing to worry about proficiency.
“So then, let me… Ugh!”
A sudden sharp pain wracked my body once more.
This time, it wasn’t my arm—it was pain emanating from my left chest.
‘Left chest, huh.’
Could it be.
“…Heh.”
I lifted my tattered clothes and examined my left chest.
Beside the Lyra Constellation stigma, five strokes blazed brightly.
“Our goddess is going to faint again if she sees this.”
It had been just over two months since I reached 4-star during my sparring match with Riak.
A lot had happened in the meantime, one thing after another.
Even accounting for that, reaching 5-star in just two months was an unbelievable growth rate.
‘5-star, huh.’
At 5-star, I’d be treated as a mid-tier awakened user.
I could receive decent treatment anywhere I went.
‘But that’s only if it’s a common stigma.’
The stronger the stigma’s power, the harder it becomes to raise its ‘star’ rank.
For the Zodiac Twelve Palaces, reaching 5-star alone was enough to claim a decent executive position in most guilds.
‘If it’s a Polaris stigma though.’
Who knows.
I should probably just hand over the guild master position.
“Well… there’s still a long way to go.”
Normally, becoming a 5-Star Awakener alone is enough to live comfortably.
But considering the path I have to walk ahead, 5-Star is woefully insufficient.
“….”
I gazed down at Jang Seok-ho’s corpse and clenched and unclenched my fist lightly.
‘I need to grow stronger.’
So that no one can covet what is mine.
So that I can live speaking only truth, not lies.
To achieve that.
“I’ll consume it all.”
I reached out toward Ashad Khan’s corpse.
‘Black Heaven.’
Dark clouds swallowed the Owl constellation whole.
“Haah.”
Along the black clouds flowing from my fingertips, a dizzying surge of magical power poured in.
‘So he was a 7-Star Awakener.’
I counted the marks inscribed on Ashad Khan’s left chest and let a faint smile cross my lips.
They say there’s an enormous difference with each rank as the ‘Star’ level increases, and now I was beginning to understand why.
‘The quality of magical power itself is different.’
If 7-Star is this much, what could 8-Star possibly be?
And beyond 8-Star, the 9-Star and above that begin to be called ‘High-Rank’ Awakeners?
‘It must be incredible.’
Just imagining it made my mouth tingle with anticipation.
I even felt hunger stirring.
‘That’s not something to think about now.’
I’d barely managed to defeat even one 7-Star Awakener with my entire body falling apart.
Thinking about 8-Star or 9-Star now is absurd.
“Well… though this one did seem quite strong even among 7-Stars.”
He’d even been blessed by a Constellation.
At that level, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to say I’d fought and defeated a decent 8-Star Awakener rather than a 7-Star.
‘A 4-Star defeated an 8-Star, huh.’
Pfft.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
“I can’t brag about this anywhere.”
People would tell me to stop spouting nonsense and curse me out.
-Glurp, glurrrp.
The Black Heaven energy extending from my fingertips writhed with satisfaction at its feast, then flowed back into my body.
And then.
“Ugh!”
A sharp sting.
A searing pain, as if something scorching were burning through my mind.
Images flooded before my eyes.
-Hmm. So Noerang Guild is in a cooperative relationship with Valhalla Guild?
-Yes. If it’s Lee Woo-hyuk, he’ll probably ask Noerang for help.
A memory of someone on a phone call.
‘What is this…?’
Kwon O-jin’s brow furrowed.
The memories flooding into my mind weren’t Lee Shin-hyuk’s.
‘Ashad Khan.’
They were his.
-I thought I’d crushed the Association Chairman’s faction entirely, but then that bastard suddenly butted in. Han Jun-man’s been setting things up all over the place lately too… I figured I’d watch him a bit longer since he’s an Apostle of Polaris, but it seems like it’d be better to settle things around here.
The Association Chairman’s faction?
Han Jun-man?
‘What is this.’
Kwon O-jin’s brow deepened in confusion.
‘Are there factions within the Association?’
If that were the case.
Then one of those factions was the Black Star Society.
‘So that’s how they found out about my relationship with Valhalla Guild.’
The puzzle pieces were finally clicking into place.
“Ugh!”
Before I could pursue the questions further, more memories came crashing in.
-Understood, Your Majesty’s proxy. I shall eliminate the target as commanded.
-Hahaha! There really aren’t many as reliable as you, Ashad. Yujin is a completely different story.
-Do not compare me to that fool.
Ashad Khan’s lips curled slightly as he continued.
-By the way… what’s the situation with Italy?
-Ah, you mean the Leech Queen?
A weary voice came through the smartphone.
-Don’t even mention it. That crazy bitch is running wild however she pleases. Word of her even reached the Demon Realm.
-Is there no way to handle it?
-No matter how insane the Leech Queen is, she’s still the Third-Ranked Executive. It’s difficult to move against her directly.
-Then.
-Well… I’ve prepared some countermeasures regardless.
-Countermeasures?
-Hehe. Poison must be countered with poison, after all.
A clear, ringing voice.
Like listening to the prattling of a thoughtless child—
“Ahhhhh!”
My distorted vision cleared and returned to normal.
-Ding!
[You inherit some records of Awakened User Ashad Khan.]
[You acquire the skill《Black Wing Armor Lv3》.]
[You acquire the skill《Black Wing Explosion Lv5》.]
Blue message windows appeared before my eyes in rapid succession.
[The skills acquired are transformed by the influence of the Lyra Constellation stigma.]
[The skill《Black Wing Armor Lv3》has been changed to《Thunder Wing Armor Lv3》.]
[The skill《Black Wing Explosion Lv5》has been changed to《Thunder Wing Explosion Lv5》.]
“…So they automatically adapt to match the stigma.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly as I read through the blue message windows.
‘Come to think of it, there was no mention that inheritance only happens with Lee Shin-hyuk’s memories.’
What I obtained this time was Ashad Khan’s memories.
“…There’s quite a bit of information here.”
I set aside for now the details about Italy and the Leech Queen, who ranked third among the Executors.
But the fact that the Black Star Society had infiltrated inside the Awakened Users Association was information I couldn’t overlook.
‘Maybe I should talk to Han Jun-man about this first.’
Since he was mentioned in the memories, there was a good chance he knew something about it.
“Now then, I suppose that’s the end—”
Rumble!!
A black cloud of energy erupted from my left chest.
The dark cloud, spreading wide like a fully bloomed flower, slowly seeped into my body.
“This isn’t it.”
A hollow laugh escaped my lips.
[You have achieved all conditions for the fourth blooming of《Black Heaven》!]
[The fourth blooming of《Black Heaven》begins!]
Rising to five stars, and now the fourth blooming on top of that.
‘It was grueling, but I gained a lot.’
Though it wasn’t something I’d want to experience again.
[A Quest is activated due to the fourth blooming!]
“…Huh?”
A Quest?
[Quest – The Sky Demon That Devours Stars ①]
Content: Absorb constellation stones to open Black Heaven. (Current completion rate: 0%)
Reward: Randomly acquire one of the『Ancient Constellations』.
“What is this now?”
I tilted my head, staring at the Quest window that appeared before me.
‘Ancient Constellations?’
A term I’d never heard before.
‘Hmm… I should ask Vega about this.’
Anyway.
There was no way to know for certain right now.
“The fourth awakening.”
Crack! Crackle!!
I summoned my mana lightly and created lightning.
The lightning burned with a deeper blue glow than usual.
‘As expected.’
As the awakening stage of the Black Heaven advanced, the power of my Lyra Constellation stigma grew stronger.
‘If the stages keep advancing like this… I can’t even imagine how far it will go.’
A thick smile spread across my lips.
“But still….”
I narrowed my eyes and looked around.
I stood still and waited for a moment, but nothing changed.
‘Why isn’t it coming?’
Perhaps the most important reward for me.
Lee Shin-hyuk’s memories weren’t flowing into my mind.
As I looked around with confused eyes.
[The records of Awakened User Ashad Khan and Awakened User Lee Shin-hyuk have collided, resulting in partial loss of Lee Shin-hyuk’s records.]
[Black Heaven will automatically restore the records necessary for succession.]
[The succession will proceed in divided stages according to the progress of restoration.]
“Ah.”
So the memories collided because two or more ‘successions’ were happening simultaneously.
‘Well… it says it will restore automatically.’
If it were lost forever, that would be different.
Since it said it would restore on its own, there was no need to worry about it.
“Then I should head back.”
After clearing all the messages before my eyes.
I took a step forward.
-Thud!
“Ugh!”
I couldn’t even take a single step properly and slid across the ground.
‘Damn it.’
Was my body in such bad condition that I couldn’t walk properly?
‘Right. The Hydro Affinity skill only recovers external wounds.’
Though it wasn’t visible.
My insides were probably a complete mess right now.
I let out a bitter laugh and forced strength into my trembling legs.
“…Let’s go.”
Before I turned my body.
I turned my head and looked down at Jang Seok-ho’s corpse one last time.
“….”
Shhhhhh.
I moved forward through the cascading downpour.
* * *
Creak.
I barely managed to push open the entrance door and stepped inside.
“Hey! Kwon O-jin!”
A familiar voice called out.
The corners of my exhausted mouth lifted slightly.
“You just disappear without a word….”
Ha-eun’s expression hardened as she emerged from her room.
“What on earth happened to you?”
“…Sister.”
Stagger, stagger.
Without even a moment to dry my rain-soaked body.
I approached her.
I raised my hand and touched her cheek.
Warm.
Unlike Jang Seok-ho’s hand, which had grown cold.
It was filled with warmth.
“O-jin…?”
Her reddish-brown eyes looked up at me.
An indescribable sense of relief spread through my entire body.
-Thud!
“Kyaaaah! W-what?!”
Pulling her into my embrace.
I collapsed right there in front of the entrance.
“…Just for a moment.”
I don’t ask for much.
I don’t desire anything grand.
Just.
This warmth in my arms.
“Just stay like this for a little while.”
Don’t fade away, washed away by the rain.

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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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