The Regressed EX-Class Martial God Decided to Become a Thousand-Star Hunter - Chapter 4

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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 4
4.
‘A guest has arrived.’
The Cannibal makes its entrance.
Grrrrr—!
A low beast’s cry echoes from beneath the ceiling.
Ju Do-gyeom deliberately confirmed the creature’s form through the narrow gap in the ceiling that he’d left intentionally ajar.
To put it plainly, its appearance was rather grotesque.
Gaunt to the point of emaciation, its skin was covered in deep folds like the wrinkles of a brain, and its eyes were pitch-black.
Its mouth, resembling an insect’s maw, was perfectly round and lined with teeth.
But those mouths weren’t confined to its face—they covered both arms and hands as well.
One large mouth on each palm, and dozens more along the length of each arm.
Crunch-crunch-crunch—!
The sound of teeth gnashing through the air sends a chill down the spine.
Indeed, in the Hunter Community forums, one of the most frequently discussed aspects of Cannibal’s Estate was the creature’s appearance itself.
—It looks so horrifying I’m afraid of seeing it in my nightmares.
—I’ve got a weak stomach, so I can’t bring myself to venture into Cannibal’s Estate.
└Honestly, the rewards aren’t even worth it.
└And it’s not fun if you’re just running away the whole time.
└Oh, right. That sound—like gnashing teeth from all over its body.
└└Just thinking about it gives me chills. Really. Ugh. I shouldn’t have imagined it. I’m going to watch some videos for kids before bed tonight.
Ju Do-gyeom stared at the creature’s form with an expression of complete indifference.
It was only natural—the future he had experienced was filled with far more horrifying entities than the Cannibal.
Instead, he focused purely on observing the creature’s movements themselves.
The way it stumbled about frantically, searching for him.
Suddenly bolting toward a corner of the kitchen, or abruptly wrenching open the dining area’s equipment cabinet, or flinging a window wide.
As mentioned, it was frantic—but surprisingly quick.
Thanks to this, he could say with certainty.
‘It’s weakened more than I expected.’
The effect of Tutorial-level dungeons.
‘Soon enough, I’ll be able to kill it.’
Eyes gleaming with bleak killing intent.
Whether or not the creature sensed it.
The Cannibal’s body trembled, and its head whipped rapidly in all directions.
Ju Do-gyeom closed the ceiling hatch and, using the small amount of Inner Energy he now possessed, deployed another martial art.
『You have acquired the skill: Sanhua Yeong (1-Star).』
Sanhua Yeong—Scattered Flower Shadow.
An advanced concealment art that suppresses not only presence but scent and traces as well.
Ju Do-gyeom settled into a cross-legged position, maintaining the skill.
Then he breathed in slowly and exhaled deliberately, adding the Heavenly Purity Inner Force to his practice with ease.
Separated by only a ceiling wall from the terrifying Cannibal in the same space, he felt neither fear nor threat.
* * *
The Cannibal was a creature of instinct.
When prey entered the dungeon, it would hunt, sometimes torment them, and finally devour them.
Every part of that process was a pleasure.
But.
This prey was different somehow.
It had definitely entered its estate, yet it could not be found anywhere.
No—if that alone were the issue, it would be fortunate.
Sometimes, every so often, it felt as though something was watching it.
Yet no matter where it looked, it could find nothing.
It had happened moments ago.
So it had pretended ignorance and walked forward, eyes fixed ahead, only to spin its body around with a sudden snap.
Kieee—!?
Nothing.
Frustrated, it stamped its feet.
And then it grew hungry.
By now, it should have eaten its prey and slept contentedly.
The accident came from not having found its food.
Enraged, the Cannibal rushed frantically into the Kitchen.
Right after, he cried out in shock.
Kiiiieeek—!?
The refrigerator door was open.
Some of the food inside had vanished.
The Cannibal, furious, flailed both arms wildly and threw a tantrum.
Kiiiieeeeek—!
The voice, seething with rage, erupted not just from his face but from the mouths dotting his arms and hands, resonating through the entire Estate in a deafening roar.
* * *
From somewhere in the ceiling above, watching the Cannibal thrash in fury at the open refrigerator door.
Ju Do-gyeom’s eyes remained composed.
‘It’s wearing itself down for me.’
His hands and mouth were busy devouring the Cheese he’d taken from the refrigerator.
The Cannibal, despite being a Cannibal, had once been human—so it kept ordinary food stocked in the refrigerator.
The Cheese he was eating now was one such item.
‘Probably a game mechanic meant for Dungeon conquerors.’
Sometimes merciful.
Sometimes ruthlessly cruel.
That was what Dungeons were.
In any case, the meals had been decent.
Today it was Cheese, but yesterday it had been Rye Bread, and the day before that, Sausage made from pork offal.
‘Not a bad balance at all.’
Ju Do-gyeom thought this to himself as he closed the ceiling hatch again.
His mind churned rapidly.
‘About a week now, I’d say?’
His sense of time since entering the Dungeon.
Of course, he hadn’t checked a clock precisely—it was merely instinct, so it could be off.
Even he, a Regressor and seasoned veteran, couldn’t be certain about the passage of time within a Dungeon.
But it was probably close.
In that span, he’d accumulated considerable Inner Energy through the Heavenly Purity Inner Force.
‘Not yet enough to raise my Rank.’
But with just a little more, he’d have enough to execute the Martial Art he’d been mentally preparing and face the Cannibal in decisive combat.
‘Two days at most.’
He would face the Cannibal before then.
Having made his resolve, Ju Do-gyeom extracted another piece of Cheese and popped it into his mouth.
Crunch, crunch.
Below.
Kiiiieeeeek—!
The voice of fury rang out.
The Cheese tasted all the more savory for it.
* * *
After some more time had passed.
Ju Do-gyeom, who had been sitting cross-legged on the ceiling, opened his eyes.
A sharp, brilliant light flashed across his pupils, piercing through the darkness with an intensity that faded swiftly.
『Skill, Heavenly Purity Inner Force (2-Star) promoted.』
『Skill, Earthly Purity Inner Force (2-Star) promoted.』
Ju Do-gyeom spoke silently in his mind.
‘Status Window.’
『Name: Ju Do-gyeom
Age: 26
Job: Universal Chef

Stats
Strength: E- Endurance: E Agility: F+ Magical Power: F-』

『Skills: Heavenly Purity Inner Force (2-Star), Earthly Purity Inner Force (2-Star), Scattered Flower Shadow (1-Star)』
His ability values hadn’t risen outright, but his internal growth was undeniable.
Thanks to the advancement in both Heavenly and Earthly Purity Inner Force, his Magical Power had increased markedly, his stability had risen, and his physical condition had improved considerably.
Compared to when he’d first entered the Dungeon, it was nothing short of a leap in development.
For other Martial Arts, it was enough to draw them out in actual combat as needed.
Because he had the knowledge, any Martial Art he could learn at his current level would be acquirable on the spot.
But the growth of Skill levels followed a different path.
To advance a Skill level, one needed a foundation in what martial arts called Heart, Energy, and Body—the fundamentals were non-negotiable.
The ability values visible in the System Window had some influence, certainly, but they alone could not account for true mastery.
‘Technique lives in the body.’

No matter that Ju Do-gyeom had once been called a War God, a mere month into his return with a body worn down by warehouse logistics work, raising it to such a standard was impossible.
That said.
There remained a clear method to accelerate Skill growth even now.
‘Real combat.’
More precisely: combat pushed to absolute extremity.
Shallow combat was useless to Ju Do-gyeom, whose understanding had long since transcended its limits.
Only true desperation—only the moment his body and technique reached their ceiling—would elevate him further.
The fortunate part was this:
research showed that even the System granted a Growth Modifier under such circumstances.
But enough explanation. The conclusion is simple.
Seated cultivation alone had served its purpose at the Cannibal’s Estate.
In a Tutorial Dungeon, entering Hunters faced a Growth Suppression—a deliberate cap on advancement—making additional gains even harder.
‘Even if I could improve slightly more through training, the next Dungeon would yield far faster results.’
This was enough.
Having reached that conclusion, Ju Do-gyeom descended at last from the Kitchen ceiling.
Silence hung in the air like dust.
His hand closed around a Kitchen Knife that gleamed with deadly purpose, resting on one edge of the room.
At once.
『You have acquired the Skill: Kitchen Knife Proficiency (Level 1).』
『You have acquired the Skill: Chef’s Blade Skill (Level 1).』
Knowledge of wielding the blade flooded his mind.
‘Universal Chef.’
The Skill acquisition completed instantly through his Job’s bonuses.
It was not without merit.
The ordinary swords he’d wielded as a warrior operated on different principles than the Kitchen Knife.
‘Blending the two techniques will yield better results.’
That settled it.
He threw the Kitchen Knife into the air, snatched the handle on its descent, checked the blade once more, and nodded in satisfaction.
“A fine tool for killing a Cannibal.”
The final day had come.
* * *
Keeeee……
As always.
Or rather, unlike before—shoulders drooped in boredom, the Cannibal drifted through the broad Central Hall, searching for prey.
Then, abruptly, a howl tore from its throat.
Kiiieeeee-!
Not pain or rage.
Joy.
A voice brimming with delight.
And rightly so.
It had found him at last.
Its prey—lurking within this Estate.
That presumptuous offering, Ju Do-gyeom, who had spent the past hours hidden away, defiling its stores.
He emerged from the corridor with an impassive expression, the Kitchen Knife’s edge trained directly upon the creature.
“Come.”
The Cannibal tilted its head in confusion.
It had never happened before.
No being in this Estate had ever stood and faced it without fleeing.
Much less with such a frail body.
Armed with only a Kitchen Knife.
Kekekeke-!
Laughter erupted.
Ju Do-gyeom smiled slightly at the sight.
“So it does possess emotion, after all……”
Yes, he thought. It truly does.
It was fortunate.
‘Jin Woo-seong.’
The man who had once owned the Heavenly Killing Star before the regression, and one of humanity’s worst villains.
If Ju Do-gyeom was going to follow his instructions, the Cannibal absolutely had to have feelings.
Ju Do-gyeom flicked the tip of the Kitchen Knife at the laughing Cannibal once more.
“Not coming?”
If not, I’ll come to you.
The instant Ju Do-gyeom burst forward.
Cackle-cackle-cackle!
As if he’d been waiting, the Cannibal shrieked with laughter and charged straight ahead.
The distance narrowed rapidly.
Ju Do-gyeom concentrated his Inner Energy into his eyes.
‘Skill acquired: Bright Eyes Vision (1-Star).’
The Cannibal’s approaching movements became markedly slower.
Or rather, they simply began to appear slow.
It was the power of Bright Eyes Vision—pushing dynamic visual acuity to its absolute limit.
Through it, Ju Do-gyeom gracefully dodged the Cannibal’s slashing claws as they raked toward him.
And simultaneously.
‘Skill acquired: Shadowless Divine Step (1-Star).’
He treaded the footwork like flowing water, slipped into the creature’s blind spot, raised his leg, and brought it down in a crushing strike.
‘Skill acquired: Asura Flame Retreat (1-Star).’
Bang!
With a tremendous crash, a portion of the Cannibal’s skull flattened under the impact, its body slammed flat against the corridor floor.
Gahhh!
The Cannibal shrieked in agony, spitting a mixture of pain and blue blood.
Ju Do-gyeom used the Kitchen Knife to sever both of the creature’s arms.
‘Skill promoted: Kitchen Knife Proficiency (Level 2).’
He ignored the notification as one would expect.
Instead, he drove the Kitchen Knife deep into the grotesque face of the trembling creature, unleashed a burst of killing intent, and spoke.
“All right then. Answer me: who’s the prey now?”
Keee-keee-keee!
The Cannibal that devours humans.
Fear rippled across the creature’s grotesquely formed face, its pitch-black eyes wide with terror.
* * *
Keee-eeee-eee!
The Cannibal wailed and fled.
Ju Do-gyeom watched its retreating form for a moment, then slowly followed.
Why hadn’t he ended the Cannibal’s life in a single stroke?
Naturally, it wasn’t because he harbored some sadistic taste for mocking his prey before killing it.
That was the kind of hobby villains like Jin Woo-seong enjoyed.
The irony was.
‘That’s precisely why he obtained the Heavenly Killing Star.’
The villain Jin Woo-seong.
One of the things he’d ranted about when caught by Ju Do-gyeom’s strike team back then.
-Is the information true that you can obtain the Heavenly Killing Star if you kill the Cannibal? Krr…… Well now, that’s a fascinating question. What do you think? You think I’ll tell you?
-…….
-Ah, I’ll tell you. We’re on the same side anyway, Do-gyeom. Don’t look so grim. So the answer is—ta-da! Only half right. To be precise, about one-third? Puhaha…….
-What do you mean?
-It’s true you can obtain the Heavenly Killing Star by killing the Cannibal in the Cannibal’s Estate. But just dying won’t cut it. There are conditions to meet.
The first.
‘Make the creature afraid.’
The second.
‘Let it flee and reach the Underground Chamber.’
The third.
‘Climb the altar in the Underground Chamber and end the life of the creature weeping there.’
The madman Jin Woo-seong had burst out laughing at that moment, reveling in the mockery of the Cannibal.
-Puhaha…… But even if you follow through now, you won’t be able to obtain it. The Heavenly Killing Star. You’re already guessing, I’m sure, but it’s a unique trait. Oh, and right now you can’t even enter a dungeon in the first place, can you? What a shame. Puha…… Kck!
The final scream came from the villain’s mouth as Ju Do-gyeom’s colleague, having heard enough, landed a punch that silenced him.
And through the regression, Ju Do-gyeom had now reached a point where he could verify the truth, and had fulfilled the first requirement.
‘Make the creature afraid.’
If the Cannibal had been without emotion, such a thing would have been impossible.
And just moments before, the second requirement had been satisfied.
Squeal, squeal, squeeeeal!
Gripped by terror, the creature had pressed a hidden mechanism concealed somewhere in the Estate to open the Underground Chamber door, desperate to escape from Ju Do-gyeom pursuing him.
That there was an Underground Chamber within the Cannibal’s Estate was a fact Ju Do-gyeom had learned through Jin Woo-seong.
No one else had known it before.
‘Up to this point, it’s all true.’
In truth, Jin Woo-seong was a liar.
One might assume it natural for a villain, but his nature had always been that way from the start.
Selfish, a madman with no telling where he might rampage next.
Such a man had swallowed even the Heavenly Killing Star.
It seemed inevitable that he would become one of humanity’s worst villains.
However, Ju Do-gyeom knew Jin Woo-seong.
The man was a liar, but he didn’t speak entirely in falsehoods.
That was why Ju Do-gyeom could be certain that the Heavenly Killing Star could be obtained here, at the Cannibal’s Estate.
‘He merely weaves small deceptions into a foundation of solid truth.’
Then, would everything he had spoken of prove true to the very end?
A narrow and dark grey-brick passageway, sharply at odds with the bright and ornate Estate, led to a vast Underground Chamber beyond.
Ju Do-gyeom could see it all.
The bizarre sorcerous carvings drawn across the entire cavity, and the Hexagram Altar carved at its center.
And above it, the Cannibal crouched and trembling violently, having scrambled up in desperation.
Confirming him from a distance, Ju Do-gyeom gave a slight nod.
‘……Was it all true?’
That wasn’t like Jin Woo-seong.
Yet at the same time, he supposed it was possible.
As he’d said, humanity back then had no way to verify such things.
Nevertheless, the moment Ju Do-gyeom entered the cavity without lowering his guard, moving slowly toward the creature and the altar—
Rumble-rumble-! Bang!
With a deafening roar, dozens of layers of thick iron bars stacked behind him, sealing shut the passage he had just traversed.
At once.
Whoosh!
From the ceremonial braziers scattered throughout the now-darkened cavity, blue flames erupted into being.
Simultaneously.
Boom!
Colossal magical power swirled and was drawn into the Cannibal crouching at the center of the altar.
‘The Cannibal undergoes Transformation.’
‘The Tutorial effect of the Dungeon, Cannibal’s Estate, is rapidly diminishing.’
‘Escape.’

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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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