The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 180

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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 180
180
Jin-woo’s momentum had shifted.
Demoros, who faced him directly, was the first to sense this change.
But that was not all.
He wielded skills he had rarely employed until now.
A sudden teleportation, a thrust aimed at his back from an impossible angle.
No matter how seasoned a knight Demoros was, such a strike could not be easily evaded.
He had no choice but to accept the blade piercing his chest.
That black sword cut through armor as though it were nothing.
Realizing that his armor served no purpose, Demoros tore it from his body and cast it aside.
Armor that failed to fulfill its role was worthless, no matter how much of it he wore.
With his body now lighter, he moved with renewed desperation.
It was exactly as it seemed.
This was not a battle.
Merely the thrashing of Demoros against overwhelming force.
Yet what did it matter?
Against such a formidable opponent, even this much could be called remarkable.
Perhaps some would think so.
Demoros did not.
Even as he struggled to land a single blow, he occasionally counterattacked, though it proved futile.
One might think it utterly meaningless.
Yet he held fast to his convictions until the very end.
Was that the reason?
“Gasp… gasp… gasp…”
As his breath came in ragged heaves and his shoulders trembled, he managed to land a strike against Jin-woo.
Of course, it was hardly a grievous wound.
Merely a scratch that would heal within moments.
Yet Demoros smiled with satisfaction, and Jin-woo, observing this, spoke.
“Splendid. Let us walk forward together from this moment on.”
With those words, Jin-woo drove Bahamut into Demoros’s heart.
A wet, hollow sound.
The sound of life ceasing echoed vividly, and death bloomed forth from that place.
Jin-woo seized the blooming death and channeled it into a skill.
“Immortal Legion.”
This was precisely what Jin-woo had desired.
To bring Demoros into the Immortal Legion.
How magnificent was that valiant figure, protecting his lord even in death.
Above all, he was excellent material to become a future Sword Master.
Jin-woo was not one to abandon such material.
I was genuinely curious to see what would happen.
And sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed.
[The corpse quantity is insufficient to utilize the Immortal Legion.]
[Will you use the Immortal Legion for a single entity?]
Using a large-scale undead summoning skill for merely one entity.
What kind of result would it produce?
Trembling with anticipation, I answered.
“Yes.”
Then a message materialized.
[The Immortal Legion merges with Overlord’s power, creating an even more potent effect.]
[You can further enhance the skill through Fusion Combat.]
[Will you enhance it?]
It was proposing that I use Fusion Combat first.
I was somewhat surprised, but honestly, it was better this way.
I had intended to use only the Immortal Legion.
This wasn’t a bad alternative at all.
In fact, I should have thought of this from the start.
With that thought, I activated Fusion Combat.
Naturally, I combined Overlord and the Immortal Legion, selecting only the skills that harmonized best with them.
Only sword skills like Dark Light Sword Strike and undead-aligned abilities that complemented Overlord and the Immortal Legion.
As Black Heart and several other skills merged into one.
Once again, a message emerged without fail.
[All skills unite into one, summoning an even more formidable undead.]
[The Knight of Trust, Demoros, answers your call.]
[Through an unbelievable transformation, the Knight of Trust, Demoros, metamorphoses into a Death Knight.]
[Overlord exerts tremendous influence upon the skill.]
[For the first time, you create a supreme-tier undead.]
[The first-creation bonus is applied.]
[It surpasses an ordinary Death Knight.]
[The Death Knight grows darker, steeped in the abyss itself.]
[The Death Knight transforms into an Abyss Knight.]
Accompanied by countless messages, swirling clouds of the abyss converged upon Demoros’s corpse.
The very atmosphere trembled with the transformation.
Kroooooooo!
The ferocious cry that erupted was truly impressive.
I watched with keen interest.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected it to reach this level.
Based on my calculations…
‘I thought it would become a Death Knight or perhaps a Dullahan at best.’
An Abyss Knight—I never saw that coming.
Of course, for the sake of balance, it would become a growth-type summon, but even so, an Abyss Knight would possess tremendous stats.
With proper cultivation, it would become a precious asset capable of matching the Imperial Knight Order Commander who guards the Imperial Palace itself—a truly formidable force.
I had expected the initial reward to provide some enhancement, but I never imagined it would be this much.
Wasn’t the Abyss Knight a name that earned quite the notorious reputation before my return?
‘That monster—even the Immortal King couldn’t summon it.’
It was an undead that had once been released as an event, only to be suppressed when all the continents united their forces—essentially a creature rivaling a Demon King itself.
The Abyss Knight, which summons the abyss upon the Continent.
And I had obtained it.
My luck was extraordinarily good.
Though how to utilize it would be another matter entirely.
‘My plans may need to shift somewhat.’
I let out a soft chuckle, gazing toward the Inner Castle with satisfaction.
Since I had held back Demoros, matters were progressing smoothly.
The screams echoing from various places and the nobles’ debauchery seemed to have ended.
Now then, shall I savor this victory?
As I moved forward, much had already been concluded.
* * *
While I engaged Demoros, the main force swiftly penetrated the Inner Castle and managed to capture numerous soldiers.
There was no need to slaughter them all.
Those who surrendered upon witnessing the massive army were spared and merely imprisoned.
And Count Whinter and the nobles indulging in their pleasures?
Naturally, all were executed by beheading.
Count Whinter, who displayed his ugliness until the very end, along with all the nobles who had clung to him, were parasites consuming the Empire.
Only after executing them all could we finally claim Count Whinter’s Territory.
We had severed the Imperial Family’s sole trade route.
Despite the magnitude of the battle, the knights and soldiers’ expressions were brimming with vitality.
It was a crucial operation, and they had concluded their first campaign far too brilliantly and successfully.
The greatest obstacle was none other than Marquis Kawen—a Sword Master, rare even within the Empire.
The most significant hurdle among all obstacles.
Of course, the Imperial Knight Order Commander was also a Sword Master and formidable, but Marquis Kawen proved more troublesome.
Though it would be a concern for the future, everyone decided to raise a toast to this victory today.
Matters ahead would be set aside for now.
“We have triumphed!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
“Japin! Japin! Japin!”
“Jin-woo! Jin-woo! Jin-woo!”
They roared with jubilation, chanting the names of both Japin and Jin-woo.
The two of them had been the greatest contributors to this battle.
In truth, Jin-woo had played a larger role than Count Japin, but it was Count Japin who had assembled them all.
Seeing everyone call out my name, I cleared my throat somewhat bashfully, and at that sight, several users burst into laughter.
He who was colder and more ruthless than anyone in battle now showed such bashfulness—a side of himself I hadn’t expected to see.
It was as though I were witnessing an entirely different facet of his character.
As the people cheered and called out Jin-woo’s name, he nodded in acknowledgment.
“Without Jin-woo, this victory might have come at a far greater cost! Let us all raise our voices in gratitude for his valor!”
“Roooaaarrrrr!”
“Jin-woo! Jin-woo! Jin-woo! Jin-woo!”
“Huzzah! Jin-woo is the greatest!”
“All thanks to Jin-woo!”
“We are grateful you faced Demoros!”
“Without you, we would have walked a far darker path!”
“Let us raise our cups!”
And so the celebration began in earnest.
Most users logged out, leaving only a handful behind.
They had arranged to rotate their presence, just in case.
The banquet itself did not last long.
They celebrated their victory with joy, yet remained measured and composed in their revelry.
Once the banquet concluded, they did not immediately convene a meeting, but Jin-woo and the other key users were informed in advance.
A council would be held the following morning.
At the moment Jin-woo and the users logged out.
Many NPCs were speaking in unison.
Not the commanders, but many of the knights.
“I confess, when the Count first took in those mere travelers, I was bewildered.”
“So was I.”
I thought it would have been better to conscript soldiers rather than rely on their strength, no matter how depleted our forces were—but I was mistaken.”
“He possessed true foresight.”
“I was genuinely surprised. When I first saw Jin-woo, I could sense the aura of a true warrior and naturally assumed he would excel—but the others proved equally remarkable.”
One knight spoke, and all the others nodded in agreement.
They spoke especially of those who had stood out.
“That archer was extraordinarily skilled.”
“Ah, you mean Yuna? Her prowess was certainly comparable to that of an elf.”
“Her archery was almost divine—I confess, I believe several of us could not have bested her.”
“I agree. And what of that mage, the one called Barmon?”
“Yes, he wielded a diverse array of spells, and one could glimpse the qualities of an Archmage within him.”
He was one who understood the principle of placing the right tool in the right place, deploying his magic with precision.”
“Beyond his masterful control of magic, he possessed the ability to read the very flow of battle itself.”
“Should he walk into the Magic Tower this very day, he could become a Deputy Tower Master, if not more.”
“Given time, he possessed the potential to ascend even to Tower Master.”
They lavished praise upon Barmon and Yuna, each sharing their own impressions.
Yet among all those discussed, one name appeared most frequently.
Of course, excluding Jin-woo himself.
“Lin, was it? That woman….”
“Don’t even mention it. The dragon she commands is a divine beast overflowing with sanctity itself.”
“Even setting aside that golden dragon, her own power is not to be underestimated.”
“And that’s not all. The techniques she wields as though commanding the very heavens possess considerable destructive force.”
“Even if Barmon and Yuna combined their strength, they would find it difficult to overcome Lin.”
“And it’s not just those two. Our entire Knight Order would struggle to contend with her alone.”
The knights praised Lin lavishly, their words flowing without end.
And rightfully so—in this war, excluding Jin-woo, she had been the most instrumental force.
She was undoubtedly the one who had gained the most levels in this battle.
That she had performed so brilliantly as to rival Jin-woo spoke not only to her dedication, but also revealed the extraordinary precision of her control.
When even the knights themselves acknowledged her prowess, one needed no further explanation of her magnificence.
Yet naturally, there was one who stood above all.
“As for Jin-woo, there’s no need to even speak of him.”
“Indeed.”
“I was so captivated I would have gladly watched him continue his duel with Demoros.”
“You felt that way too? So did I!”
“Demoros was, after all, destined to become a Sword Master. Yet Jin-woo toyed with him so effortlessly.”
“He may very well be the strongest in our entire army now.”
“My master always said there are those who transcend levels, and Jin-woo is precisely that.”
As the knights marveled at Jin-woo’s prowess, the night wore on.
Thus the first battle came to a close.

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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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