The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 70

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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 70
Episode 70
Wirun Wizen appeared suddenly.
Jin-woo couldn’t help but be taken aback.
Who would have thought such a towering figure would appear in person like this?
He gives a Quest and then comes directly to clear it himself.
Is this some kind of automatic Quest completion system or something?!
In any case, it was incredibly fortunate.
I thought I’d experienced every kind of lucky break, but this was something else entirely.
While Jin-woo was thinking this to himself.
Baron Philip rose from his seat.
“Then you two, please speak freely. I have pressing matters to attend to.”
Baron Philip smiled and gracefully excused himself.
Wait, did he actually have work piling up?
That was probably just an excuse, right?
If not, it wouldn’t make sense for him to chat so casually and then leave like that.
Anyway, that’s not what matters right now.
Wirun Wizen.
One of the two strongest in the Deron Kingdom and the elder brother of the guardian Gruen.
That man was more important.
Looking at his aged appearance.
It seemed incredibly intimidating.
I needed to be as respectful as possible.
‘He’s considerably older than Gruen.’
It appeared Wirun was the older brother.
Indeed, with his appearance approaching ninety, even his title was ‘Aged Sage’ rather than anything else.
In comparison, Gruen looked to be at most around sixty.
By anyone’s measure, Wirun had to be the older brother.
Gruen didn’t seem that way, so he must be the youngest.
There were siblings with such large age gaps.
“So you seem to have a connection with our Gruen, and you’re still in good health, I trust?”
“Pardon?”
What did I just hear?
Gruen… as my elder?
By appearance alone, it did seem like an atmosphere where I’d be killed if I didn’t call him that.
But still…
“Hehe, there’s quite an age difference between us, and I found it intimidating when I was younger, but now that I’m older, it’s become rather comfortable.”
“Ah, yes. You’re in excellent health indeed.”
Too excellent health, actually—that’s the problem.
Anyway, should I tease him about looking young for his age?
Well, since Gruen is the physical type, he probably just looks healthier and younger.
Anyway, let’s move past it.
For a moment, I felt dizzy.
I forced myself to brush it aside.
But why did he come looking for me?
It didn’t seem like he’d sought me out merely because of his connection to Gruen.
Surely one of the two strongest sages in the Deron Kingdom wouldn’t come searching for me just because of family ties.
Of course, he might have taken an interest in an adventurer who had a connection to his older brother Gruen.
But to actually come all this way for that?
‘There’s definitely something more to this.’
I could smell it distinctly.
The sweet scent of a Quest.
As I was thinking such thoughts to myself,
Wirun gazed at me sharply and spoke.
“Hehe. Indeed, blessed by your elder brother and wielding a Demonic Sword. Quite the irony. And magic too? Hehehehe!”
Gulp.
The mention of the Demonic Sword made me tense involuntarily.
Most NPCs held negative perceptions about Demonic Swords.
Well, it wasn’t just perception—it was fact.
Only Demon Lords could wield Demonic Swords.
But a sage truly is different, I suppose.
He saw right through to the essence.
“However, I sense no malevolent aura. Or rather, I feel the power of dark magic, but the source itself isn’t evil, shall we say? And you’re even the master of the Holy Spear.”
Wirun gazed at me deeply and smiled.
Wow, just how much does he know?
The Demonic Sword could have been learned through rumor.
But the Holy Spear?
That’s completely impossible.
How on earth did he find out?
“Well, let’s set aside such trivial matters…”
“…”
Wait, those are trivial?
By any measure, they don’t seem trivial at all.
What exactly does he want?
By this point, I should usually have figured it out.
But I see nothing.
Why is he dragging out his words like this?
Without realizing it, I swallowed dryly.
If I just sit here, I’ll end up being dragged along.
“Um, do you perhaps have something you want from me…”
“Ah, right. I nearly forgot about this. I’ve kept you, a busy person, talking without even properly thanking you. First, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. It’s nothing much, but.”
He interrupts again.
This time, I really need to lodge a protest.
I know he’s a big shot.
But in moments like these, controlling the conversation is crucial.
It looks like he’s about to give me the Quest reward.
He’s being far too arbitrary.
I tried my best to be respectful.
But if he’s going to be this arbitrary, things change.
‘This won’t do.’
Just as Jin-woo was about to lodge his protest.
Wirun Wizen pulls out a single book.
And a message appeared.
A message that the reward had been granted.
But its contents were….
[Wirun Wizen has delivered the completion reward for the Quest ‘The Faded Sage, News of Wirun’.]
[You have received your reward.]
[You have acquired the Unique+ item, ‘Skill Book of False Dread Flame Earth’.]
“It’s nothing much, but do accept it.”
Wirun Wizen hands it over as if it truly were nothing.
But Jin-woo, receiving it, trembled violently.
Unable to contain himself any longer, he clenched his fists and opened his mouth.
“I gratefully accept this gift!”
A protest? Forget it!
When an elder speaks, you just say “Yes! Yes! I understand!” and listen.
But seriously, this is insane.
He’s giving me a Unique+ skill just for meeting him?
And False Dread Flame Earth at that—one of the highest-tier area-of-effect flame skills?
What? How do I know this?
It’s obvious!
‘I’m getting the hidden piece I originally came to obtain just by sitting here.’
Meeting Wirun Wizen was supposed to earn me this hidden piece.
A Unique+ grade skill, no less.
And I’m receiving it for just chatting with Baron Philip for two hours?
This is absurdly generous.
Sweeter than sweet.
And he calls this nothing much.
Truly befitting one of the two strongest powers in the Deron Kingdom.
‘At this rate, am I going to get a Legendary item too?’
I was practically vibrating with excitement.
I thought it was unrealistic, honestly.
Impossible, even.
Still, this was undoubtedly a reward beyond my wildest dreams.
While I was internally overjoyed about it.
Wirun chuckled warmly at the sight of me and opened his mouth.
“Hehe! It seems I’ve prepared just the right gift for my guest.”
“Yes, I’m truly grateful to receive it.”
“Remarkable—no, ‘remarkable’ hardly does justice to it. Taking up the time of such an extraordinarily talented young person, this reward is truly trivial in comparison.”
“Ah.”
Why does light seem to emanate from this man’s face?
Ah, this person truly is a great man.
No, an adult of distinction!
I’m absolutely not saying his head is shining brightly.
I’m serious.
Anyway, I really am.
Now that I think about it, he does bear a slight resemblance to a certain monk… Ahem, no.
Anyway.
“In any case, I cannot continue to monopolize your time like this, so let me state my business at once. Though I should warn you it may take some time—would that be acceptable?”
“Ah, yes. Of course. I’m prepared to listen for as long as needed.”
I mean it.
I could listen until I had to log out.
What could this possibly be about?
No, if it starts with Unique+, there’s even a chance an Epic could drop.
There’s no way I’d refuse.
This is a hidden piece I never anticipated.
How could I possibly decline?
Sit properly and prepare to listen?
I’m already completely ready.
“I’m grateful you’d say so. First, the reason I sought you out is simple. Partly because you’re an adventurer recognized by my brother, but also because I heard rumors that you handled the Demonic Sword incident in Felsia, which piqued my curiosity.”
“I see.”
“Well, since Marquis Jihokin spreads word of it far and wide, there’s hardly anyone in the Deron Kingdom who wouldn’t know, but I was particularly interested.”
The Demonic Sword incident has already spread as gossip far and wide.
Otherwise, there’s no way the Mayor of Margandi, Baron Philip, would have received me so grandly and courteously.
He even praised me as a great hero.
Now I’m beginning to understand.
I’ll need to be careful while traveling through the Deron Kingdom.
‘It’s good that NPCs recognize me, but I’d rather avoid drawing the attention of other players.’
As I was thinking this.
Wirun smiled softly and continued.
“So I came looking initially on a whim, but as expected, you live up to your reputation. The aura you emanate is quite considerable.”
“You’re too kind.”
At Wirun’s praise, I couldn’t help but smile.
How could I not feel good when complimented like that?
After all, he was one of the kingdom’s two greatest powers.
For one of them to acknowledge me like this—there was no way I could feel anything but pleased.
Though I was a bit embarrassed, admittedly.
But my mood was undeniably good.
Wirun continued speaking to me.
“So at first, I thought I’d simply observe your face and leave, but now I’m certain.”
“Certain about what…?”
“That you’re the talent worthy of inheriting my secret technique.”
“Wh-what?”
A secret technique?
Why was he suddenly talking about something like a special move?
Out of nowhere?
I swallowed hard.
Stay calm.
Nothing’s been decided yet, after all.
There’s no harm in getting excited after I hear the full story.
Let me listen to what Wirun has to say.
“A secret technique, you say…?”
“The culmination of my lifetime of research and the greatest technique I’ve created with all my might.”
At this point, I felt more confusion than excitement.
A technique, not magic?
Wirun, the aged sage, was a mage.
More than that—he was an Archmage, the pinnacle of mages.
Yet the culmination of his lifetime of research and the technique he’d created with all his might was… not magic?
Shouldn’t it be magic?
If not, there must be some story behind it.
As I stared at Wirun with a face full of questions, he noticed.
He chuckled softly and answered as if he’d expected this.
“It’s only natural that you’d wonder. Why would someone called a sage, an Archmage, create a technique instead of magic? That question is perfectly reasonable.”
I found myself nodding at his words.
I looked at him with unbridled curiosity.
Seeing my eager interest, Wirun continued.
“It’s precisely because this is not magic.”
“Not magic, you say?”
“Heh, to explain this, I must tell you about my beginning.”
“Yes, please do.”
“It’s not a particularly interesting story. But from the moment I first began studying magic, I harbored a certain question.”
Wirun said that and trailed off.
Then he took a sip of tea.
Wow, this place really knows how to brew tea perfectly.
Jin-woo’s expression grew impatient.
Wirun chuckled softly and continued.
“Why is magic not free?”
“Huh?”
“Magic is the act of performing small miracles using mana. Yet why must we pay a fixed amount of mana to produce only a predetermined level of power? I’ve harbored this question my entire life.”
“Oh!”
Not an interesting story?
This is incredibly fascinating!
What Wirun mentioned was actually a point many players had raised before.
In the Pantheon, which had been running for ten years, why was magic only implemented through skills?
The regret that there were no actual spells one could chant and cast.
But everyone knew it was unavoidable since it was a game.
So everyone had expressed their disappointment about that aspect.
But an NPC felt the same question and regret?
It was impossible not to find it fascinating.
Wait a moment?
Didn’t he say it was a technique he’d researched and developed his entire life?
That means…
“You’ve discovered that method!?”
“Hehehehe! Conversations with perceptive individuals are always so convenient.”
“But… are you saying you want to teach me that right now?”
This is insane. What is this?
I’m suddenly obtaining something like this?
It’s definitely going to be an incredibly difficult Quest.
It might even be more grueling than when I obtained the Holy Spear Brionac.
No, it’ll be far more difficult than the Demon Sword Gram.
This could become a long journey.
As expected.
A Quest window appeared.
“I was unable to master it myself, so I’ve been searching for a talented individual.”
“That means…”
“Yes, you are that talented individual.”
[Quest ‘The Aged Sage Wirun’s Wish’ has been created.]
[Do you accept?]
It appeared!
It’s here!
This is definitely Legendary.
A Legendary-tier or higher Quest!
I had already steeled myself.
“While I believe I fall short, if you deem me worthy of such a task, then I am prepared.”
Jin-woo spoke with humble modesty, yet his tone carried unmistakable confidence.
Whatever trials awaited me, I was certain I could endure them!
At Jin-woo’s earnest response, Wirun burst into hearty laughter.
“Hehehehe! The ambition of youth is truly enviable!”
Wirun’s robust laughter filled the air.
And then a message appeared.
[Quest ‘The Aged Sage Wirun’s Wish’ has been accepted.]
Following the acceptance message, the Quest window materialized.
However, something about its contents seemed peculiar.
Surely a Quest of such magnitude should involve tremendous hardship and adversity?
What was this?
It was extraordinarily strange.
Why, you ask?
[The Aged Sage Wirun’s Wish]
*Description: Wirun Wizen—the greatest archmage of the Deron Kingdom and one revered as a sage.
Since his initiation into the magical arts, he harbored a singular question.
Why must magic adhere to predetermined effects and consumption costs?
Through endless research born from the conviction that magic should be wielded freely, he discovered a method.
A way to cast magic with boundless freedom.
Yet, ravaged by age, he deemed himself incapable of mastering it and sought the most suitable talent to inherit his secret technique.
Satisfy all conditions Wirun presents and master the secret art he has created.
*Objective: Learn the Legendary+ skill ‘Sage’s Ultimate’.
*Reward: Access to Wirun’s Library
What was this?
Before the bewildered Jin-woo, Wirun smiled and handed something over.
“Here, take this. It is the wish of my entire life.”
“…?”
[You have obtained the Legendary+ item, Skill Book ‘Sage’s Ultimate’.]
“…?”
Even after receiving it, I remained dazed.
What was this?
Some kind of elaborate prank?
No, people didn’t use such expressions anymore.
No matter how I tried to process it, I couldn’t comprehend the situation.
Of course, after hearing Wirun’s subsequent explanation, I gained some understanding.
“Of course, you won’t be able to master it immediately. Acquiring that technique will require tremendous training and effort. Even for someone like you, who wields both the Holy Spear and the Magic Sword simultaneously, it will be difficult at first.”
Wirun spoke thus while grasping both of Jin-woo’s hands firmly, his eyes conveying an earnest plea.
Given how earnestly he spoke, it was abundantly clear that an extraordinarily difficult trial awaited me.
It was nothing less than a Legendary+ skill, after all.
Using it would surely come with incredibly demanding conditions and requirements.
The path ahead could prove truly arduous.
Wirun Wizen understood this, which was precisely why he was making such a heartfelt plea.
“I’ve wanted to give up so badly I could die. Would you be willing to master it while I’m still alive? Of course, I’m well aware of how truly difficult it is.”
His words continued on.
But the summary was simple.
It’s incredibly difficult!
I wanted to hear him out completely.
But I couldn’t.
Because of a single message appearing before my eyes.
[You have fulfilled all conditions through the effect of Godly Descent.]
[Will you use the Legendary+ Skill Book ‘Sage’s Ultimate’?]
‘Yes.’
I answered silently.
The Legendary+ item, the Skill Book ‘Sage’s Ultimate’, vanished.
Then a brilliant emerald light burst forth, swirling around me and gradually being absorbed into my body.
It was truly a spectacular sight.
So this is what the effect looks like when learning a Legendary+ skill!
Even I was left in awe.
“Guh-huh-uh-uh-uh!?”
Wirun Wizen convulsed as if seized by a fit, watching it all unfold.
A lifetime of yearning?
[Quest, ‘The Aging Sage, Wirun Wizen’s Wish’ has been completed!]
[Rewards have been granted.]
It was resolved instantly.
An unprecedented windfall.

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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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