The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 72

72. Combat Experiment

The battle began with the ogre’s roar.

-Kuaaaaaaaaah!!!!!

Thump-!

The fireball soared into the sky and struck the ogre’s face.

Flames erupted, and a gray mist filled the air.

The principal, witnessing the power of the catapult hitting the ogre’s face, shouted with excitement.

“Y-Yes! That’s it!”

But the battle wasn’t over.

The principal hurriedly ordered a reload.

At the principal’s command, the soldiers of Manaan’s Second Faction rushed to reload.

Some teachers evacuated the children inside the school.

School teachers generally followed the principal’s orders, but the safety of the children came first.

However, the corrupted principal and some teachers didn’t care about the children.

They were only focused on the monster in front of them.

-Kuuhhhhh……!

The ogre, thought to be defeated, quickly regained consciousness.

Thick gray smoke was rising from various parts of its body, but the alien creature was unfazed.

Rather, it roared as if even more enraged.

-Kuaaaaaaaaah-!!!!

The earth trembled, a desperate roar shaking the city.

It was a massive cry that made those who heard it for the first time feel weak in the knees.

Just the sound alone was pure terror to humans, who had been the predators.

Thump, thump, thump, thump……!

The ogre began to rush forward again.

The barricades at the main gate, which they had worked so hard to build, were no match for the ogre.

The ogre crushed everything as it pushed forward.

The principal, facing this head-on, screamed.

“Shoot! Shoot! Kill it! Kill it!!!”

Drrrrr- Shushushushuk!

As the ogre charged, the sky filled with catapult stones.

The stones floating in the sky rained down on the ogre.

Thudududududuk! Thudududududuk!

The size of one catapult stone was like a soccer ball.

An ordinary human would die instantly if hit, but to the ogre, it was just slightly larger hail.

Breaking through all the hail, the ogre advanced and raised both hands high.

-Kuaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!

“……!”

“……Ugh…… Ughaaa!!!!”

The Manaan teachers who were operating the catapults were busy running away.

The ogre clenched its raised hands tightly and crushed the catapults they had worked on for a year in an instant.

Kwa-ang!!!!!!!!

It was utterly shattered.

It was an overwhelming force capable of flattening a city bus.

The ogre didn’t stop there, wildly tearing apart the crushed catapults.

Some brave teachers grabbed Molotov cocktails and spears, charging at the ogre.

Like ancient people hunting mammoths.

Clang-! Hwaruruk……!

Flames instantly erupted in the area, filled only with their desperate cries.

The elementary schoolyard, where children should have been playing, now resembled a battlefield.

Thump, thump, thump!

The ogre relentlessly pounded the humans with its fists.

Every time it swung, countless people were sent flying into the air.

A one-sided battle ensued.

But their resistance was not without effect.

As the battle continued, the ogre’s stamina gradually decreased, and the soldiers of the Second Faction, noticing this, focused their remaining firepower on the ogre.

Molotov cocktails and spears continued to fly.

The teachers of Manaan’s Second Faction pushed the ogre back.

And finally, they brought down the giant creature.

Thump!

Creating a cloud of snow and wind, the ogre fell to the ground.

The principal didn’t miss this opportunity.

“Just a little more……!”

“Kill that monster bastard!!!”

“Everyone charge-!!!”

People from the Second Faction began to climb onto the fallen ogre.

A desperate roar echoed, and people simultaneously plunged spears into its body.

Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack-!

Like the Lilliputians [tiny people] hunting the giant in *Gulliver’s Travels*, they didn’t stop stabbing.

The principal also didn’t give up, climbing onto the ogre with a trophy in hand.

“Die! Die! You monster bastard! You monster bastard!”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The trophy that the school children once held.

It was a trophy that Anyang Elementary School children received at the National Elementary School Swimming Competition.

But now, the trophy was being used as a weapon by the principal.

Using the sharp end as a weapon.

Soon, the ogre’s life was coming to an end.

The ogre slumped down, breathing heavily.

The principal, on top of the ogre’s belly, was convinced of victory and roared.

“Puhahahaha! Look at this! We won!!! The First Faction guys are nothing!”

Although there were countless bodies of people sacrificed to catch one ogre around him, the principal was roaring in the immediate victory.

But that was a delusion.

“Puhaha……! Puhahahahaha! ……Ugh!”

That’s when it happened.

Pyoong-.

A small hole appeared in the principal’s forehead as he roared.

“…….”

Woong woong woong.

A small iron ball pierced the principal’s forehead and floated in the air.

The iron ball had destructive penetrating power, like a bullet.

Jureureuk.

Red blood flowed down the principal’s wrinkled forehead.

“Keheok…… Heo…… Heoeok……!”

The principal fell forward with the ogre.

The soldiers of the Second Faction were shocked and looking for the person who fired the projectile.

And they all soon looked at one place.

“…….”

A man was walking from the main gate where snowstorms and flames were rising.

It was Kang Si-On, who had awakened through a year of training.

* * *

Woong woong woong.

Numerous spheres were rotating around Si-On.

Soldiers, intimidated by his overwhelming presence and gait, froze in place.

The projectile flew silently.

Its destructive power was comparable to a bullet.

People who had been using car doors as shields gathered in one place.

“Don’t be afraid……! The enemy is just one person!”

“Get rid of him!!!”

“Kill him!!!!”

The people with shields began to advance little by little.

Dozens of people reorganized their ranks and slowly advanced again in the burning schoolyard.

Only one person was confronting them.

Whirr-.

Si-On moved his finger.

Then, dozens of spheres that had been circling around him soared into the sky.

The spheres were all artifacts that obeyed Si-On’s commands.

Over the past year, Si-On had honed the movement, destructive power, and speed of the spheres from Jae-Hee.

The ability to utilize artifacts was directly proportional to the amount of practice.

Now his ability was surpassing that of most players.

It was all thanks to Jin Jae-Hee’s guidance.

As Si-On dropped his finger from top to bottom, the spheres began to pour down from the sky towards the soldiers.

Before his spheres, shields were helpless, and human skin scattered like pudding.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-ba-bak-!!!!!!!!!!

They were crushed and killed without even screaming.

The ogre’s power was outstanding.

It was just one, but it neutralized the core forces of Manaan’s Second Faction.

It also killed dozens of people and took the enemy’s firepower head-on.

But Si-On far surpassed the ogre’s power.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-ba-bak!!!!!

According to Si-On’s hand movements.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-bak!!!!

According to his commands.

Hudududududududuk!!!!!

The spheres flew freely, mercilessly slaughtering every soldier with a weapon.

Si-On did not kill civilians.

He did not attack soldiers of the faction who had lost their will to fight, only killing the soldiers who charged at him.

The second round of the league proceeded differently from the first round.

In the first round, when the king died, everyone belonging to that faction died.

But from the second round, it was different.

It was about taking everything from the opposing lord.

Territory, resources, gold, and achievement points.

The surviving residents of the Second Faction were all resources that would become valuable labor in Si-On’s faction.

“…….”

After some time of slaughter.

After killing all the soldiers gathered in the schoolyard, his spheres stopped.

It was a horrific scene.

The soldiers who met their death at the hands of the ogre were rather fortunate; Si-On’s attack was merciless.

‘……Can I handle the grunts with the spheres?’

Si-On withdrew the spheres.

Then, dozens of spheres scattered around the schoolyard instantly gathered in Si-On’s grasp.

This was the power of the artifact.

It was Si-On’s overwhelming power.

‘I didn’t even need to use ‘Awakening’.’

Si-On didn’t even need to use his newly awakened power.

Si-On sighed after taking care of everything.

But that’s when it happened.

“?!”

Wheik-.

Sensing the murderous intent, Si-On immediately reached out his hand.

Then the spheres scattered again, shooting towards the target.

But Si-On, having discovered the enemy, immediately clenched his fist.

Uduk.

At Si-On’s command, the spheres that were attacking the enemy stopped in mid-air.

The children’s sobs were heard.

“…….”

“……Keuheueueu. Heueueueueu.”

“Bad…… Mister…… Bad Mister……!!!”

There, the children were holding crude spears, crying and glaring at Si-On.

They were children belonging to Manaan’s Second Faction.

And they were probably Si-On’s younger brother, Jun-Ho’s friends.

Jun-Ho was also in the 6th grade, 1st class of Anyang Elementary School.

“Our teacher……! Our teacher……!”

“You villain! Villain……!”

“Bring them back……! Bring them back……!”

The children cried and shouted at Si-On, and Si-On withdrew the spheres.

From afar, Jin Jae-Hee and Choi Myung-Joon’s troops were approaching to clean up the battlefield.

Behind them, three ogres were thumping along.

Si-On looked at them and then looked at the already fallen ogre.

-Kureureuk…… Ugh…… Kureureureu……!

It twitched for a while and then lifted its upper body again.

The ogre’s body regenerates no matter how damaged it is.

Until its head is cut off.

The subjugation of Manaan’s Second Faction ended like this.

The damage to Kyung, Si-On’s faction, was zero.

There was none at all.

* * *

“Are you cold?”

“No…….”

“Are you hungry?”

“No…….”

Jin Jae-Hee slowly entered the schoolyard.

And looked at Si-On.

Si-On was squatting down, comforting a crying girl.

Jae-Hee slowly approached him.

But Choi Myung-Joon quickly passed Jin Jae-Hee and approached Si-On first.

“Hyungnim [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend]-! It’s really amazing!”

Choi Myung-Joon clenched his fist and repeatedly exclaimed, looking at the horrific battlefield.

“As expected of Hyungnim! Wow-. Are you really the Hyungnim I knew who couldn’t fight? How did you handle dozens of people alone? I was really impressed. Even just watching from afar, the teachers’ guts and blood……!”

“Choi Myung-Joon.”

Si-On, still comforting the girl, called out to Choi Myung-Joon.

Commander-in-Chief was the position Choi Myung-Joon held.

He was the commander-in-chief who oversaw all the troops within the faction.

Choi Myung-Joon was startled by Si-On’s low voice and answered in a trembling voice.

“Y-Yes! Hyungnim……?”

“Watch your words.”

Si-On cautioned him, concerned about the children.

“Ah…… Yes, Yes! I’m sorry.”

Choi Myung-Joon scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.

At that moment, Jin Jae-Hee approached Choi Myung-Joon and gently pushed his shoulder.

Jin Jae-Hee coldly pushed him away.

“Do you have no manners?”

Then Choi Myung-Joon also frowned and shouted.

“What?…… Are you crazy?”

“……Shall I kill you?”

“Try killing me. You X-bal.”

Whether the two were arguing or not, Si-On comforted the girl.

The girl was still shedding tears as big as beans, wiping her eyes endlessly with her dainty clenched fists.

The girl sobbed and mixed hiccups as she asked Si-On.

“……Did you…… Did you really have to. Hicc!……Attack…… the teachers…… like that? Hicc……! Just…… Just…… If we had talked it out…… Of course…… Of course the principal was bad too…… Hicc! But still…… Adults…… Always…… Always do this…… Telling us to reconcile with words…… But they always…… Always fight themselves…… Hueeing…… Hicc!”

“…….”

Si-On thought for a moment in front of the child’s crying.

He soon opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry. That’s how the world is.”

The words ‘That’s how the world is.’

Si-On thought that even though it was a word he had uttered, it was truly unconvincing.

But even from Si-On’s point of view, if he hadn’t subjugated the Second Faction, there would be no future.

Still, Si-On only subjugated the combat forces.

The surviving citizens, teachers, and children were being controlled by the soldiers.

“It’s okay now. Let’s go to my city.”

Si-On stroked the child’s head and stood up.

And called out to the two.

“Jin Jae-Hee. Choi Myung-Joon.”

“Yeah.”

“Yes!”

The two, who had been exchanging harsh words with each other, focused on Si-On’s words.

Si-On ordered Choi Myung-Joon.

“You clean up the battlefield and start preparing for colonization. Summon each of the unit leaders here, and you are responsible for the necessary forces and escorts.”

“I will obey.”

Choi Myung-Joon immediately bowed to Si-On and moved to clean up the battlefield.

Si-On sent the girl to a nearby soldier and began walking with Jin Jae-Hee.

Jae-Hee spoke to him first.

“You did well. The artifact’s power and speed have been upgraded even further. Honestly, it’s beyond my expectations. At this rate, you’ll be able to beat most B-class players.”

In fact, Jae-Hee wanted to run to him first and praise him.

Honestly, from Jae-Hee’s point of view, she couldn’t help but be moved.

The training over the past year.

It must have been like hell for Si-On.

So she wanted to welcome Si-On first.

But Choi Myung-Joon stole that opportunity, and she was instantly annoyed.

Si-On was still walking silently beside her.

When he didn’t answer, Jae-Hee spoke again.

“How was it? The feeling.”

It was a question about the artifact.

Of course, Jae-Hee had watched his battle from beginning to end, but what was important was the feeling Si-On himself felt.

“Are you asking about the feeling of killing?”

Si-On glanced at Jae-Hee and asked.

Startled by the sound, Jae-Hee quickly lowered her head and asked again.

“No…… That’s not it. I’m talking about the power. Was there any problem.”

Artifacts consume mental power.

If you use too much power, you could become anemic and dangerous, so Jin Jae-Hee was constantly watching him.

To save him whenever he was in danger.

At that question, Si-On clenched and unclenched his fist, pondered, and then answered.

“It was okay. I didn’t even need ‘Awakening 1’, and above all, the fact that one ogre neutralized the enemy’s defensive power is significant.”

“Yeah. I’m glad that the ogre’s ability was more overwhelming than I thought. It seems like there will be no problem preparing for the war with Dong-An District.”

Si-On stopped as he walked through the battlefield.

When he stopped, Jin Jae-Hee also stopped.

And Si-On looked at the bodies with holes in them all over the schoolyard and asked.

“How are those guys doing?”

“…….”

Recently, there have been existences that threaten Si-On’s forces.

It is also true that the morale of the residents has declined because of their existence.

Jin Jae-Hee was silent for a while and then answered with difficulty.

“Actually, it’s not that good.”

Existences that have recently bothered Si-On.

Perhaps there have never been existences that have bothered him this much.

They are.