I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 157

157

‘I’m going to unleash even more powerful attacks.’

He would relentlessly unleash attacks with even more force than before.

Shin Hwa intended to make Mok Jin-woo use his signature attack pattern, aiming to bait him into a calculated move.

If Mok Jin-woo thought it was a decisive blow to end his opponent, the backlash from being caught off guard would naturally be significant.

“Here I come!”

Soon, Mok Jin-woo, having maximized his power, clashed with Shin Hwa.

* * *

‘Indeed, he’s an SS+ rank. I admit it. He deserves to be the master commanding Korea’s largest guild.’

In the heat of the battle, Shin Hwa genuinely acknowledged Mok Jin-woo’s skill.

Mok Jin-woo, with his keen eye, constantly discerned Shin Hwa’s liquidization and acceleration abilities, harassing him relentlessly.

Of course, he paid the price by sustaining several injuries, but conversely, he also managed to wound Shin Hwa.

Mok Jin-woo was on a different level from the guys who would panic and crumble whenever Shin Hwa used his liquidization, acceleration, or steel enhancement abilities.

Even when he allowed attacks to land, he used them as feedback, ensuring he wouldn’t fall for the same attack again.

‘I’ve been fighting too easily. I was arrogant. I still have a lot to fill in my notes.’

As the battle intensified, Shin Hwa paradoxically calmed down, objectively observing his skills.

It was a review that only someone who had spent decades fighting in his past life could do with such expertise.

Looking at oneself in a perfectly objective state is very difficult.

Especially when that objectification is done in front of an SS+ rank opponent while risking one’s life.

Scattered blood.

Flowing thick drops of sweat.

In the intersection of sharp points and lines where swords and fists constantly collided.

Shin Hwa was silently guiding Mok Jin-woo’s calculated moves.

‘In 2024, Park Do-hyuk, a promising Korean and global talent, also died at Mok Jin-woo’s hands. There were more than a few innocent talents who died by his hand.’

Mok Jin-woo’s misdeeds were so numerous that listing them was meaningless.

If he were left alive, he would continue to accumulate numerous evil deeds, like a mountain.

‘The turning point of regression is for moments like this. The evildoer who deserves to die must be killed in advance!’

The singularity that Nicholas emphasized so much, making the current history different from the future history!

He thought now was the time to create that meaningful singularity.

Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter.

They looked at each other’s wounds.

Even without speaking, they were aware of the other’s injuries and bleeding. They also knew that prolonging the fight would lead to fatal wounds.

The next moment!

“……!”

Shin Hwa could clearly see Mok Jin-woo’s vulnerability being activated.

It was a fatal gap that he had never revealed until now, even while panting for breath.

It was a sweet temptation that, if he could aim properly, seemed to be able to end Mok Jin-woo’s life for sure.

‘Attack the weakness of the weakness.’

A calculated move that perfectly twisted the calculated move!

Without hesitation, Shin Hwa rushed into the pit of temptation that had opened wide as if to show off.

Shin Hwa’s body, propelled like a spring, quickly plunged into the trap that Mok Jin-woo had dug.

When Shin Hwa was more than 99% sure that he had fallen for his calculated move!

A smile appeared on Mok Jin-woo’s face, stained with blood and sweat.

‘You can’t help it either, Kang Shin Hwa. I admit it. You were quite a cool guy.’

Watching Shin Hwa pouring all his strength into the wrong place, Mok Jin-woo unleashed a blow filled with magic.

One-hit kill. Decisive strike.

It was time to forcefully strike down the neck of the enemy who had buried his head deep in the allure of sweet temptation.

“……!”

Of course, there was a price to pay for it.

He had to use more magic than he could handle for the rapid maneuver, which directly led to internal injuries.

But if he could somehow cut down the enemy, a self-sacrificing plan was always welcome.

“Die!”

Thwack!

The sound of Mok Jin-woo’s desperate cry and something being pierced by the sword were heard simultaneously.

Splat!

Following that, high into the sky.

Against the backdrop of the bright white full moon, thick streaks of blood beautifully embroidered the sky.

It was too much blood to be shed by one person, a scene that signaled a fatal blow had been struck.

“Ah……?”

Everything stopped.

Shin Hwa, and Mok Jin-woo.

And the sword that Mok Jin-woo was holding, and the weapon of Shin Hwa’s right arm.

“It’s over. Our battle is…….”

“Ah…….”

Their gazes crossed.

Shin Hwa was staring at his right arm, which was all stained with blood.

Mok Jin-woo was looking down at his left chest, which had been coolly pierced, with a bewildered expression.

Slash!

“Kuaaaa!”

Shin Hwa dragged the blade straight down to the lower right, centered on the left chest that had been pierced in one blow.

Mok Jin-woo could no longer bear it and screamed as the pain of flesh and bones being torn and crushed came over him.

He was completely caught.

Mok Jin-woo realized it then.

Shin Hwa had caught not only his net but also himself in an even bigger net.

It was a strategy that attacked the weakness of the weakness, aiming once again at his design to unfold a calculated move.

If this variable had occurred in the early stages of the battle or during sporadic engagements, it would have ended with a serious injury.

Unfortunately, it was a huge aftermath because it was unfolded as the ‘final blow’ for each other to cut off the other’s breath.

Because it was a calculated move with life as collateral, the target who lost in that calculated move had no choice but to lose his life.

Thud! Thud!

Blood poured out incessantly from the deep wound that had cut through the chest and even the peritoneum [the membrane lining the abdominal cavity].

The sight of the internal organs coming out through the gap was grotesque and accompanied by terrible pain.

“Mok Jin-woo.”

“…….”

“It was a good fight. If you had hesitated for just one more minute, I would have had to reconsider another method.”

“Cough!”

Instead of an answer, all he could do was spit out regurgitating blood.

The wound inflicted by Shin Hwa was so deep and painful that even uttering a few words felt like a luxury.

“Thanks to you, I felt keenly what I need to improve. After all, the best teacher is a strong enemy.”

“Ka, Kang Shin Hwa……. How did you?”

“How did I read your calculated move?”

Mok Jin-woo nodded his head with difficulty.

He wanted to know.

How on earth did he figure out the sharp design that others couldn’t even guess?

“I saw it in the future.”

“……What?”

“I’m a regressor. You don’t believe it, do you? Well, I don’t want you to believe me anyway.”

Shin Hwa revealed his secret to victory without hesitation.

Even if he knew, he didn’t think he could tell this news alive.

Or he thought it didn’t matter if it was known.

He was just hiding the fact that he was a regressor because he didn’t want to be bothered.

It wouldn’t be just Shin Hwa himself who would be curious about the future to come.

Besides, he hated being recognized by people as someone who could see through the future.

Of course, it would be an exception in the case of people who are close and tight-lipped, like Lee Ha-sung or Jin Bo-mi.

“Re, regression…….”

“I still have a long way to go. Starting from F-rank, it really makes me think that EX-rank is really far away.”

“Cough. Ptooey!”

A handful of blood clots falling down was clearly proving that Mok Jin-woo had little time left.

It was futile.

As an SS+ rank Awakened [a person with superhuman abilities], he was an outstanding ability user who had shaken up the entire landscape of Korean guilds.

Everything was going smoothly, so much so that he thought he could soon aim for SSS-rank.

But starting with the bad relationship with Shin Hwa in the Shinchon Station area, many things went wrong.

Everything he had planned was ruined by him.

Of course, he still thought it was the best condition!

Looking at it now, it was just his ‘talent show’ playing on Shin Hwa’s palm without knowing his grand design.

‘If Kang Shin Hwa is right, then this world…… is harboring an ability user that I can’t even handle?’

To think that he was thinking about the returning situation even while dying. Mok Jin-woo burst into a hollow laugh.

He didn’t believe the fact that he was a regressor, but looking at Shin Hwa’s rampage so far, he understood it to some extent.

If he was already skilled enough to aim for a fatal blow to take his life by targeting his gap as an SS+ rank from B+ rank.

In the future, many formidable skilled people may fall in front of Shin Hwa.

He now understood why guys like Park Hyung-san and Jeilgeon died so tragically.

‘He was a monster.’

This was Mok Jin-woo’s overall assessment.

A monster who was quietly hiding his claws.

He quietly waited for the time.

And with just one reveal of his claws, he had surely cut off the prey’s breath.

But by some unfortunate coincidence…… it was himself who was the victim. Unfairly.

‘The sense of alienation I felt in the attacks that made the difference in power meaningless throughout the battle. The feeling that he was seeing through everything about me. All of this was not a wrong guess.’

A loser’s review, so to speak.

Mok Jin-woo was slowly savoring the fear he had felt towards Shin Hwa in his fading fate.

“Now, Korea will be different. Your death will be a good signal flare. One thing is certain.”

“…….”

“It will be much brighter and more prosperous than the previous life in which you lived a long and healthy life.”

“Is the future’s sin…… for the current me to take the blame……?”

“It’s not about taking the blame. It’s about receiving the judgment you’ll receive later in advance. Even today, you were trying to kill Kim Jae-rim, weren’t you?”

There was nothing to say.

To put it coldly, he couldn’t say that Mok Jin-woo himself was ‘innocent’.

“If you think that the charges that will be revealed in front of King Yama [a deity who judges the dead in East Asian mythology] later have been reduced a little, you’ll feel much more comfortable.”

“Kang Shin Hwa…….”

“Farewell. Thanks to you, I learned a lot, so I’ll have to make up for it now. If you have anything to review, do it in the afterlife now.”

“Th, th, th……!”

Before Mok Jin-woo could finish his words.

Whoosh!

Shin Hwa, who grabbed his hair, cut the middle of Mok Jin-woo’s neck, which he had lifted with all his might, with a sword.

It was a fatal blow that surely cut off his breath, making him unable to even scream.

Swoosh!

A fountain of blood splattered forward, and Mok Jin-woo’s body fell backward like a deflated doll.

It was the end of a person who, until a few hours ago, had dominated the guild landscape of Korea.

It was too shabby and pathetic to see as the end.

“It’s a shame. I can’t absorb the flower’s ability that the dead person had.”

Shin Hwa made a regretful expression.

If he could make the Flower of Distortion his own, he would be able to further increase his repertoire of space utilization.

Of course, there were plenty of ways to get similar flowers. It’s just that the process is a bit complicated.

“…….”

Shin Hwa closed Mok Jin-woo’s eyes, which were still wide open, and took what he needed from his body.

First, the Full Moon Sword that Mok Jin-woo had used so skillfully until just now.

It was an artifact that was judged to be S-rank, and it was a famous sword whose sharpness was unparalleled.

He wouldn’t use it as his main weapon, but it was a good sword to use as a support to the point of being excessive.

And next is right.

“Actually, I was greedy for this ring. Of course, that’s not why I fought.”

Shin Hwa carefully took off a matte black ring from the middle finger of Mok Jin-woo’s right hand.

It was right to upgrade Shin Hwa’s magic power utilization by one step, no, two steps from now on!

It was a definite reward acquisition.