I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 176

176

‘How perceptive, as expected.’

I had anticipated it.

In fact, even when I met Elijah, I was always wary of the Dark Energy adaptation test.

However, I had built enough rapport with Elijah beforehand that he didn’t suspect anything further and let it go.

Ayla seemed to want more reassurance about me. I could understand her position well enough.

In my past life, Ayla was very meticulous and didn’t easily allow loopholes.

Swish.

Soon, Dark Energy naturally seeped into my body.

Because it was the Dark Energy wielded by high-level black mages, the Apostles, it was difficult to detect easily.

In other words, ‘Followers’ like Belic might not even realize they were being scanned by Dark Energy.

If I hadn’t had a similar experience in my past life, my disguise would have been exposed, and this place would have immediately become a battlefield.

“By the way, it’s such a gloomy day today.”

I pretended to be oblivious, looking out the window while subtly holding onto the Dark Energy that had entered my body.

Earthlings have an innate defense mechanism against Dark Energy, unconditionally rejecting it.

So, a process of naturally accepting Dark Energy is necessary, and I immediately proceeded with that task.

‘I want to praise myself for doing so well. I was right to never let my guard down and consider all possibilities.’

I patted myself on the back.

My response was so appropriate that this level of praise wasn’t excessive at all.

As expected, Ayla’s expression, which had seemed somewhat serious, brightened up.

“Kang Shin-hwa, what was your name on the Nas Continent?”

“How could an Apostle possibly know my humble name… It was Jared. Jared Cantares.”

“The name of the first emperor of the old Krivia Empire! I’m sure Leccero wouldn’t have liked that very much, would he?”

“It was a noble name a thousand years ago, but now it’s one of the most common names.”

“Well, yes, that’s true. Hoho.”

I skillfully dodged the question, and Ayla laughed and moved on.

Again, I used the name of a ‘villain’ who had lost his life at my hands in a battle with Leccero in my past life.

He was actually a member of the Clizard Combat Unit. Since I was telling a lie based on fact, Ayla had no choice but to be fooled.

The ‘Nas Continent,’ which we Awakened called a fantasy continent, was a place full of wonders.

Especially the person named Jared, whom I used as an alias.

To be precise, the thousand-year-old emperor of the empire named ‘Jared von Ucaless’ had many interesting rumors.

For example, that he wasn’t a native but came from a modern civilization like ours…

Anyway, the result was a happy ending.

Ayla no longer gave me the narrow-eyed look that suggested she doubted my origins.

However, even after that, my conversation with Ayla for ‘ideological verification’ continued.

And throughout the conversation, what I felt from her was an immense animosity towards Earth’s civilization.

“Jared, what do you think? In my opinion, Earth’s Awakened system is a disaster for our continent.”

“I agree. Countless people have been dragged away without knowing why and are still wandering in other dimensions.”

“Many intelligent alien races were also dragged away. And they were labeled as monsters.”

“Many people must have been trapped in dungeons, and many died inside.”

“Damn Earthlings… What did we ever do to deserve this kind of crap….”

Grit.

Ayla’s expression, grinding her teeth and expressing her anger, seemed full of venom.

The Ayla I had seen in my past life, who seemed like a pure, kind, and gentle angel, was nowhere to be found.

What Ayla said to me now was what the beings from the Nas Continent, connected to Earth, would say as a matter of course in the future.

Most of them recognized us as enemies.

From 2025, when the Nas Continent and Earth were connected, it was truly a continuous ‘Great War.’

The prelude to the Five Years’ War began around gates connected to the entire world.

That’s why an expeditionary force was formed on a global scale around this time.

2030.

It was a completely different fate from the Mugang Continent, which was also connected to Earth and established an alliance in a friendly atmosphere.

‘I suddenly miss Makadi.’

Makadi Lykenia.

He was from the Nas Continent, which was considered a hostile continent, but he became a member of our Nine Lords.

He was also a prodigy whom Nicholas acknowledged – I heard that nonsense about being the 35th prodigy even then.

However, Makadi and Ayla’s relationship wasn’t as good as I thought, which is chilling when I think about it now.

Because Makadi had a tremendous aversion to the ‘Lechnat Order,’ led by Leccero.

Makadi was constantly criticizing, dissecting, savoring, and enjoying everything from the existence of the Dark Church to Leccero himself….

There was no way Ayla, an Apostle, would have liked Makadi. Everyone lightly dismissed their discord as a difference in personality, but thinking about it now, it’s terrifying.

“The Awakened from Earth are a race that must be destroyed someday. That’s what I think.”

Since I was going to disguise myself anyway, I diligently spouted words that were not in my heart to Ayla.

It would be foolish to draw a line awkwardly and act.

Gaining the trust of guys like Elijah and Ayla would allow me to obtain more important information.

The more they think we’re on the same side, the more they’ll open their hearts and share deep stories.

I plan to gather as much information as I can for now.

And later, when Nicholas regresses, I can organize the information and pass it on to him.

“That’s right. To do that, we need to create a large organization like Elijah’s or join a world organization….”

From Ayla’s words, smacking her lips with a smile, I could also read her long-standing scheme.

‘She’s been aiming for this since then.’

A large organization or a world organization.

The offer to join the Nine Lords that Nicholas, who had regressed, gave to Ayla was the chance of a lifetime.

To become an ally of a regressor who sees through everything in the future, no less.

What better way to infiltrate deep into enemy territory than that?

‘Nicholas, you stupid bastard!’

An expression I had never used in my past or present life came out involuntarily.

Stupid Nicholas!

To me, Nicholas was a perfect and intelligent being, like a protagonist in a novel. Like a god.

But… no.

He was a flawed guy who made mistakes here and there.

And I’m diligently cleaning up the mess in this life.

A long conversation lasting almost an hour.

Ayla praised me, saying that she felt like she had met someone who understood her after a long time.

“I have high expectations for you as an Apostle. Kang Shin-hwa, I hope you grow more and join my side if possible.”

“Is that a scouting offer?”

“Elijah’s faction, which I hate to see, is too big. Belic is doing all the lackey work anyway.”

“That’s right.”

“Then you, as a follower, should choose your line well, shouldn’t you? I have quite a wide network, you know.”

“Haha, thank you for your words.”

“Think about it carefully. Of course, this is a purely personal matter, and the official guild offer is still valid.”

“I will.”

“It was fun, Jared.”

“Thank you, Apostle.”

That’s how the disgusting conversation that made my insides boil from beginning to end came to an end.

And after ‘politely’ seeing Ayla off.

I returned to the accommodation with an ashen face. I felt more disgusted than ever before.

* * *

“Damn it! Retirement is only meaningful if there are no problems afterward, but what good is a damn retirement in a future where the reincarnation of hell is scheduled!”

As soon as I returned to my room, I punched the innocent bed, expressing my anger.

If I hadn’t controlled my strength to below 10%, no, 5%, not only the bed but also the floor of the room would have been blown away.

It was fortunate that I managed to maintain my reason and control my strength in the midst of it all.

Gulp, gulp. Gulp, gulp.

I emptied two cans of beer in one go to soothe my restless stomach.

I acted like a devoted follower in front of Ayla, as if I would give her my liver and gallbladder.

But that wasn’t my true intention.

So, the anger I felt when I turned around and was left alone was much greater than usual.

“Damn….”

Even when I first regressed.

I thought I could just work hard to earn money, build up my strength, and retire quickly as I remembered.

That’s why I thought it wouldn’t take more than three years at most.

That would be enough to deliberately run down the shortcut of life.

Then, even if not immediately, I firmly believed that Nicholas would regress in 2025.

Because his regression would also follow the ‘history’ of my past life. This was an unconditional prerequisite.

However, as much as I regressed without knowing why, I believed that Nicholas had made arrangements….

So, I also considered the possibility of him regressing earlier.

That was why I was always curious about Nicholas’s recent situation. Because he could regress even today.

But Nicholas’s regression was nowhere in sight, and even black幕 [black curtains – hidden schemes] that he didn’t know were popping up one after another.

“What the hell is this, like a string of Vienna sausages? What are you all doing, you bastards!”

Squeak- Squeak-.

Did I need a way to relieve my anger?

Unconsciously, I took out Wilson from subspace and gripped him until he was about to burst.

Of course, Wilson wouldn’t really burst, but I quickly released my strength when he made a painful sound.

“Sorry. Wilson, I’m sorry.”

Thump! Thump thump! Thump thump thump!

Perhaps because he was unexpectedly targeted for my anger, Wilson protested by bouncing on the floor repeatedly.

Seeing the cute guy calmed me down quite a bit… but a bitter feeling still remained.

‘Let’s think the other way around. It’s meaningless to dwell on who made the mistakes and blame them for what they missed.’

I refocused my thoughts.

The most useless thought in the world is blaming others. It never leads to a productive conclusion.

I had expressed enough anger, and now was the time to think rationally unconditionally.

‘Let’s think positively. If I hadn’t regressed and lived a normal life, I wouldn’t have met black幕 [black curtains – hidden schemes] like Elijah, Belic, or Ayla.’

I decided to give meaning to my own regression and its journey.

I had made achievements that caught their attention, and I had responded appropriately, so they revealed their true colors.

In a way, I had brought the traitors hiding in the shadows into the light.

Whether it was by chance or not.

Was that why?

An extremely ‘result-oriented interpretation’ that made my optimistic personality shine came to mind.

“Yeah, this is all a design! A grand design that I meticulously planned from the beginning. Isn’t that right?”

Yes!

This was a big picture that I had been drawing in a structured way since I regressed… my own big picture.