I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 212

212. Might as Well Die Saying What I Want!

I figured, if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well say what I want and die with a clear conscience.

“You know as well as I do that the Apostles and their followers killed a lot of people in the process of establishing themselves in this world.”

“I… suppose so.”

Even Shin Hwa didn’t know the story of when the Apostles and their followers first came to Earth.

“From the beginning, I opposed Lecherous’s insane plan. I didn’t understand why we, who were doing well enough on the Nas Continent, had to sow the seeds of evil in another dimension.”

“…….”

An interesting story was unfolding.

Now that it was certain that Jang Dong-shik was an Apostle, every word he spoke carried deep meaning.

“But in the end, I was sent here. The reason was simple. My family members on the Nas Continent were taken hostage.”

“So you were forced to commit evil deeds?”

“Evil deeds… That’s a good way to put it. Yes, I was forced to commit evil deeds that I never wanted to do. I may have practiced black magic, but my heart wasn’t tainted with malice.”

“Keep talking.”

“So, as soon as I arrived on Earth, I awakened and completely changed my face. So that no trace of the past would remain.”

“I figured.”

“I decided to forget that I was even an Apostle of Pentanus. Fortunately, I had good manual skills, so I had no problem making a living. It was also easy to grow stronger on my own using the equipment I made.”

“Did you make the knuckles too?”

“I modified an existing artifact. Even Seok-cheol *hyung* [older brother/male friend] can’t do that. Only I can.”

I could definitely feel the pride of a craftsman from Jang Dong-shik as he spoke emphatically.

“Impressive.”

“Anyway, I gave up my life as an Apostle and lived as an ordinary Awakened. Then I met a woman I loved, and we promised to spend our lives together.”

“So why did the problem arise?”

“Are you trying to mock me, Kang Shin-hwa? You’re a follower of that Valcadia bastard, and you’re asking me that without knowing?”

“How should I explain this… Explaining isn’t really my forte.”

Shin Hwa frowned.

There was too much to say to explain everything from start to finish. Shin Hwa continued.

“Jang Dong-shik, I have no ill feelings towards you. Rather, I’m in a position where I want to help if I can.”

“Can you say that you have no ties to the Revengers at all?”

“Why are you bringing up the Revengers here?”

“Because the Apostle Valcadia is the leader of the Revengers. At the same time, he was also the representative of our Apostles.”

“Shit…….”

A curse word came out of Shin Hwa’s mouth.

The outline was now clear.

One of the five Apostles, VVIP, had lost his life at his hands, so there were four survivors from Pentanus.

Elijah, Isla, and then.

The identities of the other two were unknown, but now it was confirmed. It was Jang Dong-shik and the leader of the Revengers.

Jang Dong-shik called him Valcadia, but the current leader of the Revengers’ name was ‘Livain’.

My uneasy premonitions were right! It seemed that all the influential forces in the Awakened world were connected to the Apostles.

It seemed that Jang Dong-shik was the only one who was quietly living alone, buried among the people.

Shin Hwa said firmly.

“I’m not an Apostle, I’m not a follower, and I’m definitely not someone who came from the Nas Continent.”

Jang Dong-shik wouldn’t have lied when he was about to die.

The animosity he had towards the Apostles and the revulsion he had towards Lecherous’s ‘plan’ seemed greater than he thought.

From the Apostle’s point of view, Jang Dong-shik seemed more like a defector within the Apostles.

Perhaps today, when he encountered Jang Dong-shik by chance and misunderstanding, would be a meaningful turning point.

He couldn’t trust Jang Dong-shik 100%, but it seemed certain that he had a dislike for the Apostles and Lecherous’s plan.

“Then the ring…….”

“I got it by chance. Really by chance.”

“Do you think I’ll believe that?”

“If I don’t kill you here, wouldn’t that be a bit of proof of my faith?”

“You’re going to spare me……?”

“Because there’s no reason to kill you. And I can kill you anytime I want if I set my mind to it.”

“That’s an undeniable fact.”

Jang Dong-shik wore a bitter expression at Shin Hwa’s words. He was a loser who had been beaten black and blue by Shin Hwa.

“I’ll say it again. I have no ill feelings towards you.”

“…….”

“And I can help you in any way you need.”

“Kang Shin-hwa, Valcadia secretly infiltrated the country without anyone knowing and tried to kill me. When that failed, he killed my beloved wife. He had been watching me closely since I became prominent in the Awakened world, and he succeeded in detecting the dark energy nearby. He asked me to join him in the cause, but I refused, and the result was tragic.”

“An Apostle killed an Apostle’s wife……?”

“No border or boundary can stop him. Can you deal with a grim reaper who will suddenly come to you one day?”

“I’ll have to deal with him if I have to.”

“If you’re confident that you can stab Valcadia, or Livain, in the back, then I’ll believe you. But not now.”

“Jang Dong-shik, then I hope you’ll contact me whenever you need my help. I’ll really help you.”

“……Everything is confusing.”

Jang Dong-shik shook his head.

They already had a way to contact each other. They had exchanged contact information when he requested the automated process earlier.

However, neither Shin Hwa nor Jang Dong-shik knew each other well.

They had no choice but to be wary of each other because they couldn’t trust each other completely.

“Don’t think too complicatedly, just look at the present. I had a Clizard combat unit ring as you said, but I didn’t kill you.”

“A bigger picture…….”

“Is there a need to draw a picture? It’s a problem that ends when I kill you, so why would I do something meaningless?”

Jang Dong-shik couldn’t answer Shin Hwa’s words. It was a plausible statement at first glance.

“I don’t know.”

“Think for yourself. If Valcadia is going to come after you, contact me. If he’s in the country, I’ll rush over whenever it is.”

“……Okay.”

“That knuckle, I’m so jealous. If I hadn’t deliberately blocked it, my head would have been smashed a long time ago.”

Shin Hwa gave Jang Dong-shik a thumbs up and left the scene.

Unlike Jang Dong-shik, who was barely sitting down in a state of exhaustion, Shin Hwa’s back was still full of energy.

* * *

“Keuh… It’s been a while since I fought so hard without holding back.”

I returned to the safe house and collapsed on the marble floor, completely exhausted.

The warmth that filled the house made me feel the fatigue rushing in all at once.

-Shin Hwa! What’s wrong! Are you hurt anywhere?

“No, I’m okay. I’m just a little tired. I’m sure I smell like sweat and rain, so go away.”

-Take a shower! You stink!

“Hey… That’s a completely different temperature from the comment you just made when you were worried about me.”

-I came to my senses because you said you were okay! That’s why!

“So you were worried about me after all?”

-If Shin Hwa isn’t around, I have to worry about my meals! Of course I’m worried!

“Wow… I like how realistic the reason is. Okay, I need to take a shower and lie down again. I’m so damn tired.”

As Shami said, I got up again and headed straight to the shower room.

The battle with Jang Dong-shik wasn’t long.

However, each blow we exchanged was so destructive that it made my bones ache and my flesh twist.

The power of the knuckles was beyond imagination.

There was something special about Jang Dong-shik’s knuckles that went beyond the level of an artifact.

In terms of firepower alone, one fist strike using the knuckles was equivalent to the seventh form of Explosive Fist.

I was able to withstand it, but if it had been a normal S-rank Awakened, they would have died instantly. I could guarantee it.

Swishhhhh.

I stood quietly for a long time, entrusting my body to the showerhead pouring out hot water.

Somehow, today, the puzzle about Lecherous’s five Apostles was completed by chance.

Elijah of the Elijah Group.

Isla Blanchett of Golden Sky.

Livain, the leader of the Revengers.

And even the craftsman Jang Dong-shik.

I had already met Elijah and Isla, and their sense of purpose as Apostles was clear.

And in the case of Livain, if he was trying to punish him directly, thinking of him as a ‘defector’ as Jang Dong-shik said.

That means he is also faithful to his duty as an Apostle.

In other words, the three, excluding Jang Dong-shik, are Apostles who faithfully carry out the mission given by Lecherous.

But Jang Dong-shik was unique.

I believed his words because he wouldn’t have lied to me, his ‘enemy’, when he was about to die.

‘If I can win over Jang Dong-shik or make him my ally…….’

There is one more definite advantage.

The betrayal and cooperation of an insider can be a powerful blow that can stab the enemy’s heart at any time.

“Things are really progressing frantically.”

After visiting the Secret Dungeon.

The situation surrounding me began to reverse rapidly, and it seemed that the speed of development was accelerating tremendously.

‘If you make a positive turning point at the inflection point of regression, the future will be brighter beyond control.’

‘But you know what? On the other hand, if you make a serious negative turning point, the butterfly effect will eventually become a typhoon. It’s beyond your control.’

‘And I was convinced as I reviewed my life before regression. The fact that many things suddenly happened means that the most important inflection point has occurred!’

Nicholas’s words from his past life naturally came to mind.

Perhaps it was what he said as he revealed his feelings after stopping the Great Cataclysm.

At the time, I was picking my ears and listening half-heartedly as if it were someone else’s story, but now that I think about it, it was quite meaningful.

“Is it now?”

I wondered.

Is the fact that so many things are suddenly happening beyond my control the inflection point?

“Haa.”

A sigh came out involuntarily.

For a long time, I had no choice but to entrust my body to the strong stream of the showerhead to soothe my complicated mind.

A frustrating feeling with white smoke constantly coming out of my head. It was the feeling I hated the most.

* * *

After that day.

Time passed quickly, and it was already April 10th.

In the meantime, Shin Hwa went to Australia as he had promised Isla in advance.

He made enhancement potions for them and sold them on the spot, and in return, he succeeded in obtaining the necessary plants from a number of dungeons.

The number of plant species he brought back, including Katra, was as many as 20.

Of course, many of the local Awakeners were wondering why Shin Hwa was collecting these plants.

The most representative was Katra.

It was known as a poisonous plant, and even if you ate it because it tasted bad, it would only have side effects, so he brought back a lot of it.

‘I’ve built a solid cover friendship for now.’

While Shin Hwa was heading to the dummy dungeon where Dient was, he recalled what had happened with Isla.

He tried hard to look good to Isla on purpose, using all sorts of flattery.

The reason was simple.

The most fatal thing for an opponent is a dagger stabbed in the back with a smiling face.

Shin Hwa intended to completely disguise himself until he revealed his true colors to Apostles like Elijah or Isla someday.

After all, they were black magicians who had been taught and raised under the cunning and evil figure of Lecherous.

He could never underestimate them.