I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 23

23.

5 minutes later.

“Kehehehehk.”

“Kkeuaek.”

The two sentinels that Kale sent as vanguards had their heads explode from my attacks in quick succession.

I had transformed my right arm into the shape of a mace, striking their heads with its heavy end.

It was a one-hit-kill attack that capitalized on the fact that the sentinels’ skulls were particularly weak and thin.

“…….”

Kale, who had been glaring at me from a distance, took a slight step back.

Fssst. Fsssst.

Soon, he began to create multiple clones of himself.

“I feel this every time I see it, but I’m really jealous of your cloning ability.”

Clap clap.

I applauded Kale.

It was a skill I genuinely envied.

If I could deceive my opponent with another version of myself that looked exactly like me, my repertoire of attacks would also become more diverse.

Whoosh!

Soon, Kale and his clones scattered in three directions.

He seemed to be planning to confuse me by using his clones based on his quick mobility.

The clones’ attack power wasn’t high, only about 10%, but it wasn’t at a level that could be completely ignored.

Therefore, if I gave them an opening, there was a possibility that I would be caught off guard by the main body and the clones’ coordination in an instant.

Of course, this was the case when ordinary Awakened Ones faced Kale.

‘In the end, it’s just a talent show.’

Not for me.

My modified eyes distinguish illusions, correct distortions, and find enemies with infrared vision even in the dark.

So, I knew from the start that Kale’s main body was moving to my right, and that the guys in front and on the left were fake.

However, not knowing this, he tried to confuse me by making his clones perform flashy steps.

Kale, resembling a kangaroo.

To get the artifact from this guy, I have to elicit extreme emotions from him.

In other words, I have to create a situation where he feels like he’s really going to die, so he has no choice but to fight with all his might.

If I adopt a method of overwhelming with damage by a large number of people, like a typical Awakened One strategy.

I might succeed in the strategy, but he won’t drop ‘Kale’s Chaos’.

This is why so many Awakened Ones were unable to obtain the artifact even after attacking Kale until I came.

‘In a word, it’s about stimulating extreme fear and a spirit of challenge at the same time.’

The conclusion is one.

Overwhelm, annihilate, and stimulate.

I have to overwhelm Kale in a one-on-one fight so that he becomes afraid of me and responds with more venom.

Fear, venom, and a sense of defiance.

This causes a special change in the body, which finally creates the artifact.

The reason I know this in such detail is because Naminaga, who was the owner of the artifact in my previous life, left a detailed review on her social media.

She showed off the efficiency of the artifact so much!

I still vividly remember how many times I cursed at her back then.

Swish.

I immediately transformed my right arm back into the shape of a sword.

It can be transformed into various weapon forms, but the most versatile is still the sword.

“Keeeh!”

Soon, Kale began to rush in from three directions at the same time.

I looked at Kale on the left.

As if not knowing the location of the main body at all, I turned my gaze as if I had stepped on air.

Was that why?

The main body of Kale, whom I checked out of the corner of my eye, wore a satisfied smile.

He looked like he was thinking that the stupid Awakened One had been fooled again! That’s exactly the expression he had.

I prepared to swing the blade towards Kale on the left.

This is a fake.

I left only the minimum amount of magic power to maintain the right arm transformation, and concentrated the remaining half of my magic power on my left arm.

“Kyaaaaak!”

The clone Kale flew towards me with all his might, drawing my attention for sure.

“…….”

The main body calmly moved behind my back and was quietly preparing to pounce.

It was a change that I could feel with my senses and flow without having to look back.

Right then.

“That kind of trick doesn’t work on me!”

I turned my body suddenly, as if the word ‘suddenly’ fit perfectly, and struck Kale behind me with all my strength.

At that moment.

Whoooooosh!

Through the numerous holes in the artifact gauntlet worn on my left hand, released magic power exploded out.

An attack that uses high-intensity compression to release magic power condensed using narrow gaps all at once.

It was like pouring water through a hose with increased water pressure.

Even with the same amount of magic power, the destructive power was considerable compared to simply releasing it into the air without an auxiliary device.

“Kuwehk!”

Did he not know from the beginning that I had figured out the location of the main body?

Kale couldn’t even take a defensive stance.

Soon, the released magic power struck his chest without any obstacles.

Crack!

Surely, very clearly, I heard the sound of several bones breaking.

It was proof that this attack was unexpected, to the extent that he couldn’t even think of blocking or evading it.

“Keuheok!”

Kale’s body, which lost its balance and floated into the air, flew through the air in a parabola.

The clones, whose control had disappeared due to the main body being hit, wandered around before disappearing.

‘I used quite a bit of magic power too.’

I used half of my magic power reserves in the attack just now.

At this level, it’s definitely not a finishing move, but it’s certainly close to a finishing move.

‘He’s a quick learner and responds quickly. If I miss the opportunity I have now, it’s likely to become a prolonged battle.’

I watched him struggling in the air, trying to regain his balance somehow.

Kale’s scary thing is that he has intelligence close to that of a human, so he won’t be fooled by the same repertoire twice.

In other words, this could be the first and last chance.

Flash!

I immediately followed Kale.

I was thinking of throwing a winning move early when I hit him with an unexpected blow for sure.

* * *

Thud! Pow! Pow!

“Kehek! Keuhek! Keohek!”

Each time the fist of myth [referring to the protagonist’s transformed arm], transformed into the form of an iron ball, powerfully slammed down from above, Kale’s legs repeatedly lifted and fell.

Kale was in agony.

It was because the clone technique, which he had taken out as a hidden card, had completely failed.

The Awakened Ones who had come to the base had struggled greatly against his clones.

Because their movements were so flashy and it was impossible to know which one was real, their firepower was dispersed.

But this enemy was different.

He would take the attacks of the clones moderately and aim accurately at the main body.

In fact, even when he was first discovered the location of the main body, he thought it was lucky and thought about it naively.

Even though it was exposed, he thought he could just take a hit and counterattack.

But it was a complete miscalculation.

The moment Kale was hit by the magic power released from Shinwha’s left fist, or rather, his left hand.

He realized with his whole body that his relaxed judgment had become a collection of arrogance and misjudgment.

The bones of the rib cage, the thickest and most durable in his body, had all cracked.

Some of them broke and went inside, stabbing somewhere in his organs, and every time he groaned, blood flowed out with it.

Of course, Kale wasn’t just getting hit one-sidedly.

Even in the state of being laid down by Shinwha, he somehow moved both hands and struck Shinwha’s side.

But.

Thud! Thud!

The attack was in vain.

It was because Shinwha used Steel Enhancement to selectively strengthen only the parts of his body that Kale was aiming for.

He clearly struck with all his might, but Shinwha didn’t budge.

Kale was confident in his punching skills.

How many Awakened Ones’ heads had he broken, hearts crushed, and intestines burst with this fist?

Some Awakened Ones called Kale’s fist a nuclear fist and trembled with fear.

Of course, there were no survivors who escaped from this place.

But in front of Shinwha, it was not even at the level of a baby’s fist.

Rather, when Kale attacked his side, Shinwha put more momentum into slamming down the iron ball.

Not only that.

Boom!

Crack.

“Kkeuheo!”

The high-pressure magic power released through his left arm caused fractures all over Kale’s body, which was in a relatively unfavorable position.

It felt like being pressed down with a compressor.

Even if Kale’s body and skeleton were strengthened, it was not enough to withstand the tremendous intensity of pressure concentrated on one point.

It was a two-track strategy.

Shinwha mercilessly slammed the iron ball of his right arm into Kale’s face, making it difficult for him to come to his senses.

Using the magic power release of his left arm, he persistently broke the joints such as elbows, wrists, knees, and shoulders.

As time went by, Kale’s body was turning into the shape of a wind-up doll.

His arms and legs began to fold in directions they shouldn’t be folded.

“Keuheueue…….”

Kale unknowingly let out a groan, or a cry, filled with deep fear.

The human in front of him was by no means ordinary. He was like a grim reaper!

He was clearly breaking his body here and there in order, but there was no change in his expression at all.

The pleasure of the victor, joy?

There was none of that.

As if mechanically disassembling his body in order, he was breaking only the necessary parts.

A vicious guy, an evil spirit, a grim reaper.

Only these modifiers were constantly floating around in Kale’s head, becoming the source of fear.

Even if the boss monster dies, it will be resurrected with the initialization of the dungeon after time passes.

But the boss monster doesn’t know that fact.

It’s as if he’s mistaken that it’s been his home for a long time.

So, Shinwha was the first opponent to instill fear in Kale since he established his base here.

He felt that he was completely different from the countless C and D-rank Awakened Ones who had died at his hands so far.

Extreme fear!

It was also the source of shame that made his knees buckle and his whole body tremble.

“……!”

He didn’t want to die like this.

The opponent is only one person.

His body was broken and twisted here and there, but he could recover by drawing out his potential.

Again, this was not something someone told him, but it was Kale’s inherent knowledge that was instinctively contained in his head.

The next moment.

Flash!

Kale exploded with red light in his eyes and began to explosively draw up the energy of his whole body.

At the same time, a grayish-white energy starting from his heart spread throughout his body.

Awakening.

It was Kale’s hidden card that quickly recovered his entire body in an instant and regained his original abilities.

Right then.

Thump!

Kale, stretching out his left hand with all his might, grabbed Shinwha’s neck.

It was a threatening figure that showed the dignity of a boss monster, completely different from the appearance of being helplessly beaten until just now.

“People’s fights are like that too. They always grab the other person’s neck when they feel like they’re going to be at a disadvantage. But my neck is a steel neck, you know?”

Crackle.

Shinwha’s neck, which had quickly completed Steel Enhancement, was erected upright, making Kale’s hand, which was gripping his neck with all his might, feel awkward.

Squeak. Squeak.

Kale raised his grip to the maximum and tried to put pressure on Shinwha’s neck somehow, but Shinwha was fine.

He was rather smiling.

And.

Chomp!

This time, Shinwha grabbed Kale’s thick neck.

“I grabbed you too. What are you going to do now?”

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

The hand that came back in the same way squeezed Kale’s neck violently.