I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 276

276

The Russian Cataclysm had become a reality.

In my past life, that single piece of news threw everyone into near-panic.

That’s what disasters do.

Until they happen, you think they’re someone else’s problem, but when they become your reality, your mind goes blank in an instant.

In reality, the Russian Cataclysm in my past life claimed many civilian lives, far more than Awakened ones.

This was due to the incompetence of the Russian Awakened Association, RSA, which ignored numerous warning signs and responded complacently.

But now that I think about it, it feels like the RSA wasn’t just complacent, but rather deliberately so.

Because after this incident, the Russian Awakened world was unified under the order of Pravda.

Pravda swept away all the guilds of the anti-Pravda alliance and began to act wildly.

In other words, Pravda placed pro-Pravda figures in key government positions and completely took control. Perhaps… these moves were all prepared in advance.

“Hoo, is it June? Why is it so cold here?”

Meanwhile, I had arrived in Moscow early.

I had warned about the Russian Cataclysm through Lee Ha-sung, and when it became a reality, the RSA requested help.

Of course, I wasn’t just a member under the command of the RSA, but an ‘individual’ with independently granted operational rights.

In broad terms, I could follow their instructions, but I wasn’t obligated to.

It was like a one-man mercenary. That analogy fit the position perfectly.

“They said it’s an unusual cold wave, 10 degrees lower than the average temperature, and it really is cold.”

My breath came out in a cloud every time I exhaled. The average June temperature is supposed to be 10 degrees, but now it was almost below freezing.

Of course, this cold wave was also a precursor to the Cataclysm.

“You’ve arrived? I know very well who you are, but I’ll ask for confirmation for the sake of procedure. Mr. Kang Shin-hwa?”

“Hmm…?”

The one who greeted me at the scene was an agent dispatched from the RSA.

I had said that I would act independently without needing that, but the RSA seemed to want to keep someone with me.

But a familiar face was talking to me. A face I could never forget. It was my old colleague.

‘Iosif Karach.’

A colleague from Nine Roads in my past life, with Russian nationality. I remember his stiff English, typical of Russians.

Iosif Karach was originally a competent agent of the RSA, but after Pravda seized power in Russia.

He constantly received temptations of defection and corruption, but he refused and became a whistleblower, eventually becoming the number one assassination target. Even a guy who cleverly overcame crises with nonchalance couldn’t stand in front of human trash.

Anyway, back then, it was me and Nicholas who extended a lifeline. We recruited him as a colleague of Nine Roads.

Iosif, who used the ‘Iron Whip of Annihilation’ as his main weapon, was an Awakened who thoroughly utilized brute force to the extreme.

His talent was the ability to detect enemies with dark energy or evil tendencies and see through their inner selves.

And against enemies with evil tendencies, his Iron Whip of Annihilation unconditionally added 100% damage.

That alone is enough to imagine how much Leccero and his faction on the Nas Continent, who were like incarnations of evil, struggled.

In fact, during the war with Leccero, the black mages of the Lechnat Order greatly feared Iosif.

There was even a rumor that if you were hit or killed by the Iron Whip of Annihilation, your soul would be annihilated and trapped in hell forever.

“Hello? I’m Iosif Karach from the RSA Moscow branch. I’m here to accompany Mr. Kang Shin-hwa. I’m sure you’re not happy to see me.”

“Please be precise. Is it accompaniment or surveillance?”

I was secretly glad to see Iosif’s fresh face, not the wrinkled face of a middle-aged man of the same age.

But that’s it.

Unfortunately, he can’t experience the joy I feel for him.

That’s why I had no choice but to treat him with a thoroughly business-like mindset rather than joy.

“It’s accompaniment. I’m here to assist you. For Shin-hwa, who may not be familiar with Russian geography.”

“Keep talking.”

“I’ll be with you as a helper. I will not demand any rights to the spoils, nor will I unilaterally convey orders from above.”

“Are you just saying you’ll help?”

“That’s right. I begged the higher-ups to let me accompany Shin-hwa.”

“…It’s not the RSA’s consideration.”

“The RSA is a mess right now. The KSA [Korean Awakened Association] told them to prepare several times, but they knew and didn’t prepare.”

I was very happy to see Iosif complaining about the RSA’s problems in front of me.

It was because he was trying to open his heart more comfortably to a stranger he was seeing for the first time than to the organization he currently belonged to.

Anyway, it didn’t matter.

If my memory is correct, Iosif’s rank is currently around SS-rank.

With that skill, he would never be a burden by my side.

Moreover, the monsters that appear in the Russian Cataclysm are thoroughly evil. It’s perfect for him to be active.

“Then let’s move right away. It’s less boring to have two people than one.”

“Thank you sincerely. I’ve always wanted to meet Mr. Kang Shin-hwa. He’s my personal idol.”

“Mr. Iosif, aren’t you praising me too much?”

“I don’t know how to say empty words. I only believe in the skills and power I see.”

Iosif said calmly.

As I always feel, even though he is twice my size, his voice was very sweet.

If you close your eyes, it was like listening to the voice of a male ballad singer.

But when I opened my eyes, a huge, muscular man who could make an ogre run away was standing in front of me.

I’ve also grown and strengthened my body quite a bit with remodeling, but I’m like a child in front of Iosif.

Of course, apart from that, the amount of power I can create is overwhelmingly greater.

* * *

Shin-hwa and Iosif, who quickly left the city, continued to head north.

Sporadic battles were already taking place north of Moscow.

No major monsters had appeared, but it was due to the goblin legions that suddenly appeared nearby.

The entire Siberian region was filled with monsters summoned from somewhere.

Therefore, it was not surprising to see goblin groups around this area.

Even in 2052, no research was done on why the Russian Cataclysm occurred.

It was determined that it was not Leccero’s scheme. He was not capable of creating such a large-scale disaster.

Nicholas suggested the theory of ‘Demon King Lechnat’ behind it, who was like a god to Leccero…….

Before getting an answer to that research, I stopped the Great Disaster, and on the day the celebration party ended, I fell asleep and regressed to 2020.

XX, when I think about the future, I get angry when I remember the regression in bed that still doesn’t make sense.

Nicholas, that bastard.

Why did you make me regress before the alcohol wore off, instead of giving me even a few days to have fun?

I got angry again just thinking about it.

Anyway, Shin-hwa and Iosif intentionally ignored the areas with goblin legions and passed by.

Because other Awakened can stop the goblins sufficiently.

The decisive reason why the Russian Cataclysm became a disaster was because the boss-level monsters that appeared in Siberia moved south.

As they entered the center from the outskirts of civilization, a massacre took place.

Therefore, Shin-hwa was only planning to kill the ‘leader’ class monsters, picking them out with tweezers.

Of course, the higher priority than this was to eliminate the monster with the ‘Flower of Rebirth.’

The Flower of Rebirth was also the reason why he actively participated in defending against this Russian Cataclysm.

It was like taking out the last insurance before the first and last encounter with Leccero.

“Let’s speed up a bit.”

“This is the maximum speed… Should I follow behind?”

Iosif tilted his head at Shin-hwa’s words.

In fact, Iosif is large, but he had quite a few buffs that enhance his mobility.

His shoes alone were special artifacts that guaranteed a speed of over 50km/h.

Moreover, with the power of several buffs, his instantaneous speed was close to 80km/h.

However, Shin-hwa’s maximum speed was over 200km/h, running while enduring the enormous friction of the air.

Therefore, if Shin-hwa decided to run with Transcendental Acceleration, Iosif would not be able to keep up.

“I’ll take the lead. Hold on tight.”

Shin-hwa naturally had Iosif stick to his back. And he grabbed his hand.

While enduring the air friction with his whole body and sprinting at full power, he was trying to reduce the air resistance for Iosif behind him.

It was like creating a wind path.

“Wow….”

Iosif exclaimed.

Just being led by Shin-hwa’s hand far exceeded the maximum speed he could renew.

Shin-hwa was receiving air resistance so intensely that the sound of air splitting was heard violently, but there was no shaking at all.

“Tell me if you can’t handle it.”

“No. More than that….”

“Then be quiet.”

Shin-hwa gave a warning.

Because he was running at an incredible speed, even a small lack of concentration could be a big danger.

‘He really lives up to his reputation.’

Iosif, who was silent, admired Shin-hwa again and again.

He felt like he knew why his Awakened friends in Korea praised Shin-hwa so much.

Everything from one to ten was irregular. There was not a single predictable ability.

He was so ashamed that he had been proud of his mobility as the best in the world.

‘I was a frog in a well [naive and inexperienced].’

Iosif was sure.

Just looking at ‘mobility’ alone, Shin-hwa was overwhelmingly ahead.

There was no doubt that he would be in actual combat as well.

‘I want to see it.’

Iosif’s heart was pounding.

His insistence on wanting to accompany Shin-hwa, even while being scolded by his superiors.

He had a feeling that it would create a time without regrets. It will be a very special time.

* * *

“…Is it starting soon?”

How far had we moved towards the northern end of Moscow?

As the distance from civilization increased and the distance from nature became closer, the surrounding environment began to change.

The first thing that changed was the sky.

The sky, which had been cold but had a blue tint, was now dyed red.

It wasn’t because the sunset was red.

It was a bright red sky as if countless blood had been mixed and painted over it.

It smelled disgusting.

It was the smell of a monster stained with poison and evil.

‘I’ll meet him soon.’

I thought of the boss monster with the Flower of Rebirth, who I would soon encounter.

Payola, Isla.

Twin brother monsters who each share the power of fire and ice.

You can see them as guys who look just like the fists of the attributes I have.

‘No failures, no mistakes.’

I regained my composure.

Now, ahead of the final battle with Leccero.

Not a single moment of carelessness or injury could be allowed.

For the perfect me.

I was going to grit my teeth and work hard.