I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 296

Chapter 296

Crack!

Lechero’s black magic, actively targeting Shinwa, was combined with an ice formation.

This was based on information gathered from previous encounters, indicating Shinwa’s frequent use of flames.

It was a calculated counterpunch using the opposite element, seemingly a reasonable decision at first glance.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Hmm…”

Shinwa quickly retreated, dodging the numerous ice spikes that pierced the ground and rapidly rose.

He was indeed a formidable mage.

There wasn’t much difference between his current abilities and those he’d possess ten years later.

Lechero was already at an advanced magical stage.

“Haaap!”

Finding it difficult to approach, Shinwa summoned Wilson, whom he had been saving, and launched him forward.

Wilson, imbued with a significant amount of magical power, flew fiercely, using his body reinforced with an ultra-high-grade dimension stone as a shield.

“Demon, shield of Lokebal.”

Weeeing!

Despite Wilson’s powerful sonic boom approach, Lechero didn’t back down and erected a shield.

The thick, purple shield in front of him explosively emitted dark energy.

Kwaaa!

It soon transformed into the shape of a demon and swallowed Wilson.

Crack! Quack! Pzzzz!

Wilson emitted a painful, creaking sound from within the demon’s mouth, accompanied by unpleasant noises.

Without a moment to assess Wilson’s condition.

Wooowoong!

This time, a summoning sound echoed from the air, and rocks the size of houses—no, ice blocks—began to rain down.

Koong! Koong!

As the massive ice fell like giant boulders, Shinwa couldn’t help but flinch.

The chunks were so large that blocking or crushing them was out of the question.

‘Lechero doesn’t know I can control elemental powers. He thinks I only have fire-based abilities.’

Shinwa meticulously analyzed Lechero’s perception of him through their repeated battles.

Shinwa’s superior advantage over Lechero was ‘information’ about his opponent.

Even though the one he killed in his past life was a fake, it was essentially Lechero’s alter ego.

Therefore, Shinwa knew all the magic Lechero could use, as well as his repertoire and intentions.

Of course, he hadn’t anticipated everything that was happening today, but there was one significant advantage!

He had learned, accepted, and remembered every single battle with Lechero.

Just as a Go player recalls the game from the first move after it’s over, Shinwa meticulously reviewed each encounter with Lechero.

This was thanks to Nicholas, who constantly urged him to ‘make reviewing battles a habit’ until the moment he prevented the Great Disaster.

‘Instantly, suddenly, explosively draw out and use the power of ice and lightning attributes.’

Shinwa formulated his plan.

To ensure its success, he needed ‘bait,’ as always.

Sadly, Wilson, already consumed by Lechero’s shield, seemed to have fulfilled his role.

Since he could repair him anytime as long as he had an ultra-high-grade dimension stone, there was no need to feel sorry.

Kieeeing…

Koong!

Soon, Wilson, ejected from the demon’s mouth with a sad whimper, rolled powerlessly on the floor.

“You have a good pet.”

“You heartless bastard, killing him.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll follow soon.”

Lechero, sneering, continued to gesture more quickly towards Shinwa.

He seemed to be fully warmed up.

With each swift hand gesture, blizzards raged from all directions, and ice spikes shot up.

The ice spikes became increasingly sharp.

The spikes, initially blunt, were now sharper than swords.

At this rate, even Steel Enhancement might not be enough to block them, or even that steel might be pierced.

This was because they weren’t ordinary ice spikes but magical ice spikes filled with dark energy.

Clang! Clachang! Kajik!

“…”

Shinwa moved continuously, focusing solely on evasion with his lips tightly shut.

He wanted to rush in without looking back, but Lechero was completely blocking his path.

Ice blocks fell from the sky, and ice spikes rose from the ground.

It was a dilemma, as a strong wind that made it hard to open his eyes was created to prevent him from leaping forward.

‘Just once, let me launch that target-type magic, just once. Just get caught. Please.’

Shinwa dodged the magic, teasing Lechero as he moved around.

Lechero was a proud mage. Even if his attacks were flashy, if the accuracy decreased, he would definitely find a way to improve it.

This wasn’t a flimsy guess but a well-founded calculation. Lechero in his past life was pathologically like that.

As expected.

As the accuracy of the ice-based magic against Shinwa decreased, Lechero pulled out a new tactic.

‘Devil Crown. Dark Arrow.’

It was a giant black arrow that borrowed the power of the devil and flew at the enemy in front.

To be precise, it was a construct that gathered dark energy into a human-sized form and launched it as a large arrow.

‘Got him!’

Shinwa smiled inwardly. But on the outside, he briefly showed a look of panic with method acting that rivaled the Oscars.

It wasn’t a constant surprised expression but a brief moment of panic before quickly recovering… truly perfect acting.

Perhaps that’s why.

“Heh.”

Lechero laughed.

It was a smile full of confidence, as if to say, ‘Can you really dodge this attack?’

Kwaaa!

Soon, the dark arrow created by the demon flew towards Shinwa at a tremendous speed.

‘Not yet.’

Shinwa waited.

The plan was a game of timing.

The effect was maximized when the enemy was most confident, by turning it back on them.

If he prematurely revealed his plan out of impatience, the success rate and even the effect would be halved.

‘More.’

The dark arrow was right in front of him.

The destructive power was so great that it felt like his entire body would be disintegrated into arrows if he blinked.

Right then!

[Power of Genesis]

[Sure Counter]

Shinwa activated the Power of Genesis buff and immediately utilized the buff he obtained from Gaites.

‘Sure Counter’ was a countermeasure that returned 45% of the damage directly to the caster.

However, because he used the ‘Power of Genesis’ buff beforehand, the calculation method for the damage changed.

Instead of just returning 45% of the damage from the dark arrow that Lechero cast on Shinwa.

The damage reinforced by the Power of Genesis buff was multiplied into the 45% damage.

‘Lucky.’

A pleasant surprise occurred.

Within the randomness of the buff that led to a damage increase of at least 3 times and up to 7 times.

[Damage is applied at the maximum value of 7 times.]

[Activation Period: 0.5 seconds]

[Remaining Period: 29.5 seconds]

The maximum damage appeared.

315% damage, which was 7 times the original 45%!

From Lechero’s perspective, it was as if he was receiving three times the damage of the dark arrow he had shot.

Immediately.

Thud!

“Kuhuk!”

At the same time as Shinwa activated the sure strike, a thick groan and blood gushed from Lechero’s mouth.

It was a perfect plan because he had no idea that this type of counterattack was possible, so he had no choice but to take it head-on.

He didn’t even have time to deploy a shield, so he had no choice but to receive the returned attack with his body.

Fortunately, he was wearing lightweight anti-magic armor inside his robe, so he was able to avoid a fatal wound.

But it only prevented a fatal wound that could have led to death; it didn’t eliminate the impact altogether.

Tatatatat!

Shinwa sprinted.

Once he activated the Power of Genesis, he had to end it quickly.

There were about 29 seconds left.

Moreover, since the Power of Genesis buff was opened with the maximum damage of 7 times, the expectation of attack was high.

‘Well done, Shinwa.’

He encouraged himself.

Shinwa had desperately wanted to use the Power of Genesis in numerous previous battles, but he had gritted his teeth and endured.

“Weeeeak!”

Lechero couldn’t withstand the sudden impact from the previous strike and vomited once more.

Weeeing!

He immediately created the Stellard Sword.

Because the best time to take an enemy’s life was when they were reeling from an attack and couldn’t come to their senses.

He had no intention of being carelessly relaxed.

Even if it was someone else, Lechero was the type of guy who would come up with a brilliant counterattack if given even a little time.

It was right to cut off the head and stop the heart of this kind of guy before thinking about anything else.

But right then.

‘Too easy?’

Suddenly, an unpleasant feeling flashed through his mind. It was an almost instinctive sense.

The fact that the sure counter had succeeded was definitely a triumph of the plan, he thought. There was no room for doubt.

But right now.

The staggering after groaning once… something was strange. Was it this easy?

The next moment.

Whoosh!

Shinwa endured the feeling of some muscle in his ankle tearing and made a sharp turn.

It was a given that his muscles and joints would be strained because he had twisted his body, which had been rushing forward with all his might.

But despite that, he avoided the danger while taking the risk.

Kajik!

“…!”

Because he read Lechero’s plan.

It was as expected.

If he hadn’t made a sharp turn, the situation would have unfolded near the position where Shinwa would have passed.

Spatial distortion.

It wasn’t a clumsy level of distortion but a large-scale distortion that instantly twisted the space within a 7-meter radius.

“That was an amazing plan. If I had gone in dumbly, I would have been lamenting my situation in the afterlife.”

Shinwa brushed his startled chest.

“…Unpleasant.”

“Why, did your plan fail?”

“…”

Lechero glared harshly at Shinwa and roughly wiped the blood from his mouth with the end of his robe.

All his predictions were perfect, but he never expected him to twist and escape in such an absurd direction at the end.

Because of that, the spatial distortion he had created with considerable effort became meaningless.

“Cough!”

Lechero coughed up blood once more, along with a heavy cough that surged up like a side effect of over-concentration.

This time, it was real.

Whoosh!

Shinwa sprinted again.

His legs were throbbing, but it was bearable.

Above all, he couldn’t waste the time he had with the Power of Genesis buff, so he approached again.

He used Transcendental Acceleration.

And instantly narrowed the distance with Lechero, who was staggering and getting up.

“Haaaap!”

The Stellard Sword stretched out with a shout.

Shinwa stretched out his right arm, which had been transformed into a sword, with all his might for a sure attack, and it was quite successful.

But.

Saaaa!

“…?”

An unexpected thing happened.

Lechero’s movement was so fast that Shinwa’s eyes couldn’t even follow it.

Lechero’s movements were so fast that Shinwa even doubted whether he himself had slowed down for a moment.

The next moment.

“The power of the demons I can wield is not just one.”

Lechero’s voice was heard from behind.

It was a chilling voice.