The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 495

“…So you know who I am.”

Slightly taken aback, Se-Hoon blinked rapidly. Rather than just knowing his name, Baek-Yeon seemed… to have known of his existence for a long time. The feeling was so strong that Se-Hoon even entertained the idea that Baek-Yeon had simply just turned young and appeared here—but he quickly dismissed the possibility.

No… it can’t be. Even if she could create a fork in causality… she shouldn’t be able to affect this place.

The Baek-Yeon before him was merely a fragment of the past that had been preserved by the power of Perception. In the first place, the Diverging Path was the link that connected the human Baek-Yeon with her Perfect One self: essentially the very root of her power.

To twist and affect the root by force was simply impossible, especially considering her nature. And more importantly, there would’ve been some sign of change to her power if she had actually managed it, like with Wurgen or Li Kenxie’s.

Then… she must’ve seen me using her imperfect foresight.

There was only one answer. But still… could she really see all that without using the power of Perception?

Seeing that Se-Hoon had fallen silent, likely mulling it over, Baek-Yeon smiled faintly.

“Of course I know who you are. I saw it all.”

“You saw…?”

“I’m obviously talking about the future. Don’t play dumb.” Baek-Yeon crossed her arms and tilted her head, eyeing Se-Hoon with a crooked grin. “If you’ve made it this far, then you must already know what kind of power I have—and what I’ve been aiming for.”

“…”

“Hmm? Why are you looking at me like that? You’re acting like you don’t know a… thing…?”

Scrutinizing Se-Hoon’s expression, Baek-Yeon suddenly leaned in as though she had realized something. Then, after a second, she leaned back again with a knowing chuckle.

“Ahh… I see. So that’s how things unfolded.”

“…”

“If you really are the kind of guy who’s full of unpredictable variables, I suppose it would’ve been tough to explain it all upfront. But even with that in mind… hmm… I see…”

With great interest, Baek-Yeon continually looked up and down Se-Hoon to study him. However, because of the annoying grin tugging at her lips, Se-Hoon quickly lost his patience.

“That’s enough. Get to the explanation already.”

Although he didn’t know what kind of future she had seen, if they didn’t cut to the chase, Se-Hoon knew with certainty that that things would quickly become complicated.

“Alright, alright. I’ll talk, so no need to be so prickly.”

Chuckling awkwardly at Se-Hoon’s sharp tone, Baek-Yeon reached out her right hand.

“You’ve got the thing my future self gave you, right? Hand it over.”

“Why?”

“Because all I know right now is the rough outline of things.” She pointed up at the Golden Ring floating in the sky and continued calmly. “The future I can see through thatthing only shows me the main storyline. To put it simply, I’m seeing the chapter titles of a novel and trying to guess the entire plot from there.”

“…”

“So to understand what happens in the future properly, I need the actual text: the record I handed over to you.”

“…”

Organizing his thoughts, Se-Hoon took a moment before deciding to address one thing that had been bothering him.

“How did you know that the record was left behind?”

“Does that matter?”

“Not really; I’m just slightly curious about whether it was something you guessed after seeing the future or if you had already planned to leave it for this very moment.”

If it was the former, then Baek-Yeon had only recently come up with her plan. If it was the latter, though, then it meant she had almost certainly been preparing for decades.

“…You’re definitely the right person for the job,” Baek-Yeon said with a small chuckle and nod after staring at him for a moment.

Despite facing a power that had transcended time, Se-Hoon was completely grounded. He didn’t blindly worship the power; instead, he calmly analyzed and sought understanding as an equal of the Perfect Ones.

“It’s the latter. Is that answer good enough for you?”

“Hm… alright.”

Quickly running the numbers in his head, Se-Hoon flicked the small white knot in his hand forward—the legacy of Baek-Yeon—when he finished.

“A knot, huh…. This really is the kind of packaging I would do.”

Amused, Baek-Yeon unraveled it and freed the two rings that turned into a brilliant white cloth of light that stretched up into the sky toward the Golden Ring above.

Swish-

Following the white light—which looked like it formed a path—with her eyes, Baek-Yeon retraced the life her future self had walked. And once she had arrived at the end, when the white light had been completely absorbed by the Golden Ring, Baek-Yeon closed her eyes.

“So the grandnephew’s side was the one that came true… the grandniece was adorable, though. That’s a shame,” she muttered softly.

“…Excuse me?”

“No, it’s nothing. Just a passing thought.”

With a wry smile, Baek-Yeon turned her gaze back to Se-Hoon.

“Alright. I guess I’ll have to explain everything from the top. My future self really didn’t say a word, huh?”

“Whatever works for you.”

“In that case, let’s start with my objective: I was after a ‘chance’ to make my wish come true.”

Not the wish itself, but the chance to fulfill it? Se-Hoon was left genuinely startled by the unexpected answer. Although he had suspected Baek-Yeon had a different wish from the one she’d previously shared, he hadn’t ever imagined it would be so… strange.

“That sounds like some kind of wordplay.”

“I understand why you would say that, but it’s not that complicated. To put it simply…”—Baek-Yeon looked up at the sky with bitter eyes—“I realized far too late that I could never achieve my wish with my power.”

She had conquered the Tower and created the power of Perception all to grasp happiness—only to realize, in that same moment, that her power could never let her attain it.

Reminded of Aria’s situation before he regressed, Se-Hoon’s expression hardened.

“Just hearing that probably doesn’t explain much. I’ll walk you through it step by step. Come over here.”

At the sight of Baek-Yeon gesturing for him to get closer, Se-Hoon hesitated. Not long later, though, he still stepped up beside her, who looked down at the clouds beneath the Tower once he arrived.

“Before I get into the details, let me clarify one thing: we Perfect Ones aren’t as evil as you think.”

“…”

“No, seriously. I’m not just making excuses. There are actual reasons.”

“…I’m sure there are.”

Of course she’d say that as a Perfect One herself. Naturally, Se-Hoon was skeptical, and when Baek-Yeon heard it in his tone, she gave him a wounded look.

“Hey, think it over. At the core, people who are truly evil—those who seek only destruction—can’t ascend. They break down long before that.”

“Break down?”

“What do you think happens to a twisted synesthetic mindscape when it grows too strong? It loses control, gives in to its own desires, and endlessly collapses until self-destruction.”

Whether it was themselves, others, or the world… their endless downward spiral would destroy everything. It was an all-too-familiar pattern that made Se-Hoon’s expression tighten.

“That means… all evil people inevitably become demons?”

“In the end, yes. That’s the conclusion assigned to those with that kind of synesthetic mindscape.”

In contrast with the Perfect Ones, who became new laws and reshaped the world, the Harbingers of Destruction were always destined to reach destruction no matter what path they took.

The reason for it? Simply because the Towers of Heroes, the Abyss of Demons, and the world itself had always been guiding and sorting them that way.

“So to put it simply, anyone who reaches ascension fundamentally wants the world to become a better place.”

“…”

“Unfortunately, the problem is that no matter how good your intentions are, making the world better is incredibly difficult.”

As her lips formed a twisted smirk, Baek-Yeon looked at Se-Hoon.

“Even scholars who spend their entire lives studying human society can’t give a straightforward answer when asked what an ideal world looks like. So what do these guys, who one day become superhuman like they won the lottery, think they know?”

“Well…”

“They convince themselves they’ve figured it all out and spout lofty words like some messiah—even though it’s all just their own personal fantasy. If those people try to move the world based on such half-baked thoughts, it’ll be those who don’t fit that vision that will be the ones screaming in pain as everything breaks down.”

“…”

She had started by saying the Perfect Ones weren’t evil, only to unleash an unfiltered critique of them…? Se-Hoon blinked in confusion.

“Um… do you actually hate the Perfect Ones?”

“Of course I do. Not sure how you’ll take this, but personally? I hate them more than the Harbingers of Destruction.”

“…!”

She actually hates them more than Harbingers of Destruction…?

Se-Hoon stared at her, eyes wide. He wasn’t that fond of the Perfect Ones himself, but even so, to say they were worse than the Harbingers? That felt too far.

“The destruction the Harbingers of Destruction bring is the end of the world. In other words, like a bad ending. It’s what happens when humanity gives it everything and fails—just a period at the end of a sentence,” Baek-Yeon remarked in a level tone.

“…”

“I don’t like that, of course. But I can accept it. At least it’s a conclusion reached after exhausting every possibility.”

So, to her, even the destruction of the world was a valid ending…. While Se-Hoon tried to grasp the unfamiliar worldview, Baek-Yeon’s expression fell.

“But the endings that Perfect Ones bring are different.”

“…”

“They’ll have some weird epiphany, warp the planet, fight with all their might, and then end up breaking the world. Sometimes, they’re born with a messed-up power that wipes out humanity from the start.”

Launching into details about a few of the countless futures she’d seen, Baek-Yeon locked eyes with Se-Hoon.

“I understand they don’t do it out of malice. They all must have their reasons. But from the perspective of the people caught in the middle—they bring about nothing more than a premature, abrupt end.”

Because of the Perfect Ones, everything ended without warning, without ever realizing the full range of possibilities. An unfinished story that couldn’t even qualify as a tragedy.

Recalling how Wurgen and Li Kenxie had nearly caused catastrophes that would have led to such an end, Se-Hoon’s expression darkened.

“In other words, Perfect Ones aren’t humanity’s saviors. They’re just… parts that broke off from that thing,” she said, pointing at the Golden Ring in the sky as she let out a bitter chuckle.

“…”

Se-Hoon fell silent, organizing his thoughts and replaying their earlier conversation.

“So that means… your wish—happiness—must be tied to the peace of humanity, right?” he asked quietly.

“Obviously. I mean, any decent person would… wait. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, it’s just… it’s kind of strange hearing you say something like that—”

Smack!

Baek-Yeon whipped her long braided hair like a lash, striking the back of Se-Hoon’s head before glaring sharply at him.

“Don’t get cheeky just because I’ve been nice. I’ve been fighting Harbingers of Destruction since before you were even born.”

“Ahem. My apologies.”

“Doubt all you want, but… ugh, is this really the guy I picked…? Tsk.”

Technically speaking, it was her future self who made the choice. Well, even if she had gotten to that moment herself, she would’ve made the same decision. Either way, it was her fault, so Baek-Yeon let out a sigh.

“Anyway, that’s why I concluded that achieving my wish through my own power was impossible. So the method I came up with was…”

“To find someone strong enough to rival a Perfect One that would never reach ascension. Someone who shares your values and can be your successor to shape the future. Right?”

If Perfect Ones were the uncontrollable variables, then the best option was to just remove them from the equation completely.

“You’re exactly right. If I couldn’t do it, then I had to find someone who could and support them.”

“…”

Although she confirmed his confident guess, Se-Hoon gave her a strange look.

A Perfect One dreaming of a world without Perfect Ones…

Perhaps even her own death had been part of the plan from the start. At that moment, Se-Hoon understood just how resolute—and absurdly idealistic—the woman before him was.

“I understand the situation. But if I’m to believe you, there’s something I need you to explain first.”

“What is it?”

“Why did you give one of the Sevenfold Cursed Eye cores to Tuner?”

Did she want to nurture Tuner into a weapon to kill other Perfect Ones? Had she seen a future where he had reached ascension through that eye and wanted to prevent it? Whatever her intent, Se-Hoon needed a straightforward answer before deciding whether to trust her.

“Ah. I suppose that would seem suspicious.”

Nodding in understanding, Baek-Yeon pointed below the Tower toward the cloud-covered landscape.

“Look over there. Do you see anything?”

“‘There’? Where exactly…?”

“Use the power of Perception. Look closely.”

Though still confused, Se-Hoon activated the power and his vision expanded. Immediately, the clouds parted to reveal the landscape beneath: a bottomless abyss and a gaping maw that devoured all.

The Abyss of Demons—the seed of the world’s destruction—had been lying beneath the clouds the entire time.

Why is that here—?!

As Se-Hoon recoiled from the revelation, an eerie whisper tickled his ears.

“You too shall see the end.”

“Fall, and be free.”

“Liberate yourself.”

No, not his ears—the whisper reached him through his very synesthetic mindscape. The vibrations pierced deep into his soul, rattling even his spirit, which had been refined by Soul Honing. He, of all people, was losing focus—

Clang!

A deafening strike, like a hammer hitting steel, echoed in his head and snapped him back to clarity.

Slap- Thud

Swatting something approaching from his side away, he collapsed to the ground. His legs had given out.

“Huff… Huff…”

He had barely stepped back from the very edge of the summit. It had only been a few mere seconds.

Still trying to catch his breath, Se-Hoon glanced to the side.

“…”

Baek-Yeon watched him in silence, wearing a strange expression. And when she met his gaze—an angry glare demanding an explanation—Baek-Yeon began mumbling awkwardly.

“I knew you were compatible, but this much…? How did you last this long? No… maybe that’s why you were able to reject ascension…”

Like that, Baek-Yeon just muttered to herself for a while, ignoring Se-Hoon, before smiling in satisfaction.

However, that just made Se-Hoon’s glare grow icier.

“Stop mumbling to yourself and explain. If you don’t, I’ll smash every last one of your precious plans to pieces.”

Making him stare directly at the Abyss of Demons? Seriously? Se-Hoon hadn’t felt so close to the edge of death since the purging of the Pleasure District.

Baek-Yeon raised her hands with a wry smile.

“Alright, sorry. I just thought you’d understand best if you experienced it yourself.”

“Understand what, exactly?”

“That thing is the reason I gave the Sevenfold Cursed Eye core to Tuner.”

Noticing that Se-Hoon still didn’t understand, Baek-Yeon glanced down at the clouds.

“The power of Perception doesn’t allow me to observe the Abyss of Demons for the same reason the Harbingers of Destruction can’t reach ascension.”

“…”

“And if you can’t observe it, then you can’t account for the variables or possibilities that come from it. You get what that means, right?”

If she couldn’t see what was in the Abyss of Demons, she couldn’t manifest a future that emerges from it…! Se-Hoon felt it finally click.

“Wait… the reason you couldn’t achieve your wish with your power… was because of that?”

The power of Perception allowed its wielder to observe all possibilities and grasp their desired future to make it real. However, there was a contraction: variables relating to the Abyss of Demons couldn’t be observed.

Because of that, a truly complete future couldn’t be realized. After all, contrary to what most believed, both the Towers of Heroes and the Abyss of Demons were part of the Golden Ring—the world.

“You catch on quick. That’s exactly right.”

To change the future of the world, one would need to see every possibility. A Perfect One, however, couldn’t look down and see the Abyss of Demons from their position at the pinnacle. Alas, Baek-Yeon had belatedly realized after achieving ascension and had to rethink her entire strategy.

“I even considered becoming a Harbinger of Destruction myself. Since I’d lose the power of Perception the moment I did, though, I shifted my thinking.”

If she couldn’t go down into the Abyss of Demons herself, then why not pass the power of Perception to someone already in the Abyss of Demons and have them peer inside for her?

At last, Se-Hoon finally understood her true intent.

Chuckling at the sight of the gaping Se-Hoon, Baek-Yeon chuckled.

“Thanks to you, the bait was taken properly when he was worn down. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.”

Loosening up her shoulders, Baek-Yeon grinned at the abyssal swamp below.

“Well then… time to observe a real future, don’t you think?”