The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 568

“……………”

A heavy silence settled over the workshop following Se-Hoon’s sudden confession; no one was able to speak.

Instead, all they could do was exchange glances.

Has he… finally gone nuts?

It doesn’t look like he has, though.

Then that means everything he said is true…

If he hadn’t gone insane and what he said just now wasn’t a joke, then did that mean Se-Hoon truly was… a regressor who had returned from thirty-one years in the future? The sheer weight of that revelation left everyone stunned—yet they accepted it surprisingly quickly.

It always felt strange to refer to all that as simple foresight.

That’s why he treated some people as though he’d known them for years.

Talking to him sometimes felt like talking to an old man… because he really was one.

Considering Se-Hoon’s abnormally rapid growth and overwhelming record that could never be dismissed as mere talent, everyone had long suspected he was hiding something. That’s why the truth was easier to swallow than expected.

“…”

However, even if they accepted it, his identity as a regressor—one who had come back from thirty-one years in the future—was not something that could be brushed aside lightly.

Everyone hesitated to say something, unsure of what to even begin with. Thus, once again, they all just exchanged glances once—

“I’m sure you all have a lot you want to ask.” Se-Hoon spoke up first, having read the room. “Like, what kind of relationship we had before my regression or what happened in the future.”

Se-Hoon was well aware of the questions anyone would naturally have when facing a regressor. Now, though, wasn’t the time.

“But we don’t have the luxury of talking about those right now. Tuner has also figured out that I’m a regressor.”

Everyone’s eyes widened at those words. Meirin, who had known about the regression from before, soon frowned.

“So it’s come to that…. Was it inside Lunatic?”

“Yes, I’ll start by explaining what happened there.”

Starting from Tuner’s intervention at the end of the battle pre-regression, Se-Hoon briefly recounted Puppeteer’s following awakening and the year he had spent living alongside Lea afterward.

Of course, when he spoke of how not just the world but they themselves had become puppets, everyone’s expressions stiffened. And when he mentioned that the regression had only succeeded because of Lea’s sacrifice, the atmosphere plummeted. They had known Lea played a major role in the Puppeteer elimination—but never would they have imagined she had saved the entire world.

“Don’t worry too much about Lea,” Se-Hoon declared, wrapping up calmly. “She must’ve made that choice because she had her own convictions.”

“…Right. Considering that she’s just as talented as you, she wouldn’t have made that decision without thinking it through.”

With that bitter mutter, Meirin—who had grown close to Lea while preparing the Planetary Reinforcement Project—fell silent.

After that, the mood took a bit to settle, which was when Eun-Ha spoke up. “So the reason you suggested clearing all the remaining Demon Realms at once… was because of Tuner?”

“That’s right. Since my identity as a regressor has been exposed, the value of the knowledge that I have about the future will drop fast.”

Especially considering Tuner’s ability, which had allowed him to awaken Puppeteer forcibly, creating new variables would be all too easy for him.

“First, I’ll explain the three remaining Demon Realms. Terra.”

“Got it!”

A translucent system message created by Terra appeared in the center of the workshop. Data on the Demon Realms—reconstructed from Se-Hoon’s memories—was projected across it.

[Garden of Void]

[*A floating island comparable in size to Babel, imbued with a special spatial attribute known as “Void.” Without the protection of A-rank or higher spatial skills, one’s entire body will be eroded and disintegrated within five minutes of entry.

*Controls part of Earth’s orbit and can thus freely traverse. During movement, materialized Void falls like rain; each drop carries the power of an A-rank hero’s bombardment skill.

*Birthplace of the Destroyer of Heaven. This Harbinger of Destruction appeared in Babel and erased it, destroyed a Tower of Heroes for the first time in history, then finally perished together with the Emperor of Ascension.]

[Forest of Recurrence]

[*It appears as an ordinary forest, but its spacetime repeats randomly every 1 to 5 seconds. Entry is difficult if no space-time skills are used, and escape is impossible.

*Criminals, demons, and monsters who entered over the past decades are preserved eternally within the looping spacetime. Having fused with the forest, they instantly regenerate unless annihilated in a single blow.

*Birthplace of the Destroyer of Moralities, which hunted countless high-rank heroes, including the Visionary. This Harbinger of Destruction also massacred tens of millions of civilians, only being barely defeated at the cost of over 90% of the Human Alliance’s fighting force.]

[Abyss of Demons]

[*A black swamp covering the Antarctic continent—the source of demonic aura. Any living being that has mana contained within their body is instantly corrupted the moment they enter. Resistance is possible at the outskirts for S-rank and above, but none can withstand it in the core.

*Birthplace of the Destroyer of Laws. Though this Harbinger of Destruction was eliminated early by the Visionary and Emperor of Ascension, its remains were later devoured by the Destroyer of Seas, born in the Black Sea, which seized control of the Abyss of Demons to destroy the entire world.]

“………”

As they read the data displayed in the long system message, their expressions hardened one by one.

Investigations into the Six Great Demon Realms were still ongoing, but all current information paled in comparison to the information available right in front of their eyes. In particular, the details about the Harbingers of Destruction that had yet to be born were shocking enough. What truly stunned them, though…

“S-Se-Hoon… about this part in the Abyss of Demons…”

“Yep.”

There was no emotion in Se-Hoon’s response to Jake.

“In the world before my regression, humanity and the Demon Force annihilated each other. Earth was swallowed by the Abyss of Demons later on. That’s how it ended. I died right before it all ended.”

“………”

The idea of world annihilation had always lingered as a vague fear. So, to hear that it had actually occurred in the previous timeline…. Only then did they fully grasp how dire their situation was—and how cruel a life the regressor standing before them must have lived.

“…I’m sorry.”

“What do you have to be sorry for? It’s already over. Don’t dwell on it.”

Cutting off the discussion before it could dig too deeply into the fallen world, Se-Hoon shifted the topic.

“Anyway, our targets this time are the Garden of Void and the Forest of Recurrence. The Abyss of Demons was hard to deal with even before I regressed due to lack of information, but these two are manageable.”

“Then, publicly we announce that we’re attacking all three at once, yet focus on those two?”

Nodding at Aria, Se-Hoon pointed to the data on the Destroyer of Heaven and the Destroyer of Moralities.

“While the Destroyer of Laws is difficult to respond to due to both location and lack of intel, these two are different. We’ll clear them first, then deal with the Abyss of Demons last.”

“Hm, that does sound safer.”

With the explanation concluded, Sung-Ha finally spoke up. “There’s just one thing I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

“Do you plan to keep your regression a secret from the Emperor of Ascension and the Trailblazer?”

All eyes turned toward Sung-Ha, who didn’t bat an eye.

“If not, there’s no reason not to call them here. Are you planning to exclude them completely from the operation?”

Of those present, only Se-Hoon could rival Ludwig and Jason in individual combat strength. There were Eun-Ha and Aria who came close, except that was only conditionally. In other words, two Perfect Ones were vital assets—so why had Se-Hoon excluded them?

To that, Se-Hoon answered without hesitation. “No, I’m not planning to exclude them. Chairman Ludwig is indispensable for the Garden of Void, and we need the Trailblazer for his strength.”

“Then?”

“It’s simply better that they aren’t aware of the regression. We can’t predict what variables that would create, so I want to block it from the start.”

Perfect Ones always acted according to their wish—their desire—that became a law of the world. If Ludwig’s or Jason’s wishes became or were tied to regression? Then a clash would be inevitable; it’d be just as it had been with the other Perfect Ones previously.

“Starting over in the past… yeah, there’s almost no wish that wouldn’t get entangled in that.”

A bitter smile was on Amir’s face. Regret for the past, longing in the present, goals for the future—all of it could be fulfilled directly or indirectly through regression. Conflict was essentially guaranteed.

“What if Tuner tells them?” Erika asked.

Se-Hoon smiled faintly.

“Do you think they’d believe him?”

“Ah…”

“Even with proof, the Chairman would be doubtful. Jason wouldn’t listen in the first place.”

Considering Ludwig and Jason had both ascended to Perfect Ones during the war against the Demon Force, the likelihood of them trusting the words of Tuner—one of the Ten Evils—was zero.

“Okay. That should be enough of an explanation…. Any more questions?”

Everyone exchanged glances, then shook their heads. If everything Se-Hoon said was true, they had no choice but to start preparations for the Demon Realm assault as quickly as possible.

“Alright. I’ve roughly planned the neutralization teams. I’ll also explain how to deal with each assigned Demon Realm. As for the Harbingers of Destruction, everyone should familiarize themselves with all strategies—just in case.”

Since they had no idea what variables Tuner might introduce, they had to prepare for every worst-case scenario.

“The operation date will be…”

Quickly calculating the time needed for preparations, Se-Hoon made the declaration.

“Three days from now.”

***

At a smart farm built on the outskirts of Babel, filled with cutting-edge hextech devices and layered magic arrays, countless fruits grew at an incredible speed. Such a cultivation technique would have been unimaginable before the Great Upheaval.

“…”

Jason stared blankly at his orchard, clenching and unclenching his fist.

In his eyes, the orchard was burning. However, it wasn’t the orchard before him—it was the one in his memories.

“…”

His face twisted in confusion, seeing the past overlap with the present. Why was such a thing happening now? What was it trying to tell him?

Alas, no matter how much he thought, he couldn’t find an answer.

If it were him…

Wouldn’t Se-Hoon know what this meant? Jason tensed his legs as if to stand… but quickly relaxed them as though nothing had happened.

No, that’s not it.

It wasn’t something to ask someone else. He had to ask himself: the man he was on the day he conquered the Tower of Heroes and made his wish.

He quickly became lost in thought, gazing at both past and present at once—

“It seems Lee Se-Hoon has made his decision.”

Ludwig appeared beside him, hands clasped behind his back, looking out over the orchard.

“That means it’s time for us to decide as well.”

“…”

“I’ve already done so. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, after all. There’s no reason to hesitate.”

Turning his head, Ludwig looked at Jason.

“What about you?”

“I…”

Jason fell silent for a long while, then shook his head.

“…I don’t know.”

“I see.”

Looking away, Ludwig looked at the fruit hanging throughout the orchard.

“Fruits always ripen when the time comes—when to harvest, though, is always the farmer’s decision.”

“…”

“Don’t let hesitation make you miss the season. That’s the last piece of advice I can give you.”

And with those words, Ludwig vanished.

“…”

Left alone, Jason stared at the orchard before standing up. He reached out, then plucked one of the rapidly growing apples.

“…This isn’t ripe yet.”

His mutter as he looked down at the apple carried emotions even he couldn’t understand.