The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 154

Within a rented inner room of a tea house located on the outskirts of Aqar Quf’s bustling downtown, Seon-Woo looked at the person sitting opposite him.

“Hmm...”

Lost in thought, Se-Hoon was sipping his tea silently. Truthfully, Seon-Woo wanted to start a conversation, but the serene atmosphere of the room made it difficult, so he reviewed the events earlier instead.

How did it come to this...?

He had only visited Se-Hoon to fulfill his great-aunt's request and to carry out his investigation for the Special Operations Division, yet somehow ended up serving Se-Hoon as his junior disciple. No matter how hard he thought about it, he didn’t know how to deal with such an embarrassing situation.

Struggling internally, time passed quietly. Then, when Se-Hoon drank half of his tea, he finally said, “You don’t have to worry too much. I’m not even a formal disciple yet, and I’m pretty sure she just said it on a whim.”

“You really think so?”

“Of course. Oh, it might be good to act appropriately in public, though, since she might be watching us.”

“...”

Seon-Woo’s expression hardened slightly. Wasn't Se-Hoon basically telling him to respect him as his junior disciple in public and to only relax when they were alone?

Well, this is better than nothing...

If Se-Hoon had told him to be respectful even in private, Seon-Woo thought he would have likely suffered in the future.

“Well, I think that’s enough about this.... Let’s get to the main point now.”

“The main point?”

“You came here to investigate me, right? We might as well finish everything while we’re here.”

Surprised, Seon-Woo just looked at him for a moment before regaining his composure.

“Understood. Then I’ll get everything prepared.”

Transitioning to work mode, Seon-Woo straightened his posture and took out a recording device from his void pocket, which he placed on the table.

“Please start from the day of the incident, in chronological order,” Seon-Woo requested, looking straight at Se-Hoon.

“Well then...”

Heeding his request, Se-Hoon explained everything that happened on the day of the Demon Force’s assault in detail. Only once the explanation was roughly finished did Seon-Woo break his silence and start asking questions about certain points that he found to be unclear.

“You said you noticed something strange beforehand about the sparring equipment that the spies used. How did you find out?”

According to the blacksmith the Heroes Association asked, the equipment was so perfectly disguised that the naked eye couldn’t possibly distinguish it. Even if Se-Hoon was an honor student, he was still a first-year. How could he figure it out so easily?

“They just looked a bit odd, so I hit them a few times during the sparring sessions, and they indeed felt distinctly different. That’s how I knew.”

“That doesn’t...”

Seon-Woo was about to say that Se-Hoon’s explanation didn't make any sense at all, but then he remembered that Se-Hoon was the genius creator of mass-produced sword aura equipment, a task considered nearly impossible in the current blacksmithing industry. Considering that, his explanation became plausible.

“Alright... let’s move on, then. Why didn’t you report this immediately to Babel?”

“Well, since the equipment was disguised as sparring weapons, I figured it meant they got them in through a traitor inside Babel. Thus, I thought it might be dangerous to report it rashly and decided to just keep an eye on things.”

“Hm... I see.”

Given that even a professor had been arrested as a traitor, Seon-Woo thought that such a decision was not bad after all.

“Did you find any suspicious circumstances at the Hextech Expo that made you make preparations in advance?”

“No. I responded as things occurred.”

Two students subduing the A-rank Professor Charles, reclaiming the facility, and even capturing the resurrected S-rank Vermillion Bird had been the result of on-the-spot decisions? Normally, such an unbelievable thing would arouse more suspicion, but Seon-Woo found himself oddly convinced.

With the skills he just showed, it’s not... completely impossible, right?

He recalled Se-Hoon’s ability to rapidly adapt to new environments, his ability to perfectly anticipate his opponent’s actions, and his flawless display during the kite-flying training. And given that even his great-aunt Ha Baek-Yeon, the Visionary, wanted to take him as a disciple, all of it seemed entirely possible.

So it all comes down to one’s talent and skill in the end...

The conclusion he got out of this investigation felt strange, like it shouldn’t make sense but somehow did, leaving an indescribable odd feeling along with a sense of relief.

At this point, Seon-Woo began wondering if he should just end the investigation here. Torn, Seon-Woo mulled over it for what felt like a long time before making a decision and sighing internally.

“Then, for the last question, I heard you defeated the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter, who had come to hunt down Professor Kim In-Cheol. Can you tell me how you did it?”

“I was able to create an opening using a piece of equipment imbued with the power of the Chairman to subdue him.”

“...” Seon-Woo went blank.

But soon, upon realizing that the equipment imbued with the power of the Emperor of Ascension would surely be able to overcome the power disparity between Se-Hoon and the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter, he recovered his composure and nodded.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

The investigation was so mundane that he felt foolish for being tense, for thinking it might be a grand conspiracy involving the secrets of Perfect Ones.

Feeling a mix of relief and emptiness, Seon-Woo was about to sip his tea when Se-Hoon brought up the next topic.

“Let’s move on to our bet now.”

“Oh, right. Do you have something in mind?”

What would this genius demand from him? Curious, Seon-Woo, who had relaxed his vigilance a bit since the investigation concluded, looked at Se-Hoon.

“I would like you to answer as Hero Ha Seon-Woo and not Investigator Ha Seon-Woo, in our following conversation.”

“...Pardon?” Seon-Woo inadvertently questioned, surprised by the unexpected request.

Not as an investigator, but as a hero?

What was he trying to get out of this?

“Can you do that for me?” Se-Hoon asked again.

After internally debating whether it would be harmful to him in any way, Seon-Woo agreed saying, “Yes, I think that would be doable.”

Although he wasn’t sure of the details, he deemed it wasn’t something he couldn't do.

Upon hearing Seon-Woo’s answer, Se-Hoon moistened his throat with tea before beginning.

“I think various changes will occur both inside and outside Babel due to this incident. Things like identifying those who conspired with the Demon Force or subjugating the Ten Evils.”

“Hmm. Yeah, that seems likely.”

It was a widely discussed topic, so Seon-Woo agreed readily.

“So, who do you think is the first among the Ten Evils that needs to be subjugated?” Se-Hoon asked, his eyes shining.

“...”

At that question, Seon-Woo stared at Se-Hoon in silence.

Usually, those affiliated with the Hero Association would never answer such questions, as even a casual word could lead to information leaks or ruined plans. And that was especially the case for those in the Special Operations Division, who handled most of the plans and investigations of the Hero Association. They had to be even more cautious. Yet Se-Hoon still asked Seon-Woo head-on.

...I see. This was what he meant by asking me to speak as a hero, not an investigator.

Se-Hoon wanted Seon-Woo to answer based solely on his insight, without being bound by the association. In a way, he was playing a word game while also assuring him that he would completely respect Seon-Woo as a hero, not as an investigator from the Heroes Association.

I thought he would be more emotional and arrogant.... Perhaps I was wrong.

Tensing, Seon-Woo organized his thoughts before he answered.

“If I were to pick candidates, three that come to mind. Tuner, who expands his power through illegal modifications; Puppeteer, who attacks heroes and turns them into automatons; and the Dream Demon, the owner of the Pleasure District.”

On top of being individually strong, those three could also significantly bolster the Demon Force’s collective power. Aside from being the prime targets for attacking the Emperor of Ascension directly, their inherent danger levels were the highest.

“And if I had to choose among the three, I would say the Dream Demon, as one of the main reasons the Ten Evils haven’t been caught so far is because of that monster.”

Luke how humanity traveled freely around the world through the gates created by the Emperor of Ascension, the Demon Force traversed the world through the Dream Demon’s Pleasure District. Thus, severing that stronghold was the first step to subjugating the Ten Evils.

“But... it won’t be an easy task.”

Although the Pleasure District had deeply entrenched itself in the shadows, making it easy to enter with some investigation, the reason no one had subdued the Dream Demon so far was that the Pleasure District was created from dream mana.

“It is said that the Dream Demon possesses power comparable to Perfect Ones when inside the Pleasure District. And while it hasn’t been confirmed, every single person who has entered so far has never returned.”

“What if Perfect Ones helped find out?”

“They tried, but I remember them just blocking the entrance or sealing off the area, even at the cost of some casualties.”

Se-Hoon fell into deep thought.

As expected... the situation is similar to before.

Before the regression, those three had also been the first mentioned to be eliminated. And they had been, in the order of Puppeteer, the Dream Demon, and Tuner.

Puppeteer had been first since she, unlike Tuner, rarely used the Pleasure District. She ultimately failed to evade pursuit and met her demise.

The Dream Demon only died back then thanks to the help of the Frost Dog.

The Dream Demon’s elimination was only possible with the assistance of the Frost Dog, who was practically the Dream Demon’s successor at that point. The process had been far from smooth, but the important thing was that they could still make the same attempt now.

Going with the same plan as before right now would be a disaster though...

To create a situation similar to before, some groundwork, like what the Frost Dog had done before, was absolutely necessary. Meaning, subduing those connected to the Pleasure District was first.

At least the overall situation isn’t too different from what I knew, so that’s a relief.

Diving deeper might reveal differences, but Se-Hoon believed that those could be dealt with as they came. Having organized his thoughts, he focused on Seon-Woo, who was still waiting for his request.

“Then, it seems more realistic to deal with the spies in Babel before the Ten Evils.”

“That seems to be the case for now.”

It was a must to uproot those who had colluded with the Demon Force to prevent further chaos—that was what Seon-Woo likely thought.

Having checked Seon-Woo’s answer, Se-Hoon finally got to the matter.

“What I’m about to say is purely hypothetical.”

“...”

“But what if a family, who develops most of the equipment used by heroes and is ruthless enough to use their own blood as tools, colludes with the Demon Force?”

At Se-Hoon’s question, Seon-Woo’s eyes widened before quickly returning to normal like nothing had happened. With a meaningful gaze, he then answered, “If that’s true... it would be extremely dangerous.”

“Could I get the investigators’ help if we were to confront such people?”

“As long as you have concrete evidence, yes,” Seon-Woo immediately responded. Then, with the same meaningful gaze, he added, “As much help as you will need.”

[A bond has been successfully established with the subject ‘Ha Seon-Woo’.]

Seeing the notification message pop up, Se-Hoon smiled with satisfaction and extended his hand.

“Looks like we’ll be seeing each other often.”

Staring at Se-Hoon’s hand, Seon-Woo contemplated whether working with Se-Hoon would be truly right before quickly making up his mind.

“I look forward to it,” he said, grasping Se-Hoon’s hand.

***

Pitter- Patter-

In a massive mansion located on the outskirts of Munich, Germany, a gaunt man with neatly slicked-back blond hair, frowned upon hearing the pelting rain as he walked down the hallway.

“Tsk...”

Although the interior atmosphere of the mansion was kept in an optimal environment through magic, just seeing the pouring rain gave him the unpleasant feeling of getting soaked. Discomforted, the gaunt man, Michael, adjusted his clothes unnecessarily and collected his scattered thoughts, soon arriving before a door, the largest and most ornate door within the mansion.

“...”

Daunted despite being in his middle ages, Michael collected his breath before the imposing and heavy door and carefully knocked.

“My lord, it’s Michael.”

“Come in.”

Receiving permission, Michael cautiously opened the door and stepped into the room. The interior, lined with red carpet and adorned with luxurious furniture and decorations, exuded a sense of grandeur and weight.

Sparing not a glance, Michael immediately directed his gaze toward the owner of the room.

“...”

But all he could see was the back of a chair. Despite his entrance, the owner of the room didn’t even turn around, causing Michael to feel a chilling unease deep in his chest.

In a respectful tone, he asked, “What have you called me for?”

“Why don’t you tell me.”

Feeling a tightening sensation around his neck, Michael began to sweat. Why had he been summoned? There were countless possibilities, but if the family head didn’t even bother to show his face... Michael quickly grasped the reason and parted his heavy lips.

“I believe it’s to discuss... my punishment regarding the recent incident.”

“I guess there’s no need for me to say the same thing.”

Calmly acknowledging Michael’s correct guess, the head of the family, Max Barmuth, continued, “I have no intention of blaming you for the attack. The main perpetrators were the Demon Force and Watchers, after all. This failure is either due to their incompetence or the Emperor of Ascension being exceptionally formidable.”

“...”

“However, what I cannot understand... is why you got rid of Vier in such a manner.”

The subtle anger in Max’s otherwise dry voice made Michael quickly kneel, his pupils trembling.

“My apologies! Please forgive me this once...!”

After a heavy moment of silence, Max’s voice, a bit calmer now, flowed out, “Do you realize the amount of time, money, and resources we invested in Vier?”

“Yes, yes! I am fully aware.”

“And yet, you failed to utilize him effectively. You seem completely unfit to be the family head successor.”

He tightened his fists, unable to protest. He knew how, due to the recent incident, the influence of the Demon Force, Watchers, and their associates within Babel had diminished, leading to a decrease in their own influence. Moreover, having failed all of his recently assigned tasks, protesting would only result in being locked up in the basement.

Lee Se-Hoon... that base-born bastard...

Thinking about the irritating face of the primary culprit behind their troubles, Michael ground his teeth.

“You’re going to make me repeat myself,” Max calmly murmured, startling Michael.

Rushing to respond, he said, “Y-Yes! I am indeed unfit for the position!”

“...That’s right.”

Turning his chair around, Max, who had a hint of disdain in his voice so far, finally revealed himself.

“From today, you are the next head of the family, Felix.”

At Max’s declaration, Michael turned around in shock.

Felix, with his blond hair half-white, wore a wrinkled, unbuttoned shirt that reeked of alcohol. The sight of him, not just frivolous but downright debauched, made Michael’s face contort in disgust, while Felix twisted his lips into a smirk.

“Thank you for giving me this honorable chance. It seems my brother was quite useless, wasn’t he, Father?”

“No need for useless comments.”

Cutting off Felix’s words sharply, Max looked at his two sons.

“Watchers will just watch the situation for a while. Therefore, all related projects are to be put on hold, and you should prepare for other projects.”

“Other projects...?”

“The Dream Demon is pushing for the Expansion more actively. Focus on opening up trade routes in that area. Considering the upcoming situation, it should be beneficial for us.”

Max’s words made Michael’s freeze.

Expansion was the long-term project that the Dream Demon had been pushing for years. If it was being pushed into motion, it meant that the entire Pleasure District was going to be busy soon.

“There will be many other competing parties, so act proactively to not fall behind. And—”

Max paused. Then, in a cold tone, he finished his words.

“Find a way to deal with Lee Se-Hoon.”