The Regressor Can Make Them All
Chapter 395

Chapter 395

Although the public was largely unaware, Wurgen’s death had triggered changes in the hero industry that were far beyond anyone’s expectations

After that incident, they all vanished—the optimists who once claimed that humanity, if united, could even subdue the Perfect Ones. The revelation that their seemingly absolute power could not only be stolen, but that others could even be compatible with those powers had terrified them.

The list of the revelations introduced to the world by that incident was endless, with matters concerning the death or lifespan of a Perfect One being just the beginning.

And among them all, the hottest topic by far was the correlation between Perfect Ones and their powers.

“Do the absolute powers of Perfect Ones disappear together with their obituary?”

For those aware of the death of the Seeker, the answer was already clear. It was just that only the Ten Evils and the senior Watchers possessed that knowledge.

But with Wurgen’s death, now all of humanity had finally realized that even the Perfect Ones’ deaths couldn’t erase their powers from the world, sparking countless new theories.

If the Perfect Ones were separate entities from their powers, then just what, exactly, constituted the Perfect Ones? Why were most humans incapable of wielding their power or reaching transcendence?

Many had theories, but there was one particular one that started with a question too controversial to be discussed openly.

“What power is contained within a Perfect One’s corpse?”

It was common knowledge that the human body could mutate according to their skills, mana, and synesthetic mindscape. Naturally, that understanding also extended to the Perfect Ones—and their remains.

With their bodies, the Perfect Ones could single-handedly battle all of humanity, destroy worlds, and even extinguish the life of stars—just how much mystery and power lay dormant within their vessels? Yet, while countless scholars pondered over it, none ever dared to investigate it.

However, right now, that very secret was being unraveled in a small workshop within Babel as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

“A Perfect One’s power materializes their very own flesh. More than just being optimized for wielding the power, our bodies have eclipsed mere adaptation—no, it fused with it. Do you understand what this means?"

“Yes. To some extent.”

The majority would never even have a chance of interacting with a Perfect One’s remains. Se-Hoon, however, had handled the Seeker’s body, stolen from Dawn. He had even handled the phalanx of the Eternal Nocturne, a fragment of Wurgen’s remains.

I haven’t just absorbed one, I’ve even reforged it into something new.

In a way, there was no one besides the Perfect Ones themselves who understood their bodies as well as him. With his extensive knowledge of the human body, he had been able to grasp the concept immediately.

“To what extent?”

“In contrast to a hero’s body, which is an imitation gradually modeled after their synesthetic mindscape, a Perfect One’s physique is the real thing. Theirs is refined by their synesthetic mindscape itself. That’s how I understand it.”

“Hmm... You’re well-informed.”

Heroes instinctively mutate their bodies to manifest their synesthetic mindscape into reality. The more effectively their bodies reflected it, the stronger they grew. By the time a hero reached the S-rank, they had typically achieved a manifestation rate of about ninety percent.

But that’s where it ends.

Heroes all strived to raise that percentage, but without conquering the Tower of Heroes, they could never achieve that sought one hundred percent. Overcoming that invisible wall that differentiated S-rank heroes from the Perfect Ones—the wall that signified their remaining humanity.

“There might be some S-ranks out there who come close to our level,” Li Kenxie murmured, rubbing his thumb and index finger together.

Small sparks of Sacred Flames flickered from his fingertips, akin to flint striking steel.

“But in the end, they’re all still mere imitations. Even if they push the manifestation rate to 99.99 percent, without that last 0.01 percent, they’ll never be the real thing.”

His tone carried the weight of absolute truth.

“Then... is it the Golden Ring that fills in that last 0.01?” By the time Se-Hoon realized, the question had already been asked.

He had to know. The force that created the Towers of Heroes and the Abyss of Demons, the power that indiscriminately granted blessings and curses—did one have to conquer the Tower of Heroes and receive something unknown from it to become a Transcendent?

Surprised, Li Kenxie’s eyes widened slightly before he clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Did you hear that from Karl?”

“A bit from him, a bit from the Apostate. Also a bit from the Chairman.”

“Tsk... Running their mouths about useless things...”

Li Kenxie sighed, taking a moment to consider something. And when it seemed he reached a decision, he opened his mouth.

“To answer your question... It could be true, or it could not.”

“That’s a vague answer.”

“Because it was a meaningless question.”

He stared directly at Se-Hoon.

“This is the same as debating whether the chicken or the egg came first. Don’t waste your time on pointless riddles.” His tone was as absolute as when discussing the constitution of a Perfect One’s body.

Hearing those words, Se-Hoon somewhat understood.

Does one become a Perfect One only after conquering the Tower of Heroes, or can only Perfect Ones reach the summit?

Perhaps, as Li Kenxie said, it was an insignificant question. Yet, for some reason, it struck something deep within Se-Hoon. He fell into deep thought—

Smack!

Li Kenxie flicked his forehead.

“Ow!”

“Stop overthinking and focus. I’m about to teach you something, and here you are spouting nonsense... Tsk.”

Se-Hoon rubbed his forehead, scowling at Li Kenxie’s dissatisfied expression.

What could he possibly teach me...?

A lesson from Li Kenxie was invaluable for most. But for Se-Hoon, a regressor who had interacted with Li Kenxie extensively, it was different. He had already learnt and even stolen numerous techniques from Li Kenxie.

Judging by the situation, he’s probably going to teach me how to refine the Seeker’s left arm... which I already know.

In fact, Se-Hoon had more experience as he had reforged Wurgen’s bones already. That was why he was curious but not particularly eager, remaining indifferent.

“It seems showing you directly will be faster,” Li Kenxie muttered, seeing Se-Hoon’s face.

Standing up, he then grabbed the Seeker’s left arm and threw it toward the forge.

“Agh! That hurts!”

“Shut up. You’re dead already, so stop whining.”

Approaching the forge, Li Kenxie ignited a sacred flame with a mere flick of his fingers.

Fwoosh!

The forge erupted in translucent flames.

Rolling up his sleeves, Li Kenxie spoke calmly, “That difference of 0.01 percent might seem insignificant in numbers. But... it’s what makes all the difference in the end.”

With nothing but a simple adjustment to his posture, the grumpy old man had transformed into a resolute master blacksmith. Before the forge’s glow, the red hue of his robe shimmered as if it was feeding off its sacred fire.

“You can gather as much water as you want, but it will never become an ocean. No amount of light can become the sun. A fake created through imitation can never become the real thing.”

Woong-

The flames converged around Li Kenxie’s right hand, reshaping into a crimson hammer.

“This gap doesn’t just exist between heroes and Perfect Ones—it applies to something you’re very familiar with as well. Do you know what that is?”

Knowing it instinctively, Se-Hoon muttered the answer in shock: “Mythical-tier...”

Despite being humanity’s last blacksmith and a pioneer of the so-called Aspirant-tier, he had never once reached that level.

“I won’t be giving you a second chance.”

And now, before his very eyes...

“So watch closely.”

Li Kenxie clenched his left hand over the forge’s flames, about to show him the level he had never reached.

Sacred Flame Forging

FWOOSH!

The translucent fire roared violently, engulfing the icy workshop in an inferno. From its source, deep within, the essence of pure power concentrated.

Clang! Clang!

With every strike of Li Kenxie’s hammer, the crystallized power of the Seeker transformed.

It was a scene that left Se-Hoon gawking, dumbfounded.

This old bastard... was he hiding his skill the whole time?

Until now, Se-Hoon had never seen blacksmith Li Kenxie demonstrate skills worthy of his title of Perfect One. Aside from the unique properties of his power, his abilities hadn’t significantly surpassed what they had been in his S-rank days.

That was why Se-Hoon had always believed he was the superior blacksmith.

I... I have to admit it.

But the moment he saw the equipment taking shape in Li Kenxie’s hands, Se-Hoon could no longer claim to be the better blacksmith. How could he possibly disregard a lunatic who wasn’t just using the world’s laws, but forging them themselves?

Clang!

Awed, Se-Hoon almost didn’t notice that the forging process was nearing its completion.

Li Kenxie had set aside his hammer and was slowly bringing both hands together before his chest.

Fwoosh-

The Sacred Flames within the forge compressed around the power of Omniscience, and the once-translucent flames turned a deep crimson that completely dyed the space in its color.

And then, when Li Kenxie pressed his palms together...

Absolute Oblivion

Fwoosh!

The sacred flames flared, then vanished without a trace.The forging, which had taken only the blink of an eye to complete, had ended.

Still dumbfounded, Se-Hoon instinctively turned to look at the clock on the wall.

An hour has passed already...?

As Se-Hoon was realizing how deeply focused he had been, something flew toward him.

Thud!

Acting on reflex, he caught the object and looked ahead.

There, Li Kenxie, who had just rolled down his sleeves, spoke. “Take a look.”

“...”

Lowering his gaze, Se-Hoon examined what he had just caught.

A bracelet made of orange gemstones. Inside, lights of various colors swirled gently, making it seem as if dozens of different gems had been fused into one.

So the left arm turned into a bracelet... interesting.

Thinking it would certainly be easier to carry around, Se-Hoon immediately pulled up its system message.

[Beads of Omniscience]

[Tier: Mythical] [Quality: —]

[Forged personally by the Perfect One Li Kenxie, who pursues the state of Anatta.

Refined from the Seeker’s power of Omniscience, it allows the user to wield that power freely by consuming mana. Capable of fusing all elemental mana, its potency increases depending on the number of types of elemental mana possessed by the user.

*Consumes mana to wield the power of Omniscience

*Allows the fusion of multiple elemental mana types to create Tattva | Current available elements: Fire, Darkness, Earth

*Grants access to the Akashic]

“...”

For the first time, even between both lives, Se-Hoon had a piece of Mythical-tier equipment for himself.

They were things he had seen before from a distance, and even in the hands of demons, albeit being shattered ones.

But never before had he been able to inspect one so calmly in his hands.

Its essence remains the same, but... the direction has been defined.

Just as the Perfect Ones continued their pre-ascension behavioral patterns, the Beads of Omniscience were also still displaying a guiding flow, steering its power in a specific direction.

And upon seeing that it also stabilized the fusion of multiple elemental mana types into Tattva, Se-Hoon immediately understood why Li Kenxie had crafted it in the way that he had.

“This feels like a control mechanism.”

“If you're gathering stuff as complex as these, big or small, conflicts are inevitable. I crafted this to compensate for that.”

The equipment Se-Hoon was currently using—his custom modified Five Elements Equipment—were to create a single one designed to serve as an extension of himself, mimicking the structure of his body to back up his synesthetic mindscape. Like a body trained in Soul Honing, it intertwined multiple powers of Perfect Ones in a delicate balance.

However, maintaining that state was no easy task.

I’ve gotten so used to it that I can handle it unconsciously... but replicating that in a piece of equipment is a different matter entirely.

Se-Hoon had experimented with many solutions, and now, Li Kenxie had provided the perfect piece that used the Seeker’s power.

“This is great. Seriously, it’s amazing.”

If he used the Beads of Omniscience properly, he’d potentially complete the backup system much sooner than expected.

Watching Se-Hoon burn with renewed enthusiasm, Li Kenxie just silently observed him before he indifferently said, “This should be enough for your reward. I’ll be off now.”

“You could stay a little longer.”

“If you really mean that, at least try to hide your damn expression first.”

Clicking his tongue at the sight of Se-Hoon itching to start his work, Li Kenxie turned around and started walking toward the door. But just before stepping out, he suddenly paused.

“Never, under any circumstances, let your guard down when using that madman’s power.”

The abrupt warning about the Seeker made Se-Hoon look at him with slight surprise.

“You really must have hated the Seeker a lot.”

“Finding someone who actually liked her would be harder. That bitch never even forged a single thing, yet she always had something to say about my work.”

Li Kenxie’s mind drifted to the past, back to the chaotic era when no new Perfect Ones had emerged since the Emperor of Ascension’s announcement of conquering the Tower of Heroes.

During that time, he had encountered the Seeker occasionally.

“But that’s not why I’m warning you.”

“Then...?”

Was he going to talk about the human experiments conducted during the war? Se-Hoon’s gaze carried his unspoken question, but Li Kenxie’s answer was far simpler.

“It was because she was the craziest among us.”

Se-Hoon stiffened. If one truly understood who the Perfect Ones were, they would never take such a warning lightly.

Steeling himself, Se-Hoon responded firmly, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good. I’ll be going off then.”

With that, Li Kenxie left the workshop.

Now alone with the weight of the warning, Se-Hoon re-secured the restraints he had briefly loosened before anything else.

“That stubborn old gramps... I’ve been wronged! If anyone here’s crazy, it’s him!” A resentful voice echoed from the Beads of Omniscience.

Even though the Seeker’s psyche was now contained in a different vessel, its essence remained the same.

“You trust me, right? Right?”

“Are you insane? There are limits to how gullible one can be.”

“Gah...”

The Beads of Omniscience trembled indignantly.

Smack!

And upon seeing that, Se-Hoon lightly smacked it with his palm.

“Argh!”

“Quit whining and start analyzing how we can improve my gear.”

“I was going to, but at least let me complain a little—”

“Silence.”

“...”

At the final warning, the Seeker—now ranked below Amir in servitude—fell silent. Similarly, Se-Hoon went quiet, in deep thought.

The craziest among the Perfect Ones, huh...

If that was true, what had the Seeker done before dying? And how did her legacy continue to persist? She was both a scholar who pioneered humanity’s technological advancements and someone who served as the trigger point for both Succession and Dawn—two events with polar opposite impacts, yet born from the same existence.

Contemplating the meaning behind the contradiction, Se-Hoon stared at the Beads of Omniscience with a conflicted expression.

Smack!

“Agh!”

He smacked it again for good measure.

***

—Then at least pass a fragment of the Jade Crescent Mirror to Se-Hoon. I’m hanging up.

Click-

The call ended the moment the speaker finished talking.

Setting his phone down, Caden let out a short laugh.

“Master really hasn’t changed over the years...”

At times, that unchanging nature was reassuring. Right now, though, it was somewhat exhausting.

Having been abruptly assigned the task of delivering the Jade Crescent Mirror to Se-Hoon, Caden tried to recall where the fragments were stored.

One was here... and the other was in Succession’s possession.

The last fragment had ended up in the Myer family’s vault, but according to information from Succession, it had somehow found its way into Se-Hoon’s hands.

At this point, I might as well call it fate.

Everything about the Jade Crescent Mirror was leading to Se-Hoon, as if orchestrated by some unseen force.

Caden debated his next move. Given Li Kenxie’s direct request, ignoring it wasn’t an option. The question was whether to hand over just one fragment or both.

Giving up one fragment for compliance made sense, but handing over both to a future enemy was an entirely different matter.

“Wait, this actually works out.”

Realizing something, Caden stopped overthinking it and immediately sent a message to Succession, ordering them to return the fragment.

Even if it is a part of the Five Element Equipment, the Jade Crescent Mirror probably wouldn’t change the outcome that much.

And more than anything, Caden had received a significant gift from Se-Hoon before.

Defiant Ember, was it? I never expected such a technique to be created.

He owed Se-Hoon for its development. As Offering’s leader, Caden wanted to repay that debt in kind.

Anyway, I’m curious to see how he’ll use it.

The impurities that his master discarded in his pursuit of conquering the Tower of Heroes—recalling the past from decades ago when he acquired them, Caden was also reminded of a conversation he had once had with someone.

“I wasn’t even wrong, but that old geezer’s got the worst temper... huh? Oh, you’re his disciple? Been a while, hasn’t it?

“I hear you have all the antiques the old man made right before he conquered the Tower of Heroes. That stuff... hmm? You won’t hand them over? Pfft! Why would I even want that leftover trash?

“I was just gonna give you some advice on how to use them. I think I get why you’re holding onto them.”

He thought of the Perfect One who had casually approached him in front of the workshop, grinning from ear to ear—a being who had passed down knowledge that no one else could have provided.

Caden shook his head, casting away the unnecessary thoughts.

That’s not what matters right now.

The preparations for the Silent Volcano subjugation mission were gradually taking shape. While they had their own plans in place, their forces were still lacking compared to the enemy.

If it weren’t for that damn undead legion, this would’ve been much easier... Now, how do we fill the gaps?

Doppelganger, who was at the core of their strategy, had the raw power to be a key player. But it lacked the ability to shift the tide of battle on a large scale.

Striking off that option, Caden was racking his brain for a solution when...

Woong-

He felt a faint magical vibration. A communication orb on his desk activated, glowing dimly. It was a device used for contact between the Watchers.

Since he had recently sent a message to Transcendence, he assumed it was from them and glanced at the orb—

“This is... unbelievable... How... It actually... worked...”

A fragmented voice echoed through the orb.

Caden’s gaze sharpened as he checked the glowing symbol on the surface: the insignia of Exuviation.

His eyes widened.

“Tuner... You were alive?”

Ever since the incident with Wurgen, they had completely lost contact. Rumors had already started circulating that he was dead—only for him to resurface in this way.

“I didn’t die... but calling this as ‘alive’ is a stretch. I had multiple safety measures in place on my end, but... Lee Se-Hoon, that bastard...”

His words trailed off, incoherent rambles. Clearly, he was far from being in peak condition.

Yet Caden wanted to waste no time, so he asked, “When can you return? And why did you reach out to us now?”

As the leader of Exuviation and one of the Ten Evils, Tuner was someone who could dramatically shift the balance of power.

“I... can’t come back.” Tuner was struggling to form his words. “And I won’t be able to contact you for a while.... Even now, I feel like I’m about to die.... It’s terrifying...”

Caden frowned.

“Then...?”

“Instead... I’ll give you something useful.... Something I found a while back...”

Even in his weakened state, Tuner let out a faint chuckle, one that seemed he was genuinely amused.

“It’s a legacy left behind by the Seeker.... Use it well.”