The Regressors are Trying to Kill Me

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 63

North Korea had fallen.

It wasn't because of social conflicts between Awakened and ordinary people, nor was it due to the collapse of the one-party dictatorship of the Communist Party caused by the Awakened's power.

It was simply because the Aitel Tower itself never appeared there in the first place.

The Aitel System had regional servers for each country.

And it designated North Korea as the sole 'country' on the Korean Peninsula.

At the same time, it conducted tutorials in the territory occupied by North Korea, summoning the participants to the heart of Seoul.

In other words, Gates opened in the North too.

Gates opened, but there were no Hunters.

Because they were all dragged to the basement of the National Intelligence Service as soon as they awakened, still dazed and confused.

It was a situation destined for collapse.

Many died, as they did everywhere else in the world, and many were accepted, as they were everywhere else in the world.

It wasn't that people who had opposed unification for economic reasons suddenly changed their minds overnight.

North Korea had gained some leeway as it became a developed country in the Aitel era.

Besides, the statistics were the statistics.

With tens of millions of potential Awakened, there would be at least 50 A-rank Hunters.

They couldn't just abandon them because of mere ideological issues.

There were also people who were negative towards North Korean defectors.

'Why should we feed them with our taxes?'

'If we accept them, our foreign minister will have a reason to go to the UN and say we can't accept any more refugees!'

'Is that so?'

'North Korean defectors vs. Southeast Asian, Indian, and Chinese refugees. Both in the millions. Take your pick.'

Those who emphasized economic logic above all else came to understand another kind of economic logic.

Despite some discrimination and conflict, the former North Korean residents integrated into South Korea within 15 years.

Since they couldn't all come down south at once, they settled in major cities near the 38th parallel, such as Kaesong.

The South Korean government also projected its administrative power northward, helping them become self-reliant.

Although it was still riddled with special laws and temporary provisions, somehow maintaining the situation, South Korea was gradually incorporating the former North Korean territory into its administrative jurisdiction.

And there were still places where the day they would come under administrative control seemed distant.

"That's Sinpo City, where we're going now, you see~"

Fengyun burst into rough laughter on the deck of the large yacht.

Ryu Haneul asked—

"What kind of place is that?"

"China, Russia, northern Japan, even South Korea. It's a blind spot for Northeast Asian trade. If the Black Sea is a global artifact trading zone, Sinpo City is like the trading zone for Northeast Asian artifacts, hahahaha."

Ryu Haneul narrowed his eyes.

"Isn't there a 'secret' missing before the word 'trade'?"

"That's right! Our little Heavenly Demon is so smart!"

"I heard that the phrase 'blind spot' also means a place that's hidden..."

"That's right. There are various perspectives in the world, aren't there?"

Ryu Haneul was an Awakened who had even regressed, but Fengyun was also a gang leader who had seen it all.

Realizing that words wouldn't work, Ryu Haneul turned his head and...

"S-Senior."

"Let's go! Raise the flag!"

He spotted Baekya standing side by side with Choi Gimin on the upper deck of the yacht, bursting into laughter.

"Senior! You were being cautious just a while ago! W-what are you doing with that gangster!"

"Didn't you feed him 'Loneliness'? I trust you."

Baekya jumped down from the upper deck and approached Ryu Haneul.

Ryu Haneul let out a resentful complaint.

"I've been thinking this for a while now, but you're too good at sophistry, senior."

"I'm a politician, aren't I? I've attended more parliamentary inspections than most ministers."

Baekya naturally pulled Ryu Haneul's shoulder and headed towards the front of the deck.

"Look over there."

He stretched out his hand towards Sinpo City.

Sinpo City at midnight was bright, unlike the image that came to mind when one thought of North Korea.

Huge concrete structures stood here and there, and searchlights illuminated the entire city.

"That's where your Irregular Polyhedron is, right?"

"Yes. With that, we can go straight to the Tower."

"And we can lift Fengyun-ssi's curse."

"That's right."

But the light was somehow pale and gaunt.

Baekya also frowned and looked at the island in front of Sinpo City's docks.

"That's the 'problem'."

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Ryu Haneul looked at the island.

There was a fairly large island located in the sea in front of Sinpo City's docks.

If it were South Korea, they would have connected the mainland and the island with a bridge and built a dock on the island, but it seemed North Korea hadn't been able to do that.

From that island, a thick demonic energy was rising, enough to surprise even the 'Heavenly Demon' Ryu Haneul.

"That... it's completely eroded, isn't it?"

"Yes. There's no notification window either."

"Does that mean it's at the level of an inferior species?"

Ryu Haneul asked in a voice devoid of much expectation.

Baekya replied in an unusually self-deprecating voice.

"You know how you can tinker with things as a reward every time you achieve something while climbing the Aitel?"

"Yes."

"Come to think of it, I think I've limited all sorts of conveniences to the South Korean side so far. The furthest it spread was Kaesong?"

"Why did you do that?"

"It was government policy. We had to survive first, right? Besides, back then, the North Korean warlords were making a fuss about establishing an independent state. There's no reason to give those guys the benefits that our Hunters earned with their blood."

Ryu Haneul couldn't disagree.

Baekya continued in a reminiscent voice—

"Those benefits are applied by range and density. Based on the benefits I received on the 40th floor, if I compress and use the benefit range within Seoul, it even provides Gate forecasts. Gates below Rank 2 don't even open."

"So you're saying that the Gate warnings, absorption, release, collapse, and all that stuff only work in South Korea and the Kaesong area?"

"Yeah."

Ryu Haneul smiled brightly and clapped his hands.

"I never imagined. I still have a lot to learn from you, senior."

"You're the Heavenly Demon. The Lord of the Sixth Heaven."

"Yes."

Choi Gimin heard the whole conversation from the upper deck.

He wanted to say, 'Is this the example you were talking about? The real rascal isn't me, it's that Baekya bastard!'

But he kept his mouth shut, fearing he would get hit.

He was a man of poor character, not a stupid one.

"Turn on the lights."

"Yes, hyungnim."

Fengyun instructed his subordinate.

The subordinate turned on the yacht's bright lights, illuminating the water.

Under the black surface, a monstrous creature of an indiscernible shape vaguely revealed itself.

It looked like a bloated, shiny gray tick with a demonic face, and it was bigger than Fengyun's massive yacht.

【Deep Sea ???(???)】

As Baekya had said, it was so far from the convenience benefits provided by Seoul's Aitel Tower that its name and Rank couldn't be properly identified.

"Ha."

Baekya clapped his hands as if to ventilate.

"With something like that roaming around, it's no wonder they couldn't get out."

Ryu Haneul asked—

"What should we do?"

"We'll have to deal with it like we did at the Ghost Princess' castle."

"I wasn't there, so I don't know anything."

"...Kill all the ones that have already crawled out, go inside, and burn the core."

"So that's what you did there?"

"...Just you wait and see if I ever go anywhere without you again. I'll make you follow me around until I beg you to let me have some privacy."

"Really?! Senior, the Sun shouldn't lie! I think I'm going to ascend."

Choi Gimin thought Baekya seemed to have lost.

* * *

Fengyun had his men steer the yacht closer to the island.

"There used to be a Reds, no, a North Korean submarine base here."

Looking at the sonar, the water depth was indeed deep and the bottom flat, making it seem suitable for submarines.

Choi Gimin, rolling up his sleeves, asked sarcastically.

"Do people still use the word 'Reds' these days?"

"Shut your trap. I'm ex-North Korean special forces."

"Fucking scary. Guess those bastards are still in business."

"What the hell are you talking about? It's been ages since those guys went under... What's that?"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Something that looked like a submarine appeared on the sonar.

It seemed twice as big as the yacht.

"Should've brought a bigger one!"

Fengyun drew a sashimi knife from his waist and stepped out onto the deck.

Ryu Haneul also drew the Dark Heavenly Demon Sword from his inventory, and Baekya prepared a heat ray.

Bubble bubble! Bubble bubble!

The surface of the water boiled frantically.

White foam rose and disturbed the surrounding water.

The illuminated depths were glimpsed, and...

"Here it comes!"

The depths glimpsed them too.

"What is that!?"

【Aquatic ???(???)】

If one had to describe it, it was a fish with countless hands where its head should have been.

Its plump body was covered in armor like an ancient fish, and its unusually white palms had bulging, reddish eyeballs.

["■■■■■—!”]

It opened its mouth, which was located who-knows-where, and let out a roar that shattered the listener's mind.

"You're nothing!"

Just as Baekya was about to fire his heat ray...

【Petrification】

Crackle. Crackle!

Choi Gimin, having taken off his sunglasses, widened his eyes.

His vertical pupils met the eyes on the countless hands, and...

Thud.

The demon of the deep sank into the sea like a drug dealer who had been beaten up by Fengyun.

Baekya, Ryu Haneul, and Fengyun all turned to look at Choi Gimin.

"What, what the...?"

"This is why I brought him along."

"I can't hate his skills, no matter what."

Choi Gimin, who had been standing on the upper deck, slowly put his sunglasses back on and shrugged.

"YO! Let's finish this quickly before more comes."

Fengyun's subordinate moored the yacht at the old harbor.

The concrete made with the sweat and blood of the people was still sturdy even after decades.

"Let's go. Guard the ship well."

"Yes, hyungnim."

"Yes."

Fengyun's subordinates remained on the ship.

Even though they were subordinates, they were powerful Awakened, around B-rank.

Baekya looked at them with satisfaction and then poured mana into the vest made from the Winter Peacock's military flag.

'Fire Domain.'

This vest was like an old water pump.

When he put in his mana as priming water, it allowed him to control the mana in the surrounding area.

"Be careful."

"Of what... Whoa, shit! That scared me!"

Fwoosh!

A faint flame spread out spherically from Baekya.

Flare! Flare! Fwoosh!

The dried-up trees and fallen leaves caught fire.

The entire dark island became much brighter.

Fengyun asked—

"Won't this cause a forest fire?"

"I did it. This whole island needs to be burned down."

Choi Gimin took off the sunglasses he had stylishly put on.

"I see them."

Horrible creatures began to emerge from the forest.

Several monstrous beasts, larger than the old lighthouse at the docks, were also visible.

Ryu Haneul narrowed his eyes and then shook his head.

"No notification window pops up. My constellation tells me if I ask, but the Aitel notifications don't really appear."

Fengyun drew his sashimi knife and shouted gallantly—

"So we're on our own then? No one here is without the blessing of their constellation, right?"

The four Awakened checked above each other's heads.

"Right."

Baekya was camouflaging it with a handkerchief, but he had the most famous halo in the world.

"Yes."

Ryu Haneul's was purple, shaped like a ring and a square.

"Is there such an idiot?"

Choi Gimin's was green, shaped like a circle lined with countless scales.

"Guess not."

Fengyun's was yellow, shaped like a gear.

All four were Rankers chosen by constellations.

"Alright then, let's go!"

As Fengyun shouted, the four Awakened dashed into the island.

* * *

The main enemies in that Gate were merfolk.

[TL/N: Merfolk are legendary, human-like beings that live in the water and are part human and part fish.]

Those labeled as 'Aquatic' were humanoid monsters with fish heads, wielding sharp harpoons and short swords with ease.

When they were at a disadvantage, they would stretch their necks like eels and try to bite, making them very tricky opponents, but...

"Brings back memories!"

They were no match for Baekya and the three Hunters.

"Indeed."

"You said it. When that Kraken appeared in Busan, you and I... Huh?! Heavenly Demon-nim, have you known Baekya for a long time too?"

"W-well, that's... Here they come!"

"Yikes!"

With three physical-type Awakened, Baekya fought with rear fire support.

Ryu Haneul took the lead, Choi Gimin and Fengyun took the left and right flanks respectively.

The swarming Aquatics were met with Baekya's flames.

【Hellfire】

"Kaaaagh!"

While they were struggling like that, their heads were smashed by Ryu Haneul, Fengyun, and Choi Gimin.

【Ten Thousand Souls Embrace】

【Tempest's Aria】

【Petrification】

Choi Gimin stared into the darkness and shouted—

"Big one incoming!"

Baekya turned his head to the left.

'...!'

In the darkness, between the trees withered by the sea breeze, two giant shadows emerged.

A land octopus with a tank-like head and eight thick legs was pointing its short, cannon-like mouth towards them.

【“That one looks a bit tough.”】

【“Its name is Walking Octopus, Rank A-, but it fluctuates a bit.”】

【Your constellation 'Sunny' says something worrying about you with an expectant smile.】

"Dodge!"

Baekya dashed forward, pouring magic into the ring on his left hand.

"Senior!"

At the same moment Ryu Haneul cried out in alarm, the Walking Octopus spewed fire from its mouth.

【Ink-Black Shrapnel】

Boom!

Fragments surged towards them like a tsunami.

The dense trees between them, the decaying buildings, and the unfortunate monsters were all swept away.

The ground touched by the fragments turned black and rotted.

'Wide-area erosion type? This is bad.'

Baekya gritted his teeth and activated the Distortion Field.

Clang!

...He was sure it wouldn't be enough.

'More.'

Maintaining the posture with his left hand extended forward, he unleashed the Resonance Wave.

Zeeeeng!

'More!'

The force field that distorted space and the wave that heated the entire space overlapped in a single phase.

Hum! Hum! Hum!

In that instant, Baekya realized that this manipulation was possible even with just the Resonance Wave.

'Heat it up, make it buoyant, and push it away.'

He also stretched out his right hand, which had no ring.

【“As expected, you are excellent.”】

【You have quickly grasped the properties of the element with your outstanding insight.】

【Your constellation 'Sunny' greatly praises you for achieving 'skillization' level proficiency in an instant.】

【Mana +3】

A notification window popped up in the corner of his vision, and...

Zeeeeeeeng!

Resonated heat, forming a tangible curtain, gushed forward.

A wide, fan-shaped force field illuminated the darkness of the night, blocking the path of the four Hunters.

【Distortion Wave】

"...Ha. You really are amazing."

"Senior... you're the best."

"This is why I can't help but feel frustrated."

The three Hunters murmured in a daze.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The fragments that were surging in like waves couldn't penetrate the red curtain, stopping in mid-air and burning away.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]