Chapter 59:

It was a world where swords ruled over everything. The swords were the laws.

Misclean, who was born with a ‘Sword talent’ in that kind of world could only be said to have been blessed. She was 4 years old when she held a sword for the first time. The first thing she learnt was a method to kill another human.

It was an extremely simple thing for her. All she had to do was predict, evade and counter her enemy’s attack.

That method worked against anyone. Even a grown up adult wasn’t an exception.

‘Why can’t they do this?’

Her teacher also told her once ‘Avoiding and countering wasn’t an easy thing to do.’

But for her, it was a really easy thing to do.

‘What’s happening?’

Adonen, the man who had been attacking her with his Longsword, successfully evades her attack by ducking down. Her attacks weren’t sloppy by any means, it was an attack strengthened by her experience, senses and calculation. With Adonen’s level of ability, it was simply impossible for him to avoid this attack.

He was able to avoid it as if he was able to foresee the future.

Did he know what I would do and avoid it?

When he successfully evaded the first 3 strikes, she thought it was a simple coincidence. When he was able to evade more than 5 of her strikes, she started to admit that he was a skilful swordsman. When the count became 10 she started to panic. And when the count reached 20, she was filled with nothing but confusion.

‘My sword feels heavy.’

It was like… fighting against a small snowball in a snowstorm. Normally, the small snowball would explode with a simple touch. But now, it grew out of control because it was rolling from the top of the slope in a snowstorm. 

Misclean’s body turned heavier as the time passed. It was as if her ankles were drowned in the snow. On the other hand, Adonen’s attacks were getting stronger and sharper.

For the first time in her life, she met a wall that she couldn’t seem to climb. It was also the first time in her life that she felt fear towards someone.

‘I need to kill him now!’

Little did she know that Adonen died every time she swung her sword. He couldn’t even avoid one of her attack properly. The gap between their ability was that wide. However, Adonen’s ability helped him to not die from the same attack twice.

‘Top left, diagonal slash.’

Died and regressed.

‘Top left, diagonal slash then a stab in the abdomen.’

Died and regressed.

‘Top left, diagonal slash and then a stab in the abdomen.’

Died and regressed.

‘Top left, diagonal slash, She’ll jump after a stab to my abdomen, and then a wide sweep.”

Died and regressed.

‘Top left, diagonal slash….’

Died and regressed.

Adonen memorized her attack pattern and evaded it. The once one-hit-kill attack was successfully avoided in the next timeline. Her attack was always the same, there were no changes whatsoever.

When you did the same thing, the other person had no choice but to do the same thing. No matter how much the world line had changed, it was a set course and fate.

‘As expected, around sunrise is the most convenient time.’

The truth is, the infinite regressor, Adonen, wasn’t living the same day over and over again. His regression’s checkpoint would be reset around sunrise. That time was also the most convenient time for him to fight against a stronger swordsman. Because starting around lunch, when he died and regressed, his memory would turn hazy. He would also forget about his enemy’s attack pattern and get mentally stressed from waiting for his enemy for too long.

It was easy to remember his enemy’s attack pattern when he died and repeated every minute or so. He would be able to take away his enemy’s power without having to wait long.

It had already been 39 times since his first death. Just before his 40th death, the sniper, who stood far away from them, started to mull over his choice.

‘Who should I shoot, I wonder?’

No matter which target Yoo Seodam chose, in the end no one would die. If he chose Adonen and failed to killed him, Misclean would be the one who kill Adonen, and then, her power would be stolen again.

‘If that’s the case, then..’

Yoo Seodam aimed his gun towards Misclean’s sword. It was a considerable distance. Hitting her sword from this distance wouldn’t be easy.

Adonen, he must be memorizing Misclean’s attack as he repeated the moment over and over again.

It seemed like infinite regression didn’t have any noticeable weakness. However, when there was someone who could also feel the movement of the world line, the story would change.

Adonen made his 40th attempt against Misclean.

‘Top left, hit diagonally…… and then a stab on by the right ear, then a head-on stab!’

It was an attack that had been repeated for 40 times. Misclean’s attack wasn’t changing. So, he planned his move in advance.

But…

Taang-!

A thunderous roar was heard from somewhere, at the same time Misclean’s attack changed.

‘Wha-‘

This occurrence was something that had never happened in the 40 times he died at Misclean’s hands, but also more than 100 times he regressed before that.

‘The future was changing?’

Misclean’s attack was forced to change its course after receiving an impact from some unknown object. And Adonen was forced to avoid it without having any prior ‘memory’. And because of that, a gap was created between them.

In a heartbeat, the sniper shot another bullet at Adonen’s forehead.

Ta-ang-!

“Kuaaaaaaghh!”

It was a bullet that was enchanted with an electrical shock.

‘Damn it, Just who the hell!’

Adonen fell on his knees. His shaking eyes looked up towards Misclean. Clearly, this event had not happened before. Misclean was also shocked, but she raised her sword to kill the stunned Adonen.

Adonen sight turned blurry and just before he completely blacked out, He saw someone approached Misclean and grabbed her shoulder in order to stop her swing. That was the last thing he saw.

And just like that, Adonen’s new day has come to an end.

***

“……..!”

The sky was dark when he finally gained consciousness. He could feel pain creeping all over his body.

‘What’s happening?’

Adonen turned his head and looked around. He was obviously out of the town, since there was nothing around him.

He tried to move his hands to no avail. His hands were bound.

‘Who did this to me…’

His current situation was the worst. There was nothing worse than being captured by an enemy without dying. So, he tried to bite his tongue as he thought about regressing and start anew. But unfortunately for him, there was already a muzzle inside his mouth.

“You know what?”

“……!”

He heard a voice coming from his front.

‘That guy is..’

There was no way Adonen could ever forget that face. He was the man who killed him countless times. But strangely, even after dying dozens of times, he couldn’t steal his swordsmanship. 

“People can’t die just because they deliberately stop breathing. I wonder if biting your own tongue is the correct way to go.”

“……”

“In other words, you can’t die just because you want to die.”

Then, Yoo Seodam checks his watch.

“It was 8.45 right now. Exactly 3 minutes before sunrise.”

‘So what?’

“…..It was also around this time that your ‘checkpoint’ was renewed.”

” …..!”

Adonen wanted to ask how he knew about that. But the gag on his mouth prevented him from saying anything.

Moments later, he could hear another footsteps walking towards him. It was Misclean’s footstep. An enemy whose power had been stolen by him.

“She roughly knows what you did to her. Well… it was tricky to explain to her that you were taking away her power. Who in the world would believe in the existence of regression? So I told her that only through purification could she get her power back.”

Misclean walked closer towards Adonen, who was bound. He really wanted to provoke her to kill him by saying ‘I will kill you soon’ but well… he couldn’t.

“There’s 1 minute left.”

“……..!”

Let’s think! He must turn this situation around somehow. If the sunrise began while he was in this situation, then…..

He wouldn’t be able to kill himself. After constantly returning, and taking their power, he became more powerful.

But the shackle could be broken after the 50th cycle. 

After that, Yoo Seodam poured some liquid over Adonen’s head.

“Do you know what is the most painful thing a human’s body could feel?” 

The liquid he poured on him was oil.

“It is a fourth-degree burn.” 

Yoo Seodam threw the oil can away after pouring all of the contents. Then, he looked up at the sky. The faint light of dawn shone on them. It was the beginning of a new day.

“The sun is rising.”

At the same time, Misclean threw a lighter toward Adonen.

Fwoosh!

A burning flame brighter than the light of dawn. The check point of regression had been set.

***

[Current date: Imperial Calendar, February 20, Year 712 Current time: 8:53]

[…..The world line starts to twist.]

[Skill ‘Protagonist Hunter Lv. 3’ is activated to detect changes in the world line.]

[The Protagonist Adonen invokes the skill ‘Designated Return (URS)’ and returns to 0 hour and 5 minutes ago.]

[Current date: Imperial Calendar, February 20, Year 712 Current time: 8:49]

Ting!

[Current date: Imperial Calendar, February 20, Year 712 Current time: 8:53]

[Moving to A140 world line.]

[Moving to A141 world line.]

[Moving to A142 world line.]

….

….

[Moving to A9871 world line.]

Yoo Seodam only needed a blink of an eye to destroy Adonen’s mind.

With a lighter on his hand, he watched Adonen die over and over again. The number kept on increasing, from thousand to tens of thousand.

Even if he needed to kill someone, he prefered to do it as cleanly as possible. He didn’t feel any joy in torturing his prey. But, he didn’t mind it right now because this was the only way to kill his enemy.

“You’re getting used to it now, aren’t you?”

[Moving to A19371 world line.]

Adonen cries slowly died down with every passing regression. There seemed to be no life left in his eyes. But Yoo Seodam could  still feel Adonen’s gaze on him. 

In Misclean’s memory she would only remember that she kicked Adonen once. But for Adonen, it was repeated countless number of times.

[Moving to A30789 world line.]

What Adonen felt right now was a terrible pain from the flames that burned his body as well as an infinite repetition of being suffocated to death.

Yoo Seodam knew, when the same pain was repeated too many times, one might be able to adjust to it.

[Moving to A48921 world line.]

Ever since Yoo Seodam met Adonen. There was something he was very curious about.

It was a question of how many times can a regressor who denies death turn back time to come back from death?

Would it be possible to live an eternal life?

And if a regressor dies of old age, would they return to yesterday and repeat the day when they die?

Regression was limited only to ‘physical death’. For example burning, death through old age or decapitation.

But if you kept dying and faced death over and over again, the mental power of a human, or in other words, the soul, would be exhausted.

That kind of death was not a physical death, but a mental death.

[Moving to A74123 world line.]

Yoo Seodam only needed 10 to 15 minutes for every regression cycle. It was as short as a school’s lunch break.

[Moving to A89213 world line.]

In those cycles of eternity, the soul of the Regressor burned. It was hotter than the blazing sun yet dimmer than a dying candle.

[Moving to A99999 world line.]

[You have successfully hunted a level 90 protagonist.]

[Your level has increased by 4.]

[Your life has been extended by 900 days.]

[Your remaining life : 4819 days, 09 hours, 53 minutes.]

[Moving to B1 world line.]

Yoo Seodam looked at the place where Adonen was burned. There was nothing left there.

“The time has been turned back for so many times, is it okay?”

“Is that so?”

In the place where Adonen died, there was no strange occurrence whatsoever. There was no more regression either.

[You have absorbed the skill ‘Concentration(S)’]

Yoo Seodam ignored the new message as he saw a grey-colored soul slipping out from the ashes of Adonen. After some time, Yoo Seodam turned his head and made eye contact with Misclean.

She looked troubled by the fact that she killed a strong warrior in a way that didn’t involve a sword.

“The very first man who was able to threaten me in a battle was in fact a warrior who used magic to strengthen himself.”

The wind blew against Misclean’s silver hair. Her side profile was quite a sight for the eye. It was a beauty that shone not because she was a woman, but because she was strong 

It was only a guess, but…

Wouldn’t Adonen take her as his companion after draining all of her strength?

It was quite plausible conjencture to imagine a regressor who knew the future forcing himself on Misclean after taking away her strength and turning her into a weak woman.

He probably wouldn’t do something like that, right? But when he thought about the ‘Supporting Character’ tag next to Misclean, the probability was certainly there.

After the protagonist’s death, the word ‘Supporting’ had disappeared from her ‘Supporting Character’ tag. Now, she could live as herself, not as a supporting character in a world where everything revolved around the main character.

“Um….”

She clenched her hand and said to me.

“Looks like his magic inside me has been purified. I can feel my strength slowly coming back.”

“Is that so?”

However, for some reason, it seemed that her strength had not returned to its original state yet.

“I’m not completely sure but, I can somehow feel the ‘Source’ of my strength inside of me…. And looks like I can distribute it in the direction I want it to go.”

“Huh?”

[Misclean has activated ‘Status redistribution (-) skill.]

There was no major change in her body except her height that was slightly lower than 170cm. However, her overall atmosphere had changed.

“Ever since I was a child, my body has always been robust and strong. But I always lagged behind others in terms of agility.”

“Oh, really?”

Misclean closed her eyes and grabbed her sword. She lifted it into the air and struck it down. All of those moves were executed in a very slow manner. But there was something different about it.

Her old swordsmanship was powerful and heavy. But this new swordsmanship was very light, yet it was sharper and faster than ever.

It was the birth of a new swordsmanship.

Misclean who always lived with a slower yet powerful swordsmanship than anyone else, had completely thrown away his old style and adopted a brand new style.

It was a swordsmanship which he dared not cross.

It was a swordsmanship of someone who always reigned as a predator in the world of swords.

It was a swordsmanship that a lowlife like him wouldn’t even dare to dream of.

Misclean opened her eyes. She smiled cooly and slapped his shoulder. Even though it was only a light tap, it was still painful.

“I’ll pay you back for defeating the sorcerer as well as returning my power.”

Then, she pointed at the ether blade hanging from my waist.

“I’ll teach you swordsmanship.”

She said.