Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Regressor and the Succubus - 2
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A silence heavier than before settled over the cave.
Hands clamped over mouths, eyes wide with disbelief, expressions of fear and caution.
I calmly observed the group’s varied reactions to the shocking revelation, then met Ercia’s gaze.
Ercia had been reluctant to reveal her true identity.
She had explained that in previous regressions where she had revealed herself, she had experienced even greater failures.
Since her decision stemmed from the accumulated experience of 51 regressions, I hadn’t pressed the issue.
But it had bothered me.
Knowing your enemy and knowing yourself was the key to victory, and this applied not only to oneself but to one's allies as well.
To maximize synergy and enable effective teamwork in battle, it was crucial to understand your team members.
That’s why I had expected Su-ah to release her Polymorph during the fight against the Azure Witch.
Su-ah herself had admitted that she couldn’t fully utilize her power in her Polymorphed state.
But she hadn’t.
It was likely due to a conviction, a promise, or a rule formed during her 51 regressions.
It was frustrating.
She was hesitating because revealing her identity had led to failure in previous regressions.
Of course, her decision, made after an eternity of repeated failures, held a depth of understanding that a newbie like me couldn’t fathom.
But it was disheartening to see an apostle, tasked with defying and overcoming fate, shackled by past failures, seemingly surrendering to destiny.
She had often seemed lost in thought during our journey.
Renia was also hiding her true identity, but it was different.
Ercia was an apostle, choosing the agent of salvation and leading the mission.
She had called me the master key to Earth’s salvation, but I saw it differently.
Ercia was a 52-time regressor, an apostle of the cosmic entity Eternity.
Need I say more?
She had faced God R’hell more times than anyone, experienced countless failed routes.
And the effectiveness of a master key depended on the user, didn’t it?
Of course, according to Eternity’s laws, she wasn’t allowed to directly intervene in the mission, but even Ercia herself didn’t know the exact definition of “direct intervention.”
So, whatever.
When I had asked her about it, Ercia had replied,
“Hmm… I don’t know. That was the only guidance I received. I suppose it means we have to find the answer ourselves, through enlightenment.”
Perhaps it meant that as long as she didn’t deliver the final blow, it wasn’t considered direct intervention.
I had thought about it once.
The reason for the 51 failed regressions.
The information I had was limited, so there weren't many possibilities,
But one of them was Ercia herself.
Not that she was incompetent.
On the contrary, I wondered if her strict adherence to the law of non-intervention was what led to repeated failures.
Perhaps the “agent of salvation” chosen by Eternity was meant to support the apostle, and the “prohibition of direct intervention” held a paradoxical meaning.
It was a bit of a stretch, but beings like Eternity, those high-minded and higher-dimensional entities, often had a peculiar fondness for such ironic twists.
They enjoyed giving riddles to lesser beings, observing their struggles and eventual enlightenment, guiding them towards ascension.
That’s what fate-obsessed groups like Eternity did.
Otherwise, 51 consecutive failures seemed inexplicable.
Surely Ercia hadn’t been sitting around twiddling her thumbs, going, “Hehe, boo hoo.”
Anyway, enough rambling.
I looked at Ercia and smiled.
We were now in the same boat, no, tied together at the waist, practically one entity.
God R’hell wasn’t a final boss we could defeat with a half-hearted alliance.
However, I hadn't expected Ercia to reveal her true identity so readily.
There were plenty of excuses she could have used to explain how she knew Gaikan's location.
But for some reason, Su-ah had revealed herself without hesitation.
She had appeared like a goddess, her brilliant white wings spread wide.
A pure, immaculate figure, a saint in white.
The mana emanating from her shifted, its depth was unfathomable.
“S-Su-ah…? No, who… who are you…?”
Renia asked, her face a mixture of confusion and awe.
Ercia smiled again.
A holy smile, inspiring reverence.
“Yoo Su-ah is a vessel I created for my activities on Earth.”
“A vessel…? So, you’re not… human…?”
“No. I am a member of Eternity, a planetary salvation organization, and an apostle sent to save Earth.”
Hye-seo, who had been watching Ercia warily, relaxed slightly.
“So, you’re saying that to save Earth, Illusion must be destroyed.”
Ercia turned slightly.
The tips of her wings brushed the cave floor.
“As expected, your judgment is swift.”
Hye-seo shrugged.
“It’s my job.”
Hye-seo seemed remarkably unfazed by the appearance of a winged, otherworldly being.
‘Has she become desensitized to the bizarre after encountering so many strange creatures?’
Perhaps.
Or maybe the Monster Management Bureau had classified files on such beings.
“Wait, so you’re saying that if we don’t stop Illusion, a great disaster will befall Earth?”
Ercia nodded at Renia’s question.
“Yes. Illusion’s ultimate goal is the ‘monsterization of all mankind.’ Countless lives will be lost in the process, and the surge in monster populations will lead to the collapse of all cities.”
“Hold on.”
Hye-seo interrupted, walking towards the group.
Was she that fearless?
Did she see this transcendent being as just another cosplayer?
“So, you’re saying you know the future of Earth?”
“It’s not that I can see the future… Eternity simply observes the fate of planets. We foresaw the great danger that would befall Earth if Illusion were to prevail.”
“Hmm… I see. You seem to know where Gaikan is. Wouldn’t it be more logical to inform the relevant authorities and launch a coordinated attack? Why infiltrate the academy as a cadet and only reveal your true identity now?”
Hye-seo’s blue eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Ercia.
Unlike the others, she had already recognized Ercia as an apostle and was looking beyond the surface.
This was the investigator in her coming to the forefront.
“I can explain that.”
I said, stepping forward to assist Ercia.
Ercia likely wouldn’t reveal that this was the 52nd regression.
It would only cause unnecessary fear.
A little white lie was necessary.
“She did it to help me. Ercia enrolled in the academy as Yoo Su-ah to assist me.”
“…What? To help you?”
“Because I am the master key to destroying Illusion.”
Hye-seo looked slightly surprised.
But she quickly nodded, as if accepting my explanation.
She seemed to believe that my rapid growth was due to Ercia’s assistance.
“So, you’re saying she enrolled in the academy to help you? That makes sense. But if your organization is so powerful, shouldn’t you be able to easily eliminate a small group like Illusion?”
At Hye-seo’s continued questioning, all eyes turned to Ercia.
Na-yeon, Renia, my mother, and my sister all remained silent, observing the situation.
Hye-seo was voicing their unspoken questions.
Ercia chuckled and nodded.
“That’s correct. Eternity is capable of such a feat. But if you help a child who has fallen, they will always look to you for help every time they stumble.”
“So, Eternity is powerful enough to observe the future, but chooses not to directly intervene to encourage self-reliance?”
“Precisely. Just as we are doing now.”
The group was now looking at Ercia with reverence, like disciples listening to a sermon.
It was a comical sight, and I almost wanted to take a picture, but something about it felt disrespectful in Ercia’s presence.
Anyway,
“Amazing… So, Su-ah is an alien…?! No, wait! Is that right?! She came from space…!”
Renia clapped her hands in amazement.
“A planetary salvation organization… I thought those only existed in sci-fi movies.”
Na-yeon shook her head in wonder.
“Hoho, my son. You’ve made quite the extraordinary friend.”
My mother simply smiled, with a look of pride on her face.
“Wow! Unnie, can I take a picture with you?!”
…And Han Yu-ra, ever the innocent one, requested a photo op.
Perhaps because they lived in a world with monsters and villains, they were remarkably adaptable.
They had quickly become accustomed to the sight of a winged human.
Hye-seo still seemed wary, but she didn’t press any further.
And so, the audience(?) with the Apostle of Eternity concluded.
“Gaikan is located on an island at latitude 34.6, longitude 128.”
Our new destination had been set.
A remote island in the South Sea.