Chapter 477: Then Try Overturning This Rotten World
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 477: Then Try Overturning This Rotten World
The Regressor wore a puzzled expression at the unfamiliar phrase "catching up to humans."
“Catching up…?”
“Yes. I have the self-awareness of being the King of Humans, but none of the power that comes with it. I’m not sure how it happened, but humans don’t have a Beast King. It’s as if humans broke away from being beasts and became something else entirely.”
When I call myself an ordinary human, it’s not an exaggeration or false modesty. It’s the honest truth. The current me is just an ordinary human, possessing no power, knowledge, or will. Thanks to my mind-reading, I can at least represent the person in front of me, but that’s the extent of it.
I truly don’t know how it came to be, but the King of Humans was separated from humanity.
“As you know, the Beast King has a duty to fulfill. Or perhaps I should call it a reason for being?”
“Which is?”
“You know, don’t you? To represent and act on the collective will of their species. It’s why wolves fight dogs. Why elephants honor the deaths of their kin and guard their graves. Why beavers build dams and horses gallop across the plains. Things like that.”
It might seem like such a small thing, but it is precisely because of that, that the Beast King is so devoted to their duty. Possessing all the universal traits of their species, the Beast King is the archetypal being.
The same should have been true for me… but.
“What is the duty of the King of Humans?”
“I don’t know.”
I don’t know.
In fact, there might not be one. Humans are beings who do all sorts of things. They guard graves even though they aren’t elephants, and they build dams even though they aren’t beavers.
But if they do all sorts of things, shouldn’t I have those abilities too? And yet, I don’t. It’s as if someone stole them away.
“You’re the King of Humans, aren’t you? How can you not know your own duty?”
“That’s why I’m trying to find out. I need to know before I can do anything. So, I’m searching for the beings that changed humanity. I don’t know the details, but if there was a catalyst for humanity’s change, that has to be it.”
The Regressor knew exactly what I was talking about. Beings that even she, after more than a dozen regressions, could not easily fathom. With a displeased look, she spoke their name.
“The knowledge that permeated the world and the power that changed humanity. The Divine.”
“Correct. The power that irreversibly changed humans. I don’t want the power itself, but the context surrounding it. Only by knowing that can I understand how humanity changed.”
What a frank and straightforward explanation. Even someone as suspicious as the Regressor would have no choice but to be convinced by this simple and clear account. As expected, truth and sincerity always get through.
‘…There are still some questions, but no contradictions. The King of Sins I saw was a different human from Hughes, but he certainly wielded the power of the Divine as well.’
Convinced, the Regressor’s expression softened as she asked.
“Is that why you’re chasing after the Divine?”
“Yes.”
“Lies.”
“I’m glad you understand… huh? What did you say?”
At her unexpected words, I asked again. The Regressor crossed her arms with a stoic expression and replied.
“It’s different from the information I have. You’re hiding the truth, aren’t you? Don’t even think about hiding it, just spit it out.”
‘It doesn’t particularly contradict my information, but he’s still the King of Humans. He must be hiding something more. I’m not certain, but my gut tells me there’s definitely something. If I push a little harder, it’ll come out.’
A bluff? Without any certainty? That vaguely?
What in the world. This level of stubbornness was so absurd that I had to ask.
“What part is different?”
The Regressor racked her brain, trying to come up with a jab, but everything I had said was the truth. There was no way there could be any contradictions or inconsistencies. Unable to find anything strange, she answered stubbornly.
“Anyway.”
“Tch. You’ve found me out. That’s right. The truth is, I couldn’t care less about the Divine. My real goal is to travel the world and meet women from every country. It’s instinct for any beast to find a mate, isn’t it? I was just acting faithfully on that instinct.”
“I knew it!”
“That’s a lie, you fool! What do you mean, you knew it?!”
As I shouted, the Regressor flinched and asked back.
“…It’s not?”
“Of course not! If I was just trying to meet women, would I have run away? I would’ve just become Tyr’s consort and lived comfortably! If you’re going to bluff, at least do it properly. What were you going to do if I actually fell for such a ridiculous lie?!”
Doesn’t she know the saying, ‘Don’t bet if you’re not sure’? If this were a gambling table, she would have paid dearly for that pathetic failed bluff.
As if aware of her own embarrassment, the Regressor kept her arms crossed and looked away from me. Seizing the advantage, I immediately pressed her.
“Anyway. You understand now, right? So I’m going to need your cooperation.”
“Cooperation? What kind of cooperation?”
“The Chun-aeng you have. That’s a relic of the Divine, isn’t it?”
“This?”
“Let me see it.”
I held out my hand toward the invisible sword, and the Regressor fiddled with Chun-aeng.
‘Handing a Divine relic over to the King of Humans so carelessly could be dangerous… but… ah, what the hell. What could happen?’
Her thoughts were simple, and her actions were swift. The Regressor sheathed Chun-aeng and handed it to me. I took it, careful not to get cut.
I could feel the power of space swirling within the small area. What I felt from the compressed space was a wind that seemed to contain a typhoon. It felt like the wind would burst out if I made even the smallest hole. I could wield it, but it seemed difficult to truly draw out its power.
This was definitely a Divine. But I had no idea which one. To begin with, I couldn’t feel any will or lingering obsession from it.
The Regressor, looking concerned, stared at Chun-aeng and spoke.
“Are you done looking? Then give it back. Chun-aeng has an immense amount of power compressed within it, so it’s too dangerous to leave in the hands of a novice.”
“And you thought to entrust something so dangerous to me so easily.”
“You’re the one who asked for it!”
‘I thought it would reject him the moment he touched it. But nothing happened? Then again, he did lift Jizan with ease, which can’t be held by the unchosen, right? Can the King of Humans handle all tools freely?’
Wait. What? Was the part about it being dangerous about me? She wasn’t worried that I would harm her with the power of the Divine?
The Regressor’s mind is so fickle and sudden, I can never get a good read on it.
There was nothing more to gain. Having finished my assessment, I handed it back to her and asked.
“This is a Divine, right?”
“So?”
“But Chun-aeng is missing something. The will of the Divine that changed and twisted the world. The remnants of that will, which should have remained etched upon the world even after its death, are nowhere to be seen. This isn’t the Divine I was looking for.”
“So you weren’t after the power of the Divine itself.”
“No. The will and enlightenment of the human who became a Divine are far more important. My goal isn’t to obtain power, but to catch up to humans.”
Reminding her of my purpose once more, I asked the Regressor.
“Where is this Divine?”
The Sky God. The source of this strange power that manipulates space and wind had to be somewhere. And the Regressor, who had collected treasures and powers over twelve regressions, was the fastest path to the Divine.
…If possible, I had planned to travel with her and secretly gather clues, but since I’ve been found out, I have no choice. I questioned the Regressor directly.
“I don’t know what kind of god the Sky God is, but there must have been a human who first discovered it. That person became a Divine and left Chun-aeng behind. You got Chun-aeng from there, didn’t you, Shei-ssi?”
“…So what if I did?”
“Stop playing dumb and tell me. Where is that place, and what kind of Divine is there? If you don’t want to talk, just say so.”
She didn’t have to answer. I could just read her memory anyway.
Surprisingly, the Regressor hadn’t once recalled how she obtained Chun-aeng during this timeline. Perhaps it had become so routine after so many regressions, or maybe she just considered it hers. There must have been a process of obtaining it, but it had vanished from her consciousness.
‘Sacred Mountain Yullim. The sanctuary of the Sanctum where the Saintess of Origin was said to have connected with the Sky God.’
But questioning her like this forced her to remember. I focused my mind and read the Regressor’s thoughts. The information about the Divine she had already found, hidden behind a veil.
‘A little higher up from there… if you stand on the altar at a specific time, only those who are aware of its existence can see the space and grasp Chun-aeng. I already know of Chun-aeng, so I found it easily, but it would be difficult for anyone else.’
Ohh. The information is pouring out. The Regressor may be untrustworthy, but the information she has is real. The experience she gained through repeated timelines was too sweet to ignore.
Sacred Mountain Yullim. And the Altar of the Sky. As I mulled over the information I’d obtained, trying to read the method…
Her thoughts cut off.
What? If you’re going to think, think it all the way through. Why stop at the most important part?! Don’t stop thinking. Remember it to the very end!
While I was seething internally, the Regressor gave a completely unexpected answer.
“I’ll tell you.”
“Pardon?”
It was so unexpected that even after reading her thoughts, I couldn’t believe it and had to ask again.
“Really? Just like that?”
“Why are you so surprised? You’re the one who asked.”
“Look at how you’ve been acting, Shei-ssi. You’ve been nothing but prickly and have never revealed your true intentions. Now you suddenly show up and offer to help so readily. It makes me feel more suspicious than happy.”
“Fine, then don’t!”
“It’s just an expression, why are you getting all sulky again? If you’re really going to help, I’d welcome it.”
Though it was baffling how cooperative she was, for someone who had pointed Chun-aeng at me just a moment ago. I used my mind-reading once more to keep up with the Regressor’s rapidly changing thoughts.
‘The King of Sins will appear no matter what. Even after destroying Nevida’s false World Tree and the cursed fruit that conceives sin, he eventually appeared and swept through the world. Like the other Beast Kings, there will be one King of Sins per generation. I cannot prevent the birth of the King of Sins itself.’
What?
False World Tree? Cursed fruit? Conceives sin?
Now I’m getting curious. What in the world did the Regressor see and hear in her previous timelines? All this strange knowledge just keeps pouring out, one thing after another.
I knew thirteen regressions were no joke, but… from what she’s shown so far, I thought she was just a greedy person who got swept up by the world and collected a bunch of treasures through regression. But now, deep and dark knowledge that a mere witness shouldn’t possess is popping out. What on earth is regression? Why is she right in front of me, yet I can’t even read her thoughts properly? She’s suspicious from head to toe.
‘Perhaps Hughes could become the King of Sins. I might be spoon-feeding a Divine to the King of Sins…’
Same here. The Regressor could be a secret weapon created by the Sanctum, aimed at the King of Humans.
‘But it’s worth checking. Let’s give it a try.’
But the Regressor’s knowledge was worth investigating. What the hell. I’ve come this far, might as well go all in.
The betting was over. All that was left was to show our hands. The Regressor was the first to speak.
“On one condition.”
“I thought things were going too smoothly. You’re being difficult. Would it kill you to just help me out?”
“It would. This is for my sake, but at the same time, it’s for yours too.”
The Regressor dismissed my grumbling and said with conviction.
“If you truly are the King of Humans, then keep the promise you made with the Dog King. If you do, I will trust you and take you to the sanctuary. Without informing the Sanctum, of course.”
“The promise I made with Azzy?”
I looked back at Azzy. She had been tense, worried that the Regressor and I would fight, but now that the conversation was flowing smoothly, she had relaxed and was sitting down. When our eyes met, Azzy tilted her head.
The promise made between dog and human long ago. Neither I nor Azzy have memories of that time, but as Beast Kings, the contract between our two species is still valid. Therefore, Azzy and I must keep our promise to each other.
Azzy protects humans, and I protect Azzy. Just as dogs protect humans, and humans care for dogs.
…Having lost all my power and authority, I had also lost the binding force of the promise. But I had only postponed it due to my lack of ability; I never intended to break it.
Why? Because it’s a promise.
Promises are meant to be kept. Yup. I’m no swindler, either.
“Well, I was planning to keep it. But how does that help?”
“It does help. The fight between the dogs and the wolves. Depending on the result…”
For a brief moment, the Regressor’s thoughts deepened.
The beastkin. A race within a race, mixed with beasts by Muhu Agartha, distinguished and discriminated against by humans ever since. They possessed senses and physical abilities superior to humans, but were ostracized for their nature, which was so naive it bordered on foolishness.
Distinction and discrimination create difference. A thick embankment built of perception and custom separated beastkin and humans. Unaware of how things were changing on the other side of the wall, humans enjoyed a tranquil peace, leaning on that single embankment.
But nothing in the world is eternal. One day, ripples appeared in the tranquil peace the embankment had brought. The surging torrent of pent-up emotions began to spill over the wall that had been so high and thick. By the time they noticed, it was already too late. The disparity that had piled up now seemed ready to burst at the slightest touch.
And among those beastkin, the most numerous and friendly to humans were the dog beastkin, who had served as a buffer zone in the midst of the conflict.
The Regressor recalled their image from a future that had not yet arrived and muttered.
“It will change what choice the dog beastkin make.”