Chapter 530: Overcoming and Transcending
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 530: Overcoming and Transcending
The Heart Potion dramatically enhances my physical abilities, but it always collects its due. People can be deceitful, but the body is honest—put it to work, and it will inevitably demand its price.
But who am I? A master of dodging debts. I'm a pro at paying what I owe with something else entirely, or just paying late. Having lived my whole life deceiving others, it seems I've finally learned to deceive my own body.
“There we go. I feel refreshed.”
“Hey! Pop your arm back in before you talk! Your shoulder's dislocated!”
Huh? A quick glance revealed my right shoulder was hanging about half a handspan lower than my left. It wouldn't budge when I tried to lift it. It seemed to be completely dislocated.
But, well. For the price of using the Heart Potion, this was cheap.
“What's the big deal? A dislocation is to be expected after using that much strength. I just need to pop it back in.”
“What, you don't use Qi Art? If you'd just infused your shoulder with a little Qi, it wouldn't have popped out!”
“I don't have that kind of Qi. You know I can't use Qi Art properly, so why ask?”
“Ah, right. You barely have any Qi.”
‘I just can't figure him out. He has so many talents, I just assumed he could use Qi Art as well. No, now that I think about it, it's truly strange. Gathering Qi is a skill, too. It makes no sense for him to have every other talent but lack only that one, does it?’
After seeing my weakness time and time again, you still overestimate me? This is the full extent of my power, and even this was after breaking my limits. Don't give me a role like this again.
“Well, Jizan has saved my life more times than I can count.”
“Woof! Woof woof! Me, woof woof woof woof!”
“…And Azzy helped, too.”
“Woof!”
Azzy puffed out her chest, a proud look on her face. No, you don't get to be proud. I was the one who helped you with the wolf you were supposed to fight. You should be thanking me.
Anyway…
“Azzy!”
“Woof?”
The Regressor called out to Azzy urgently. Startled by the sudden call, Azzy’s eyes went wide as she looked at the Regressor.
It was a perfectly normal reaction. But the Regressor spoke with difficulty.
“Azzy, you… didn't you just fade a little?”
“Woof?”
Tilting her head, Azzy wore her usual expression of cluelessness. But the Regressor’s senses had seen it clearly.
Azzy’s form, which had become translucent for a moment.
“Hughes… did you see that?”
“Yes. I saw it.”
“Why… why is Azzy starting to disappear?”
The Regressor knew the reason. She was asking because she wanted to find a reason for Azzy not to disappear.
“It’s not that strange. The Beast King is a being that represents a single species. But Azzy gave up being the Dog King and instead made the wolves into true wolves. Right now, Azzy doesn't represent anything.”
“So she’s disappearing? That’s weird! She’s been perfectly fine until now, but the moment she hands over the crown, she starts to vanish…!”
“Let me finish. It’s the opposite.”
“Huh?”
To be honest, I didn't really know either. But Azzy hadn't disappeared yet, which meant there had to be a reason for her not to.
“If she was going to disappear, she should have vanished the moment she passed on the crown. But she still exists. Right now, Azzy is representing something, though I don't know what.”
“Then why did she fade?”
“Who knows? Maybe she’s representing something that’s faint?”
“Something faint? What’s that?”
“How should I know? Shei-ssi, don't you have any ideas?”
“I don't know either. A case like this with Azzy…”
‘Even when I helped Azzy kill the Wolf King, she just remained the Dog King and helped humans. I have no idea if this change is good or bad… But one thing is certain. This never happened in the previous timelines.’
Hey, now. ‘A case like this with Azzy…’? What's that supposed to mean, Regressor? At this rate, you'll be revealing you're a Regressor before long.
Go on. Just admit you're a Regressor. I'm tired of walking this tightrope of reading your thoughts. Just get it out in the open so I can ask you things directly!
‘Ugh. But I can't explain the previous timelines. It's a problem if they don't believe in my regression, but it's also a problem if they do. The moment they know I'm a Regressor, the focus will shift from the world to my regression.’
But I couldn't let on that I'd noticed. The moment she became conscious of my mind-reading, she'd be reluctant to think in front of me. Fine. Since it's come to this, I'll focus on earning the Regressor's trust.
I was momentarily lost in my own thoughts. I had seen Marquis Raphaeno’s army arrive, but I’d already heard the news, so I hadn't paid it much mind.
That's why I was a little slow to react when the fighting broke out.
“What, what the? What is that madman doing?!”
Turning toward the murmuring voices, I saw Grul and Marquis Raphaeno fighting, while Duke Erectus was running toward us, clutching his hound. I didn't know the details, but it was clear a fight had started.
The Regressor held out her hand.
“Hughes. Jizan!”
“Here you go.”
“Grea—Agh! Why would you throw it?!”
“What? You asked for it. You even held out your hand like you were ready to catch.”
The Regressor hadn't even doubted for a second that I would throw Jizan and that she would catch it. She was so certain that, despite my own hesitation, I ended up tossing it to her.
Jizan, however, seemed to still be upset and resisted being held by her.
“Ugh. You take Jizan for now! I'll manage with Chun-aeng!”
“Hold on. My right arm won't go up, so I'll have to grab it with my left.”
“Why haven't you popped your shoulder back in yet?!”
“I haven't had a chance! Why don't you do it for me?!”
“I will, so hold still!”
“Wait a minute. Something about you offering to pop it in doesn't inspire confidence. I think I'll just do it myself.”
“What's wrong with me?! I can handle a shoulder…”
‘Come to think of it, have I ever popped someone else's shoulder back in? Almost no one around me ever dislocated anything… Still, how hard could it be? I just have to use some force, right?’
“…I think?”
“No, thank you!”
As the Regressor and I bickered, Azzy suddenly tapped my shoulder. It happened to be the injured one, and I let out a groan as I turned to look at her.
“Azzy. This is the sore shoulder, so be gentle…”
“Woof.”
“Gyaaaah!”
Azzy grabbed my shoulder and gave it a sharp twist. The sound of bone grinding back into place echoed through my body. I shrieked like a little girl and shoved Azzy away with my right arm.
“Hey! That hurts! What was that for?!”
“Heal!”
“What kind of healing can a dog… huh?”
My right arm was moving. Did Azzy just set my bone? Since when do dogs come with that feature?
Seeing my arm moving normally, the Regressor spoke with a hint of disappointment.
“I could have done that.”
‘It would have been good practice to try it once.’
I am not your practice dummy!
“It's fine. More importantly, let's get over there!”
Grul and Marquis Raphaeno were fighting. On the surface, it looked like Grul was pressing the attack with his speed, but the tide of battle was actually the opposite. Marquis Raphaeno, who could leave slashes lingering in space, was the natural enemy of the speedy Grul. The Marquis calmly claimed control of the space, cornering Grul.
If it were just the Marquis, the Regressor joining the fight might turn things around. But the problem was what lay behind him.
“Wait, Shei-ssi. There's an army over there.”
The Regressor’s eyes flashed orange for a moment before returning to normal. After instantly estimating their numbers with the Imperious Gaze of Amber of her Seven Colored Eyes, she clicked her tongue.
“Five hundred of them, and they've all trained in Qi Art!”
“What should we do? Fight them?”
“Let's stop the fight first! We can think about the rest later… huh?”
Just then, Duke Erectus, who had been running with his injured hound, spotted the Regressor and me and immediately sprinted our way. The Regressor was aghast at the sight of him approaching, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
“Dammit! Hey, adventurer! Save Welsh!”
“What?”
“There's no time! Welsh is dying! Quickly, you must have some way to help!”
Of course, the Regressor had the means. But because of the impression Duke Erectus had made so far, she regarded him with suspicion rather than a desire to help.
“You're the one who brought the army of the vassal state, aren't you?”
“No! You're the ones who stopped me! Dammit, there's no time for this! Hurry…”
Duke Erectus’s voice was verging on a scream.
It was a sad state of affairs, but the Regressor had no reason to save Welsh. Many beastkin had already died or been injured in the fight with the wolves. Even the Regressor couldn't save every single one of them. The extent of her consideration was to brew a large cauldron of healing potion and distribute it to the wounded.
Above all, the Regressor had to go stop Marquis Raphaeno. That was the way to prevent even greater sacrifices.
“Quickly… please…”
Well, that was the Regressor's business. As for me, I was interested in this man.
“Shei-ssi, you go on. I'll take care of him.”
“Huh? Okay.”
The Regressor moved forward without a second thought, and I stayed behind to look after Welsh. He had administered some first aid, wrapping the wound with a bandage, but… it was nowhere near enough. So much blood had soaked through that the bandage looked like silk woven from blood.
The Doctor Sage might be able to do something, but bringing Welsh back was beyond my abilities. Still, I'll do it. Because it's his wish.
I used Bloodcraft to forcibly push the blood back in and tore some thread to prepare for stitching. Her body, trained in Qi Art, had strong life force, but there was no guarantee she would survive my surgery. To any observer, she looked closer to death than life.
But Duke Erectus, desperately denying the truth before him, placed a sliver of hope in me.
“You can save her, right?”
“Honestly, the chances are slim. I'm no doctor, and even if I were, could I heal a wound inflicted by a Master?”
“Is there no other way?”
“There is, but… it's far too precious to waste on a mere dog beastkin.”
At that, Duke Erectus’s face lit up as he cried out.
“What do you need? I'll pay any price! Just save Welsh, whatever it takes!”
“It's something far too valuable… It would be faster to just get a new hound.”
“Damn you, what are you talking about?! I told you to save Welsh!”
“Pardon? I thought any hound would do. Aren't beastkin just beings born from Muhu's womb to serve humans? Welsh has served you enough. It's time to let her go.”
“How can you say that?! Welsh has lived with me for nearly twenty years! She can't be replaced by anything else!”
“If she was so precious, you should have treated her better.”
My words flew like daggers and plunged into his chest. Duke Erectus gritted his teeth but didn't even think of protesting or laying a hand on me. After all, I was the one holding Welsh's life in my hands.
“You berated her in front of others, mocked her as useless, whipped her, and you weren't even grateful when she died for you twice. You never saved her, yet now you're asking someone else to. You have no shame.”
“I know that! But… still, she's my hound! She's mine! If she's mine, I can treat her and cherish her, can't I?!”
The best reason he can come up with is 'she's mine'? Deep-seated beliefs really are hard to change. But…
“I need my hound far more than I need those bastards!”
His emotions, at least, were honest. Watching him shed tears, I spoke.
“Your wish has been granted.”
“What?”
“You wanted to find a human worthy of your acknowledgment. It seems you felt beastkin were too lowly to be of value. But now that you're about to lose her, you realize how precious she is, don't you?”
He had never considered his hound a person. Just as one doesn't live their life worrying about the gaze of their pet dog, he treated them however he pleased, as if their opinions meant nothing. That was how it was until that day he was chased by Okma, when he heard Welsh's thoughts as they fled.
And only after becoming a fugitive himself did he finally begin to see Welsh as a fellow person.
“You already had it, didn't you? Someone who would watch over you and acknowledge you. To think that what you were searching for was right beside you all along. It's a moral tale worthy of a classic fairy tale.”
“Then…”
“You will lose her now.”
“What?”
Mm-hmm. This is beyond me. Unless someone uses Holy Power or a vampire heals her, she can't be saved. A pity.
I shook my head and stood up. My gesture was laden with meaning, and Duke Erectus's expression filled with despair. It couldn't be helped. At least you understood in the end.
“Woof.”
“Huh?”
As I was about to leave him, Azzy barked, looking at Welsh and Duke Erectus.
“You want to save her?”
“Who, Welsh? I'd like to, but I don't have the ability.”
“What if you did? Would you save her?”
I'd do that much. If I had the ability, that is.
Everyone knows how to move a boulder to the top of a mountain. You just have to lift it or roll it, taking one step at a time. But very few people are capable of such a feat, and even they wouldn't do it without a tremendous reward.
So no matter how much he begged me to save her, I couldn't grant his wish.
“Woof!”
Did she even hear my answer? Azzy placed her front paw on Welsh's back. Then she promptly began to lick the wound.
I understood the sentiment, but the healing ability of a Beast King was, at best, on par with an antiseptic. Azzy's actions were little more than licking up blood. It was better than letting it flow freely, but it wouldn't be enough to save Welsh…
“Oh?”
A miracle occurred. A halo of white light formed, and Welsh's wound began to reverse.
“Welsh! Can you hear me? Welsh!”
“…Master.”
“Yes, it's me! Dammit. Why did you have to jump in….”
It was a power closer to restoration than healing. The miracle worker, Azzy, looked up at me with blood around her mouth, tongue lolling out, her face as harmless as ever.