Chapter 56
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Regressor Makes Everything
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Every piece of equipment had a value known as the "assimilation rate."
It didn't show up in the information window, but countless studies had uncovered its existence. The effect was simple.
'How naturally the equipment is perceived as part of the body.'
The sensation of a weapon you've used for a long time feeling like an extension of your own flesh. That was assimilation rate, and it was a hugely important factor for heroes.
'All skills manifest through the body, after all.'
When activating a skill while wearing gloves, normally the skill would emerge from the hand inside the glove, causing a clash.
But in reality, even with gloves on, the skill manifested perfectly over them. The reason was straightforward.
Heroes unconsciously treated their worn equipment as an extension of their body and unleashed skills through it.
'That said, there's still a time lag.'
They just handled the entire process unconsciously. Heroes constantly reaffirmed their gear as an extension of their flesh before manifesting skills with every moment.
It might seem like a split-second thing, but in the world of superhumans wielding mana, that tiny difference decided life and death.
Lee Se-hun, who always calculated efficiency in every battle, had researched ways to raise assimilation rates to minimize that lag. And in doing so, he learned one crucial fact.
'Equipment that reaches 100% assimilation is permanently destroyed.'
The moment it's recognized not just as an extension of the body, but as a true 'part' of it, erosion from the hero's mana occurs, completely ruining the mana circuits and rendering it unusable forever.
Lee Se-hun had been gutted—feeling like his stomach was punched full of holes—that years of research ended in such an inefficient conclusion. But thanks to that, he'd uncovered some astonishing information too.
Wooduk─
What power could equipment at 100% assimilation exert before breaking?
Kwaaaang!!!
The answer was that it became a whole new 'body.'
[Guk……!]
Polmont, who charged at Lee Se-hun only to take a kick to the gut, bulged his eyes and vomited blood.
His body looked intact on the outside, but it was flesh forcibly regenerated from hand and foot tissues.
He couldn't help spewing blood from even light impacts, but that wasn't what shocked Polmont.
Whoosh!
A blade swinging for his throat.
It started as a strike feeble enough to dodge in his current state, but that was just the beginning.
Uduk─
The armor encasing the burrowing beast twisted like 'muscles,' and the sluggish sword's speed gradually accelerated.
Until it finally reached a threatening level and surged straight at him.
Puhwaaak!
It split his abdomen, incinerating his innards.
[You bastard…… What the hell did you……!]
How could such power come from a useless lump of scrap metal that felt no strength anymore?
Stunned by the unbelievable scene even after taking the hit, Polmont hurriedly moved his body.
[Don't crawl up here!!!]
Kaang!!
His frenzied swipe clashed with Lee Se-hun's Five-Colored Flame Blade, sparks flying.
"Kuk……!"
His arm bounced back from the repulsion. At this rate, Polmont's claw would plunge into his wide-open chest.
Facing the crisis, Lee Se-hun immediately manipulated the Shadow Matter Armor linked to his mana circuits.
Uwooduk!
Shadows inside the armor tensed, grabbing his retreating arm and forcibly swinging it forward per his will.
Kagang!!
The Five-Colored Flame Blade clashed again, deflecting the claw.
It felt like every muscle was tearing, but he'd managed to block it. Grinning at the sight, Lee Se-hun swung his sword once more.
Kakagang!!
A D-rank hero and an A-rank monster exchanged fierce blows.
Even accounting for one being a regressor with 31 years of experience and the other a ragged corpse revived from death, it was utterly absurd.
How was this possible? The secret lay in Lee Se-hun's skill, Spiritual Body Tempering Magic.
Spiritual Body Tempering Magic 『S』
The body is the most primal material a blacksmith can hone.
Refining the mana circuits within elevates physical abilities and strengthens the power contained inside.
A technique to divide the body into multiple mana circuits.
This allowed handling multiple attribute manas, which was the basic use of Spiritual Body Tempering Magic. But during his assimilation research, Lee Se-hun had devised another application.
*Mana Circuit [Shadow Matter Armor]: You can manipulate Shadow Matter Armor.
[Shadow Matter Armor] 『-』
A temporary mana circuit mimicking the mana circuits of the equipment 'Shadow Matter Armor'.
Connecting mana circuits allows drawing out the equipment's performance more precisely.
He created a temporary mana circuit tailored to the gear and forcibly linked it.
It was dangerously risky—one slip and either body or gear could overload and break both. But the effect was undeniable.
[Die!!]
Polmont swung his claws indifferently, even with his head split in half. Despite his weakened state, his monstrous regeneration forced Lee Se-hun to steady himself and move his mana circuits.
Uduk─
Shadow Matter Armor's function was limited to deforming to fit the body. It had no innate ability to draw extra power, but manually crafting one changed everything.
Kwaduduk─
From his toes to the hand gripping the Five-Colored Flame Blade.
Muscles with the strength to deflect Polmont's claws formed with exquisite precision, one by one.
Artificial muscles as fragile as paper, liable to collapse like dominoes if off by a hair. But Lee Se-hun had no worries about that.
'With all my experience……!'
He'd long mastered the human body's structure.
Kaaang!!
The instant he perfectly parried the claw, agony surged through his body.
It felt like tens of thousands of pincers gripped him, yanking all at once. Even amid the pain, Lee Se-hun didn't stop moving.
"Heup……!"
This was the most efficient method right now.
And a chance to snatch the prize from the enemy before him.
Kugugung!
As Lee Se-hun and Polmont clashed, the cavern shook violently again.
Not from their fierce exchange, but because Ryu Eun-ha, previously sealed, was starting to break free.
'No…… At this rate……!'
To escape cleanly in his current state, he needed to chain down the monster ahead and flee.
But instead of shackling the beast, it was dragging at his ankles. Facing encroaching death, Polmont steeled himself.
'No more holding back.'
He'd hesitated fearing death so far, but continuing like this would doom him halfway.
Deciding to trust the vermin before him could withstand his attacks, Polmont's eyes gleamed.
Kuung!
He generated blood to bursting-heart levels, pumping it through his body, bringing his years-tuned flesh fully under control.
A body made by humans, but now wholly his. Amid the omnipotence surging through him, Polmont spread his arms wide and drew all his power.
Kwaang!!
His leg stamped the ground. His chest lay bare, but his arm muscles swelled 1.5 times, heralding the coming strike.
A full-power blow trusting his superior regeneration. Instead of slashing the open chest, Lee Se-hun swiftly sheathed the Five-Colored Flame Blade in the Flame-Stacking Sheath.
Wuuung!
Lee Se-hun's fire-attribute mana 'Crimson Flame' amplified through the sheath, heating the Five-Colored Flame Blade, while Shadow Matter Armor shed its armor form for sharper muscle contours.
A resolve to abandon minimal defense and pour everything into offense. Polmont grinned approvingly.
[If you block this too, I'll acknowledge you!]
Kuung!
His stepping foot sank deeper into the earth, and the taut muscles suddenly froze.
The instant all that power aimed forward.
Kwaang─!
Ten blades sprouting from his fingertips tore through everything in a whirlwind slash.
A terrifying strike that would shred any obstacle. Before it, Lee Se-hun prepared the Flame-Stacking Sheath's equipment skill he'd shown at入学 ceremony, 'Flame Barrage'.
And just as he drew his sword to counter.
Jjeok─
Polmont's swinging arms split in half.
Kiririk!
Gone was the honest assault; four split arms swarmed from all directions like an encirclement.
A technique possible only with a crafted 'body.' Facing irregular attacks beyond countering with two arms and one sword, Lee Se-hun froze—and Polmont inwardly cheered.
'Got you……!'
In the midst of fighting one foe, it was like sudden ambush by two. A perfect move using body transformation.
Anyone unaware would fall to this trump card.
But.
'I wondered when you'd use it.'
It didn't apply to Lee Se-hun, regressed 31 years.
Kwagagak!!!
Dozens, hundreds of shadow spikes erupted from the ground.
Shadow Matter Armor's equipment skill 'Shadow Hedgehog' deployed as if waiting, piercing Polmont's body throughout.
Pukwaak!!
[Keuk─!]
Arrogance throwing himself on regeneration faith. Timing unable to evade after pouring all into offense. Swift skill activation from 100% assimilation.
A move ahead in information exploited the gap, creating an impossible opening.
[Kraaaah!!]
Even skewered head to toe, he swung his arms, but the broken acceleration wouldn't return.
Now at a blockable speed, Lee Se-hun's eyes sharpened on Polmont's left index finger—pointing at Ryu Eun-ha.
Cheolkeok─
He unleashed the sword at his waist with full force.
Kwaaaaang───!!!
A storm of five-colored flames exploded on the draw.
The horrific blast from Flame Barrage engulfed Polmont, burning him head to toe and illuminating the cavern like midday.
Kugugung!
The cavern trembled, unable to withstand the explosion's aftermath. Having swung the Five-Colored Flame Blade with all his might, Lee Se-hun exhaled held breath.
"Hoo……."
Mana and stamina depleted, his body felt leaden; that final strike made every muscle and joint scream.
Moreover, Shadow Matter Armor was hardening and crumbling—its mana circuits fully eroded and broken.
'One top-grade hero-rank armor to nearly kill an A-rank monster…….'
Eroded gear couldn't be recycled, so cost-wise it was still trash. But Lee Se-hun wasn't too disappointed.
It was borrowed from Ryu Eun-ha anyway, and more importantly, the rewards from this were massive.
Whoosh─
Moonlight poured through the ceiling's central hole. In its midst, a tiny shadow soared high, then fell.
Lee Se-hun watched it calmly, snatching it mid-descent.
"Hmm……."
The alien yet familiar texture in his fist. He slowly opened his hand to gaze at his catch.
A finger bone etched with rice-grain letters per segment like a ring. It could pass for Polmont's severed index, but no.
Far too small and slender for a 3m lycanthrope's finger—and above all, it was a 'human' bone, not beast.
'So this was it.'
Summit Climber Jürgen Kruger's lost item.
The interview only said that much, but knowing his state, Lee Se-hun easily guessed its nature.
13 years ago. His body scattered worldwide after a demon raid.
[Item 'Finger Bone of the Unknown' acquired.]
He'd obtained a piece of it.