Chapter 420
With the Regions completely annihilated, Se-Hoon began using Sophia’s memories to track down and eliminate the remnants of Dawn in hiding.
If it was before the regression, handling the deeply rooted vine-like network of traitors would have been an arduous task.
Now, however, it wasn’t as difficult. Thanks to Se-Hoon’s relentless pursuit, the Heroes Association’s purge operation, and the collapse of the Ten Evils, a series of misfortunes had piled up and led to Dawn’s collapse.
I don’t think the others would be much different.
For the Watchers, both faces of the world—humanity and the Demon Force—were pillars supporting their grand ambition. But because one of those pillars was currently collapsing rapidly, the once stable foundation of their organization was bound to shake.
In a way, they’ve arrived at a crossroads.
Should they sever ties with the Demon Force and lurk in the shadows of humanity, waiting for an opportunity? Or continue as they were, holding hands with the Demon Force until the bitter end? For the Watchers, it was a matter of life and death. But for Se-Hoon, the difference was merely whether he would kill them inside the house or out in the yard.
Hmm... Exuviation and Offering will most likely stay loyal to the Demon Force until the end. Succession and Transcendence, though...
The former two dealt with monster bio-modification and human sacrifice—things that couldn’t hide in the shadows of humanity. In contrast, the latter two didn’t have such an issue. Succession and Transcendence’s technologies—granting new talents and enhancing power, respectively—were tempting enough to captivate anyone.
I’ll have to observe them a bit more...
Lost in thought on the sofa, Se-Hoon mentally laid out his plans while staring at the ceiling—
Thud.
His thoughts cut off when a thick stack of documents landed on his face.
“What’s this?”
“It’s the report summarizing the recovery status of the hidden assets and their planned future use, just as you requested, Sir.”
Listening to the owner of the voice sitting down on the opposite sofa, Se-Hoon blindly reached for the stack of papers resting on his face.
“This seems too thick for a summary.”
“That’s already the shortened version. The full version fills at least three boxes.”
“Then it means you’re not efficient enough.”
“Well, feel free to replace me anytime. I can even help you look for one.” From how confident the voice sounded, it was clear they were certain there was no such person.
Knowing that as well, Se-Hoon lifted the papers off his face and looked across from him.
Rustle-
There, Amir was reading another document with his lips slightly curled in a smirk. Even though they were on vacation, Amir was still buried in work inside his family’s office.
Sighing at that reality, Se-Hoon sat up.
“This is it, right?”
“Yes. I tried to keep it concise, so it should be easy to read.”
“Okay.”
If it wasn’t something he needed to see, Amir wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of compiling it. Thinking like that, Se-Hoon began flipping through the documents.
Flip- Flip-
In the office lined with bookshelves, only the quiet sound of turning pages echoed.
Flip- Flip-
It was only when Se-Hoon had gotten roughly halfway through the report that Amir pulled out a new document and asked, “So what brings you here so suddenly?”
“Well, I had a few things I wanted to discuss,” Se-Hoon responded, still flipping through the report.
“You came in person, so it must be something important.”
“It certainly is.”
So far, Se-Hoon had relied on his pre-regression knowledge to eliminate threats and used his intuition to handle the variability of each situation. After all, even though the circumstances had changed from the past, the broad strokes remained similar, and most variables stayed within an expected range. However...
I’m reaching my limits.
Taking the recent case of Dawn being absorbed by the Demon Force, for example, there were just too many unanswered questions. What were they planning to do with the Seeker’s body? How long had the scheme been in motion? Such truths and schemes he had never known before were surfacing as new variables.
There’s no immediate problem yet... but I have no clue when things will take an unexpected turn.
He could no longer just overturn situations with his pre-regression knowledge. From now on, he would have to piece together the newly uncovered hidden fragments to change fate entirely.
“For now, let me lay it all out. Just listen.”
Leaving out the part about his regression, Se-Hoon explained everything he knew to Amir: what he was wary of and what he suspected.
Naturally, there were many things that only a regressor could know or deduce, and Amir had even glanced at him as if wondering how he knew such things.
And yet, Amir never voiced his doubts, knowing that Se-Hoon was deliberately withholding the source. In other words, Amir had tactfully let it go.
“...That about sums it up.”
Three hours later, when Se-Hoon finally finished his long explanation, Amir placed the document he had been reading on the desk.
“...”
Amir was deep in thought.
Most parts of Se-Hoon’s story ended with vague phrases like “Anyway, that’s how it is” or “It might be the case,” making it hard to trust completely overall. Despite that, though, Amir chose to believe it all because he believed Se-Hoon wasn’t the type to spout nonsense. And more importantly, the elimination of the Dream Demon had also followed a similar pattern.
He’s always been like this.
Although Amir had always thought something seemed off about how Se-Hoon had solutions to every problem they encountered, he saw no need to pry. That was true back then, and it was true now. Whatever Se-Hoon’s secret was, one thing hadn’t changed: Se-Hoon was still someone he could trust.
“Allow me to organize the events for a moment.”
“Sure.”
With Se-Hoon’s approval, Amir took some time to process the information in his mind before laying it out.
“I’m guessing the most urgent issue is planetary reinforcement. It proposes the biggest uncertainty, as we all could still die even if we win all battles from now on.”
In some ways, it was even more important than fighting their enemies in the remaining Six Great Demon Realms.
“After that, it’s the retrieval of the Seeker’s heart from where it was detected in China. We also need to deal with the Inoues, who are deeply connected to Succession. And lastly...”
Amir paused briefly.
“We have to prepare for the Perfect Ones going berserk.”
Having heard the truth about the Black Tower incident from Se-Hoon, Amir had long since grasped the danger posed by the Perfect Ones. But after listening to Se-Hoon’s analysis just now, he realized his previous concern had been too... human.
“Who do you consider is the most dangerous among the remaining Perfect Ones?”
Thinking about it, Se-Hoon answered, “Li Kenxie.”
A Perfect One was only defined as a threat when they wielded their powers against humanity to fulfill their own wishes. That meant that, as long as one knew their wish in advance, countermeasures could be prepared—which was exactly why Li Kenxie was the most dangerous.
“His power helps rid one of all distractions and refines their synesthetic mindscape into something pure. I sort of understand the entire process, but... I still don’t have any guesses about what he truly desires.”
The power of Anatta and the Sacred Flames were merely tools that emerged from the realization of Li Kenxie’s wish. What he actually achieved with those powers was still unknown—making him one of the biggest wildcards in the current situation.
If he were to go berserk, his power could spiral into something truly unpreventable.
“Hmm... The Seeker’s heart should be the biggest issue then.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
To answer Se-Hoon’s question, Amir quickly flipped through the documents he had been reading and stopped at a particular paragraph that he then pointed out to Se-Hoon.
...A new collaboration relationship between MT Industries and the Seven Saints is expected to be announced in mid-February.
Research facilities scattered across various countries have already been relocated, and local workshops are being forcefully merged to create a massive industrial complex.
Additionally, there are rumors suggesting that the Sacred Craftsman will unveil a new technology...
“This is...”
“It’s a report that just came in today. The Seeker’s heart being last seen in China is probably related to this.”
The Seeker’s heart had fallen into the hands of Caden, the leader of Offering, who had been traveling across China in preparation for the collaboration with the Seven Saints. Feeling an inexplicable unease, Se-Hoon took the document from Amir and examined it in detail.
This was probably discussed and prepared for earlier... but things must have sped up recently.
Examining the timeline, he tried to pinpoint when exactly Caden and the Seven Saints’ negotiations began moving faster. And it didn’t take long for him to arrive at the answer.
The Defiant Ember...
After that skill developed to control the power of Anatta was transferred to Offering through Meirin, Caden had likely begun his plan in earnest.
What are these guys up to?
What were they preparing that made them act so aggressively the moment they got their hands on Defiant Ember? Pondering over it, Se-Hoon recalled Caden’s words at the conference.
“I’ll take the Sacred Craftsman. He’s been my target for a while now.”
Caden had chosen Li Kenxie without hesitation when they divided up the Perfect Ones, as if he already knew exactly how to handle him.
Recalling that moment, another thought naturally came to Se-Hoon’s mind.
Perhaps Caden already knows what Li Kenxie truly desires?
Knowing a Perfect One’s desire was akin to reading an instruction manual—it revealed how their power functioned and how they could be drawn in a certain direction. If Caden had precise knowledge of what Li Kenxie desired, then not only could he dismantle Li Kenxie’s power of Anatta, but he could also manipulate Li Kenxie down the path he desired.
And if the Defiant Ember was the last missing piece to his realization...
As the theory solidified in his mind, Se-Hoon's gaze darkened. Some parts of the theory felt like a stretch, but it was too plausible to ignore.
How could he resolve that situation while minimizing damage? Wondering to himself, Se-Hoon fell deeper into thought—
“Se-Hoon.”
A clear voice rang in his ears. Snapped out of it, Se-Hoon belatedly looked up, only then realizing how long he had been silently contemplating alone.
“Sorry. This seems to have become a habit recently.”
He had just decided to rely on Amir more, yet he had fallen back into old habits.
He made a sheepish expression, and at the sight of it, Amir paused before asking, “...Was I too unreliable for you?”
“What?”
“I mean, I’m aware I lack the experience and skill, and I’ve been clumsy in a lot of ways recently. Isn’t that why you’ve been handling everything on your own?”
“That’s not...”
Although Se-Hoon instinctively tried to refute him, he ended up shutting his mouth.
Amir’s silver eyes, glowing more intensely than usual due to the activation of Winter Sky Eyes, were staring at him unwaveringly.
“...Perhaps that really is the reason.”
He had never thought of it in those terms, but deep down, it was likely true. Furrowing his brow, Se-Hoon hesitated.
Upon seeing him like that, Amir firmly continued. “No. That is the reason. You always prioritize efficiency over everything else, after all.”
Amir had always believed that Se-Hoon was simply an all-around genius who handled everything by himself because he was naturally capable. After listening to everything, though, that was no longer the case. Se-Hoon was nothing like what he had assumed.
He just knows more than everyone else.
He wasn’t some omnipotent fixer. He was simply someone who had more knowledge than others and simply made thorough preparations based on it.
“Are you... mad about it?” Se-Hoon awkwardly asked, cautiously watching Amir’s serious expression.
“Mad? Why would I be mad?”
“Well...”
Wouldn’t it be frustrating if someone believed they were useless? Understanding why Se-Hoon was asking him such a question, Amir responded matter-of-factly, “I would have been mad if I had been useless all along, because it would’ve meant that I failed to fulfill my vow to be your strength.”
“...”
“So, I actually feel good about this. Just the fact that we’re holding such a conversation right now means you’ve acknowledged that I can be of help to you.”
Though not even a full year had passed, the experience Amir had gained was equivalent to decades of training.
Reflecting, Amir confidently declared, “From now on, don’t hold back and work me to the bone. I’ve grown enough to handle it.”
“...”
Se-Hoon suddenly recalled the moment they had fought together against Demon’s Edge. Compared to the Frost Dog, Amir still had some shortcomings, but Amir had already surpassed the level necessary to fight by his side.
Perhaps the real reason he hadn’t realized sooner was that he had simply been overly protective of Amir.
“...Yeah. You’re right.”
The memories of Amir being once titled as a master strategist capable of compiling vast amounts of information to find the optimal solution and a natural-born assassin who once buried a blade deep into a Harbinger of Destruction’s neck flashed through his mind.
Reassessing Amir’s talents, Se-Hoon spoke openly. “You can start by investigating Caden—his growth process, his unique skills, just anything relevant. Gaining information about him is our top priority right now.”
“Understood.”
“Also, try to keep track of the Seven Saints. Since they’re working along with Caden, they should be showing some movements.”
Investigating those related to Perfect Ones was never easy, but Amir didn’t show any concern. The more difficult the mission, the clearer it became how much Se-Hoon valued his abilities.
“Lastly, if you have time left, look into the Inoues as well. Ah, check on Ma Kwang-Soo and Doppelganger’s master, too, actually. It’s easier to get information from them directly, but we should gather what we can first.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“That should be enough—no, actually, also investigate what happened between Ha Baek-Yeon and Heaven Eye. Oh, and look into what the Pilgrimage Church did during the war against the Demon Force.”
“...Okay.”
“And also the Heroes Association's movements. And if you can, look into Tuner...”
“...”
Amir had felt proud. But as Se-Hoon continued piling on more tasks, his smile gradually disappeared.
Isn’t he just dumping everything on me at this point?
Rather than relying on him, it was as if Se-Hoon just couldn’t be bothered to deal with any of it and just pushed it all onto him. His attitude was so blatant that there wasn’t even a hint of guilt.
Desperate for it to end, Amir asked, “And what exactly will you be doing?”
“Me? I’ll be handling the planetary reinforcement part. It’s the most important task, and I’m the only one who can do it.”
“...”
Amir wanted to argue, but he couldn’t speak a word because everything Se-Hoon had said was true.
I know he’s right, but still...! Damn it...
He couldn’t quite describe the rising frustration within him. As Amir trembled with suppressed emotions...
Tap, tap-
He felt a strange sensation on his shoulder. Turning his head, he froze.
There, with a hand placed on his shoulder, was none other than a vision of his future self. Standing beside him, the Frost Dog wore a look that was a mix of pity and smug amusement—the look of a veteran who had just handed over all their responsibilities to a fresh recruit.
“Good luck.”
With those words and a mocking grin, the Frost Dog vanished like a mirage.