Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

A moment of silence enveloped the training hall. Two men with contrasting appearances stared at each other.

More precisely, “…”

The thug-like muscular man, Park Jinwook, was glaring intently at Kim Shimun. It wasn’t hard to understand why.

‘How did he detect my ambush?’

An ambush. The primary and ultimate attack method for assassins. It all begins with stealth, after all. The fact that Kim Shimun evaded it meant,

‘Did he actually see through my stealth?’

That would be tantamount to undermining the very foundation of being an assassin. Naturally, an assassin’s ambush is an attack that comes from an unseen direction.

If he managed to evade it, it meant he knew where the attack would come from in advance. Then,’No, that can’t be.’

Park Jinwook subtly shook his head. It wasn’t due to his pride as a Diamond-ranked assassin.

‘Before I initiated the ambush, Shimun was looking elsewhere.’

In reality, until the moment he aimed for Kim Shimun’s shoulder, Kim Shimun’s gaze was directed away from Park Jinwook.

In other words, ‘He must have realized it as I made my move…’

Park Jinwook’s brow furrowed.

‘Is that even possible?’

A Diamond-tier assassin. Moreover, one who belongs to the top echelon of Diamond-rated assassins. Even if Kim Shimun is considered an extraordinary prodigy, for him to detect and evade an attack from someone like him?

From another’s perspective, it would be an attack in the blink of an eye. Park Jinwook’s thoughts were interrupted by, “You’re underestimating me.”

The clear male voice brought him back. With the voice came a dark aura rushing towards him, prompting Park Jinwook to quickly twist his shoulder.

Fwoosh.

A black beam grazed past his shoulder. Even though it just grazed him.

Crackle.

The fabric on his shoulder disintegrated.

Glancing at his bulging shoulder muscle, ‘If that’s a hit, even I’d be in trouble.’

Park Jinwook let out a dry laugh and created some distance with a tumbling maneuver.

“Jinwook-ssi, since you’ve agreed to spar, please take it seriously.”

With those words, ‘Was that a warning?’

Park Jinwook glanced again at his exposed shoulder. Then, he steeled himself.

“Haha! As expected of Kim Shimun-nim.”

One of his eyebrows and the corner of his mouth lifted.

It was his usual hearty smile, but anyone close to the Night Hunter, Park Jinwook, would have noticed.

“Then I’ll focus and come at you seriously.”

It was a smile meant to mask his stirred emotions.

“Be careful.”

The moment he finished speaking,

Ssss.

Park Jinwook’s body became a blur in an instant. There were few who truly understood how remarkable a player Kim Shimun was better than he did.

Yet, Shimun was still a Platinum, while he himself was a top-rank Diamond. However, ‘He held back against me? Against Park Jinwook?’

The black beam that had merely grazed his shoulder sent an unspoken message.

‘He could have hit me, but he chose not to.’

It was a very polite warning in a sense, ‘Hah!’

Park Jinwook felt his insides boiling. The reason was simple.

‘If Kim Shimun-ssi had really aimed to hit me… would I have been able to react?’

The warning from Kim Shimun,-if it had been a genuine attack, he was convinced it would have struck its mark. And the conclusion of that thought was, ‘Fine. Let’s admit it.’

Admittance.

‘In that moment, no matter what, I wouldn’t have been able to react.’

A sudden attack that came while he was lost in thought. It was an attack of light, after all. No matter the difference between Platinum and Diamond, an ambush with light speed was not something anyone could dodge.

Acknowledging this, his facial muscles relaxed and his emotions quickly calmed. For an assassin, the less emotion involved, the stronger they become.

In fact, “Hmm…”

Kim Shimun, who had roughly been vigilant of the area where Jinwook had been, softly muttered. And like a predator circling its prey, even though Jinwook had moved behind him, Kim Shimun was still warily watching in the wrong direction.

‘Hmm, so he can’t see through my stealth.’

At least that was a relief. Park Jinwook, possessing the SS-Rank trait Blessing of the Night and top-rank Diamond specs, if even his stealth was seen through, it would have been rather disheartening.

Swoosh.

Without making even the smallest sound, Park Jinwook continued to circle Kim Shimun. This time, unlike the initial ambush, he’d already been circling for over 10 minutes.

It was a basic tactic for assassins, a reconnaissance maneuver.

‘I didn’t want to go this far, but I have no choice.’

Being on guard against an unseen enemy causes significant stress, pressure, and mental fatigue. Eventually, as a human, you will inevitably show an opening.

And in that fleeting moment, even a Diamond rank can’t avoid an attack. A hint of doubt appeared on Park Jinwook’s face as he stayed hidden.

‘If Kim Shihyuk or Lee Yujeong saw this, they would definitely tease me for going this far against a Platinum.’

If those monstrous juniors saw this scene, they would have shaken their heads in disbelief.

However, ‘I can’t afford to make the same mistake twice. I need to quickly figure out what tipped him off to my ambush.’

Park Jinwook observed Kim Shimun closely while using reconnaissance.

Luckily, ‘Yes, it’s that eye. It must be because of that.’

It wasn’t hard to figure out. Kim Shimun’s left eye, shining brilliantly, emitted a calm golden glow, more so than before.

‘When I ambushed earlier, that eye was activated too.’

With a confident gaze, Park Jinwook focused on Kim Shimun’s left eye.

‘From what I’ve seen in past broadcasts, it seems to amplify his visual perception…’

In that case, ‘I just need to aim for his blind spot.’

No matter how sharp his vision, he couldn’t cover all directions. Coincidentally, the area he targeted earlier was Kim Shimun’s left shoulder.

If he stayed out of Kim Shimun’s left visual range, his ambush would be unavoidable. Or so Park Jinwook thought.

Swoosh!

A dagger thrust with full force aimed at Kim Shimun’s right shoulder, missed by a precise margin, as though measured to perfection.

Swish.

“What the?!”

***

A chilling sensation brushed past his right shoulder.

“What the?!”

Kim Shimun, who had evaded the dagger with minimal movement, glanced at Park Jinwook’s surprised face.

‘It still feels a bit unfamiliar.’

He slightly shook his right shoulder.

‘Even though the attack route is clearly shown through afterimages…’

Foresight.

This ability visualizes the path of incoming attacks, making it an exceptionally perfect warning system.

‘But it still feels awkward.’

Dodging attacks according to the indicated routes felt quite foreign.

It was like, ‘As if an 8-ton truck is brushing past right in front of my eyes.’

Like narrowly avoiding death. It felt like barely escaping an attack meant to harm him.

‘Sargas. How did that guy manage to use this ability so freely?’

Even in a sparring match, the attacks aimed only at non-vital points felt chilling every time he dodged them. This was partly because Park Jinwook was a top-rank Diamond assassin, but also probably because, ‘My foresight ability is inferior to Sargas’s.’

The timing of the foresight activation was telling.

‘The time given by the afterimages is too short.’

It barely lasted a fraction of a second. In that brief moment, the opponent’s attack route flashed into view.

‘It’s not an exaggeration to say it appears right as the attack is about to hit.’

If he weren’t almost beyond Platinum in his specs, the brief moment the afterimages appeared would be too short to react.

‘Sargas must have seen these afterimages the instant the attack began.’

Judging by his calm dodges, there was no doubt. Kim Shimun lightly touched the corner of his left eye.

‘Still, it’s an incredible ability, no denying that.’

Though it consumed a significant amount of Dragon Force, just the fact that it ‘shows the attack path’ is an unbelievable power.

‘As my specs improve, the afterimages will appear earlier, and energy consumption will decrease.’

How absurdly powerful will it become then?

He couldn’t help but smile.

Perhaps misunderstanding his smile, “…”

Park Jinwook’s previously astonished face turned dark. Seeing this, Shimun quickly waved his hand.

“Oh! Jinwook-ssi, don’t misunderstand. I was just—”

“I understand.”

It seemed that Kim Shimun was actually the one misunderstanding.

“You were simply pleased that you successfully evaded my ambush. Specifically, the ability that informs you of my ambush.”

Park Jinwook nodded with a serious expression.

However, “I understand why you asked for this sparring match, Kim Shimun-nim. Now that you’ve assessed your ability, further sparring seems unnecessary.”

“Well… you’re right, but…”

The darkness didn’t fade from Park Jinwook’s face. And figuring out why wasn’t difficult.

“But Kim Shimun-nim, don’t you feel something’s missing if we end it here? It’s been a while since I had a good spar, and… I’m really enjoying this.”

It wasn’t hard to catch on.

‘Seems his pride’s been hurt.’

Anyone could tell. A man with a cold, ruthless aura akin to a thug. Seeing Park Jinwook looking as though the world were ending, visibly trembling.

‘I feel a bit guilty now.’

He considered Park Jinwook a comrade. It felt as if he’d hurt his pride somehow. Scratching his cheek, Shimun quickly proposed an idea.

“In that case, how about we go one more round?”

“Of course! If you want, we can go all night!”

Park Jinwook’s face lit up immediately. His enthusiasm made Kim Shimun chuckle softly.

“Then don’t just use basic attacks. Use your skills too.”

“Skills… are you sure about that?”

Though his voice was filled with concern, his face couldn’t hide his excitement.

Kim Shimun, suppressing his laughter, nodded.

“Yes, as long as you don’t use aura, I won’t get severely injured. Plus, I’ve got recovery potions ready.”

Kim Shimun waved a potion he retrieved from his inventory.

Feeling reassured, “Understood. Here I come.”

Park Jinwook bowed deeply and then vanished into stealth mode. Kim Shimun glanced at the glass door of the training hall’s entrance.

‘Is it because the sun is setting? I can’t sense him at all now.’

The SS-Rank trait, blessing of the Night.

True to its name, as night approached, Park Jinwook’s stealth became undetectable, unlike before.

‘Even without aura, this is dangerous.’

Snap.

Kim Shimun immediately fortified his body with human reinforcement and heightened his alertness.

‘If needed, I might have to fully transform…’

Just then,

Keeeeen.

A sharp ringing echoed from his left eye. And with it,

Ssssh.

Afterimages began to fill his left vision. Would it look like this if a master swordsman slashed wildly?

His entire vision was filled with black, sharp afterimages, densely packed like a spider’s web. Kim Shimun quickly recognized the nature of these images.

‘Night’s Web? This is more of a suppression technique than a stealth attack…’

Night’s Web. A skill that maximizes the SS-Rank trait, blessing of the Night. Though it was a suppression technique, he couldn’t relax entirely.

‘Each strand has the attack power equivalent to a sword’s aura.’

At the top-rank of Diamond assassins, even a graze could result in serious injury.

Still, ‘Is he showing some restraint?’

Opting for a suppression technique over more lethal skills. Additionally, ‘He didn’t even wrap the web in aura.’

Even just a bit of aura would turn it into a cutting machine that could slice through most things. But the web was purely made of the night’s energy.

This indicated that Park Jinwook was still mindful of his safety.

‘I told him not to hold back. Still, it feels nice.’

It’s always good to know someone is concerned for you. Kim Shimun grinned and twisted his body.

Sasasasa!

The afterimages of foresight all came true, flying towards him. The night energy forming a dense web didn’t leave any room for escape.

However, ‘It’s still just a web.’

No matter how dense it was, since it was made of lines, small gaps were inevitable. Sure, those gaps might not matter for someone like Shiyeon. But for a robust man like Kim Shimun, they were too narrow to pass through.

Haap!

Nevertheless, Shimun pushed off the ground with all his might, rushing towards the small gap.

‘If it’s too narrow, I’ll just widen it.’

Wooong.

Dark energy gathered in his fist.

Then,

Heavenly Demon Divine Art (天魔神功).

Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike (覇皇碎).

Kim Shimun launched the attack directly at the web, did not just widened the gap,

Crash!

but tore it apart.

***

Ranker’s Palace.

Inside the luxurious penthouse,

Ssssk.

a group dressed in black clothing entered stealthily.

Leading the group, the only man without a mask, a thin middle-aged man, scanned the surroundings.

“…Where did he go? Did he sense that I was coming?”

To which, “Boss. Considering there’s no sign of anyone, maybe he simply went out?”

“Exactly. We gathered within half a day and arrived here in stealth. How could he have noticed?”

The two burly men nearby lowered their heads and answered.

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

The thin middle-aged man, Kim Jongjun, stroked his chin and nodded.

“Then we’ll switch to an ambush strategy. Set traps everywhere from the entrance to the living room.”

“Yes.”

Clearly experienced, the men in black moved quietly and efficiently, setting traps all around. In less than five minutes, they had set up over a dozen traps.

“Boss. The setup is complete.”

They returned to their initial formation and bowed.

“Everyone, take your ambush positions. The first surprise attack is crucial, so I’ll handle the entrance myself.”

“Understood.”

Kim Jongjun adjusted his wrist and drew out sharp claws.

Then,

Swish.

like melting into the shadows, he seamlessly vanished against the wall near the entrance, as if he had never been there.

Following his lead, the men in black concealed themselves in various spots.

“……”

“……”

It was eerily silent, as if there weren’t nearly twenty people hidden throughout the room. The tense, suffocating silence persisted until,

“Hm-hmm!”

an unexpected hum broke the stillness. It wasn’t hard to find the source.

“Hehe.”

A child with fair skin and defined features, despite her young age. It was clear that this child would grow up to be quite beautiful.

“Hide, hide! I see your hair!”

Standing in the middle of the living room, the child was humming with both eyes covered. The sudden appearance of a child left not only the subordinates but also, the hidden Kim Jongjun bewildered, casting a puzzled glance at the child.

‘Did he have a kid?’

“Hmm?”

The child looked around the living room. Though it seemed as if the child was gazing directly at the hidden ambushers, none of them believed the child actually saw them.

This included Kim Jongjun.

Rather, ‘Wait a minute.’

He almost dismissed the same thought.

‘How did the child reach the middle of the living room without anyone noticing?’

A single question crossed his mind. And that question was answered when, “Hehe! The one who looks the most fun.”

The child’s bright smile met his eyes.

More precisely, “Found….”

In the blink of an eye, the child was right in front of him.

“you.”

That moment, revealing a cruel smile.

TL’s Corner:
Damn, I forgot that Shiyeoni is also in the Ranker’s Palace. And here I thought, damn, how convenient, Shimun having sparring with an assassin just before he gets attacked by assassins. Then Shiyeoni probably just demolishes them.