Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader

[You are the first team among ten to enter. ‘The Heart of Evergreen Forest’.]

[Rewards will be increased upon clearing the arena.]

First. This delightful phrase welcomed Shimun.

“Fortunately, we’re the first to enter.”

The worry that another well-matched team might have entered before them vanished. Aside from Shimun’s reaction.

-? Fortunately?

-Does this guy really think he wouldn’t be the first to enter?

-Looking at his face, seems true…

-Heh… This guy, not just on the outside but inside too, a real deceiver?

[YaGold has donated 500 AP.]

=Our way of thinking is totally different from that of abyss players.

The chat was a frenzy, following the donation message. Understandably so. Evergreen Forest was an infamous dungeon on the outdoor map where the magical forest keepers appeared.

And to think they’ve breached Evergreen Forest.

-Isn’t that too harsh, bro? Pushing through all the way here on your own!

-Dude, he alone took down dozens lol.

-For real. Plus, Shimun tore apart several creatures barehanded.

Worried about being the first to enter after just breezing through Evergreen Forest with the two of them?

However, Shimun was not one to frequently check the chat during the arena battles. And the viewers were well aware of that.

-Calm down, guys. This isn’t your average stream.

-True. Just let it be. I’ve been watching this guy since his first broadcast and reached enlightenment.

-He must be some guild’s promising rookie. No way there’s no info about him.

-I’m super curious about this Shimun. What’s his special trait that allows him to tear monsters apart with his bare hands?

The chat continued its cycle of heating up and cooling down.

Unaware of the chat’s state.

“Hmm. Since this is a silver-ranked area… the boss must undoubtedly be that one, right?”

Shimun tapped his chin with his fingers as he looked around. Like a scene from a fairytale.

A field filled with the pleasant chirping of birds and colorful flowers and grass unfolded before him. There were two unique sights.

One was a water hole on one side of the field, excessively clear and blue. The other was.

“The ashen tree, gaunt and spiky. No doubt about it.”

An ashen great tree stood tall on the opposite side. While Shimun was surveying the surroundings, a sound reached his ears. The rustling of lush grass being stepped on. He quickly called out.

“Malsuk! Wait a moment!”

Malsuk had moved ahead of Shimun.

And towards, of all things, the suspicious ashen tree.

“What? Let’s be the first. Hurry and defeat the boss.”

Malsuk turned around, pouting.

And then, over her head.

Whoosh!

Something with a massive sonic boom flew in.

Boom.

It crashed to the ground, causing a heavy vibration.

Only after the dust, flower petals, and leaves had scattered could the form of the object be seen. It was. The ashen great tree they had seen earlier.

“Ptui! Ah, shit! What’s this?”

Had Malsuk managed to dodge the ashen great tree’s ambush?

Covered in dust, Malsuk spat out the dirt, shook it off her body.

A voice mixed with a sigh reached her ears.

“What’s with the ‘what’? We’re looking at the boss here.”

“Boss?”

“Yeah.”

At that, Go Malsuk turned her head.

Rumble rumble rumble.

She looked at the ashen giant tree that was ‘rising’ with vibrations.

“Damn, it’s huge…”

“It’s called a Dried Bark, one of the bosses of the evergreen forest.”

With eyes and a mouth sharply positioned in the middle of its skinny body, the Dried Bark finally stood up straight only after retracting the arm it had just swung.

The size seemed to surpass 30 meters.

“Anyway, it’s dangerous to be around it, so keep your distance. If you don’t follow the strategy with this one…”

Kim Shimun couldn’t finish his sentence.

The reason was simple.

“Only a massive coward attacks with a surprise hit? You’re dead!”

Go Malsuk was already charging towards the ashen giant tree, the Dried Bark.

“Sigh.”

An involuntary sigh.

‘Before meeting Heavenly Demon, she did say she led quite a solitary life.’

Who would’ve thought it’d be to this extent?

However, Kim Shimun’s sigh soon turned into a smile.

‘But it’s nice that she’s consistent.’

This was exactly how Go Malsuk had been when Kim Shimun first met her before the return.

That he’s like this even now…

It meant Go Malsuk was a person of consistency.

And that meant…

“There’s no use in me trying to stop her.”

Kim Shimun sat down on a flat rock nearby.

-Oppa, you’re not going to step in? Even for a Heaven-Slaying Star, taking on a corrupted tree spirit might be too much.

‘I know. I’ll step in when it’s time.’

Just not right away.

Kim Shimun leisurely watched the battle between Go Malsuk and the Dried Bark.

Although calling it a battle was a stretch.

‘The Dried Bark has considerable resistance to physical attacks.’

Of course, for a high-level player.

Someone around the top gold to platinum rank among combat players would be enough to make an impact.

‘Most players in that range would be able to materialize Qi.’

But this is Silver rank. Even for a Heaven-Slaying Star, materializing Qi to that extent wasn’t possible.

So the answer was one.

‘You must strictly follow the strategy…’

Originally, the Dried Bark was a boss whose specs didn’t match the level of Silver rank players. Normally, without knowing how to materialize qi, the only way to break through that mighty physical resistance was with magic or a similar level item.

But the cost of such items or scrolls was beyond what Silver rank players could afford. Ultimately, without being matched with a magic player, the formal strategy was the only answer.

‘No wonder mages are treated like nobility.’

Hence the Galaxy Arena laid out a clear strategy.

That was…

“Move… aside…”

“This son of a bitch You’re not moving?!”

“I’m… thirsty…”

The movement path of the Dried Bark was predetermined.

Without blinking, Kim Shimun watched the Dried Bark, unconcerned by Go Malsuk’s punches, silently head towards a puddle of water.

‘Once the Dried Bark awakens, it always heads for that puddle.’

And it begins to gulp down that clear water.

However,

‘But it’s a corrupted tree spirit.’

Thus, that clear water turns to poison.

Like purifying undead or demons, it purifies different parts of the ashen giant tree back to their original state.

Including its overwhelming physical resistance. Attacking right there was the quintessential strategy for dealing with the Dried Bark.

“It seems we’ll reach the puddle soon enough.”

From the sight of Malsuk’s eyes turning bloodshot, it appeared the Heaven-Slaying Star had been activated.
However,

Thud, thud!

Even fists imbued with the energy of Heaven-Slaying Star could not inflict the slightest damage on the Dried Bark.

Though the fact that at least some small fragments were breaking off was an encouraging change from before,

“There’s no chance with just that.”

In the end, without the power of Qi manifestation or magic-like abilities, there was no way to damage the Dried Bark before it had drunk water.

Exactly. It should be so.

“Kyaah! Stand still, dammit!”

Thump!

The Dried Bark staggered amidst a torrent of curses.

– What was that just now?

– Crazy! Did she just make the Dried Bark stagger with her bare fists?

– Doesn’t look like bare fists. Her eyes are red; must be some Berserk trait.

– Berserk is a physical attack, isn’t it? Lol. If you can’t do Qi manifestation, it’s all the same in the end.

– Let them be. They know nothing about the abyss.

Ignoring the bustling chat window, the strike just witnessed had Shimun’s eyes going wide.

How could it not?

“Wasn’t that just now the Heavenly Demon Divine skills?”

Faintly within the fist that Go Malsuk had swung, the essence of Heavenly Demon Divine skills was certainly embedded.

“Otherwise it makes no sense for the Dried Bark to have staggered…”

Shimun’s prediction hit the mark perfectly.

[The Constellation Heavenly Demon bursts into a deafening laugh that resonates through space.]

[The Constellation Heavenly Demon modifies the quest. ‘Find a Disciple’ to include ‘player Go Malsuk’ as the new target.]

[The Constellation Heavenly Demon pleads earnestly, “I must have that girl as my disciple. Dear Player, please grant me this favor!”]

Heavenly Demon showed passionate interest.

“Who knew he’d go as far as to modify the quest.”

Well, he had intended to make Malsuk his disciple under any condition.

“In any case…”

Pushing aside Heavenly Demon’s message, Shimun focused ahead.

“I didn’t expect Malsuk’s attack to work…”

He had thought that they would have to fight the creature for about a minute once its weakness was exposed after drinking water. Planning to join in the fight around then,

“This complicates things.”

Snap.

Shimun immediately hardened [Black Panther’s Physique] throughout his body and sprinted across the field.

The reason was simple.

“Water…”

The only scenario that would deviate the Dried Bark’s path.

“Can I stop it from drinking?”

Before the Dried Bark could drink,

If it received a hit that was acknowledged as impactful.

“You…”

The top of the ashen tree contorted as if it were an angry face, as soon as its eyes, presumed locations, glimmered red, “I will kill you.”

Boom!

A deafening explosion echoed as the arm of the Dried Bark plunged down with a speed incomparable to before.

But, “That was close.”

Instead of a bloodied Malsuk, a clear voice was heard. Shimun, who had snagged Malsuk by the nape, stood beside the arm of the Dried Bark that had struck down.

“What, what? When did you!”

“Get lost. This isn’t something you can handle anymore.”

“Kyak! What do you mean! Didn’t you see it flinch at my punch!”

“Really?”

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Shimun asked. Soon enough, “If there’s no other way, just make sure not to die.”

He gracefully stepped back with the unique agility of a cat.

“What do you mean by that…”

Before Go Malsuk could express her confusion,

Craaack!

A massive clump of ashen roots plunged into her side.

It was the Dried Bark delivering a kick.

Go Malsuk was sent flying, unable to even scream.

Shimun shrugged his shoulders as he watched her,

‘The Heaven-Slaying Star are activated, so she won’t die.’

It couldn’t be helped. Stubborn as Go Malsuk was, the innate nature of the Heaven-Slaying Star was to pursue the intent to kill, burning through one’s life if necessary.

There was no way to gently soothe the Heaven-Slaying Star like before.

Flick.

With a flick of his finger.

Swoosh.

The tenderized mass of dirt and grass carefully caught the falling Go Malsuk.

-“Oppa, she’s alive. Her arm is broken, though.”

‘I know.’

It was but a moment, but Shimun, with his superior stats and body tempered by the [Black Panther’s Physique], could clearly see.

‘I didn’t know she’d get into a defensive position in that instant.’

Matching the sudden attack of the Dried Bark, Go Malsuk minimized the impact by raising her arms in defense and moving backwards.

“Hey, you… fucking…”

Instead of the usual growling of the Heaven-Slaying Star, breathless curses were heard.

‘She seems to have come back to her senses.’

Shimun let out a snicker and immediately stomped the ground.

Bang!

An intense thud sounded beneath.

‘It’s the Dried Bark, a boss that pulls definite aggro from the attacker.’

While a high-intelligence boss wouldn’t have definite aggro, the aggro of the Dried Bark, a Silver-Rank and not in its right mind due to corruption, was set to focus solely on the attacker.

‘Luckily, due to high physical resistance, its health isn’t that high.’

The aggro wasn’t aimed at him. If only non-physical attacks were possible, it would be an easy boss.

Therefore, ‘This is an opportunity.’

“I’ll… kill you…!”

Ignoring Shimun who had leaped close, the Dried Bark focused only on the distant Go Malsuk. Shimun clenched his fist.

“Watch closely, Malsuk.”

The Alchemy Energy surged powerfully, spreading through his body in an instant, awakening his senses.

Snap.

With a snap of his fingers, the [Ogre’s Physique] was simultaneously tempered along with the [Black Panther’s Physique].

“That punch earlier…”

Wooong.

With the unparalleled physical abilities of a different species and the peerless martial arts that elevated a mortal to a revered seat, along with a total alchemy energy of 33 and a demonic energy stat of 18 from a 10-level jump in the last special arena,

“This is how it’s done.”

At the moment he unleashed everything he held in one hand,

Heavenly Demon Divine Art (天魔神功).

Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike (覇皇碎).

The massive ashen tree shattered.

Crash!