Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Chapter 78. World Tree Shimdrasil (5)

TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader

Like the leftover breeze after a typhoon.

“……”

“……”

Silence had taken its place in the spacious living room for a while. Yet, it wasn’t as if the typhoon had completely passed.

“This doesn’t make sense……”

“Good grief……”

Among the notable players in South Korea, Kim Shihyuk, Lee Yujeong, and Park Jinwook looked on with dazed expressions at the information window floating in mid-air once again.

[Companion of the World Tree] – Growth Type

A title given to the companions of the World Tree.

– Increase XP of guild members by 30%.

– Increase stat growth rate of guild members by 70%.

The title information window that Kim Shimun shared had options beyond their imagination.

“Hah……I can’t believe this even as I’m looking at it.”

Park Jinwook, who had been guzzling whiskey, put down his now empty glass and looked at Kim Shimun.

“Kim Shimun, are you really trying to shock us… perhaps, you crafted this system window with alchemy to show us, right?”

Perhaps the shock was too great. Without any reserve, Park Jinwook blurted out, and Kim Shimun answered with a chuckle.

“I wish that were the case. Becoming the world’s best would then be a matter of no time.”

He wasn’t wrong. If one could craft a status window, becoming the strongest in the world would literally happen in a blink of an eye.

“Hah……this is really unbelievable……”

At Kim Shimun’s response, Park Jinwook, tapping his forehead, asked while Kim Shihyuk, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the title ‘Companion of the World Tree,’ inquired, “Senior, how much was the experience point increase item that was traded recently?”

“An earring with just a 15% increase in XP, without any other additional options, went for 27 billion.”

“27 billion?”

Kim Shimun’s eyes widened slightly.

‘In my previous life, items that only increased XP by 15% were trading around 10 billion back and forth.’

In his previous life, there were quite a few items that claimed growth options. No, there were even more than now.

‘They became common items from the regular arena onwards.’

Thus, comparing to his previous life, 27 billion for only one growth option was a very high price. So, naturally, he commented, “That’s quite expensive.”

“Quite expensive is an understatement! Kim Shimun! Currently, the XP-related items hitting the black market are all quoting hundreds of billions!”

Park Jinwook, extremely agitated, laid out the situation, and

“That’s right, hyung. It’s not a matter of price. It’s about them being impossible to acquire.”

“I only have two, hyung. Even those, I wear them according to the situation since they have no other options.”

Lee Yujeong and Kim Shihyuk, unusually, added their agreement to Park Jinwook’s opinion with fervent consent.

Emboldened by this?

“Moreover, it’s a growth type, isn’t it? The options alone are unbelievable, but if they can get even higher than…”

Park Jinwook, finding his own words ridiculous, muttered, “Sigh. Let me grab another drink.”

“Senior, you’ll find it at the bar over there.”

Unable to finish his sentence, Park Jinwook stood up abruptly and poured himself another whiskey. He gulped it down, Despite it being a product of the arena byproducts, for a top-tier player not to get easily drunk was one thing.

“I guarantee, once this information gets out, the whole world won’t leave Kim Shimun alone.”

After putting down his glass, Park Jinwook’s face was flushed as if drunk, and his breathing uneven. Was it not only Park Jinwook who was excited?

Gulping down. Contrary to her usually cultured demeanor, Lee Yujeong, too, looked at Kim Shimun with somewhat reddened eyes.

‘Being a guild master, it’s a tempting option indeed.’

Seeing a different side of Lee Yujeong, Kim Shimun laughed softly and withdrew the information window, saying, “Then, this conversation will be easy.”

At his words, Kim Shihyuk’s gaze became more serious. The other two, unable to hide their excitement, did the same.

“Hyung, shall we start a guild?”

“Sure.”

Shimun nodded at his younger brother, Kim Shihyuk’s question.

“Now that I’ve reached gold, and the achievement store is open, we have more than enough qualifications to start a guild, right?”

“True… Anyone can start a guild once the achievement store is open. But you’re not planning on actually developing it, are you?”

Did his brother understand what he found troubling?

Shimun couldn’t help but shake his head slightly at his brother’s sharp observation.

“Yeah. I only plan on creating it since I don’t want to waste the achievement points.”

“… That’s so like you.”

Even though there could be benefits to be reaped from it. Shimun’s smile deepened at his brother’s murmuring comment.

‘He knows me so well after all.’

As his clever brother guessed, Shimun had no intention of growing the guild that came with the title ‘Companion of the World Tree.’

‘After all, I never even considered creating a guild in the first place.’

Even without a guild, the effects of the title applied directly to him due to the World Tree’s traits. Even if he were to create a guild, he might only let Malsuk join and no one else.

He would not have included his brother or others.

Because…

‘The future Kim Shihyuk is going to create his own guild.’

Of course, that happens after the regular arena starts.

The accomplished younger brother goes on to create his own guild, maintaining his force firmly and looking after the survivors of Korea even after its downfall.

That was the future Shimun had experienced.

So…

‘I don’t want to create any variables that could possibly change Kim Shihyuk’s future…’

His thoughts had slightly changed after recent events.

‘After all, the situation has already changed quite a bit from my previous life.’

Already, the situation on Earth has significantly changed from his previous life through interactions with dwarves, elves, and through the development of a cure.

Things that didn’t exist in his previous life were happening. The incident with Princess Ashaz was one example. And meeting the evolved species, Dranis, was another.

Such variables could arise in the future, ones that weren’t in the knowledge of his past life.

‘In such variables, the most efficient and surefire tool is power.’

Not just for himself, but getting those he could trust around him stronger was the wisest way to deal with future uncertainties.

‘Well, if I get anxious, I can have everyone quit when the regular arena starts.’

I can leave the guild. After all, as long as Kim Shihyuk takes over the guild master’s position, that’s all that matters, right?

Shimun shrugged casually. Maybe they saw him in a different light?

“Having such a growth option and not thinking otherwise……”

“Orabeoni……”

Park Jinwook and Lee Yujeong were brimming with an unknown admiration in their eyes.

Shimun didn’t correct their misunderstanding but…

“Cough! Still, we have a few spots open, so we’re going to fill them. Anyway, will you join if I make it?”

Not wanting the misunderstanding to deepen, Shimun cleared the situation with a cough.

Kim Shihyuk and Park Jinwook eagerly.

“Of course!”

“Where do I sign up?”

They were all in, wagging their tails.

“……”

Only Lee Yujeong was biting her nails nervously, her eyes wavering.

Shimun approached her.

“Yujeong.”

“Orabeoni, I…”

“I know.”

As if he understood everything. He nodded calmly.

“You’re the guild master of the Holy Trinity Guild.”

“Yes… That’s right…”

The Holy Trinity Guild’s guild master.

Had that prestigious position ever felt like shackles before?Yujeong’s face fell in resignation, her head hung low. Understanding Yujeong’s inner turmoil, Kim Shimun’s lips curled into a warm smile.

‘She must really be regretting it. After all, she’s always been fiercely competitive, even when we were kids.’

Externally, she might seem gentle and pure, but deep down, she despised losing more than anyone else—a true exemplar of outer gentleness and inner strength.

Of course, she wouldn’t take her own growth, directly tied to her personal achievements, lightly. Knowing how Yujeong felt, “Even so, Yujeong, there’s no saying you can’t join a guild.”

Kim Shimun suggested, comforting his sister with an alternative.

“Excuse me?”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s for a short while; you can step down from the guild master position, right?”

“No way! What if Grandpa finds out, ah!”

Realizing why Kim Shimun made such a suggestion, Yujeong gasped.

His smile deepened in response.

“My mom!”

“Yeah, wouldn’t our aunt be bustling around, especially after her rehabilitation?”

“That’s right! She recently completed her rehabilitation and has started physical training.”

Dohu Lee Yeonhee.

She would be perfect for the position of Holy Trinity’s guild master.

Or rather, ‘I could just give the guild master position back to mom! Why didn’t I think of this sooner?’

The role of Holy Trinity’s guild master was originally Lee Yeonhee’s.

Only, she had fallen ill, and her daughter, Yujeong, had filled in for her.

‘Mom would handle Grandpa much better than I ever could!’

Not to mention, she could finally escape the dreaded responsibilities that came with being a guild master, which never suited her.

“Orabeoni! I’ll call Mom right now, just wait a moment!”

Yujeong jumped to her feet, but Kim Shimun quickly grabbed her hand, pulling out the phone to calm her down.

“Easy, easy. There’s no rush to join a guild. You’re the guild master. We should meet up and sort this out calmly.”

“Ah… That’s probably better.”

“Indeed.”

Kim Shimun nodded, understanding that if Yujeong impulsively called saying, ‘Mom, I’m joining another guild, so I’m handing over the guild master position!’ it would likely lead to an outrage, ‘What? This girl’s insane!’

‘Even dad, who was the former association president, couldn’t calm Auntie down when she was furious.’

For the sake of Yujeong’s life, urging her to hold off on joining another guild was necessary.

Kim Shimun continued in a calm tone, “Holy Trinity is not a small guild. Auntie has just woken up after years; you need to properly hand things over.”

“You’re right, orabeoni. I was being too hasty.”

While Yujeong reprimanded herself, “What can we do? Ogres will be ogres.”

The teasing added weight to her self-reproach.

“Keep acting up in front of orabeoni, and see if you don’t end up dead.”

“Oh? Think you can take me?”

The siblings naturally fell into a fiery squabble.

“Kim Shihyuk, forget already due to your lack of brains? I’m at a higher level than you.”

“Just wait until I overtake you while you’re busy handing over the guild master position to Auntie.”

“…”

“Ha, I won’t have to listen to you brag about level differences anymore. Wait, isn’t it my turn to counterattack now?”

Could a refreshing smile that captivated both men and women alike turn so annoying?

“This is real!”

Just as Yujeong reached into her inventory, inflamed by Shihyuk’s taunts, “Ah, you’re all so freaking loud.”

A woman’s voice cooled the heated living room. Automatically, everyone’s gaze shifted towards the source of the voice.

“Hey, Kim Shimun. Got anything smaller to wear? Why is your shirt so big?”

A woman clad only in Kim Shimun’s shirt emerged, dragging everyone’s attention to her.

Kim Shimun rushed towards her, exclaiming, “Hey! Why are you wearing my shirt? And what happened to your pants?”

“What are you on about? You tore them all up. Stingy bastard, at least alchemize some clothes for me.”

“Even so, wearing only a shirt… Ah, forget it. Let’s just make something shorter for now.”

With a flick of the fingers, a shirt precariously perched on his thigh transformed into the form of pants in an act of skilled manipulation.

“……”

“……”

The spectacle rendered the three onlookers speechless, enveloped in an uneasy silence.

“… I’ve known since those two monsters couldn’t even budge, but Kim Shimun, you truly are quite the formidable man.”

“Hyung… as expected, remarkable.”

The first to break the silence were the two men. Then, suddenly.

Whoosh!

An overwhelming aura filled the entire living room.

Ironically, “Orabeoni, if you had a friend, you could have at least introduced us~.”

The originator of this intense aura was surprisingly carefree.

* * *

In the high-rise buildings of Gangnam. Despite the darkness of the night, where no one would typically set foot on the rooftop, a group had made it their gathering spot.

Among them, “Tch. Another miss today?”

A lean woman voiced her irritation, which none in the group dared to respond to.

Then, Ding-ling.

A sound emanated from a phone beside a man.

Tapping on the screen, he announced, “The target has stepped outside.”

“Oh? Finally?”

The woman brightened at the man’s statement, and the statuesque group around them began to stir.

“Spending days in that flashy house, where could they be headed in the middle of the night?”

“To a nearby department store, apparently.”

“What?”

The woman tilted her head in surprise.

“A department store? At this hour?”

“Yes.”

“Incredible. I’ll never understand these Koreans.”

The woman scoffed incredulously, and the man with the phone added, “They left with company.”

“Company? A woman, perhaps?”

As the man nodded silently, “Typical. Men are the same everywhere, aren’t they?”

The woman sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Spending days cooped up in a penthouse with a woman tells you all you need to know. And heading to a department store at this hour? That lady’s got some nerve.”

“Not just anyone. A player.”

“A player? Someone famous?”

“Not on the list we received from the guild.”

“Then she must be some abyss creature from BroSilGol, huh? No wonder she’s bold.”

The lean woman sneered, asking, “So, what’s the plan, Gong Yeolryun? It’s going to raise some eyebrows, especially if the companion is a player. Even Kim Muyeol backed out.”

“Which is precisely why it will draw less attention. However,”

Gong Yeolryun paused, finally looking away from his phone to face the woman.

“Sing. It might be better if you could corner just one target.”

“Hmm~ Let’s just deal with them all at once. It’s too bothersome to control otherwise~.”

Despite the clear implication of murder, Sing nonchalantly waved her hand, expressing her irritation first.

Predicting her response, “Then let’s move out.”

Without waiting for an answer, Gong Yeolryun stepped forward. He looked toward a man in a white coat and glasses busily tinkering with a device by the railing.

“Lim Wijung. The mutants are well-positioned, I hope?”

Upon Gong Yeolryun’s inquiry, the man in glasses silently nodded.

“Good. Let’s start then.”

As Gong Yeolryun leaped downward, whoosh.

The group on the rooftop vanished as if they were never there to begin with.