Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Chapter 80. Ambush (2)

TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader

With a deafening crash, the lightning struck, accompanied by a brilliant white flash. The phenomenon created by a single beam of light was beyond anyone’s imagination. The aftermath left in the wake of the beam was equally unimaginable.

And yet, it seemed that was not enough.

Crack!

The remaining lightning flickered, scattering bursts of white electricity as it swept across the devastated area.

“Insane…”

A voice mixed with admiration and shock. Go Malsuk gaped at the scene that seemed nothing short of miraculous.

On the contrary, “Oh no…”

A voice trembling with fear. Sing stared blankly at the scene that resembled a disaster.

And for a good reason.

‘My guild members…!’

All of them were Gold rank players, and not just any, but top-tier ones. They had even maximized their resistance to lightning-based attacks according to the information gathered on Kim Shimun, and their magical resistance was also at a considerable level. They were practically immune to lightning magic among the Gold ranks, a spec that even Platinum-ranked mages specializing in lightning would find troublesome.

Yet, ‘To disappear without a trace from a single strike of lightning magic!’

They were all ‘evaporated’. As if carelessly swiped away by a brush soaked in ink.

Hissss.

Only the steam danced pitifully atop the scorched earth.

“This can’t be happening…”

Sing became despondent. And into her ears, “That’s what I’m saying.”

A voice filled with similar sentiment reached her.

“You!”

Responding immediately, Sing swung her arm.

Swish.

A mist imbued with demonic ki drew a line, blocking the incoming kick.

“Damn! When did you!”

Regaining her senses, Sing hastily took steps back to widen the distance between her and Go Malsuk.

“When did I? You’ve been daydreaming in the middle of a fight.”

“You coward! To attack from behind and still talk so boldly!”

“Ha. You’re completely insane.”

Go Malsuk said, her face expressionless.

“Coward? Behind? Aren’t those the words of someone who attempted assassination?”

Was it their place to say such things after appearing and attacking from behind?

Disgust filled the face that had been void of expression.

“Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. Oh, since you’re Chinese, should I say putting the cart before the wheel for you to understand?”

“Shut it!”

Along with her shout, a swarm of magical orbs flew. Go Malsuk moved through them with the ease of someone out for a stroll, showing an avoidance so clean it would have been the talk of the town if it had been broadcasted, similar to how Kim Shimun evaded the cockatrice.

“Argh!”

With eyes blazing, Sing furiously moved her arms, drawing symbols in the air. As expected of a Platinum-ranked mage.

“There’s no escaping! I’ll roast you whole!”

In an instant, Sing completed a 5-star fire attribute spell.

However, “Flame Bur…”

The moment she was about to activate her spell, a dull blue beam pierced through the sizzling magic circle.

“Cough!”

Spewing out a mouthful of blood, Sing managed to twist her body in time, avoiding a direct hit.

“Damn it! The backlash from the magic!”

She couldn’t prevent the mana backlash caused by her spell being destroyed right before activation.

“Kyaha! You look just fabulous.”

“Curse you!”

Go Malsuk, now smirking, had closed the distance once again. Sing swung her arm furiously, unleashing a torrent of flames.

Whoosh!

Amidst the ferocious spray of 4-star spells, a menacing barrage of fire, “That’s right. Mages have Memorize, don’t they?”

Go Malsuk moved through it with agility that seemed impossible for a Silver rank, maintaining her composure.

“You! You’re not just any low-level trickster!”

Sing glared at Go Malsuk, her eyes filled with suspicion and rage.

“What are you talking about? I am a Silver, you know?”

“This is just the beginning!”

“And it seems you’re under some kind of delusion…”

As Go Malsuk lifted her leg high and stomped forcefully, boom.

“Ugh!”

Sing’s skeletal legs wobbled under the pressure of the invisible force.

Then, “The one who shouldn’t be raising their voice right now isn’t me.”

Go Malsuk’s fist surged towards Sing’s head.

“Like hell-”

Bang!

An explosion sounded.

But what followed was not Sing’s groan but, “What’s this now?”

Go Malsuk’s irritation.

Her gaze landed on Sing’s extended right arm.

A bracelet of strange shape encircling the arm.

From it, a barrier flowed out, blocking the punch.

“What do you think? An S-rank defense artifact that bottom-dwellers like you couldn’t even dream of!”

Sing declared boastfully. But contrary to her voice, her hands moved swiftly.

“Just wait. I’ll burn you to ashes with a 6-star spell!”

“Really now, you’re unbelievable.”

Go Malsuk could only let out a hollow laugh in response to the fierce threat.

And for good reason, ‘Comparing such trivial magic to Kim Shimun, who doesn’t even need to finish casting…’

A monster who could unleash unmatched firepower with a mere flick of his fingers, compared to Kim Shimun.

“Even Platinum is nothing special. I’ll rise above it in no time.”

“What, what?!”

The opponent, Sing, was far too inferior.

‘Well, he uses alchemy, not magic, after all.’

Regardless, they’re both means to manifest abilities, aren’t they?

Go Malsuk smirked and clenched her fist.

Then, whoosh.

Her eyes reddened like blood, and a demonic ki condensed into her fist.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Art struck the translucent barrier.

Crack!

“Damn it!”

The S-rank artifact’s shield cracked instantaneously.

Sing bit her lip hard.

‘This shield could easily withstand a 5-star spell!’

To think it would crack from a single punch?

This wasn’t an attack a mere Silver could make, ‘A mere punch mixed with some Ki stronger than a 5-star spell?’

The idea was beyond belief for Sing, a mage.

But, “Tch. Still not enough.”

Despite witnessing such unreal destructive power, “If it were that guy, he would have shattered it with one blow, obliterating her as well…”

Go Malsuk’s face wasn’t bright. She glanced at Kim Shimun, who was in the midst of battle with Gyeolryun.

Is he really just a Gold?

Boom!

Kim Shimun was producing tremendous explosions, clashing evenly with the diamond-rank Gyeolryun.

Witnessing this unbelievable scenario, Go Malsuk shook her head and looked at Sing, who was diligently casting.

Compared to Kim Shimun, a sight too miserable for words.

‘Right, that guy is the monster. It’s not that I’m weak.’

Go Malsuk, with a sneer, “Hey, you, Sing, was it?”

Lifted her demonic ki imbued fist, now more bloodshot than ever.

From then on, in Sing’s eyes, “Let’s see what happens first… your precious 6-star magic being completed,”

Crash!

Crack.

Go Malsuk hitting the barrier, making the Silver nobody seem like, “Or my fist crashing into your face?”

A harbinger of doom knocking on the gates of hell. As Astrape’s thunderbolt pierced through Gong Yeolryun, it was a sight astonishing enough to spontaneously elicit awe.

However, Kim Shimun hadn’t missed the slight fluctuation in the Gong Yeolryun’s movement at that moment. And now, “Roar.”

With a snap, instead of charging forward like before amidst the continuous lightning strikes of Astrape, the Gong Yeolryun chose to dodge, creating distance.

“Seeing you dodge repeatedly, it seems that immunity you had earlier can only be used once.”

In response to Kim Shimun’s query, the Gong Yeolryun remained silent, focusing solely on evasion. This confirmed Kim Shimun’s suspicion.

“No, not immunity but a one-time nullification artifact, huh? Too bad your critical sneak attack missed.”

“Shut up!”

The Gong Yeolryun gritted its teeth at Kim Shimun’s leisurely demeanor, unable to dare another charge like before. Not just because it had lost its one-time nullification artifact, but “Lightning immunity is meaningless to that guy.”

Despite adopting equipment of lower performance to forcibly enhance its lightning resistance, even matching it with considerable magic resistance, the result was futile.

“Should have stuck with my usual gear!”

Those efforts at achieving high resistance levels were mockingly dismissed by the sheer force of the lightning strikes emanating from that mysterious white rod. Moreover, “That beam from earlier. Getting hit by it would be dangerous even for me.”

Despite not being a tank, but belonging to the diamond combat class, it’s not within the same threat level as a newly gold-tier mage. Yet, Kim Shimun boasted an attack power that could chill the spine of even the diamond-rank Gong Yeolryun.

Indeed, the charred earth and the vanquished subordinates turned to white vapor were a testament to that. Considering their resistance equipment was not much different from his own…

“How long will you keep running? You’re the one who came to assassinate.”

Crackle!

The white beam previously unleashed was a threat even to someone of the diamond class, signaling life or death. Thus, “I need to drag this out, and look for an opening.”

After all, the only difference was in attack power; the fundamental specs of diamond and gold classes remained unchanged.

“If he keeps firing magic like that, he’ll soon deplete his energy.”

The plan was to wait until Kim Shimun was entirely drained of magic. Then, a small gap appeared amidst the downpour of lightning—just large enough to thrust a sword through. For a diamond-rank combatant, it was an ample opening.

“It seems his magic is depleting.”

Seizing the moment, Gong Yeolryun surged forward with renewed vigor, closing the distance in an instant. At that moment, his eyes sparkled.

“Did you think it was over?”

Kim Shimun, seemingly reading his opponent’s mind, continued.

Snap.

Gong Yeolryun hastily dodged as a heavy stone pillar grazed its side. A chilling thought crossed his mind, “Did he deliberately create that opening earlier?”

A feint. Could a mere gold-tier mage have executed such a tactic? However, having come this far, “There’s no turning back!”

It was do or die. Hissing, the Gong Yeolryun, abandoning all defense, aimed for a deadly blow. Crack. Despite several lightning strokes bolstered by his diamond-rank specs and lightning resistance, “Haaah!” he launched a powerful claw strike shrouded in strong energy.

But then, squeal! Odd tinnitus rang out, and layers of golden magic circles spun around Kim Shimun’s left eye, followed by a creak. His slender body became more streamlined and solid, scales appearing here and there.

‘What in the world!’

Before Gong Yeolryun could even react to the sudden change in Kim Shimun’s appearance—

Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

Supreme Emperor’s Demolition Strike.

Kim Shimun, with the Astrape in hand, thrust directly towards his opponent.

Crash!

Was it because of the sudden physical transformation?

The lightning force unleashed by Kim Shimun felt intensely sharp, enough to make the skin tingle.

And then—

Boom!

A powerful tinnitus shook the area, rattling the bones. As the two forces collided, not only the sky but also the ground below burst open.

Ooh.

Even the S-rank Mirror Illusion Barrier flickered slightly.

Soon.

“How could this be…”

The outcome of the tremendous clash gradually began to reveal itself.

‘My strength… is being overpowered by Gold?’

Gong Yeolryun’s strength was being pushed back, and he was in shock at the unbelievable result.

Then, with a final cry from Gong Yeolryun.

Boom!

A huge explosion engulfed both men.

* * *

Amidst a cloud of dust, “Phew.”

Kim Shimun exhaled a long breath and stretched out his hand lightly, looking ahead.

Squeak.

A brilliant golden magical circle.

Odin’s eye provided clear vision even through the thick dust.

‘He’s not dead, it seems.’

Kim Shimun looked at the fallen man caught in Odin’s eye, like some sort of infrared camera.

‘Well, he is after all a diamond-rank warrior; it’d be strange if he’d fallen from just that.’

Not to mention his disgustingly twisted resistance to lightning and magic.

Among the ranks, warriors’ stamina was indeed superior.

But it was just that he was not dead.

“Really… Cough! You’re extraordinary.”

Gong Yeolryun, struggling to stand, found his right arm had vanished without a trace.

“You… Cough! You could be the second Sword Saint…”

Despite vomiting blood, Gong Yeolryun didn’t stop moving. Kim Shimun flicked his finger indifferently.

Crash.

Lightning struck down into Kim Shimun’s grasp immediately. Gong Yeolryun’s face twisted instantly.

‘Crazy! To use that technique again!’

He had sacrificed an arm to nullify that lightning spear before. And now, with just a flick of his fingers, it appeared so easily?

The frustration was fleeting.

“Lim Wijung! Deploy the test subjects!”

Gong Yeolryun screamed with a twisted, venomous face.

Then, “Aagh!”

“Scream!”

Screams came from all directions. These were the civilians who had entered the barrier with them.

Creak.

Crack.

Their arms or legs grotesquely enlarged, or their heads or bodies abnormally grew. Taking on abnormal shapes, “Aargh!”

“Grunt!”

Soon transformed into something between humans and monsters, they roared menacingly at Kim Shimun.

Ironically, ‘That is…’

The twisted civilians felt strikingly familiar to Kim Shimun.

“Growl!”

“Scream!”

As the menacing beings roared and set their sights on Kim Shimun, “Ha ha… Kim Shimun, this is the end for you.”

Perhaps thinking Kim Shimun appeared frightened, Gong Yeolryun smirked, blood smeared around his mouth, channeling energy into the claw of his remaining arm.

“I’ll make sure to extract a proper price for my arm!”

As the horde of monstrosities rushed toward Kim Shimun, leading the charge.

Swoosh.

In silence, Kim Shimun’s left pupil slit vertically.

“Everyone…”

Following that, “Stop.”

Freeze.

The charging monsters halted as if frozen by a lie.