The Regressor Can Make Them All-Chapter 542

When Puppeteer approached under the pretext of a trade, Lea instinctively knew that the moment she had been waiting the past decades for had finally come: her revenge.

They’re nearing their limit.

With half of the Ten Evils dead, and excluding Golden Wheel and Elder Lord, who remained hidden, only three remained. Additionally, demonkind and their collaborative factions like the Watchers were nearing extinction.

To be blunt, the fall of the Demon Force was all but guaranteed.

Meanwhile, humanity has only grown stronger. Despite the deaths of the Perfect Ones, we’ve gained Blessings. That’s why they have no choice but to act.

The more time passed, the weaker the Demon Force and the more humanity would become familiar with the Blessings.

That was why Puppeteer had chosen right now, when the number of Perfect Ones had dwindled and a gap had opened, to throw everything in for a decisive confrontation.

It’ll be dangerous since they’re going all-in... but we still have more than enough of a chance!

Lea was confident. She had become somewhat familiar with her unique skill, Phase Manifestation, and the development of her new Sphere and automatons was nearing completion. All that remained was the finalization of her preparations before she would head out to face the enemy alongside her trusted comrades and juniors.

That was why, even though she knew of Puppeteer’s intentions, she had been so bold in front of her.

“But he said: No, I won’t!!!”

Only to be utterly betrayed by the person she trusted most.

“...So that’s why you’re doing this?”

Luize looked dumbfounded as she stared at Lea, who clung to Se-Hoon’s back like a cicada. In her eyes, Lea looked like she was trying to chokehold his neck and waist rather than getting a piggyback ride, but due to their vast difference in physical capabilities, it was the same to Se-Hoon either way.

“Hmm...”

“Grrr...”

Seeing Lea strengthen her hold in frustration due to Se-Hoon’s calmness, Luize sighed.

“Well, okay. But why the chokehold?”

“She said punching me would hurt her own hand more.”

“Good grief...”

Honestly, from Lea’s perspective, it wouldn’t have been strange if her anger was greater. Although the two had built some rapport over the past year, the core of their relationship was their shared desire for Puppeteer’s death. So for Se-Hoon to switch up and declare he wouldn’t help with that crucial mission? It was bound to infuriate her.

Considering that’s the extent of her reaction... looks like Lea’s pretty far gone for him too.

She had the justification to scream betrayal loudly, but instead, she resorted to pouting and clinging. She was obviously restraining herself despite her rage because she believed Se-Hoon had his reasons.

“Anyway... what’s your reason for the sudden betrayal? Don’t tell me it’s just because you couldn’t be bothered.”

“Well...”

“I’m warning you—if you try to brush this off as something irrelevant, I’m joining Lea in choking you.”

Luize cracked her knuckles, eyes sharp.

“... Sigh, alright. I’ll explain. Sit down, both of you.”

At those words, Luize obediently pulled over a chair from the workshop and sat. Following suit, Lea finally let go and took a seat beside her.

“There are three big reasons I can’t help Lea right now.”

Waving at Terra, Se-Hoon had a whiteboard brought over and began writing down information from their meeting with Puppeteer.

“The first is Puppeteer’s objective. Handing over information about the Law of Repentance with no strings attached is just too suspicious.”

Just as Lea suspected, Puppeteer could be cornered and making a last-ditch move or trying to spread misinformation. Regardless of which, Se-Hoon was staying cautious due to the still very-present uncertainty of Puppeteer’s intentions and strategies.

“The second is that I need to verify the Law of Repentance itself. Our trust in Puppeteer aside, both Lea and I felt that power. That’s why confirming it has become my top priority.”

If the Law of Repentance could also tamper with other Laws or Blessings, it posed immense danger. For example, if someone used it to disrupt or corrupt another’s Blessings, internal chaos could erupt.

“Potentially, it could even dismantle the Perfect Ones.”

Humanity’s current unity against the Demon Force came from the shared understanding that siding with demons or losing their right to Blessings meant instant death at the Perfect Ones’ hands. But what if a way to resist the Perfect Ones actually existed? What if someone offered power surpassing theirs?

In fact, that “what if” was starting to bloom—and Transcendence seemed to possess the technology to make it flower.

Tap- Tap-

“So until we verify the Law and can counter its side effects, we need to shore up our defenses.”

Se-Hoon glanced at the two, hoping that explanation was enough... only to meet their stares.

“It’s always the third reason that’s the real one.”

“Well? What are you waiting for?”

“...Fine.”

Bluntly urged on by the two, Se-Hoon sighed and wrote something on the whiteboard.

“The third reason is... my body’s not in good shape.”

“Your body?”

Lea looked puzzled. He had seemed perfectly fine when she’d been strangling him earlier, even when he met with Puppeteer.

He looks completely normal...

His bones, muscles, and even his mana had felt intact, so where was the problem? She stared in confusion along with Luize, and soon enough, Se-Hoon stepped aside to reveal what he’d drawn.

[—]

[Strength - — (—) Stamina - — (—)

Mana - — (—) Agility - — (—)]

“...”

“...”

The two stiffened at the sight of the never-before-seen status message, with all stats blanked out as if glitched.

“That’s... really your status message?” Lea asked cautiously.

“Yeah. It changed after the last mission.”

Following the Doppelganger extermination, his Mana stat had been behaving oddly but stabilized after a while. When he had seen that, Se-Hoon became cautiously optimistic—only for all of his stats to update after the Prayer Operation, breaking the status window completely.

“I thought it might be temporary, but it’s not changing. Looks like it’s permanent.”

Lea’s expression grew more serious, while Luize, staring silently at the whiteboard, asked, “Any guesses as to the cause?”

“I’m not sure, but... I think it’s from what happened before the Law of Repentance was formed.”

Right before the Law had been born, Se-Hoon had directly witnessed the world’s transformation and was flung out of it as a consequence. Thankfully, he’d returned with Luize’s help before being completely expelled, but the fact remained that he had briefly ceased to exist in the world.

Something must have gone wrong with the system’s data about me.

It was only a hypothesis for now; still, given the circumstances, it seemed the most likely explanation. Because of that, Se-Hoon had decided the moment he found out to minimize his involvement with the others until he learned more.

“Helping in battle is one thing, but more than that would be risky. If I interfere, it could corrupt the results.”

His presence might influence the performance of the new Sphere, the automatons, or even alter the effects of enchantments and jeopardize the entire plan. Worst case, like with Doppelganger, the Golden Ring might try to reject him and his allies.

“That’s why I said I couldn’t help you.”

“...”

Lea’s expression turned more and more complicated as she listened. While she was expecting something... she hadn’t thought it’d be so serious.

He could’ve at least told me beforehand...

Though revenge against Puppeteer was her dream, she wasn’t stupid enough to ignore obvious danger. So, after taking a moment to collect herself, Lea calmly nodded.

“Alright. With a reason like that, I can’t argue.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

“But I want one thing in return.”

Studying the three issues laid out on the whiteboard, Lea became serious.

“Once you figure out Puppeteer’s goal and verify the Law of Repentance, promise me you won’t stop me no matter what I do.”

If those issues were resolved, Puppeteer would be forced to act—and Lea didn’t want to pass that moment to anyone else. Se-Hoon could understand that crystal clear.

“...Alright. I won’t stop you then,” he agreed after some hesitation.

Considering he had asked for enough already, that much was the least he could do in return.

Nodding in appreciation, Lea naturally changed the topic. “So, what’s first? The third problem seems the most urgent...”

“We start with the second.”

With no clear leads on his corrupted status window, there was little he could do. Instead, it was better to start with proving the evidence he already had: the Law of Repentance.

“If you say so...”

“Do you have something in mind?”

Tuning to Luize, Se-Hoon nodded.

“I’ve got a basic framework ready.”

According to Puppeteer, the Law of Repentance was supposedly a more intense version of the Law of Pilgrimage created by Karl. Before, humans made wishes to God or the Golden Ring, and Karl mediated those requests via divine mana. But now, there was no more intermediary.

Put simply, humanity’s wishes directly compelled the Ring to respond now.

At first, I thought the name came from Karl repenting to... but it was actually the opposite.

The God, who had ignored humanity’s suffering, had finally repented—and in doing so, a new Law was born. That, in Se-Hoon’s eyes, was the Law of Repentance.

Well, the process doesn’t matter much.

What mattered was how powerful the improvised Law was and whether it could affect existing ones. Fortunately, one of Se-Hoon’s planned experiments fit the test perfectly.

“Terra.”

“Yes... ah, yes?!”

Snapping out of her daze, Tera was completely startled. And seeing that, Se-Hoon patted her on the shoulder.

“You ready for your promotion?”

“Y-Yes... huh?!”

***

Rumble-

A grand stage rose in the dark void. Thousands of automatons were moving in perfect unison, assembling a majestic platform as fast as an eye blinked.

“...”

As a shadow hidden in the dark silently watched, it suddenly felt a tremor in the thread at its fingertip.

“What is it?”

“I found what you asked for. Got the brain of someone who can cast long-range teleportation and the heart of a duplication user.”

“Leave them there.”

Her coldness was transmitted clearly through the distant automaton.

“Tch, after all the trouble I went through.... Hey, you could at least show a little appreciation, huh?” Tuner said, crossing his arms in front of the automaton.

“I know you just pulled it out of storage. Don’t be so dramatic.”

“Tsk, tsk... it’s really not worth arguing with you.”

Shaking his head, Tuner tossed a metal case from inside his coat to Puppeteer’s automaton for her to check its contents.

“Here are the coordinates: 7°30’34.4”S, 69°50’40.1”W. It’s buried underneath there—dig it out.”

“Couldn’t you have just brought it here...? Hahhhh, always making things difficult.”

Ignoring Tuner’s grumbling, Puppeteer cut the connection—

“Wait a sec.”

Crack!

In an instant, Tuner had lunged and grabbed the automaton’s throat, forcefully anchoring Puppeteer’s consciousness.

“What? You want to go?”

Infuriated, Puppeteer glared as her killing intent radiated. Tampering with her consciousness was tantamount to a declaration of war.

“Come on. I just have a suggestion I want to make.”

“Like this?”

“You’d have left without listening otherwise, right?”

Ignoring him again, Puppeteer checked another automaton nearby.

I could make it out of here forcefully... but it would cause more damage.

If he—Se-Hoon—noticed her hidden automatons being deployed, everything would fall apart... which was what Tuner was banking on. Sighing at that realization, Puppeteer gave in.

“What’s the proposal?”

“I took a little peek at your preparations. And honestly? I found them a bit sloppy.”

“If you’re trying to interfere, leave.”

Puppeteer glared. She was dead set on never allowing an outsider into her plan.

“Relax~~ I’m not tactless enough to meddle in family business.”

“...Then?”

“I just thought that you could use some insurance.”

Making a mischievous smile, Tuner rummaged through his coat and pulled out a dark red crystal.

“That’s...!”

Puppeteer stared in disbelief, recognizing the shard. There was no doubt it was a core of the Demonic Realms—one of the few sources of demonic aura itself.

“If you’re fighting that monster, you’ll need to become a Harbinger of Destruction at least~”

There was a big grin on Tuner’s face.