Everyone Else is a Regressor - Chapter 49

◈ Everyone Else is a Regressor (49)

Chapter 10. My Miseries (4)

Tolchi acknowledged he had fallen into a trap of his own making. He had considered the possibility that KiJun might suspect something, but he believed that once inside the dungeon, with the vampire’s help, he could easily kill KiJun.

However, the elaborate trap, bought with thousands of gold coins, failed to weaken KiJun, and the vampire, his hidden card, was cleanly annihilated. Now, Tolchi found himself surrounded by KiJun and five orc warriors.

“You never trusted me from the start.”

“I wanted to trust you. The lord even asked me to overlook your actions.”

“…The lord.”

KiJun found Tolchi’s loyalty, even if genuine, despicable. If it were true, knowing he could influence the lord, he should never have dared such actions. Thus, Tolchi was no knight, but a despicable orc.

“But you were never worth trusting. Not only did you try to kill me, but you also attempted to frame the orcs and even allied with an undead.”

“Krrrk…!”

“Let me tell you, you’re just a pathetic fool playing at being a knight.”

―Exactly what I wanted to say, Contractor!

KiJun, holding his shield, prepared to face Tolchi.

“I’ll allow you a knight’s end. Charbanbesh, keep watch so we can fight.”

“Jun!”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“…Alright. You are a true, true warrior.”

Charbanbesh, moved by KiJun’s words, signaled the other orcs to form a wide circle for the duel.

“If you want to humiliate me to the end, stealing my achievements and now my honor…”

The orc knight, enraged, gripped his greatsword, threw off his helmet, and roared, his earring trembling visibly.

“That I can’t allow!!”

As the orc’s eyes and skin turned red with rage, Charbanbesh exclaimed in shock.

“Berserk…?!”

“Yes…!”

The orc, half-lost to rage, growled like a beast.

“A High Orc, in Berserk mode…! This is my power, beyond your challenge!”

In an instant, the orc was at KiJun’s face, swinging his now blood-red greatsword. KiJun swiftly activated Moonlight Blood Fang and extended the King’s Well to deflect it, but he was being overpowered.

“Don’t face it head-on, Jun! According to the orcs, Berserk nearly doubles their strength!”

Charbanbesh cried out in desperation.

It was too late. KiJun was forced back by the orc’s brute strength. Gritting his teeth, he activated both Salutaris and Adamant to fortify his body.

“Interesting. Come at me.”

“Even without traps!”

Boom! The Berserker’s greatsword created a huge crater, vibrating the ground.

KiJun maintained his balance and deflected the orc’s wild swings with his shield, simultaneously burning him with flames.

“I’m purifying you. Be grateful.”

“Fury!”

The orc accelerated again, forcing KiJun to react even faster. Dodging and countering, he joked about the orc’s attacks.

“Cleaned you up a bit, pig.”

The orc, irritated by KiJun’s agility, unleashed a beast-like slash. KiJun deflected it with his shield and, finding an opening, threw something into the orc’s mouth, followed by a powerful uppercut.

“Cough!”

Gulp.

Realizing he swallowed something, Tolchi gagged but couldn’t vomit it out.

“What did you feed me?”

“Something a vengeful woman left for you.”

“The thing you threw earlier…?”

“Dullahan’s head.”

KiJun wouldn’t throw his only shield, of course.

Still gagging, Tolchi glanced at the still trapped Dullahan’s head, his face draining of hope.

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. You’re about to die.”

“No, Berserk’s regenerative power will save me first――.”

KiJun fixed his gaze on Tolchi as the basic yet crucial ability of his Fiery Eye activated. This absurdly overpowered ability consumed the target’s mana, immobilizing them while simultaneously setting them ablaze.

“Merely with this Fiery Eye, you think you can restrain me――!”

While any living being would naturally resist, Banshees, being entirely ethereal, were helplessly frozen in place. However, KiJun wasn’t using his Fiery Eye to stop Tolchi’s movements, but rather for something else.

“Now you must be burning inside out.”

“…What?”

Then, suddenly.

―Boom!

An explosive detonation, powerful enough to obliterate everything in its vicinity, and even infused with the force of fire spirits, erupted inside Tolchi. The result was devastating: Tolchi’s upper body vaporized, leaving behind only his legs, which fell in opposite directions, exemplifying the durability of a High Orc.

―25,388 points obtained.

―Civilization information updated.

―Flash Throw (R) skill has reached Level 3.

KiJun offered a weak smile to the stunned orcs and approached Tolchi’s remains. Incredibly, half of the earring that had been dangling from Tolchi’s ear was still intact.

“So, it’s really the same. Now, please stop crying.”

KiJun took the other half of the earring from his inventory and tossed it onto the burning remains of Tolchi, along with his partly shattered greatsword. Stepping back, he quietly called his contracted spirit, Ur.

―Ki!

As Ur responded, the pile of Tolchi’s belongings burned more intensely. This was to eradicate any trace of Tolchi and avoid potential accusations, but it was also a rite of passage for the dead.

―I’m glad I could avenge you, so please, disappear now. KiJun went through the trouble of using a powerful explosive for your revenge!

―……

Seems like Lucy knew what was going on. Technically, there was no need for such a dramatic end. Tolchi, even in Berserk mode, was only slightly stronger than Dullahan and stood no chance against the significantly empowered KiJun.

The reason for using a costly and rare explosive was more about bringing a clean end to the woman’s revenge.

―I’m not regretful, not at all.

“Thanks for saying that, Lucy.”

As KiJun playfully responded to Lucy’s lighthearted complaint, he watched the burning remains. At that moment, he sensed the spirit of the Banshee detaching from him.

Was it because her grudge was settled, or had she consumed enough of KiJun’s spiritual energy to heal? Her severed limbs and lower body regenerated, restoring her beauty, though her inherently evil nature darkened her aura.

―Thank you so much…!

“It wasn’t for you. I won’t justify causing tears of others for your revenge. So, be content with this and descend to hell to atone.”

Despite KiJun’s cold response to the grateful ghost, she continued to thank him.

―I’ll be waiting for the day you come to find me again. Thank you, thank you…

With these echoing words, the ghost dove into the flames, leaving Lucy flustered.

―I shouldn’t have rushed her to leave. What do we do now, Contractor? Is this my fault?

“No, Lucy. Maybe that was her way of attaining peace.”

As KiJun consoled Lucy, the fire finally died down. Approaching the spot where everything had burned, he was astonished.

There, amidst the ashes, something remained.

In the western region of the Gratia Kingdom, where the remaining 500,000 people from Earth were presumed to have been summoned, an overflow disaster occurred. The Yemin Party spent the entire day gathering information, finally learning in the evening from the Mercenary Guild that the newly summoned humans were outside the overflow’s influence.

Initially, those summoned to the west were too scared to venture outside the protective barrier. The news about them only spread because a few humans had reached a nearby village after several days.

The Yemin Party, partly relieved and partly dismayed at humanity’s situation, returned to their lodging.

“Ah, KiJun oppa…”

Yemin, overly relieved about KiJun being safe, ended up drinking excessively and collapsing.

“Is she really out?”

“Let her be…”

As JiHye tried to wake Yemin, EunShin urgently stopped her. If Yemin woke up, she would start wailing for KiJun again.

Noticing JiHye’s concern, MokSu reassured her.

“It’s okay. It’s Jun, after all. He wouldn’t leave the others and move alone unless betrayed first. He’s a guy who tries to help others even when he can’t persuade them.”

“Yeah, KiJun big bro is really a good person. I wish I had known him back on Earth.”

“An epitome of Agape.”

“But still…”

JiHye, who had initially raised the concern, finally relaxed after hearing their assurances.

“Right, he’s safe. So with that plain face of his…”

Just as JiHye was about to continue, she noticed Yemin stirring.

“He attracted many NPCs, right?”

“Let’s hear more about that. I’m really curious.”

As the others tried to escape the topic, JiHye reluctantly shared.

“Yes, many NPCs liked him. He genuinely cared for them. Some even seriously attempted to court him.”

“Ah.”

“Ah.”

Uncle Soo and EunShin realized the truth. KiJun had a unique charisma that easily won over NPCs, facilitating smoother quest progress.

“We didn’t know then, but those NPCs were real people too.”

“Yeah.”

“Other summoners often showed their true, nasty nature under pressure. But KiJun hyung… he was always sincere.”

“KiJun hyung is a hero, at least to me. His heart is truly heroic.”

“EunShin’s right. Many NPCs saw him as a deity. Some even tried to approach him seriously…”

“Ah.”

As JiHye revealed more, the others understood KiJun’s hidden popularity among the NPCs. His kindness and sincerity had won many hearts, distinguishing him from other summoners.