Absolute Regression

The excitement of the Soaring Dragon Tournament had reached a new peak.

As the main event began, the small martial stages in the outer grounds of the Martial Alliance were all removed, and a grand stage was set up at the center.

They built tiers around the martial stage to seat the masses, allowing thousands to watch the matches simultaneously.

Starting today, the matches among the top fighters from the thirty-two groups would be held in earnest to compete for the championship.

Anyone who made it into the top eight would be guaranteed a spot in the elite ranks of the Martial Alliance. Even those who didn’t make it would have the opportunity to join if they caught the attention of the Alliance’s experts. Thus, this tournament was a crucial event for everyone involved.

Of course, Seo Daeryong had his own reasons for burning with anticipation.

As a martial artist, something within him was awakening. Until now, Seo Daeryong had merely been someone who practiced martial arts, but through this tournament, he was evolving into a true martial artist. 1

Even when surrounded by the fierce warriors filling the area, Seo Daeryong did not feel intimidated at all.

He was solely focused on the opponent he would be fighting. I didn’t say a word to him. Everything that needed to be said had already been conveyed through our training. I could only hope that Seo Daeryong had grasped something valuable from it. I believed in his intelligence.

The judge’s voice, amplified with inner power, rang out, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Xiao Tang slowly ascended the martial stage. His expression and steps exuded composure and confidence. It was no exaggeration to say that his goal for this tournament was to win.

“Seo Ryong of the Seodo Sect from Gansu Province!”

Cheers erupted once again, and this time they were even louder for Seo Daeryong than they were for Xiao Tang. Xiao Tang was a well-known young prodigy, but Seo Daeryong was an emerging talent from an unknown sect who had stormed into the finals. The crowd’s support for the strong was matched by their enthusiasm for the unexpected rise of a new master. 2

Hearing the cheers, Seo Daeryong glanced back at me from the stage.

He sent me a message through telepathy.

—I’ll turn last night’s nightmare into a joke and come back down.

What more was there to say in this moment?

Instead of words, I gave him a vigorous nod, meeting his eyes with a look of confidence that conveyed my support.

With the judge’s signal, the match between the two began.

Xiao Tang was a martial artist who had mastered swordsmanship from a very young age.

His attacks were sharp, and his defense was solid. His defense, in particular, was near flawless, like an impregnable fortress that wouldn’t budge against any assault.

I knew very well what kind of frustration Seo Daeryong was feeling. Fortunately for him, it was a frustration he had experienced plenty of times before stepping onto this stage.

‘Don’t get caught up in it!’

Most people, unable to withstand this kind of frustration, would recklessly attack and end up getting countered. Xiao Tang’s swordsmanship was fundamentally based on counterattacks.

If Seo Daeryong could instead make his opponent feel frustrated, he would surely find an opening. However, I didn’t give him this answer. I wanted him to discover it on his own.

Sparks flew between sword and blade.

The spectators held their breaths. The techniques exchanged were of such a high level that they seemed beyond the usual standards for young prodigies.

Seo Daeryong launched his attacks aggressively but never hastily. He was painting his own grand picture. The title of that painting was patience. He had found the answer himself.

After hundreds of moves, he finally managed to make his opponent anxious, completing his masterpiece. If the match were to be decided by the judge’s decision at this point, it seemed likely that the aggressive Seo Daeryong would have the advantage.

The anxiety that he had turned against his opponent revealed a very small opening, and Seo Daeryong did not miss the moment.

Swoosh!

Seo Daeryong’s blade sliced deeply into Xiao Tang’s arm. Blood splattered, and Xiao Tang dropped his sword.

Despite his severe injury, Xiao Tang tried to continue fighting, but the judge intervened and declared Seo Daeryong the winner.

Cheers erupted for both fighters. Regardless of the outcome, it had been a worthy match for the finals.

As Seo Daeryong stepped down from the stage, he could no longer stand properly and sank to the ground.

Many eyes were on him, but he paid no attention. Instead, his dazed state, sitting on the floor, only made him appear more relatable, and passersby showed their respect by bowing with clasped fists, while others applauded from afar. 3

I said nothing. It wasn’t necessarily because of the watching crowd, but rather to let Seo Daeryong fully savor the moment on his own.

Among those congratulating him was the woman who had previously cheered for him.

“Congratulations on your victory!”

Seeing her bright smile, Seo Daeryong sprang up from his seat.

“Thank you.”

The woman smiled and walked away, and Seo Daeryong sat back down next to me.

“You looked like you were dying a moment ago, but now you seem ready to fight another match.”

After confirming that the woman had gone far away, Seo Daeryong shook his head and flopped back down again.

“No, I couldn’t do it even if I were dying. It was really tough. The next opponent will be stronger, won’t they?”

“Probably. Why? Are you thinking of giving up?”

“Yes, please, just let me go home!”

“What are you going to say at the drinking party? That you came back because you were too scared and tired at the last moment? Well, I’m sure Commander Jang and Lee Ahn will be kind enough to comfort you, saying you did well enough. But deep down, they’ll probably think this: ‘If it were me, I would have kept going until the end.’ Every time they see you, they’ll think, ‘If it were me, I would have gone all the way….’”

“Stop it.”

I smiled broadly and extended my hand. Seo Daeryong grabbed it firmly and stood up.

“Thank you. If you hadn’t been my sparring partner, I would never have won.”

“It wasn’t an opponent you could beat just with practice. You did well.”

“This really drives people crazy, doesn’t it? After beating that guy and hearing the cheers from all around, I felt insanely good.”

“If you go truly crazy, you become a madman, but if you go just the right amount of crazy, no one can stand against you. Find just the right amount of crazy.”

As we chatted about this and that on our way back to the inn, we found someone unexpected waiting for us.

Jin Haryeong was sitting in the inn, eating noodles.

Seo Daeryong and I paused at the entrance. Seo Daeryong spoke with concern.

“I hope the only thing she likes is noodles.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“You know what I mean. Are you really going to act like you don’t? Are you saying that a woman of such a noble status came back just for noodles?”

“She must have come today for healing.”

“Healing? What kind of healing?”

“I’ve wounded her pride.”

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

I couldn’t deny that question. At the very least, I was making my best effort to get closer to her.

“It’s all because of the Heavenly Society.”

“The problem is that she doesn’t know that.”

Seo Daeryong headed straight to his room, and I walked over to her.

* * *

Jin Haryeong glanced at Geom Mugeuk’s hand as he approached her. It looked smoother and whiter than the hand that had reached out to her as she clung to a cliff in her dream.

Geom Mugeuk arrived at her table and greeted her.

“The match is in three days, right? The young master’s was today.”

She has to admit, the friendliness of this attendant is remarkable. They’ve only met a couple of times, but he talks to me as comfortably as if we’ve known each other for a long time.

“May I sit for a moment?”

She nodded.

“Today, please make sure to pay for your noodles.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“On the first day we met, and again the second time, you just left without a word, so I ended up paying for the drinks and food.”

For a moment, she was flustered. Come to think of it, that was definitely the case the second time. She had stormed out in anger. But was it the same the first time, too?

In her entire life, when had she ever left someone else to pay for her expenses? It was a clear oversight. Her cheeks flushed slightly. This man had a way of constantly catching her off guard.

Is this why you appeared in my dream? To collect your money?

From the start, she had planned to seize the initiative, but instead, she found herself losing the upper hand again.

“How much is it? I must have forgotten.”

“No, just buy me noodles and drinks twice in the future.”

Is that an excuse to see me again? She suddenly thought that this seemingly innocent man might actually be a flirt.

‘It won’t be easy. You think you’re the first guy like this?’

If she were to line up all the men who wanted to marry her and change their lives, they could probably circle the Martial Alliance’s walls. The process of witnessing and listening to those who desired her background and looks was enough to make her develop a newfound disdain for men.

“Let’s settle it all today. Order whatever dish you’d like instead of noodles.”

“No, I don’t want to today.”

Such a firm refusal from an attendant! She really felt like she had become the servant here as she ordered her drink.

“I need a drink.”

She ordered alcohol and downed two consecutive shots before she finally spoke of that day.

“To be honest, I was angry that day. Just as I was about to introduce you truthfully as my attendant to my friend, you went ahead and called yourself a disciple. It felt like I had deceived my friend, and it made me angry.”

Would saying this change anything?

Knowing full well that it wouldn’t, she still felt compelled to say what was on her mind—a result of her infuriatingly straightforward personality.

She met Geom Mugeuk’s gaze.

His eyes didn’t quite suit that of an attendant. Calm and deep, yet impossible to fully decipher, his eyes reminded her of her late father’s gaze, and also that of her grandfather, the Leader. 5

With those eyes, Geom Mugeuk calmly asked her.

“Why do you keep worrying about that?”

At that moment, she thought to herself, I really hate this part of my personality.

“Because I don’t want to be misunderstood.”

“Are you worried you might look like someone who disregards attendants?”

“Yes. I’m not that kind of person.”

“So what if you get misunderstood a little?”

“I don’t like it.”

“Have you ever considered that trying too hard to avoid misunderstandings might end up being more dismissive of others?”

She flared up instantly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Attendants are people too. They think just like their masters, though they usually hold their tongues. If someone genuinely disrespects attendants from the start, it’s easy for us to just think, ‘Ah, they’re that kind of person,’ and disregard them as well.”

“So you’re saying my consideration is worse than that of those who outright disregard their attendants?”

“That’s not what I mean. But let me ask you one thing. Is your consideration for the attendants, or is it for yourself?”

“!”

Jin Haryeong flinched.

“Oh, it’s perfectly fine if it’s for yourself. Just don’t let it show. Because if it does, then we also have to take it seriously. We end up thinking, ‘Ah, dining with us, having a conversation, is something that requires such careful thought. They have to try this hard to avoid hurting us. They’re this concerned.’ It makes us consider things we really don’t need to, all so that you can feel at ease.”

Jin Haryeong couldn’t say a word. Her face was flushed red. She was at a loss because this was something she had never considered before.

She felt wronged and frustrated. She could already see herself kicking her blanket later at home, regretting, ‘I should have said this back then.’ 5

Is this why you appeared in my dream?

This thought turned into self-reproach.

‘Ah! I really am selfish, aren’t I?’

Even at this moment, all she could think about was herself. She convinced herself that the attendant appeared in her dream to soothe her wounded pride, simply because he was the kind of attendant who said things she never expected.

“You are so arrogant for an attendant. Consider it an honor to dine at the same table as me.”

She said coldly, then added,

“Is that what you mean?”

“Yes, isn’t that wonderful? If I were in your position, I would think the same. Most people eating here would react that way. So you should do the same. Don’t overthink it. Otherwise, you’ll only end up hurting yourself.”

She stared at the man for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

“No way! Who do you think you are to lecture me? You’re just a young, green attendant!”

As if determined to apply what she’d just learned, she spoke her mind without hesitation.

“I accept that. And it suits you well. Take this opportunity to take off your mask and live comfortably.”

“Shut up, you damned attendant!”

She yelled in anger and stormed out of the place.

Soon after, Seo Daeryong eagerly hurried over and sat across from me. It seemed he had been secretly watching from the top of the stairs leading to the second floor.

Sipping the drink she had left behind, Seo Daeryong said,

“Fateful love always ends in tragedy.”

How could Geom Mugeuk not know that Seo Daeryong’s words were out of concern for him? But since the atmosphere wasn’t so serious, Geom Mugeuk teased him lightly.

“Since when has love ever come so easily? Even when you’re in the same organization, it rarely works out, right? If anyone knows that, it’s you.”

Seo Daeryong had once shared a meal with a junior he liked from the Underworld Pavilion, but it never went beyond that. 6

“Must you poke at such a sore spot? I have ladies cheering me on too, you know!”

Seeing Seo Daeryong pout, Geom Mugeuk smiled.

Daeryong, fateful love is something I can’t have even if I want it. The moment I start to love, fate in the form of Hwa Moogi will surely say this: “How dare you play at love when I’m here?” As long as that fate is approaching me, love is nothing but a luxury, just like the tune sung by that drunkard over there. So, right now, I don’t even have time to feel my own heartbeat, let alone my heart itself.

“Investigator Seo, let’s go train in martial arts.”

“Yes! For losers like us, training is the only way to survive!”

“‘Us’? Speak for yourself!”

And then, as they got up, they realized—Jin Haryeong had once again left without paying her bill.

1 : Seo Daeryong is becoming a Pokemon XDXDXD

2 : Everyone always like to support a black horse ^^

3 : That dazed moment after an adrenaline rush is totally relatable. I had it once, I was driving home one night on a road without street lights, and I see cars stopped in the middle of the road. I put the full headlights on to see better… and I see a dog like, 10 meters in front of me. I immediately crushed the brakes, and don’t worry, he was uninjured, but damn, that stress spike in half a second !!! His owner arrived soon after and took him home, I was still trembling XDXDXD

4 : As unfathomable as water that is so clear you can’t see the bottom.

5 : Welcome to the dark history club !!! You want to forget ? Just stay inside for the rest of your life !!!

6 : Ah, I see. No wonder he didn’t talk about her recently. Oh well, I hope he find someone.

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