The Regressor Can Make Them All
Chapter 355

Chapter 355

Stepping into the laboratory with half-open boxes stacked high like a mountain, Se-Hoon squinted his eyes.

Still living as messy as ever, huh?

Recalling how littered Meirin’s place used to be, Se-Hoon sighed inwardly, hoping that at least her living quarters would be tidy.

“Hm? Is there something wrong?” Meirin asked, sitting down on the visitor sofa after casually tossing some teaching materials onto her desk.

“No, it’s just... it looks like you’ve been really busy.”

Tilting her head in puzzlement, Meirin glanced around her own lab and soon realized what he meant.

“Busy? Yeah, I guess you could say that. But don’t worry; everything’s exactly where it should be,” she replied with a light chuckle.

“...I see.”

Her words sounded like an excuse from someone blatantly lazy, but Se-Hoon, who had lived with Meirin before, knew it wasn’t. The items she needed immediately were all organized neatly, and the things she occasionally used were in the half-opened boxes. The rest—a mix of important and unimportant items—was deliberately left in a chaotic state.

That was just Meirin’s peculiar method of disguising and securing her belongings.

It’s practically a death trap to everyone else.

Remembering how he nearly died once while cleaning her office by accidentally touching cursed equipment, Se-Hoon’s expression turned sour, prompting Meirin to shrug her shoulders.

“If it bothers you that much, why don’t you clean it up yourself?”

“Then I’ll do just that.”

“...What?”

Taken aback by the completely unexpected answer, Meirin just watched in surprise as Se-Hoon rolled up his sleeves and approached the mountain of cluttered boxes.

But upon seeing that he wasn’t stopping, Meirin realized he just might actually reorganize the lab and hurriedly called out, “W—Wait! Stop!”

At her call, Se-Hoon froze in place just as he was about to open a box.

What the hell is with this guy... Meirin thought, looking at Se-Hoon with a flustered expression.

Normally, someone would realize they were overstepping and back off after being told that they should organize it themselves then. Se-Hoon should have been the same, yet he had such an enthusiastic attitude. It left her at a loss.

That is, until she figured out the reason.

Ah, youth...

Seeing Se-Hoon’s overflowing goodwill, Meirin let out a wry smile and waved her hand dismissively.

“This isn’t what I called you here for today. I’ll have you clean next time.”

“Hmm... Alright.”

Although Se-Hoon seemed disappointed, he quietly sat down across from her, allowing Meirin to let out a sigh of relief inwardly before shifting the conversation.

“Anyway... You’ve certainly made quite the scene.”

The emergency announcement from the Heroes Association and Wurgen’s subsequent “visit” of New York hadn’t escalated into a full-blown battle, but people still viewed it as an invasion due to how menacing it had appeared.

After all, it wasn’t just anyone but a Perfect One who had appeared and displayed their power personally; it was no wonder it was overwhelmingly terrifying.

“There’s even a rumor going around that you were about to be killed, but the Emperor of Ascension and Pilgrim intervened to stop it. So... which version of the story is the truth?”

“About to be killed? That’s nonsense.”

“...Really? But I’m pretty sure the Eternal Nocturne isn’t exactly known for being merciful...”

Seeing how skeptical Meirin was, Se-Hoon let out a bitter smile.

Unlike most people, he knew Wurgen wasn’t the kind to kill an important figure like him on impulse, no matter how unpleasant the situation was.

At worst, he’d drag me to the Netherworld and torture me there.

But by managing to resist the method Wurgen chose instead, Se-Hoon had successfully earned his acknowledgement, steering the situation toward a more moderate contest using the special equipment—exactly as he’d expected.

“Well, leaving that aside, have you received the conditions?” asked Meirin.

“Yes. It’s quite an interesting device, I must say.”

Just as Wurgen had said, Se-Hoon had received the two key conditions regarding the special equipment from Richard: strengthening the connection between the undead and the Netherworld and controlling the resulting loss of control during that process.

“It sounds basic on paper, but it’s actually pretty tough to pull off.”

To achieve both conditions, he would have to run a portion of the darkness mana through the equipment. Only then could he enhance the connection while simultaneously suppressing the accompanying rampage. If it were ordinary mana, that problem could simply be solved by reducing the strain caused by the equipment on the undead. But the mana of the Netherworld was a different story—it carried with it an inherent malice known as resentment.

“You’ve already tested it, haven’t you?”

“I had something similar lying around, so I did a quick experiment. It didn’t even last a day—it went out of control within hours.”

The initial attempt to use mana to strengthen the connection to the undead while retaining control had worked as intended. However, the equipment quickly succumbed to the corrosive influence of the mana, causing the undead connected to it to lose control and run amok.

But while Meirin had failed, she wasn’t overly surprised, given that it was a first attempt. What had surprised her, however, was the cause of the runaway effects.

“To think such ominous energy was imbued in the mana of the Netherworld... I can’t believe you and the Eternal Nocturne actually wield that stuff.”

“It is... pretty unsettling.”

The resentment imbued in the mana of the Netherworld was from remnants of the dead—raw and primal desires for life and flesh, which drove the creation of undead in the first place. Yet that very malevolent energy was also what posed the greatest challenge in crafting the special equipment Wurgen asked for.

“Anyway, the outcome will depend on how you handle the resentment. If you fall short, your opponent will easily exploit that weakness and wrest control of the undead,” Meirin laid out, explaining what she had learned from her experiments.

She was being quite candid, which could seem reckless considering they were technically rivals, but Meirin didn’t particularly mind.

I’m sure someone who understands the power of Boundaries wouldn’t be ignorant of such basic principles.

To others, it would have been surprising information, but to Se-Hoon, it should have been foundational knowledge he was well-aware of.

Besides, Meirin had talked about it because of what she truly wanted to ask: “Do you think you can pull it off?”

Although Wurgen was solely aiming to crush Se-Hoon’s equipment, Se-Hoon wanted to replace the equipment crafted by both the traditionalists and reformists with his own. In short, Se-Hoon’s challenge wasn’t only directed at Wurgen—it also extended to Meirin herself.

Hm, I guess she took it personally after all.

In hindsight, his bold challenge had essentially declared her equipment flawed. Thinking like that, it wasn’t surprising that she was slightly irritated.

So, under Meirin’s piercing gaze, Se-Hoon pondered for a moment and came to the conclusion that he should just be honest.

“I think you’ll need to put in more effort.”

He truly felt sorry for Meirin, but he already had a deep understanding of how she’d approach her design. After all, he’d worked as her disciple and assistant for a long time.

Well, unless she’s perfected Soul Honing, which shouldn’t be the case yet.

While her skills were formidable even now, compared to her future self, she had room to grow.

“...”

Speechless, Meirin stared blankly at Se-Hoon for a long pause before bursting into laughter.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You got me good.”

She had been planning on cautioning him not to underestimate her, yet here she was, being warned instead. Such arrogance from someone younger should have come off as insolent, but Se-Hoon had a track record that made it difficult to dismiss him.

The more I learn about him, the more curious I become.

Where had someone like him suddenly appeared from? Lost in thought, Meirin absentmindedly pulled out a silver cigarette case from her inner pocket and took out a cigarette.

She was then about to light it, only to pause mid-action upon meeting Se-Hoon’s eyes.

“...Ah.”

While operating under her cover identity in Babel, one of the cardinal rules was to avoid taking out a cigarette. Yet.... Had she let her guard down too much? Caught in indecision over whether to continue and light it boldly or put it back, she hesitated.

Before she could choose, though, Se-Hoon had leaned forward and conjured a flame at the tip of his finger.

“...What are you doing?”

“Oh... was this not what you wanted? You kept looking at the cigarette, so I thought you needed a light.”

In truth, it was just as much a habit for Se-Hoon to light the flame as it was for Meirin to take out the cigarette. But it was too late now, so Se-Hoon redirected the flow of the situation to prevent it from reminding her of their meeting at the conference.

“Hmm... well, since you’ve gone through the trouble.”

Leaning forward, Meirin placed the cigarette tip against the flame on Se-Hoon’s finger, taking a gentle inhale to light it.

Fwoosh-

Smoke swirled into the air, accompanied by a delicate scent. For a moment, Meirin just savored the sensation.

Then, smiling faintly, she said, “You’ve definitely got no talent for this.”

She’d been half-expected him to produce some extraordinary flame like the kind wielded by Dawn’s representative she had once met. Unfortunately, it appeared her expectations had been too high.

“...I’ll make sure to practice.”

Though the situation had unfolded exactly as he intended, he was a little stung by her casual remark.

In contrast, Meirin chuckled softly.

With that exchange, the usual tension between the two easing for the first time, and the atmosphere turned unexpectedly warm.

It began settling—

Knock, knock-

A dry knock shattered it.

“Professor Meilin, I’m coming in.”

Without waiting for a response, the door swung open, and Eun-Ha stepped in. In an instant, her frosty expression froze the room’s softened mood. Yet, despite her frigid demeanor, her blazing eyes were radiating fiery emotions, immature yet overpowering.

She was giving off such overwhelmingly intense emotion that Se-Hoon was caught off guard, making him frown slightly.

Oblivious to it, Eun-Ha’s gaze shifted between Meirin and Se-Hoon.

“I believe I asked you to refrain from any behavior that could cause misunderstandings, given the rumors spreading around campus nowadays,” she said, her tone sharper than before.

“And that’s why we’re speaking privately, out of sight. Are you saying even this counts as ‘misleading’ behavior?”

“It most certainly does.”

“Then I’d say the problem lies with whoever’s making such assumptions.”

Meirin’s lips curled into a smirk, dripping with mockery.

Provoked, Eun-Ha’s face grew colder, her expression tightening further. In a whirl, the soft atmosphere of the lab had transformed into a powder keg.

Sensing that it was about to blow, Se-Hoon quickly intervened.

“Uh, Dean...”

“Speak,” Eun-Ha replied curtly, not even glancing his way. She was being so cold that Se-Hoon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I was just about to head out to work on some new equipment. Could I borrow your help for a moment?”

“...” Eun-Ha paused, then answered in an even tone, “If we’re going to leave immediately, I’ll assist you.”

Her eagerness to leave the room was transparent.

Suppressing a wry smile, Se-Hoon nodded. “Then let’s go. I’ll excuse myself for today.”

Standing, Se-Hoon bowed slightly to Meirin, who nodded back casually.

“Don’t come back until this is over. We are rivals, after all.”

“Understood. Then, see you later.”

With one more polite bow, Se-Hoon exited the lab. Following him out, Eun-Ha shot Meirin one last glare just before shutting the door.

Now alone, Meirin took another drag from the cigarette Se-Hoon had lit, grimacing at its bland taste as she sank into thought.

“...He’ll definitely be stabbed in the back one day,” she muttered with a bitter smile, shaking her head.

***

Unlike Meirin’s cluttered lab, Se-Hoon’s workshop was newly repaired and immaculately organized. Teleporting first, Se-Hoon then brought over Eun-Ha, who appeared in visibly better spirits.

“Dean, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“Go ahead,” Eun-Ha said with a formal nod.

“Please don’t act like that again in the future.”

“Like what, exactly...?”

Her expression faltered, betraying her surprise.

“Like just now, when you openly showed hostility toward Professor Meilin earlier. Please refrain from doing that in the future.”

Though Eun-Ha’s intentions were likely well-meaning—an attempt to protect him from suspicion—she was too blatant. Her behavior risked disrupting the balance and making it harder for him to read others’ emotions.

Not that it didn’t help in deflecting suspicion from me... but that kind of overt hostility isn’t always helpful.

If it continued, Meirin’s prideful nature might lead her to scale back her activity or even withdraw completely from Babel. Wanting to avoid such an outcome at all costs, Se-Hoon needed to make sure that Eun-Ha exhibited restraint.

“...”

Eun-Ha stared blankly at him, perhaps because she felt scolded after trying to look out for him. And when she finally spoke, her voice was slightly trembling. “You mean... you’re actually...?”

“I’d like to keep observing the overall situation for now. So please try to control your emotions.”

Eun-Ha’s eyes quivered, making her look visibly shaken.

“Understood... I’ll keep that... in mind...”

Was it her first time being reprimanded in such a way? Her subdued response and downcast figure made Se-Hoon feel guilty.

So, hoping to soften the blow, he added, “But thank you for being concerned about me.”

“...”

“Still, that doesn’t mean you could blatantly suspect her. Subtlety is key to gathering information.”

“...?”

“I know it’s hard to control your emotions at the moment, but...”

Se-Hoon gently explained the reasoning for his actions, offering her some encouragement along the way. As Eun-Ha listened, her face gradually turned crimson, as though embarrassed by how basic her mistake had been.

It was a sight that made Se-Hoon feel like he had to give her a reassuring smile.

“I understand that this is all unfamiliar to you. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it soon enough if you keep at it.”

“...Okay.”

Chuckling at how Eun-Ha’s meek voice barely escaped her lips as she bowed her head, Se-Hoon shifted the topic. “Take a seat and wait here. I’ll get everything ready.”

Leading Eun-Ha over and seating her by the workstation, Se-Hoon began pulling out items from his void pocket, arranging them neatly before her.

“This is...”

“Winterglass. It’s been slightly processed, but it still retains its core properties.”

Knowing that the key to the competition lay in handling the resentment in the mana of the Netherworld, Se-Hoon had enlisted help to prepare Winterglass with various features. That was why each crystal before her varied in color and shape.

“Now, I’ll infuse them with mana...”

Swoosh-

Activating the power of Boundaries, Se-Hoon drew fine lines across each crystal, sending a dark energy surging through the gaps and enveloping the crystals in a shadowy glow. Then, the moment every crystal turned pitch black, Se-Hoon swiftly severed the connection to the Netherworld.

Woong-

Each crystal reacted differently, their unique traits on full display. Satisfied, Se-Hoon nodded and turned to Eun-Ha.

“All you have to do is eat these and tell me how they taste.”

If any crystal failed to contain the resentment properly or showed signs of corruption, it was unsuitable. Given Eun-Ha’s sharp senses, she’d be able to detect even the subtlest flaws, making her ideal for this task.

It’s a good way to cheer her up while I’m at it.

Se-Hoon smiled, waiting for her to start.

Meanwhile, Eun-Ha was studying the crystals with a conflicted expression. They all looked oddly appetizing, and she was hesitant over which to taste first. Feeling her emotions swelling alongside her growing appetite, Eun-Ha’s eyes sparkled and reached out to one of them.

Pop!

“...Huh?”

“...What?”

Out of the blue, the Winterglass crystal she chose sprouted crow-like wings and legs, standing up with a jerky motion.

“W—Wait! Please don’t eat me!!!”

One of the crystals—processed by Erika—had developed self-awareness.