The Regressor Can Make Them All
Chapter 357

Chapter 357

Arriving at the UD Group’s necromancy research facility, which was on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Se-Hoon subtly glanced around at the bustling scene. Apart from ordinary employees, undead beings were also busily moving about, sparking a certain thought.

Did they base Gehenna on this place?

Like Gehenna, the research facility was a space where humans and undead coexisted naturally. He had seen it a few times now, having occasionally visited Gehenna, but the atmosphere still gave off an otherworldly feeling each time he saw it anew.

It always feels like I’m standing on the boundary between the living and the dead.

If he were to exaggerate, it was almost as if he were on the brink of death. Because of that, it was no wonder some people found such an environment unsettling, but all Se-Hoon felt was intrigue. Perhaps it was because he was used to Wurgen, and the environment was just one of the many manifestations of Wurgen’s synesthetic mindscape.

Turning deceased employees into undead and continuing to employ them... are both things Wurgen decided on himself.

If Wurgen were to exploit undead employees by forcing them to work away from eyes in the basement without pay, no one except the other Perfect Ones would be empowered to criticize or stop him. And the undead themselves couldn’t defy Wurgen’s commands once they stepped foot in the Netherworld.

Wurgen was poised to take advantage of the undead extremely easily if he wanted to. Yet... he never did.

People think he’s just being cautious because of the other Perfect Ones... but I know that’s not the case.

Wurgen had no reason to concern himself with others, and in the first place, the other Perfect Ones didn’t care about undead beings enough to intervene.

That meant Wurgen’s attitude of treating undead as individuals was entirely a product of his values—which Se-Hoon knew better than anyone else.

It was also why he just couldn’t help but wonder about Wurgen’s motives.

What’s going on in that man’s head?

Did Wurgen not discriminate between humans and undead because he was planning to turn everyone in the world into skeletons like himself? Such an idea simply sounded like the plot of a horrific doomsday tale to most, but coming from someone like Wurgen, it was actually plausible.

Mulling over it, Se-Hoon walked deeper into the research facility, lost in his thoughts, until he encountered Richard near the elevator lobby.

“Oh, here you are.”

“Sorry I’m late. I was caught up in some last-minute preparations.”

“It’s fine, as long as we make it on time. Let’s head down.”

Boarding the executive elevator, Richard tapped his card, starting their descent.

Hmm. There seems to be nonstop commotions coming from both above and below.

Waiting to arrive, Se-Hoon was idly deciphering the elevator’s movement through its faint vibrations, sketching a map of the facility for fun, when Richard calmly spoke up from in front of him. “How do you feel?”

Se-Hoon looked at Richard’s back.

“Do you think you can win today?”

“...To be frank, it’s fifty-fifty,” Se-Hoon replied honestly after a moment of contemplation.

While he was confident his creation was superior to the equipment prepared by the traditionalists and reformists, there was no guarantee it could counter Wurgen’s moves.

Truthfully, such an uncertain outcome frustrated Se-Hoon to no end, being someone who believed he had to win, no matter what. To Richard, however, it was already impressive.

To think that he is saying he has a fifty-fifty chance against the President.... That’s remarkable.

How many people could even make such a claim when going up against a Perfect One? Once again, Richard was struck in awe by Se-Hoon’s extraordinary abilities.

Yet it also made him bitter. “If only I had that kind of talent...”

“...”

Hearing Richard’s self-directed remark, Se-Hoon studied his figure from behind.

Richard was a man born from a fusion of souls, a man determined to bring down the very father who created him. Se-Hoon didn’t know the full extent of his past, but one thing was clear: Richard’s resentment ran deep.

Maybe he conspired in Wurgen’s death back then...

Hatred, when allowed to fester, turned into murderous intent. And without fail, such murderous intent took root in one’s synesthetic mindscape, slowly corrupting them until they succumbed.

In Se-Hoon’s eyes, Richard was still stable for now, but he could sense the beginnings of that transformation.

So, after a moment of thought, he thought it was best to say something.

“That wouldn’t be necessary.”

“Hmm?”

“Just make sure to pay me right. I’ll make sure the President ends up as a powerless old man for you.”

Richard turned around, surprised by Se-Hoon’s confident words, and broke into a small laugh.

“Pfft... That’s reassuring.”

“Well, who knows how it’ll actually turn out? Let’s see what happens today first and then decide.”

“Alright. Fair enough.”

Ding!

Stepping out of the elevator that had arrived while they had been talking, the two walked down a corridor and in front of a room marked “Special Laboratory.”

The automatic doors then slid open, revealing the pristine interior. Inside, at the center of the room, was a circular stage meant for experiments. Several people in small groups surrounded it in wait, having arrived earlier.

Wurgen isn’t here yet.

Confirming Wurgen’s absence, Se-Hoon turned his gaze to the UD Group officials, who were all quietly observing him: two elderly figures with similar airs and a cold-looking woman.

It was his first time meeting them in person, but he identified them immediately, recognizing them from photos.

The older pair must be Laura and Daniel of the traditionalists. And she should be Julia of the reformists.

One group had been born during Wurgen’s human years, while the other was from his time as a necromancer. Yet, their appearances and demeanor were still strikingly similar.

They’d probably hate hearing that, though.

Despite being family, the two groups stood far apart, separated by the stage that clearly showed the depth of the divide between them. Intrigued by their dynamic, Se-Hoon was observing the situation with interest when the cold-looking woman, Julia Kruger, approached him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Extending her hand with a smile, Julia introduced herself. “I’m Julia Kruger, Director of Sales at UD Capital.”

Despite her composed tone, the atmosphere she exuded felt oppressive, as if she were speaking as an authority.

It made Se-Hoon feel slightly awkward momentarily before he recovered, grasping her hand and introducing himself in return.

“Lee Se-Hoon, first-year student in Babel’s Department of Blacksmithing. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“A first-year student.... That’s quite a modest introduction from someone like you.”

Repeating his words, Julia let out a small chuckle.

A man who wielded the powers of Perfect Ones and contributed to the elimination of the Ten Evils introduced himself as a mere first-year student—it sounded like a joke to her.

In truth, though, Se-Hoon wasn’t trying to be funny.

How else would I introduce myself that doesn’t sound ridiculous?

Before regressing, he had been given all kinds of fancy titles by the Human Alliance, which he had used as he pleased. But now, he hadn’t even passed the A-rank assessment, let alone become an S-rank. Also, having never been someone’s apprentice, he was left with the only title of a student that he could use.

Well, I guess I would certainly leave an impression if I introduced myself as a regressor.

Smirking at the idle thought, Se-Hoon was shaking hands with Julia when a sharp voice called out from behind her.

“So, you’re Lee Se-Hoon?”

Following the voice, Se-Hoon turned his gaze and found a middle-aged man with a rigid posture standing beside Julia. Confidence radiated from him, though his eyes betrayed wariness, as if he were sizing Se-Hoon up.

And that was all Se-Hoon needed to deduce the man’s character immediately.

Ah, one of those fools who overestimates themselves and gets taken out first.

The man was clearly the type of person who was so consumed by pride in their own skills that they failed to assess their abilities objectively. Se-Hoon was someone who had encountered countless individuals like him, both before and after regressing, making him regard the man with only mild disinterest—which only deepened the man’s scowl.

This insolent brat...

Not only was Se-Hoon’s look impudent, but he didn’t even bother to reply. Just as the man’s irritation began boiling over, though, Julia intervened.

“Werner.”

Julia’s voice was icy.

“I’d appreciate it if you refrained from acting so rudely toward our group’s invited guest.”

“But he’s the one who—”

Werner wanted to retort, but under Julia’s sharp gaze, he immediately clamped his mouth shut. Although his company, X Industries, had a cooperative relationship with the UD Group on paper, in reality, it was more akin to a subcontractor.

Weren’t they supposed to have had a fallout with him? Damn it...

Werner grumbled internally, realizing that his misstep had only earned him negative points.

Frowning slightly at Werner, Julia turned to Se-Hoon and modestly bowed her head.

“My apologies. Werner has been quite on edge with the evaluation today; he overreacted much there.”

“It’s fine. I know it’s a common reaction when someone lacks confidence in their skills. I’ve seen plenty of cases like his, so I’m used to it.”

Dead silence filled the room, only to be broken by a sudden burst of laughter from a short distance away.

“Pfft... Hbph! Cough!”

Meirin, smoking a cigarette a little way aways from Laura and Daniel, coughed as she struggled to suppress her laughter.

Unfortunately, Werner had heard her, twisting his face in humiliation.

“You... you brat...”

Infuriated by the fact that he’d been insulted by someone young enough to be his child, Werner stepped forward angrily, only to freeze mid-motion.

What the...?

Confused by why he suddenly couldn’t move, he forcibly turned his head halfway to see Julia’s face. Her cold, razor-sharp gaze was piercing him—making it clear it was her final warning.

Werner flinched, realizing she would not hesitate to deal with him, then bit his lip and turned away, walking off with hurried steps.

“Phew... I’m truly sorry.”

Seeing that he had left, Julia sighed wearily and bowed again in apology.

“It’s really fine. Self-proclaimed experts in their field are always like that,” Se-Hoon remarked, waving it off.

“Self-proclaimed experts... that’s quite accurate. True experts do tend to have a completely different air about them.”

Casting a glance at Meirin, standing with the traditionalists, and then at Se-Hoon, Julia murmured in a tone of regret, “If it had been me... or one of my siblings in charge of Gehenna, I think our relationship could have been more positive. It’s truly unfortunate.”

“Well, what’s done is done. I see no point in dwelling on missed opportunities.”

Even if someone from the reformists had been assigned to Gehenna, there was no guarantee Se-Hoon would have allied with them—reading that from between the lines of his comment, Julia smiled faintly.

“Then I’ll just have to make sure to come with a better opportunity next time. Until then.”

With a polite farewell, Julia returned to her original position, prompting Se-Hoon to glance at Richard.

“You’re pretty unpopular, aren’t you?”

“...Yeah, tell me about it.”

Richard, once regarded as a reformist, had been on friendly terms with Julia. Yet, now she had treated him as though he weren’t even here, not even sparing him a greeting.

With proof of his diminished status within the faction, Richard let out a bitter smile.

“Well, I expected as much. To be honest, I didn’t like them either.”

“Do people in your family ever get along?”

“Hmm... Probably not. After all, we’re all children of Wurgen.”

“...”

Se-Hoon’s expression turned peculiar at Richard’s remark.

No matter who wins, they’ll tear apart their family one day.

From Se-Hoon’s view, it wouldn’t be surprising if the infighting continued until only one person was left standing, leading to the ultimate dissolution of the family.

Mulling over the thought, Se-Hoon soon heard an unfamiliar voice from behind him.

“Blaming your parents for just your shortcomings, how pathetic.”

Immediately, everyone—including Se-Hoon and Richard—turned toward the voice.

Benjamin and Gregory had entered the room, carrying a cushion on which Wurgen’s skull rested.

“Ah... Haha. You’re here, Mr. President.”

Richard laughed awkwardly, a bead of cold sweat forming on his temple. With a flicker, Wurgen’s dark blue eye sockets glanced at Richard.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten whose power you’ve been using all this time.”

“O-of course not. That was just a little joke—”

“Enough. I don’t want to hear one more from a fool like you,” Wurgen snapped, cutting Richard off mid-sentence. He then turned his gaze to Se-Hoon. “Is everything ready?”

“As much as it needs to be.”

At the confident response, Wurgen studied Se-Hoon intently for a moment before shifting his focus elsewhere.

“Good. I look forward to seeing what that amounts to.”

With that, Benjamin carried Wurgen’s skull further into the room, followed closely by Gregory. Benjamin then positioned Wurgen at the head of the gathering, facing Se-Hoon and Richard.

“If this were a formal event, we’d waste time with introductions and pleasantries. Fortunately, there’s no need for that here.”

No one raised an objection—Wurgen’s words carried the weight of the law here.

“We will now proceed with the evaluation of the special equipment. Julia, you may begin.”

“Yes, Father.”

Bowing respectfully, Julia directed a glance at Werner. Prompted, he stepped onto the stage, sparing a quick glare at Se-Hoon.

Watch closely.

Werner retrieved a piece of equipment from his void pocket—a sleek exoskeleton modeled after a spinal column—and confidently began explaining.

“This undead evolution device, UED, was developed using X Industries’ finest technologies. It connects directly to an undead’s mana circuits, amplifying their output and harnessing the Netherworld’s mana...”

Werner enthusiastically gave a demonstration, channeling mana and performing simple recreations of its functions. Backed by Julia’s support and decades of accumulated expertise, it was his magnum opus.

“Now, I’ll do a demonstration with an actual undead.”

A C-rank zombie was summoned to the stage. Walking behind it, Werner attached the UED to its spine.

Click!

The device integrated seamlessly, rooting itself into the zombie’s mana circuits.

And upon seeing that the zombie’s power surged from C-rank to B-rank nearly instantaneously, Werner suppressed a grin, feeling triumphant.

This is perfect...!

Despite his lingering concerns over the equipment’s optimization, it worked flawlessly, silencing his doubts.

Certain of his victory, Werner turned to the judges with confidence.

“Tsk...”

But Wurgen just clicked his tongue and shifted his gaze to Julia.

“Hiring someone like him... what a waste of money.”

“...My apologies, Father.”

Julia bowed her head, not even attempting to defend Werner, leaving Werner flabbergasted.

“W—Wait... what do you mean by that...?”

“Enough. There’s no point in watching this any further.”

Ignoring Werner’s protest, Wurgen addressed Se-Hoon.

“Neutralize it.”

“Understood.”

Seeing Se-Hoon step onto the stage, Werner clenched his fists, breaking into a cold sweat.

I still have a chance if he can’t neutralize it...!

The UED’s greatest strength lay in its ability to prevent external interference. Convinced that any mana trying to penetrate the undead’s mana circuits would be neutralized by the device, Werner watched Se-Hoon closely.

Spirit Weaver

Translucent thin threads extended from Se-Hoon’s fingertips, so faint they seemed ordinary, and flew toward the zombie. And when they touched, they effortlessly sunk into its body.

Woong-

The barrier threads were slowly interwoven within the zombie’s mana circuits, manipulated with precision by Se-Hoon.

Then, after a moment, Se-Hoon pulled all the threads taut with a decisive motion.

Snap!

Breaking off, the threads disappeared into the zombie’s body, forming a knot within. Right away, the zombie’s eyes regained clarity, having broken free of the UED’s control.

“Rip it off.”

Commanded by Se-Hoon, the zombie reached back with both hands and grasped the UED latched to its spine.

Rip!

And with a loud snap, the device was torn off and tossed to the ground, landing in front of the stunned Werner like discarded trash.

“...W—What?”