The Regressor Can Make Them All

Chapter 253

Discharge—thanks to Karl’s Divine Magic, all of the hospital’s patients were granted it. However, that didn’t mean the medical staff would get the special leave they hoped for.

“It’s the Pilgrim who treated them! Get working on all the discharge procedures quickly, and admit the new patients who need surgery first!”

“You’re talking about the detailed report to submit to the insurance company, right? I’ll handle it right away...”

With no respite, the rooms vacated by thousands of discharged patients flooding out of the hospital all at once were filled in the blink of an eye by those waiting for a room due to overcrowding.

And the medical staff, who had to deal with the sudden overwhelming tidal wave of work, had become so busy that they looked a bit pitiful.

It’s still better than having thousands of emergency patients... I guess.

Sitting on a bench outside, Se-Hoon watched the bustling hospital with a wry smile until someone offered him an energy drink.

“Here, have this.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Handing the can to Se-Hoon, Karl sat beside him, sipping the energy drink in his other hand. It was an odd sight, probably due to the old-fashioned priest’s robes.

And perhaps Karl knew too, as he smiled gently at Se-Hoon's curious gaze.

“I’m not fond of bitter things, so I drink this often.”

“Does this even work on you, though?”

Would an energy drink that barely affected high-ranking heroes work on a Perfect One?

Karl shook his head.

“It doesn’t do much. I just drink it out of habit,” he said, looking down at the can in his hand and tracing its cold surface with his thumb. “It’s an old story from when I was inexperienced.... Back then, I didn’t like sleeping. Whenever I rose from my sleep, I had to hear about those who died while I was asleep.”

If only he hadn’t slept, if he had energy left to heal, then maybe... he could have saved more. Burdened by the guilt and responsibility, Karl minimized his sleep, trying to increase his healing efficiency.

Thinking about the energy drinks he once drank like water, Karl reminisced, “Looking back, it was probably a bit foolish... but once it became a habit, I couldn’t stop.”

Se-Hoon quietly watched Karl, with a bitter smile on his face, sip the energy drink. It was a touching story, but Se-Hoon couldn’t help but think it was odd when comparing the vastly different Karl of today to Karl’s past self.

A man who used to cut sleep to save lives now moves only according to the will of God?

What had Karl gone through when he conquered a Tower of Heroes to change him so much? Curious, Se-Hoon fell into thought.

“Lee Se-Hoon, I would like to ask you something.”

“Ah, yes. Please go ahead.”

“Do you believe in God?”

It felt like a question meant to proselytize, but Se-Hoon answered without thinking much about it, “I do.”

“...That’s a bit unexpected. I thought you didn’t believe in God because of how negatively you speak about Him.”

Se-Hoon glanced at Karl’s slightly surprised face.

“While I do think He’s a bastard, that doesn’t mean I believe He doesn’t exist. I just don’t like Him.”

“That’s quite a bold statement.”

“I still don’t really get the whole omnipotence aspect, but divine mana undeniably exists. That’s solid evidence I can’t deny.”

Karl remained silent, thoughtfully pondering Se-Hoon’s words, until he finally nodded in satisfaction.

“That’s a relief. I was worried you might be a heretic.”

Tensing at the words contrasting Karl’s gentle tone, Se-Hoon hesitated before asking, “...What would you have done if I were a heretic?”

“Well, I’d try to help you repent, but if that failed, I’d have no choice but to follow God’s will.”

Se-Hoon flinched. He abruptly recalled all of the documents he read before that stated the Church would execute all heretics beyond repentance.

Though they rarely go that far... it’s not something I can completely dismiss.

Knowing his own stubbornness, even if forced to believe something he didn’t, he’d likely still end up just getting executed.

Karl gave him a troubled look.

“We don’t always resort to extreme measures. In your case, given your unique talent in divine mana, we might have just put a ban on its use.” It seemed he had sensed Se-Hoon’s train of thought.

“Ah... I see.”

Unlike others, Se-Hoon possessed an external rechargeable form of divine mana, which could act as a safeguard if things went awry.

“However, if you were to supply other heretics with Divine Mana Conversion Devices, we will likely have to execute you immediately.”

“...”

“Actually, just forget what I said. I only mentioned it because you seemed curious. I didn’t mean it as some sort of threat.”

Though Karl hurriedly explained his words were said without malice, Se-Hoon found him all the more dangerous for it.

He talks so casually about such ruthless things if he deems someone a heretic.

All the documents that Se-Hoon had read in the past had made him suspicious that the Pilgrim wasn’t entirely good, and it seemed he was correct.

Karl sighed deeply, noticing the now present hint of wariness in Se-Hoon.

“If there was anything that I said that made you worry, I apologize. I spoke too freely, thinking you might take over my position someday...”

“No, there’s no need to apologize... wait. Take over what?”

Startled by Karl's unexpected words, Se-Hoon turned to him in surprise.

Casually sipping his drink, Karl pointed at himself.

“My position as Pope. I suppose you’d be next after Archbishop Jane.”

“What? Wait, what do you mean...?”

As he tried to process the unexpected news, Se-Hoon suddenly sensed someone watching from the hospital. Turning around, he saw Jin-Hyun, freshly discharged, gathering his belongings with the help of the worried Sung-Ha.

He looks much healthier now.

Despite just recently getting out of bed, Jin-Hyun was surprisingly energetic. He was still gaunt, but his posture was strong, exuding a sense of vitality perhaps from the lingering effects of the Divine Magic. Regardless, it meant his body had recovered enough to hold such energy.

Meeting Se-Hoon’s gaze, Jin-Hyun bowed, and after a moment of hesitation, Sung-Ha followed suit before they left together.

Tuning around, Se-Hoon, fiddling with his drink can, asked, “Did you deliberately disable his mana circuits?”

Though Jin-Hyun regained his health thanks to Karl’s Divine Magic, it seemed to have come at the cost of his ability to use mana. While his mana circuit was still intact, it was completely nonfunctional, leaving him unable to perform even basic mana circulation.

“Richness Grail is a form of Divine Magic that purifies anything harmful to the subject. In Yeom Jin-Hyun’s case, the mana inside his body was harmful to him.”

With his frail body and mana circuit that had reached its limit, returning him to his original state was impossible. As such, Karl removed the issue entirely.

But that raised some questions.

How can he play out the Succession card with a body that can’t use mana?

Originally, Se-Hoon had thought Jin-Hyun would follow the last card from the prophecy magic by aiding Sung-Ha’s growth with the power he regained. Without mana, however, it now seemed utterly impossible.

Of course, just being alive might be helpful to Sung-Ha, but still...

What kind of basis did God have for making such predictions?

“You must be very confused about the Succession card and everything concerning God,” Karl suddenly said, sensing Se-Hoon’s confusion.

“...”

“I wish I could explain it all, but it is not something that can be understood with words alone, and time is short.”

Sipping his energy drink, Karl gazed up at the sky.

“Though I have received divine blessings, I am barely managing to hold back the Abyss of Demons. And if things escalate like recent events, I will fail to handle it all. I believe there’s a limit to what we can protect if things continue like this.”

Attacked by Apostate and Demon’s Edge, Karl had found himself unable to prevent the advance of the Black Sea—one of the Six Great Demon Realms—north beyond the Pilgrim’s Path.

Although anyone would have been powerless in that situation, Karl, who regarded the maintenance of the Pilgrim’s Path as his mission, could not easily accept it.

“That’s why I have a favor, albeit a shameless one, to ask of you, Lee Se-Hoon.”

Sounding serious, Karl turned to Se-Hoon, causing him to flinch unconsciously.

Is he actually... going to ask me to help manage the Pilgrim’s Path?

Repeating such a foolish task endlessly was unthinkable to Se-Hoon, so he quickly began thinking about how he should politely refuse.

“Could you come up with a solution to maintain the Pilgrim’s Path even when I’m not there?”

“...A solution?”

Surprised by the unexpected request, Se-Hoon repeated Karl’s words, and Karl nodded in confirmation.

“For example, what if we could apply the time-reversal effect that manifested in your Divine Magic across the entire Pilgrim’s Path?”

“...It would certainly allow for near-permanent recovery, making it much easier to hold back the Abyss of Demons.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be as simple as it sounded, but they already had the necessary materials, so they just needed to find the appropriate method.

“You could use the Divine Mana Conversion Device or any other method—it doesn’t matter. The important thing is restructuring the Pilgrim’s Path so that it’s not solely dependent on me.”

“Restructuring the Pilgrim’s Path...”

Various ideas flashed through Se-Hoon’s mind. Rather than simply blocking the Abyss of Demons, they could structure it so that it advanced toward the South Pole, reclaiming tainted lands and gradually pushing back the Demon Force. Of course, it would be far from easy, but the Path itself would become a powerful offensive strategy.

And if Karl could move more freely than he does now...

They would regain the Pilgrim, who had an overwhelming advantage against the Demon Force, on their side. Contemplating such a future, Se-Hoon had to ask, “If that happens, what would be the first thing you’d do?”

He couldn’t have Karl wasting his efforts on pointless tasks like proselytizing worldwide after all the hardships he would have to endure.

“I would first find and punish the Apostate. His mere existence is a blasphemy against God,” answered Karl after some thought.

“And after that?”

“After that, I would focus on purifying the remaining Great Demon Realms and eradicating the Ten Evils. They’re all a defiance to God’s will.”

Se-Hoon was stunned. Karl had so calmly declared his intent to crush the entirety of the Demon Force. Then, when Se-Hoon recovered a beat later, his eyes sparkled.

“That’s an excellent plan. I never realized you were thinking so far ahead...”

“Haha. It’s only natural for one blessed by God.”

Se-Hoon’s heart swelled with emotion at the sight of Karl’s smile.

This is true religion.

Who would even dare to call the Pilgrimage Church a cult? If anyone ever did, Se-Hoon decided he would never forgive them.

Now brimming with faith and new possibilities, Se-Hoon began meticulously planning how to utilize the newfound opportunity to its fullest.

Improving the Pilgrim’s Path to receive Karl’s support.... That will open a way to hunt down Apostate and Demon’s Edge.

If he used himself as bait, Apostate would reveal himself, and Demon’s Edge, who should be roaming the tainted continent, could be easily tracked.

His mind racing, Se-Hoon quickly envisioned some necessary resources for the hunt before turning to Karl.

“In that case, I have a favor to ask as well.”

“Anything. Please, go ahead.”

“Could you help me grow a tree?”

“A tree...?”

In response to Karl’s puzzled look, Se-Hoon smiled brightly.

“A tree perfectly suited for receiving God’s will.”

It was time to use the Seed of the Divine Tree, which had been long neglected in Ludwig’s possession.

***

In the desolate land at the southern end of the African continent, an old-fashioned church stood solitary, shrouded in a dense black demonic aura. However, the building looked pristine, as if it had just been erected.

And currently, it was surrounded by prowling monsters that, driven by a desire to destroy everything in sight, were on the verge of charging toward it.

Slash-!

Without being given a chance to understand how they died, the monsters' heads were all sliced off in unison, and their sprawled bodies on the ground dissolved back into the tainted earth.

“...”

Watching them disappear silently, Doppelganger indifferently turned to gaze at the church with a face shrouded in swirling darkness.

“...How annoying.”

Muttering that small complaint, Doppelganger approached the church and pushed open the firmly closed massive doors that, after opening smoothly, revealed the softly lit interior.

It was neither too ornate nor too plain, and it exuded both sanctity and grandeur. In the center of the church stood a four-meter-tall statue of a figure—its face obscured by shadows cast by the lighting—spreading its arms in a benevolent pose with split golden rings behind it.

He’s still as blatant as ever.

Briefly observing the statue that completely rejected the teachings of the Pilgrimage Church, Doppelganger turned his gaze to the man, dressed in black priestly robes, kneeling and praying beneath it—Apostate.

“When does it end?”

“...”

Annoyed by Apostate ignoring the question, pretending he didn’t hear anything, Doppelganger swept aside his coat and grasped the hilt of the sword at his waist, drawing it slowly.

Srrrk-

And at that, Apostate finally rose, glaring at Doppelganger.

“I told you not to disturb me during prayer.”

Boom!

A powerful aura and killing intent radiated from beneath Apostate’s black veil, making the church itself seemingly tremble, yet Doppelganger casually dismissed it and sheathed his sword.

“I’m going to meet some Watchers soon. Anything you want me to tell them?”

Apostate briefly paused. Then, a moment later, he irritably replied, “What are you hoping to achieve by mingling with such worthless beings?”

“I’m looking for the conditions to become a Harbinger of Destruction. Only five Harbinger Shards remain.”

“You think they can figure that out?”

Unlike some of the Ten Evils, such as Tuner, who actively interacted with Watchers, Apostate found them unworthy. He held not a shred of respect for those who sought to explore the roots of existence with their meager knowledge.

“It’s better than trying out the same methods alone over and over again. I’ll just cut them off if they get in the way.”

“...Pathetic. Go play with your kind. I have no intention of becoming a guinea pig for such vermin.”

With those dismissive words, Apostate kneeled again to resume his prayer, ignoring Doppelganger, who was watching from behind.

“They claim it could fulfill not just the desire to become a Demon God but also your wish,” Doppelganger plainly stated.

“...”

“I don’t know what you’ll wish for, but if you’re interested, you should join in. I’ll inform you once the date is set.”

Done with everything he came for, Doppelganger turned and left.

Now alone, Apostate silently stared up at the statue.

Then, as if resisting temptation, he looked down and quietly continued his prayer.