I’m Not a Regressor

"Ugagagagagagak!!"

The man writhed as if he stubbed his toe on the corner of a table and screamed as he charged forward.

"Wh-What?"

"What's wrong with him?"

The people who were gathered by the narrow exit were shocked by his actions.

That kind of reaction was only natural from their perspective as he suddenly screamed and ran in the direction of the Hydra.

‘Woah, this is really effective.'

Ohjin smiled as he looked at the man who was running forward with his eyes rolled back into his head.

The technique he had just used was a crude replication of when Vega precisely sent lightning into the Murlocs’ gills to take them down.

[…Did you look at my technique once and replicate it?]

"The practice I did when I was hospitalized helped me."

Practicing the meticulous control of lightning throughout the entirety of 10 days back then had paid off.

[From just 10 days of practice… sigh. Nevermind.]

Vega let out a deep breath and shook her head like she couldn't be bothered with it anymore.

"Kireeeeerirrek!!!"

The Hydra's eyes focused on the man.

"Ah, uha."

The man who screamed looked up at the Hydra with his face dyed pale in fear.

"S-Save me!! Please, save me!!" shouted the man as he looked back at his party members.

"Y-You sons of bitches!!!"

However, it was only natural that not a single person moved.

"Krrurururururu!"

One of the nine heads moved like a tentacle and aimed for the man.

Its sharp, poisonous fangs were exposed as it widened its massive mouth.

Ohjin activated the stigma of the Hunting Dogs and carefully observed the Hydra's movements.

‘It's fast.'

Fitting that of a 7-Star monster with the proud title of ‘Boss', its movements were quick.

Was that all? Its head looked like it weighed over several tons. As it had sharp, poisonous fangs on top of that, he didn't have to face it to know how dangerous it was.

‘However…'

Smirk—

He gripped his spear and lowered his stance.

"It's nothing much."

When compared to the pressure that he felt from Arshad Khan, the Hydra was nothing.

Baang!!—

Blue lightning coiled around Ohjin’s legs as he kicked off the ground.

"Kierururuk!"

"Uaaaaaaaah!!"

The Hydra's eyes were currently completely focused on the man.

Lowering his spear as if wiping the floor—

‘Lightning Flames.'

—he violently slashed upwards.

The spear's blade that was engulfed in blue flames dug under the Hydra's neck where there weren't many green scales.

"Hmpf!"

"Kieeeeeeieeek!!"

Ohjin whisked away the spear that dug into its neck.

Green body fluids spurt onto the ground as its flesh tore apart.

"Kieaeeeeruk!"

"Kyarak!"

Two of the nine heads acted quickly and aimed at Ohjin.

Fwooooosh!—

"Hey!"

Ha-eun quickly rushed in and spread her arms.

Snap!—

As she lightly snapped her fingers, flames with explosive momentum wrapped around the Hydra's head.

"Kyararak!"

"Ugh!"

The hydra, wrapped around in flames, struggled violently.

"Ohjin! I won't be able to last long!"

"Got it."

Ohjin swung down the spear that dug into its flesh.

Slash!—

Its half-cut neck slightly dangled.

"Fuu."

He took a deep breath.

Aiming his left arm at the head of the Hydra that Ha-eun was suppressing—

Bang!—

—the wire that was shot with the sound of gunfire wrapped its neck.

Ohjin’s body shot up to where the Hydra's neck was.

‘And if I shoot my wires once more from here…'

Bang!—

The wire wrapped around the neck of the Hydra on the right and started to contract at a rapid pace.

Boom!—

"Kireek!"

The heads on the left and right ran into each other.

It was a new feature that was implemented into the upgraded wire shooters.

He was able to freely control the length of the wire with mana, allowing him to fix the wires in place to pull off more diverse moves.

"Alright!! Nice one, Ohjin!"

Ha-eun smiled as she crossed her arms.

The flames around the heads of the two hydras turned into the shape of sharp blades and attacked their necks.

"Rookie! There's more coming!"

Riak stepped on the wire and jumped up high.

He swung his front claws at the head of the Hydra that was aiming for Ohjin, who was in mid-air.

Pzzzzzzzt—!

His Lighting Claws fiercely slashed down the Hydra's eye.

"Kieaeeeruuk!!"

Even while its eyeball was getting torn apart, the Hydra still swung its head at Ohjin like a whip.

[You are persistent!]

Vega, who was floating near Ohjin, reached out her hand.

Blue lightning spread out like a web and blocked off the attack.

"Nice!"

Ohjin didn't miss the opportunity. Once he got on the ground, he ran towards the head and struck down his spear.

Its green scales tore apart, and blood gushed out like a waterfall.

"Kieeeeeeerk!!"

Rumble!—

The hydra, which suddenly had its four heads turned into a pulp, started to take steps back.

"Wow!"

"D-Didn't the articles say that the Lightning Wolf was a 4-Star?"

"Who's that girl? Don't you think her level is too high to be in this gate?"

The Awakeners that clustered up at the entrance in an attempt to be the first ones to escape stopped and blankly looked at Ohjin’s party that was overwhelming the Hydra.

-Daaaaamn!!

-Wow, they're fucking cool;

-Did you see the Lightning Wolf's movements just now?

-That Guardian Spirit and pet is amazing as well.

-Where can you get things like those?

The viewers that were watching the fight in real-time through the stream also didn't hold back on their compliments.

"I'll join in!"

Was it because he observed the situation and thought the situation was manageable? Jerry Kim started to shoot out a barrage of arrows at the Hydras.

‘This is way easier than I thought.'

Ohjin furrowed his brow as he looked at the Hydra taking steps back.

He had already severely damaged four of the nine heads, and there were now five heads remaining.

At that rate, he would soon beat the other five into a pulp.

Then—

"Ohjin! Th-That thing is regenerating!"

Bubble, bubble—

With the sound of boiling water, the neck of the Hydra that was cut halfway started to regenerate at a rapid speed.

"Yeah, I wondered why it was too easy."

Tch—

Ohjin clicked his tongue and observed the Hydra that was quickly regenerating its injuries.

"Kieeerrrruuk!!"

The hydra that regenerated two of the four heads in an instant cried ferociously and resumed its attacks.

‘Wait, two?'

Ohjin narrowed his eyes and examined the Hydra’s regeneration.

Amongst the heads that were beaten to a pulp, only the ones that were hit by Ha-eun's flames were regenerating slowly.

‘Do injuries that are burnt regenerate slower?'

If that was the case…

"Ha-eun! Burn the surface of the necks I cut!"

"Alright!!"

Putting the nodding Ha-eun behind him, he kicked off.

Bang!—

He flew into the air using the wires and wildly swung his spear down.

Slash!!—

The spear's blade, engulfed in blazing blue lightning, cut off the Hydra's head.

"Ohjin! Move out of the way!!"

Fwooosh!—

Ha-eun shot her flames at the surface of the cut neck.

When the red flames that looked alive moved freely through the air and approached the bloody surface—

"Kirararaarak!!"

—the remaining six heads spewed thick, green body fluids that covered the flames.

Tssssssssh!—

Stinging fumes rose up as the flames were put out.

"Damn it! What's that?" shouted Ha-eun.

‘It's being cautious of the flames.'

Ohjin narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Hydra. It appeared that the Hydra also recognized Ha-eun's flames as the greatest threat.

‘Then, I should cut down the remaining heads as fast as—'

Bubble!—

Without the time to cut down any more heads, the decapitated head regenerated to its original appearance.

The amount of time it took for its regeneration was five seconds.

It was unreasonably fast.

* * *

* * *

"What? It wasn't this fast before."

"O-Ohjin! Something's weird! I've never heard of Hydras regenerating this—argh!"

Rumble!!—

The head that regenerated swung at Jerry Kim like a whip.

He stopped shooting his arrows and urgently rolled onto the ground.

‘It's strange.'

As Jerry Kim said, the regeneration speed was nonsensical.

[My child! The presence of the star's power in that monster has suddenly doubled!]

Ohjin examined after hearing Vega’s words and confirmed that subtle blue light was trickling out of the Hydra's body.

"…Damn it."

It was due to the strange phenomenon that happened inside the gate.

Two starstones coexisting inside one monster caused the Hydra to develop a special ability.

"Ohjin, I don't think we'll be able to deal with this!"

Ha-eun set up a massive wall of flames and blocked the green fluids that were splattering all over the place.

"No…”

There was a method.

‘It's just that its regeneration speed is rapid. It didn't get any sturdier.'

Moments ago, Ohjin had cut off a head with one spear strike.

‘And if so…'

The five seconds it took for a decapitated head to regenerate…

"I just need to cut seven heads within that frame of time."

And once that happened, it wouldn't be able to defend against her flames.

"…What?"

[My child. Still, I believe it's…]

Ha-eun and Vega looked at Ohjin like it was unreasonable.

"There's no method other than that."

If there was no other method, all that was left was to use all his might on what could be done.

[…I'll grant you a blessing.]

"Later."

He shook his head.

Vega’s blessing was the last resort.

It wasn't too late to receive the blessing after giving it his all.

And moreover…

[Still, what if you get hurt…]

"Vega."

He continued in a low voice.

"Whenever you get affected by the Commandment's Restriction, it hurts a lot, doesn't it?"

[That's…]

Even without receiving the answer, he already knew.

After all, he had seen her struggle from pain every time she was affected by the restriction.

"I feel the same way."

As much as she didn't want Ohjin to get hurt, he also wished that she wouldn't have to feel pain.

‘At first, Vega was just another target of my scams.'

Before he knew it, she had melted into his life and become part of his warmth that he couldn’t remove.

[M-My child.]

Vega looked at Ohjin with her beet-red face.

"I'll leave the support to you. Riak, you too."

"Hmpf. I was going to, even if you didn't say so."

Riak talked in a brusque manner, but for some reason, it didn't feel unpleasant.

"Well, then."

He lowered his stance.

The time limit was five seconds.

Within that time—

"Exceed."

—he would cut off seven heads.

Bzzzzzzzzzt!!!—

Blue lightning coiled around his body.

Booooom!!—

Ohjin wildly kicked off and flew up.

‘That's one.'

Slash!—

The spear's blade, engulfed in blue flames, cut the Hydra's head.

‘Two, three.'

He used the surface of the cut neck to kick off and cut two more heads.

"Krieeeeuruk?!"

The Hydra urgently moved back its remaining four heads.

Bang! Bang!—

Ohjin shot out his wires and they wrapped around two heads.

"Five."

Boooooooom!!—

The Lightning Charges that flowed through the wires exploded two of its heads.

‘The remaining time is…'

2 Seconds.

‘Damn it.'

There were only two heads remaining, but they had retreated far away.

Even if he ran right away, he wouldn't make it.

‘Faster.'

He concentrated all of his mana onto his two legs.

Up to the limit of his limits.

No.

Exceeding that.

"Huaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

Ohjin roared as he sprinted.

Blue lightning covered his entire legs.

No.

Exceeding covering—

His two legs became ‘Lightning' itself for a moment.

-Ring!

[You have obtained a clue regarding the ‘Lightning God Physique']

[《Exceed Lv2》has increased to 《Exceed Lv3》!]

Lightning that soared with explosive momentum.

His body shot forward with frightening speed as if jet engines were attached to his feet.

Slaaaash!!—

"Kieeeruruurk!!"

All nine of its heads had now fallen off.

"Ha-eun!!!!"

Ohjin turned his body around in mid-air and looked in Ha-eun's direction.

"Leave the rest to me!!"

An enormous flame dragon appeared out of Ha-eun's arms.

It wasn't a single one this time.

A total of seven flame dragons ran down her arms and soared forward.

"Ugh!"

Ha-eun fumbled around her left eye in pain.

The ugly veins that covered her left eye rooted past her cheeks and even onto her neck.

"Huff, huff!"

Heavy breaths flowed out of Ha-eun's mouth.

It hurt.

She felt a crushing pain in her eye.

‘But.'

That amount of pain amounted to nothing when compared to the distant amount of pain Ohjin felt to that date.

‘I won't be able to call myself his elder if I can't handle this when he's endured that much…!'

"Die, you bastard!"

Fwoooooosh!!—

Humongous flames rushed forth.

Ferocious light shone out of the dragons' eyes as they aimed for the decapitated Hydra.

Tsssssssssh!!!—

The seven flame dragons wrapped around each severed neck.

Pungent fumes and the smell of burning flesh filled up the tunnel.

Boom!—

The 20m Hydra collapsed onto the ground.

"Huff! Huff!"

"Well done, Ha-eun."

Ohjin approached Ha-eun, who was catching her breath.

"…Well done? All I did was deliver the last hit."

"What you did isn't something that's easy, you know?"

Though her role was delivering the last hit, the amount of time given to her was just one second.

‘It took me four seconds to cut off all its heads.'

In the remaining second, Ha-eun had to completely burn the surfaces of seven necks. 

In one way, her role was harder than his.

"K-Khm! Well, as long as you’re aware."

Ha-eun cleared her throat and quickly looked away.

"…huh?"

At that moment, Ohjin, who had discovered something, opened his eyes wide.

"Ha-eun, that's…"

Ohjin pointed at her chest with his finger.

"What about my chest? It's amazing? Fufu. I already know."

"…"

‘What the hell is this woman saying?’

"It's shining through."

"…My nipples?"

"Fuck no, your stigma."