Regressor Instruction Manual

‘This stupid guy finally did it. He finally did it.’

I saw Seraphim smiling as if he had finally found a way to give me a blow.

‘Okay. You deserve it. Really.’

He deserved to have such a confident look. Although he started on the wrong foot, at least he realized his role even though it was a little late.

I wanted to encourage Seraphim, who was working hard towards the right path, but I couldn’t make such a choice in the current situation.

Although he finally opened fire, the build-up I had to do that led to that was hard enough to create to be difficult compared to any other work I had done so far.

Why?

That was obvious.

‘There’s no way he would believe him.’

It was impossible for Kim Hyunsung to easily trust his words.

‘Would that sound believable?’

Even if I were to confess it myself, I didn’t think he’d believe it.

Had it been Kim Hyunsung from a few years ago, a dusty suspicion would’ve grown in his heart. However, the advice given by the mysterious woman and the warm heart of our Light Hyunsung purified by the sunset wouldn’t create evil energy.

At least, from the moment they reached an agreement in the unconscious world, the formula that Lee Kiyoung was the masked trash would never be established in him.

Even if some loyalists were to gather in front of the palace and spread rumors, saying, ‘I come with a warning, Your Majesty! He’s the treacherous subject who’s ruining you.’ I could bet that Kim Hyunsung wouldn’t even bat an eye.

It didn’t make sense to believe in the bullshit of a pigeon, the foe of a lifetime.

‘It’s bullshit.’

Of course, it would sound like bullshit. Seraphim, who was expecting a reaction such as ‘what does that mean?’ or ‘what?’, bit down on his lips tightly.

The way he didn’t react at all was a spectacle. It even made me doubt if he heard Seraphim’s words.

‘Wow… How should I start talking about this? Seraphim, What are you going to do now?’

Perhaps Seraphim was also thinking the same.

‘What can I do? You have to push it first. The battle has gone into a lull, and this timing doesn’t come often. Try a little harder. You can’t give up here.’

-You didn’t know?

-There is no time to answer bullshits.

-I know who ruined your life. You might know too. You just deny it, poor Kim Hyunsung. Poor Altanus’ regressor. You know the facts, too, right?

‘No, fuck, I don’t think he does. Could you try harder? If you talk like that, how will he accept it?’

-Who is the masked man with us?

‘Ah, this bastard is doing it in the wrong way. He’s so bad at it. He’s not even being logical. Fuck.’

Even if he explained it step by step from the beginning, he might not even understand, so I didn’t think there would be any hope to see him talking about something like that.

-We didn’t reach out to him, Kim Hyunsung. He reached out to us. He wanted to join us, saying we could work together to cleanse and manage humanity. He said he was the chosen one. He also said that he would live as a member of the world we will manage in the future and that the humans of the past were wrong. He said they were corrupted, rubbed, and contaminated. He argued that they needed control and needed new values…

‘Yes, that’s how you do a build-up. That way.’

I watched him as he talked slowly. Of course, Kim Hyunsung didn’t seem to be listening to him.

-I’ll recover my stamina for a while.

‘Okay. Recover as much as you can.’

Seraphim, who told the truth, seemed more desperate than Kim Hyunsung, who was listening to him.

Rather than shouting for trust, I felt like he was getting emotional by himself while speaking.

It seemed that the way he spoke had changed a little. His voice tone was definitely different.

I thought he might show a glimpse of his true self, but that wasn’t good news for me.

‘Do it with a slightly stronger tone. Fuck, you have to speak confidently. What is that? Fuck, you can’t even make eye contact, and you’re hesitating… If you do that, Hyunsung won’t find you trustworthy at all. Fuck.’

-…

-Right. As the masked trash said, he looked like a suitable human to live on the new continent… He was more devoted than anyone else, sometimes pure and sometimes bold. He did not hesitate to make a decision, and he… he… as if he understood us better than anyone else… no, he surely understood us back then. What comes next is a story you know all too well, Kim Hyunsung.

-…

-He destroyed humanity, driving them to the edge of the cliff. He took the great wizard from mankind and divided them. He was more passionate than anyone else on the task of reducing the population. Your resistance was strong, but you guys couldn’t have done anything. So, who do you think is the one who got in your way every time and brought you despair?

-…

-I didn’t know for sure, but now I do. Kim Hyunsung, why did he come to us and destroy mankind– no, the continent. I think I know now.

‘That was a bit incoherent, but the delivery got better. Didn’t you learn to speak from the masked hero?’

-He wanted to start anew. He decided to start everything from scratch. I don’t know what his purpose is, but this one is for sure. He chose you, Kim Hyunsung. He got you into the plan to get everything to start all over again. After the gods in charge of the continent have destroyed the continent beyond repair, he decided to use you as his long-term horse. You took the plunge, and you took the burden.

‘It’s getting better and better. If I cheer for him, I think it’ll get even better.’

[Generating a common-grade forced quest.]

[You… (0/1)]

I had to pretend to be disconcerted. That way, his confidence would come alive.

As expected, I could see him swallowing hard. After receiving the message, it seemed that he gained more momentum.

I didn’t know if he felt like he had the upper hand, but he definitely thought it was going to be a big blow to me.

I then sent another message.

[Generating a common-grade forced quest.]

[Stop… (0/1)]

‘Whew. That was a good one. Stop.’

-It must have been for his own ugly greed, Kim Hyunsung. To him, humans like you would have felt easy to manipulate. I know him better than you think. Do you think it’s easy to make someone regress? Did the gods who manage this continent take this great risk and brought you back? Why were only you left at the end? Why was he where you were moving, and why did you have to accept that great despair right away? Why did bad things always happen to you, and why did everyone around you die one after another? Why did you have to start all over again from the beginning? Why was he with you at the beginning of the second timeline? Doesn’t everything feel weird?

[Generating a common-grade forced quest.]

[Please stop… (0/1)]

-What he is most worried about is his comfort. He’s not interested in anything other than that. He’s not on anyone’s side or anyone’s ally. He is a terrible human who only thinks of himself.

‘This bastard isn’t bad.’

I thought he was doing really well. He was probably the type that survived when praised.

I couldn’t say that he was good at speaking, but I could feel the truth in his voice. Even the ability to instantly catch up on what was going on seemed to be good.

The fact that someone who didn’t know the true intention of the masked hero and exactly how Kim Hyunsung returned could do that much…

‘I guess he’s really trying hard.’

The only way to explain it was that he was using his head desperately in his own way.

-He chose you only for greed. He is a demon who controls everyone with his hands and makes them move as he wants. The masked man. Aren’t you curious who he is?

-…

-He’s the one talking to you right now. He’s the one who’s giving you instructions. Do you get it now? Do you understand now?

‘No. Fuck, he doesn’t seem to understand at all.’

I couldn’t say that Seraphim was bad. There was still regret about what it would’ve been like if it worked out a little more slowly, but I thought that was already more than I thought he could do.

At first, it seemed as if he had vomited everything he wanted to say, and he got the point well.

He finished explaining that Lee Kiyoung was the masked man and that the purpose was to bring him back.

‘I also liked the feeling of appealing to emotions.’

The problem was the result.

-I’m almost done recovering, Kiyoung. Can I go back?

‘He let it in one ear and out the other. Did you hear it right? Did you hear for sure?’

He heard it, but he seemed to be thinking that it was trash-like words that weren’t worth reconsidering. He was so strong in his faith that even I could feel it.

‘Yes, fuck, I wouldn’t believe it too. That crazy pigeon is saying that during a battle and when he’s losing. Who would believe in him? However, Kim Hyunsung has to believe. He has to believe him no matter what. I’m a little sorry, but I have no choice but to do this.’

It was a little uncomfortable to mess with things out-of-combat. Ethically, it was a bit… It seemed like I was trying to manipulate and control Hyunsung.

Still, it would be better to make an exception this time for the sake of the cause. At that moment, the scenery that Yuno Kasugano saw might actually be flickering.

Kim Hyunsung had to get something flashy right at that moment.

‘I can move.’

The regressor’s instruction manual could artificially manipulate Kim Hyunsung’s emotions.

The pros and cons weren’t important. If I induced Hyunsung to move like that, he would have no choice but to do so.

“Yes. Immediately…”

I started with a very small one.

It could be weird if something too big suddenly came in, so I began with implanting a little suspicion in his head.

‘It’s the same as then, Hyunsung. Just that much. The tiny suspicion that you had before we agreed on the sunset world. I’ll plant that.’

Given the circumstances, he would probably think that evil energy came in with Seraphim’s powerful speech.

-Huh?

Along with that sound, Kim Hyunsung grabbed his head for a moment.

A very embarrassed face stood out. I didn’t know what image came up, but it was probably the image that I overlapped with the masked hero. I should speak with the most innocent voice.

“What’s wrong, Hyunsung?”

-Yes… I… it’s… it’s nothing. Yes. I’m sorry.

‘It’s not nothing. Be honest. Seraphim, will you be still? You have to say one more word.’

-Keep your eyes open and face what the truth is, Kim Hyunsung. He’s not the person you think he is.

-…

-You’re noticing that my words are true.

-Shut up, Seraphim.

‘There’s at least some progress.’

He seemed to be sensitive to Seraphim’s words, unlike before, when he wasn’t paying attention at all.

I had no choice but to realize that things were going according to my thoughts.

Kim Hyunsung was scared right now. He was afraid that his words would shake him.

He was even speaking to me.

-Kiyoung… Is there a delirious-type magic or something similar…

“There is no such thing, Hyunsung. Did something happen?”

-No. It’s… nothing. I’m sorry, Kiyoung. I’m sorry.

‘What are you apologizing for? That you’re suspicious of me? Or that you’re not focusing on the current situation? You don’t have to apologize for the former. I’m not even supposed to know that you’re suspicious of me anyway.’

Kim Hyunsung trembled slightly and opened his mouth again with a crying voice. He continued to shake his head from side to side as if he would never think of it again.

-I’m really sorry, I mean… I’m sorry.

I once again put a spoonful of suspicion in his confused mind.

‘Your mentality is fine, right?’

However, it didn’t take long before I felt him surrounded by his immense self-loathing, and in the end, he couldn’t overcome that feeling. Tears began to fall.