Chapter 49

I Am Not a Regressor Chapter 49

Demon Beast Extermination (5)

"Hmm."

Before tracking down Choe Jongcheol by his scent, Oh Jin took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"He's a 6-star Aquarius Awakened, right?"

From what he had briefly learned, Choe Jongcheol was a rather influential Awakened within the Starlight Lake Guild, though not to the extent that he could touch the Apostle of Vega and come out unscathed.

'Even if it's not a battle-specialized constellation, a two-star difference is not easy to overcome.'

Fundamentally, when there is a difference in 'stars,' there is a disparity in physical attributes.

Especially as the stars increase, the gap widens, so the difference between a 4-star and a 6-star was not negligible.

However,

'I can do it.'

Oh Jin's eyes gleamed sharply.

If another Awakened heard this, they would probably sneer at how a 4-star could face a 6-star.

'I can definitely win.'

He was confident he could overcome the two-star gap and deal with him.

Or rather,

Can I just deal with him?

He was certain he could crush him overwhelmingly.

"Still, complacency is forbidden."

He recalled Choe Jongcheol's confident face.

No matter how stupid the guy was, he wouldn't have that expression without any basis.

'There's something.'

He didn't know what it was yet,

But he was sure the guy was hiding a trump card.

To the point of giving a grand warning to the Apostle of Polaris.

'Then,'

If the other side is hiding something,

We need a solid 'insurance' on our side.

"Vega."

He infused mana into the necklace.

Pew!

Soon, Vega appeared in a silver light.

[Hmm. Didn't you say you wouldn't call me during extermination missions?]

"There's someone else I need to take care of besides the demon beast."

[What?]

Vega's eyes widened.

"Choe Jongcheol, the pervert."

[Pervert...?]

"A notorious criminal in my past life who forcibly violated over 300 women."

[Such a wicked person!]

Vega's expression twisted harshly.

"He's about to start his activities in a year, but I want to take care of him before then."

[Indeed. You're talking about eliminating a future evil in advance.]

Vega nodded as if she understood.

But then,

Her expression stiffened slightly.

[However... Is there no other way besides killing him? Even if he's a seed of future evil, punishing him for crimes he hasn't committed yet doesn't seem right.]

It's a valid point.

The logic that 'he'll be a bad guy in the future, so I should kill him now' doesn't hold.

'Then,'

Let's add some context.

"In my past life, according to his statement after being caught, he had been doing this for quite a while."

[That means...]

"He's not just a seed of future evil."

He was already the 'evil' that needed to be punished.

[Hmm. Then he must be dealt with immediately.]

Vega nodded and folded her arms.

She seemed to understand,

But her expression was still somewhat uneasy.

'Well,'

Suddenly pointing out someone on the street and saying 'this guy is actually a bad guy, so we need to kill him' would naturally cause resistance.

'It's different from the case with Lee Shinhyuk.'

Unlike then, Choe Jongcheol is someone he needs to 'kill in the future.'

Even if he understands it intellectually, he can't help but feel an instinctive aversion.

Testimony without evidence has its limits.

Then,

'Create evidence.'

Of course, creating evidence right now is impossible.

'But I can create it later.'

He could create evidence in advance and use his special agent's authority to investigate Choe Jongcheol's home or pin unsolved crimes on him.

In this world,

There are countless unsolved crimes.

'Anyway,'

That's something to think about later.

For now, it's enough to make Vega 'understand' somewhat.

"Shall we go?"

[I understand.]

Vega climbed onto his head and gripped his hair like a handle.

Clang!

He used the wire shooter to fly up.

-Whoosh!

He flew between buildings, following the scent.

As the scent of Choe Jongcheol, which he had memorized, grew stronger,

'I found him.'

He saw Choe Jongcheol in the distance.

Despite losing a companion to a demon beast attack, the guy was sitting calmly on the debris of a building.

'Should I ambush him?'

Normally, he would have attacked from behind without hesitation.

But now, not knowing what the guy is hiding, he could be ambushed instead.

'Here, I need to draw him out properly.'

Oh Jin surveyed the surroundings and landed in front of Choe Jongcheol.

"Huh?"

Choe Jongcheol looked at Oh Jin, who suddenly appeared, with wide eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

He asked with a curious glint in his eyes.

"What do you mean."

Oh Jin's eyes glinted coldly.

"Are you asking this now?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Choe Jongcheol frowned, pretending not to understand.

Oh Jin suppressed a bitter smile as he observed his reaction.

'Well,'

It must be quite shocking for Choe Jongcheol to suddenly appear and start questioning him.

'What can I do?'

Even if it's a bit forced, to convince Vega, he needs to make him a criminal right here.

Oh Jin, aware of Vega floating beside his shoulder, spoke.

"Choe Jongcheol."

He raised his spear and pointed it at him.

"I know everything you're hiding."

"...What?"

Choe Jongcheol's expression hardened.

Ignoring his reaction, Oh Jin glared at him with a fierce look.

Thud!

He stomped his foot and shouted.

"Are you planning to deny it cowardly?!"

"......!"

Choe Jongcheol shuddered and took a step back.

Oh Jin sharply observed his expression and thought about what to say next.

'Now he'll probably react with something like, 'What are you talking about, denying what?''

That much was easy to predict.

Of course, what he needed to say next was also clear.

'From the moment you approached my sister with ill intentions, I knew, something like that.'

That's an actual event, so he doesn't even need to create fake evidence.

'Hiding the truth within the lie.'

It's the basic of deception, isn't it?

Come on.

Try to resist as much as you want.

I'll drive you to be the worst criminal with just my words.

"......How did you know?"

"When you targeted my sister's body... huh?"

What?

"Clearly, I hid it thoroughly so no one would find out... How did the information leak?"

What the hell is this guy saying?

[Vega!]

Crack! Crack!

A blue spark flashed as Vega flew up.

[Does it matter how you found out now!!]

She clenched her fists and trembled.

"Ugh!"

"Ah! What...!"

An oppressive aura pressed down on the surroundings.

'Such madness.'

Shiver.

His legs trembled as if he had been thrown out in the freezing cold.

He couldn't even breathe properly.

[Even if I am ignorant of the human world, I know how terrible and wicked the deeds you have committed are!]

Vega glared at Choe Jongcheol with fierce golden eyes, genuinely enraged.

Rumble!!

A massive aura swept through the surroundings again.

"Vega...!"

Oh Jin desperately tried to calm her down.

If he released such a massive aura in a place that isn't a sanctuary, severe restrictions would follow.

[...I am sorry, my child.]

Vega retracted the oppressive aura and continued.

[To be honest, I felt a sense of resistance to your words.]

She inadvertently frowned at the sudden request to eliminate future evil.

Even knowing that he is a 'regressor.'

Even knowing that he is the only one who has experienced the cruel future firsthand.

She couldn't fully trust his words.

[Even though I should believe and support you more than anyone... I doubted you until I saw it with my own eyes.]

Vega, flying in the air, gently stroked Oh Jin's cheek with her small hand.

[Please forgive this unworthy constellation.]

"Uh..."

What the hell is going on?

Oh Jin looked at Choe Jongcheol with a bewildered expression.

He expected the guy to deny it, but instead, he confirmed it, leaving him unsure how to react.

'How did you know?'

What exactly did he know?

"Ha! Ha! What are you talking about?"

Choe Jongcheol, breathing heavily, glared at Vega, who was floating beside Oh Jin.

"Guardian spirit...?"

Can a guardian spirit emit such a powerful aura?

Choe Jongcheol, who had been an Awakened for less than half a year, couldn't possibly have obtained such a powerful guardian spirit on his own. It must have been given to him by someone else.

"Ha ha! The esteemed Apostle of Vega, right?"

Probably from someone in the Starlight Lake Guild, who wanted to curry favor with the Apostle of Vega.

-Click.

Choe Jongcheol gnashed his teeth.

"Really... Don't you think it's unfair?"

Some people lose everything because they offended a young punk.

Some people live extravagantly because they met a powerful constellation.

-When the black stars cover the night sky, this unfair world will meet its end.

Suddenly,

The words Ashad Khan had spoken came to mind.

At the time, it seemed like nothing more than a terrifying prayer.

"Yes, you were right."

Choe Jongcheol raised the black orb in his hand.

He glared at Oh Jin with a fierce look.

"Following the will of the black stars, I will eliminate this punk!!"

Rumble!!

A black light exploded from the orb in his hand.

A sinister aura surged, traveling up Choe Jongcheol's arm and reaching his head.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh!!"

This is not revenge.

It is a 'holy war' to create a better world.

"Come forth, demon beasts!!!"

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The ground shook.

Dozens of demon beasts surrounded them at his command.

"Ha ha ha ha!! I don't know how you found out I'm a member of the Black Star Society, but the price of coming alone will be significant!!!"

"......"

Oh Jin looked at the demon beasts surrounding him and tightly closed his mouth.

'Fucking hell.'

He just wanted to make Choe Jongcheol a criminal in front of Vega to avoid suspicion when he killed him.

But,

'Choe Jongcheol is part of the Black Star Society?'

And he could control demon beasts?

'What the hell is going on?'

Someone, please explain this to me.