Regressor Instruction Manual

Chapter 867: The Last (100) [Side note, the author is channeling his inner Kiyoung by giving the last few chapters so many parts.]

"Let him go. I won't ask for anything else. Please..."

'What are you doing?'

"He's already suffered enough. You've been torturing him nonstop, and you've taken everything you wanted. You don't have to do this..."

'Why are you trying to negotiate with a terrorist? Even if I'm being held hostage, you shouldn't do that.'

"This is enough. Any more than this..."

'There is no way the Song Villain would compromise in the first place.'

I thought he had knelt to boost himself and gain momentum, but that didn't seem to be the case.

'You have to fight.'

Assuming he could have a conversation with that crazy bastard was nonsensical.

What Song Sookyung wanted was to complete the God of Sunset.

He also had the huge goal of reserving the spot next to him, but... that was most likely his secondary goal.

He probably felt like there was a greater meaning to Hyunsung being the God of Sunset, making him pour more energy into his efforts.

Naturally, Kim Hyunsung's state right now wouldn't change his mind.

It was impossible for Song Sookyung to judge the situation normally, considering he had already been completely conquered by the demon and had become the demon itself.

Perhaps the current Kim Hyunsung angered him.

He might be feeling the same way towards Lee Kiyoung too. His ideal god's desperate side had been revealed, after all, making him think Hyunsung's appearance at this moment was far from what he thought the God of Sunset was.

He didn't look like someone to be worshiped and supported. Rather, he looked weak and was seemingly crumbling. There was fear and anxiety in his eyes, and his shattered armor made him look even weaker.

Even his hand, holding his trustworthy sword, didn't seem to have any strength in it.

He had already lost the will to fight.

'You don't have to think too hard about this situation to know that acting like that is only going to anger that psychopath even more, Hyunsung. I can't believe you can't even make logical judgments right now.'

All he seemed to be thinking about was the scenario where I would have my soul taken away.

'He's just grasping at straws.'

All of this was probably terrifying for him. He didn't care if he was in pain. All he knew was he didn't want me to be tormented any more than I'd experienced before.

He thought continuing to fight against him would eventually lead to a terrible scene.

If I had my soul stolen, then he knew I wouldn't be able to be with him in the third round.

That brought forth the possibility that the existence of the Son of Light would disappear forever, as well as the Regressor Instruction Manual.

His anxiety twisted like a skein of thread and bound him like an insect in a spider's web.

It wasn't like him, but his subconscious decided that the most rational option was to appeal to his emotions.

Wouldn't the Song Villain's response to such tactics be obvious?

"..."

"Please... P-please..."

"It's useless."

"Please..."

"I said it's useless, God of Sunset."

He looked down at Kim Hyunsung as calmly as possible, but I could see his agitation.

"This isn't like you. What are you doing?"

"..."

"Am I not the enemy you have to defeat? How can you beg me for mercy? What makes you think I'll listen to you?"

"Let go of Kiyoung. I'll do whatever you want... if you really think of me as your savior, then please lend me an ear. Please..."

Song Sookyung was looking at me.

'You psycho bastard. The light will never give in to you.'

I conveyed that thought through my glare, using my whole body to express that even the smallest light could illuminate the darkness. I knew I had to take this position now.

What would the people of the continent think if they saw this? Slightly hopeful situations paid off. If we looked too desperate, this scene wouldn't look good.

To be honest, Hyunsung had also crossed the line a lot. Fuck, it didn't make sense for the God of Sunset to be like that.

I understood why, but ordinary people might find it difficult to accept.

"You. If you really want a savior, I can be a savior... So..."

"..."

"That person has nothing to do with this. He... He already lost everything. You... You don't need to care about him. If you really think that Kiyoung... No, that person ruined me, I'll..."

'What, you bastard? Say it. Fuck. Are you for real, declaring that you'll abandon me?'

"Please..."

It was then that Song Sookyung's face distorted.

The hand holding my hair got tenser.

"Stop! S... Stop! Please... please!"

Contrary to his somewhat rough behavior, I noticed confusion in his eyes.

'What the...? What's up with this bastard now?'

"Damn..."

He looked at Kim Hyunsung and me alternately.

I wasn't sure what was on his mind, but...

'What is there to be worried about? Just take it. Fuck. What's the problem?'

He seemed hesitant to take the soul of the Son of Light.

I didn't know why he was acting like that.

He had come too far to say that he'd changed his mind after seeing how miserable Kim Hyunsung had become. The situation had already reached an irreversible level. Since the Song Villain had come this far, he had to see it through to the end.

'Do you have any other options? You must be pissed off, right?'

Instead of a completed Kim Hyunsung, the one in front of him was a very fragile human being. Shouldn't he be angry?

'You're not in a state where you can feel sympathy right now. If you were going to feel any, you should've done it earlier.'

To be honest, I didn't think Song Sookyung sympathized with Kim Hyunsung.

Because there was no way that psychopath would think like that.

But... he kept looking around. He looked at the devastation he had made and turned his head as if he didn't like it.

'Ah...'

Fuck.

Did our psychopathic villain still have some humanity left?

I thought the tiny light inside him had already gone out. Was it trying to drive the darkness away?

Did he regret listening to the demon's voice?

He might have realized that what was happening right now was a little strange.

The tiny firefly that remained in him was about to start flapping its wings vigorously.

'You fucking bastard... There's no way. Don't even try to wake up here, you idiot. The darkness has already devoured you. Stop using that tiny lamp of hope of yours.'

'Director Bel, what are you doing? Are you going to lose to him? Is this where your limits lie?'

His hand grabbed my face.

I twisted my face as much as I could and bit his hand hard.

'Wake up! Don't lose to the light, you idiot.'

"You son of a bitch!"

His expression shifted.

"You son of a fucking bitch!"

'You're back, Song Sookyung. You overcame it. I can even greet you with a smile now.'

"You shameful, incompetent bastard! You ruined it. You ruined everything! Look. Look at the God of Sunset over there. Raise your head, you worthless insect. Is that the god you were hoping for? That weak human... Is that the kind of deity you wanted? This is all your fault!"

"Don't... don't... do it!"

"Be quiet, God of Sunset! It's all his fault. Everything! This shameful monster made me... made me like this. Fuck. It all happened because of this fake bastard... It's because this guy never knew his place and kept standing next to you! Shit! Why is he so important to you? Why are you doing that? Why are you showing a side that isn't like you? Don't give me that look! Do not beg for sympathy!"

"..."

"Why the hell are you doing this to me, God of Sunset?! Why are you giving me such a sight? Why do I have to look at you in that state?! I just... I... I just..."

"..."

"Sigh... sigh... sigh..."

"..."

"It's no use. The results won't change. This is meaningless."

"..."

The guy who had finally succumbed to the darkness looked sorrowful. Tears welled up in my eyes without me realizing it.

My sympathy for Song Sookyung accompanied the guilt of not being able to protect the little firefly inside him.

He had already been completely devoured by the demon, but the flawless light felt sorry for him nevertheless.

"What does that mean, Lee Kiyoung?"

"You..."

"How dare you...?"

"You are such a pitiful person."

"What?"

"A pitiful and lonely person."

Song Sookyung's face became wrinkled once again. Was it hard to bear sympathy from someone he hated?

"What... What did you just say to me?"

The Son of Light didn't answer. He just caressed his tainted soul with his eyes as if he knew everything about his heart, his bitter feelings, and the reason he had come this far.

"How... How dare you look down on me?"

"..."

"You are a failure, Lee Kiyoung. You're a loser... How can you pity me after taking everything away from me? Huh? You've failed. Look at the continent! This is the shape of the continent you wanted to protect. You gained nothing in the end. Your death and sacrifice were meaningless and worthless. Yet you still..."

"My sacrifice... My death wasn't in vain, defiled soul."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"My sacrifice definitely wasn't worthless."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"I believe in humans. I... believe in their potential to overcome any difficulties. I believe that they will rise from the pain of the past and that they will not repeat the same mistakes as before. It may seem useless to some, but it wouldn't be worthless if even one person recognized it."

"The God of Sunset..."

"That's the Sunset Swordsman... That is the Hyunsung I know."

He had denied Kim Hyunsung, who was weak, but I would not.

'That is the difference between you and me.'

It was what set apart a pro and an amateur.

"He's fragile, weak, easily shaken, and sometimes... sometimes it's frustrating."

"..."

"But..."

"..."

"But he's someone who always gets up again."

That was what a hero was.

"He always raises his sword and overcomes his struggles, becoming stronger and stronger. He never stops moving forward."

That was the regressor I knew.

"I... I believe."

That was the regressor I had chosen and made.

I, the Son of Light, bowed my head. I hadn't lost faith in humans until the very end, and I smiled quietly even at the moment when his soul was crushed by malice.

He grew quiet, seemingly understanding everything.