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chapter 108
“Gunwoo. Are you really the Artist?”
“Of course not.”
After the terrorist incident caused by Kim Baekrang, the kids at school sometimes asked me questions like that.
It was because so many stories were circulating online, even revealing what Kim Baekrang had said right before he died.
‘It’s probably because of those streamers stirring up trouble with topics like whether I am the Artist or not.’
I sighed inwardly.
‘If I had known, maybe I shouldn’t have stayed in Seoul and should have gone after Kim Baekrang myself…’
But at the time, staying in Seoul was the best choice. Thanks to Alex’s dragon, Fafnir, the animals were subdued immediately, but I couldn’t predict what would happen in Seoul right after the terrorist attack.
‘The moment after a big incident ends, when tension drops, is usually the most dangerous.’
Although the large-scale terror had ended, the police were exhausted. If someone had tried another attack in that state…
Nothing had happened because I had spent the past few years catching criminals every night. Otherwise, criminals would have seized the opportunity.
Still, I stayed in Seoul, wary that criminals I hadn’t caught—or those who had never committed crimes before—might strike, instead of chasing Kim Baekrang.
‘…Let’s forget about the past.’
As Kim Baekrang had said, there were people who believed I was the Artist, but far more people didn’t. So it wasn’t a big problem.
After all…
‘So what if people find out I’m the Artist?’
I had long been regarded as someone connected to the Artist along with Yeon Mirae, Lee Ha-eun, and Ji Hyung-man. Even if it were revealed now that I was actually the Artist… it wouldn’t change much.
‘Even if the Artist… that is, me, becomes a target… what could they actually do?’
By compiling all the publicly known information, the Artist is one of the strongest candidates for Awakener in the world. How could anyone target someone like that?
Ah, there was one significant change.
‘They could target someone close to me.’
My most critical weakness: my mother.
Someone would inevitably try to target my non-Awakener mother. Knowing that, I had taken various measures for her safety.
‘All her clothes have protective magic, enough to withstand attacks from an Aura Master or a Great Mage. If the magic activates or breaks, I receive a signal…’
Yeon Mirae once muttered that I was overdoing it by putting that much protection on my mother’s clothes. But even that seemed insufficient to me.
[My mother thought she was the reason I couldn’t focus on developing my martial arts.]
[Instead of blaming me, she apologized.]
[And ultimately, she chose to end her own life.]
…Thinking back to my mother’s suicide, after multiple kidnappings and rescues before my regression, no amount of precaution could ever feel enough.
Her suicide had given me my first heartstone. In this life, I would prevent anything like that from happening. To ensure this, my mother’s safety was my top priority above all else.
Anyway.
Except for the increased risk of criminals targeting my mother, things were largely the same as before—until one day.
“Son? Mirae has overtime at the guild tonight, so we’ll eat just the two of us.”
“Okay~.”
Before dinner, my mother said this. I responded, but inwardly thought it was strange.
‘…Mirae has overtime?’
Yeon Mirae is an Aura Master. They wouldn’t waste her time on paperwork, so she must be delayed because of something only she could handle…
‘That must mean she’s dealing with a powerful enemy…’
Perhaps the Steelblood Guild members had entered a dungeon and failed their mission. The guild normally works with law enforcement to catch criminals, but that alone doesn’t pay the members, so they also tackle dungeon missions.
‘All Steelblood Guild fighters are veteran Awakeners or strong mutant team members. If they failed, only an Aura Master like Yeon Mirae could intervene.’
So it wasn’t that strange that Mirae had overtime. But…
‘…The guild wasn’t supposed to go to a dungeon today.’
According to the schedule, today was supposed to be a day for interrogating criminals or handing them over to the police, not dungeon missions. Yet she had overtime…
‘Something must have happened during the interrogation or handover.’
It probably wasn’t serious. If it had been, they would have informed me immediately. Most criminals recently caught by Steelblood were minor offenders.
At that moment, news appeared on TV.
[Earlier today, a man claiming to be a Regressor appeared and called Steelblood Guild’s Aura Master Yeon Mirae a fraud, causing a commotion before being caught by the police.]
“…Huh?”
“Hmm?”
My mother and I naturally looked at the TV upon hearing the familiar name.
A Regressor?
‘Well… I’m not the only one who could regress…’
I briefly considered the possibility of another regressor but immediately shook my head.
【User Han Gunwoo’s reset request.】
【Attempting to reset user Han Gunwoo.】
【Error.】
【【Harmonized Martial Art】blocked the reset of user Han Gunwoo.】
【Failed to reset the memories of user Han Gunwoo.】
【Failed to reset user Han Gunwoo’s martial art, 【Harmonized Martial Art】.】
The system had tried to erase my memories as well. But thanks to Harmonized Martial Art, my memories remained intact. This was how I, the regressor with memories of the future, came into being.
‘If that person on the screen regressed in the same way, theoretically, regression is possible…’
Just as I thought this, the system displayed a message.
【User Han Gunwoo’s status.】
【Regressor.】
【No regressors other than user Han Gunwoo exist.】
The system seemed to reassure me that I was the only regressor in this world. I set the message aside and thought: Then the person on the news must not be a regressor—they’re lying.
‘…Why?’
Why would someone do such a stupid thing? Maybe they even mistakenly believed they were a regressor? Or even if they truly thought so…
‘Why cause such a commotion?’
There was no benefit to claiming to be a regressor and making a scene. Even if he were a genuine regressor, he would just be treated as insane and taken to a mental hospital.
‘There might be a few who believe him…’
Just as some believed I was the Artist because of Kim Baekrang, some might believe this self-proclaimed regressor. But would they act to help him?
‘Unlikely.’
Some might help him genuinely, but most would seek to exploit his knowledge. Perhaps he didn’t anticipate that.
‘Hmm…’
Anyway, Mirae was likely delayed because of the event on the news. She would have to respond to the absurd accusation that she was a fraud.
‘She wouldn’t actually believe someone claiming to be a regressor…’
…Right? She’s not the type to be fooled by such lies.
The Steelblood Guild executives, including Yeon Mirae, visited the detention cell holding the self-proclaimed regressor.
If the person had Aura powers, the thin iron bars would be meaningless. But the self-proclaimed regressor wasn’t even an Awakener, so the bars sufficed.
“How do you assess this person claiming to be a regressor?”
“Assess? What do you mean? Saying Mirae is a fraud? We’ve seen her skills firsthand.”
Mirae’s strength was genuine. So she could not be a fraud. Therefore, the claims of the self-proclaimed regressor must be false…
“……”
Mirae herself remained silent. The problem was that the self-proclaimed regressor’s claims were strangely specific.
‘He said I was supposed to never awaken Aura and just end up teaching swordsmanship.’
That sounded believable. If she hadn’t met Han Gunwoo… she very well might have led that life. Knowing that, Mirae couldn’t easily dismiss him as a mere fraud. Perhaps he approached her precisely because their futures differed significantly.
‘There’s already one regressor. There’s no rule against a second one existing.’
The existing regressor meant Han Gunwoo. He had never claimed to be a regressor, but Mirae was confident he was. So she considered it possible that another regressor existed. Hence, the person in the cell could very well be a genuine regressor…
“Mirae.”
Ji Hyung-man, the guild master, who had roughly guessed Mirae’s thoughts, called her over and signaled her to follow him for a private conversation.
“Are you okay?”
“No…”
Mirae’s thoughts were tangled, wondering if the person really was a regressor. Ji Hyung-man sighed and said with certainty:
“He’s a fraud.”
Unlike Mirae, he was certain the person was not a regressor.
“How can you be sure? I might have led that life if I hadn’t met my teacher…”
“Anyone can speculate.”
“Huh?”
Ji Hyung-man explained patiently.
“Everyone knows you couldn’t use Aura before. And that you became an Aura Master overnight.”
“Right…”
After Han Gunwoo’s procedure, Mirae immediately revealed her internal energy and became famous as an Aura Master. Anyone who knew this could easily guess what happened overnight. If nothing had happened, Mirae would have continued living as a powerless half-capable.
“He lacks the experience a regressor would naturally have. He’s just voicing hypothetical guesses.”
A con artist who deceives with plausible lies—that was the identity of the self-proclaimed regressor. Ji Hyung-man was convinced.
“But… why pretend to be a regressor?”
“…Just a guess…”
Ji Hyung-man responded to Mirae’s question.
“I think he did it to contact you, Mirae.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He probably thought if he learned from you how you became an Aura Master overnight, he might awaken himself. That’s why he pulled this crazy stunt.”
Mirae was stunned.
“Surely no one would recklessly claim to be a regressor just for that…”
“Mirae, there are far crazier and stupider people in the world than you think.”
Ji Hyung-man said this, then walked toward the rest of the executives in the cell.
“……”
Mirae watched him for a moment before following, still doubting that such a trivial reason could drive someone to lie about being a regressor.
Shortly after, in the police interrogation room, Ji Hyung-man explained his theory to the self-proclaimed regressor.
“So you approached Mirae for that reason. Am I right?”
“……”
The self-proclaimed regressor broke into a cold sweat.
“…How is this for real…?”
Mirae muttered under her breath, and the Steelblood Guild members and police present all agreed.
