Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Chapter 1. Miracle

TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader

Swoosh.

Thick raindrops pour down like a torrential downpour. Yet, miraculously, as the rain beats down on this vast wilderness, it seems to avoid one spot entirely. More precisely, one person.

With a sonic boom, a woman cut through the rain, flying straight ahead.

“She’s getting away!”

“Don’t let her escape!”

Men armed in various ways tried to follow her, but their movements abruptly stopped at the cold words of a middle-aged man.

“That’s enough.”

Given that most of these men are haughty rankers from China, the scene is almost unbelievable.

“Chasing her is pointless. We’ll only shed unnecessary blood. The ritual comes first.”

For Zhang Liqiu, the master of Continental, the only guild in China, this was no hard task. His cold gaze fixates on a severed head rolling on the ground.

“Kim Shihyuk…”

A sinister smile creeps across Zhang Liqiu’s lips.

“Not bad for a minor country’s brat. But that’s it. A hero of a fallen nation has no place challenging me.”

Turning away from Kim Shihyuk’s head, his gaze lands on a makeshift altar prepared by his subordinates.

“Am I not more suited to be a god? Hahaha!” Zhang Liqiu bursts out laughing. The guild members, in response, kneeled and showed their respect, much like ministers would to an emperor of old.

Zhang Liqiu spreads his arms wide, looking up at the pouring rain.

“Do you see? I, Zhang Liqiu, have kept my promise to you!”

Thunder rumbles. The sky flashes with a crimson lightning, filling Zhang Liqiu’s face with ecstasy.

Then, suddenly, the downpour stops. Not simply ceasing, but halting entirely. Just as it had avoided the woman earlier, the rainfall parts like a curtain. Caught in this divide, crimson lightning twists and coils, forming an immense eyeball, its sharp pupil fixing on Zhang Liqiu.

“Yes, you have done well, Zhang Liqiu.”

The voice of the eyeball, colder and more chilling than any description could capture, holds a power that seems to press down on one’s heart.

“Guh, cough!”

Those furthest away, the weaker guild members, begin to fall one by one. Yet, Zhang Liqiu pays them no mind.

“Now it’s your turn to fulfill your promise.”

The elation on his face quickly turns to madness.

“Ascend me to the constellation of Earth’s divine ruler, the Spear God!”

“Agreed.”

The crimson eye vibrated minutely, and dark smoke swirls around Zhang Liqiu as a series of messages appears before him.

[Requesting the birth of Earth’s divine ruler, ??? as NO. 274]

[Analyzing situation…….]

“At last!”

Zhang Liqiu’s face lights up with a broad smile. After all his efforts, how could he not rejoice?

However,

[The candidate is not qualified.]

[Expanding search…….]

“What?”

Zhang Liqiu’s expression freezes but only for a moment. The dark clouds that had enveloped him spread in all directions.

[Qualification holder deceased.]

[There is no longer a reason to continue the arena on NO. 274 Earth.]

[Completely terminating the NO. 274 Earth’s arena.]

[With the termination of the Galaxy Arena, withdrawing NO. 274 Earth’s protection rights.]

As the messages faded, so too did the dark cloud hovering around Kim Shihyuk’s severed head.

Flash.

Suddenly, the sky sparkles with a vivid aurora of colors. The display is brief, and as quickly as the rainbow hues appeared, they vanish.

“What is this…?”

Zhang Liqiu looks around bewildered, as do the kneeling members of Continental. As rankers, they sense the change on Earth, likely related to the withdrawal of protection rights mentioned by the system. Their confusion, however, doesn’t last long.

-Oh dear. Zhang Liqiu, it seems you were not qualified after all.

The situation is clear.

“You! How dare you deceive me…”

-Zhang Liqiu. I have not deceived you.

“Ugh!”

Before he knows it, a lightning bolt from the eye strikes Zhang Liqiu’s shoulder. Not only him but the surrounding guild members are all penetrated by lightning emanating from the eye.

It was only because Zhang Liqiu was one of the strongest, paralleling Kim Shihyuk, that he survived a shoulder strike.

-I requested your ascension, as you wished. It’s just that…

Zhang Liqiu distances himself, cutting through what seemed like a blood vessel or some appendage, retreating further from the eye.

-You were not qualified.

“Nonsense! You said if I killed Kim Shihyuk, I would ascend to become the Spear God…”

His words halt. Was the eye seeing through him?

-Yes, ‘I did say’ that. If the qualified holder, Kim Shihyuk were to die, ‘perhaps’ you would become the divine ruler of Earth.

Its words seemed almost to mock him.

-Ah, this moment is always delightful. Always refreshing.

“Curse you!!”

-Your world will serve as a fine feast, Zhang Liqiu.

* * *

Bang.

“Hey, noonim’s here.”

The door swung open violently. The humble shack might as well have been on the verge of collapse, but the woman paid it no mind as she stepped in, surveying books, flasks, and pipes sprawling like veins.

However, she didn’t see the person she was looking for.

“What’s this bastard making now?”

Frowning, she moved expertly across the cramped space. The location of the home’s owner was obvious.

She hadn’t walked far when she flung open a worn-out door. A man surrounded by a complex array of symbols faced her amidst a surge of unusual magical waves.

“Hey! What are you making now?”

“You’re here?”

His body was emaciated to the point of resembling the famine of a poor country.

She chuckled dryly as she looked at the intricate patterns drawn before the emaciated man.

“Kim Shimun, why are you holding onto something like this even though the world is collapsing around you? Do you find this amusing?”

“Where’s the fun in an alchemist not doing alchemy?”

There didn’t seem to be any space left to draw.

Kim Shimun continued to fill the empty alchemical circles on the floor.

The woman, shaking her head at the sight, tossed a small bag next to Kim Shimun.

“Here, take it.”

“What’s this?”

“A gift.”

“A gift?”

“Yeah. Take it as an honor. It’s the first time I’ve ever given a gift to a guy.”

With that, the woman threw herself onto the worn-out sofa.

Kim Shimun’s expression froze as he opened the bag.

“…What happened?”

“Don’t you see? Just as you expected, Zhang Liqiu, that bastard, betrayed your little brother.”

“But still, why didn’t Shihyuk use this?”

“I thought he would. But after all the guild members died, he tossed it my way.”

“Is that so?”

Kim Shimun looked into the bag with a complicated expression.

The woman, noticing his hesitation, asked, “Um… why aren’t you saying anything?”

“About what?”

“I brought only that without helping your brother.”

Kim Shimun chuckled dryly and continued drawing the alchemical circles.

“You didn’t need to help.”

“Really? If I had helped, we might have killed that Zhang Liqiu bastard, you know?”

“The lands here are teeming with top rankers from the mainland continents. It’s unlikely. Which is why Shihyuk probably passed on this.”

“…to think a low-level like you has such a discerning eye.”

As Kim Shimun packed up his bag, he gazed up at the ceiling. Through a sizable gap, the dark night sky was visible, though the torrential rain outside couldn’t breach inside. Of course—it was a shanty house, albeit one infused with Kim Shimun’s alchemy.

“Malsuk.”

“Ah, damn it! How many times have I told you not to call me by that name?”

“If not by name, then how should one address a person?”

“The world knows me by other names. Heavenly, Demon.”

“Pfft.”

Kim Shimun couldn’t contain his laughter.

“Oh, laughing now, are we?”

Anyone else would’ve had their head smashed in by now, but unfortunately, Heavenly Demon Go Malsuk didn’t have that option with Kim Shimun.

“Damn bastard.”

Irritably lighting a cigarette, she exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“Either way, I’dve repaid my debt to you with this.”

“Debt?”

Kim Shimun tilted his head, puzzled, but then shook it with a forced laugh.

“Ah. You were still holding onto that?”

“That! Because of my revenge, your brother…”

“That’s not it.”

Kim Shimun cut off sharply.

“Your revenge was justified, and those people deserved their punishment. Your revenge and the mainland continents are separate matters.”

“…always were one to stand out.”

Go Malsuk rose, scratching her head, but there seemed to be a small smile on her lips.

“Huh? Where are you going so soon?”

“To wreak havoc. Saw Zhang Liqiu on the way here, summoned something truly amazing.”

That thing, with eyes as red as blood, was an unchallenged high-ranker. Even for Heavenly Demon, it gave off a presence cold enough to chill her.

“From the way you’re putting it, it must be something terrifying.”

“Yeah. You saw the message from the system too, right? About the revocation of protection rights and such.”

“Yeah. Was quite shocked when it came up all of a sudden.”

Kim Shimun bit his lip.

‘The system mentioned the death of the holder of the Constellation.’

It must have been his brother, Shihyuk, who was the holder.

Kim Shimun was the only one aware of the state of Sword Saint Kim Shihyuk.

“It means something, though I don’t know what, but it seems we’re seriously screwed.”

Go Malsuk ruffled her hair roughly.

“Since that alert, the mobs around here have nearly doubled. Saw several outbreaks happen all of a sudden.”

“That quickly?”

“Yeah. This place probably won’t be safe either. You might really die this time.”

Go Malsuk’s mouth twisted in a smirk with the cigarette still in place.

Kim Shimun, chuckling, inquired,

“Why aren’t you running then?”

“Fleeing isn’t Go Malsuk’s style. Besides, I don’t have much reason to live on.”

With that, she flicked away her cigarette butt and leisurely walked towards the exit.

“Hey, don’t throw that away. Drink it. Even that esteemed Sword Saint gave up his life to yield it to you.”

“Sorry, but that was originally mine.”

“Oh, is that so? But why was your brother holding onto it until now?”

Go Malsuk paused at the door, then—

“……”

Squeak.

With a faint humming, she closed the worn door behind her. Given the downpour outside, it was a sound hard to catch, but it was crystal clear to Kim Shimun in his domain.

‘…thank you for everything.’

A small smile formed on Kim Shimun’s lips.

“Really, they say people change when death approaches. Old sayings aren’t wrong.”

The words uncharacteristic of the worlds’ top three mad women, Heavenly Demon Go Malsuk.

Shaking off the smile, Kim Shimun resumed drawing his array.

It didn’t take long.

Go Malsuk had arrived when it was already more than 95% complete.

“All that’s left is a source of energy for the array… and you’ve arrived just in time.”

Kim Shimun opened the bag Go Malsuk had passed to him.

Gleaming.

A white liquid, cradling a soft rainbow hue, swirled inside a small glass bottle.

As he inspected it closely, a familiar window popped up in Kim Shimun’s view.

[Elixir]

Grade – ?

A mythical product of alchemy.

A panacea said to be effective even on gods.

The greatest achievement in Kim Shimun’s life.

Elixir, along with various materials brought by his brother Kim Shihyuk and Heavenly Demon Go Malsuk, was a culmination of all his time spent in alchemy after awakening.

‘Had I not obtained the Emerald Tablet, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of this…’

With a bitter look, Kim Shimun opened his mouth.

“Status Window.”

Title:

System: Magic

Level: 1

Affiliation: Republic of Korea

Strength: 1

Agility: 1

Stamina: 3

Magic: 0

Owned Traits – Magic Inability

Achievement Points – 5,000

Despair.

This single word sufficiently explained his status window.

Truthfully, surviving this long with such a status window was a miracle.

He should’ve died as soon as regular arena battles began.

‘Lucky, I suppose.’

His country crumbled, yet his brother, Kim Shihyuk, a player vying for the world’s strongest, along with personal luck and connections like Go Malsuk had kept him alive.

Especially, Magic Inability wasn’t just about the inability to use magic; his physical body was deteriorating as well.

Perhaps what remained was venom?

His spirit hadn’t broken, and thus he managed to create the Elixir, the pinnacle of alchemy…

“It’s all futile now.”

His basic stats were less than half of level 1’s.

Though the miraculous elixir might enhance stats, he was still basically level 1.

‘Even if I cured my Magic Inability by drinking the elixir, I would meet a miserable end.’

Casually passing mobs could blow him away.

Brother, you should have just drunk it and lived a bit longer.”

Kim Shimun smiled bitterly.

Well, he understood the sentiment of the brother who brought this here.

And that of Malsuk, who delivered it.

In a world shattered post-regular arena, his last wish was to fulfill his own desires before death.

“What use is it now… No, it’s not entirely useless.”

Kim Shimun pulled out the stopper from the elixir.

An indescribable fragrance filled his nostrils, revitalizing his entire body, yet Kim Shimun didn’t consume it.

“Thanks to you guys, I’dve achieved the two goals that were my life’s ambitions.”

Alchemy, the only power the magic-incapable him could wield in the magical system.

Hence, he delved headfirst into alchemy.

One of the two mythical products recorded in the Emerald Tablet.

He even managed to synthesize the Elixir.

Now, only one product remained.

“In a place not even my old lab, who knows if this will succeed.”

Drip.

The so-called panacea for deities, the Elixir, spilled onto the floor.

More accurately, it was directed onto the Emerald Tablet placed at the center of the array.

‘The tablet was half destroyed when making the elixir. This alchemy might completely shatter it?’

The Emerald Tablet, held precious as the sole key to his cure, was now willingly broken by his own hands.

Perhaps because the end of the world was near, he didn’t feel regret but rather liberation.

“Here we go.”

After pouring all the Elixir, Kim Shimun stepped out of the array and placed his hands on the ground.

Thanks to his accursed Magic Inability, he felt no magic, but it didn’t matter.

Alchemy was about equivalent exchange.

As long as he satisfied an equivalent exchange in some form within the magic system, he could use it as much as he wanted.

Snap.

A small spark appeared above the array.

Soon, it transformed into a thunderstorm of intense lightning.

Flash!

The room was momentarily illuminated.

Eventually, the white light faded slowly, revealing the old floor where the dense array once was.

“It… succeeded.”

The disappearance of the array signified the success of the alchemy, along with familiar messages.

[You have synthesized a mythical alchemy product.]

[You’ve earned 5,000 achievement points.]

[This category has been deactivated due to depletion.]

Similar to when he created the Elixir, but with a difference this time.

[You have created both mythical alchemy products.]

[You have acquired the title ‘Pioneer of Alchemy’.]

[You have obtained your first title.]

[You have gained 500 achievement points.]

[Deactivation as the only instance in this category.]

“Ho-ho? Now they even gave a title.”

With a slight chuckle, Kim Shimun moved towards the center of the alchemy circle.

Crunch.

Faded fragments crunched underfoot.

They were likely pieces of the Emerald Tablet used in the alchemical process.

Among them,

Kim Shimun picked up a colorless, perfectly smooth stone.

“This is it.”

A mythical creation possible through alchemy, alongside an elixir.

[Philosopher’s Stone]

Bound Status: ?

Grade: ?

A mythical product of alchemy.

Anything can be alchemically created as long as equivalent exchange is possible.

“Perfect success.”

Using a precious elixir as an energy source, of which he doubted he could produce a second, was a natural course.

“Though the taste is bitter.”

Despite having created a mythical item, the euphoria experienced upon creating the elixir was absent.

Perhaps, unlike the elixir, it was because no information was recorded on the Emerald Tablet.

Yes.

That must be it.

Comforting himself with that thought, Kim Shimun examined the Philosopher’s Stone again.

“It’s a bound item, huh…”

Binding it would not be difficult.

Kim Shimun promptly took out a small dagger.

And lightly sliced the tip of his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the Philosopher’s Stone.

Drop.

As if mixing red paint into clear water, the colorless Philosopher’s Stone absorbed Kim Shimun’s blood, etching the name Kim Shimun as its owner.

Then,

Sssh.

“Ah?!”

The Philosopher’s Stone melted into Kim Shimun’s palm, and the sensation of it flowing up his arm to his chest was extraordinarily strange.

Thus absorbed, the Philosopher’s Stone positioned itself at the very center of Kim Shimun’s chest.

Thump.

Pulsing like a living heart, something thin began to extend throughout his body.

“Ugh!”

Thud.

His knees involuntarily buckled.

Not from pain, as he felt none, but rather as if a kind of blood vessel, the movement of his body become awkward due to the Philosopher’s Stone extending throughout him.

Then,

Boom!!

A deafening explosion rang out, along with something rolling towards him.

It wasn’t hard to identify.

The very head of Heavenly Demon he had been conversing with moments ago, Go Malsuk.

“Typical, indeed.”

Rather than anger or shock, a snort of laughter was his first response.

Unavoidably so.

For the severed head wore a hearty smile.

Following this incident,

-Oh-ho?

A voice that made his heart plummet resonated.

Struggling to lift his head,

-The Philosopher’s Stone? I can hardly believe it, even seeing with my own eyes.

The immense pressure, along with a pair of dark red eyes peering down from the blasted open ceiling, were visible.

Given its overwhelming presence, it must surely be a Constellation or a being of similar magnitude.

-The possibilities of a world bearing the potential for a Constellation’s birth? An unforeseen harvest indeed.

“What?”

Unable to speak due to the Philosopher’s Stone extending even into his head,

Kim Shimun’s eyes widened as he recalled the words of Go Malsuk summoned by Zhang Liqiu,

and quickly came to a conclusion.

“It’s all because of that guy.”

The withdrawal of the Galaxy Arena’s protection,

Zhang Liqiu’s persistent efforts to kill his brother, Kim Shihyuk, all likely the work of this giant reptilian eyed entity.

Kim Shimun’s gaze fell upon Go Malsuk’s head, still smiling.

“Damn…”

He gritted his teeth.

Even with a body not even at level 1, anger surged unbidden.

“If only I wasn’t magic-disabled!”

It wasn’t that he thought he could defeat this formidable being.

It was the frustration at his own impotence, unable to even throw a punch at the one responsible for his brother and friend’s deaths.

Then,

[Synchronization complete. The Philosopher’s Stone has settled perfectly.]

[Stats Magic and Stamina are converted into the unique stat Alchemy Energy.]

[You have achieved the ‘Acquire Unique Stat’ achievement.]

[You have gained 1,000 achievement points.]

[Deactivation as the only instance in this category.]

“Unique stat?”

He had no time to be surprised,

for his paralyzed body regained freedom.

At the same time,

Omm.

A clear tinnitus rang at the heart’s center.

Not in human language, but Kim Shimun clearly understood the Philosopher’s Stone’s message,

more like a communication of wills.

“To alchemize anything you desire?”

Being born from alchemy, perhaps that was the reason?

The Philosopher’s Stone’s suggestion was unexpected, but required no deep contemplation.

What he currently desired,

“To strike that bastard.”

At the same time,

“To live a life free from magic disability.”

Could there be such an alchemic creation?

There was no need to even ask.

The moment he thought of those things,

Ommm!

The tinnitus at his chest escalated to an unprecedented level.

[Searching the owner’s category for suitable targets…]

[Search failed. Expanding search area using alchemy energy.]

“Argh!”

As if being squeezed by an ogre’s hand, pain spread from his head and chest.

But the pain was fleeting.

[Search complete. The most suitable item is the Book of XXXX.]

[Alchemic power vastly insufficient for equivalent exchange.]

[Utilizing the Philosopher’s Stone’s inherent alchemy energy for independent alchemy.]

[Commencing unique alchemy.]

The intense pain disappeared as if it were a lie, and without his own volition, Kim Shimun extended his hand towards the dark red eyes.

Then,

Click.

With a flick of his fingers,

Bzzt!

A terrifying white light streamed between his fingers,

instantaneously forming a shape.

It was a book.

No, something akin to a stele containing the universe.

[The original owner of XXXX blinks at the birth of an artifact he never created.]

[His attention turns towards player Kim Shimun.]

-This is impossible!!

Regrettably,

-It’s nonsensical! How could a human manipulate the artifact of my foolish father!

[You’ve caught the attention of a Constellation for the first time.]

[You have gained 1,000 achievement points.]

[You have attracted the attention of a Constellation not registered in the Galaxy Arena, XXXX.]

[Galaxy Arena sends commendations for an achievement not even a Constellation could accomplish.]

[You have gained 1,000,000 achievement points.]

[Deactivation as the only instance in this category.]

[You have obtained the title ‘He Who Attracts the Gaze from Beyond’.]

[Deactivation as the only instance in this category…]

Is it said that hearing is the last to go among human senses?

Despite the flood of incoming messages and the astonishment in those dark red reptilian eyes, Kim Shimun could not check the messages.

From the moment the alchemy concluded, his vision along with all other senses had vanished.

-No, this can’t be! Father! This is my…

Even as the eyeball creature’s astonishment ceased,

“I’m not sure what happened,”

as if even his soul were being crushed, overwhelmed by fatigue, “but it’s certain I struck the bastard.”

Kim Shimun let go of consciousness with satisfaction.