Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
Chapter 324: Will Cripple You For Life

I turned away from the Regressor and focused.

Geon (乾), Gon (坤), Gam (坎), and Li (離) — the four ‘directions’ in which humans could extend their Qi.

Geon represents the Sky, or rather, the surroundings.

With me at the center, my Qi reaches out to influence everything around me.

Using Geon, I reach out and grasp the handle firmly, as if my hand and the handle had always been one.

Gon is the Earth.

It grounds me and establishes my place in the world, helping me understand how small I am compared to the vast universe.

Through Gon, I feel the earth rushing beneath my feet.

Gam represents my flesh.

From this point on, the world no longer matters. The body is its own tiny universe, only separated from the outside by a thin layer of skin.

I infuse my muscles, bones, and flesh with Qi to transcend human limitations…

“Ugh, I’m already running out of Qi…”

…But from here, I’m a bit weak. Gam affects the entire body, so it consumes much more Qi.

Breaking a weapon is fine, but my own body is a completely different story.

I stabilized my posture as much as possible and gathered just enough Qi in my muscles to hold out.

Even with just a sliver of Qi, it helps a little.

If I could just hold on like this…

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

Perhaps sensing my danger, Azzy stuck her face out toward me and barked furiously, as if she might jump out at any moment.

Yes, a dog truly was a human’s best friend.

Even if it was just barking, I still appreciate it all the same.

Dogs were always comforting.

“Azzy, you’re the best! But don’t worry, I’ll definitely—”

“I can’t hold back anymore!”

With that shout, Azzy suddenly jumped.

Her form whizzed past me, landing far behind in the dirt, but she turned and rushed back toward the sled, grinning ear to ear.

Wait a second… is this excitement I’m feeling from Azzy?

“Woof woof! Let’s play tag!”

“Was it hunting instinct all along?!”

“Nom! Woof, caught you! I’ll let go now!”

“If you’re going to let go, don’t grab me in the first place! You’re making me wobble!”

Every time Azzy’s form flickered in my peripheral vision, the sled shook wildly.

Thankfully, she didn’t seem intent on toppling me completely, but she kept nudging me, throwing off my balance.

This is bad.

If it were a human messing with the sled, I could read their thoughts and react, but with Azzy, I have to rely solely on my own abilities—and I don’t trust myself enough for that!

“This is really dangerous! Hilde! Emergency! Help!”

As I screamed for help, Hilde smiled calmly and asked.

“Would you like some help, Father?”

“Yes! Quickly!”

Hilde leaped to her feet and struck a serious pose with her hands on her hips.

She took a deep breath and then alternated stretching out her arms and legs, shouting out cheerfully.

“Fighting, fighting! You can do it, Father! ‘I’ am here for you!”

“Stop cheering and give me some real help!”

“If I may offer advice, bend your knees a little more! Your lower body seems a bit weak!”

“How is that real help?!”

And weak legs?

That’s just my reality!

The King of Humans isn’t exactly known for having strong legs!

Damn it. I can’t believe they’re enjoying my suffering like this.

I’ve been through a lot of humiliating moments, but I’m still the King of Humans.

Fueled by anger, I shouted at them.

“You all better watch out! Once I get stronger, I’m going to make every one of you pay!”

“Please do. I’d love to see it.”

Especially you, Regressor. Be ready.

***

“Woof. All done.”

Azzy saved me when I was about to collapse from exhaustion.

Well, “saved” might be a stretch.

She bit the back of my neck and jumped, pulling me up when I couldn’t hold on any longer.

My arms were sore, my waist ached, my hands shook, and my calves were swollen.

I had no strength left, and I couldn’t control my Qi properly.

“That was fun! Woof! Let’s play again later!”

“Of course, all you ever think about is playing…”

We’re both Beast Kings, yet here I am using up all my Qi just trying to hold on to a sled, while she’s able to run at the same speed without even breaking a sweat.

It’s completely unfair.

I lay down on the floor of the Catafract, still full of resentment from the “training” I had just undergone.

After a while, the Regressor spoke to me.

“Already out of Qi? Unbelievable! For someone who’s mastered Gon Qi, you’re way too weak!”

“…Do you think I wanted to be born like this? If I could’ve chosen my body before birth, I would’ve picked yours, Mr. Shei.”

“Do you think I got my power for free?”

Maybe not your power, but you did get the regression for free.

And if you got your Qi, mana, and relics thanks to regression, they’re as good as free too.

The Regressor scratched her chin, looking down at me.

“Anyway, your balance seems better than I thought. Your Qi output and control aren’t bad. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“…Your Qi reserves are pitiful. You have only slightly more than a regular person who’s never trained in anything.”

Thanks for the insight.

I already knew that, but it’s nice to have it confirmed.

“But don’t worry! That just makes things simpler. If you’re low on Qi, you just need to increase it!”

“Easier said than done. How am I supposed to increase it?”

“There’s a simple way. It’s expensive, though.”

The Regressor drew a circle in the air with her finger, and following its path, a round hole appeared in midair.

She reached inside, rummaging around. Hilde covered her mouth in shock.

“Wow. Shei, is that…?”

“It’s my pocket.”

“That’s Rene’s Pocket! You have one of those?”

“I’ve got one.”

“There are only four in the world! And you say you just have one? Are you the son of some king or something?”

“Ha! I wish.”

｢Let’s see… not this one, not this… ah, here it is.｣

Brushing off the awkward question, the Regressor pulled out a small box sealed with a black lock.

She opened it and held it out to me.

“Here. This is an elixir.”

A white orb wrapped in medicinal paper appeared, emitting a slightly fishy yet refreshing scent.

I lifted my head just enough to see it.

“An elixir?”

“Yeah. How much you absorb depends on your ability.”

An elixir, huh?

I’m not sure how to feel.

I did tell them that if they wanted me to grow stronger, they should’ve just given me an elixir instead of doing all that training nonsense.

But that’s no reason to refuse.

This is my first time taking a real elixir.

Who knows? Maybe it’ll help me regain my strength.

And this elixir is…

“Wow, The Ivory Pill! That’s the rare elixir made only from the essence of elephants!”

Sniffing the air, Hilde recognized the elixir and exclaimed.

Partly out of genuine surprise, but also to draw the conversation out.

Standard social skills, but the Regressor was anything but standard. She replied indifferently.

“Yep.”

“How did you get it? Elephants treat their dead with such reverence that it’s hard to collect anything, even from a freshly deceased one!”

“I found it somewhere.”

“Wow. That’s such an obvious ‘I don’t want to tell you’ answer! First, it’s ‘I found the relic,’ and now it’s ‘I found the elixir.’ Why on earth do you all follow someone like this?”

Tyr responded to Hilde’s grumbling.

“It is sentiment, and if sentiment is lacking, then perhaps mutual dislike. We have worked together long enough for that to form, at the very least.”

｢D-dislike…?｣

Why were you surprised by that? Of course, it’s dislike.

Did you think it was fondness?

“By the way, Shei. I heard that elixirs should be taken in a calm and stable environment.”

“That’s right.”

“But no matter how I look at it, this bumpy cart does not seem like a stable environment. Should you not move Hu to a place that is more stable before he takes the elixir?”

“You’re right.”

“How about my coffin? It is after all calm and peaceful inside…”

｢My coffin is like an extension of my body. I can eliminate even the tiniest vibrations. Fufufu, this is the perfect opportunity to finally put Hu in my coffin.｣

“Oh, that won’t work. To absorb Qi properly, it’s better to do it on solid ground.”

“…Why not?”

“If you’re moving, the Qi doesn’t settle as well. Especially if you’re using Gon Qi, it could cause problems. It’s better to stop for a while and wait for him to absorb it slowly.”

“Even in my coffin?”

“A moving coffin is still moving, right?”

A little disappointed, Tyr responded curtly.

“Then, I suppose Hu will not be able to take the elixir while we are on the move.”

“We’re stopping soon anyway. The sun is setting, and we’re entering the Fallen Dominion’s territory. The golem has also reached its limit.”

The golem remained silent, gripping the controls.

Judging by the lack of any response, it had probably reached its limit long ago.

“You said we were in a hurry. Why stop now?”

“Well, it’s better to travel through the Fallen Dominion during the day. You’ll understand once you see for yourself…”

That much is true.

The Fallen Dominion is a land where everything changes—even the terrain isn’t exempt.

What’s true today won’t be true tomorrow, and nothing can be trusted.

It’s a land of distrust where everything shifts constantly.

“Look, there’s a camp over there. Let’s stop by.”

The Regressor spotted a distant campfire and some faint human silhouettes, muttering as she led us toward them.