The Regressor Wants to Become a Hero

As he found himself once again standing on that familiar yet wearisome level, where he had once lingered close to death, he felt a unique emotion.

The magic flowing from his dantian and spreading throughout his body had become purer than before, and the flames rising between his fingers moved with remarkable stability.

His physical condition, previously so poor that he was drenched in cold sweat from exhaustion, had rapidly improved.

Before his regression, he had reached Level 5 by accumulating all sorts of experiences. This time, however, he had advanced based on significant achievements worthy of being called feats, making the sense of growth distinctly different.

“Haaah…”

Ian sighed with deep satisfaction.

A sense of fulfillment.

If he were to reach Level 6, a whole new world would open up.

How long had it been since he last felt such anticipation? It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced even when he obtained the Piercing Spear, Pamael.

Smiling, he extended his hand toward the blazing sphere of fire above his head and grabbed it in midair.

Whoosh!

The flames, tangled like a complex knot, lost their cohesion and dissolved into the atmosphere.

To be honest, considering the amount of magic it consumed, it was challenging to use properly at his current level. However, thinking of it as preparation in advance, there was no harm in it.

The foundational structure was complete, and there was ample potential for development. He could make adjustments whenever he encountered issues.

He never wanted to feel the helplessness he experienced at the Fortress of Helrem again.

Of course, Ian was painfully aware that he was not a hero. It was a thought that never left his mind.

Yet, he put in the effort simply because he wanted to be of help to the hero he would one day meet again.

And that hero was singular.

“Abella.”

The fourth one chosen by Lord Hamir.

The one who defeated the Outer God that descended upon this world, achieving the most remarkable feat in history.

The one who stayed by his side until the very end. But none of that existed in the current timeline.

“It can’t even be called the past.”

It was something that would happen in the future.

“But she remembered me.”

Technically, remembering isn’t accurate, since he read the future. Knowing was the precise term.

Though the memory was fragmented, it was something.

The first step wasn’t bad. But standing by her side still required a lot from him.

Even now, she must be growing rapidly.

That’s what heroes are like.

He wondered where she was at this moment. Even just a glimpse would be nice. It was simply that kind of feeling.

“This isn’t the time for that.”

Saying a glimpse would suffice was a lie.

He wanted to be by her side as she moved forward and would ask once again, now that he had reached Level 5, to be with her.

However, Abella might already be approaching the level of 6.

If he let himself be held back by weakness, he would end up with the same outcome as before his regression.

Heroes are born with natural talent.

They are those who raise the star of their soul, complete their vision, look up at the sky, and eventually reach beyond that very sky.

Chosen by the lords who dwell on an even higher plane than those individuals, their potential for growth was greater than anyone else’s.

This has been true for all heroes in history. Yet even those heroes met their end when facing the Outer Seas; such was the reality of this world.

And so, people would fall, and become corrupt.

“Level 6.”

He could reach it. His spirituality was already prepared. All that remained was for his body and magic to follow suit.

Ian exhaled as he thought of the tasks awaiting him. Reflecting on his emotions was only fitting just before sleep.

The path ahead was far longer than the one he had walked so far, and he couldn’t allow himself to falter already.

After washing up and eating, Ian set out toward Valoren Street in the great city of Lus.

* * *

Magic Shop, Milky Way. Ian looked at the sign with stars flowing across it and stepped inside.

Ding-a-ling

A pleasant chime. But the smell of tobacco he had anticipated was absent. Instead, the place was bustling with people.

He distinctly remembered it being quiet during his previous visit, yet today, it was packed with customers.

At the counter, people stood in a line, waiting their turn.

An employee wearing glasses, who should have been feeling rushed, was calmly checking prices and handling each transaction one by one.

Yet, no one was causing a fuss or urging him on. Despite the crowd, it wasn’t very noisy either.

Ian scanned the line at the counter.

“They’re young.”

Their faces were youthful overall, looking just past the threshold of adulthood. It was clear they were still growing.

“Students.”

Although their attire varied, they all wore a common insignia on their collars, indicating they were from the empire’s top academy, Akashic.

They seemed itching to talk, glancing at those beside them, yet kept their mouths tightly shut as if under a silent curse.

It appeared they knew the shop owner was a Level 6 superhuman, but even he was too occupied with customers to indulge in a cigarette.

“…Then how about this one, Professor? It meets the criteria you specified.”

“Oh, indeed. That will do nicely. And who recommended this?”

“Even so, please do speak up if something seems amiss.”

“Rest assured. Up to now, that’s never been an issue.”

The professor, seemingly a returning customer, spoke with full confidence.

It might take some time, but given how quickly the line was moving, it wouldn’t be too long a wait.

Thinking he’d browse for a while, Ian headed to the display tables.

Each material had a label written in beautiful handwriting, but he recognized only a few and only vaguely understood their uses. He only knew they were expensive, having heard about them roughly from colleagues.

The fact that they had value was what mattered.

“Seems like the ones related to alchemy are kept separate.”

He’d browsed from the first floor to the third, but everything was limited to raw materials.

Since the store sign read “Magic Shop” rather than “Materials Shop,” it was likely that finished products were only sold to specific clients.

He was pondering this when the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention.

Turning his head, he saw a woman from the first floor, who had been busy attending customers, striding briskly in his direction.

“Looking for something?”

“I was just browsing.”

“For someone who’s just browsing, you seem rather focused….”

“Well, it’s fascinating.”

Ian held up a small glass vial and raised it toward the ceiling light. The liquid inside looked as if fire itself had been captured within.

With just a slight shake, it swirled violently, drawing him in with its mesmerizing flow.

There were countless other items here, beautiful enough to inspire awe just by looking.

“It’s best not to stare too long. Prolonged exposure can cause permanent damage to your vision.”

“…And you’re displaying such dangerous items here?”

“Oh? What do you mean? I’ve clearly marked a caution label, haven’t I?”

Beside each ingredient’s nameplate, there was indeed a red warning, though it didn’t specify the exact reason for caution.

He had assumed it was merely a warning not to handle it with bare hands or drink it.

With a wry smile, Ian carefully set the vial back down.

“Sometimes ignorance is bliss,” he thought, feeling a sudden blur in his vision.

“Are all the customers gone?”

“Yes, the students from Akashic stopped by briefly on a field trip. It got unexpectedly busy.”

“So, you know the professor?”

“Oh? How did you know?”

“I overheard your conversation when I entered the store. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I could hear it clearly. I apologize if it was intrusive.”

“It’s fine. If it were private, I’d have kept it from being overheard. If you don’t need any specific materials, come downstairs. I think I know what you’re looking for.”

She could’ve had an assistant bring him down, yet she hadn’t led him to a private parlor either.

The spot beside the entrance on the first floor seemed to be her designated place—a plush chair where she lounged comfortably, extending her hand toward a cigarette holder floating in mid-air.

Even if she was a Level 6 superhuman with special status in the empire, wasn’t her posture a bit too insolent?

“Is this how you receive customers?”

“Oh my, don’t like it? That’s odd. This is my way of making amends for the wait. There are plenty who enjoy being looked down on.”

She leaned forward slightly, her tone teasing. Ian let out a short laugh.

Her face turned a bit disappointed by his lack of response, and she continued with a nonchalant expression.

“Last time, you were the one who brought Baphomet’s head, right? The elder recommended you.”

She was referring to the High Priest of the Pantheon.

Ian nodded.

“So, you remember.”

“Of course. I didn’t expect the young master of Berger to be looking for stimulants, but there’s been quite a bit of talk recently, hasn’t there? You must be aware of your reputation. Quite positive, of course.”

Her last remark was likely in comparison to the past.

“I’d thought it was about time you visited again, but I didn’t expect you to come empty-handed.”

“Was I supposed to bring a gift?”

“I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but I was referring to materials. Did you not bring any Dragon’s body parts? Even a claw would’ve been fine.”

“I don’t have any. It was just a worthless imitation of a Dragon to begin with.”

The so-called ‘Dragon’ was merely a nickname people used in the absence of a proper term.

The woman reclined against her chair, taking a draw from her cigarette holder.

“So, what brings you here? Medicine? Magic items?”

“I’d like to purchase more of that Wigner Gamma you gave me last time. If there’s a stronger version, I’d take that instead.”

“Oh, you must’ve liked it? How many do you use on average per week?”

“…It varies depending on the situation. But you can give me plenty. It wasn’t intentional, but I find myself using it often.”

He even took it during training to help with concentration.

Relying on medicine could hinder him from reaching a higher level, but if he had some immunity to side effects, there was no reason not to use it.

He didn’t see it as a bad thing. It was like weapons, armor, or relics—consumable, temporary aids.

Eventually, he’d need to use everything available to him.

“Oh, and do you have any mana recovery potions?”

“Are you using it as a standard potion or…?”

“It’s for use during combat.”

“Higher recovery potions are a bit rare. You do have money, right?”

Ian reached into his coat and pulled out an elegant black card adorned with gold.

The woman’s eyes curved in recognition.

With a gentle exhale of smoke, she stood up, turned around, and opened a drawer, her gaze thoughtful.

“Hm… Just so you know, relying on medicine isn’t ideal.”

“I know.”

“From the looks of it, you seem stronger than last time. How long did the side effects from Gamma last?”

“There were none, really.”

She turned, surprised. “None at all?”

“Maybe while I was taking it, but nothing significant. It didn’t interfere with my daily life.”

When he’d faced the Dragon and even given it to Dior, there had been no mention of side effects, suggesting it wasn’t a unique case.

“Wow, seems like the warriors of Berger are a bit different. What was the duration? The average is about 30 minutes.”

“It was short—around 15 minutes, maybe.”

“That was before reaching Level 5?”

“I haven’t tried it since reaching Level 5.”

“It’ll likely be even shorter now. This one won’t be much different. I’d recommend trying it first—Wigner Delta. An upgraded version of Gamma. The effects are stronger, but… unfortunately, the duration is shorter. And the side effects have become more intense. Same symptoms, though. Smiling while fighting isn’t so bad, right?”

“…”

“Smiling is good. In this harsh life, what would we do without laughter? Here, take it. Fifteen units. If you have a subspace item, it’ll be fine, but if not, use them within two months. After that, the efficacy will drop. And here’s the mana recovery potion. Now, hand over the card.”

With a bright smile, she stated a steep price, swiping his card before Ian could respond.

Five gold coins—for just a few potions, quite a price. But if it was from the Cordelia family, he could trust it.

“Just out of curiosity, is there something after Gamma and Delta?”

“Of course. The Cordelia family isn’t one to stop there. I handle up to Epsilon, but I’ve heard there’s even Zeta. Since we separated, who knows how far it’s advanced. Though I wonder if it’s even necessary to go that far.”

She handed him the box containing the medicine and returned to her seat, taking another drag from her cigarette holder.

A faint aroma filled the air—not unpleasant.

“Seems like you have something to say. Are you offering a freebie?”

“Freebies are only for when you bring me materials. I’m the buyer in those cases. But I heard you work as a mercenary.”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

She smiled softly.

“I’d like you to take on a job for me.”

———-