Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

『The location is ‘Ascension Fortress’ in the dimension of Midgard.』

『All participants are assigned to the assault team.』

『Eliminate the defending team members or capture the target point.』

A series of notification windows appeared. Below them,

“Let’s go!”

“Haha! We’ll sweep them all!”

“Move aside! The glory of being first is mine!”

“I’ll prove myself as the strongest to reach Master Rank!”

From towering beastkins to insect-like Insectoids and every other kind of being, all possessed extraordinary auras and charged forward with resounding shouts.

They had a single goal:

A colossal silvery fortress seemingly made entirely of pure mithril. Was it because these players were on the brink of achieving Master Rank?

“Giga Lightning!”

“Tremble, Earth!”

“Shatter everything!”

As they assumed the role of assaulters,

Rumble!

Crash!

Their overwhelming attacks made the very ground tremble as a basic response.

Each spell cast was at least 7-stars, and the power from auras, innate racial energies, and traits matched or even surpassed 7th-circle spells.

It was a high-level, high-firepower assault.

However, Even 7th-circle lightning spells, or high-level aura manifestations, instantly fizzled out as they touched the silvery fortress.

Fsssh…

Vanishing into faint wisps of smoke like extinguished candles.

“What, what the hell?”

“My spells…”

“Is it magic immunity? But the auras and traits disappeared too?!”

The attacking players couldn’t hide their astonishment. Understandably so. Having reached the upper echelons of Diamond rank, each possessed extensive experience with siege battles.

Everyone had used their most powerful attack techniques.

However, there was a reason they had reached the Master Rank promotion match.

“Some strange power seems to be at work.”

“This isn’t a simple matter.”

“This is, after all, the Master Rank promotion.”

“And it’s a double event match too. Let’s pull back for now.”

Quickly assessing the situation, the players, in pairs as dictated by the cooperative condition, used their mobility skills to retreat swiftly.

Unfortunately, the Ascension Fortress had no intention of allowing this.

Hummmm!

The silvery walls emitted a precarious hum.

“Those who do not understand their own shall have no right to reach Valhalla.”

An androgynous, raceless voice echoed.

Rumble!

Boom!

A tremendous barrage was unleashed with a thunderous roar.

And what made up that barrage were,

“Th-Those are!”

“Unbelievable!”

“That’s my technique!”

Their own techniques.

Just moments ago, the players realized that the techniques being fired back at them were their own.

“Run, run!”

“We can’t block this! It’s going to explode!”

“Multi-speed!”

They attempted to flee using various mobility skills, but it was futile.

As if defying all known laws of physics,

Crack!

Rumble!

Their own techniques pursued them with uncanny precision.

“Arrgh!”

“Aaah!!”

Many were helplessly killed. Of course, not all players were caught off guard.

“Stay calm! Not all attacks are coming our way!”

“They gave us a hint. It’s probably only our partner’s attacks coming at us.”

“Yes!”

The few players who had perceived the message from the mysterious voice emerging from the fortress decided to confront the attacks instead of fleeing.

“Aim for the center of the globes!”

“Don’t use opposing elements! Counter with similar types!”

“Because of my trait, most are illusions. Focus only on the one farthest back!”

With these instructions, players and their partners confidently defended themselves against the assault from the fortress.

“We blocked it all!”

“Let’s fall back for now.”

They attempted to hastily retreat. To be precise, they tried.

“Retreat?”

“Ha! These people know nothing of honor.”

“Can they not see us?”

Above the Ascension Fortress, lined up were warriors in armor.

“You don’t even deserve to set foot in Valhalla.”

“Die, all of you.”

Before the armored warriors unleashed their attacks.

Whiz!

Swoosh!

Arrows, sword strikes, spear thrusts—projectiles imbued with a silvery aura rained down upon the surviving players. Just as in any siege, the defenders had the high ground advantage.

“Urk!”

“M-My shield!”

“We can’t hold….”

The surviving players fell swiftly under the barrage from above.

And, a muscular man with green skin watching from a distance remarked.

“Tsk. Has our MMR dropped for some reason?”

“To be matched with people who don’t even know about Ascension Fortress until the Master promotion match…”

He twisted his lip, baring his tusks and shaking his head in disbelief.

In response, “There’s nothing we can do about it.”

A woman with a similarly sturdy build approached him. Had she not had a more voluptuous chest and hips, she could easily have been mistaken for another man.

“Ascension Fortress is rarely encountered even in the upper tiers of Diamond rank. Besides…”

She gestured towards the players who had just been killed by their partners’ reflected techniques.

“How could they have known it was their partner’s techniques being reflected and not their own?”

“That’s no excuse, Nerelok.” the man shook his head at his sister’s words.

“If it’s your first time encountering an event or terrain, caution and reconnaissance are paramount.”

With a look of disdain,

“Charging recklessly relying solely on one’s strength is an act of sheer stupidity.”

He looked down at the corpses of the fallen players.

“Well, you’re right, brother.”

The woman, called Nerelok, nodded in agreement. In reality, “Especially considering it’s Ascension Fortress…”

Even she and her brother Karlok, who had experience with the Ascension Fortress, hadn’t rushed in.

“Given the mandatory two-person cooperation condition, something felt off. Good thing we held back.”

They were observing the situation from a step back. Nerelok shot her brother, Karlok, a satisfied smile.

“So? What’s the plan now?”

Crossing her arms, Nerelok added,

“Even though we know each other’s techniques well, that’s only useful against the fortress’s reflection abilities.”

She gestured towards the armored warriors, the Valkyries.

“We still don’t have a strategy for dealing with those Valkyries.”

“Of course.”

Karlok nodded.

“So, are we going to use a frontal assault?”

“Frontal assault… Nerelok, are you confident?”

“Have you lost it? Of course not. Do you realize who those Valkyries are?”

Despite her sturdy and confident appearance,

“Hardly any players can take on a Valkyrie one-on-one in this segment.”

Nerelok shook her head, visibly perturbed.

“For someone like you, a potential candidate for a great warrior, it’s possible. But I’m not there yet.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Nerelok. You’re a fine warrior.”

“I might be, but I can’t beat a Valkyrie. It’s not underestimating; it’s called being realistic.”

Karlok chuckled at his sister’s blunt assessment.

“Fair enough. Anyway, the majority of participants, like us, won’t be able to use a frontal assault.”

Reflecting all attacks and having Valkyries stationed atop the fortress,

“The Ascension Fortress was never meant to be breached by conventional siege methods.”

It was a place where only those who could earn their ‘right of passage’ through dueling the Valkyries could pass. Only the top-rank players of the highest MMR brackets were matched here.

However,

“But to be matched with such weaklings…”

Karlok cast his gaze at the dead players. While these might be notable players from various Diamond ranks in other dimensions, they were clearly lacking for Ascension Fortress.

“This probably means the arena encourages another clear method.”

Karlok’s eyes turned to the players who, like them, had stepped back to assess the situation. Nerelok seemed to catch on to her brother’s line of thought.

“Oh, that’s right, this is a double event with Survival, isn’t it?”

She slapped her sturdy hand against her palm in realization.

***

– Unbelievable… how is it reflecting all of that?

– Are they telling us to do the siege or not?

The chat was filled with astonishment. It was no surprise. Seeing the players in the Master Rank promotion match being so thoroughly wiped out was a shocking sight.

– Those attacks were definitely not ordinary. To think they all got reflected.

– No matter how strong Shimun is, this seems tough.

– Yeah, he’s crazy strong, but if his power gets reflected back at him…

– And those warrior women up there look insanely strong too!

– Indeed. Valkyries usually wield divine powers.

Everyone had seen it with their own eyes.

“Hey, is this even possible?”

Even the fearless Go Malsuk was taken aback.

“Mindless reflection and those Valkyries are just absurd!”

“It is tough.”

Shimun nodded. He had never experienced the Ascension Fortress firsthand but had seen enough through broadcasts in his past life to know its nature.

‘Of course, it’s not too difficult if you go the traditional route…’

Earning the “right of passage” through dueling with Valkyries could allow one to bypass the siege and reach the target point within the fortress.

However, ‘With the two-person cooperation condition, there would be two Valkyries.’

Valkyries, who expertly wield divine powers, were boss-level threats in this segment.

‘Naturally, they would also employ combined tactics.’

Given that they were troops from the divine realm, asgard, their coordinated tactics were highly formidable.

‘Even the strongest contenders in this segment wouldn’t likely have a chance.’

Unless one was an extraordinarily powerful player, surviving their combined assault was nearly impossible.

Such talent would be positioned at the Grand Master or Challenger tier, not here.

Thus, ‘In this arena, a conventional approach is unlikely to work.’

It was close to impossible to pass through the Ascension Fortress through dueling with the Valkyries.

Indeed.

‘However…’

‘That pertains to the ‘ordinary players’.’

‘With the firepower of my mythic-grade equipment and if Malsuk can hold out, a conventional approach isn’t out of the question.’

With the SSS-Rank trait Heaven-Slaying Star, designed for elimination, it could even prevent the trait holder from dying for a moment.

In both his past and present life, Go Malsuk had repeatedly risked her life to unleash her full power.

Moreover, ‘Malsuk can now voluntarily activate Heaven-Slaying Star.’

With Heaven-Slaying Star awakened, it shouldn’t be a major issue.

However, “Hmm…”

Shimun just furrowed his brow slightly, saying nothing about the conventional approach.

To which, “What’s up? Why the face?”

Go Malsuk tilted her head, puzzled.

Shimun, watching her quietly, responded,

“Nothing. It’s just… hurting even a wildling unnecessarily seems…”

“Eh? What nonsense are you saying all of a sudden?”

“Right? I’m not sure why I’m saying this nonsense either.”

Throwing out seemingly random thoughts, Shimun turned his gaze back to the front with a vague expression.

‘Indeed, with Survival possibly starting at any moment…’

Considering this was a double event arena. Siege and Survival, aren’t they?

‘There’s no need to exhaust Malsuk’s condition prematurely.’

There was no reason to wear out his only partner, Malsuk’s, condition unnecessarily. As long as she stayed alive by his side, it would be enough.

‘Since this is a two-person cooperation condition, if Malsuk ends up dying… I’ll be in trouble.’

Wouldn’t his Master rank promotion blow up in his face?

So Malsuk needed to be kept safe.

‘Yeah, that’s all there is to it. Malsuk has just reached the entry-level of Diamond rank.’

With his resolve firm, Shimun turned his clear eyes towards Ascension Fortress.

‘Anyway, it means we have to follow the strategy laid out by Galaxy Arena…’

Besides, ‘It looks like the strategy involves either reducing the number of participants or teaming up to break through the fortress.’

With memories from his past life, Shimun had seen situations like this a few times before. Thus, understanding the tactics for this arena wasn’t much of an issue.

‘It’s annoying.’

It was a highly cumbersome task.

Of course, First, he had to figure out whether the alternative condition to break through Ascension Fortress was reducing participant numbers or forming teams to breach the fortress.

As if it wasn’t bad enough, Figuring out how to coordinate with these players from other dimensions, whom he had never met before.

In this context, ‘This is a highly vicious arena.’

The current Master Rank promotion match seemed highly malicious.

Therefore, ‘I will have to be underhanded as well.’

There was no need to dance to the despicable tune set by Galaxy Arena. Opting for a more comfortable method would suffice.

“Uh…”

Just as Shimun was about to speak to the empty air, he heard the sound of something cutting through the air sharply.

Whoooong!

But thanks to his enhanced physical abilities, he was already aware of it. Shimun was about to activate his Dragonoid form.

Hummm.

Malsuk’s fist, imbued with demonic energy, swung.

“You’re going nowhere!”

Clang!

Before it could hit him. The ear-piercing ring and the burst of crimson blood scattering in all directions.

“I see. Deflecting my blood magic… You’re impressive for a low-tier race.”

A refined, dignified voice.

Matched perfectly, “A very healthy and vibrant female. Makes my mouth water.”

“Oh my, I’m more interested in the male beside her.”

A man and a woman in aristocratic attire approached. Or rather, Floated just above the ground.

Swish.

Gliding through a faint, blood-tinted mist, the pale-faced duo approached.

“Coming here thinking nothing of humans.”

“Hoho! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen humans!”

As if living in their own world, laughing and chatting amongst themselves, “It’s unfortunate. Seeing that you didn’t rush the fortress, you do seem to have some sense.”

“But in this world, having sense doesn’t mean you survive.”

They looked down at Shimun and Malsuk with eyes full of superiority, much like a predator eyeing weak prey.

Finally, “Blame your birth as a low-tier race.”

“Hoho! Oh, good sir? Don’t worry about the pain.”

Baring sharp fangs, “I will make you feel such ecstasy…”

Just as a bloody aura filled their eyes, a sudden gruesome sound, and the pale woman’s head exploded like a watermelon.

Crack!

“Bitch…”

Before her blood and chunks of flesh hit the ground, “How dare you eye him?”

The growl, akin to that of a beast, reverberated.

TL’s Corner:
Malsuk is angry. Don’t look at her Shimun. Bitch.