Sa Docheon. Before the regression, he was just another low-ranking member of Revolutionary Knights, much like Li Xiaoguang—insignificant, merely filling the numbers within the organization. That was Sa Docheon's place.

Even after the regression, nothing changed. He remained a low-ranking member of Revolutionary Knights, and unless something extraordinary happened, he would have remained just as insignificant as before.

“Hey, old man, take a look at this.”

“You said you wanted to control the wind, right? I’ll help you make that dream come true.”

If there was one thing Sa Docheon did right, it was being kind to Li Xiaoguang. He had looked after Xiaoguang, who was more than ten years younger than him—perhaps because he reminded him of a lost younger sibling.

The important thing was that, because of this, Li Xiaoguang held good feelings toward Sa Docheon. That was the turning point that allowed Sa Docheon to be reborn.

―Congratulations. You have obtained the [SSS Rank] Ruler of the Wind trait.

The Wind Spirit Stone that Sa Docheon had brought. The trait he obtained from it was astonishing—[SSS Rank]. A hidden talent even Sa Docheon himself had been unaware of.

He possessed an exceptional aptitude for the element of ‘wind.’ Even Xiaoguang had not expected this. Spirit Stones granted traits according to the wielder’s potential. Xiaoguang had thought that even a B-rank trait would be a good outcome for Sa Docheon. But the result was far beyond expectations—he had gained an unprecedentedly powerful wind attribute trait of SSS rank.

“Congratulations, old man. Now you can stand tall with pride.”

“Thank you… Xiaoguang. No, Master.”

“I won’t forget the Master’s grace.”

Thus, a monster was born—one even Xiaoguang had not anticipated. And on that day, Sa Docheon officially joined the ‘Dan,’ the private group Xiaoguang had formed within the organization.

Kwa-kwa-kwaang—

“Kugh.”

The raging storms swept toward Sungshik. He barely managed to withstand Sa Docheon’s assault, but a groan escaped from his lips. The full force of Sa Docheon’s power was even more fierce and brutal than Sungshik had imagined.

‘If not for my Heaven-Splitter Eyes, I would have been defeated already.’

The reason Sungshik was able to withstand Sa Docheon’s onslaught without suffering major injuries was thanks to the Heaven-Splitter Eyes. Fortunately, the storms that Sa Docheon unleashed could be analyzed through the Heaven-Splitter Eyes.

Just as he couldn’t initially perceive Sa Docheon’s energy flow, if he had also been unable to see the energy flow in his attacks, he wouldn’t have been able to block them at all.

“You’re truly impressive. How do you counter my attacks so well?”

Sa Docheon halted his assault and asked, seemingly curious. This gave Sungshik a brief moment to catch his breath. However, he had no room to answer.

“……”

“If I hadn’t gained a small enlightenment recently, today might have been difficult for me.”

Sa Docheon, observing Sungshik, nodded as he spoke.

That small enlightenment he had attained recently—it had elevated him to yet another level. For Sungshik, that fact was nothing short of a disaster.

‘I don’t see a way to win. What should I do?’

For the first time, Sungshik entertained the thought of defeat. He considered whether he should use the ‘Puyan’s Feather.’

―Your spirit has already conceded. Since when have you approached battle with such a weak heart? If your mind is defeated, you won’t win even a battle you could have won. Get a grip.

Had Heaven-Splitter read his thoughts? He offered a sharp admonition.

‘…He’s right. I’ve grown too soft.’

Sungshik reflected on his mindset at Heaven-Splitter’s words.

The Puyan’s Feather, the Phoenix’s Heart. The complacent thought that if things went wrong, he could simply start over.

With such thoughts in mind, he was already considering retreat just because the battle was tough.

Who was he? Before the regression, he had survived through hellish battles, enduring and enduring—until even the moment when humanity was on the brink of destruction, he had still been alive. Compared to the crises of that infernal battlefield, this situation was laughable.

‘I can handle this, can’t I? Why was I so intimidated?’

He questioned himself.

And in that moment, the seemingly insurmountable wall before him—the impossibly high wall—suddenly appeared much smaller, now a challenge that could be overcome.

―Ding. You have successfully resisted the Ruler’s Pressure. Your mastery of Heaven-Splitting Divine Art deepens.

Sungshik’s eyes sharpened. Determination surged once more through his body.

―Hoho, so that bastard was using something akin to Fear.

Both Heaven-Splitter and Sungshik finally realized it. His excessive intimidation hadn’t been solely due to his own wavering mindset. His opponent possessed a skill similar to Fear.

‘He broke free?’

Sa Docheon’s eyebrow twitched.

“Well, well. Look at this. Truly impressive.”

Among the skills he had gained after obtaining the [SSS Rank] Ruler of the Wind trait was one called [S Rank] Ruler’s Pressure. It was a monstrous skill that inflicted severe debuffs on opponents of lower rank.

‘It has never been broken before.’

Sa Docheon looked at Sungshik with pure admiration.

“Interesting. Very interesting. Hahaha.”

Laughing heartily, he began gathering a violent force in his hand.

The second round was about to begin.

KWAANG!

Their clash had long since turned the rocky mountain into ruins. The full-fledged battle between two warriors beyond 7-star rank was akin to a natural disaster.

Dozens of exchanges.

Sungshik was faring better than at the start, but he was still being pushed back. The only reason he had lasted this long was that he was not a typical 7-star superhuman. Even without the Ruler’s Pressure skill, an ordinary 7-star fighter would not have lasted more than a few moves against Sa Docheon.

Despite possessing the [SS Rank] Vajra Armor, which granted him immense defense, Sungshik’s body was now covered in wounds. That was how powerful and relentless Sa Docheon was.

‘Just enduring won’t win this battle.’

Sungshik admitted it. Simply holding out and dragging the fight would not lead to victory.

―I think so too.

‘Is there no way?’

A way to break through this situation. A trump card was needed.

―…There’s a single opportunity worth aiming for.

‘What is it?’

―The skill you obtained recently, ‘Amplification.’ If you utilize it, you’ll have one chance.

He had forgotten. The new skill, ‘Amplification,’ that had emerged in Heaven-Splitting Divine Sword.

‘A power that allows for a significant amplification of an existing skill’s strength.’

Heaven-Splitter had explained it that way before. It had seemed trivial at the time, so he had brushed it aside and forgotten about it.

―Create an opening. Just one opening is enough. When that moment comes, use (Heaven-Splitting) Wind Scar of Heaven-Splitting Martial Arts and amplify it.

It was the sixth form of Heaven-Splitting Martial Arts, newly accessible upon reaching Seven-Star rank.

If he used Amplification on that technique… it was possible. The seemingly insurmountable wall before him could be shattered. That certainty took hold of his mind.

‘A way to create an opening…’

―There are many. If you use ‘that’—the thing you’ve been hoarding so dearly—it will be more than enough to create an opportunity.

‘You noticed?’

Surprised that Heaven-Splitter had seen through his intention, Sung Jihwan asked back. Heaven-Splitter let out a chuckle as he responded.

―Of course. You were obviously angling for it; how could I not notice?

Indeed, Sung Jihwan had been saving ‘Shadow Swamp,’ the ability he received from Lee Xiaoguang, until now. He believed it could serve as an unpredictable trump card.

The ability to move through shadows, or use shadow spikes—if he utilized it well, he could land an unexpected strike. In fact, Lee Xiaoguang’s shadow spikes had reached Sung Jihwan before, even though they hadn’t been enough to break through his defense. It was a technique specialized in catching opponents off guard.

Until just moments ago, he had hesitated, unsure whether such an attack could serve as a turning point in the battle.

‘But if I combine it with Amplification… it just might work.’

He had never used Amplification before. That uncertainty lingered, but an instinct close to foresight surged within him. This will work. It wasn’t just because Heaven-Splitter had assured him.

His Hyper-Sense—

That sense had never once let him down.

The strategy and plan were complete. Now, all that remained was execution. Sung Jihwan began to pour out his power.

“Heaven-Splitting—Wind Scar.”

It began with (Heaven-Splitting) Wind Scar.

Shwaaak—

Sung Jihwan’s (Heaven-Splitting) Wind Scar at Seven-Star rank was even more ferocious than the one he had used in the Queen’s Nest. The wind blades surged forth with the force to shred everything in their path. These blades carried the essence of Heaven-Splitting Martial Arts, making them something even Sa Docheon could not afford to dismiss lightly.

But who was Sa Docheon?

The one who wielded the [SSS Rank] Ruler of the Wind trait.

“Using the power of wind before me? How amusing.”

With those words, he extended his hand forward. Astonishingly, the wind blades began to unravel one by one in front of his palm. It was hard to believe that these were the same devastating blades that had torn through countless monsters before.

Preparing his next attack, Sung Jihwan swallowed hard at the sight.

‘Impressive. Wind-based attacks won’t work on him at all.’

If wind wouldn’t work, he would use a different attribute. That was Sung Jihwan’s greatest advantage—his vast arsenal of abilities. Though it was far from being truly infinite, he possessed more than just one or two traits.

Fwoosh—

For his next attack, he chose fire. A power he had recently begun refining—Materialization. Among the many ways he could utilize it, fire was one of the most effective.

The temperature around him began to rise, just as it had before.

He focused. He focused again. Then, he imagined. He imagined more vividly.

Hotter. Even hotter.

He wished for a flame so intense it could set the world ablaze. And within the limits of what he could manifest, he achieved it.

Fwoooosh.

One by one, spheres of fire formed around Sung Jihwan, radiating an even more intense heat than before.

―Ding. Due to the caster’s intense will, you have weakly manifested ‘Eternal Flame.’

―Congratulations. By pushing the limits of Materialization, you have acquired the trait ‘[SSS Rank] Attribute Materialization.’

A system message appeared, but Sung Jihwan was too focused to even acknowledge it.

Then, he recalled—countless swords.

Seges Gladii. A field of swords.

The flames he had manifested began to take the form of countless swords. It was an even grander sight than before. Even Sa Docheon, who had been enveloped by wind, could feel the heat radiating from them.

Fwoooom.

The many fire swords whirled around Sung Jihwan in a circle.

Shlk.

His hand lifted toward the sky, and in response, the swords soared upward. It was a sight so overwhelming that it left onlookers in awe.

“W-what…?”

For the first time, Sa Docheon lost his composure. His voice, filled with confusion, trembled slightly.

Hundreds of fire swords filled the sky. The sheer brilliance of their flames illuminated the darkening sky, making it seem as bright as midday.

Sa Docheon unconsciously took a step back.

Shk.

The moment Sung Jihwan’s raised hand pointed at Sa Docheon, the countless fire swords plummeted like falling stars.

The only difference from actual shooting stars was that these were aimed solely at one target—Sa Docheon.

“Krrghh…”

Did he sense danger? Sa Docheon began to unleash his full power.

“Ruler of the Wind—Secret Skill: Gale Spiral.”

From his outstretched hands erupted a monstrous vortex.

It was similar to (Heaven-Splitting) Wind Scar, yet vastly superior in caliber—a hurricane capable of shredding everything in its path.

Fwoooosh!

As Sung Jihwan’s fire swords and Sa Docheon’s storm collided, an overwhelming clash of auras ensued. The sheer force of it distorted the very atmosphere.