TheoOoOo.

Li Xiaoguang raised his energy. Facing him, Sungshik did not back down and instead raised his own aura.

A gleam flickered in Li Xiaoguang’s eyes.

“…Have you been hiding your strength?”

The power he had known was at best that of a 5-star superhuman. But this—this was nothing like that. Perhaps the claims of the Yongho Guild and Baekdu Guild were true. Maybe Sungshik really had surpassed the 6-star level.

“Haha. This is unexpected. You’re far beyond my expectations.”

“I’m like an onion, full of layers.”

Sungshik responded with a grin to Li Xiaoguang’s words. However, internally, his mind was in turmoil.

‘How is this possible? Why does this guy have the ‘One More Time’ trait?’

That’s right. When Sungshik used Insight to check, Li Xiaoguang possessed the same ‘One More Time’ trait that he had.

Name: Li Xiaoguang

Rank: 7-Star (★★★★★★★)

Traits: [SS Rank] Swamp of Shadows, [EX Rank] One More Time

‘No way….’

It finally clicked for Sungshik. The [EX Rank] ‘One More Time’ trait he had acquired—he now understood where it had come from.

The First Night of Trial.

During that event, the Revolutionary Knights had emerged into the open. Naturally, there had been clashes with superhumans, and in the process, many lives were lost.

At the time, Sungshik had barely been reaching the 4-star+ level, a lower-ranked superhuman. Instead of participating directly in combat, he had been assigned to post-battle cleanup.

It was during those cleanup duties that Sungshik handled the corpses of fallen superhumans. And through that, he had realized how to use his innate trait, ‘Consumption.’ At that time, he had absorbed several traits from the bodies.

‘It was from back then….’

It was clear now. He had acquired ‘One More Time’ at that moment.

‘Among those corpses, this guy was one of them.’

And Li Xiaoguang had used ‘One More Time’ to regress. As soon as Sungshik reached this conclusion, everything about Li Xiaoguang’s actions made sense—his search for Bidong at Baekdu Mountain, his keen interest in Sungshik’s martial arts at the academy graduation….

It was obvious. This man possessed future knowledge. He had already known about the martial art, ‘Heaven-Splitting Divine Art.’

Organizing his thoughts, Sungshik looked at the man before him and asked:

“Since you regressed, do you feel like the world bends to your will?”

“!”

―Hmm? Regression?

The shock in Li Xiaoguang’s face was palpable. Even Heaven-Splitter reacted in surprise.

“You… How do you know that?”

“So, I was right.”

“You bastard…!”

Realizing he had been tricked, Li Xiaoguang growled at Sungshik.

―Wait, what’s going on? Regression?

‘I’ll explain later. Just wait.’

―…Fine, got it.

Heaven-Splitter quickly accepted Sungshik’s response.

Now wasn’t the time to explain things to Heaven-Splitter. The man in front of him took priority.

“So, that’s why you were searching for Heaven-Splitting Divine Art. But too bad—it’s already mine.”

Sungshik smirked and dangled the Heaven-Splitter Divine Sword in front of Li Xiaoguang.

“You bastard… Just what the hell are you? How much do you know?”

The polite speech was gone. So was the fake smile Li Xiaoguang always wore. All that remained on his face was the anxiety of having his secret exposed.

“Let’s see… I know you regressed using the ‘One More Time’ trait. And I know that regression only happens once.”

“Tsk… Tsk tsk, you should’ve kept that knowledge to yourself. Then maybe you could have lived.”

GwoOoOo―

With that, Li Xiaoguang gathered his entire energy. His presence alone was overwhelming, a clear display of what it meant to be a 7-star superhuman.

‘He’s not denying it, so he really only had one chance to regress.’

That was why Sungshik had provoked him with those words—to confirm whether Li Xiaoguang could regress again.

His reaction had given Sungshik the answer he needed.

‘I’d like to find out his regression point… but I doubt I’ll get the chance.’

There were many things Sungshik wanted to ask about the [EX Rank] ‘One More Time’ trait. He had already confirmed it could only be used once, but beyond that, there wasn’t much else he could do now.

Li Xiaoguang was now fully intent on killing him.

“Hoo.”

Closing his eyes, Sungshik let out a deep breath. In that instant, the aura pressing down on him grew even heavier.

It was no longer something he could afford to brush off lightly.

It was his turn to unleash his full power.

Flash.

As Sungshik reopened his eyes, a force equal to Li Xiaoguang’s began to emanate from him.

Flinch.

Li Xiaoguang, who had been advancing with a sinister expression, hesitated for a moment. Shock flickered in his pupils once more.

Sungshik could tell what he was thinking. He had likely assumed Sungshik was just easy prey, something he could take down whenever he wished. But upon closer inspection, he had realized—this was no harmless herbivore.

No. This was a beast, just as strong as he was.

“You….”

Li Xiaoguang hesitated, staring at Sungshik. Then, suddenly, he burst into laughter.

“Kuhaha, I get it now. You’re a regressor too. Now it all makes sense.”

It seemed he had come to the conclusion that Sungshik was a fellow regressor.

“Hoo, you sure like making assumptions. And what proof do you have for this theory?”

“Kukuku, drop the act. If you came from the future, you should know this. I’ve never seen your name or face among the top powerhouses of the future.”

‘So that’s what he’s thinking.’

Li Xiaoguang had realized that Sungshik was an anomaly—someone who hadn’t existed in the original timeline.

“At this point in time, even the 7-star level is a realm that only a handful of the future’s 11 Thrones ever reach. Yet you’ve already stepped into it? You must be an irregular like me. Enough with the act.”

“Impressive. I’ll admit, your insight is sharp. Fine, you’re right. I’m a regressor too—just like you.”

As he replied, Sungshik stabilized the energy surging within him, preparing to unleash it at any moment.

“That’s why this makes no sense. I was the only one with a trait that allows regression. So how the hell did you regress?”

Li Xiaoguang’s expression twisted in confusion.

That Made Sense

EX rank. A classification beyond even the highest SSS rank. No two of these [EX Rank] traits could ever exist simultaneously. That was because each and every one of these [EX Rank] traits contained the power to interfere with the very laws of the world.

That was why Li Xiaoguang found it all the more incomprehensible.

If the Sungshik before him had truly regressed just like he had, that would mean he possessed the same unique trait that allowed regression—his EX Rank trait, One More Time.

The very fact that he knew the name of this trait was proof enough.

‘I have never told anyone about my trait. Not even Tidiane.’

That was how it was.

No one should have been able to know about his regression. No one should have known that he possessed an EX-rank trait related to regression. That was how it was supposed to be.

“Then… just what the hell are you?”

A faint chuckle—

Sungshik answered Li Xiaoguang’s question with a smirk.

“If you want to know, figure it out yourself.”

A brilliant flash—

With those words, Sungshik’s sword emitted a dazzling white light as it lunged toward Li Xiaoguang.

Bang!

“Huff… huff…”

Li Xiaoguang lay battered, his body in tatters.

Thirty minutes ago, he had never once considered the possibility of ending up in this situation.

He was a 7-star superhuman. Fundamentally different from the person he had been before his regression. He had been confident that his current self could stand on equal footing with even the 11 Thrones.

And yet—

‘What is this? Just what the hell is this?’

He couldn’t understand the situation.

His attacks hadn’t landed on Sungshik. Meanwhile, Sungshik’s attacks had gradually worn him down. What baffled him even more was something else entirely.

“How can you wield so many different attributes?”

Light. Fire. Ice. Wind.

Just now, Sungshik had demonstrated four different elemental powers.

Superhumans were usually capable of wielding only one attribute. This was due to the limitations in acquiring traits.

One attribute was the norm. Two, on rare occasions. Three, in truly exceptional cases.

But an individual who could wield four attributes simultaneously?

Even before his regression, there had been only one.

The 11th Throne, the Elemental Master Jenny. She was a grand mage who commanded the four elemental magics—earth, fire, wind, and water.

But the Sungshik before him was no Jenny. So how was he wielding multiple attributes?

As he fought Sungshik, Li Xiaoguang was consumed by questions.

Then, he spotted an opening.

“Take this, bastard!”

For a fleeting moment, Sungshik had let his guard down.

Abandoning his own defense, Li Xiaoguang launched an attack.

A shadow spike shot out without warning from Sungshik’s own shadow, aimed precisely at his waist.

It looked like it had landed perfectly.

Guildg!

But the decisive strike only managed to tear a piece of Sungshik’s clothing.

His skin was unnaturally tough and resilient, leaving Li Xiaoguang with the sensation of smashing an egg against solid rock.

And immediately after his failed attack, Li Xiaoguang paid the price for his reckless assault.

Slice—

“Guhack!”

Sungshik’s sword moved with fluid grace—swift, natural, and without hesitation.

Of course, there was no way such a blade would miss the opening created by Li Xiaoguang’s reckless strike.

Sungshik’s sword slipped through his guard as if following the flow of water, slashing across his torso.

Drip. Drip.

Blood dripped from the long gash.

The battle was already decided.

“Hah… haha… I don’t get it. Just what the hell is your trait?”

Li Xiaoguang gasped out, unable to comprehend what he had just witnessed.

Against Sungshik, he felt an overwhelming sense of the inexplicable.

He wielded four elemental powers.

He possessed an impenetrable defense.

His swordsmanship was so refined it was reminiscent of the return of a Sword Emperor.

It felt as though Sungshik alone possessed multiple traits.

‘That’s… impossible.’

Li Xiaoguang immediately rejected the thought.

It was an impossible idea.

Not once, before his regression, had he ever seen or heard of a single person wielding so many traits.

Traits were the very foundation of a superhuman’s power. As such, an individual typically had one trait, at most two or three.

The same principle applied to the limitation of elemental attributes.

“Forbidden arts… So that’s it, huh? You’re using some kind of forbidden sorcery.”

A crazed grin spread across Li Xiaoguang’s face.

Now it made sense.

His bloodshot eyes gleamed as he shouted, as if he had found the answer.

Despite his severe injuries, his madness showed no signs of subsiding.

“Forbidden arts? Don’t make me laugh. It’s skill.”

“Bullshit! If not, then how do you explain this?”

His disbelief was understandable.

Though they were both 7-star superhumans, the gap between them was so vast it seemed absurd.

Sungshik’s every strike had been fatal. Meanwhile, Li Xiaoguang’s attacks had failed to reach him at all.

It was only natural.

S-rank Queen’s Armor.

+40 resistance to darkness attributes.

And the protective energy of the Peerless Martial Arts.

For Li Xiaoguang, who wielded darkness-based abilities, to land a meaningful strike on Sungshik, he would have needed overwhelming offensive power.

But Li Xiaoguang’s combat style leaned more toward utility.

‘Easier than I expected.’

That was Sungshik’s impression as he fought Li Xiaoguang.

Perhaps his lingering memories of their battle at Baekdu Mountain against the Celestial Beast’s avatar had caused him to overestimate his opponent.

He had expected a fierce struggle.

But the result was disappointingly one-sided.

‘Then again… the compatibility was in my favor.’

The ease of the battle wasn’t solely due to his own strength.

His S-rank Queen’s Armor provided near-tank-like defense, along with a +40 resistance to darkness.

Since Li Xiaoguang wielded darkness-based abilities, he would have needed immense attack power to pose a threat.

But Li Xiaoguang’s fighting style was not one of raw offensive might.

‘I should wrap this up soon.’

Before ending it, he planned to extract a few more details—about One More Time and Revolutionary Knights.

‘First, I need to know when exactly he regressed…’

As Sungshik organized his thoughts, something changed.

Perhaps sensing his own impending end, Li Xiaoguang’s expression twisted.

“Th-this can’t… This can’t be happening…”

He repeated the words like a mantra.

In his trembling hands, he clutched a fragment of black stone.