Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 143

"What? You let them escape? And after deploying the ballistae?"

"The resistance from the man in platinum armor was far too intense..."

"Useless fools!!"

The commander of the Azure Fang unit felt a sharp pain in his head, frustration bubbling over.

The encirclement had been meticulously crafted, bringing together not just the forces of the Holy Light Cult but also remnants of the old Kyoryong Society. Yet, their target had slipped through their fingers.

If Lord Arct learns of this... my head will be the first to roll.

Arct, one of the Nine Vanguard Commanders, was infamous for his cold ruthlessness. Just as he had erased the Red-White Mercenary Corps without hesitation, he could easily do the same to the Azure Fang.

"Heh. It seems things didn’t go as planned," a sly voice interrupted.

The commander turned to see an old man approaching with a faint smirk.

The sudden presence of the man caused the Azure Fang soldiers to step back in alarm. Clad in the black robes and mitre of the Holy Light Cult, he radiated authority.

This was Bishop Kali, the leader of the Holy Light Cult’s forces for this operation. As someone occupying a mid-tier rank within the six-tier hierarchy—below Cardinal and Archbishop but above ordinary priests—his presence alone was enough to command respect.

"Damn it," the Azure Fang commander muttered internally. He frowned but remained silent. Any sharp response now would only expose his vulnerability.

"If the Prophet and those Ragnar fools manage to reach the true mausoleum, what then? How will you answer for that failure?"

The commander clenched his jaw but stayed quiet.

Arct and the Azure Fang weren’t chasing Cassandra just for her prophetic abilities. They needed her to locate the burial site of the 299 warriors—the true mausoleum.

Hidden within it was the long-coveted treasure, The Sword Codex of the Chosen One.

This legendary artifact was a remnant of an ancient figure, almost forgotten even within Ragnar.

Odd, the head of the Tulip Floral Guild, had secretly served as its caretaker.

"Don’t forget," Kali continued sharply, "that our Holy Light Cult is equally determined to locate this place. The Prophet is crucial for uncovering traces of our god. That site could become a sacred ground for us!"

Additionally, the 299 warriors who had stood against the Nameless Sovereign were both enemies of the Holy Light Cult and potential clues to the resurrection of their deity.

This was one of the reasons the Holy Light Cult had allied with the godless Troiban faction, despite the sacrilege.

The Azure Fang commander clenched his teeth, his gaze shifting away in frustration.

Boom! Crash!

Two streaks of opposing light clashed in a blinding sphere, causing the very air to tremble.

Deungryong and Arct, two supreme warriors, were locked in combat, their energies distorting reality itself.

Once their spatial arena closed, the battle would reach its conclusion.

Before that happened, the hidden targets had to be found.

"Send word to ‘Alpha,’" the commander finally ordered.

It was time to play their trump card—a hidden blade buried deep within the enemy’s ranks.

"Tell them it doesn’t matter if their cover is blown. The mission must be completed at all costs."

***@@@@

[Congratulations! You have successfully escorted the Prophet who gazes upon time to a safe location and completed Scenario Quest #4.]

[Evaluation: S]

[As a reward, a clue about will soon be given.]

[Additional Reward: Enhanced Channeling with Rodbrok.]

Theo stared wide-eyed at the messages before him.

This place is considered safe?

What caught his attention even more was the additional reward: enhanced channeling with Rodbrok.

And, as if on cue—

『Heh. So, while I’ve been digesting Leviathan’s Heart, you’ve stumbled upon something interesting.』

‘Are you now able to communicate, Rodbrok?’

『Communication was always possible after your Dragon Blood Awakening. I simply shut it off temporarily to focus on digestion. But that aside—』

Rodbrok chuckled slyly.

『Still calling me Rodbrok, huh? How heartless for someone who claims to be my partner.』

‘...What should I call you then?’

『Rody. Isn’t it an adorable name?』

It sounded like a name you’d give to a child’s toy, not a majestic and imposing being like Rodbrok.

『What? You don’t like it?』

‘Not at all, it suits you perfectly!’

『Doesn’t it?』

‘Absolutely! It’s a flawless choice! How did you come up with such a fitting name?’

『Heh heh. What else is there to do when you’re stuck in this cave?』

Theo played along with Rodbrok’s banter, then cautiously shifted the conversation.

There was a wistful tone in Rodbrok’s voice, and Theo wanted to explore it.

‘Do you know where this place is?’

『Of course. This is where my old comrades and I are buried.』

"The ghosts seem to think he’s ignoring them out of fear of the supernatural," Theo thought, suppressing a sigh.

These spectral figures were once a famed group, celebrated even by Rodbrok himself for their exceptional abilities. Conversations with them could undoubtedly offer immense insights, especially into the ancient swordsmanship Theo was so eager to learn.

However, their personalities presented a significant challenge.

Centuries of conscious existence trapped within this place had left them... peculiar. Theo could already tell that engaging with them might be overwhelming, a whirlwind of chatter that could drown his focus.

『What’s the plan? Going to keep ignoring them?』

"That’s the best option for now," Theo thought, stifling a wry smile.

Shifting his attention, he decided to broach another topic with Rodbrok.

"Rodbrok—"

『Roddy.』

Theo hesitated. "...Pardon me, Roddy. Do you know anything about the ‘Secret of Time’?"

Rodbrok hummed thoughtfully. 『That’s a rather broad question. Are you referring to the knowledge tied to the Selector’s regression?』

Theo’s intuition told him that the reward for uncovering the "Secret of Time" hinged on how he navigated and approached the details.

"Do you know that the Imperial family has long possessed the ability to foresee the future?"

『The Insight of the Oracle, yes. Why? Have you encountered someone with such a gift?』

Theo’s gaze shifted to Cassandra, still asleep beside him.

『Ah, that girl, is it? And she’s blind? How fitting—she embodies the ideal conditions for extraordinary abilities.』

"Ideal conditions?"

『Since ancient times, children born with profound abilities—especially those of divine nature—have often carried certain... defects. The gods themselves are no strangers to imperfection.』

Rodbrok’s words painted vivid images in Theo’s mind:

The crippled smithing god.

The one-eyed celestial deity.

The god of art unable to love.

The war god who had lost all reason...

The pantheon of gods was riddled with figures bearing unique flaws, their power stemming as much from their limitations as their strengths.

『Blind but able to see the future—a paradox, yet also a gift. The greater the burden, the brighter the ability shines.』

It was a confirmation of Cassandra’s exceptional foresight.

Theo nodded in understanding. Cassandra’s prophetic abilities, inherited from the imperial line, were reputed to be unparalleled.

"But is prophecy truly possible?"

『Why do you ask?』

"If the future is fixed, immutable... then isn’t the concept of prophecy redundant?"

『Ah, you’re questioning determinism. If everything is predestined, then what purpose does regression serve?』

"Exactly," Theo affirmed with a heavy nod.

Rodbrok chuckled softly.

『The future she sees is not the true future.』

"What do you mean?"

『It’s closer to a “possibility.” It shows the fragment of what is most probable within causality, based on past “data.”』

"Data?" Theo questioned.

『The Insight of the Oracle is not the same as what you humans would call . Think of it as glancing at residual traces of a past universe that no longer exists—remnants of ‘what wasn’t.’』

The explanation was baffling, each word denser than the last.

Yet, Theo—armed with his memories of both regression and reincarnation—began piecing together a possibility.

"Are you saying... could it be..."

Rodbrok chuckled, amused by Theo’s dawning realization.

『Humans often perceive time as a that stretches infinitely. But that is not the case.』

Rodbrok’s laughter deepened, his voice laced with growing intensity.

『Time is a . It loops endlessly, like the ouroboros, the serpent devouring its own tail.』

Theo froze, his breath hitching.

『This world, like you, my dear companion, undergoes , cycling infinitely.』

[You have successfully obtained partial information about the “Secret of Time” from Rodbrok.]

[A new quest has been initiated.]

[Scenario Quest #6]

Using the knowledge of the “Secret of Time,” delve deeper into Cassandra’s abilities and uncover the truths behind .

Difficulty: SReward: ■■Regression PowerFailure Penalty: Death

Even as the quest details unfolded before him, Theo’s mind remained fixated on one burning question.

"Roddy," Theo began, his voice measured. "If time truly loops infinitely in a ... who or what resets it back to its starting point?"

Rodbrok’s pause was telling, his tone heavy with implication.

『You’ve already begun to suspect the answer, haven’t you?』

Theo’s expression turned rigid, his suspicions hardening into certainty.

"Then, that being... it’s the , isn’t it?"