The Regressed NoBody

But I was still impressed that they had been able to stall for enough time. But despite that, the damage done to our side had been too detrimental. Many of the students had lost their lives.

“It seems like our sleeping beauty is finally awake,” Amelia said with a tinge of sarcasm with a perverted lopsided grin over her face.

“Well unfortunately, I was awaken without a kiss from my prince charming riding on his white horse,” I played along with her as I slightly pursed my lips. I pulled a potion out of my inventory and chugged it down. A warm sensation enveloped my body, as I took a deep breath of relief.

Lucas nodded at me, and I returned with a firm nod of my own.

Well, I had first thought of the kid as some kind of ass, who didn’t care about anyone except for himself. Well, my first impression of him was that he was some kind of spoiled rich kid with daddy issues. But I guess I had the wrong idea about him. He was a pretty decent guy when I got to know him a little bit, despite his anger issues and his sharp tongue.

“Thanks for holding the basilisk back until I used my trump card,” I forced my body straight as I almost groaned again. I slightly bowed my head at them as I once again leaned against the tree and lifted it. I waited until my body had recovered a little bit until I was able to show proper gratitude, not some half-ass thank you and we are good now.

“You don’t have to thanks us, Jiwoo,” Ryuya said, his brows creased and eyes soft as visible dark circles were beneath them. “You risked your life the most in order to kill the basilisk, if it hadn’t been for you using that movement, then I don’t think we would have been able to survive.”

Despite everything happening, we had made it out of that battle, but not unscathed. The damage was bad, but still, we all had gained something out of it all.

“But still, Jiwoo...what was that monstrously powerful movement you used when your eyes had turned purple again?” Amelia hesitantly asked, as if she didn’t intend to, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. Her expression reminded me that of a child as she gazed at me with curious awaiting eyes.

Purple eyes? I thought on Amelia's sudden assessment. So my eyes change colour when I utilise the ruler’s authority skill. I wondered. But the unshackled sensation of power that I feel when using it, makes me really vulnerable to its potent effects. Its like a poison which corrupts the mind.

But I pushed those thoughts to the back of my head as I saw the others keenly looking at me. Well, almost all of them, even Lucas and Han were looking at me with questioning gazes, as they awaited my answer.

Because, despite not even being from a prestigious or high-standard family, I knew they were curious and apprehensive on the thought of me wielding a sword art manual, and one as strong as the crescent moon style, which was still kept a secret from the world.

I sighed as I thought whether I should tell them about the crescent moon style or not. Because, no one in the world, except for a few others knew about its existence, aside from me, Master and Fujimoto. I intently looked at them as I hesitantly tried to make a decision.

Because, in the early days of the creation of the movements, Master had joined the battle field to fight against the demons and to stop the dungeon breaks, and to test his strength and gain more insight on how to create and form what was today the crescent moon style. He said that it was hard and almost impossible sometimes, but, the overpowered Master of mine had somehow created the movements. Because the most hardest thing to control when utilising them was the peculiar flow of mana needed to perform the movement in a precise manner.

Jiyoung looked at me for a moment, regarding me with a tense and worried expression as she snapped her head sideways and spoke. “Let's drop it for now everyone. Jiwoo needs to rest."

“Its called the ‘Crescent Moon Style,” I admitted, just as their faces had began to look a little disappointed. “Its a peculiar set of movements which increases my speed and power the more I utilise them.”

Ryuya’s face turned almost flummoxed as he looked at me with his mouth agape. Lucas was the same, this face displayed surprise mixed with awe. Jiyoung looked unfazed but her slight change of expression gaze her away.

“Well, I do except you all to keep what you saw here a secret, as I trust you’ll and that, or else it would bring quite the trouble for me later," I said matter of fact, as I brought my index finger close to my lips.

“Of course, we will,” Jiyoung said back, looking at the other who nodded back in agreement.

After that, we all conversed a little bit more. The conversation mostly was a survey of curios questions directed at me by either Amelia or Ryuya: like how I could wield so much mana so precisely, or how I had leaned the sword style. I answered most of them while omitting a bit of information here and there and avoided the one about the sword style.

Then all of a sudden Ryuya turned to look at me as he withdrew something out of his dimensional ring. “Oh, I almost forgot.”

He walked closer to me and gave me what he held in his good hand. I focused on the object and saw that it was a round sphere orb which was about the size of both of my palms. It was cold to the touch and had a porcelain colour which shined with a dull obsidian hue round its surface.

“The core of the basilisk,” I quipped as surprise bled out of my frowned face as I gaped at the round core. I lightly groaned and held on to my side as the pain made me unable to rejoice.

Well, this was an item that was worth fighting the basilisk for.

And judging from the mana condensed inside the core and the heaviness of its aura, it was a very rare and pure core. The mana inside it was densely compacted as I felt for it, and its purity was on a whole different level. But there was something deep within the core as I searched the core’s mana, like a pulse of a sinister aura or presence, which was powerful but sealed and fleeting. I let my mind dwell deeper into the core, as I saw a shadow or wisp of the basilisk taking form in a black nimbus, with its scarlet eyes intently looking into mine.

Was it a part of the basilisk’s remaining consciousness which it had left behind in its core? I thought as I pulled my mind back and kept on observing the surface of the core.

Unlike other mana beasts, that basilisk had been more adept and intelligent in regards of combat.

But the best thing out of it was that it could sell for at least a few trillions.

But it was not my decision to make. Because the others deserved the core just as much as I did.

“I would sell and distribute the spoils equally amongst each of us,” I said as I clenched the cold core in my hands.

“No, we don’t want it,” Ryuya said, as my brows rose in surprise.

“This core can at least sell for a few trillions, and you all are refusing to take it,” I quipped, as all of them shook their head.

“You deserve it. Its only right that the person who killed the basilisk gets to keep its core,” Amelia said. “And everyone else has already agreed on to giving the core to you. We are all just glad that we are still alive.” She crossed her arms, and made a warm expression, albeit a bit smug.

I nodded at them all as I stored the core inside the system inventory as it vanished from my palm. My eyes pondered heavily as they were closing slowly. My body had barely held on to allow me to even drive a constant conversation with the others, but despite being unconscious for two days—like they had mentioned before—, my body was still tired and left unmovable.

“You should rest for now,” Jiyoung said, as the others nodded back at me.

I knew that we needed to escape from this place as soon as we could, but I couldn’t supress the impulse to just fall back to sleep any longer. My mind and body had been exhausted and pushed beyond their limits, and all of my mana had been exhausted completely—and being asleep for a extended amount of time, had hampered my ability to absorb and refine the atmospheric mana—but I was just grateful that I hadn’t gone into backlash again.

Soon my eyelids closed shut and I allowed my body to fall back into the grasp of a deep slumber.

***

I felt a slight tuck on my shirt as I saw myself lying on Master’s back. His soft and slow steps didn’t create too much motion that would make me uncomfortable or allowed me to stir awake. I slowly yawned as I took a moment and saw that I was back in my old childish body. I rested my head on Master’s shoulder as I rubbed my right eye, in a sign of tiredness.

I saw that Fujimoto was walking beside us a few steps ahead, as he wore a gentle smile of his face, which caused my heart to be at peace.

How long has it been since I had longed for seeing him smile like this?

His sharp features were the same, being framed by long locks of auburn hair tied into a braid which fell over his shoulder, swaying slightly as he slowly walked beside Master as I rode on his back.

The scenery was all too familiar. The old streets which led to our home and the park which was a few blocks away from it.

But I just felt so lethargic. I didn’t want to wake up right now. I just wanted to live in this moment for now, with Master and Fujimoto.

“Shun has really grow well, since you brought him back with you that day,” Fujimoto said as he and Master turned on their heel and took a sharp right turn.

I just kept my eyes closed to not let them know that I had woken up and was eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Yeah, he sure has,” Master said with such warmth in his voice which made some kind of guilt to arise from deep within me. “When I had first found him on the streets he was in bad shape and was really wary of me and the people around him, but he got comfortable with us really quickly."

"Like a scared and terrified puppy." Master added with a smirk.

“It's because you took such good care of him that he got so attached to you, Aki-san,” Fujimoto said with a slight chuckle as he hid behind the palm of his hand.

“I know that I am really hard on him sometimes, but all I want is for Shun to live a happy and long life,” Master continued as he matched his pace with Fujimoto. “His presence has really brought change in our lives, in a good way that is.” Master admitted as a warm smile carved his lips which I saw through squinted eyes.

“Well, that is certainly true. Every day has become so much fun and the house has gotten more rowdy since Shun has become a part of the family.” Fujimoto’s slender fingers ran passed my hair as he patted my head lightly. “Before his arrival the house felt really lonely and quiet, but now, his presence alone has made everything more warm and bright."

Master nodded in agreement as we were slowly approaching near the gate of the house which was visible now. A tender and warm sensation was growing near my heart, as I heard their conversation.

But I wanted to stay here in this moment. But somewhere deep in my heart, I knew this was just a fabrication of my heart’s desire to go back to those peaceful days with Master and Fujimoto.

I knew I was dreaming. This was similar to one of those memories I held dear, but it was just a dream that I was seeing.

A dream, huh!

Just as Master and Fujimoto walked through the gates and entered the house, I felt a slight tug on the back of my head as I stirred away.

I slowly blinked my eyes, as I once again saw the grassy field which was in front of me.

I was still leaning against the tree from before as I looked a few meters ahead of me and saw Jiyoung sitting with her legs crossed. She was performing the breathing forms I had taught her back in the sanctuary room before.

But she lost focus as she sputtered a series of coughs.

It would take a while until she is able to perfectly master the breathing forms.

By now, my body had recovered a little bit, allowing me to at least move slightly. But my right arm was still numb, up to the elbow. Well, my wrist had almost severed completely, thanks to that treasonous bastard's—Thomas’s—intervention.

But now he was death. I hadn’t thought he would take a step so drastic, but to sign a covenant and receive blood from a demon just to kill me, he had really gone too far in his desire for revenge.

I sighed deeply, as I remembered severing Thomas’s head as he cried in desperation.

His pride got the better of him, and led him to his ultimate demise.

I inhaled deeply, as I spoke.

“I think its about time we left this place.”

Jiyoung snapped her head backward at me. She walked closer to me as I tired to stand up on my feet, but was unable to as I wasn’t able to muster enough strength.

Jiyoung took my arm and wrapped it around her shoulder as she supported me in each of my steps I covered. As Jiyoung helped my powerless body to walk, I saw a few hundred metres away, where the pieces of the basilisk’s body were laid. But its fangs and a few parts of its body—its scales—were gone.

I think the others had taken what they could have.

I saw Claire and Kale sitting on the ground as they performed some kind of prayer in front of the now suppose graves of the students who had lost their lives. The ground was uneven in front of me.

They had clasped their hands and had bowed their heads slightly, as they went on with their prayer for another entire minute.

In that time the others had coalesced around us, the small amount of students who were left—who had survived.

“So you are finally awake now,” Kale said with his back facing me.

“Yeah,” I replied to the youth.

He turned around and I saw that his eyes were swollen and the edges red. He held my hand and gripped it firmly, but gently.

“I am sorry Jiwoo,” he muttered with a weak and apologetic voice. “I am sorry for saying those rude things to you back then. I wasn’t thinking straight. I really am sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. And thanks.” I returned. “I saw you holding back and stalling for time against the basilisk with the others until I was able to finish it off. Thanks to you guys I was able to do that.” I said with a weary smile.

“Well, like you said before: Its better to die with a struggle, knowing you tried to do something—tried to change your fates—, then to die without doing anything, just sitting around idly,” my pervious words rang in my ears as Kale recited them.

“But, how are we supposed to exit this dungeon now?” He asked, uncertainty bled from his face as his brows slightly furrowed.

“Don’t worry, I have that figured out as well.”

Just as I said, he simply nodded back at me in silence as he turned around and began to look down at the graves of the students with sad and remorseful eyes.

All of them had lost a friend or maybe an acquaintance in here. And I somewhat understood their emotions and feelings. Because in the past I was also like that. All I could do was regret my decisions in the end, and to lock away my emotions to deal with the growing and unbearable pain.

But it was about time that we exited this dungeon. I think it had been five days since we were pulled inside here.

The system interface appeared in front of me, as I saw a window pop open in front of me which had ‘rewards’ written over it.

I tapped over it and saw the generated rewards for clearing this dungeon. And the basilisk had to be the boss monster of this dungeon for me receive the rewards after killing it.

____

『REWARDS』

Cape of Nyx 【x1】

Passive Skill: Poison Resistance [LV:1]

Level Increase 【x5】

All stats increase 【x5】

____

But I didn’t focus on the rewards, rather my attention went on to the window which had something different and peculiar written over it.

____

『INITIATION TRAIL CLEARED』

『HIDDEN FEATURE UNLOCKED』

____

____

『DUNGEON TRIALS』

____

What? What sort of hidden feature? I thought as I read the words. ‘Dungeon trails?’

I took in a deep breath as I tried to process this new piece of information. But noting came to my mind. What was this hidden feature?

But just as I tried to think of anything, I saw the air ripple and flutter as I saw a portal conjure a few meters away from us.

The mana converged to a specific spot, swirling and pulsating with an otherworldly energy. Before me, a shiny greenish portal rippled to life, captivating my senses with its brilliance. The portal emitted a bright sheen, casting an ethereal elegance in its immediate vicinity. I watched in slight awe as the peripheral domain of the portal expanded, tearing through the very space and creating an exit for us.

And I knew this was the only thing that could lead us back to our world.

“Let’s go home,” I placidly said as I saw the others turning to look at the portal which had magically appeared in the open.

We all walked closer to the portal, expressions of apprehension and doubt were over the students faces, they were hesitant whether this portal would safely lead us back to our world. Ryuya and Han looked at me and I gave them a nod of affirmation, as they took the lead and exited first, seeing the two, the other students kept on rushing into the portal as they were pulled inside it and vanished inside the bright light of the portal.

Jiyoung supported my body with each step I covered as I turned my head around and took in a final look of the field behind me, my fleeting gaze landed at the basilisk’s remains a final time. Taking a deep breath, I told Jiyoung to enter the portal first. I was now somewhat able to walk on my own and carry my own weight.

She was reluctant at first, but obliged and entered the portal as everyone had now disappeared from inside this dungeon. Leaving me alone in here.

But I to stepped forward shortly after as the glowing and rippling sheen of the portal pulled me in, as I began to lose touch with my senses. My vision darkened, as my perspective shifted, like day to night. I found myself leaving the lush grass land, and appearing in front of a crowd of people.

The sun had set and the sky was blanketed by beautiful stars, as I saw the full moon which basked us in its enigmatic shine. We were under the open sky, as I saw the tall and sturdy walls of the once auditorium we were in a few days ago, crumbled and cracked.

I saw that either the relatives, some family member or parents of the students had arrived here, as they all went to embrace each other into a tight hug. They wept in silence, as they all let that moment pass, as relief washed over them, but some wept with a sorrowful expression on the lose of the students who had not made it out with us. Maybe a son, a daughter, or a friend.

“Ryuya what happened to your arm?” Ryuya’s mother—Sayako—began to look at him with a deep motherly concern and warmth in her eyes. Tears slid down her cheeks, her lips quivering as she wrapped her arms around her son. “Thank goodness you are alright. Thank goodness.”

Ryuya patted her back gently hugging her as he turned to look at the butler who had escorted his mother here with his sister—Ayane. Giving him a firm nod.

“I thought you were dead,” Ayane said as she gently held his hand, tears welling in her eyes.

“Well, sorry about that. If I had died then who would tease our little Ayane, eh?" Ryuya said with a firm grin, as Ayane gripped his hand tightly, then embraced him like their mother had done.

“You jerk!” She said as her lips quivered.

The others were the same. Han was speaking with a tall man with short brow hair and a lean stature, dressed in traditional Chinese robes—someone maybe from his Clan.

Amelia was speaking with a woman with long auburn hair, as she embraced the tired Amelia into a gentle and warm hug. I think that was her older sister ‘Amanda Watson’, as far as I had investigated.

I saw Jiyoung speaking with Mr. Butler, and Jihoon who had arrived here in Japan. Jiyoung calmly kept on replying as Jihoon kept on throwing a barrage of questions at her whether if she was fine or not. Her expressionless face palpably looking tired now.

The Instructors finished counting the missing students—and the ones who hadn’t came back with us—as they were preoccupied tending to the injured. The portal from behind me rippled out of existence as the bright sheen which brightened my surroundings disappeared, the mana coalesced near the portal dissipated as the gap in the space restored itself.

I peered across the crowd as I thought. ‘No one here whom I could call my family!’ A weak smile pulled up my lips, as I sadly pondered alone on my own thoughts. I was tired, but, with what little mana I had left within me, I searched for Leap in that moment, and it was there, and responsive. It brimmed with power—ready to be given life to by my mana—as I felt for the pathways, my connection with them had also been restored. Whatever unknown phenomenon had caused my connection to be disabled—severed—inside the dungeon with the pathways, had now been perfectly restored.

I saw Jihoon bob his head toward me, as he lunged himself in my direction and began to study my condition. All the wounds on my body had almost healed, but my clothes were tattered and ripped from many places—like rags. My hair was a mess and my body still cranking with a deep and firm fatigue.

“You are alright, right Jiwoo?” Jihoon said as he looked at me with concerned eyes. I gently placed my hand over the youth’s head—who was now shorter than me in terms of height—as I patted his head.

“Yeah, just kicked some ass, and saved some, like I always do,” I reassured him, as I received a giggle from him as he smiled brightly. “Not too much to brag about.” My brows jumped slightly, as I looked at him with a bright smile myself.

Mr. Butler and Jiyoung had now approached us, as he slightly nodded his head in a greeting as I did the same. But his brows were weirdly knitted, as he had a hesitant expression over his wrinkled face. His eyes looked at me uncertainly as if he was holding back from telling me something, or perhaps it was just me reading too much in to it.

“You guys should go and get yourself checked by the medics and emitters,” Jihoon urged as he pointed at the medics and healer standing at the used to be gates of the auditorium.

Amongst the crowd, my eyes caught on to Adam's as he held my gaze for a few seconds, then nodded at me. With a thin smile, I nodded back at him, as he hurriedly turned around and went to perform his duties.

I felt a sudden surge of pain in my body, as I sputtered a series of pained coughs, which made the pain near my sternum to grow. Jihoon worriedly pulled close to me, as he urged that we headed to the medics, again. I obliged and allowed him to drag me there. But just as we were about to move, I heard a familiar voice among the mass.

“Ehm, excuse me,” I heard a muffled voice in the many, as I turned to my left and laid my eyes on the man who stood in front of me, with wide and surprised eyes.

“How come you are here?” I asked as I walked closer to him—Jiyoung and Jihoon a step behind me—, dumbfounded by his sudden appearance here.

“Hmm...I know it might not be convenient to ask at a time like this but,” Master said, as he looked me straight in the eyes. “Can we please talk for a moment if you don’t mind? Even for a few minutes is fine.”

What could he want to talk about with me? Unless...No I had resolved myself to not hold on to that false hope which could turn to poison. But...what if he does remember?

“Jiwoo, someone you know?” Jihoon asked from my side.

“Kind of,” I exclaimed. “I’ll back in a few minutes after I finish speaking with him. It might be important,” I turned to look at the siblings. “Jiyoung you should go get yourself checked in the mean time, you’re injuries were pretty bad. And if Instructor Adam asks, tell him that I am nearby.”

I think Adam would need a full report of our time spent inside the dungeon. But, it is what it is.

The siblings were hesitant to leave my side, as Jiyoung worriedly looked at me. But after a few more seconds, Jiyoung sighed as both of them nodded.

I nodded back, as I turned around and walked for a bit together with Master behind me, as I found a small park which was close to the auditorium. I saw a bench which was close to the entrance, but a little far away.

I took a seat as I gestured for him to sit down as well.

“So, ahh...how are you?” I asked with a hesitant pause. Not knowing how to start a conversation with him. It had been long, almost too long until I had even spoken with him directly. But my heart began to pound faster by only being with him.

“I could ask you the same,” he said, taking a seat beside me. “You and those other students had been inside that dungeon for almost six days.”

“Yeah, a pretty shit experience that was,” I said, as my lips weakly pulled up.

The creeping of silence descended, as we both didn’t speak for an entire minute.

“So, what is it that you wanted to ask me?” I was the one to break the silence lingering between us.

He pondered for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure what to ask me. As if he was still making the decision.

But it didn’t take him long for him to decide as he spoke.

“I know this might sound a little strange and out of nowhere, but what I am going to ask you...please answer to me honestly and truthfully.” He held my gaze with determined eyes, as I firmly nodded.

“Who is...Shun?”

Just as the words left his mouth, I was left flabbergasted. I couldn’t perfectly process what he had asked me.

Did he just ask about the past me? But why all of a sudden? Did he remembered something? Mountains worth of questions began to form inside my mind as I looked at Master with wide eyes. I didn’t know what kind of expression I was making, but it must have given him a hint that I knew something about this person called ‘Shun’.

“Let me rephrase what I just said. Just who are you Seo Jiwoo and what is your connection with me and this person named Shun?”

“I know its a little childish to say this all of a sudden, but I saw you in my dream a few days ago. You were there, but...in a different body—form—and the memories or images I saw were just too vivid and real to think of them as any random dream. Like some kind of different life that I had already lived through, but completely forgotten about. So just what is your connection in all of this? Ever since I saw you, I felt like as if I have known you for a very long time. Like there was some kind of deep connection between us.”

His voice sounded puzzled as he leaned back into the bench and looked up at the stars which glittered the night sky. His eyes looked uncertain, as if he himself wasn’t sure of what he was asking me.

“Who are you?” He asked with awaiting and bemused eyes, as he inclined his head slightly towards me. A soft breeze flew past us, as Master’s hair swayed lightly.

I sighed deeply as I took a moment, on how to respond to him—my already tired and exhausted mind couldn’t comprehend and process this sudden subtle situation. Should I just tell him everything about who I really am? Who I used to be? Would he believe me? Would he accept that I was someone who had lived with him in our past life? Would he accept our relationship?

Will he...

“I-I...”

No! This wasn’t the right time for that. Not yet!

If I needed to tell him about the past—about everything concerning us—then I needed more time to think to come to a conclusion with my own thoughts and feelings.

I slowly turned to look at him, as I solemnly spoke with a mixture of a weary and hesitant, but an unwavering and determined voice.

Gently, my voice filled with warmth and reassurance, as I turned to look him in his eyes, unwaveringly holding his gaze as I spoke. “I will share everything you wish to know of—everything. Just give me a little bit of time and I promise you I will come and tell you everything, unveil the mystery surrounding Shun, my own identity, and the intricate connection that is between us.”

Master sighed deeply—as if he had already expected my answer—, as he blankly looked in front of him. We let an entire minute pass on in silence, before he broke it again, as he inclined forward and rested his elbows over his knees.

“Alright,” he said. “Fine, I will wait for you to tell me then.”

“Thanks,” I said back.