[The exclusive skill 'Advanced Mental Barrier Lv. 4' is starting to reach its limit.]
Even if he raised the skill level, it could only carry him so far. Still, Yoo Jonghyuk was as calm as ever. It wouldn't matter even if the mental barrier broke this second, because he was already prepared if that were to happened.
The unnerving part was not knowing what Kim Dokja was doing. The plan they made right now was to deal with Nirvana, however, if Kim Dokja suddenly decided to take care of multiple things at once... Yoo Jonghyuk didn't want to think about it.
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The eighth strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is 'Moonlight Girl Yoo Sangah.'
The seventh strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is 'Armed Fortress Master Gong Pildu'
The sixth strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is 'Judge of Destruction Jung Heewon.'
The fifth strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is 'Pure Steel Sword Lee Hyunsung.'
The fourth strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is 'Black Flames Empress Han Sooyoung.'
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Hints were piling up and endless notifications of errors were repeating in Yoo Jonghyuk's mind. It was as if it was trying to cloud his mind. However, no matter how many of these message, Yoo Jonghyuk was fully focused.
Even after being cut over and over, he never lost himself. He stayed one with his sword and their plan.
Except, despite how much he focused, he could never get rid of the doubts in his mind.
'Is this really the correct thing to do.'
Maybe Nirvana had gotten slower or he was more used to battling, but something was creating gaps in the battle which made him focus on anything else.
'Kim Dokja, are you watching?'
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is shutting off his heart.]
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is sweating and has lost hair.]
[The constellation 'Bald General of Justice' wipes his head.]
Yoo Jonghyuk ignored the incoming messages and raised his sword again.
There was a gruesome sound as the Thousand Hands of Avalokiteśvara were pierced and crashed together making mechanical sounds.
Just as Nirvana was fighting a losing battle, Yoo Jonghyuk was the same.
'Just because he had some extra time, it didn't mean I could win against the reincarnator.'
Right now, the effects of 'Giant Body Transformation' was starting to wear off and the side effects were starting to take place. It slowly collapsed Yoo Jonghyuk's presence. Not only that, the cost of 'Giant Body Transformation' wasn't something he could handle right now.
The colossus had clearly warned him when he was given this power.
「 Never use this skill until all your stats have reached three digits. 」
However, even if the colossus knew about Transmission, it knew Yoo Jonghyuk wouldn't listen. The colossus even questioned if there was anyone Yoo Jonghyuk actually listened to.
Using the last of his magic power in his body, Yoo Jonghyuk aimed his sword at Nirvana. Then, a huge amount of blue magic power all rushed towards Nirvana.
「 Splitting the Sky is an explosion.
Don't hide. Expand, blossom, flood. Don't allow the heavens to be above you. 」
It was the words of the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint, who taught him Breaking the Sky Swordsmanship.
In the middle and second half of the second regression, the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint fought against the alliance of returnees and died alone. At that time, Yoo Jonghyuk saw a thick sky that he couldn't break. There was definitely such a sky in the world.
"Yoo Jonghyuk-!"
However, Nirvana was never a sky, to begin with. Nirvana was a strong reincarnator.
The whole stadium suffered from the attack, debris started to rain down. The whole ground where Nirvana cracked and split. Creating permeant damage to the earth. Yet, he could never be as strong as a heavenly demon or the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint.
Even he, himself will eventually surpass them.
'Thus, you're bound to die here.'
The magic power Yoo Jonghyuk released crushed Nirvana and Nirvana's flesh that was hit was torn apart. The magic power also broke Nirvana's Thousand Hands of Avalokiteśvara into pieces. The inherited skill completely reached its limits.
But that wasn't the only thing at its limits.
[The exclusive skill 'Advanced Mental Barrier Lv. 3' has reached its limit.]
[The exclusive skill 'Thought Vaccine Lv. 1' has eroded it.]
'It's as expected.'
Even if the system ranked him higher, their incompatibility made Yoo Jonghyuk lose the advantage. Yes, despite the variable of Kim Dokja, Nirvana's focus was still on Yoo Jonghyuk.
[The exclusive skill 'Advanced Mental Barrier Lv. 3' has been destroyed.]
[108 evil spirits have started to gnaw at your mind.]
At this moment, Yoo Jonghyuk's eyes turned black and his five senses started to run wild.
Nirvana laughed from inside the pit.
"Yoo Jonghyuk! Only I can understand you!"
Despite the effects of the 108 evil spirits, Yoo Jonghyuk retorted to Nirvana.
'No, it should be said that your the one who understands me the least.'
Nirvana however, neither perceived nor or tried to understand what Yoo Jonghyuk was trying to tell. Instead, he kept his own nonsense spewing.
"Stop now and become one with me."
This time, Yoo Jonghyuk could neither hear nor make sense of anything Nirvana said.
'Is it up to here? No, think. What would K-.'
Yoo Jonghyuk exercised final control over his body and brought the Heaven Shaking Sword to his neck.
'...'
'...Regress? Is regression the option he was looking for?'
'No. No. No.'
At this point, Yoo Jonghyuk was fighting against his own body. His thoughts from the third and this regression synchronized. The 108 evil spirits gnawing away at his mind made him unable to understand the situation.
-[I'll give you an offer. I'll return you to the beginning.]
A voice rang inside his head. It was a conversation from the past. A conversation about restarting this round, not as a regression but as time travel. Giving up this life was never an option.
{Are you telling me that I can get another regression with Kim Dokja?}
Yoo Jonghyuk released his grip and the sword dropped to the ground. His thoughts were finalized.
'... Kim Dokja. It is always you.'
'Even in front of the door of death, why is that you never once left my mind?'
Then, his vision gradually dimmed.
-You jerk. You took your time even after everything?
The familiar voice gave warmth to his heart. Everything that had been put to suspense was finally relaxing.
-Now, take a break. My protagonist...
Even if Yoo Jonghyuk wanted to hear to the end, the sleepiness that overwhelmed him was too much. So, despite his reluctance, Yoo Jonghyuk closed his eyes. And then darkness overwhelmed him.
...
'My protagonist, you are such a bothersome bastard.'
Kim Dokja opened his, no, he opened Yoo Jonghyuk's eyes. The feeling in this body was so different from his own original. He felt as if he was overflowing with power, even though Yoo Jonghyuk had already exercised such strength.
[The 1st person protagonist's point of view has been activated!]
Even though Yoo Jonghyuk had explained what could be possible with his skill, it still felt so unreal. Possessing somebody else's body, especially the protagonist. It was difficult to understand what Kim Dokja was feeling.
"...How did you get your mind back from 108 Worries?"
Kim Dokja studied his surrounding, completely ignoring Nirvana. This elevated height was also pleasing he felt. If this weren't in the end of a battle, he would of definitely needed to try out some things...
Nirvana's eyes were fierce as he aimed a skill at Kim Dokja.
[The character 'Nirvana Moebius' has used 108 Worries Lv. 2!]
108 Worries. It was originally a skill to raise a person's enlightenment level by frightening their own spirit but when used on others, it would invoke terrible delirium. In particular, the effect was worse than Thought Infection or Eternal Prison for regressors like Yoo Jonghyuk.
Of course, this was for Yoo Jonghyuk. But now, even though Kim Dokja had taken possession of Yoo Jonghyuk's body, he was still Kim Dokja.
[The Fourth Wall has completely neutralized the effect of 108 Worries!]
"This feeling is... who are you?"
As expected of a reincarnator, he noticed quickly. Of course, it didn't matter even if he noticed or not. Deciding to take this body for a test run, Kim Dokja rushed over and punched Nirvana in the mouth.
"Kyyuak!"
Screaming Nirvana was sent flying. Kim Dokja felt extremely satisfied with this body. Although it was satisfying seeing Nirvana scream after being hit, it wasn't enough to make up for what he had done to Yoo Jonghyuk.
With just this much, Nirvana could still resist. Of course, it was expected. Still, Kim Dokja once again punched him.
"You've been through death dozens of times, yet you never truly experienced 'death'. It's funny."
Death was death and it only happened once. A human's 'present' was important because there was nothing after death. This was why Nirvana didn't know 'death' or the 'present.'
Death only happened once, yet in the ruined world, the average death count for each person is higher than one. Preaching for a present in such a ruined world...
"A person who can't live in the present preaches about the present. There is no contradiction, right?"
"What about me...kyeeeok?!"
"I know. I know all about you. Your reason for wanting to be one with Yoo Jonghyuk, your goal with the Salvation Church, and what you ultimately want to reach."
Kim Dokja understood, which was why he had to stop him now. Nirvana hesitated. Still, he was a reincarnator and quickly regained his composure.
Nirvana shouted at Kim Dokja.
"Foolish person. Everything you're trying to do is useless. Even if you try to stop me, Yoo Jonghyuk will still die. He will regress and I will be reincarnated. In the end, it is inevitable that we will end up as one."
This way of thinking could only belong to a reincarnator. But as a reader of this story,
"Do you really think so?"
At that moment, a message appeared. It seemed to be the perfect timing.
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The third strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is 'Salvation Leader Nirvana.'
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'...Um?!'
Nirvana's expression became strange. No, not only strange.
"Third place...?"
Kim Dokja was also stunned slightly.
'It was unexpectedly Nirvana? Then, it is different from what Yoo Jonghyuk explained.'
'No, before taking any drastic measures, I should wait for the second place.'
Kim Dokja smiled and nodded at Nirvana.
Nirvana watched Yoo Jonghyuk smile with a speechless expression.
"In any case. Yoo Jonghyuk will never go to the next regression."
"What?!"
"No matter what. Yoo Jonghyuk will survive, I'll make sure of it. So, it is either you or me."
"Don't make me laugh! I am the strongest incarnation, Nirvana Moebius. A trivial person like you.."
Halfway through, Nirvana started to tremble. Seemingly only now starting to understand what the message said.
"It can't be. How could this ever be true?"
Then, another message appeared. It announced the second strongest incarnation.
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The second strongest incarnation in Seoul Dome is '---'
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Or that should have been the case. But the spot where a name was supposed to be was completely blank.