A Regressor's Bucket List

Shuten, having received the weapon, asked U-jin back.

"…What is this?"

"A gun."

When he answered briefly, Shuten’s brow furrowed.

"I know that much."

"……."

"I’m asking why you’re handing this to me."

It wasn't that Shuten didn't know what the weapon was.

Even if guns were considered non-mainstream in the War against Demons, they were quite commonly used in the home grounds of those below Hero-class, such as the black market or back alleys.

In particular, guns were used more frequently in the Demon King's Territory, where anything that happened was accepted, rather than in the Order Territory, where environmental factors made it difficult to use firearms freely.

However, the reason Shuten questioned it was that he never imagined it would be a weapon U-jin himself used.

It could be called a stereotype, but there was indeed a strong perception that firearms were 'weapons that Hero-class individuals cannot use.'

Well, there was no denying that their limits were quite clear for a Hero-class to use effectively.

As if he understood Shuten’s question, U-jin nodded and, rather than giving a lengthy explanation, simply listed a few numbers.

"One hundred and thirty. Eight. One. One."

"……?"

"In order: Named, Knight-rank, Baron-rank, and Count-rank."

"……!"

Shuten’s eyes widened at U-jin’s words.

It was only natural.

Given the context of the situation, it wasn't hard to understand what U-jin was saying.

However, it was a story that completely uprooted the conventional wisdom he had held about 'firearms' until now, making it impossible to simply accept it at face value.

"…No way."

Nod.

"Yeah. That’s the number of heads this gun has put holes in."

"……."

"Well, there’s a bit of exaggeration in the last two. For the Baron, I just checked if it could pierce the flesh of a corpse someone else had already killed, and for the Count-rank, I had to aim directly at the eyeball just to barely draw blood."

"……."

"I guess I can't really say I 'hunted' them. It's still far from enough for a Count-rank."

U-jin's words were so humble they almost sounded self-deprecating, but this was absolutely not something that could be talked down.

Listing numbers might be easy, but if you gathered all the targets U-jin had mentioned into one place, it would be a massive force capable of overwhelming most Anti-Demon Fronts.

The fact that U-jin had performed that much as an individual during the Northern Subjugation War was surprising enough.

Furthermore, the fact that his weapon of choice was a 'firearm' was a story one couldn't hear without being utterly shocked.

"Well, I'm not telling you to fix it all by yourself. I needed somewhere to leave it anyway, and this place seemed perfect."

Click—

Saying that, U-jin loaded a bullet once more to demonstrate, cocked it, and pulled the trigger toward the sky.

But.

Click— Pssshhh

The gun, which had been emitting a unique rotating hum of mana as if it were heating up, made a deflating sound along with a puff of white smoke.

"…Since it's in this state, I absolutely need it if I want to continue the fight downstairs. So, I was hoping the people here could put their heads together…"

Glance—

Was it because U-jin's gun looked incredibly interesting?

Before anyone knew it, the people in the forge had stopped what they were doing and were all staring at the gun.

Their eyes were so full of desire that the phrase 'covetous eyes' naturally came to mind, and the drool escaping the corners of their mouths was quite disconcerting, even for U-jin, who was already used to such sights.

"…and figure it out together before fixing it. I thought it might serve as a decent research subject for this side as well."

U-jin spoke lightly, but for the 'Joseon Grand Blacksmith' in charge of the forge work here in the Floating Territory Joseon, it was an offer far too tempting to refuse.

To begin with, the people gathered here were those recruited because they were called 'geniuses' in the craft of blacksmithing even among those on the continent, or they were their descendants.

The blood of a blacksmith flowing through their veins couldn't help but stimulate their desire for a type of armament they had never seen before.

If U-jin's story wasn't wrong, this was a 'gun that even works against the Demon race.'

Of course, they had only seen its exterior, and according to U-jin, it was his 'exclusive armament,' so it was premature to jump to conclusions.

However, if it could be improved and popularized enough for ordinary humans to use, it would certainly be something that could help increase the military strength of the Floating Territory Joseon.

…Well.

Rather than having such thoughts right away, the idea that something 'novel' had appeared was all that occupied their minds.

In any case, it was certain that everyone in the forge was interested in that gun.

"…Where did it come from?"

Shuten, who seemed to have roughly accepted U-jin's story, asked point-blank, and U-jin briefly listed the history of the prototype.

"First of all, the base is Magitech."

"……."

"As you can see, the exterior is a single solid piece cast in a mold…"

* * *

After finishing his explanation of the prototype to Shuten, U-jin and Kim Satgat left the forge.

The nominal reason was that they had to go to the 'place they must visit first for procedural reasons,' as Kim Satgat had mentioned.

But more intuitively, it was because there was no 'room to squeeze in.'

As soon as Shuten turned around with U-jin's gun, various loud voices broke out inside the forge, and the meeting began.

The blacksmiths of the Floating Territory, who had been eyeing it, rushed toward Shuten without exception to examine the 'prototype.'

As they sat in a circle and began their discussion, Kim Satgat and U-jin were no longer in their sights.

Just as one blacksmith had asked, 'Oh, was the Wandering Poet here too?', they also knew 'Kim Satgat' and were aware that his status was not low.

However, perhaps reflecting the freedom of the Floating Territory, no one else spared him a single glance.

After watching that scene from a distance in silence, U-jin and Kim Satgat turned and walked out, which led to the present moment.

"Heh heh—"

Kim Satgat let out a hollow laugh and muttered as if it were amusing.

"I knew blacksmiths were like that, but this is the first time I've seen them that absorbed."

"……."

"Well, it was a mysterious object even in my eyes."

Creeeeak—

The forge was located in a relatively secluded corner.

After turning through a few stone-walled alleys that gave off a somewhat modern vibe and arriving at the plaza, the scenery of the Floating Territory, which had been hidden by the stone walls, came into view at once.

A palanquin floating and passing through the air as if by magic, even though no one was carrying it.

A person wearing an official robe engraved with a pattern similar to but different from a magic circle.

A flying skateboard that the person was riding.

A bamboo hat emitting a translucent light, as if made of mana.

Even a mana-enhanced musical instrument ringing with a strangely artificial sound in the center of the plaza.

A fusion society of ironies that one might only see in one's imagination entered U-jin's eyes.

Of course.

If an inexperienced person had seen it, it was a sight that would have made them faint.

Unfortunately, this was not U-jin's first time seeing this sight.

It was a space he had already experienced several times during his first iteration.

It was true that his eyes had sparkled with wonder the first three or four times he saw it.

But now, there was nothing that made his heart race.

While he was thinking that.

"…I felt this before, but."

Sure enough, Kim Satgat threw a question regarding U-jin's reaction.

"You are quite composed, aren't you?"

It was a comment that pierced through U-jin's secret enough to send a chill down his spine, but U-jin was able to hide it.

Kim Satgat's extraordinary nature was something he had experienced countless times in his first iteration.

And now, as they were heading toward the highlight of the Demon King Hunt, his actions had already been revealed to the point where they couldn't be explained away by excuses like 'being lucky' or 'talent.'

This wasn't a conclusion drawn simply by looking at his current reaction, but rather a judgment made after observing the series of exceptional steps U-jin had taken.

In fact, the eyes with which Kim Satgat looked at U-jin seemed to pierce through whatever lay beneath.

Smirk—

Rather than making up an excuse right away, U-jin raised the corners of his mouth and asked back instead.

"Is that so?"

"Need I say more? I don't know how much the Lower-Dimensional Plane has changed, but those who come up from there usually show a much more intense reaction."

"……."

"An ironic sight where Joseon's unique traditions and the future are grafted together."

Shrug—

"…That's what they usually say."

It was no different.

The impression U-jin had when he first saw 'Floating Territory Joseon' was exactly the same, word for word.

A landscape that was both wondrous and familiar was not a common combination, and considering the future of the transformed 'Republic of Korea.'

As Kim Satgat said, eleven out of ten people would have no choice but to react that way.

However, having experienced it several times, U-jin judged that it was better to pass it off with a nonchalant reaction, even if some parts were hard to understand, rather than awkwardly acting surprised.

…Honestly, even if it were known, it wouldn't cause a big problem.

But for personal reasons, U-jin did not want to reveal the fact that he had undergone regression to Kim Satgat.

"…I'm just on the blunt side."

"Haha… well now, again."

"……."

"That is quite a convenient explanation."

Just like that time in Kunlun, they both knew.

That this was a nonsensical explanation anyway.

"…Well, if you say so."

However, I knew well that this time, too, the Bamboo Hat Mister would not pry any further.

"I shall take it as such for now."

"……."

"…You seem to have your own reasons, so I won't ask more."

Step, step—

Nodding his head, Kim Satgat continued walking.

After passing through the central plaza and having conversations with a few acquaintances who recognized him.

U-jin and Kim Satgat arrived at the place located at the very center of the Floating Territory Joseon.

The Inner Palace.

As they passed through the consecutive partition walls via the Omun Gate, Kim Satgat brought up something unlike him.

"I'm not one who likes saying things like this, but."

"……."

"I ask that you show proper respect here. As I said, we must stop by for procedural reasons, and no matter how much my innate nature is to follow the wind, there are lines that must be observed."

Tap, tap—

Kim Satgat knocked on the final door they reached to send a signal.

Creeeeak—

After the door opened, a massive inner hall that one might see in a movie was revealed.

And on the throne at the far end of the center, a man in a familiar red dragon robe was waiting for U-jin.

"Welcome to the palace of Joseon."

"……."

"I am the monarch of the Floating Territory Joseon, Sejong."