A Regressor's Bucket List

The Vermilion Bird’s tail feather.

The Azure Dragon’s reverse scale.

The Black Tortoise’s cold iron.

The three divine objects symbolizing the Four Divine Beasts had all lost their energy.

“They were already in that state when I discovered them.”

“…….”

“I cannot say for certain whether it is due to the distance from the main bodies or if a problem has arisen with the intrinsic power of the Divine Beasts’ energy. However, seeing as they fail to exert their power anywhere on the continent, I am inclined to believe it is the latter.”

U-jin turned his head, this time shifting his gaze to the scroll that Kim Satgat had brought out along with the pouch containing the divine objects.

“…What is that?”

“These are accounts of sightings of the Divine Beasts that I gathered while traveling across the continent.”

“…….”

“I believed that ancient records and legends alone could not reveal their recent tracks, so I personally traveled to various regions to collect them.”

“…….”

…This was something U-jin already knew.

While this was the first time he had seen the divine objects in person, it wasn't as if he had no data to rely on when he was searching for the Divine Beasts during his time in the Suicide Squad.

The sightings written in this very scroll were what they had utilized back then.

“The last sighting was recorded approximately 80 years ago.”

“…….”

“Well, since it is merely data based on rumors, its truthfulness has not been verified… but I can guarantee a certain level of credibility, as I sought them out with great care.”

Chrarak—

As the scroll was unfurled horizontally, sentences written in Hanmun were packed tightly across its length.

“Hmm….”

As U-jin naturally looked down at the scroll, a peculiar light flickered in Kim Satgat’s eyes as he asked a question.

The reason was simple.

“Ho-ho. You know Hanmun? You must be a descendant of a scholarly family with a long history.”

He had naturally assumed that U-jin would be unable to read the text.

Nod—

“I heard that those who come up from the lower world these days, even if they are from the Peninsula, do not know it well. You truly are a rare young man.”

However, his guess was not entirely correct.

In the first place, U-jin had lived a life that was quite distant from academic study.

‘…There’s no way I’d know.’

In truth, U-jin had no idea what the Hanmun written in this scroll meant.

However.

“A blazing bird of the firmament, a scaled serpent with deer antlers, and a pitch-black tortoise… They certainly seem similar.”

Through his memories of the first round, he could guess roughly what the contents of this scroll would be.

“Well… even so, I have yet to produce any results. Ho-ho.”

“…….”

“I am currently just wasting away, eating food without any sense of shame.”

Kim Satgat shook his head with a laugh, then met U-jin’s eyes as if he had something to ask.

“What do you think? Don't you think there is one missing?”

“…….”

It was not a difficult story to understand.

As they were grouped under the title of the Four Divine Beasts, not the Three Divine Beasts, there was clearly a being that belonged in that spot alongside the Vermilion Bird, the Azure Dragon, and the Black Tortoise.

The Azure Dragon of the East.

The Vermilion Bird of the South.

The Black Tortoise of the North.

And of the West.

“…The White Tiger.”

“Indeed, the White Tiger is missing. Coincidentally, that is.”

The White Tiger.

The auspicious Divine Beast that governed the West, and the spiritual creature symbolizing gold among the Five Elements and the autumn season.

The description of it having eyes that could see through people and the ability to transform into a human was a depiction that immediately brought ‘Valencia La Bael Tigris’ to mind.

“…….”

“Well, there is no need for a long explanation… but since there was a target that was clearly more suspicious than the other Divine Beasts, I did not pursue it separately. In the case of the White Tiger, I was waiting, thinking the day would naturally come for that power to manifest.”

“…….”

“…Though, since you snatched her up so quickly, I ended up like a dog chasing a chicken. Ho-ho.”

There was a barb in Kim Satgat’s laughing words.

Of course, that didn’t mean his words were filled with hostile intent.

He was merely emphasizing that he had been suspicious from the start; if he had felt hostile toward U-jin, he wouldn’t have shown him these divine objects in the first place.

It wasn’t so much a hostile ‘Hand it over.’

Rather, it was closer to a question directed at U-jin.

The King of the Beastkin Nation.

Valencia La Bael Tigris.

He was asking if she was truly of the ‘White Tiger’s bloodline.’

The reason Kim Satgat wanted to confirm this, despite saying he already knew, was simple.

‘…….’

He had said there was a ‘suspicious target,’ but it wasn't that he actually knew of the existence of ‘Valencia La Bael Tigris.’

He had only guessed that the ‘Royal Family bloodline of the Beastkin Nation’ might be the bloodline of the White Tiger; he hadn't been able to pinpoint Valencia’s exact location.

Regardless of everything else.

Valencia had lived her life in hiding, never revealing herself to the world until U-jin personally sought her out.

It was hard enough to find a single person on this vast continent, so if one could easily find Valencia, who had taken the form of a ‘cat,’ Kim Satgat would be more than just outstanding—he would be monstrous.

In the first place, U-jin only knew her location was ‘Aileen Village’ thanks to his memories of his past life.

In the case of the UMC, the Agency of the Order, they had been tracking her location because they had been in contact with the Beastkin Nation since before its fall.

Finding an animal that was hiding with intent was a task that would be nearly impossible even for Kim Satgat’s grandfather, let alone Kim Satgat himself.

…Furthermore.

As Kim Satgat mentioned her ‘manifesting her power,’ the current Valencia herself was still lacking in some aspects to be called the ‘White Tiger Divine Beast.’

Although she had achieved a complete succession from her predecessor through the inauguration ceremony, if one recalled the conversation U-jin had with the Vestige of ‘Allen Tigris III’ in Aileen Village…

『Of course, even I failed to reach that true power….』

The previous King.

Even he, who must have achieved far more than the current Valencia, had confessed to U-jin that he had failed to reach ‘true power’ during his lifetime.

If U-jin’s thoughts were correct, that meant he had failed to reach the status of a ‘Divine Beast.’

『…You’re late.』

『…These wicked rascals.』

『I thought this might happen. Judging by this, it seems the Demon King’s side already knew.』

『…….』

In a way, from Kim Satgat’s perspective, even if he knew the ‘Beastkin Royal Family bloodline’ was that of the White Tiger, it was natural for him to wait rather than pursue it.

Rather than searching for a being that was intentionally hiding and hadn't even reached the ‘status of a Divine Beast’ yet, it was much more cost-effective to follow sightings of appearances that could clearly be called ‘Divine Beasts.’

He could just track the White Tiger's bloodline after it attained divinity.

…Well.

Considering that in the pre-regression Suicide Squad days, Valencia had ultimately died in a foreign land without anyone knowing, his plan had been destined for failure in the end.

Nod—

“…I was thinking something similar.”

At U-jin’s brief answer and nod, Kim Satgat also bobbed his head in return.

And then.

“Right. That is enough.”

Ssh—

He put the divine objects back into the pouch and held it out to U-jin.

“……?”

As U-jin took it reflexively and looked at him with a confused expression, Kim Satgat let out his characteristic laugh and spoke briefly.

Ho-ho.

“It has been a full 100 years.”

“…….”

“In all that time, that is all I have found. Yet, did you not find the White Tiger in such a short period? It is better for you to have this than me.”

It was an unexpected development for U-jin.

He had only asked in hopes of gaining additional information.

This seemed as if Kim Satgat was handing over the duties he had held until now.

“…I decided not to board the Floating Territory, though.”

Shake—

“That has nothing to do with it. What matters is whether you can do it or not.”

“…….”

“Why, is there not an old proverb that says if you hoard something, it turns into dung? Rather than me holding onto it and idling away the time, it is better for something to be achieved, even if you leave the Floating Territory.”

Ho-ho—

“Is it not so? Though I have only seen you a few times, I do not think you are the type to do anything foolish.”

Just as U-jin had sensed, Kim Satgat was trying to pass the ‘mission to find the Four Divine Beasts’ itself to U-jin.

…Of course, U-jin had no particular reason to refuse.

If nothing else, he thought these three divine objects might be helpful in finding the Four Divine Beasts.

If push came to shove, he could use additional information from The Order through Louis or Ludwig.

He wasn't begging for it; the man was offering it first, so there was no way he could refuse.

“Take it.”

At Kim Satgat’s repeated urging, U-jin carefully accepted the items.

After watching U-jin for a moment, Kim Satgat turned around.

“Let us head to the forge soon. It might feel a bit early… but is it not boring here?”

“…….”

U-jin looked back and forth between Kim Satgat’s retreating figure as he walked lightly away and the ‘clues about the Four Divine Beasts’ he had been handed, thinking to himself.

‘…With this.’

He suddenly felt like the pieces of a puzzle were fitting together in his head.

『…Hmm. It seems the name is unfamiliar to you.』

『…….』

『Then, would you know it if I called it the ‘Xuanyuan Sword’?』

According to Allen Tigris, the ‘nameless sword fragment’ obtained while saving Shim Cheong was a ‘fragment of the Xuanyuan Sword’ used by ‘Gongsun Chan,’ the last emperor of the Murim Empire before the regression.

It was also thanks to that broken Xuanyuan Sword that he was able to control the rampage of Allen Tigris’s Thought Form in Aileen Village.

He wasn't entirely sure, but with The Order’s database via Ludwig and Louis, and the clue of the divine objects now in his hands.

And the Xuanyuan Sword and the Emperor of the Murim Empire.

Just as U-jin had thought when he first asked Kim Satgat if he knew about the Four Divine Beasts, he felt that with this combination, he might be able to obtain some meaningful clues for tracking them down.

Perhaps, unlike before the regression, he could confirm the existence of the Four Divine Beasts and provide help in the War against Demons.

‘…I should stop by Murim after the Northern Subjugation War is over.’

Nod—

The sudden provision was certainly surprising, but it wasn't something he needed to decline.

The untimely luck felt awkward, but U-jin decided to accept it as it was.

Ssh—

Grip—

Tucking the scroll and the tied pouch into his robes, U-jin began walking behind Kim Satgat, who was already far ahead.