All‑Master Who Regressed to Bronze - Chapter 65

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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All Master Who Regressed to Bronze Episode 065

 

Clutching the ticket, Shin Hyeok appeared in a familiar place.

 

“The waiting room, huh. It’s been a while.”

 

The waiting room he had visited since the placement exam and the Integrated Silver League.

 

That place was as desolate as ever.

 

A vast space of nothingness.

 

What filled that space was nothing but empty void.

 

In that void, players from various countries who had been waiting for Shin Hyeok turned their gazes toward him as he appeared.

 

“Is that guy Shin-hyeok Choi?”

 

“He’s young. Too young. Well, it’s only been two months since he became a Player, so I guess it’s natural.”

 

“Damn, what was I doing when I was that age?”

 

“You were crying after getting beaten by me.”

 

“Fuck!!! That was before my trait had awakened—”

 

“So what? I haven’t fought you since then, so the final defeat is yours, right? You suck.”

 

“…Graaaah!!!”

 

They didn’t hesitate to have conversations about Shin Hyeok.

 

Listening to the murmurs of the world’s top Gold Players talking about him, Shin Hyeok felt quite moved in his own way.

 

‘Before my regression, these were people I wasn’t even allowed to look up to, and now they’re showing envy, jealousy, and resentment toward me. Hmm, is this why people regress?’

 

Making a joke only he could understand and smirking briefly.

 

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

 

“Ellis Veronia.”

 

“I’ve been grinding my teeth and honing my skills for the past month… but somehow you’ve gone even further away than before.”

 

“It’s a difference in talent.”

 

“…Ha! I’m not someone who usually hears that kind of thing. But hearing it from you, I strangely can’t argue back. Maybe because it’s true.”

 

Ellis Veronia from the United States had approached at some point.

 

Despite having the typical appearance of a blonde, blue-eyed American white woman, she was a true warrior who utilized the Blood Berserker class better than anyone.

 

She was feeling with her entire body that the gap between herself and Shin Hyeok had widened even further.

 

‘What kind of aura is this… Even when I saw the Demon Emperor directly, it wasn’t this intense. Does this make sense? A Gold Player emanating a more powerful aura than the Demon Emperor who stands at the peak of Diamond Players. But then again, considering what this person has shown, it doesn’t seem that strange.’

 

The Demon Emperor.

 

Reminded of the existence standing at the peak of Iwhang Samjeo Owang by Shin Hyeok’s appearance, Ellis clicked her tongue inwardly and looked around.

 

“There are many, aren’t there?”

 

“There are.”

 

“All those people are probably only looking at you. Same goes for me.”

 

“I entered thinking the same thing.”

 

“…Aren’t you scared or anything? It’s 100 people. 99 people excluding you. And those 99 people will all be targeting only you.”

 

Ellis looked at Shin Hyeok with disbelief as he showed no fear or panic at the thought of 99 of the world’s top Gold Players targeting him, but Shin Hyeok remained calm and composed.

 

’99 people. That’s a terrifying number. But in the end, they’re just Gold. I’ve been surrounded by dozens of Diamond Players before, and I’ve received countless joint attacks from Challenger Players. Before I died, I even received joint attacks from players belonging to the New Human Empire, called the outer heavens among those Challengers. So now, 99 people may sound like a lot, but they’re just Gold Players. And not even from the Integrated League, but from dimensional leagues. It’s a bit much to be scared of that.’

 

It was a difference in experience.

 

The weight that the number 99 carried was certainly significant, but Shin Hyeok had passed through far more intense battlefields.

 

Especially since the Integrated League meant unavoidable death without death prevention rights, players from dimensional leagues where death was exempted were merely animals in cages who knew nothing of the wild.

 

Therefore, he calmly looked around at the 99 Gold Players.

 

Flinch!

 

Under the emperor’s gaze looking down at them, the weak-hearted Gold Players averted their eyes from Shin Hyeok, and those with strong pride tried their best to meet his gaze with wide-open eyes, but couldn’t stop their trembling bodies.

 

Among them, there was a player who boldly stepped toward Shin Hyeok.

 

“Bread boy. Have you been well?”

 

“…Who are you?”

 

“It’s Dong-pyeong Hong!”

 

“Ah, the half-wit who can’t properly utilize what he has. Were you Taiwanese?”

 

“Damn bastard! I’m Chinese! Chinese!”

 

Dong-pyeong Hong.

 

A promising player from China whom he had encountered once in the Integrated Silver League.

 

Naturally, Shin Hyeok knew him.

 

He just had no reason to treat him well, so those were just words meant to provoke.

 

Dong-pyeong Hong, who fell for it beautifully, fumed with a reddened face.

 

“This time I’ll definitely get revenge for the Integrated Silver League. We’ve greatly increased the number of Chinese players participating in the Integrated Gold League for today. You’d better prepare yourself.”

 

“You invested national budget to train players just to catch me? You really know how to spend money…”

 

At Dong-pyeong Hong’s words, Shin Hyeok let out a hollow laugh.

 

He was both dumbfounded that they had used national support to train players for the Integrated Gold League just to catch him, and envious of China’s ability to casually pull off such absurd feats.

 

‘Well, if they make just one wrong move, I’ll strip them clean. Hmm, won’t they make a single mistake?’

 

He briefly pondered if there was a way to extract the abilities and resources they possessed.

 

[All participants for the Integrated Gold League have gathered.]

 

[The Integrated Gold League will now begin.]

 

A message window appeared before everyone’s eyes.

 

At the message announcing the start, the players who had been laughing, chatting, or being wary just moments before all froze simultaneously.

 

The thought that they would soon be thrown into battle.

 

As everyone swallowed dry saliva along with tension.

 

[…Error. Abnormal strength detected in one player.]

 

[Judged that the Integrated Gold League cannot be properly conducted as is.]

 

[Rules will be revised.]

 

“…What?”

 

“Rule revision! This has never happened even once before!”

 

“What kind of bolt from the blue is this!”

 

“Wait. If it’s about one player’s abnormal strength…”

 

“There’s only one person it could be…”

 

“Shin-hyeok Choi. Is it you again?”

 

Players couldn’t hide their bewilderment at the sudden message.

 

A rule change for the Integrated Gold League that had never been altered once in over a decade.

 

At the center of this sudden upheaval was Shin Hyeok once again.

 

Though Shin Hyeok had once again become the center of everyone’s attention, he didn’t even glance at them and focused on the message window before his eyes.

 

‘A system change. I didn’t expect this to come out already. Does this mean my growth is excessive? I only saw this during my Diamond days in the past, but to see it during Gold. It seems like I’m progressing well, which is fortunate.’

 

System changes were something Shin Hyeok had seen even before his regression.

 

After the manifestation of his trait: Late Bloomer.

 

Shin Hyeok began growing stronger at a tremendous pace, and upon reaching Diamond when everything about Shin Hyeok became perfect, he crushed all players of the same tier.

 

Therefore, to properly evaluate Shin Hyeok, Dimension Arena made changes.

 

Since he never imagined he would see this so soon, Shin Hyeok was surprised but inwardly satisfied.

 

Of course, whether Shin Hyeok was satisfied or not, Dimension Arena displayed a message window before his eyes.

 

[Do you agree to the rule change?]

 

“Hmm.”

 

A question asking if he would agree to the rule change.

 

Other players protested against this.

 

“Why are you only asking that guy?”

 

“Give us voting rights too!”

 

“These damn commie bastards!”

 

“Hey now, there are actual reds here, so be careful with that hate speech.”

 

“So what, you commie bastard.”

 

“Graaaah! You bastard! Aren’t you afraid of the hammer and sickle!”

 

In the process, there was commotion over unnecessary things, but that didn’t mean the system would seek agreement from others.

 

‘Rule changes don’t necessarily harm me. Rather, in terms of rewards, they’re several times superior to the original. Instead, there will be correspondingly dangerous moments.’

 

A moment when only Shin Hyeok’s opinion mattered.

 

In that moment, Shin Hyeok fell into contemplation.

 

Rule changes were something he had experienced before his regression, so he knew well that this moment was dangerous yet highly rewarding.

 

Literally a high-risk, high-return situation.

 

However, that’s precisely why if he failed, Shin Hyeok would inevitably suffer great damage and losses.

 

Before his regression, he had once suffered great losses after being intoxicated by temporary strength and accepting a rule change, so Shin Hyeok needed to carefully assess his current self and the risk level of the rule change.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“Are you afraid?”

 

“…?”

 

“If you’re not afraid, then accept it, Shin-hyeok Choi. Whether it’s a rule change or whatever, the fact that we’ll crush you remains unchanged.”

 

“….”

 

Dong-pyeong Hong pushed through the crowd and provoked him.

 

It was an utterly pathetic provocation.

 

It was such a low-level provocation that even a passing dog would laugh at it, so Shin Hyeok was dumbfounded, but soon a smile appeared on his lips.

 

“The one who’s afraid would be you. If I accept the rule change, the system will narrow the gap between you guys and me, so you’re aiming for a giant killing. Your intention is so obvious that it’s not even easy to pretend to fall for it, Dong-pyeong Hong.”

 

“This bastard, as expected you knew—”

 

“Barking dogs don’t bite, after all. You’re barking so much that I can clearly see how scared you are of me. Fine, I’ll play along. A puppy is trying to beat a tiger once, enduring its fear and barking away, so as a tiger I should play along.”

 

“…!!!”

 

Thorough contempt.

 

Dong-pyeong Hong’s face turned bright red as he realized that even pretending not to know him earlier was deception.

 

Ignoring Dong-pyeong Hong who was burning with anger and killing intent, Shin Hyeok nodded.

 

“I’ll accept the rule change.”

 

[Confirmed.]

 

[We will now begin announcing the changed rules.]

 

As soon as Shin Hyeok agreed, the system immediately announced to the entire waiting room as if the opinions of others didn’t matter.

 

[1. 30% of all stats of Player Shin-hyeok Choi will be restricted.]

 

[1-1. All stats include stats from equipment, traits, and skills as well.]

 

[2. All stats of the remaining 99 players will be enhanced by 30%.]

 

[2-2. All stats include stats from equipment, traits, and skills as well.]

 

[3. If Player Shin-hyeok Choi wins, rewards can be enhanced through Play Achievement.]

 

[4. If Player Shin-hyeok Choi wins, the rankings of the remaining players will be determined by order of death.]

 

[5. If the remaining players win, surviving players will acquire Trait: Giant Killing and Title: Giant Killer.]

 

[6. If the remaining players win, rankings will be determined by order of death.]

 

[7. If Player Shin-hyeok Choi is defeated, he will be placed last regardless of order of death.]

 

[8. If Player Shin-hyeok Choi is defeated, some of his equipment will be calculated as rewards.]

 

[9. If Player Shin-hyeok Choi is defeated, his stats will drastically decrease.]

 

[10. If Player Shin-hyeok Choi is defeated, he will be banned from playing in Dimension Arena for one month.]

 

[Good luck.]

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

After the rule change announcement ended.

 

A terrible silence filled the waiting room.

 

“Cra…zy…. This isn’t a rule change, it’s a rule revolution, isn’t it?”

 

“The Shin-hyeok Choi targeting patch is insane.”

 

“But wait, cutting this much means the gap between us and Shin-hyeok Choi is that big, right?”

 

“Well, whatever. We have the advantage now anyway.”

 

“Wow, did you see the trait and title effects? They’re amazing.”

 

“Damn, I’m more interested in Shin-hyeok Choi’s equipment than that. Some of those will come out as rewards.”

 

“What do you want most?”

 

“I want the bow.”

 

“I want the holy sword.”

 

“I want the Arcane Spear.”

 

“I’m confident I’d gratefully accept whatever they give me.”

 

“You too? Hey, me too.”

 

A list of penalties that could be called nothing but a Shin-hyeok Choi targeting patch.

 

The other players except Shin Hyeok were already celebrating as if they had won.

 

That’s how big the penalty Shin Hyeok received was, and how big the rewards they would receive were.

 

Shin Hyeok calmly watched the gazes of other players who looked at him like a golden goblin, but only for a moment.

 

[The game begins.]

 

The system’s rigid voice echoed, announcing the start of the game.

 

[Special Game: Demon King Subjugation begins.]

 

“What?”

 

“W-wait, the game name sounds ominous?”

 

“Let’s get an explanation first—”

 

Whoooooosh!

 

Along with a game name they had never seen before in their lives.

 

Naturally, the system threw them straight into the game without a single line of explanation to the confused players.

 

While players who didn’t know that rule changes could completely change the game itself were confused and couldn’t properly observe their surroundings.

 

Among them, some players were able to see.

 

‘…Is he smiling?’

 

‘…Shit, something seems fucked.’

 

‘Demon King. Demon King. That suits that bastard too well.’

 

They could see Shin Hyeok being transferred to the game wrapped in bright light, pulling up the corners of his mouth and looking at them with a smile.

 

Whether some players who sensed something was wrong broke out in cold sweat or not, the Integrated Gold League.

 

Official game name: Demon King Subjugation had begun.

 

1 versus 99.

 

It was a violent structure, but it remained to be seen who this violent structure would be violent toward.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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