The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 107
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The Maxed-Out Player’s 100th Return – Episode 107
107. What’s Your Name?
Before Yamtti kidnapped the National Assembly member.
Ryu Min, disguised as Lost Yak, was deep in thought.
When exactly should he rescue National Assembly member Lee Sung-hyun?
‘It would look better if I saved him after he’s been kidnapped.’
What good would it do to eliminate Yamtti and her remaining accomplices early and erase the kidnapping entirely? Who would even know?
‘This is an opportunity. A chance to make the name Black Scythe known to the masses.’
Black Scythe was famous only among Players; the general public had no idea what he did.
There were often voices criticizing Players as a whole.
‘Lee Sung-hyun is leading that charge. He claims only criminal Players are bad, but…’
From past dealings with him, Ryu Min knew the truth.
What had happened to his only son and what feelings he harbored toward Players.
That’s why I understood Lee Sung-hyun better than anyone, and I knew what the right path forward was.
‘I need to straighten out Lee Sung-hyun’s twisted perspective.’
I wanted him to realize that not all Players were evil.
I wanted him to understand that when Player abilities were used for the right purpose, nothing could be better.
‘That way, when I eventually step forward as the representative of Players, I’ll have the support of ordinary citizens.’
If Lee Sung-hyun helped, the public would gladly support Black Scythe.
That’s why I needed to change his perspective, and I didn’t make my move even as the kidnapping unfolded.
Well, I was moving quietly from the shadows.
Tailing Song Jae-gyeom, the Chairman of Player Cafe.
‘Lee Sung-hyun will be in danger when the six criminals hired by the Chairman make their move.’
Player Cafe’s scenario was for the criminals to publicly execute Lee Sung-hyun, then have me appear as if arriving too late to save him while eliminating the criminals.
So as long as the criminals don’t show up at the Cabin, Lee Sung-hyun has nothing to fear.
That’s why I was using Invisibility to tail Song Jae-gyeom.
His job was to pick up the criminals marked with red lines.
“Excuse me, boss. You really will pay triple once the job’s done?”
“That’s correct.”
“You won’t suddenly bail and disappear or anything?”
Song Jae-gyeom smiled faintly as he watched the anxious criminals.
“If you can’t do it, just say so now. I’ll transfer back the 25 million won I gave you.”
“Ha, you sure are impatient. I was just asking.”
“When did we ever say we wouldn’t do it?”
“Killing one person these days is nothing, really.”
The criminals’ snickering faded as talk of money dried up.
Their lives were already ruined with red marks against their names.
Most of them thought killing one person and pocketing 100 million won was a bargain.
‘Tsk, whether Player or civilian, garbage exists everywhere.’
If Ma Gyeong-rok had been here, he probably would have drooled.
With such pointless thoughts occupying his mind, Ryu Min waited for the right moment.
Ring—
When the time came, Song Jae-gyeom’s phone rang.
“Yes, yes, Yamtti. Understood. I’ll bring them right now.”
After ending the call, Song Jae-gyeom issued orders to the bodyguards.
“Load all personnel here and follow me.”
“Yes, understood… Ugh!”
The bodyguard couldn’t finish his response before collapsing.
“What’s happening… Gack!”
The other bodyguard met the same fate.
Struck on the back of the neck by Ryu Min, he lost consciousness instantly.
It was laughable that they were even called Players.
Song Jae-gyeom and the criminals were shocked by Ryu Min’s sudden intervention.
Song Jae-gyeom’s voice rang out especially loud, recognizing the face.
“Lost Yak?!”
“Now then, Chairman, if you’d be so kind as to lose consciousness as well.”
Thud—crash.
Having knocked the Chairman out, Ryu Min turned his gaze toward the criminals.
“What shall I do with you lot?”
“H-help!”
Realizing this wasn’t human movement, they fled in panic.
‘P-Player! We can never win!’
The criminals understood.
As ordinary people, they stood no chance against a Player—it was like throwing eggs at stone.
“I can’t just let murderers who conspired together escape.”
Slash—slash—!
Drawing his scythe, Ryu Min turned six men into bloody corpses in an instant.
‘Just in case these bastards become a liability later.’
These criminals were already dead men walking, courtesy of Player Cafe.
They’d never know they wouldn’t even receive their contract payment.
After cleaning up the scene, Ryu Min drove away with the unconscious Chairman.
He dumped the body unceremoniously at an appropriate location.
‘It doesn’t matter when the Chairman wakes up. By then, everything will already be resolved.’
Ryu Min drove toward the promised meeting place—the Cabin.
Upon entering, three new executives recognized their senior and bowed respectfully.
“Welcome, Senior.”
“Ah, yes. Has Yamtti arrived yet?”
“No. She should arrive shortly with the National Assembly member.”
“Understood. I’ll keep watch outside as planned.”
While keeping watch outside, I saw Yamtti arrive with the National Assembly member.
‘At last, they’ve arrived.’
From here on, the task was straightforward.
Breach the National Assembly and rescue the congressman—that was all.
‘I’ll slaughter every executive. Except Yamtti.’
The reason for sparing Yamtti was simple.
‘If I bring Yamtti to my side, Player Cafe will naturally fall under my control.’
Nominally, the Chairman led Player Cafe, but the true puppet master was Yamtti.
If I could turn Yamtti to my side, I could bring Player Cafe itself under my command.
‘And I’d gain a powerful tool in the Fascination Rune as well.’
The Fascination Rune that Yamtti possessed was as formidable as a Zone Representative’s dominion.
‘No, it surpasses that. It has no level restrictions—it dominates anyone, Player or ordinary human alike.’
Precisely because it was so potent that I had kept my distance from Yamtti until now.
How could one counter an ability that enthralls with a mere glance?
‘Of course, killing her wouldn’t be difficult. I’d just use invisibility to approach and be done with it.’
But from the start, I had no intention of killing Yamtti.
Using her was far more practical than eliminating her.
‘That’s precisely why I needed the seventh-round rune.’
Thanks to the Mental Barrier Rune, I could face Yamtti directly.
‘The Fascination Rune is powerful, but it cannot pierce the Mental Barrier Rune.’
I entered the Cabin and killed the three new executives.
Then I coerced Yamtti into lifting the congressman’s enchantment.
I spared Yamtti as planned.
However, using dominion in front of the congressman would raise suspicion, so I had to lure Yamtti outside.
‘Since she wants to live, I’ll tell her I’m letting her go.’
When Yamtti showed signs of remorse, I released her as if I were sparing her life.
Then I used a clone to slip away and tracked Yamtti with invisibility.
I maintained a distance of over thirty meters to avoid triggering her presence detection.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen such a fool. Hehehehe.”
Watching Yamtti mock me, I could be certain of one thing.
Coercion alone could never truly control a person.
‘Then there’s only one method left.’
I used my one-time Reality Dominion on Yamtti.
‘I have no regrets. Dominating Yamtti is essentially gaining an additional dominion.’
Better yet, one without the constraints I currently face.
“Yamtti. Become my slave.”
As Yamtti’s eyes grew hazy, a message appeared.
[All available dominions for use in reality have been consumed.]
[Temporary Skill – Dominion]
-Remaining Uses: 8
-Used On: Black Scythe, Yamtti
[The remaining dominion can be used in the Other World.]
[The temporary skill ‘Dominion’ disappears from the skill window.]
With this, both the Fascination Rune as a powerful tool and Player Cafe as a faction.
All came under Ryu Min’s command.
“It is an honor to meet you, Master.”
Yamtti bowed her head with a demure posture.
“Please give me your orders, Master. I will do whatever you command….”
“First, never call me ‘Master’ again. Don’t bow your head to me in front of others either. Just act naturally.”
“Ah, understood.”
“People might find it strange if they see, so drop the formal speech too.”
“Ah… got it.”
Though her words had become casual, reading her true thoughts confirmed it.
‘She really does think of me as her master.’
She had become completely my servant.
“You run down this path. The police will raid this place soon. Tell the Chairman that Lost Yak was the traitor.”
“Understood… yes. Master. Ah, no, Black Scythe?”
“Don’t even mention the name Black Scythe. I’ll kill you.”
“Ah. Sorry, sorry, no, my apologies.”
A troubled light flickered across Yamtti’s face.
“Then what should I call you from now on…?”
“Just call me by my name. Ryu Min.”
The corners of Ryu Min’s mouth curved upward.
* * *
‘I’ve been kidnapped.’
The moment Lee Sung-hyun opened his eyes, he could quickly assess the situation.
His memories before losing consciousness, the conversation with the woman upon arriving here, his body bound to a chair.
Synthesizing all these factors led to only one conclusion: kidnapping.
Of course, who had kidnapped him was obvious.
‘That woman. She kidnapped me.’
Judging by the force she displayed when she struck him down, she was definitely a Player.
‘She probably kidnapped me in retaliation for the bill I proposed.’
The only person who could threaten him was a Player, so it was certain.
Hadn’t he even hired bodyguards in anticipation of such circumstances?
‘Those bodyguards went down so easily. Damn it. Worthless bastards not worth their pay.’
That was when it happened.
Creak—
The Cabin door opened and a man entered.
It was the bronze-skinned man who had followed Yamtti moments earlier.
‘That man. He introduced himself as coming to rescue me earlier. But what’s his relationship with that woman?’
From the atmosphere, they didn’t seem to be on the same side.
The woman was begging for her life, after all.
But that alone wasn’t enough to determine she was an ally.
So I regarded her with cautious eyes.
Who could say if she might suddenly strike the back of my head?
‘She might not even be an ordinary person—she could be a Player.’
Then the man approached me and reached out his hand.
Lee Sung-hyun flinched, thinking he was about to attack.
Snap—snap—
But the man was merely untying the rope.
“I apologize for the late release, Assemblyman Lee Sung-hyun. I had some loose ends to tie up outside.”
“Loose ends? You mean with that woman?”
“Yes. As you’ve witnessed, she was indeed the mastermind behind the kidnapping. I’ve handled the matter myself, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“….”
As Lee Sung-hyun studied me with searching eyes, I smiled.
“You must be curious about the situation. I’ll explain everything. First, let me dispose of the body.”
I activated Trace Erasure, and the corpse vanished without a trace.
“Huh.”
Lee Sung-hyun was startled by the unfamiliar ability, but quickly regained his composure.
“You’re… a Player.”
“Yes. I understand you have reservations about Players, Assemblyman… but it’s rather disappointing to see that expression directed at your savior.”
“Are you saying you saved my life?”
I nodded and explained the situation in detail.
“As you might suspect, Assemblyman, there are many Players who harbor resentment toward you. This group here is one of them.”
I wove together a mixture of truth and carefully chosen lies.
I didn’t mention that Player Cafe had orchestrated it all.
“I received a proposal from a Player I knew beforehand. That’s how I learned the full details of their plan.”
I laid out every detail—how they planned to kidnap Assemblyman Lee Sung-hyun, bribe vagrants with money to serve as the villains, and have themselves play the heroes who would rescue him.
As I explained everything, Lee Sung-hyun’s eyes widened.
‘The way he’s explaining this in such detail… it doesn’t sound like a lie.’
I showed him the schedule and route information I’d received as evidence.
“I harbored no ill will toward you beforehand, Assemblyman. I didn’t think poorly of the bills you proposed either. In fact, I believe they’re exactly the kind of legislation our times desperately need.”
“….”
Lee Sung-hyun felt something strange.
Unlike himself, who despised Players, there stood before him a Player who actually supported his legislation.
“That’s why I betrayed them. I couldn’t bear to let someone like you die in vain.”
“Then the corpses I saw earlier…”
“Yes. They were Players who conspired in the crime. I killed them all. I know their identities. If you wish, I can provide them.”
“….”
“I understand how this looks. I appear to be a murderer. Well, I suppose I am one. But I have no intention of turning myself in.”
“Why not? If you’ve committed a crime, you should turn yourself in—that’s only right.”
“There’s still much I need to do. Only thirteen rounds remain, after all. Surely you wouldn’t ask someone like me—living on borrowed time—to spend what’s left of my life in prison, would you?”
“….”
Upon reflection, he couldn’t bring himself to do such a thing.
Even if the player before him was someone he despised, wasn’t he also his savior—the one who had saved his life?
“What is it you want from me? If you’re hoping I’ll cancel the bill in exchange for saving me, then absolutely not….”
“Please proceed with the bill. Implement your vision exactly as you see it now. That’s all I ask.”
“….”
He was genuinely taken aback.
It was the complete opposite of what he’d expected.
So the reason he’d saved him—even at the cost of betraying his colleagues—was simply this.
“Is that truly all? Nothing else…?”
“Nothing else. I simply acted according to what I believed was right, and I’m not opposed to your bill either.”
“….”
A player who actually supported his bill….
Lee Sung-hyun felt an inexplicable sense of shame wash over him.
“In any case, I’m grateful. If you truly saved me, then I must repay you somehow….”
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed—tap, tap, tap.
“It seems the police have traced my phone and found this location. I should take my leave now.”
‘He’s just going to leave like this?’
Ryu Min offered his farewell, leaving Lee Sung-hyun staring after him in shock.
“It was a pleasure to speak with you. You can tell the police everything you saw and heard.”
“Wait, just a moment.”
At Lee Sung-hyun’s call, Ryu Min turned his head as he was about to climb through the window.
“What’s your name?”
Lee Sung-hyun looked at him, as if determined to at least know the name of the man who had saved him.
“My name is.”
Ryu Min smiled faintly as he spoke.
“Black Scythe.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————