The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Maxed-Out Player’s 100th Return – Episode 114
114. Hammer’s Reward
It was a buff-type skill with a simple description, but its power was anything but simple.
‘A skill that lets me use Moonlight Island, which normally requires ten minutes between uses, in just one second.’
Though it lasted only ten seconds, the skill called Lunar Eclipse allowed me to cast Moonlight Island consecutively.
‘Moonlight Island takes one second to gather its energy, and the cooldown is one second. That means I can use it every two seconds.’
A skill I could only use once every ten minutes could now be deployed five times in ten seconds.
It felt like I’d gained an entirely new finishing move.
‘Once I complete the escort and receive the experience reward plus whatever bonus the dwarves offer….’
There would be nothing left to gain from the Dwarf Merchant Caravan.
“Alright, we’ve dealt with the monsters. Let’s resume the traitor purge!”
The traitor purge continued afterward, and several were eliminated.
However, some of the traitors were assassins, and they escaped the purge each time using invisibility skills.
[Current Personnel Status]
└Participants: 190
└Traitors: 5
“Damn it, we only have ten minutes left and there are still five traitors?”
“Has anyone not been attacked yet?”
“I don’t know, I think we’ve stabbed everyone….”
“It’s ridiculous—we’ve had them attack each other to expose the traitors, but none of them get caught.”
During the twenty-nine waves of monsters we repelled out of thirty total, we conducted the purge multiple times.
Yet the traitors remained undetected.
Each time we conducted a purge, they either avoided the area or, being assassins, used invisibility skills to slip away effortlessly.
‘With two hundred people, finding them isn’t going to be easy.’
Moreover, the relentless monster attacks every ten minutes left no time to search for the traitors.
Of course, we could conduct a full investigation whenever we had a chance.
‘But that would require someone to take the lead, and no one’s willing to do it.’
Everyone was too busy fending off the orc attacks to spare the energy or time.
Besides, without seeing nicknames, we couldn’t memorize people individually enough to conduct a systematic investigation.
As a result, the players’ frustration was mounting.
“Hmm, are you absolutely sure you’ve stabbed everyone?”
“I’m telling you, we’ve tried over ten times now.”
“Then why are there still five traitors left?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Then who should I ask? Huh?”
“This bastard’s dropping the formality?”
“What? You bastard? You son of a—”
Exhausted from fighting orcs, they were on edge with each other.
“Stop! Everyone, stop fighting!”
Someone stepped in to mediate the heated atmosphere.
“Fighting like this won’t solve anything.”
“Then do you have a better idea?”
“First, we need to talk and figure out if there’s anyone who hasn’t stabbed them yet.”
“I’m telling you, everyone’s already tried.”
“What about Black Scythe? Has anyone tried stabbing Black Scythe?”
“Black Scythe?”
“Stab Black Scythe?”
“Could anyone do that without losing their mind?”
“So no one’s tried?”
“I couldn’t do it. Heh heh.”
“What if Black Scythe is the traitor? My head would roll.”
“That’s true.”
“So there’s no one? Nobody at all?”
The murmurs reached my ears as well.
All eyes had turned toward me.
‘They’re looking at me with suspicion.’
Someone would step forward and take the bait any moment now.
Right now, in fact.
“If you’re not confident, shall I stab you instead?”
“Go ahead and stab.”
I answered immediately, as if taking the bait myself.
“If you’re confident, stab away.”
“….”
The player flinched at my sharp tone, then burst into nervous laughter.
“Y-you’re threatening me, so you must be the traitor after all. Haha.”
“When did I threaten you?”
“J-just now, you glared at me like you’d kill me if I stabbed you.”
“Then should I smile at someone who suspects me? Even I’m human—being suspected puts me in a foul mood.”
I feigned displeasure and spoke once more.
“If you want to stab me, go ahead.”
People like that always back down when it comes time to act.
I recognized this and deliberately came on strong.
Sure enough, the one who’d been shouting so confidently began retreating like a scolded puppy.
Among this group, no player would have the courage to actually stab me.
‘Though that doesn’t mean the suspicion has completely vanished.’
As I predicted, the murmurs resumed.
“Looking at that reaction, Black Scythe really isn’t the traitor, is he?”
“Surely not.”
“Has really no one ever tried stabbing him?”
Though they spoke quietly, I heard every word.
However, it seemed that Ryu Min was not the only one who heard the murmur.
“Black Scythe doesn’t need to be suspected! I stabbed him to check.”
Someone was defending Ryu Min.
It was none other than Min Ju-ri.
At her claim, the players receiving Buffer’s buffs let out uncertain sounds and fumbled with their mouths.
“Did Buffer really stab him to check?”
“Yes. Really. I stabbed him and it made a pinging sound as it bounced off.”
“Hmm, if Buffer said so….”
It was always more effective when someone else defended you than when you proclaimed your own innocence.
As if proving that fact, people nodded in understanding and turned away.
Reading their thoughts, I couldn’t help but be inwardly astonished.
‘Those guys who were suspicious of me just moments ago completely erased their doubts at a single word from Min Ju-ri.’
It seemed they had qualms about suspecting Buffer after Black Scythe.
That was only natural, given they’d been receiving buffs from her free of charge until now.
‘This is subtly wounding to my pride. She manipulates people better than I do.’
Was drawing people in through benevolent influence more effective than subduing them through force?
Unaware that she’d left others’ hearts in turmoil, Min Ju-ri giggled and whispered in a quiet voice.
“Black Scythe. I did well, right? Don’t worry. I’ll keep the secret that you’re a traitor.”
“A traitor? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on, you don’t have to play dumb with me.”
Min Ju-ri, smiling slyly, hummed a tune as she walked away.
She was distancing herself so no one would suspect her of talking to Black Scythe.
‘She’s absolutely thrilled. Did she really want to help me that much?’
Having always received help from Black Scythe, Min Ju-ri couldn’t contain her joy at finally being able to help in return.
But not far away, Seo A-rin was watching the scene.
Her face showed regret that she hadn’t been the one to defend him.
For Ryu Min, it was a situation that could only make him press his forehead in exasperation.
‘Why is my surroundings filled with people so eager to help me?’
When in fact, Ryu Min didn’t really need any help at all.
Then came the shouts of the people.
“Monsters! Monsters!”
“They appear again with just 10 minutes left!”
Ryu Min knew.
This was the final wave.
‘Since it’s the last one, should I clean house?’
Boom—
A veil of darkness covered all directions.
Using Night of Death with a 50% increased attack speed, I slaughtered the orcs.
And for the finale, naturally.
Kyiiiiing—
‘Moonlight Island.’
Flash—
The brilliant light swept away fifteen orcs in a straight line all at once.
[Your level has increased!]
My level had already climbed to 62.
Even without the experience rewards arriving yet, it was quite a satisfying growth rate.
After clearing out all the orc hordes like that.
[Time to Destination: 00:00:00]
The moment the timer hit zero, the Dwarf Merchant Caravan brought the carriage to a halt.
“Warriors of the Other World, my thanks to you. I believe the escort can end here. We’ve passed through the dangerous section.”
Hammer raised his stubby arm and pointed ahead.
“That is our destination. From here, we’ll proceed on our own, so feel free to return. Thanks to you, we were able to transport our goods safely. My gratitude once more.”
Hammer, who had thanked us repeatedly, suddenly descended from the carriage and walked off somewhere.
Following his gaze, I found myself—transformed into Lost Yak—standing there.
Hammer grasped my hand and offered his personal thanks.
“Warrior of the Other World, no—you who walk ahead. Thank you truly for saving my life.”
“Think nothing of it.”
I played it cool on the surface, but inwardly I was anticipating the reward.
The compensation I’d been waiting for.
Sure enough, Hammer produced something from his pocket.
“It is not worthy of the price of a life, but I wish to repay you. Please accept this.”
Rather than refuse, I accepted it immediately.
[You have received ‘Rune Fragment of Durability’ as a reward from Dwarf Blacksmith Hammer.]
Fearing he might ask for it back, I used it at once.
[You use ‘Rune Fragment of Durability’.]
[The acquired rune automatically inscribes itself upon the player’s body!]
[Rune of Durability]
-Effect: Equipped items recover 1 durability per second.
At the reward I’d been waiting for, my lips split into a wide grin.
‘Excellent. Now I won’t have to ask Russell to repair the durability anymore.’
Until now, I’d been returning to reality to have the Orb of Eternal Sleep repaired, but that was no longer necessary.
Now I could recover durability on my own without needing a blacksmith.
‘With this, I can infinitely raise my stats while wearing the Orb of Eternal Sleep.’
Though in reality, I’d have almost no use for the orb.
The stack only increases when I hunt monsters.
‘Some might think they can raise the stack by hunting millworms, but millworms aren’t monsters. They’re insects.’
Only the Rune of Slaughter, which increases when killing targets, applies to millworms.
‘That said, it’s not like I can’t use it in reality at all.’
I said there’d be almost no use for the orb, not that there’d be none.
That statement meant monsters appear in reality too.
“Then, forerunner, I look forward to meeting you again next time.”
Hammer spoke thus before leading the Dwarf Merchant Caravan away.
Once the caravan had vanished from sight, the same message appeared before the players’ eyes.
[You have safely escorted the Dwarf Merchant Caravan to its destination.]
[You have completed the Escort the Dwarf Merchant Caravan Quest.]
[Shortly, all participants will receive experience as a quest completion reward.]
[The experience granted equals twice that of all monsters defeated by you and your party members.]
“Whoa, is this real? Double experience for every monster we’ve killed so far?”
“That’s quite a generous amount, isn’t it?”
“Since we’re in a party, we’ll all level up together, right?”
Though failing to identify the traitor was disappointing, the promise of double experience lifted the players’ spirits considerably.
As the rewards arrived, exclamations of delight echoed from all directions.
Min Ju-ri and Seo A-rin were no exception.
“Wow, that’s quite a bit of experience! Black Scythe, I’ve already reached level 38!”
“Is that so? Congratulations.”
“What level did you reach, Black Scythe?”
“Me?”
Ryu Min’s lips moved slightly as Min Ju-ri pressed for an answer.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
She wondered if she’d perhaps misheard.
“Level 70.”
It was indeed a level worthy of astonishment.

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