The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 119

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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 119
119. The Last Temporal Reversal
The Regular Group’s quest: escort to the destination.
The Traitor Group’s quest: obstruct the escort to the destination.
Since the two quests were in complete opposition, only one group could survive.
‘It’s a fight where either 1,201 people die, or I do.’
That’s what most would think.
But Ryu Min knew a way for both groups to survive.
A method where everyone succeeds in their quests and no one gets erased.
‘It’s not a difficult method. If I exploit the system’s loopholes, it’s simple.’
That’s why Ryu Min wasn’t particularly worried.
I’d already cleared it using the same method several times before.
‘I can’t kill all 1,201 people just to save myself.’
Among those 1,201 people was Jo Yong-ho, most importantly.
An Sang-chul could die for all I cared, but Jo Yong-ho would become the Mercenary King and serve as my strength in the future.
‘He’s too valuable a talent to waste.’
So I decided to use the method where everyone survives.
‘I don’t need to worry about being erased. The real problem is whether I can obtain the Rune of Future Vision.’
If everything goes according to plan, obtaining the rune is guaranteed.
But variables always exist.
‘There’s a chance the Archbishop won’t acknowledge me, just in case.’
Unless I create an overwhelmingly dominant situation that makes the Archbishop’s eyes bulge, I won’t gain his favor.
Without his favor, a private audience becomes impossible, and then the reward slips away.
‘For now, I should wait until the boss appears.’
Soon after, the merchant group began moving, and the full-scale escort quest commenced.
A massive group of 1,202 players walked while protecting the carriage.
Ryu Min positioned himself beside the carriage carrying the Archbishop.
‘It’s better to stand out now if possible.’
After all, wouldn’t fighting right next to the Archbishop make me more memorable?
While walking with that thought, monsters appeared.
Countless gargoyles painted the sky.
“H-flying monsters?”
“Damn it. How are we supposed to kill those?”
The players panicked at first, but watching Black Scythe’s combat, they quickly understood.
Having wings didn’t make them unkillable.
“Just kill them when they come down like Black Scythe is doing!”
“Kill them! You feathered bastards!”
They looked more like demons than birds, but the players were too disoriented to care.
The hit-and-run attacks of the gargoyles left them dazed.
“These damn things are tougher than expected!”
“It doesn’t die in one hit!”
Since it wouldn’t die in a single strike, it would flee the moment I attacked it.
“With wings, I can’t even chase it—this is driving me insane!”
The battle dragged on longer than expected, but that wasn’t the case for one side.
Slice—!
One head severed in a single blow, and the gargoyle beside it split cleanly in half from the follow-up attack.
‘Night of Death.’
With the space darkened, Ryu Min’s attack speed accelerated even further as he lopped off gargoyle heads left and right.
Whenever a fleeing one appeared, I didn’t hesitate to deploy a skill.
‘Moonlight Island.’
With a brilliant flash, three gargoyles were reduced to fragments.
The overwhelming display was almost unbelievable given the stat debuffs in effect.
Watching Black Scythe’s solo performance, the players could only shake their heads in awe.
“Wow, look at Black Scythe.”
“Insane, he’s ridiculously strong.”
“Does everything die in one slash?”
Some players were so entranced they lost themselves in the spectacle.
Ryu Min’s exploits weren’t being observed by players alone.
When I glanced sideways, the Archbishop was watching from the carriage window.
I couldn’t read his thoughts, but his unwavering gaze suggested he was captivated.
‘Regardless, I’ve certainly made a strong first impression.’
After slaughtering all the gargoyles, a brief respite followed before the second wave began immediately.
“What are these things?”
“They look like trolls from fantasy stories?”
‘Right, those trolls.’
Ryu Min nodded in agreement and raised his scythe.
The trolls stood 2.5 meters tall—not particularly large for monsters, but they were characterized by rapid regeneration.
‘However, they only regenerate minor wounds. A clean severing in one blow poses no problem.’
Of course, for other players, the troll’s skin was far too thick to cut through in a single strike.
For Ryu Min, they were no harder than soft tofu.
Slice—slice—!
Watching Ryu Min dismember even the trolls, the players could only gape in disbelief.
“This is insane, absolutely insane.”
“How is his damage output so ridiculous?”
“No wonder he’s ranked number one.”
After somehow disposing of the trolls and taking a few steps forward, a Minotaur appeared.
“A Minotaur? Is this for real?”
“How are we supposed to defeat that monster?”
“There’s really no time to rest.”
The players had experienced firsthand during round six just how formidable a Minotaur could be.
That was why they’d been frightened even before the battle began.
Ryu Min shook his head at the sight.
‘There’s no reason to be afraid. Shouldn’t we actually be relieved? At least it’s a monster we’ve faced before.’
Moreover, our level was now more than 10 levels higher than it had been then.
It would be difficult, but manageable if several of us worked together.
It didn’t take long for the players to realize this fact.
“Nice! We got it!”
“It’s easier than before?”
“This is doable. Is this really all there is?”
Watching the confident players, I slaughtered the oxen relentlessly.
“Grooooaaaargh!”
Despite culling dozens of them, no items dropped.
In Round 6, the boss had a high item drop rate, but here these were merely treated as common mobs.
After four grueling hours of hunting, Wave 25 approached.
‘Finally, it’s time.’
As I was mentally preparing myself, the awaited boss monster appeared.
Boom— Boom— Boom—
“What is that?”
“What’s making that sound?”
“The ground is shaking…?”
The reason for the trembling was simple.
“Groooaaaargh!”
Over 6 meters tall—the mightiest monster on land: an Ogre.
The Round 8 boss monster had arrived.
Despite its massive frame, the creature moved with surprising agility, swatting at the players like one would swat flies.
Crack—!
A player who couldn’t react in time was pulped and died.
“K-kill it!”
Multiple players surrounded the Ogre.
Or rather, the Ogre allowed itself to be surrounded by them.
From the Ogre’s perspective, crushing them all at once was far more efficient than picking them off one by one.
Splat splat splat—!
As it swung its club—thick as a human torso—the players couldn’t dodge and were sent flying.
Crash—! Crack—! Crunch—!
It stomped with its feet, bludgeoned with its club, and sent heads flying with its palms.
With each attack from the Ogre, players fell helplessly.
“Damn it! What is that thing!”
“The Ogre is that strong?”
“This has to be a design error!”
Already thirty corpses lay scattered from the single Ogre, and the number continued to grow.
If a thousand players rushed at me, I might be able to hold them off, but I couldn’t guarantee how much damage would accumulate.
Then, darkness swallowed the surroundings.
“Who is it?”
“Black Scythe?”
The players who had been looking around caught sight of Ryu Min with Death Side drawn long.
Composed, as if I had been waiting for this moment alone.
It was time to test the newly learned skill.
‘Red Moon.’
The instant I felt my eyes turn crimson, a flash of light erupted.
The Ogre, startled by the sudden darkness, caught sight of a single beam of light.
Screech—!
“Gwaaaahhh!”
As the club was severed entirely, a long wound opened across the Ogre’s chest.
The second flash of light that followed carved even deeper through the chest.
“Gwaaaaaahhh!”
The Ogre raised its hand in agony, but the third flash simply sliced through its forearm.
The fourth flash severed the neck, and the fifth flash cut through the falling body once more.
Whoooosh— Thud!
“….”
“….”
Though it had all happened in mere ten seconds, the players saw it clearly.
Black Scythe was an opponent that thousands of players couldn’t defeat even if they rushed in together.
The veil of darkness lifted, and I turned my head.
The Archbishop was staring at me with his mouth half-open.
‘Just as calculated.’
Confirming that the Archbishop was watching, I butchered the Ogre.
Regardless, I had certainly left a strong impression.
‘Since he watched the show, he should at least express his appreciation, right?’
I was subtly waiting for him to call out, but the gazes around me were burning hot.
-Did he really use that impossible skill five times in a row?
-Insane. What kind of class is that even supposed to be?
-Black Scythe is truly a legend.
Reading their thoughts, it seemed I had properly captured the attention of the other players as well.
An Sang-chul was among them.
-I must be insane. To think I was trying to catch up with such a monster….
‘You’re only realizing that now?’
An Sang-chul, who had finally come to understand his own limitations through this incident.
I glanced at a message that appeared on one side.
[Ogre defeated!]
[3x Experience Buff is currently active.]
[Experience increased by 1.5x due to title effect.]
[Experience +16.37%]
[Gold +12,000]
[Bonus Gold +6,000]
[You have obtained ‘Ogre’s Gauntlet’.]
[You have obtained ‘Ogre’s Heart’.]
Since this creature was designated as a boss, items that normally wouldn’t drop appeared.
[Ogre’s Gauntlet]
-Classification: Gloves
-Grade: Unique
-Defense: 180
-Effect: Strength +30, Additional Strength +30 when facing terrestrial monsters
-Durability: 3,000/3,000
-Usage Restriction: Expert Grade or higher
-Description: The gauntlet of an ogre, known as the apex predator of terrestrial monsters. Strength increases absurdly.
Ryu Min let out a dry chuckle upon seeing the gauntlet.
‘A Unique item actually dropped.’
Though Unique, it was an insane item that exhibited Legendary-tier options against terrestrial monsters.
Since it was superior to the Shadow Gloves I currently wore, I equipped it immediately.
I also transferred the superior magic stone I had previously embedded to the Ogre’s Gauntlet.
[Ogre’s Heart]
-Classification: Possession
-Description: A dark crimson, solid stone. Despite its appearance, rest assured it is not an actual heart.
‘Ogre’s Heart is a Legendary-grade material item.’
This too was an item I needed.
I stored it in my inventory.
‘I should craft some Legendary items next time.’
While thinking such thoughts, the Escort Captain approached me.
“Greetings, warrior of the Other World. I witnessed that magnificent battle just now. To slay such a fearsome ogre in an instant—no wonder people employ warriors from the Other World as escorts. Haha!”
‘He didn’t come here just to spout such useless pleasantries, did he?’
The words rose to my throat, but I held them back.
“What’s your business?”
“Ah, forgive me. The Archbishop wishes to meet with you, warrior.”
“Me?”
“Yes. It seems the Archbishop was quite impressed by your combat prowess.”
“Understood. Where should I go?”
“This way, please.”
Following the Escort Captain, I came to a halt before the carriage in which the Archbishop rode.
“Please, step inside.”
As the door opened, the Archbishop gestured for me to enter.
“Sit.”
As I took the seat across from him, the carriage door closed.
After a moment of silence, the Archbishop spoke first.
“I’ll be direct. I called you here to make you a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“Given my position, I face various threats, so I’m searching for a skilled escort to keep at my side for the long term.”
The Archbishop spoke with an arrogant tone.
“What do you say? Won’t you become my escort? An opportunity like this doesn’t come around easily.”
‘Certainly, such opportunities are rare.’
In this world, the Archbishop held a rank equal to the Pope.
Within the Holy Empire itself, the Archbishop’s influence was second to none.
‘An opportunity to refuse such a person’s proposal truly doesn’t come often.’
Ryu Min answered quickly.
“I must decline.”
“Yes, I naturally expected you to— What did you say?”
The Archbishop’s eyes widened in bewilderment, having fully expected acceptance.
“I appreciate the offer, but I lack confidence in protecting someone. I apologize.”
“….”
To refuse when building a connection with the Archbishop would have been invaluable.
It was not something I would normally do, but this time I had to decline.
To obtain the Rune of Future Sight, I couldn’t allow the perception that I served under the Archbishop.
“Huh, you’re different from the others. They all scramble just to lick my boots.”
“….”
“By the way, I haven’t heard your name?”
Instead of my name, I revealed my title publicly.
[Last Hour Retrograde]
I showed the Archbishop a title I had never disclosed to anyone.
To obtain the Rune of Future Sight.
‘After all, the Archbishop is already a dead man.’
The Archbishop’s eyes went wide.

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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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