The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 138

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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 138
138. Round 9 Concluded
★ Round 9 Results Tally ★
[All Districts]
└1st Place. Black Scythe (Lv89 Reaper) 1,024 Monsters Defeated
└2nd Place. Cheon Ma (Lv43 Dark Knight) 631 Monsters Defeated
└3rd Place. Shit Idiots (Lv42 Shaman) 574 Monsters Defeated
[District C3-ESKA001]
└1st Place. Black Scythe (Lv89 Reaper) 1,024 Monsters Defeated
└2nd Place. Cheon Ma (Lv43 Dark Knight) 631 Monsters Defeated
└3rd Place. Shit Idiots (Lv42 Shaman) 574 Monsters Defeated
Black Scythe had claimed first place once again, but the players showed no interest in the expected outcome.
Their curiosity lay solely in the ranking methodology.
“Seeing ‘monsters defeated’ displayed… could it be…?”
[Yes, you’ve guessed correctly! This round’s ranking was determined by how many monsters each player defeated!]
“Ah… so Option 1 was the easiest route?”
“Damn… I picked Option 3 for nothing.”
“I’m finished. I didn’t defeat nearly enough monsters…”
As the players lamented, the ranking messages materialized.
Upon confirming their individual rankings, the players clutched their heads in despair.
Those who had secured positions within the top 3,004 erupted in cheers of relief.
Among them was Min Ju-ri, her expression one of profound relief.
‘Fortunately, I made it into the rankings.’
Ryu Min smiled faintly as he gazed upon his messages.
[Congratulations! You have achieved the Quest as 1st Place in this district!]
[Congratulations! You have achieved the Quest as 1st Place across All Districts!]
[Your current ranking as Black Scythe is 1st Place across All Districts and 1st Place in this district.]
[As the 1st Place reward for district ranking, you receive ‘Material Item Selection Rights’!]
[As the 1st Place reward for All Districts ranking, you receive ‘Special Reward Selection Box’!]
Ryu Min activated the Material Item Selection Rights upon reading the messages.
[Please select one of the following materials.]
└ 1. Hardened Mana Shell
…
…
└ 7. Supreme Grade Resilient Hide
└ 8. Bubbling Solution
└ 9. Non-Clumping Crystal
└ 10. Rhinoceros Horn
Scanning through the options, most were Unique-grade items.
Of course, I could already discern which was the finest choice.
‘Only one Legendary material out of seven.’
After obtaining a single Legendary material, Ryu Min used the special reward selection box next.
[You may select one of the following special rewards.]
[Please touch the reward you desire.]
└ 1. Experience Gain 2x Buff (Limited to 10 Rounds)
└ 2. Stats 50% Increase Buff (Limited to 10 Rounds)
└ 3. Information about Round 10
I didn’t need information about Round 10.
So between options 1 and 2, which one did I actually need?
Ryu Min selected option 2 without hesitation.
‘For the next round, stats matter more than experience.’
If someone asked whether I really needed to raise my already high stats even higher, the answer was yes.
‘Round 10 has sections where higher stats provide a significant advantage.’
That’s why it was a round where Min Ju-ri’s buff would be necessary.
Though I didn’t necessarily have to bring her along everywhere.
[By the way, this round’s sub-quest was finding the hidden portal!]
“A hidden portal?”
“There was something like that?”
[There was one player who succeeded, but you probably aren’t interested anyway. It’s about to disappear soon regardless. You’ve checked the rankings, haven’t you? Well then, farewell to those ranked 3,005 and below!]
“No, this can’t be!!”
“Save me, please!!”
Despite their desperate cries, approximately two thousand players turned to dust and vanished.
Even when my comrades disappeared before, I felt nothing because I thought of it as someone else’s problem.
“….”
“….”
The surviving players couldn’t help but feel unsettled.
After all, they were Korea’s last players.
‘So our country’s players amount to just three thousand.’
A sigh escaped, though I didn’t show it.
What mattered more than lamenting my circumstances was that I had survived this moment.
◀ ROUND 9 COMPLETE ▶
[All Districts]
└Survivors: 647,681
[District C3-ESKA001]
└Survivors: 3,004
[Your soul will transfer to your original dimension’s body shortly.]
[Round 10 begins at midnight on October 1st, 2022. I’ll see you in the next round then. Congratulations on your survival.]
* * *
The moment Ryu Min returned home, his first action was to send a text to Min Ju-ri.
[Ryu Min: Ju-ri, did you survive?]
[Min Ju-ri: Yeah! Thanks to you, I picked option 1 and cleared it easily. Ryu Min, looks like you managed to hold on too!]
[Ryu Min: Yeah. I wanted to meet up to give you info on the next round too. Do you have time for lunch?]
[Min Ju-ri: Of course, absolutely.]
[Ryu Min: Then get some good rest and I’ll see you at lunch!]
With those words, I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep as if losing consciousness.
No matter how much my mental fortitude and stamina had been restored, I was desperate for sleep after enduring 28 hours without rest.
After sleeping, dawn broke.
When lunchtime arrived, I met Min Ju-ri at our designated spot.
“Ju-ri.”
“Oh, Ryu Min!”
“You hungry? Let’s go quickly.”
The two of us headed to the Korean Fine Dining Restaurant as usual.
In the quiet atmosphere, we discussed the 9th round.
“Ryu Min, did you get a message too? Something about your Mercenary rank going up after the subjugation?”
“Oh, you mean I went from Apprentice to Skilled?”
“Yeah, that! Your rank went up, but I’m not sure if it’s good or bad.”
“That’s definitely good. With a higher rank, you can take on more advanced commissions later.”
“Ah, so I can get better rewards then?”
“Right. The Mercenary profession has special perks in that regard. I’d say we’re probably one rank higher than you.”
“Really? But how do you know all this, Ryu Min? Did you find out through prophecy?”
“Of course. Why would I be a Prophet if I didn’t know these things? I couldn’t even hand out my business card as a Prophet otherwise.”
“Ha, you’re funny.”
What I said about the Mercenary rank wasn’t a lie.
Later on, there would be frequent opportunities to experience the Fantasy World like an open world, and when you accept and complete missions from the Mercenary Group during those times—
You can raise your rank, hunt stronger monsters, and accumulate rewards and fame.
‘Eventually, you’d participate in territorial wars and get called to actual battles from time to time.’
But above all, the best thing about raising your rank in the Mercenary Group was dragon hunting.
‘Not just anyone can hunt dragons. Only Master-rank Mercenaries can participate in dragon subjugations.’
Dragon hunting was practically the entire reason for raising your Mercenary rank.
Being the strongest monsters, the rewards were incomparable.
“Did you reach level 40?”
“Not yet. Looks like you did?”
“Yeah. I even reached level 41 this time, and I got a protection buff. Just in case things get dangerous, I’ll cast it on you when you go. The world’s a dangerous place now, after all.”
“It is dangerous. There are only 3,000 people left.”
“Still.”
But the buff was exactly what I wanted.
‘Well, she’s always cast buffs on me without me even asking anyway.’
Whenever she gave me prophecies for the next round, Min Ju-ri would always apologize and offer to cast a buff as compensation.
That’s why when I parted ways with Min Ju-ri after giving her the prophecy for round 10, I was able to receive the three-buff set I’d been hoping for.
“Thanks for the buff!”
“Thanks for the prophecy! Round 10 might be the real challenge.”
“That won’t happen. I saw you passing through in my prophecy.”
“Hearing that puts my mind at ease. Do you need any gold? The trading function just opened up, so I can give you some.”
“No. I have plenty of gold.”
“Just let me know if you ever need anything. I can give you as much as you want!”
“I will. If something like that comes up.”
Ryu Min flashed a grin and waved at Min Ju-ri in front of the Convenience Store.
“I’ll contact you next time.”
“Okay. Be careful!”
After receiving the buff and returning home, I killed 100 silkworms in the Restroom and secured the Slaughter Rune buff.
‘Preparations are complete.’
I entered my Room and equipped my gear.
I even switched my weapon to Death Side, which had stat options, maximizing my Luck stat as much as possible.
‘My current Luck stat alone is 1,638. That’s incredible.’
Was it because Min Ju-ri’s blessing had been strengthened to 70%?
It felt like an enormous increase.
‘Should I start then?’
I pulled an item from my inventory.
It was the Infinite Material Pouch I’d received as a reward from the Akashic Record.
‘With this much Luck stat, I’m guaranteed at least 5 material items. The real question is how many God-tier ones will appear….’
With the blessing active, I should get more than before.
‘My best result so far was 3 God-tier materials, so I can hope for 4 this time.’
Even if only 3 out of 5 turned out to be God-tier materials, it would be an incredible haul.
‘Use.’
The pouch in my hand emitted a brilliant light and vanished.
[You have used the Infinite Material Pouch.]
[Congratulations! 5 material items have been produced!]
[Items have been distributed to your inventory!]
I’d expected 5 items to come out.
The question was what they were.
I examined the items that had been distributed to my inventory.
“Huh?”
I couldn’t help but be shocked at what I saw.
All 5 items that came out were God-tier.
‘Five God-tier materials? Haha….’
Moreover, none of the materials that appeared were duplicates.
All completely different.
Of course, Condensed Ether, the core material of God-tier items, didn’t appear.
It hadn’t appeared in my previous run either.
‘But that’s fine. I already have Condensed Ether anyway.’
The condensed ether I had received as a reward for first crafting a God-grade item before.
I never expected to use it this soon.
‘Since I’ve gathered the materials, I should craft it right away. A God-grade item.’
I decided to use Legendary for the weapon and fill the other slots with God-grade equipment.
‘Looking at the materials I obtained, the God-grade items I can craft are….’
Ryu Min purchased a normal item from the shop.
Then he placed all the materials into the combination window.
[Primary Material]
-Exquisite Iron Helmet
[Secondary Materials]
-Condensed Ether
-Black Iron Powder
-Angel’s Golden Dust
-Bubbling Mana Solution
-Adamantium Iron Plate
With the materials I possessed, the only equipment I could craft was a helmet.
‘Just like armor, a helmet is equally vital.’
Armor protected the heart while a helmet protected the head—there was no choosing between them.
My finger pressed the combination button without hesitation.
Golden light blazed before my eyes.
[Combining God-grade item.]
[Converting to an item befitting your current class.]
[Combination successful!]
[You have created ‘Thanatos’s Helmet’.]
[Thanatos’s Helmet]
-Category: Helmet
-Grade: God
-Defense: 1,600
-Effect: All Stats +50, can use the skill ‘Reaper’s Incarnation’.
-Durability: 20,000/20,000
-Usage Restriction: Master Grade or higher
-Description: A helmet crafted using the divinity of Thanatos, the god of death. Grants additional effects when wearing the complete set.
The helmet’s options were not bad at all.
All my stats increased by 50.
However, there was one thing I couldn’t understand.
That I could use the Reaper’s Incarnation skill.
‘Probably someone seeing this for the first time wouldn’t know what kind of skill this is. There’s no description, just that it can be used.’
To see the skill description, I would need to equip the helmet.
Of course, I already knew without equipping it.
‘Because I’ve crafted God-grade items in previous cycles.’
That’s why I was acutely aware of just how broken the Reaper Transformation skill truly was.
Even if I had nothing else—just this single skill—I would be satisfied.
‘There’s no skill like this anywhere else.’
Satisfied, Ryu Min equipped his gear.
The moment I donned the divine-grade armor and helmet, the set effect activated.
-Thanatos’s Vestment Set Effect (2/5)
-2-Set Effect: Resistance +20%
-3-Set Effect: ?????
-4-Set Effect: ?????
-5-Set Effect: ?????
My resistance—a stat notoriously difficult to raise—had increased.
For Ryu Min, this too was satisfying.
‘Once I equip all the items, my resistance should be quite substantial.’
Even in the Tower of Trials, the rewards from Floors 97 and 98—which tested the mind—granted only a 10% resistance increase.
‘Rainbow Effect at 50%, resistance from the Tower calculated additively at 20%, common skill resistance at 15%, 2-set effect resistance at 20%, and if I equip Jaba’s Necklace at 35% and the Ring of Resistance at 35% when needed?’
0.5×0.8×0.85×0.8×0.65×0.65=0.115. The calculation showed I would possess 88.5% resistance against status ailments.
‘In other words, the probability of being afflicted by a 5-second stun is only 11.5%? And even if I somehow got hit, it would break in roughly 0.57 seconds.’
My resistance had risen to a sufficient level.
‘Now I don’t need to worry about status ailments anymore.’
Checking my skill window, I found a temporary skill labeled “Reaper Transformation” had been added.
Ryu Min immediately pulled up the Skill Information.

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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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