The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 139

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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 139
139. A Long-Awaited Dinner Out
[Temporary Skill – Reaper’s Incarnation]
-Effect: All stats, damage, attack speed, and movement speed increase by 44%. All damage received from enemies decreases by 44%.
Additionally, the probability of enemies detecting you decreases by 44%.
Lasts for 4 minutes, and the duration resets when you kill an enemy.
Can be deactivated upon reuse, with a 44-minute cooldown.
A broken skill that increases all stats by 44% and reduces incoming damage by nearly half.
‘Since I’ve already equipped it, why not give it a try?’
On impulse, I spoke the activation word aloud.
‘Reaper’s Incarnation.’
In that instant, my body became translucent, and wisps of dark energy began seeping from my form.
[You have entered Reaper’s Incarnation state.]
[All stats, damage, attack speed, and movement speed increase by 44%.]
[All damage received from enemies decreases by 44%.]
[The probability of enemies detecting you decreases by 44%.]
Everything revolves around 44.
Likely because the number 4 symbolizes death in Korea, so they set everything to 4.
‘Still, the effects are incredible. Plus, it conceals my face as a bonus.’
To everyone else, I now appeared as nothing more than a dark shadow.
My body was engulfed in black energy that rose like smoke, and this effect extended to my equipment as well.
‘From head to toe, I’ll appear as a black silhouette. Even the scythe.’
Using a scythe would suggest Black Scythe, but my face remains hidden.
‘I can maintain it for 4 minutes, but the duration resets when I kill an enemy.’
In other words, if I keep killing something within 4 minutes, I can maintain it indefinitely.
So if a battle seems like it will drag on, activating Reaper’s Incarnation allows me to sustain it for quite a while.
‘Especially on the battlefield—it’s quite useful.’
On a battlefield where death and killing intertwine in bloody combat, Reaper’s Incarnation would persist until the war ends.
It’s the perfect skill for such situations.
‘The cooldown is longer than expected, so it’s not a skill I can spam.’
44 minutes—not 4—is a rather burdensome cooldown.
So I had no intention of using Reaper’s Incarnation unless the situation was truly critical.
Knock knock—
“Hyung?”
Just then, my door opened and my Younger Brother entered.
“You were in your room?”
“Yeah.”
Having already sensed his presence with Detection, I deactivated Reaper’s Incarnation and smiled in ordinary clothes.
“It was so quiet I thought you’d gone out again.”
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s almost dinner time anyway. I was thinking, why don’t we go out to eat together for once? It’s been so long.”
“We can’t eat out. You know how dangerous things are outside these days.”
“I know. But being cooped up at home all the time is suffocating.”
He had a point.
For eight long months, I’d been telling Ryu Won to stay indoors.
He’d obediently followed my orders, ordering delivery food and remaining confined to the house.
‘We’ve eaten out occasionally, but only a handful of times.’
The few times we did eat out were before players began running rampant.
‘From Won’s perspective, I can see why he’d feel trapped.’
I’d essentially imprisoned my younger brother at home while I gallivanted around for work—no wonder he felt resentful.
And indeed.
Reading his thoughts, I could sense his genuine disappointment toward me.
I’d confined him to a cage, claiming the outside was dangerous, while I myself roamed freely—what could he possibly think?
‘I restricted his outings because of his kidnapping trauma back then… but I think I was only considering my own feelings.’
It was time to lift his spirits.
While it’s still risky to let him roam freely, players have become less frequent lately, so it should be manageable.
Besides, I’ll be right there with him.
“You’ve been cooped up long enough. Alright, let’s eat out tonight.”
“Really? Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Ryu Won’s joy came not from the prospect of good food, but from breathing fresh air—he was delighted like a child.
‘He’s that happy about it?’
Seeing him this excited, I thought taking him out once a week might be a good idea.
That’s when an idea struck me—a way to lift his spirits even further.
‘If I invite that person, Won would be thrilled, wouldn’t he?’
Thinking I should call and suggest grabbing a meal together, I made a promise with my brother.
Tonight, we’d go out to eat after all this time.
* * *
Evening.
“The world’s in this state, yet this place is still packed?”
“I guess it’s because it’s such a famous restaurant.”
The two brothers settled into a table at the famous Charcoal-Grilled Ribs Restaurant and began cooking meat.
Sizzle—
The sound alone made mouths water, filling the ears with delight.
“It feels so good to be out like this with you after so long.”
“Me too.”
Ryu Won, who’d been hesitant, finally gathered his courage.
“Actually, I was a bit hurt by you. You tell me to stay home, but you get to roam around freely outside…”
“I’m a player. You’re a civilian. And you can see from the news how dangerous it is out there.”
“I know. I understand… but it still hurts, you know?”
The fact that my patient younger brother would say something like this meant he’d been struggling far more than I realized.
Ryu Min felt genuinely sorry.
‘I’ve been clawing my way through life for my younger brother and myself—to return to an ordinary existence. But if I neglect the present in pursuit of my goals, there’s nothing more foolish than that.’
Ryu Min resolved to pay more attention to his younger brother.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t been paying enough attention to you, have I? Just bear with me a little longer. Once this month passes, there won’t be many Korean players left, so order will stabilize to some degree. The era of criminals running rampant like now will be over.”
“Really? So next month I can go outside without worry?”
“Yeah. You can trust your brother the prophet.”
What Ryu Min said was the truth.
Currently, roughly three thousand Korean players remained.
After completing Round 10, only about seven hundred of them would survive.
‘Only a quarter will make it through Round 10.’
Among seven hundred, how many could possibly be criminal players?
Even if there were any, they’d be a select few whose identities I know—they wouldn’t risk exposing themselves.
‘In the end, even if they wanted to commit crimes, they couldn’t conduct public activities.’
Moreover, as Black Scythe’s reputation grew, the mindless plundering that happened now would cease.
Of course, that was contingent on being appointed as the Anti-Player Unit’s commander first.
‘I’ve already instructed Yamtti, so the call will come when the time is right.’
In any case, a month from now, South Korea’s security would be beyond concern.
‘The problem is that lunatics aren’t confined to Korea.’
On a global scale, there was no shortage of trash that needed eliminating.
If that trash made its way into Korea, that would be a different matter entirely.
‘That’s why I need to elevate Korea’s standing and solidify Black Scythe’s position.’
Wielding the authority of a head of state to control players.
That was the best way to steer humanity away from the path of dystopia.
“There we go. Eat plenty.”
“Yeah, you eat plenty too, brother!”
Ryu Min and Ryu Won each picked up meat and placed it on their wraps.
They layered garlic, sauce, chili peppers, and scallions in sequence, then carefully assembled their wraps.
And just as they were about to open their mouths wide to eat—
Bang!
A loud commotion erupted from the neighboring table.
“Where’s the owner! Get out here!”
The man’s voice was so loud that nearby diners paused their grilling and glanced over.
Ryu Min and Ryu Won also shifted their gazes reluctantly.
“Y-yes, what’s the matter?”
“Look at this! There’s a hair in the meat! You’re selling this garbage? Huh?”
The man’s shouting made the Restaurant Owner bow repeatedly in apology.
He had no choice.
The man’s appearance was unmistakably in his twenties.
He was clearly a player, far beyond the range of an ordinary person.
‘Probably just drunk and causing trouble.’
Whether players get drunk is anyone’s guess.
“My sincerest apologies, sir. It appears one of our staff’s hair accidentally fell into your meal. I’ll bring you fresh meat immediately.”
A deep bow and humble apology would normally resolve such matters quietly.
Normally, that is.
Normally.
Crack—! Crash!
The table shattered, sending dishes and utensils clattering across the floor.
The customer had smashed the table, his anger far from appeased.
“You bastard. You think replacing one piece of meat solves this? What about my ruined mood? My lost appetite? You’re responsible for all of it!”
“S-sir, but if you destroy the restaurant’s property like this….”
“Did this punk just talk back to me? How dare a restaurant owner mouth off to a customer? And a lowly commoner at that!”
The man spoke with the contempt of a medieval nobleman berating a peasant, then his clothing shimmered and transformed.
Whoosh—
A gleaming blue axe materialized in his hand, and only then did the Restaurant Owner grasp the gravity of the situation.
This customer was no ordinary troublemaker.
The Restaurant Owner wrung his hands together like a true commoner, speaking with desperate earnestness.
“I’m terribly sorry, sir. I apologize for upsetting you.”
“Sorry? That’s not enough. I need compensation. Compensation!”
“W-what sort of compensation would satisfy you….”
The man immediately formed a circle with his thumb and forefinger.
“Money. Everything you’ve got.”
“H-how much exactly….”
Crack—!
A table on the floor shattered under a single kick.
“Damn it, didn’t I say everything? Hand over everything you have.”
“Y-yes, understood.”
While the Restaurant Owner went to fetch his cash, the man brandished his axe and glared at the other patrons.
“What are you staring at, you bastards? Got a problem?”
Only after his threatening shout did the onlookers avert their eyes.
Most of the people in the restaurant were ordinary civilians in their thirties or older.
They possessed neither the courage nor the strength to stand against a player.
-Insane. What is that guy? A player?
-They say all players are potential criminals. Guess it’s true.
-Damn, I should finish eating and get out before this gets worse.
As Ryu Min read the thoughts of the other customers, Younger Brother spoke with concern in his voice.
“Hyung. Why is that guy acting like that?”
“Why? He’s just causing trouble to extort money legally.”
“But why do players do that? Can’t they just work and earn money?”
“They don’t have time for that. This could be their last month alive—who’d waste time on part-time jobs? Plundering is far more efficient.”
That was why players preyed on street vendors.
I was backed into a corner with no way out.
It was easy money.
“I thought the Anti-Player Bill might reduce this sort of thing, but it seems it hasn’t actually changed anything. Looking at how brazenly he’s committing these crimes… the Anti-Player Unit really needs to be activated soon.”
Even as Ryu Min spoke, his right hand remained quite busy.
“What are you doing, hyung?”
“Just tinkering with the system.”
Ryu Min swiped through the air with his fingers, configuring his equipment window with a Regular-grade two ranks lower, then chanted the activation command for the gear.
Whoooosh—
“Why are you suddenly putting on equipment?”
“It looks like I’m the only player among the customers here. I can’t just sit by and do nothing.”
As Ryu Min stood up, his younger brother startled and tried to stop him.
“W-wait, hyung! It’s dangerous, just stay put.”
“Leaving a guy like that alone is the real danger.”
Ryu Min added “I’ll be right back” and walked toward the man.
Since he’d changed into ordinary Regular-grade equipment, there was no risk of raising suspicion.
In the meantime, the Restaurant Owner returned with a bundle of cash.
“Owner, why did it take so long just to bring some money? You didn’t call the police, did you?”
“N-no, of course not. How could I? Anyway, here…”
“What’s this?”
The man who received the cash raised his eyebrows.
“This is all you have?”
The cash the Restaurant Owner brought was barely 200,000 won.
It was far less than what one might expect from a booming establishment that seemed to make at least 1 million won daily.
“Damn it, are you messing with me? 200,000 won? Who do you think you’re insulting!”
“W-we mostly use card payments these days, so we don’t have much cash. I’m serious!”
“Then give me your account number. Transfer 10 million won to it right now.”
“Eh? T-ten million won?”
“Why are you so surprised? 10 million won is cheap for my emotional damages. What? Is it too little? Should I ask for more?”
“N-no, that’s not it.”
“Then while I’m being nice, do as I say. You have a phone, right? Transfer it right now in front of me.”
“I-I don’t have that much money in my account, so that’s impossible…”
“Now you’re lying too? Do you think I’m easy to push around? Are you playing games with me? Huh?”
It was then that he threateningly raised his axe.
Snap—!
Ryu Min’s hand seized the man’s wrist.
“That’s enough.”
“You little bastard… who the hell are you?”
Ryu Min tightened his grip on the wrist he held.
“Just a customer who was quietly grilling meat in the corner.”
“…!”
Did I feel tremendous force emanating from the wrist I’d seized?
The man’s expression tensed in an instant.
Though I’d controlled my grip carefully to avoid breaking it.
“You shouldn’t cause such a commotion in front of customers. They might choke on their food from the noise.”
“You, you bastard, won’t you let go of my hand?”
“If I let go, will you stop causing trouble?”
“Yeah, fine. I got it, so let go already!”
As I applied pressure—just short of breaking—the man’s expression grew desperate.
Of course, I had no intention of actually breaking his wrist.
I simply meant to intimidate and drive him away.
But that was merely my intention.
Reading his thoughts, the man had no intention of leaving quietly.
“Let go, you bastard!”
“So you have no intention of backing down even if I release you?”
“What if I don’t! What are you going to do about it!”
“Then we’ll simply wait for the police to arrive.”
“What? Police? You want to die!”
Was he trying to escape before the police arrived?
In that instant, another axe appeared in his other hand.
So he was a gladiator wielding dual axes.
“Just die, you bastard!”
As he swung the axe down toward my head with lethal intent.
‘Huh? A barrier?’
I stared at the barrier that materialized before my eyes.
Clang!
The axe bounced off the barrier.
I released the man’s wrist and turned my head.
A familiar woman appeared, leading a fairy.
It was none other than Seo A-rin.

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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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