The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 155

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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 155
155. The Holy Empire
◀ ROUND 10 ▶
【Main Quest】
└Complete at least 1 Sub Quest within 10 hours in the Fantasy World
【Sub Quest】
└Multiple ????
[All Districts]
└Participants: 550,528
└Achievers: 0/137,632
[District C3-ESKA001]
└Participants: 2,760
└Achievers: 0/690
The players who reviewed the Quest grew tense.
“Complete at least one Sub Quest?”
“In the Fantasy World we visited before?”
“The phrasing ‘at least one’ suggests there are multiple options, doesn’t it?”
“So if we complete just one out of several, the Quest is finished?”
“That seems too easy.”
The relief was short-lived.
They quickly reconsidered.
‘There’s no way it could be this simple.’
Especially since Angel had warned them it would be difficult.
“Each individual Sub Quest must be incredibly challenging.”
Perhaps she’d overheard their murmuring.
Angel Nel let out a laugh that bordered on mockery.
[The Sub Quests aren’t difficult, humans. There are variations in difficulty, but most are quite easy to complete alone. Don’t be so anxious.]
“Then… what part is difficult?”
[I wasn’t referring to the difficulty of the Quests themselves. I meant that passing this Round won’t be easy. The achiever slots will be filled in order of who completes the most Quests.]
“Ah…”
The achievers would be ranked by the number of Quests completed.
It was essentially an invitation to fierce competition.
No one knew how many they’d need to complete to secure a safe position.
Of course, not everyone was in the dark.
At least those who’d heard Ryu Min’s prophecy showed no anxiety on their faces.
They knew the cutoff.
‘I need to complete at least 4 Sub Quests to rank in the top 25%. To place in the top 3 of this district, I’ll need to clear 7.’
To secure first place, completing 10 Quests seemed like the safe threshold.
Naturally, Ryu Min intended to complete 10 Quests this Round.
[As you’ve likely guessed, I’ll explain. This Round involves freely exploring the Fantasy World for 10 hours and clearing Sub Quests scattered throughout various locations. As you can see, you need to complete at least 1 Sub Quest to succeed in the Main Quest, and you can complete as many additional ones as you wish within the time limit.]
“Ten hours is quite a lengthy mission, isn’t it?”
[You’ll need to move diligently. The time limit is ten hours, but you’ll advance based on how many Quests you complete in order. You must complete at least one. Of course, if you fail to complete even a single one, you’ll be eliminated immediately.]
“Ugh… this is going to be brutal?”
“We’ll have to push hard through these Quests.”
There’s a time limit, but no cap on the number of Quests to complete?
Naturally, competitive instinct would inevitably take hold.
‘Since they won’t know how many Quests they need to complete, they’ll feel anxious. Impatient and exhausted. But difficulty and hardship aren’t the same thing.’
Ryu Min hadn’t called Round 10 difficult simply because the competition was fierce.
‘The sub-Quest difficulty levels are genuinely challenging.’
Just as Angel said, there are easy Quests.
But they’re extremely rare—only about one in ten.
Five out of ten are Quests that are difficult to clear alone.
The remaining four are barely passable.
Angel’s claim that they were easy was a lie.
‘So completing four sub-Quests in ten hours is actually impressive. Given the current player level.’
Ryu Min wasn’t concerned about the difficulty.
‘Compared to the Tower of Trials, this is child’s play.’
Clearing the 60th floor of the Tower of Trials would probably be harder than completing ten sub-Quests in ten hours.
[Once you complete a Quest, you cannot challenge it again. Of course, other players can still attempt it. Keep that in mind as you proceed. If you have any questions, I’ll answer them.]
“Would you be able to tell us the difficulty level of each Quest?”
I raised my hand eagerly with the question, but the response was criticism.
[Your first question is such a foolish one. I want to smash your head in.]
“…”
[If I told you that, there’d be no fun in it. Does anyone else have a question?]
“Is it possible to give up midway through a Quest if it becomes too difficult?”
[That’s a good question. Yes, you can give up. When you look at the Quest progress window, there’s a surrender button. Press that. You can also retry if you haven’t succeeded in the Quest.]
“Oh, then this might be manageable?”
“We can just give up if a difficult Quest appears.”
[However, we won’t refund your time. And you can only surrender once per Quest. You get only one chance to retry the same Quest.]
“Ah…”
Players who had been planning to attempt multiple times wore disappointed expressions.
[Well, the explanation is complete, so let’s begin the round!]
As Angel Nel spread her wings, the same message appeared before everyone’s eyes.
[Please select the region to begin.]
└ 1. Albitz Kingdom
└ 2. Braham Kingdom
└ 3. Holy Empire
└ 4. Elsorium
[If you don’t select before the time limit, a region will be chosen randomly.]
[Time remaining until selection closes: 00:00:59]
The players were caught off guard when suddenly asked to choose their starting region.
Those with decision paralysis panicked, their fingers wavering through the air in indecision.
Yet there were those who remained composed despite the chaos.
Ryu Min’s group was among them, having received advance hints through prophecy.
‘Regions 1, 2, and 3 are human cities. Region 4 is the elven metropolis.’
Since I enjoyed a favorable reputation among the elves, Elsorium would grant me exceptional treatment.
But I ruled out region 4 entirely.
‘The timing isn’t right yet. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet the elves later.’
Besides, my focus this round lay elsewhere.
It wasn’t about the Sub Quest.
‘Region 3. I’m heading to the Holy Empire.’
Before selecting, I glanced at Min Ju-ri.
I wanted to receive her buffs, and she was already hurriedly distributing them to everyone around her.
“Get your buffs before you leave! You too, Black Scythe!”
“Much appreciated.”
“I don’t know where everyone’s choosing, but let’s all do our best!”
Even with just a passing acquaintance, Min Ju-ri was generous with her buffs and encouragement.
‘Shall I go then?’
My finger tapped the empty air with a soft click.
* * *
The Fantasy World continent held five kingdoms and one empire.
Two of those kingdoms—the Albitz Kingdom and Braham Kingdom—had already been encountered.
The remaining three were minor kingdoms, too insignificant to serve as starting points.
And befitting its name, the empire was a sprawling metropolis: the Holy Empire.
As a religious organization devoted to the divine, the Holy Empire boasted a scale so immense that neighboring kingdoms seemed to cower in its shadow.
‘The name “empire” wasn’t given without reason.’
True to its title, the city featured towering walls so high they made one’s head ache, countless buildings and temples nestled within, and throngs of people moving busily about.
Everything felt so vivid that reality itself seemed indistinguishable from illusion.
‘In round 8, I killed the Archbishop and my reputation turned hostile, but there’s nothing to worry about. As long as I don’t reveal my title, it doesn’t matter.’
I took in the surrounding scenery without displaying any title.
If I revealed it carelessly, the guards would try to apprehend me on sight.
‘If they tried to apprehend me, I’d be lucky. They’d probably just try to kill me where I stand.’
Not that I could actually die, but I despised the nuisance of persistent flies.
This was precisely why I chose not to reveal my title.
As I surveyed my surroundings, I spotted people in familiar attire.
Players.
Just as when entering the Fantasy World, nicknames remained invisible.
‘It’s better that nicknames aren’t visible. It makes it easier to act alone.’
In a spot where no one’s gaze could reach me, I shifted my form to Lost Yak.
If I happened to encounter someone who knew me, it would become tedious.
[Starting Location: Holy Empire]
[Active Sub Quests: None]
[Completed Sub Quests: None]
[Time Remaining Until Round End: 09:58:21]
Glancing at the Quest log, I watched the countdown tick away relentlessly.
The true beginning of the round had commenced.
Ordinarily, I’d need to scour the land searching for Quests, but I felt no urgency.
Even taking my time, I was confident I could complete roughly ten with ease.
‘What matters now isn’t Sub Quests.’
My footsteps carried me toward the Central Plaza of the Holy Empire.
Standing before a statue carved with an angel’s likeness, I waited—and soon recognized the familiar face approaching.
“Master!”
Yamtti, who knew Lost Yak’s face, came bounding over with delight.
“You’re a bit late.”
“My apologies. The place is so vast I had to figure out where the Central Plaza even was.”
“You could have simply asked a guard—they’d have pointed you in the right direction.”
“Oh! They actually answer questions?”
“They do, provided your reputation isn’t hostile.”
I had arranged to meet Yamtti here in the Holy Empire beforehand.
The reason was simple: I needed her fascination to enter the Temple.
“Let’s go.”
“Where are we headed?”
“The Temple.”
“What’s at the Temple?”
“You ask a lot of questions.”
“I’m sorry.”
Yamtti lowered her head dejectedly.
Since she was a slave who executed orders without question, I hadn’t felt the need to explain—but thinking about it now, perhaps I should tell her at least what we were doing.
“There’s only one reason I move with you.”
“Because you need someone to fascinate?”
“Exactly. Within the greatest Temple of the Holy Empire lies an altar where divine oracles are received. Naturally, not just anyone can enter such a place. But with the Fascination Rune, everything changes.”
“Ah, so you need me to reach the altar where the oracles descend.”
“That’s right.”
“But will NPCs even fall under fascination? I’ve never actually tried it before….”
“They do.”
And that wasn’t all.
‘I can even read their thoughts. As if they were real people.’
They might actually be real people.
People like us, existing in a different dimension.
Yet I couldn’t abandon the assumption that they were NPCs.
‘What if each individual entity is an AI with their very thoughts meticulously programmed?’
Virtual humans created for the survival game—in other words, NPCs.
‘They transferred and resurrected the souls of 1.8 billion humans. There’s no way they lack the technological capability for this.’
So Ryu Min abandoned all such deliberation.
He would move only for growth and survival through Round 20.
This moment was the stepping stone for that.
“But what business do you have at the altar where the oracle resides?”
“What business, you ask?”
The corners of Ryu Min’s mouth twisted upward.
“To kill Angel.”

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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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