The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 186

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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 186
186. Gambling House
How could I earn points quickly?
It wasn’t about clearing many Quests, nor was it about committing murders like a madman.
‘Making a big score at the Gambling House is the fastest shortcut.’
That was precisely why Ryu Min had spent the last 23 hours accumulating points.
To wager his entire fortune at the Gambling House.
Ryu Min opened the progress window to check his points.
[Korean Team’s Acquired Points: 12,775,330]
[Black Scythe’s Acquired Points: 103,020]
[Time Remaining Until Round End: 00:59:39]
‘100,000 points isn’t bad.’
Accumulating 100,000 points through Quests alone?
‘I can do it because I know which Quests offer good value, but most players would find it impossible without committing murders.’
Of course, the serial killers from other nations who made the TOP 10 would have easily surpassed 100,000 through indiscriminate slaughter.
Though they probably hadn’t reached 1,000 kills like Ma Gyeong-rok or Ju Sung-tak.
‘They must have killed over 500. In the previous cycle, the players below me had 200,000 points.’
200,000 was extraordinarily high, but compared to what I was about to do, it was mere pocket change.
I was planning to multiply my points by 200 times at the Gambling House.
Only then would first place in both the rankings and team standings become possible.
‘With Clairvoyance, I have nothing to worry about. It’s as good as already won.’
The only condition was knowing the Gambling House’s location, but I had no concerns.
After dozens of cycles, there was no way I could forget where it was.
‘I need to go before it’s too late.’
Ryu Min set off.
Toward the Gambling House for the final reversal.
* * *
When the message announcing the Gambling House’s opening appeared, everyone’s eyes lit up as they scrambled to find its location.
But with only an hour remaining, searching for the Gambling House across this vast continent?
It was like finding a needle in a desert.
‘It was wise not to reveal the location. If tens of thousands of people converged on the single Gambling House, that would create its own problems.’
Everyone had to find it themselves, yet the Gambling House’s location was surprisingly accessible.
Creak—
An Inn in the Holy Empire, the continent’s center.
Ryu Min, having entered, headed toward the kitchen warehouse.
“Excuse me, guest. What are you doing in the kitchen?”
When the NPC who appeared to be the proprietor asked, Ryu Min answered honestly.
“I’m looking for the Gambling House.”
“Ah, I see now—you’re a warrior from the Other World.”
The proprietor, glancing around cautiously, moved aside a sack of rice and opened a door in the floor.
Clang—
Looking down, I spotted the Underground Stairs.
“Enter.”
As I descended the staircase, a dimly lit secret passage appeared.
It was a corridor connecting to the Gambling House.
Following the path, I arrived at a vast Cavern, and a message materialized.
【Sub Quest – Discover the Gambling House】
[Sub Quest completed!]
[Points +1,000]
Even those without points receive 1,000 points simply for discovering it.
‘They’re handing out free money to see if you’ll bite.’
It feels like a windfall, but it’s a trap designed to lure people into gambling addiction.
Many start out for fun and end up squandering their entire fortune.
‘If I’m tempted by this free money, I should turn around and leave right now.’
Simply stepping foot in a gambling den is a shortcut to ruin.
Without Clairvoyance, I wouldn’t be here at all.
[Welcome to the Gambling House!]
[PK is forbidden in the Gambling House. Damage dealt to others will not register.]
[Interfering with gambling will result in automatic expulsion.]
[The doors will close at a designated time, and the game will begin. Please wait quietly until then.]
[Time remaining until event start: 00:13:49]
After reading the message, I surveyed the Cavern.
Dozens of people had already entered the Gambling House.
All of them were players who had fortunately discovered this place.
‘Though “fortunate” is a stretch—losing everything and leaving would be the worst outcome imaginable.’
Looking around, I saw both Easterners and Westerners.
Everyone was waiting for the game to begin.
“Huh? That person is…”
“Isn’t that Black Scythe?”
Before entering here, I had removed the Doppelgänger’s ring and released Lost Yak’s appearance.
As a result, several Korean players recognized me as Black Scythe.
‘There’s not much time left anyway, so there’s no point hiding my identity.’
If I win big at the Gambling House, my identity will be exposed during the final tally regardless.
At that point, it would be tantamount to advertising that I can change my appearance.
There’s no benefit to concealing my identity.
‘Everyone’s just watching each other warily without saying a word.’
As the earlier explanation stated, PK is forbidden here.
Since damage cannot be inflicted, everyone is merely observing one another.
‘If PK were allowed, I’d have drawn my blade to secure gambling funds by now.’
That said, skills are still usable.
However, I couldn’t interfere with someone else’s gambling.
‘Thank goodness I can use Clairvoyance.’
Fortunately, Clairvoyance wasn’t considered an act of interference in gambling.
There was no problem using it to guess the correct answer.
It was a fact I’d already verified through dozens of rounds.
[Time remaining until event start: 00:00:00]
As time elapsed and the counter reached exactly zero.
Rumble—Boom!
The entrance to the Cavern sealed shut with an iron gate.
Now there was no way in or out.
Soon, a brilliant light descended into the Cavern.
Everyone’s attention turned toward the Angel who had just appeared.
[Hello there, aspiring gamblers! I’m Gabi, your guide for the Gambling House. Nice to meet you!]
Unlike the cheerfully smiling Angel, the people’s expressions were grim.
Most were desperate for points, their eyes gleaming with gambling fever, so their hearts were anxious and uneasy.
[My, my, those hollow gazes already make you look like seasoned gamblers! Well, that’s fine. Fifty-nine people—quite the turnout. Let me explain the game rules right away.]
As the Angel fluttered her wings, two enormous cards the size of a person materialized in the air.
[The rules are simple. Here we have red and black cards. I’ll shuffle them and reveal one, and you simply guess which color it is. Easy, right?]
“So we just guess the color?”
“That’s really straightforward.”
“It’s like odd or even, isn’t it?”
Watching the people quickly grasp the game, the Angel continued.
[Similar games exist in the human world too, right? Odd or even, casino roulette, and so on. The odds are 50-50, just like those. You can wager as many points as you want, and if you win, you double your points. But if you lose, you lose everything without exception.]
It was a fairly fair game.
Gambling houses on Earth were rigged in favor of the house.
[However, you can’t attempt infinitely. You get six chances to participate in the game. If you win all six times, you’ll earn an astronomical amount of points.]
Assuming I bet my entire fortune each time and doubled it, 2×2×2×2×2×2=64.
In other words, I could multiply my points by 64.
Though the probability of winning six consecutive times would be only 1.5%.
Had I already finished the calculation?
One player raised his hand and spoke.
“Angel! If we can only attempt six times, we’d earn at most 64 times our points even if we win all of them, right? But the message clearly stated a maximum of 200 times.”
[I was just about to explain that. You’re impatient, aren’t you? Tsk!]
The Angel, having scolded him, continued immediately.
[What I just described is the ‘Standard’ method of betting in general, but those seeking higher returns can choose the ‘High Risk’ method.]
“High Risk?”
“What’s that?”
[Unlike standard betting where you wager whatever points you choose, this method requires you to bet all your points at once. Because of this, you only get one chance, and you can only receive the winnings if you win all six games. If you fail even once, you lose your entire fortune and permanently receive a 50% stat reduction debuff.]
“Whoa… A permanent stat reduction?”
“And we only get one chance…?”
“If I fail, I’m basically going straight to rock bottom, aren’t I?”
“The risk is just too enormous.”
[However, if you correctly predict all six games in succession, you’ll receive 200 times your wager instead of 64 times. It’s a premium service for those who wish to reverse their entire lives in a single stroke.]
“200 times, you say….”
“This is making my mouth water…?”
While the payout seemed worthwhile when I considered it, most players let the words go in one ear and out the other.
It was merely a 1.5% probability.
No matter how generous the reward, no fool would stake their one and only chance on 1.5% odds.
In other words, the failure rate was 98.5%.
[Well then, shall we choose a method to attempt? If anyone wishes to challenge the high-risk approach, please raise your hand now.]
At Angel’s words, the players remained perfectly still.
They merely ridiculed the Angel inwardly for proposing something so absurd.
‘Hmph, that insane Angel. What lunatic would bet on the high-risk method?’
‘A 50% probability of winning and losing is far more efficient than 1.5%.’
‘Even if I’m desperately short on points, I have no confidence in breaking through 1.5% odds.’
The odds were so abysmal that no one stepped forward.
Well, two people did raise their hands.
They were players from the lowest-ranked zones where elimination was virtually certain.
After all, if they didn’t secure the 200-fold multiplier, their team would simply vanish anyway.
“I’ll take the challenge.”
“I will as well.”
[Only two? Is there no one else?]
Then, one more person raised their hand.
It was none other than Ryu Min.
“Isn’t that person Black Scythe?”
“Black Scythe is really betting on the high-risk method?”
“What could he possibly be lacking that he’d court danger like this?”
“He’s lost his mind.”
‘I can hear every word, you fools.’
Though they muttered quietly, thinking I couldn’t hear, my ears—sharpened by the Rune of Perception—caught every syllable.
‘I understand their confusion. I must seem like a madman. There’s no need to willingly invite danger.’
But if they knew the power of Clairvoyance, they wouldn’t say such things.
Instead, they’d surely ask why I wouldn’t bet when I could secure the 200-fold multiplier.
Because with Clairvoyance, I could see the reverse side of the cards.
‘Getting six consecutive correct predictions is child’s play.’
I was placing this bet because I had absolute confidence in never making a mistake.
No, for me, it couldn’t even be called gambling.
It was risk-free money multiplication with a 100% success rate.
[So we have three high-risk challengers! The remaining 56 will automatically proceed with the standard method. The decision is made. Shall we begin the game immediately?]
As Angel flapped her wings, a transparent protective barrier materialized around each player.
[It’s a device that prevents interference with each other. After all, someone might attack or use a skill at a critical moment to disrupt another player.]
Since I couldn’t move, I also couldn’t steal a glimpse of what color the back of the card was.
[We’ll start the game with those who chose the standard method first. High-risk players, please wait a moment. It won’t take long. Now then, the first game!]
Two enormous cards shuffled in midair, and one moved forward.
[What color will the next card be? Write down the points you’re betting and choose either red or black.]
The players fell into contemplation as they stared at the selection window that appeared before their eyes.
No matter how intently I stared at the card, the color of its back remained invisible.
It was a game where I could only rely on pure luck.
[Please choose within one minute. Are you all done? Now, let me reveal it.]
Angel opened the card.
“Ah!”
“Nice! It’s red!”
“Damn it!”
“Sigh, I’m ruined…”
Amid the cries of joy and despair, the second game began.
The game was remarkably fair.
The cards were shuffled before everyone’s eyes in midair and opened cleanly without any deception.
The angle made it impossible to see the back at all, so players had no choice but to guess one of the two.
“Damn it all!”
“What the hell! This is ridiculous! Damn it!!!!”
Even the players who had been happy with their early wins eventually cursed like the others.
In the end, just as Angel had said, the game ended in no time.
Fifty-six players had exhausted all their points by the fifth game.
[There’s no need to go to six. Everyone was eliminated on the fifth. Unfortunately, you have no more chances.]
“Angel… Please, just one more chance…”
“Give us some points, Angel…”
Thinking I had to recover my losses, I kept betting, and eventually ended up in this state.
“Angel. I have a question.”
[What is it?]
“Can’t we borrow points from someone else since we still have chances left?”
“That’s right. We have a sixth chance, don’t we?”
“Let us borrow points!”
[How pathetic. Points cannot be transferred. Give up now.]
The players hung their heads low.
“Ah… It’s over.”
“I should have bet on high-risk…”
Among those whose points had reached zero were some Koreans.
“The team points are ambiguous. What do we do?”
“If we end up disappearing because of this…”
Though they trembled with anxiety, none of them could have imagined that Black Scythe would be lacking.
[Now, high-risk players, prepare yourselves for what comes next.]
Soon, Ryu Min’s turn arrived.

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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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