The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 203

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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 203
203. Sariel
‘Bring me to him? Who ordered that?’
Ryu Min studied Sariel carefully—an angel with an unusually dark edge to him.
From the way he spoke, it seemed orders had come down from above to capture him.
I needed to extract information.
Of course, there was no need for unproductive labor like torture.
With the Rune of True Thoughts, extracting the truth was remarkably simple.
As I observed Sariel quietly, his thoughts became clear.
‘Michael, the first-ranked Archangel. His orders came down.’
I had heard the name Michael before, even in my 68th regression.
I had even met him directly, so I knew just how powerful he was.
‘So Michael was indeed the leader of the Archangels.’
That explained the overwhelming strength I had sensed from him, so different from the other Angels.
‘If the Archangel leader himself issued the order, that makes sense.’
But the information I gathered wasn’t limited to that.
The fact that he was ordered to bring me back without a single scratch.
The fact that an Archangel named Raguel was itching to kill me.
The fact that the Archangels intended to make me an example to maintain order in the Heavenly Realm.
I had obtained all the information I needed.
[You’re not answering—are you mute? I hadn’t heard that Black Scythe was mute?]
Sariel muttered indifferently and aimed his curved blade at me.
[Even if you can’t speak, you’re not deaf. I’ll say it one more time—don’t resist….]
“Jeffrey.”
I ignored the angel’s words and called to Jeffrey behind me.
“Take the party members and retreat as far as you can. This place is about to become a wasteland.”
“Understood, Black Scythe.”
I watched Jeffrey gather the frozen allies before turning my attention back forward.
Sariel’s expression was a sight to behold.
His face was contorted so thoroughly that you’d believe he was a Demon rather than an Angel.
[So the mute does have a tongue after all.]
“And you’ve got fingers to receive a gesture like this?”
As I raised my middle finger, the angel’s eyebrows twitched.
[Getting cocky with just a pittance of power. A mere human, no less….]
Sariel’s expression suddenly shifted to shock.
It seemed he had noticed the Demon pendant hanging around my neck.
In that instant, a razor-sharp killing intent pierced through my entire body.
[That necklace… where did you get it?]
“Why do you need to know?”
[Do you even understand what that object is?]
“The quiet type sure has a lot to say.”
Ryu Min’s entire body was engulfed in pitch-black darkness.
After casting Grim Reaper Transformation, I activated the buffs I had prepared.
[You have been blessed by the Demon’s Blessing.]
[Based on your current total stats (109,967), the following effects apply.]
[Upon defeating an Angel, you gain gold equal to 1x your base stat (109,967). This increases up to 1,000x (109,967,000) depending on the Angel’s rank.]
[Upon defeating an Angel, you gain stat points equal to 0.01% of your base stat (11). This increases up to 10% (10,996) depending on the Angel’s rank.]
[Upon defeating an Angel, your reputation with the Demon Faction increases slightly.]
[The buff persists until the end of this round.]
Startled by the numbers in the message, I checked my status window and found my stats had risen to absurd levels.
-Strength: 25,274, Intelligence: 27,325
-Agility: 27,532, Luck: 29,836
On top of the already-enhanced buffs from Min Ju-ri, there was even a buff zone laid out on the ground.
Adding to that the Rune of Balance, the Rune of Slaughter, First Angel Slayer, and Grim Reaper Transformation.
When I broke it down piece by piece, I understood why my stats had become so outrageous.
‘Besides, I earned a hefty stat reward after taking down Remiel last time.’
I had become incomparably stronger compared to when I faced Remiel.
Still, I couldn’t afford to be careless.
‘Just because he’s ranked sixth doesn’t mean I should underestimate him.’
Since I didn’t know his true capabilities, I needed to probe his strength first.
‘After that, I’ll kill him without mercy.’
The razor-sharp killing intent of human and Angel clashed in the empty air.
* * *
‘So he won’t go down easily, then?’
Sariel let out a faint chuckle as he regarded the audacious human who didn’t know his place.
‘I never expected him to surrender willingly, of course.’
Would someone who had killed an Archangel blink an eye at threats?
‘I’ll make him understand the difference in power.’
Since there was an order to bring him in unharmed, I had no intention of using lethal techniques.
I was prepared to show some restraint.
Until I saw the Demon’s pendant.
‘Daring to wear that necklace before me….’
Even now, the Angels were waging a prolonged war against the Demons.
The current Archangels, myself included, had naturally participated in it.
Therefore, I couldn’t fail to recognize the necklace that Demons wore with such pride.
‘Wearing that symbol of shame for us Angels so brazenly…!’
Because of it, an indescribable rage filled my entire being.
‘Insolent human. I’ll make you suffer so excruciatingly that you’ll beg for death.’
I had intended to handle this as coldly and dispassionately as possible, but now that I’ve seen that pendant, there’s no helping it.
Severing both his arms before bringing him in wouldn’t be a problem.
‘How peculiar. That appearance.’
Cloaked entirely in darkness and wielding a scythe, he resembled the very god of death itself.
‘Yet he remains human. No matter how he mimics divinity, a worm is still a worm.’
Sariel understood this well.
The gulf between his rank as the Archangel of Death and this creature’s rank was incomparable.
The darkness wielded by the Reaper class could never overcome his own darkness—this much was absolute.
Thus Sariel could afford to suppress his excitement and indulge in composure.
[Come then, human. I shall show mercy and grant you the first move.]
Black Scythe charged forward without acknowledgment, his scythe cutting through the air.
The speed was impressive, but nothing more.
‘From the trajectory of that scythe—a horizontal slash aimed at the waist? Predictable.’
Given the hook weapon’s nature, targeting the waist made backward evasion difficult.
One could only jump or block, but Sariel had no intention of playing along with such tactics.
‘I’ll evade forward.’
By lunging ahead instead, he dodged the horizontal slash meant for his waist while simultaneously closing the distance to the enemy’s heart.
A thrust of his curved blade into that chest would spell instant death for Black Scythe.
‘Yet it cannot end so easily.’
He redirected the curved blade aimed at the chest, sweeping it upward like lightning to sever the arm.
Thud—!
Seeing this, a scream erupted from behind the opponent’s shoulder.
“No, Black Scythe!”
These worm-like humans stared as though witnessing a spectacle.
[Pathetic. To charge so confidently with such meager strength….]
In that instant, Sariel felt a surge of danger.
With one arm severed, there was no situation warranting such alarm, yet he sensed it unmistakably.
A chilling sensation from behind compelled him to twist his body by instinct.
Yet his reaction came too slow—five of his wings were severed, spraying golden blood.
[Ugh!]
“Good instincts. I was aiming to cut them all.”
There was no time to respond.
He was too startled by Black Scythe’s sudden ambush.
“Even an Archangel cannot see through a clone, it seems.”
‘A clone?’
Sariel’s gaze snapped around—the Black Scythe whose arm had been severed had vanished without a trace.
Before him stood only an unharmed Black Scythe.
“I’ve gauged your strength. So this is the level of the 6th rank?”
[What?]
Sariel’s shock was evident.
He had never spoken of his rank, yet this creature clearly knew who he was.
[How….]
Clang—!
Before I could even ask, an attack came at me, and I blocked it with my curved blade.
Clang— Clang—!
‘What, what is this? This power?’
Something was wrong.
From the very beginning until now, I had been drawing upon the power of darkness.
Just as humans used mana as the source of their strength, I, the Archangel of Death, drew from darkness as my origin.
‘So why? Why am I being pushed back in strength?’
By nature, higher darkness has the property of resisting the impact of lower darkness.
No matter how high his stats were, I shouldn’t have been pushed back—so why was the opposite happening?
Clang— Clang— Clang—
I clashed blades repeatedly, but my confusion only deepened.
Rather, Sariel found himself bewildered as the power and speed increased progressively, as if ascending to a higher tier.
Eventually, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he was so pressed on defense that he could barely manage to block.
“As expected. Your strength and speed are merely at this level.”
[What—? Ugh!]
Feeling a sudden sharp pain in his wings, he turned his head only to find all his wings severed.
‘When?’
His speed was so beyond imagination that I hadn’t even seen when he’d cut them.
‘Dangerous. This is dangerous.’
Truly sensing the peril, Sariel had no choice but to use the ability he’d been saving for the very end.
Kiiiiiiiii—
The curved blade vibrated and emitted an eerie, otherworldly wail.
It was [Soul’s Wail]—a technique he had forbidden himself from using for fear of appearing demonic.
“Ah, ahhh….”
“Ahhhhh….”
The spectators watching from afar trembled in terror.
The range of Soul’s Wail was that vast.
‘It’s over.’
Every living creature could hear sound.
Since Black Scythe wasn’t deaf, he would have no choice but to hear this cry.
‘Soul’s Wail paralyzes the limbs of any living being who hears it and awakens their deepest fears. No one is exempt—except for the caster, myself.’
The moment I cast it, it was as good as a death sentence.
There was nothing easier than cutting down an opponent who couldn’t move.
[The game ends here. I’ll take both your arms.]
Sariel walked forward leisurely, observing the motionless Black Scythe.
He naturally assumed fear had taken hold, but it was nothing but a delusion.
“A game? You were just playing around with me all this time?”
[…!]
Sariel’s footsteps stopped abruptly as he saw Black Scythe move, completely unaffected.
“I was just testing your abilities by playing along with you.”
Why wasn’t the cry of souls working on him?
There was no time to think.
The instinct to flee dominated my mind.
Kiiiiing—
My opponent suddenly drew his scythe back and took a stance, preparing for something.
‘That… I have to avoid that.’
Sariel flinched as if the brakes had been applied just as he was about to instinctively take flight.
‘Ah, my wings!’
Without wings, dodging into the air was impossible.
So how could I evade? By the time that thought crossed my mind, it was already too late.
The flash was already upon me.
Boom boom boom boom boom boom—!
One strike from Moonlight Island reduced the entire cave to rubble.
* * *
‘What… what’s happening?’
John, who had retreated with his party members at the instruction to stand back, was bewildered by the sudden appearance of the angel.
‘I thought he appeared to give us a reward, but now he’s pointing a blade at Black Scythe?’
Admittedly, the angel’s wings were far too magnificent and the atmosphere far too cold to be considered a guide.
Moreover, he had never seen an angel wielding a weapon before.
‘Why is he suddenly trying to fight Black Scythe?’
Appearing out of nowhere and spouting talk of killing or not killing—it was clear the reason wasn’t good.
After that, he was too busy taking cover with his party members to hear the conversation.
“Do you think Black Scythe will be alright? The atmosphere seemed bad…”
“He should be fine. No matter how strong the opponent is, how could Black Scythe lose?”
“But an angel can crush his head if they want to.”
“Oh, now that I think about it, this is dangerous.”
Democracy and Jeffrey were worrying idiots, but John’s thoughts were different.
‘Perfect, angel. Kill Black Scythe for me. Please. Go for it!’
Rather, he cheered for the angel and hoped that Black Scythe would die in this opportunity.
And it seemed his cheering might become reality, as the angel severed an arm from the very start.
‘Nice! Ange—’
He silently rejoiced, but only for a moment.
Seeing Black Scythe standing perfectly intact, John had to doubt his own eyes.
‘Wait, what? There are two Black Scythes?’
After realizing it was a clone, the situation reversed.
The wingless angel exchanged blows with Black Scythe multiple times.
Yet it was clear to anyone that the angel was being pushed back.
Eventually, the situation reached a point where all his wings were lost.
‘We’re done for.’
Just then, as despair set in, a strange noise rang out—a piercing screech.
“Ah, ah….”
“Ahhhhh….”
My body and those of my party members froze in paralysis, our lips trembling uncontrollably with terror.
But only for a moment.
Kaboom—!
A deafening explosion, violent enough to suggest the entire Cave was collapsing, shattered the status ailment.
When the billowing dust finally settled, only the fractured Cave wall and the bisected corpse of the Angel remained.
‘It’s over….’
John’s face darkened with disappointment.
Even for an Angel, there was no chance of survival with a severed waist, was there?
‘Wait. Hold on.’
Then a brilliant idea flashed through John’s mind.
‘Could it possibly…work?’
My specialty as a Necromancer was raising corpses to serve me.
And right now, an Angel’s corpse was about to materialize before my eyes.
‘If I could command that Angel as a summon…?’
Wouldn’t it become a means to stand against Black Scythe?
It was an audacious thought, but John didn’t know.
That Ryu Min was reading that very thought at this moment.

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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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