The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 243

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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 243
243. A Variable
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
As Ryu Min stepped out of the arrivals hall, a woman of striking beauty caught his eye.
It was Christine.
She waved her hand eagerly and greeted him with a radiant smile.
“Ryu Min. Welcome to our country. Did you have a comfortable flight?”
“I flew first class, so it was quite pleasant.”
“Well, you did become a multimillionaire selling stocks… Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not being sarcastic at all.”
As his fiancée, Christine was well aware that Ma Gyeong-rok’s Company had collapsed.
During that process, The Seer had liquidated all his company stock, but that didn’t make Christine view him negatively.
After all, he had been a fiancé who tried to kill her, not a normal one.
“Shall we go before the mood gets too gloomy? I know a wonderful restaurant. How about foie gras?”
“Goose liver is a bit…”
“Haha, I’m just joking!”

* * *
After finishing their meal at a nearby Steakhouse, Christine led him to a Cocktail Bar.
“How do you like it here? The space is nice and comfortable, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s a bit loud, but actually it’s good for conversation.”
There were many people and the music was loud.
Voices were drowned out, but that made it ideal for discussing confidential matters.
The only inconvenience was having to lean in close to converse.
“Would you like a cocktail? Or beer?”
“I’ll have a cocktail.”
After selecting from the menu and ordering, the bartender brought the drinks.
“Do you drink often?”
“No. I quit. That doesn’t mean I won’t drink at all, though.”
“You speak like someone with considerable experience.”
‘Go through ninety-nine regressions. See if you stay sane.’
When people died and I lost my only family—my Younger Brother—it was mentally grueling.
I drank constantly, but with each regression, I could break free from the addiction.
Now I’ve quit completely.
“I never thought I’d be drinking with The Seer like this.”
“Neither did I.”
“So this is something you can’t see in the future?”
“It’s not that I can’t see it—it’s that I didn’t see it. The future I perceive is so unpredictable.”
“Then, perhaps…”
‘Hmm? Is she already drunk?’
Christine, her face flushed, hesitated before gathering her courage.
“Did you not see how my relationship with Black Scythe will develop?”
“Your relationship?”
“Well, I mean… whether we’ll grow closer in the future, something specific like that….”
‘So that was the goal.’
I had wondered why she insisted on dragging me to this Cocktail Bar when we could have talked in the quiet Chapel….
‘She wanted to ask this question. It would be too difficult to ask while sober.’
She’d gathered her courage with the help of alcohol, but I had no answer to give her.
I truly didn’t know how the future would unfold.
“I don’t know that either. I can’t see futures that far ahead.”
“But before Round 7, you saw a future where Black Scythe would save me. That was eleven rounds ahead….”
“A future four months away, I can see. But as I mentioned, what I see is quite arbitrary.”
“So you haven’t seen what happens between us?”
“No. Even if I had, I couldn’t tell you. The future might change the moment I speak of it.”
Christine took a sip of her cocktail, disappointment written across her face.
‘What were you expecting?’
Inwardly, I clicked my tongue at her expression, but I couldn’t let my displeasure show.
She had an important role to play in this round.
“Regardless, let me tell you about Round 15.”
“Yes….”
As I explained the Round 15 Quest and strategy, I emphasized one thing.
There was no round more critical than this one.
“Countless deaths will occur. It’s a round where survival is as unlikely as a camel passing through the eye of a needle.”
“Then what should we do?”
“First, take this.”
I pulled a potion bottle from my inventory.
[Supreme Invisibility Potion]
-Classification: Consumable
-Grade: Unique
-Effect: Invisibility for 30 minutes
-Usage Restriction: Expert Grade or higher
-Description: Conceals your appearance. However, the effect automatically cancels if you attack or are attacked.
Christine murmured as she read the information.
“An invisibility potion?”
“Use it the moment the first mission begins. Then you’ll be able to clear it easily without taking any damage.”
“You’re giving me something like this… thank you.”
“For the second mission, just proceed as I mentioned earlier. However, Christine, your role becomes crucial in the third mission. You’ll need to cast area healing to minimize casualties as much as possible.”
“Will healing alone be enough to save people?”
“It will be sufficient. You can maintain it for 30 minutes, correct?”
“I can maintain area healing indefinitely if I concentrate. The problem is… area healing doesn’t affect me.”
Christine’s expression grew worried.
“What should I do? If the pain is that severe, I think I’ll die before I can save anyone…”
“Don’t worry about that. Black Scythe will protect you.”
“Black Scythe will?”
Her eyes, which had been melancholy just moments before, sparkled like a child’s.
“He’ll protect me?”
“Yes. I’ve already told him both the strategy and that he must protect Christine. So he will.”
“Ah, you mentioned it.”
It bothered her that he wasn’t protecting her of his own volition, yet Christine’s face remained bright.
After all, receiving help from Black Scythe was something to be pleased about.
“Drink as much as you’d like! My treat!”

* * *
Even a player who can demolish walls with bare hands is still human.
Drink enough alcohol and you’ll get drunk—that’s the simple truth.
Christine here was no exception.
“How much did she drink…”
Ryu Min muttered while carrying Christine on his back.
Cocktails are legitimate alcohol.
Gulp them down thinking they’re delicious, and you’ll end up like this.
“I should have noticed when she started drinking high-proof cocktails… sigh.”
He sighed openly, but Christine on his back slept blissfully unaware.
‘I need to get her to the Chapel at least. It’d be awkward to wake her.’
It was about a twenty-minute walk to the Chapel.
Since it wasn’t far, she’d apparently felt safe enough to drink.
But perhaps she’d felt too safe.
“Psst—hey, you Chinese guy.”
And now these thugs had attached themselves to him.
“Stop while I’m being nice about it?”
Ryu Min came to a halt.
Three men approached casually from behind.
White thugs who’d been following him since the Cocktail Bar.
‘I can’t let these idiots follow me all the way to the Chapel.’
That was why Ryu Min had stopped obediently.
They mistook it for fear, thinking he was intimidated.
“The guy understands English, huh?”
“But he’s Chinese, right? Or Japanese?”
“Who cares? As long as there’s a woman, that’s all that matters.”
“Hey, Oriental monkey. You’ve got good taste. Where’d you pick up a woman like that?”
“Looks like you’re hunting for a motel at night—want us to help?”
The thugs snickered, not even bothering to surround Ryu Min.
I simply drew the gun from my pocket.
“If you don’t want a hole in your lungs, put down the woman on your back and disappear quietly.”
“We’ll take good care of the woman and send her home safely, so don’t worry.”
From the way they aimed the gun, they were ordinary people.
‘If they were Players, they wouldn’t be carrying something like a gun.’
Despite the threat, Ryu Min had no intention of putting Christine down.
I simply turned my head toward my back to read Christine’s thoughts.
‘Her thoughts aren’t coming through—she’s completely passed out.’
Good.
It would be troublesome if Christine knew what was about to happen.
“Why isn’t this bastard answering?”
“I thought he understood English since he stopped when I told him to, but I guess not?”
“Hey, wait. That guy looks pretty young, doesn’t he? Could he be a Player?”
“So what if he’s a Player? Those guys have bodies made of steel, right?”
“There’s no human who can beat a gun anyway.”
The men couldn’t help but be confident.
Three of them were aiming guns at me, and I couldn’t make a move because of the woman on my back.
Of course, it was merely the delusion of ordinary people who had never encountered a Player.
“Consider yourselves lucky.”
“What?”
“Dying without pain is fortunate.”
“What the hel—”
Before Ryu Min’s words even finished, three heads fell to the ground.
Thud—thud—thud—
Dark daggers flew in near-perfect synchronization, severing the thugs’ throats.
I aimed for their necks deliberately to avoid gunshots that might wake Christine.
Thump—thump—thump—
Before the blood pooling from the fallen bodies could even spread, I erased the murder scene with a trace-removal skill.
‘Fortunately, she didn’t wake up.’
Confirming that Christine’s thoughts remained unreadable, Ryu Min moved forward with relief.
The scent of blood carried on the quiet night breeze tickled the tip of Christine’s nose.

* * *
After laying Christine down in the Chapel, Ryu Min stepped outside and made a phone call.
“Recruit the Despair Cult followers immediately. I need to see if there are any variables at play.”
-But what should we tell them once they’re gathered?
“Here’s what you’ll say….”
Ryu Min gave John detailed instructions on exactly what he should tell the followers.
-I’ll proceed as ordered.
Afterward, Ryu Min spread his wings and took flight, heading toward Florida—the Despair Cult’s secret meeting place.
A distance exceeding 1,500 kilometers.
‘Running would be faster than flying.’
I folded my wings and stepped into the void.
Using Thanatos’s boots that allowed me to walk through darkness, I ran across the empty air as if it were solid ground.
Boom—!
As I sprinted at full speed, a sonic boom erupted as if a fighter jet had passed overhead.
It was inconsiderate to cause such a disturbance in the middle of the night, but in exchange, I arrived in Florida in less than thirty minutes.
‘The followers are gathering right on schedule.’
After watching people enter the Warehouse, I descended into the Alley and equipped Hermes’s feather cloak.
‘Invisibility.’
My form and presence vanished completely.
Thanks to the Rune of Stealth, I wouldn’t be detected by any sensing ability—perfect for surveillance.
I entered through the open Warehouse door and saw the gathered Despair Cult followers.
‘With John Delgado, that makes twenty-two. Everyone’s here.’
Following my prior instructions, John was presenting his views to the followers.
“The Death God Cult has come to foreign lands and is intercepting Players. This is a clear overreach. From today onward, we designate the Death God Cult as our enemy and will target Black Scythe, their spiritual pillar. However, since we lack a concrete strategy at present, we will refrain from any threats until Round 15 concludes.”
“Wait a moment, Cult Leader.”
Berber, the Cardinal, immediately raised an objection.
“No strategy? Did I not propose kidnapping the Saint at the executive council meeting?”
“That plan is shelved. It’s too dangerous.”
“Dangerous? There’s no better way to suppress Black Scythe than this.”
“Black Scythe isn’t a fool—do you think he wouldn’t anticipate that? The Saint is probably surrounded by hundreds of guards. We can’t match that with just twenty-two of us.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“It’s more realistic to wait until Round 15 ends before making our move. By then, the Death God Cult’s numbers will be halved, if not worse.”
“But our numbers will be reduced just as much….”
“Have you forgotten who holds the final decision-making authority? This matter is already decided. I won’t tolerate further discussion.”
“….”
As John Delgado delivered his speech, I saw through the true thoughts of each follower.
‘Most of them are loyal to John. They’d die if he commanded it. However….’
One person harbored resentment toward the Cult Leader.
None other than Berber.
-Damn bastard. I’ve been flattering him, and now he thinks he’s the real Cult Leader? That idiot might destroy the Despair Cult. I should kill him and take the position of next Cult Leader myself. That’s the fastest way to save the Despair Cult.
Watching Berber harbor thoughts of betrayal, the invisible Ryu Min’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
‘Found you, variable.’

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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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