The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 258

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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 258
258. My Younger Brother Is in Danger
Ryu Min had once placed a protective blessing on his Younger Brother.
An absurdly overpowered protection skill that granted ten seconds of invulnerability the moment he came under attack.
That skill had just activated?
The meaning was unmistakable.
‘My Younger Brother… is in danger.’
Even he hadn’t expected the skill he’d cast as a precaution to actually trigger.
[Time remaining until selection: 00:00:09]
‘I don’t have much time.’
I didn’t know who had attacked my Younger Brother.
All I knew was that I had to choose quickly to ensure his safety.
[Please select one of the following.]
└ 1. Teleport to the target
└ 2. Summon the target to me
[Time remaining until selection: 00:00:08]
‘I have to decide between these two right now.’
Option 1 had the advantage of allowing me to teleport directly to my Younger Brother and exact immediate revenge, but…
‘My Younger Brother could get caught in the crossfire.’
Option 2, on the other hand, would let me summon him here and pull him away from his attacker, protecting him completely.
‘Safety demands option 2, but I won’t be able to retaliate immediately.’
[Time remaining until selection: 00:00:06]
Time was running out.
The moment of choice had arrived.
Ryu Min’s lips moved.

* * *
Ten minutes before Round 16 began.
[Gabriel. Are you certain it’s wise for just the two of us to go?]
The words pricked at Gabriel’s pride, and fine wrinkles formed between her brows.
[What are you saying, Raphael? Do you doubt my strength right now?]
[N-no, that’s not what I meant. I simply thought that to ensure we finish this cleanly, wouldn’t it be better to bring Michael as well…?]
Raphael fell silent mid-sentence.
Gabriel’s face had twisted into something almost grotesque.
[I’m already displeased that you tried to stop me from going alone, and now this? You think just the two of us isn’t enough? Do you really distrust me that much?]
[If I’ve offended you, I sincerely apologize.]
Though Gabriel was upset, she wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
[I understand. This human called Black Scythe has proven to be more of a threat to us Archangels than expected.]
[….]
[But a human is still just a human. A lizard with wings doesn’t become a dragon. There’s nothing to worry about.]
[I’m not particularly worried either. After all, I watched your performance most closely during the Fifth Heavenly Martial Arts Tournament. And besides, you possess the ability to foresee your opponent’s movements.]
[Foresee is too grand a word. It’s merely predicting the opponent’s actions.]
[Yet wasn’t it that very ability that earned you the titles of Hero and the Archangel of Revelation?]
[If you know that, why do you speak as though you’re anxious?]
[We’ve sent Archangels repeatedly, yet they continue to fail. I wanted to end this decisively this time. So thoroughly that this insignificant human wouldn’t even dare hope.]
[Don’t worry. It will be so. With you and me together.]
It wasn’t mere flattery.
Though Raphael lacked combat ability, she was the third-ranked Archangel.
With her support as the Archangel of Healing, Gabriel had nothing to fear.
[We can overwhelm him without even bringing Michael. One minute—no, ten seconds is all I need to kill him. I stake my honor on it.]
[You intend to kill him rather than subdue him?]
[He’s already slain four Archangels. Summary execution is more than justified.]
Raphael nodded, though this was Gabriel’s unilateral decision.
Michael had ordered them not to kill, but to subdue.
‘I can’t allow such a filthy insect to ascend to the Heavenly Realm.’
She planned to use time manipulation to burst his head the moment she saw him, though it likely wouldn’t work.
Judging by how easily the other Archangels had died.
‘Even if time manipulation fails, killing him will be simple.’
According to orders, she shouldn’t kill him. But if she felt her life was in danger and was forced to kill him in self-defense?
Michael would have no choice but to accept it.
[Gabriel. Round 16 has begun.]
[Since the arena is set in the Human World, we can descend without any cost.]
Gabriel smirked and drew out golden chains with a whoosh, gripping them in both hands.
[Good. Let’s go. Let’s finish this quickly.]
[Yes.]
[Wait!]
Just as I was about to descend, Gabriel suddenly came to a halt.
[Why do you stop?]
[A revelation.]
[A revelation?]
[God calls to me.]
It was hardly surprising.
True to his epithet as the Messenger, Gabriel occasionally heard the voice of God.
[He commands that you come with me.]
[Who speaks, sir?]
[You will know when we arrive.]
Gabriel led the way, and Raphael followed obediently behind.
Beyond the palace of the Heavenly Realm itself, they arrived at a place shrouded in barriers.
Whoosh—
Passing through the barrier, a profound silence enveloped them as if time itself had stopped, darkness closing in from all sides.
[Ah….]
[There is nothing to fear.]
Raphael’s eyes fell upon an unfathomable abyss.
[This is my domain, where none may interfere. It is a place suited for confidential discourse, not one designed to inspire dread.]
[I-I apologize for my shameful display, Divine One.]
There was reason for Raphael’s trembling.
The deity before him far exceeded his expectations in magnitude.
Knowing this, Gabriel asked with utmost deference.
[May I inquire as to why you have summoned us?]
[I heard a human has been causing trouble. So I conducted a small investigation.]
[An investigation, you say…?]
[Into the strength and weaknesses of the human called Black Scythe.]
[Ah….]
[Are you not curious about the results?]
[We are, Divine One.]
After a brief silence, the deity’s voice emerged from the darkness.
[The conclusion I reached is that your combined strength alone cannot overcome him.]
[….]
The second and third ranked Archangels together could not defeat a single human?
It was a statement that trampled upon their pride, yet Gabriel revealed nothing.
Before a deity of the highest order, anyone would guard their expression carefully.
[In direct confrontation, you have no chance of victory. Had I not called upon you, you would have perished like the other Archangels, your physical forms destroyed.]
[With respect, Divine One, we are confident. We shall surely exact our vengeance and restore the honor of the Heavenly Realm….]
[You speak the same words as those Archangels who are already dead.]
[….]
[Did they die from lack of confidence? No. They died because they were overwhelmed in power alone. And from ignorance.]
[….]
[The ignorant are always overflowing with confidence. If you cannot accurately gauge your opponent’s level and build baseless confidence instead, what difference is there between you and the dead Archangels?]
[I apologize. My thinking was shallow.]
Gabriel bowed his head, but the Divine One showed mercy.
[Lift your head. I did not summon you here to kill your confidence.]
[But….]
[I called you to aid in your operation. I have discovered that human’s weakness.]
[A weakness?]
What Gabriel heard from the Divine One was rather surprising.
It was a rather crude method to come from the Divine One’s lips.
[All creatures cherish their families. Black Scythe has one family member. I will tell you their location—go there and take them hostage. Then Black Scythe will have no choice but to surrender.]
[Indeed, if we secure a hostage, we can turn the situation in our favor.]
Gabriel’s lips curved into a smile at this revelation.
Crude as it was, this was no time to be choosy about methods.
Besides, it was never his nature to be particular about such things.
[It is truly an excellent operation. Hehehehe.]
[Then our conversation is finished. Report to Michael and depart.]
[Understood. Thank you.]
The darkness that had been encroaching on the surroundings vanished, and the light of the Heavenly Realm illuminated all directions.
[Let us go, Raphael.]
The two angels stopped by the cathedral before deployment to meet Michael.
When they recounted their conversation with the Divine One, Michael’s expression showed rare surprise.
[The Divine One… made such a proposal?]
[It was not a proposal but a command. In my judgment as well, targeting the hostage first seemed appropriate.]
[Hmm….]
Michael struggled to conceal his bewilderment.
‘For even the Divine One to intervene… Was this not someone who showed no interest in our affairs from the beginning?’
It was incomprehensible, but what mattered was that the situation had become far more serious.
‘If we had fought head-on as Rubahi suggested, Black Scythe would have won, but….’
If they took a hostage, the story would be different.
Black Scythe’s actions would be constrained accordingly.
[Then I shall depart now.]
[…Very well.]
Michael, with no grounds to detain them, could only watch the departing angels’ silhouettes fade away.

* * *
【Title: Does Anyone Know Much About the Saesin Religion?】
└Content: Hello. I’m a father with a 24-year-old son. My son is a member of an organization called the Saesin Religion.
He always used to wait in his room before midnight, but this time he said he needs to start something overseas and left.
He says it’s work assigned by the Saesin Religion, but he won’t tell me where he’s going—says he can’t reveal it.
The Saesin Religion says he’s going with the group, so I shouldn’t worry, but can I really trust them?
[9 Total Comments]
└I’m a mother with a 20-year-old daughter. My daughter is also in the Saesin Religion, and she said she had to go overseas alone, which worried me. But it looks like there’s someone in the same situation as me.
└Ah, so the Saesin Religion really is sending people overseas as a group?
└It seems that way.
└My younger brother is also in the Saesin Religion and received word to go overseas. Black Scythe apparently emphasized very strongly that he absolutely cannot tell anyone where he’s going. He said other people could be put in danger.
└At least my son wasn’t lying then. Thanks for the answer.
└An acquaintance of mine is also a Saesin Religion player, and they seem trustworthy. They’ve shared strategy guides all along, and thanks to that, people have been able to survive.
└There are still people doubting the Saesin Religion?
└The Saesin Religion is trustworthy. Most importantly, it’s an organization run by Black Scythe. There must be a reason for this, so I’d say just trust and wait.
└I heard Black Scythe took care of the Saesin Religion members in Round 15. He would never let them fall into danger.
Ryu Won, reading posts on Player Gallery—the player community—nodded in agreement.
“There are a lot of people here worried like me.”
I had already searched because my older brother was away overnight, and this post appeared.
“He didn’t go to meet his girlfriend, I guess?”
After all, why would someone who was always home before every round suddenly stay out overnight?
He must have gone because something came up.
“Anyway, it’s a relief. Since he joined the Saesin Religion, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Ryu Won, who had been concerned about his older brother’s safety, felt reassured and headed into his room.
Click—
He closed the door and lay down on his bed, closing his eyes quietly.
Various stray thoughts crossed his mind, but most of them were worries about his older brother.
‘He’ll be able to survive this time too, right? He’s The Seer, after all.’
Sleep still eluded him due to worry, but it wasn’t as severe as before.
‘Nothing will go wrong. Since he’s part of the Saesin Religion, Black Scythe will protect him.’
Just like always, when I wake up after sleeping, my older brother will be home, opening his eyes and greeting me.
Believing this, Ryu Won tried to fall asleep.
Unaware that this was not the time to worry about his brother.
[@!%!@#%….]
‘What is that sound?’
A voice reached Ryu Won’s ears, though he hadn’t yet fallen asleep.
He thought it might be noise from another unit, but only for a moment.
The sound was coming from much closer than he expected.
[!@#!@….]
[%&#!@….]
Distinct voices suggest at least two people conversing.
Judging by the source, they seem to be in the living room.
‘Wait… could it be a burglar?’
How could a thief break in so silently?
My scalp prickled with tension.
My mind went blank, unable to decide what to do in that moment.
Crack!
The door burst open, flooding the room with light.
[So you were hiding here.]
The intruder I’d taken for a thief was an Angel.
A stunningly beautiful male Angel and female Angel.
But now that the Angels’ atrocities had become widespread, the public’s image of Angels was worse than that of Demons.
Shiver, shiver, shiver—
The male Angel chuckled at the trembling Ryu Won.
[Even a creature lower than vermin recognizes strength when it sees it.]
[Is this human Black Scythe?]
[No, Black Scythe is on the Island. Which means….]
A devilish smile crossed Gabriel’s lips.
[This is the perfect situation to take a hostage.]
With those words, he extended his hand toward Ryu Won.
“Wh-what!?”
Ryu Won’s body floated upward, suspended in the air in a spread position.
[Rather than just taking him, it would be better to sever an arm as a warning.]
“Ah, ah.”
Regardless of Ryu Won’s trembling fear, Gabriel swung the golden chain he held.
Whoosh—!
The chain coiled around one arm like a serpent, glowing a searing red.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—
“Ugh, ahhhhh!”
The sound of burning flesh and screams seemed to amuse the Angels, smiles playing at their lips.
But the smiles soon faded.
[What? The arm isn’t severing?]
[That’s strange.]
The human should have lost his arm by now, yet somehow he endured.
[Looking closer, there’s not even a wound.]
Though he screamed, only his clothes had burned away—his skin remained unmarked.
“Ugh… huh?”
Ryu Won then realized he felt no pain whatsoever, his expression turning bewildered.
[What have you done, human? How did you resist the Chain of Judgment?]
“….”
[I know you understand me. Speak quickly.]
“I… I…”
There was no way he could answer.
Because he didn’t know himself.
[This won’t do. I’ll have to grab your arm directly and tear it off….]
That was when it happened.
Crash—!
Gabriel burst through the wall and crashed into the living room.
As the chains came loose, Ryu Won, who had been suspended in mid-air, fell to the floor.
“Ugh…”
Ryu Won rose to his feet, wincing at the pain in his buttocks, but suddenly fell silent.
Someone wearing a mask stood before him, as if shielding him.

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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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