The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 281
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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 281
281. Dissolution
At the mention of a method, people’s eyes widened.
“There’s a way to commit team kill?”
“Only I can do it. It’s impossible for anyone else.”
“Ah….”
Disappointment flickered across the believers’ faces.
They seemed remarkably unwilling to help the Angels.
‘Sorry, but team kill is impossible. Don’t underestimate the system.’
They must have hoped I’d exploit a loophole in the system to commit team kill, but shortcuts don’t work here.
In the Other World, the system’s rules are absolute.
Once allies are designated, there’s no way to undo it, no matter what methods you try.
‘Unless I use the faction change right.’
With this temporary skill I received as a first-place reward, I’m the only one who can uniquely change factions.
I can fight standing with the Demon Tribe instead of the Celestial Tribe.
‘If the Demon Tribe wins at that point, I can survive as well.’
Since passing is recognized when your team wins, there’s no need to stick with the Celestial Tribe.
The skill’s essence is switching to whichever team seems likely to win, like a bat adapting to circumstances.
In short, it was a skill designed to betray your allies.
‘But I know this. Abandoning my allies and surviving alone will only hit a wall at Round 20.’
To enter the boss room requiring five or more people, I need to bring as many people as possible to Round 20.
It’s better to be eliminated than to switch to the Demon Tribe and survive alone.
‘Yet I chose this skill for one reason: to team kill the Celestial Tribe. There’s no other reason.’
That’s why I needed to mention it here beforehand.
If I suddenly started slaughtering the Angels, they’d be quite shocked.
“Only I, who placed first in the last round, can betray the Celestial Tribe. So don’t be surprised if I suddenly start killing the Angels.”
“Y-you’re going to kill the Angels?”
“Why? Would you prefer I didn’t?”
“That’s not exactly it….”
The Angels could reasonably be called humanity’s greatest enemy.
Since they’re the ones who threw humans into the Survival Game, they bear responsibility for the deaths of billions.
That’s why everyone naturally wanted to strike back at the Angels….
‘Ironically, the Round 18 mission requires me to lead the war to victory alongside the Celestial Tribe.’
That’s what caused confusion in people’s hearts.
Killing allies from the Celestial Tribe would be pointless self-sabotage.
Of course, for Ryu Min, who has the Demon’s Blessing, there’s an enormous benefit.
“Don’t worry. Killing a few Angels won’t cause us to lose the war. I will lead the war to victory no matter what.”
If it were the boy who cried wolf, such words would lack conviction, but the speaker was none other than Black Scythe.
At those words spoken with certainty, everyone nodded without exception.
Based on his track record so far, his word was beyond doubt.
Some people even muttered that they believed in him like fanatical cultists devoted to a false prophet.
Ryu Min then proceeded to explain the strategy for how to achieve victory in the war.
It wasn’t particularly groundbreaking information.
He simply described the habits of the Demon Tribe and what to watch out for regarding their appearance.
“…That’s all the strategy I know. Thank you for listening, and now everyone is dismissed.”
As Ryu Min descended from the platform, people scattered and glanced at their phones.
They appeared busy reserving return flights.
Some touched the empty air and rolled their eyes in various directions.
They were properly examining the newly acquired God-tier items they hadn’t had time to inspect while listening to the strategy.
“Wow… So this is what a God-tier item looks like….”
People couldn’t help but gasp at the options that were incomparable to other items.
Heo Tae-sik, the cult leader, was no exception.
‘It increases the number of Black Arrows, damage, and projectile speed by 50%? That’s absolutely insane?’
The options on [Morph’s Robe], the God-tier armor he had created, were extraordinary.
Among all the items he had seen so far, it was undoubtedly the strongest.
It wasn’t just one—the information below stated Morph’s Vestment Set Effect (1/5).
‘If I create two or more God-tier items, do I receive the set effect?’
If there were another item this incredible?
He could become as strong as Black Scythe.
Since a player’s value lay in their strength, greed was inevitable.
‘To create a God-tier item, I need that condensed ether item, right?’
He didn’t know how to obtain it, but if he could acquire it, Black Scythe would surely provide the remaining materials just as he was doing now.
Then he could receive the two-set effect.
‘Where can I get condensed ether? Should I ask Black Scythe about it?’
As he closed the item window and was lost in thought, his eyes met with an unlikeable human.
It was Alex Pearson.
‘Damn that foreign bastard pig.’
The disgusting fellow glared at him once, then abruptly turned his head away.
Seeing such blatant disrespect made his blood boil.
‘How dare a mere layperson ignore the cult leader?’
Although the misunderstanding from the previous incident had been cleared up, the resentment hadn’t easily faded, and the same was true for Alex.
They hadn’t spoken since then, but he could tell just by looking.
That gaze and atmosphere of ignoring him without even greeting—how else could he describe it?
‘I should have taken his item. What a waste.’
Had he known condensed ether was such a precious thing, he wouldn’t have hesitated to forcibly seize Alex’s.
While Heo Tae-sik clicked his tongue in regret, Seo A-rin looked around searching for someone.
“Ah, there you are. Democracy.”
“Huh? Actress Seo A-rin? Were you looking for me?”
“Yes. I had something I wanted to ask you.”
“You wanted to ask me?”
Min Ju-ri gave her a puzzled look, and Seo A-rin spoke up.
“Have you perhaps not seen The Seer?”
“Oh, no, I haven’t….”
“They’re friends, aren’t they? Didn’t they come together?”
“No. When I suggested we go together, he flatly refused. He said he’d go on his own, but I’m not sure if he’s actually here.”
‘Not sure if he’s even at the Saesin Religion?’
Min Ju-ri asked, noting the confusion in Seo A-rin’s eyes.
“But why are you looking for Ryu Min?”
“He’s my neighbor. I heard his house was destroyed, so I was worried. But the real reason is….”
Seo A-rin hesitated, her lips moving uncertainly, before grabbing Min Ju-ri’s arm and pulling her toward a secluded corner away from prying eyes.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
“I don’t want others to hear.”
“What are you trying to say….”
After glancing around to ensure no one was watching, Seo A-rin finally opened her mouth.
“Something seems off about The Seer.”
“What? Off how? What do you mean….”
“Tracking doesn’t work on him. Even though I know his name and face, I can’t locate his position.”
“….”
“If you don’t believe me, try it right now. When the speech ended earlier, it showed a mismatch, so it will definitely show the same result….”
Mid-sentence, Seo A-rin sensed something strange in the air.
Min Ju-ri’s expression, which should have shown surprise, had shifted into one of contemplation.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, well….”
“Do you know something?”
Hit with the truth, Min Ju-ri’s shoulders trembled slightly.
‘For someone with such an honest face, she really can’t lie….’
Physiognomy truly is a science.
“If you know something, please tell me.”
At Seo A-rin’s question, Min Ju-ri sighed helplessly.
“It’s a secret… so please don’t tell anyone else, okay?”
“Of course.”
“I recently discussed this very issue with Ryu Min. I asked him how tracking could fail.”
“And?”
Seo A-rin leaned in with eager eyes, but Min Ju-ri waved her hand dismissively.
“Apparently, there’s a rune that disrupts tracking. It’s a rune that can block others’ tracking whenever he wants.”
“Ah….”
Seo A-rin nodded as if the mystery had been solved.
“That makes sense then.”
“See? Nothing major, right?”
“But my questions don’t end there.”
“What else is there?”
“I’ve been a member of the Saesin Religion for several months now, but I’ve never seen The Seer’s face. Are you sure The Seer actually joined the Saesin Religion?”
Min Ju-ri answered as if there was a reason for that too.
“I asked the same question, and apparently he did join. But he only registered his name—he barely participated at all.”
“But the number of members is the same. How could he not have participated?”
Min Ju-ri answered readily to the barrage of questions.
Since she had harbored the same doubts last month, explaining was easy.
“Apparently, he’s hiding his identity and using a different nickname on purpose because he’s worried that if the Seer’s profession becomes known, it’ll cause confusion among people.”
“But is that really all he said? There was nothing else?”
“He did say some things that didn’t make sense, but… it’s nothing worth worrying about.”
“What was it?”
“Just a simple joke. Don’t worry about it.”
Though she kept saying not to worry, human nature dictates that the more someone tries to hide something, the more you want to hear it.
“Come on, tell me. What kind of joke did The Seer make?”
Pressed persistently, Min Ju-ri had no choice but to comply with Seo A-rin’s request.
“He said something ridiculous—that he was Black Scythe.”
“What?”
Seo A-rin asked for confirmation, having never considered such a possibility.
“S-so The Seer was saying… that he’s Black Scythe, which is why he can’t be found… is that what he said?”
“That’s what he said. If he didn’t want to tell me, he could’ve just said so instead of making such a ridiculous joke.”
Min Ju-ri grumbled, but Seo A-rin wasn’t listening to any of that.
‘Black Scythe and The Seer are the same person?’
Seo A-rin took the statement seriously rather than dismissing it as a joke.
From what she knew, The Seer wasn’t the type to make pointless jokes.
‘Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen them standing together at the same time.’
Though the two seemed impossible to be the same person—neither in physique nor personality—Seo A-rin didn’t take the remark lightly.
‘Perhaps… he was telling the truth.’
If he could resurrect the dead with a skill, could she really claim he had no ability to change his appearance?
‘If he lived a double life while changing his appearance? All the mysteries about The Seer would be solved.’
Seo A-rin seriously considered the possibility that The Seer might be Black Scythe, but Min Ju-ri’s reaction was different.
“Now that you mention it, doesn’t it sound absurd? Making such a ridiculous joke…”
“You don’t believe it, Democracy?”
“Of course not. They look completely different. How could I believe that?”
“Haven’t you considered that appearance can be changed?”
“Even so, people have personalities. This isn’t Jekyll and Hyde—the two have completely different personalities.”
“What if they were made to seem that way on purpose…”
Min Ju-ri waved her hand dismissively.
“I went to high school with Min. Do you think I wouldn’t know him? He’s not the type who could hide something like that.”
“….”
She spoke so firmly that Seo A-rin had nothing more to say.
‘Don’t people say they only see what they want to see?’
When a rainbow appears, people naturally see only the colors they wish to perceive.
If someone believes that’s how they are, there’s nothing to be done about it.
It’s not something others can change through their commentary.
‘Trying to change it would just be meddling.’
That’s why Seo A-rin decided not to concern herself with whether Min Ju-ri believed or not.
What mattered was the information that The Seer might actually be Black Scythe.
‘I need to verify this for myself.’
Seo A-rin’s gaze fixed on the platform where Black Scythe had departed.
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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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