The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 295

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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 295
295. Have a Good Time.
Seo A-rin tossed and turned on her bed.
She hadn’t been sleeping well lately.
Her mind was cluttered with unnecessary thoughts.
And the source of those thoughts was none other than Black Scythe.
‘Black Scythe was The Seer all along….’
When she learned that Yamtti was Black Scythe’s acquaintance, she’d honestly felt envious.
It had been her wish to meet Black Scythe even once in reality.
‘But I’ve already been meeting him, haven’t I? As a neighbor, no less.’
They say the lamp at one’s feet casts the darkest shadow.
Black Scythe had been living directly below her, yet she’d never suspected a thing.
After all, The Seer and Black Scythe were entirely different people in both appearance and personality.
Of course, the claim that he was Black Scythe came solely from The Seer’s assertion.
‘But he didn’t seem to be lying. He even showed me proof.’
She’d witnessed his form transform with her own eyes.
He’d even demonstrated the speech patterns of Black Scythe that she knew.
Given all that, how could she not believe him?
‘The Seer is definitely Black Scythe. Definitely….’
His manner of speaking, his presence—it was the Black Scythe she knew.
Of that much, she could be certain.
Then, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over her.
‘Wait. Could I have made a mistake with The Seer? If I did, that would be terrible….’
Seo A-rin, suddenly anxious, furrowed her brow and pressed her fingers to her temples.
She retraced her memories, wondering if she’d inadvertently been rude to The Seer or shown him an unflattering side of herself.
‘From what I remember, I wasn’t rude to him. Fortunately, it seems I didn’t make any mistakes.’
Seo A-rin exhaled a small sigh of relief and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
With her mind filled only with thoughts of Black Scythe, a sudden wave of embarrassment washed over her.
‘What should I do…. The more I think about it, the more he keeps coming to mind….’
Especially the fact that he lived in the neighboring unit made her heart race.
If the man you liked lived just a few meters away, anyone would feel the same.
‘I want to see him. I want to see him so badly I’m going crazy.’
Her racing heart, unable to calm itself, finally subsided as she drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
But the moment she opened her eyes the next morning, Black Scythe plagued her thoughts once again.
‘Ah… I only slept four hours.’
Seo A-rin rubbed her eyes, washed her face, and naturally opened the refrigerator to retrieve the sandwich she’d bought from the Convenience Store yesterday.
After a simple meal with milk, she sat on the sofa in her pajamas and turned on the TV.
It was a habitual action, thinking that nothing worked better than television to dispel unwanted thoughts… but it was a mistake.
The TV was broadcasting a program centered on Black Scythe.
[Currently, only 143 players remain across the entire world, correct?]
[That’s correct. With Round 18 concluded, the nine hundred million players have dwindled to merely three digits.]
[There aren’t many left.]
[Yes. However, among the players themselves, even this survival rate is considered remarkable. They say they’ve managed to survive this long thanks to Black Scythe.]
[It seems Black Scythe’s contributions in the Other World have been quite significant?]
[That’s what we’ve heard.]
[What we’ve heard? What do you mean by that?]
[We ordinary people who cannot enter the Other World have no choice but to rely entirely on the accounts of players who’ve returned alive.]
[So according to the players, how exactly has Black Scythe been helpful?]
[According to their claims, Black Scythe has been providing comprehensive support—crafting items, uncovering strategies for upcoming rounds in advance, and doing everything possible to ensure as many players survive as possible. They argue that 143 players surviving is nothing short of a miracle thanks to this. In short, Black Scythe is fulfilling a leadership role, guiding the group.]
[So Black Scythe is like a savior to the players?]
[Exactly. And that’s not limited to just the players. We cannot overlook what Black Scythe has done for ordinary citizens either. Eliminating the IS Organization in Nigeria, maintaining domestic security through the Counter Player Force, removing rogue players, preventing monster summoning in Round 16—the list goes on. There’s already an immeasurable record of saving ordinary people.]
[Listing it all out like that is quite overwhelming. How are citizens reacting to this?]
[Naturally, Black Scythe is being treated as a hero—the kind that appears once in a century. According to polling data, the statistic that “players are society’s evil” once reached as high as 79%, but it’s now dropped to 5%, showing significant improvement in public perception. Regardless of other players, the nickname Black Scythe has accumulated considerable recognition.]
[I see. But despite these remarkable achievements, Black Scythe’s true identity still remains unknown, correct?]
[That’s right. Apparently reluctant to reveal their identity, Black Scythe always appears before the media wearing a white mask, so no one knows their face. The only confirmed details are that they’re over 180 centimeters tall and have bronze-toned skin, which are the only….]
Seo A-rin muttered pointedly as she turned off the television.
“That’s not right. All of that is fabricated….”
Knowing who Black Scythe truly was, she couldn’t help but feel dissatisfied with what the television was spouting.
‘I’ve only ended up thinking about it more.’
Watching the television in hopes of forgetting Black Scythe had only filled her mind with more thoughts instead.
Now I truly want to forget Black Scythe.
To erase them from my mind.
But then a sudden thought occurred to me.
Why should I erase them?
Why should I torment myself like this?
‘I don’t know. Why should I have to?’
If I want to see them, can’t I just go?
What wrong have I committed that I should erase Black Scythe from my mind?
There’s absolutely no reason to.
‘Should I… go see them?’
Having cast aside her hesitation, Seo A-rin ultimately decided to meet Black Scythe.
Since they were neighbors and already acquainted, it wouldn’t be awkward.
Wasn’t she already on familiar terms with their younger brother?
With that thought, my tangled mind felt refreshingly organized.
But a new problem came to mind.
‘What excuse should I use to visit?’
Even between acquaintances, a pretext was necessary.
I couldn’t simply knock on the door saying I wanted to see Black Scythe, could I?
‘Come to think of it, didn’t they move in before and bring over rice cakes?’
Not only that, but I’d even shared a meal at Ryu Min’s House.
Of course, it wasn’t a meal prepared by Ryu Min, but by his Younger Brother—yet I hadn’t reciprocated for receiving such hospitality.
‘Perfect! I’ll use that occasion as an excuse to make some food and visit him.’
Since we’re neighbors, it wouldn’t seem strange if I said I’d brought over some homemade dishes, right?
Once Seo A-rin had settled on her plan, she let her imagination soar with delight.
She could already picture Ryu Min’s delighted expression as he tasted her cooking.
The mere thought made her heart swell, and a warm smile bloomed across her face.
The problem was….
‘Right…. I don’t know how to cook, do I?’
The only thing Seo A-rin had ever made in her life was instant noodles.
She’d always satisfied her hunger with delivery food or Convenience Store meals.
‘Oh, what do I do?’
Seo A-rin’s expression drooped like a puppy caught in the rain.

* * *
Ding-dong—ding-dong-dong—♬
At the sound of the doorbell, Ryu Won glanced at his older brother sitting on the sofa.
“Did you order delivery, hyung?”
“No.”
“You didn’t order delivery, so who is it?”
On the wall monitor screen stood a woman with a shy expression.
Ryu Won’s face brightened instantly, and he rushed to open the entrance door.
“Seo A-rin noona!”
“Huh? Oh, it’s Won?”
“Is there something you need at our place? Did hyung call you?”
“Oh, no. I came to give you this….”
Seo A-rin held up a shopping bag shyly.
“Is that so? Come in for a moment. Come on in.”
Ryu Won ushered Seo A-rin inside as if the contents of the shopping bag were of no consequence.
“Who is it?”
Ryu Min poked his head out, only to see Seo A-rin being gently pushed inside by his younger brother.
“Actress Seo?”
“Oh, hello. Ryu Min.”
Though they weren’t meeting for the first time, Seo A-rin’s greeting felt awkward and strained.
It didn’t take long for Ryu Min to discern her true purpose.
With his high Intelligence stat, reading her innermost thoughts was but a fleeting moment.
‘She came because she wanted to see me…?’
That was Seo A-rin’s sole reason for visiting.
Simply a desire to see Black Scythe in reality.
Unaware that her feelings had already been laid bare, Seo A-rin fidgeted before Ryu Min and extended the shopping bag.
“P-please accept this.”
“What is this?”
“Cookies. I made them myself at the Homemade Cookie Experience Center, and they’re still warm since I just finished them. Please try some.”
Though I already knew the reason, I pretended ignorance and asked.
“Why are you giving me these…?”
“Well… I’ve received so much help from The Seer over the years. Plus, I’ve eaten meals at your home, so…”
“Sister! I was the one who made those meals back then. Why are you only giving them to my brother?”
“Oh, no. I made separate ones for you too, inside the bag.”
“Oh wow, really?”
Ryu Won’s face lit up as he searched through the shopping bag and found the cookies with his name written on them.
I also feigned surprise as I looked at the neatly wrapped cookies.
“Did you really make all of these yourself?”
“Yes… though I did receive quite a bit of help. Hehe…”
“I’ll enjoy them gratefully.”
As I smiled and spoke, Seo A-rin laughed before quickly turning her head away.
She seemed anxious that her reddened face might betray her true feelings.
Not realizing they were already exposed.
“Um, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about…”
“Then let’s go to my room. Won, go ahead and eat first.”
“Got it, hyung. A-rin noona, if my brother tries anything weird in the room, please call me, okay?”
“What are you saying, you brat? You never know when to stop.”
As I went to give Ryu Won a back smack, he flinched and waved his hands frantically.
“Ah, I was just joking. Joking. Hehe.”
“I’m sorry, sir. Let me apologize on his behalf.”
“Oh, no. It was just a joke.”
Even though she knew it was a joke, Seo A-rin’s ears had turned bright red.
Soon after bringing Seo A-rin into my room and closing the door, I asked.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
“The Seer. Or rather, Black Scythe. What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“I received a message from the Saesin Religion this time. They said you didn’t obtain information about the next round? Is that true?”
I deliberated whether to tell the truth before making my decision.
“Actually, I do know information about the next round.”
“Really?”
“However, if I tell the others, it will cause confusion, so I couldn’t tell them the truth.”
“Ah, I see…”
“This is all I can tell you. Please understand that I can’t share this with A-rin either.”
“Ah, I understand. You don’t need to share the information. Considering all the help you’ve already given us, it’s more than enough.”
Seo A-rin nodded, and I asked again.
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“Ah, well…”
I wanted to say more, but I couldn’t think of anything in particular.
“Well… that is…”
Seo A-rin, wracking her brain for something to talk about, finally opened her mouth.
“C-cookies. Please try some. I’d like to see your reaction.”
“Haha, of course. Let’s go have a taste.”
Just as Ryu Min smiled and stepped out of the room.
Click—
My younger brother was opening the entrance door.
It seemed someone had come to visit and he was letting them in.
“Brother, we have a guest.”
“Who?”
When I glanced toward the entrance, I recognized the face immediately.
“Min Ju-ri?”
“You were home after all…”
Min Ju-ri’s expression, which had been waving cheerfully, froze in an instant.
She’d just caught sight of Seo A-rin emerging from the room with me.
“Oh.”
Worried about a misunderstanding, I turned to Seo A-rin and explained.
“Actress Seo A-rin just arrived a moment ago…”
But Min Ju-ri left without listening, stepping outside the entrance.
Leaving only one parting word.
“Sorry. Enjoy your time.”

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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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