The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 302

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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 302
302. The Demon’s Touch
When I first heard about the nineteenth round mission.
Heo Tae-sik felt desire writhing within his heart.
A truly despicable desire.
‘This is my chance. A chance to kill that bastard I’ve been wanting dead.’
The player Heo Tae-sik had been targeting was none other than.
Alex Pearson.
That the conflict between him and the fat bastard existed was something Um Jun-seok and Black Scythe would naturally know.
So he didn’t move immediately.
He decided to observe the situation a bit longer before acting.
But then.
[The fifteenth death has occurred.]
[The deceased player’s nickname is ‘Rai Cha-cha’.]
[Ten minutes have passed since death, so the player will be eliminated.]
[Remaining players: 128]
[Eliminated players: 15]
[Time remaining until round end: 70:27:19]
Only an hour and thirty minutes had passed, yet fifteen were already dead.
‘That means they’ve been killing each other.’
Turning blades mercilessly against yesterday’s comrades.
So it was true—people could kill others depending on the circumstances.
Just like Heo Tae-sik now.
‘Time to start killing.’
Heo Tae-sik, who had been hunting monsters in the nearby forest, set his direction.
To track down Alex.
[Face and nickname match. Tracking target location.]
[Located player ‘Alex’.]
[Currently 2,038 meters away.]
[Follow the arrow ahead to pursue the target.]
Surprisingly, the distance between them wasn’t that far.
‘God is helping me.’
Kill that annoying bastard quickly and dispose of the corpse without leaving a trace.
Then no evidence would remain.
Even if suspicion lingered.
‘Even if Black Scythe and Cardinal Um suspect me, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just deny it.’
If I cry out about the injustice while acting, anyone would be fooled.
Heo Tae-sik, having devised the perfect murder plan, twisted his lips upward and closed the distance.
After walking for about twenty minutes.
By the time additional deaths occurred and the count reached twenty.
I watched as the distance between myself and Alex closed to within 500 meters.
‘Once I cross the 500-meter threshold, I’ll trigger their area detection.’
Perhaps he was already suspicious, watching the distance between us shrink through his tracking list.
‘Better to close in fast and end this before he has time to react.’
If I used Demonification to fly in and unleash a carpet bombardment of black arrows, there was no way he could withstand it.
It was just before Heo Tae-sik cast Demonification with that plan in mind.
[So the human Moros mentioned was here all along.]
At the sudden sound of that grotesque voice, Heo Tae-sik flinched and blinked his eyes.
Wondering if perhaps he was seeing things.
[Why are you so frozen? It’s not like you’re seeing a Demon for the first time.]
Two meters tall, crimson skin, wings, and a long tail.
The being that materialized before me was unmistakably a Demon.
Though its appearance seemed ordinary at first glance, I sensed it instinctively.
This was no mere opponent to be trifled with.
And for good reason.
[Do you wish for an introduction? Very well.]
The Demon laughed, malevolent energy radiating from its form.
[I am Demon Archduke Phlunikthos. Ruler of the Demon Realm.]

* * *
Before Round 19 began.
The moment Phlunikthos heard Artaros’s plan, his brow furrowed.
‘So he’s saying I need to buy time while he recovers his strength?’
Artaros had endured dozens of deaths, accumulating substantial penalties in the process.
He currently possessed no power whatsoever.
[I need time to recover my strength. That’s why you must step forward, Phlunikthos. Until my power returns.]
[But… surely you know my abilities are insufficient against Black Scythe? Especially after you’ve been defeated…]
For a moment, Artaros’s eyes gleamed with lethal intent, but Phlunikthos did not back down.
He had to speak his mind.
[If you order me to buy time, I will. But I have no desire to die a dog’s death. Not at the hands of a human.]
[When did I tell you to die a dog’s death?]
[Just now, when you told me to step forward…]
[I didn’t mean a direct confrontation.]
[Then what…?]
[Break his spirit.]
[Pardon?]
[In Round 19, slaughter every ally he holds dear. Never engage him in direct combat.]
In other words, he was telling me to systematically dismantle Black Scythe’s forces.
[If that’s all, there’s no problem. Hehehehe.]
The corners of both Phlunikthos’s and Artaros’s mouths rose simultaneously.

* * *
Phlunikthos finished his recollection and turned his gaze upon the human before him.
The way he trembled with fear was truly pitiful to behold.
[Your nickname is No Poe-in No-ge-i, is it not?]
“H-how did you…?”
Nicknames shouldn’t be visible in the Other World—how could he possibly know?
Though the question hung in his expression, Phlunikthos had no intention of answering.
He wasn’t foolish enough to carelessly divulge information granted by a god.
‘Just as Lord Moros informed me, this human is brimming with malevolent resentment.’
It was obvious at a glance that this man was consumed by vengeance.
Though he trembled with fear now, the murderous intent concealed beneath could not escape the perception of a Demon Archduke like myself.
[Pathetic human. Where were you headed?]
“….”
[It appears you were on your way to kill someone. Am I correct?]
Heo Tae-sik visibly flinched at the direct hit.
Yet he suppressed his alarm and leveled his staff at the demon before him.
Laughter escaped Phlunikthos’s lips.
[Humans are truly foolish. You don’t even comprehend what manner of being you face, yet you brandish your weapon without hesitation.]
“You’ll come to regret those words.”
But before Heo Tae-sik could launch his attack, Phlunikthos’s eyes blazed crimson.
“Ugh!”
A crushing weight bore down upon Heo Tae-sik’s entire body.
Phlunikthos’s signature telekinesis forced him to his knees, his torso bent low.
“Grraaaagh!”
He attempted to resist, but it was futile.
Like a flattened frog, he sprawled ignominiously across the ground.
‘I… can’t move at all.’
Rendered immobile, Heo Tae-sik abandoned his struggle.
In this state, landing even a single spell was impossible.
His own strength could not overcome this intangible force.
[Weak human. Do you desire power?]
“….”
[Fear not. I did not seek you out to kill you. Quite the opposite, in fact.]
Phlunikthos released his telekinetic grip with a sinister smile.
Freed from his bonds, Heo Tae-sik gasped and pushed himself upright.
Then he regarded the demon with bewildered eyes.
Clearly wondering why he had been released.
Fortunately, the question was soon answered.
Phlunikthos spoke with blunt directness.
[I will grant you power. Power far greater than what you possess now. With that strength, seek all the vengeance your heart desires.]
“What do you mean…?”
Before Heo Tae-sik could ask for clarification, Phlunikthos’s tail pierced through the crown of his head.
Squelch—!
“Gaaahhhhh!”
My head went pale white as all strength drained from my body.
Yet I did not die.
Rather, it felt as though my existing power was being siphoned away, replaced by an incomprehensible new force flowing in.
[I told you, did I not? I will not kill you. Only…]
“Krraaaaaaagh!”
[It will be rather painful.]

* * *
“Listen, I’m telling you to take this!”
“It’s too heavy for me.”
“You need it for safety, you fool!”
At Sophia’s outburst, Victor averted his gaze in silence.
Anyone seeing them would mistake Sophia for the older sibling, but she was unmistakably the younger one.
I understood my younger sister’s concern for me, but I truly had no desire to carry a shield.
“I barely invested in Strength stats, so it’s too heavy to hold.”
“Carry it anyway! That’s how you survive!”
“There’s no need for that. I have a reliable shield right here—what’s there to worry about?”
At the sight of Victor looking at her, Sophia let out a sigh.
Such stubbornness—it was beyond redemption.
“That’s exactly the problem! You should think about protecting your own safety first. Stop relying on me!”
“When did I ever rely on you? You’re the one who came looking for me.”
“Ugh!”
Sophia, tousling her hair and shouting into the void, finally gave up on handing over the shield.
She rationalized it by telling herself she would simply become his shield instead.
“Sigh, arguing with my brother always drains me.”
“If you’re tired, just say so. I made plenty of healing potions.”
“If only you could speak…tsk!”
The siblings bickered back and forth, killing time.
With seventy-two hours of survival ahead, why exhaust themselves wandering about?
There was no point wasting stamina—they could simply remain in a safe place and wait.
With that mindset, they had settled in a suitable location devoid of monsters and killed time for an hour and thirty minutes now.
Of course, they weren’t idle—they kept their surroundings under surveillance, maintaining awareness through exploration skills and tracking lists.
“Huh? Brother, this person’s distance is getting closer?”
“Who?”
“This person at the top of the list here.”
“Huh? That’s right.”
“They’re heading toward us, aren’t they?”
Victor nodded silently.
I couldn’t be certain, but it seemed likely.
‘I’ll know soon enough if I wait.’
I didn’t think they were approaching with ill intent.
After all, I already knew them.
A moment later.
“Ah, hello there.”
As expected, the man from my list approached Victor and his sister.
“Alex?”
“Hello, Victor. Sophia, you’re here too.”
The three of them knew each other.
They were all part of the Saesin Religion, but more than that, Alex had once traveled to Nigeria in person to recruit them for an elite team.
“Did you come looking for my brother?”
“Yes. Though I didn’t come with bad intentions… It’s just that…”
Alex seemed embarrassed as he struggled to find the words.
“You saved my life with a potion of vitality during the 16th round, and I’m grateful for that. Plus, you readily agreed to join my elite team back then, so I wanted to… well…”
“So you came to protect my brother, didn’t you? Right?”
Sophia’s words hit the mark, and Alex nodded emphatically in agreement.
“Then just say that. Really…”
“You stay quiet.”
Victor chided his sister and smiled warmly at Alex.
“Thank you for coming to help. As you can see, my class only makes potions, so I’m terrified of encountering monsters. Having you here as well makes me feel incredibly reassured. I’m truly grateful.”
“Ha ha… don’t mention it.”
“But what happened with the elite team proposal?”
“Ah, didn’t I tell you? Black Scythe said there was no need for it, so the whole thing fell through. We just ended up being misunderstood as if we were forming some kind of faction.”
“A misunderstanding? What happened?”
“We have time, so let me tell you.”
The three of them continued their conversation, catching up on what they’d missed.
In doing so, they made the mistake of lowering their guard.
Crunch. Crunch.
“And then what happened was… wait, hold on.”
Alex was the first to notice the approach.
Someone had entered the range of his presence detection.
Victor and his sister felt it too, falling silent as they turned their heads.
Toward the direction of the person approaching them.
“That person is…”
“Patriarch Heo?”
Surprised by the arrival of this unexpected figure, but more than that—
“Gack, guh…”
I was even more shocked by Heo Tae-sik’s condition.

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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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