The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 315

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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 315
315. Perhaps Things Are Better Now?
‘Perhaps things are better now?’
Ryu Min headed toward their meeting place with anticipation after receiving a text from Min Ju-ri asking to meet.
Ding—
As I opened the cafe door, I saw Min Ju-ri already waiting inside.
“Over here.”
Her expression as she waved her hand looked considerably lighter, as if she’d finally sorted through her thoughts.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“Not really.”
Though Min Ju-ri said it wasn’t long, I knew better from reading her thoughts—it was otherwise.
‘She waited for an hour?’
What had she been thinking about, sitting alone for a whole hour?
Noticing worry written across my face, Min Ju-ri smiled softly.
As if to say there was nothing to worry about.
“Come on, sit down.”
“Yeah.”
“I got a summons text from the Death God Cult. Sorry. I had a lot on my mind, so I couldn’t attend.”
“It’s fine.”
Min Ju-ri opened the conversation with a calm voice.
I knew better than anyone that she appeared fine on the surface but was anxious underneath.
“You distributed 2.3 billion gold to each player, didn’t you?”
“How did you know?”
“I heard from Arin. She kept texting asking why you didn’t come.”
Min Ju-ri, who had been laughing without a care in the world, soon sent me a look of admiration.
“You even made a donation? I read an article saying it was nearly 1 trillion won.”
“Well…”
“That’s truly remarkable. I couldn’t have done that. How were you able to donate 99% of your wealth?”
“The final round is coming soon, so I needed to settle things. It might be the end of my life, after all.”
“Is this really the Black Scythe I know? That doesn’t suit you—why say such things? Are you really that charismatic Black Scythe?”
“…”
I simply watched Min Ju-ri, whose lips curled up in a playful smile.
As if to say the act could stop now.
Then the smile faded from her face, which had seemed like it would keep laughing.
“Sigh… This is harder than I thought. Talking like we used to.”
“…”
“You don’t need to look at me like that. I understand now. I finally realized how foolish I’ve been.”
Min Ju-ri no longer smiled.
Her face was filled with worry and concern as she let out a long sigh.
“I had a one-sided love for three years. If you count the time spent in the Survival Game, it’s four years. All that time, I only looked at the back of my friend Ryu Min. But…”
After a moment of silence, Min Ju-ri spoke with a sigh.
“I was the one who turned away first. Foolishly.”
“The emotional shock was that severe.”
“It was. I was shocked when I learned the truth. My friend was Black Scythe. How could you deceive me, your friend? Me, who had unrequited feelings for you for four years?”
“….”
“I really thought that way, can you believe it? Isn’t it ridiculous? What was my four years of unrequited love? I did nothing. I made no effort. Yet I acted as though you were already mine. Isn’t that absurd?”
Ryu Min couldn’t say anything.
Because I understood that turbulent emotions were swirling within her heart.
“I was already seeing you as mine, and I was arbitrarily creating, judging, and molding your image. So when I discovered that two people I thought were completely different were the same person, the shock was immense. It was as if the preconceived image that had settled in my mind shattered in an instant.”
“….”
“Afraid that those fragments would wound me, I pushed you away. The fault lay with me, yet I found problems only in you. I blamed you.”
Min Ju-ri, who seemed unlikely to smile, suddenly wore a self-deprecating one.
“Isn’t it ridiculous? Not understanding the heart of the person I love, pushing them away first out of fear of being hurt, and resenting them.”
“….”
“Love from someone like me? It’s not even funny. I’m a selfish person who only thinks of my own comfort. Everything happened because of my selfishness.”
Min Ju-ri’s gaze slowly turned toward Ryu Min.
In her eyes that met mine lay emotions beyond description.
“Do I have the right to love you, being like this?”
“Ju-ri.”
“I’m disgusted.”
“….”
“I’m so disgusted with myself that I can’t bear it.”
A single tear streamed down Min Ju-ri’s cheeks.
“So I’m letting you go. I won’t love you anymore. I don’t deserve to.”
Min Ju-ri wiped away her tears and forced a bright expression.
“I’m sorry. For speaking only of depressing things. That’s all I had to say. Now that I’ve said it, I feel completely relieved.”
“….”
“I’m fine, so don’t look at me that way. I’ve had enough time to organize my thoughts, and this is the result. Letting you go. I’ve only now realized that love and friendship are luxuries. So….”
Min Ju-ri stood from her seat.
“I won’t trouble you anymore. I’m sorry for everything until now.”
“Min Ju-ri.”
At Ryu Min’s low voice, Min Ju-ri stopped her departing steps.
“Are you really leaving? You won’t regret this?”
“Yes. I have no regrets about my choice.”
“You’re lying.”
Ryu Min stood and met Min Ju-ri’s eyes.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know? You’re suffering terribly inside.”
“I’m not.”
She denied it, but I could tell.
That Min Ju-ri still loved me.
That’s precisely why he was letting her go.
“Can you live without me?”
“Yes.”
“Can you live without seeing me?”
“Yes.”
“Say it while looking me in the eyes.”
Min Ju-ri averted her gaze.
Without needing to ask, her anguish was painfully evident.
And so Ryu Min had no choice but to decide.
He couldn’t bear to watch Min Ju-ri suffer like this.
“I have a gift for you.”
“…?”
“Close your eyes and open your mouth.”
“What?”
At this sudden strange request, Min Ju-ri looked at him with suspicion.
“Just eat what I give you. Don’t ask what it is.”
“What are you doing?”
“Do you trust me?”
At Ryu Min’s question, Min Ju-ri answered without hesitation.
“Of course.”
“Then do as I say. Your heart will find peace.”
“….”
Though something felt off, Min Ju-ri closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly as instructed.
Ryu Min retrieved a potion from his inventory.
A memory-erasure potion.
‘This should erase Min Ju-ri’s painful memories.’
Ryu Min uncorked it and fed it to her.
‘Ryu…Min?’
As something flowed into her mouth, Min Ju-ri’s eyelids flickered open slightly.
But an irresistible drowsiness weighed her eyelids down.
‘Aah….’
With the blurred image of Ryu Min as her last sight, Min Ju-ri’s consciousness faded completely.

* * *
“Hmm….”
Min Ju-ri opened her eyes and lifted her head in surprise.
‘When did I fall asleep? I can’t remember.’
A hollow laugh escaped her as she saw herself slumped over the cafe table.
‘I’m probably the only person who comes to a cafe to drink coffee and ends up sleeping.’
With a weary smile, she glanced around and noticed someone else was there.
A man who appeared to be around her age, or perhaps younger.
‘He wasn’t here when I came in.’
He must have entered while I was sleeping face-down on the table.
Just as I turned my head awkwardly away from his gaze.
A question struck me like lightning.
“Excuse me. Haven’t we met before?”
“What do you mean?”
“Aren’t you a Player?”
If he were around her age, he’d definitely be a Player.
But it was strange that his face was unfamiliar.
However, contrary to her expectation, the man shook his head.
“I’m not a Player. I’m just an ordinary person.”
“An ordinary person? Aren’t you in your twenties?”
“I’m 32.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. You just looked about the same age as me….”
“It’s fine.”
“You look very youthful. Haha.”
The man simply stared without responding.
‘Is there something on my face?’
Min Ju-ri felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze and stood up from her seat.
She came to drink coffee and ended up sleeping—she had no idea what she was doing.
‘I shouldn’t be wasting time like this. The next round might be the last one, so I need to spend as much time as possible with Dad.’
Ryu Min watched Min Ju-ri’s retreating figure until she disappeared through the door.
Only when he was alone in the quiet cafe did a smile cross his face as he murmured softly.
“Thank goodness. It seems her memories have been erased. Now she won’t have to suffer because of me.”
It was a smile that somehow looked bitter.

* * *
When I returned home, my mood was far from pleasant.
“Brother? You’re—”
Click. Slam.
I didn’t even acknowledge my Younger Brother’s greeting before retreating into my room.
“Sigh…”
A long breath filled the quiet space.
There was no helping it.
I had erased my friend’s memories with my own hands.
‘And my memories from her mind as well.’
To ease Min Ju-ri’s suffering, I had made my choice.
To use the Memory Erasure Potion and wipe away all her recollections of me.
To completely erase my existence from her mind.
‘By removing myself as the source of her pain, she’ll have nothing left to suffer over.’
With her memories gone, she wouldn’t be able to connect Ryu Min to Black Scythe anymore.
In fact, she wouldn’t even know who Ryu Min was.
My existence had been completely erased from her life.
Though I hadn’t erased Black Scythe’s memories entirely.
‘If I’d wiped those too, progressing through Round 20 would have been nearly impossible.’
I needed Min Ju-ri’s help to clear the game.
That’s why I kept her alive until the final round, and why I preserved Black Scythe’s memories.
‘The memory erasure worked perfectly. Based on her reaction earlier, I’m certain. But…’
Was erasing her memories truly the right choice?
Doubt suddenly crept in.
A self-deprecating smile escaped my lips.
It was absurd to harbor such thoughts after already doing the deed.
‘It was the right call. Min Ju-ri was suffering so much. Because of me.’
Without the erasure, she would have faced Round 20 in such anguish it would have affected her performance.
That would have created a dangerous situation in its own right.
‘There’s nothing more dangerous than facing Round 20 with an unstable mind.’
For the final round, I needed to be sharp.
Hadn’t I survived countless rounds to reach this point?
So I didn’t regret my choice.
This method was the best way to ease Min Ju-ri’s suffering.
‘After clearing Round 20, we’ll both live new lives.’
Each walking our own path.
Separate paths.
Though I couldn’t shake this heavy feeling.
“Sigh.”
I exhaled in frustration, but not everything was grim news.
The Rune of Transcendence, obtained by liquidating all of Ryu Min’s assets and gold this time.
It was enough to lift his spirits, if only slightly.
[Rune of Transcendence]
-Effect: The level cap disappears, and experience can be gained from all enemies.

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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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