The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 351

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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 351
351. Meeting with Chronos
Min Do-jun briefly went upstairs and returned with someone.
A handsome man with long hair and glasses.
It was a materialized form, but I couldn’t tell if he was Chronos just from his appearance.
Yet I could sense it.
The moment I saw him, an inexplicable energy stirred within me.
‘Is this it? The remnants of Chronos’s power that linger in my soul?’
It was distinctly different from divine power or Tara.
[I’ve heard much about you, Black Scythe. I am Chronos, the God of Time. As you can see, this form is merely a human manifestation.]
“….”
[You must feel strange power churning in your body right now, yes? Don’t worry. It’s merely a reaction that occurs when the source of power I planted encounters a similar force.]
[Rather than standing here talking, shouldn’t we all sit down?]
Chronos offered a gentle smile and sat on the sofa with Min Do-jun.
As if on cue, Min Do-jun’s Wife brought out tea.
[Thank you.]
Chronos accepted it and drank without hesitation.
Unlike me, he showed no suspicion toward Min Do-jun.
That sight didn’t put me at ease.
I needed to calm my mind.
Sip—
Only after Ryu Min finally drank the chamomile tea did Min Do-jun speak with a smile.
[See? I told you that you should drink it.]
“Why is Chronos here?”
[He was searching for a place to hide from Gaia’s sight, so I’ve been sheltering him. Being here allows him to evade the Akashic Record’s documentation.]
“But according to Rubahi, the Akashic Record revealed your existence….”
[That was ancient history. Now I’ve blocked it so they can’t see this place. Observing from another dimension is rather unpleasant, after all.]
“Then Gaia must suspect to some degree. If it’s a location the Akashic Record can’t find, the possibilities are limited.”
[Oh, you’re quite sharp, aren’t you?]
Chronos, who had been listening quietly, let out an exclamation of admiration.
[Black Scythe is correct. Mother suspects I’m hiding somewhere in this dimensional realm. However, since the God of Slaughter would never permit a dimensional search and there’s no concrete evidence, she hasn’t made any significant moves yet.]
“So you were trying to use me to pinpoint Chronos’s location. To secure evidence.”
[Exactly. But evidence won’t be necessary. Once the exact location is determined, with Father’s help, I can be extracted in an instant.]
“With Chaos’s help?”
[Yes. If you are used as a sacrifice to extract the power of time, they can precisely measure my coordinates, which possess the same nature of power. Then, with Father’s expertise in spatial jumps, I would be extracted. That’s why Mother will try to join hands with Father—to ask for his help in finding me.]
Two of the strongest Primordial Gods joining forces.
Could any situation be more hopeless than this?
[But don’t worry. If those two join hands, we can simply do the same.]
“You want me to join hands with you?”
[Yes. I sincerely hope that Ryu Min will help us. So that we may annihilate Chaos and Gaia.]
Ryu Min fell silent at Chronos’s suggestion.
His own son was proposing to kill his parents.
Wasn’t that a violation of filial piety?
“Do you truly wish for that? They’re still your parents.”
[Parents? I find it repulsive to even call them that. How could beings who seek to kill their own child be called parents? They’re worse than beasts.]
Chronos’s eyes trembled with such profound hatred.
[I could accept it from Father, but I never imagined Mother would betray me as well. They all sought to exploit my power and kill me. So I must kill them first, before they kill me. Regardless of the fact that they’re my parents.]
“Hmm….”
I couldn’t say I didn’t understand Chronos’s position.
Not all parents were good parents, after all.
‘Even so, could he truly wish to kill them like that? They’re still his parents.’
It was a sentiment I couldn’t fathom—I, who yearned so desperately for my own parents.
“Why not simply live here instead? Of course, assuming the God of Slaughter permits it.”
[How could that be possible? I’m already grateful just for you hiding me like this. I can’t impose further. And….]
Chronos sighed.
[I’m tired of running. I want to live openly and honestly now.]
“Isn’t there another way besides annihilation? Could you use your power to turn back time?”
[Even if I did, I couldn’t change Father’s and Mother’s thoughts. It would only rewind the tape. I would become hunted once more.]
In the end, annihilation was the only answer.
‘I want that too.’
Gaia joined Chaos on the list of those to be avenged, but it mattered little.
If I could annihilate them and reclaim my original life.
‘But what exactly should I do to help?’
My willingness to assist was absolute, yet I couldn’t help but worry.
How could I possibly defeat the Primordial God?
My power was far too insignificant compared to those two.
Especially now, having lost most of my Player abilities.
‘Hmm.’
As I pondered in silence, Chronos glanced at me with anxious eyes.
Judging that I hadn’t yet made a decision, he made a proposal.
[You’ll need proper incentive to help me earnestly, won’t you? If you help me annihilate them both, I’ll grant whatever wish Black Scythe desires.]
“A wish?”
[What Black Scythe wants is to live an ordinary life, yes? If you help me, I’ll turn back time to before Angel ever appeared. In a sense, it would be your 102nd return.]
“Does that hold meaning? Angel will simply appear again when the time comes. Besides, if you turn back time after annihilating them, won’t Chaos and Gaia be resurrected?”
[They won’t be resurrected. They’ll become as if they never existed at all. If I cut this world line and splice it with another.]
“…World line?”
[Heh, it seems I must first explain the concept of world lines to you.]
Chronos brushed back his hair with a smug smile, speaking like a teacher instructing a student.
[The world line you’re currently walking isn’t singular. Have you heard of parallel universes?]
“To that extent, yes. The theory that infinite other Earths exist, each progressing through different histories than the modern one.”
[Then the story will move quickly. Black Scythe is currently just one among countless worldlines created by the parallel universe.]
“….”
[Let me explain in a way that’s easy to understand. Usually, when you regress, you think you’re returning to the past, right?]
Ryu Min nodded.
[Half correct, half incorrect. When Black Scythe regresses, you do return to the past you know, but it’s not the true past. It’s a copied past, so to speak.]
“A copied past?”
[In the first cycle, Black Scythe died to a goblin and underwent the first regression. But you didn’t return to the past. You simply returned to a worldline identical to the past—a copy of it.]
“….”
[In essence, the world of the first cycle where Black Scythe died still exists somewhere. As the world where Black Scythe perished.]
“…So the first cycle where I died exists as a parallel world?”
[Correct. The second cycle, the third cycle, the hundredth cycle—they all exist as separate worldlines. Without Black Scythe present in them.]
“Then the current me is….”
[The 101st cycle. Black Scythe is currently just an existence living in the worldline of the 101st cycle. Not returning to the past.]
Perhaps because I understood the concept of parallel universes?
The meaning of “copied past” became dimly clear to me.
[It’s impossible to perfectly reverse time that has already passed. Even I cannot go against time. That is an immutable law. I can only create countless worldlines, much like how a branch splits from a trunk. The Wish Room, the reward of the Final Round, operates on that same principle.]
“…The Wish Room?”
[Think about it. If everyone who cleared it had their wishes granted, how twisted and complicated would the world become?]
I had thought about it before.
With ninety-seven people making wishes, how could they all possibly be fulfilled?
Some might wish for regression, others for someone’s death or resurrection.
“Then surely…?”
[What Black Scythe is thinking is correct. The Wish Room simply created separate worldlines for each person.]
“….”
[In those worldlines, some live as the wealthy, some have returned to the past, some are displaying their abilities as Players. You could say each is living out the dreams they desired.]
Chronos’s theory was reality yet not reality—an incomprehensible realm.
‘Then Min Ju-ri, Seo A-rin, Christine—they’re all living with their wishes fulfilled? Each in their own created dream?’
In those worlds, I—Ryu Min—might exist or might not.
They’re simply living in another parallel world.
[Do you understand now?]
“Yes, I understand now. That everyone lives within their own worldline. That I am not the Ryu Min of the first cycle, but the Ryu Min belonging to the 101st worldline.”
[That doesn’t mean Black Scythe is a copied fake. Don’t misunderstand. The concept of parallel universes isn’t that simple….]
“I understand. Then what did you mean earlier about connecting worldlines?”
[In Black Scythe’s current worldline, 1.8 billion people are dead. But if Chaos and Gaia didn’t exist in the future, and we created a new worldline and connected it? You could live in a world without Chaos and Gaia while maintaining the population.]
“Is that even possible?”
[If it weren’t possible, I wouldn’t have made such a proposal.]
Cutting out only the desired parts and connecting worldlines?
Then I could live in the world I want.
An ideal world.
‘In other words, I can edit and select only the parts I want.’
If that’s how it turns out, it couldn’t be better.
[So? Have you found yourself willing to help me now?]
‘I was already planning to help anyway—we have a contract to kill Chaos, and our goals align.’
Ryu Min saw no need to voice this aloud.
“Understood. I’ll help you. But I’m not sure what assistance someone without any real power can offer….”
[If you lack power, then acquire it.]
“How?”
[There’s a massive amount of Terra buried in Drakania, isn’t there?]
“Ah.”
Though I no longer possessed the strength I once had, with Terra at my disposal, it was worth attempting.
Though I couldn’t say how much lay buried there.
[Besides, the God of Slaughter here says he can offer his assistance.]
“The God of Slaughter?”
Min Do-jun flashed a grin at Ryu Min’s gaze.
[I’ll restore every power you possessed as a Player.]
“All of the power I had…?”
[That’s right.]
“But Gaia said it was impossible because the data had already been deleted….”
[Gaia may find it impossible, but I don’t.]
At Min Do-jun’s confident smile, I could only stare in astonishment.
‘If I recover my former power and secure all the buried Terra….’
Facing Chaos and Gaia wouldn’t be an impossible task.
Above all, I have Chronos, the God of Time, standing beside me, don’t I?
[But here’s the thing. To restore your data, you’ll need to undergo a procedure from me.]
“Excuse me? A procedure?”
[You need to become a Transcendent like me so that the latent data can be drawn out.]
“A Transcendent?”
[It means you’ll become a far stronger existence than you are now. Even stronger than the Divine Beings.]
My bewilderment at his sudden words was fleeting.
Resolve kindled in my eyes.
Why would I refuse when he offered to make me stronger?
“Then I ask for your aid, God of Slaughter.”

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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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