The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 360

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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 – Side Story, Episode 5
5. An Sang-chul’s 101st Cycle (Part 2)
Earthquakes, floods, typhoons, tidal waves.
The common trait of natural disasters is their unpredictability.
‘Without warning signs, there’s no way to prepare.’
This calamity had struck without any forewarning either.
Who could have anticipated that an Angel would suddenly appear and abduct 1.8 billion souls?
Or that I would find myself hunting 100 goblins in the Other World.
‘Alongside Seo A-rin, no less.’
The actress Seo A-rin.
Refined and adorable, with feline features that could captivate anyone.
An attractive woman, but nothing more than the Director’s asset.
I was in the midst of protecting that asset from the goblins.
‘She fights surprisingly well.’
Seo A-rin, who was undertaking Round 1 with me—the Quest to slay 100 goblins—moved with considerable agility.
Not falling short compared to my own experience as a special forces operative.
‘Did she get a rune that boosts overall stats?’
As for me, slaying goblins posed no difficulty.
I didn’t earn my position as head of security through mere luck.
The rune I obtained was reasonably useful as well.
[Rune of Bladed Weapons]
-Effect: Reduces damage from bladed weapons by 30%. Increases attack power of weapons with blades by 30%.
Unremarkable in appearance, but a goblin’s dagger still counts as a bladed weapon.
With increased attack power, it certainly drives deep.
Thunk!
“Kieek!”
Thunk, thunk!
“Keek!”
As I methodically dispatched the goblins, I kept watch over Seo A-rin.
Protecting the Director’s asset took priority over my own life.
A goblin crept up behind her—I spotted it immediately.
Whoosh—thunk!
“Kyaak!”
I hurled my dagger to strike it down, then spoke in a flat tone.
“Be careful.”
“Ah… Thank you, bodyguard.”
Eyes forward again, I cut down the approaching goblins one after another.
Protecting someone while fighting enemies is difficult, but there wasn’t much to worry about.
Seo A-rin could handle the goblins on her own.
Honestly, I’d written her off as dead weight, but she had her uses after all.
“I have one left, Seo A-rin. How many do you have?”
“I have nine remaining.”
“It appears that whoever achieves the goal first gets trapped in a pillar of light and can’t help. Since it’s better if we achieve it together, I’ll help you catch them.”
“Oh! Thank you so much!”
And so, nearly simultaneously with Seo A-rin, I achieved the hundred goblins and cleared the round.
During this time, Angel took Black Scythe somewhere to separately consider first-place rewards, but it had nothing to do with me.
‘Is the CEO not here?’
Even after surveying the Grassland, I couldn’t spot anyone resembling the CEO.
Since he might have altered his appearance, I simply waited for the round to end.
‘Why isn’t Angel coming? Surely they’re not refusing to send me home?’
Just as that suspicion crossed my mind.
The round ended automatically without Angel ever arriving.

* * *
“Gasp!”
An Sang-chul awoke in his original body and glanced around.
It was the same place where he had lost consciousness—where the bell-ringing ceremony had been held.
“Are you alright, sir?”
“Of course.”
“How did this happen? It wasn’t a dream, was it?”
“It doesn’t appear to be a dream. I can see my status window opening.”
“What?”
Seo A-rin gasped and murmured about her status window.
She stares into empty space, apparently viewing her status window just as I am.
‘It wasn’t a dream.’
Being dragged to the Other World and returning was real.
That meant the CEO had been dragged there too.
‘The CEO…!’
Worried, An Sang-chul contacted Ma Gyeong-rok faster than anyone else.
Fortunately, he answered the call.
-Shall we meet and talk?
“Understood, sir. I’ll bring Seo A-rin with me as well.”
-Please do.

* * *
The three of them met in a room at Ma Gyeong-rok’s Hotel.
“I’m so relieved you’re safe, Director.”
“It’s good that you’re fine too, An. And you as well, Seo.”
“Thank you. I was able to stay safe thanks to the bodyguard’s protection.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Ma Gyeong-rok looked at him with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Catching the implication, An Sang-chul quickly shut down any misunderstanding.
“I was simply doing my job.”
“Hmm, there were no personal feelings involved?”
“None whatsoever.”
Ma Gyeong-rok laughed it off with a sly smile and soon shared information about the Other World.
“It appears that people who started together are assigned to the same district.”
“So if we’re together again in Round 2, we’ll be assigned to the same district?”
“Given that each district has its own Angels overseeing it, that’s unlikely. The assignments were probably finalized based on the positions from the first round.”
“Then I won’t get to see you again, Director….”
An Sang-chul spoke with disappointment.
He didn’t know yet that the districts would eventually merge.
“Still, once the round ends and I see the rankings, you’ll be able to check on my progress.”
“What do you mean by that….”
“Didn’t you see the Round 1 rankings? My nickname was listed there.”
He had seen it, but he didn’t understand.
How would he know what the Director’s nickname was?
A nickname suddenly came to mind.
“Could it be Black Scythe…?”
“Black Scythe? Ah, you mean that nickname that ranked 1st across all districts? No, that’s not me.”
Ma Gyeong-rok quickly denied it.
“My nickname is Cheon Ma. I took it from Cheonma Consulting.”
“Ah!”
He had seen it in the rankings.
Ranked 3rd across all districts.
He had noticed it because it resembled the Director’s company name, but it was actually the Director himself!
An Sang-chul’s expression brightened with surprise.
It was the pride that came from knowing his master had demonstrated the strength to rank 3rd overall.
“That’s incredible! Ranked 3rd!”
“There’s nothing incredible about it. Catching goblins quickly isn’t that difficult.”
He spoke humbly, but I was genuinely impressed.
Wasn’t I, a special forces operative, not slower than Ma Gyeong-rok?
‘Did he perhaps obtain some special rune?’
I was curious, but I couldn’t ask that far.
Because it felt like I was crossing a line.
“An, continue protecting Seo A-rin. Make sure she doesn’t get eliminated in the round.”
“Thank you for your concern. Please be careful as well, sir.”

* * *
Upon entering Round 2, an incomprehensible Quest appeared: [Select a District Representative].
‘They’ll really let us live just by voting?’
It seemed suspicious.
Seo A-rin, no fool herself, voiced her doubts.
“The Quest feels too easy… Could it be a trap?”
“I’m not sure.”
While we spent three hours deliberating what to do.
“Look over there.”
Seo A-rin spotted Black Scythe entering the Forest.
“Why is he going there instead of voting like everyone else?”
“Perhaps he has no interest in voting.”
“This works out perfectly. Let’s follow him and have a quiet word.”
“Are you really going to propose cooperation?”
“Yes. He might just listen.”
“It’ll be a waste of time. A man like that has too much pride to make allies.”
An Sang-chul viewed it negatively, but regardless, I wanted to hear Black Scythe’s thoughts.
So I didn’t stop Seo A-rin and tailed Black Scythe.
But we were discovered sooner than expected.
“I don’t know who you are, but come out. If you don’t reveal your purpose, you’d better be prepared to die.”
“I-I’m coming out.”
Following Seo A-rin, who emerged with her hands raised, I abandoned the tail and revealed myself.
Just as I was about to make excuses, an unexpected situation unfolded.
“Actress Seo A-rin? I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“You… you know me?”
“Of course. You live upstairs from my place.”
“What? Then Black Scythe… you’re the one living downstairs from us?”
“Yes. Did you enjoy the rice cake?”
Black Scythe had revealed his identity first.
‘Now that I think about it, Seo A-rin mentioned it. The neighbor downstairs brought rice cakes yesterday.’
I hadn’t seen his face at the time due to other matters, but it seemed that neighbor was Black Scythe.
‘Why reveal his identity? What does he gain from it?’
As I eyed him suspiciously, he said something even more suspicious.
“Soon, a group tracking Seo A-rin will appear.”
He suddenly spoke like a prophet.
For a moment I looked at him as if he were mad, but Black Scythe proved it.
A gang with the nickname Hwang Yong-min had truly appeared.
After Black Scythe beat the Hwang Yong-min gang to a pulp and drove them away, he spoke.
“I possess a rune of future sight. A rune that allows me to glimpse several years into the future.”
“Ah… So that’s how you sensed their arrival.”
“Their target was Seo A-rin. They intended to kill An Sang-chul beside her and take Seo A-rin away.”
It was difficult to believe, yet I had no choice but to accept it.
Hadn’t he just foreseen the appearance of the Hwang Yong-min group?
‘Can he truly see the future?’
The situation was far too perfectly timed.
It felt almost as though it had been orchestrated.
But what madman would coordinate with Black Scythe while getting beaten senseless?
‘Besides, when the plan was exposed, that bastard Hwang Yong-min was genuinely shocked. It’s proof we really were about to be attacked.’
If that were the case, Black Scythe had become our benefactor.
Moreover, one who had protected Ma Gyeong-rok’s assets as well.
“I’d like to express my gratitude…”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Watching Black Scythe depart coolly as if nothing more was needed, An Sang-chul exhaled the breath he’d been holding.
Though he hadn’t shown it, the man exuded an oppressive presence in every way.
“Should we be hunting like Black Scythe as well?”

* * *
After the vote concluded, we safely completed Round 2.
I immediately sought out the representative and reported the matter concerning Black Scythe.
“Such a thing happened? It seems we owe Black Scythe a debt.”
In the darkness, the representative’s eyes gleamed.
A gaze that showed keen interest in Black Scythe.
At this point, An Sang-chul had no inkling that he would become deeply entangled with Black Scythe.
He merely thought of it as a fleeting connection.
“Um, representative. I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“May I ask where one obtains class change items?”
“It’s nothing special. Class change items simply drop when you hunt monsters.”
“Is that so?”
Though he spoke as if it were trivial, it was precious information to An Sang-chul.
I shared the information with Seo A-rin, and hours later, even more startling news reached my ears.
“What? You made contact with Black Scythe?”
“Yes. Somehow he found where I was and came directly. And he called himself The Seer…”
I hadn’t expected the neighbor from the floor below to seek out the representative in person.
“What did he say?”
“He made two prophecies. That coins would skyrocket within a month. And information about Round 3 as well.”
“Ah.”
It was hard to believe, but there was no harm in trying.

* * *
Starting from Round 3, after obtaining information from the representative, I focused on hunting monsters.
The immediate priority was advancing my class.
Only by advancing could I break free from Life is Documentary’s control as the district representative.
‘Currently level 8. Just two more levels until I can advance.’
So I gained experience by holding back monster waves in Round 3, and reached level 10.
The conditions were met, and an item dropped by the monsters entered my inventory.
‘What is this? [Knight’s Conviction]?’
According to the description that it was an item for class advancement, I used it immediately.
[You have advanced to the Knight class. Congratulations!]
[As a class advancement reward, you have obtained a ‘Longsword’.]
[As a class advancement reward, you have obtained the ‘Swordsmanship Rune’.]
[The acquired rune will be automatically inscribed onto your body!]
[You have learned the Knight-exclusive skill ‘Consecutive Slash’!]
[The next skill will be automatically learned when you reach level 20.]
[Swordsmanship Rune]
-Effect: Understanding of swordsmanship increases, and sword skill improves dramatically.
I grew stronger as I obtained a rune as a class advancement reward.
‘I was already raising my stats in Strength and Agility, and now I’ve advanced to Knight.’
[Exclusive Skill – Consecutive Slash]
-Effect: Rapidly attack a target in succession.
After Consecutive Slash, attack speed increases by 20% for a certain duration due to momentum.
I obtained the skill, and a Longsword came as a class advancement reward item.
‘There’s definitely a world of difference between advancing your class and not.’
Feeling myself handle monsters much more easily, I completed Round 3.

* * *
“A knight… now that’s a truly impressive profession.”
“For reference, Seo A-rin is at the same level. The difference is her class—she’s a Summoner.”
“A Summoner?”
Another day passed reporting to the CEO.
Being dragged into the Survival Game each month was stressful, but bearable.
Much of that was thanks to Black Scythe and Ryu Min’s prophecies for each round.
‘It certainly helps. Knowing information about the next round makes a difference.’
At first, reaching Round 20 seemed hopeless, but now I could see a path forward.
As a result, The Seer’s importance grew, and the CEO began relying on Black Scythe as well.
‘There’s no choice in the matter. Survival is at stake.’
Then came a certain day.
The CEO changed.
“Director An. When acquiring targets, from now on let’s focus on heinous criminals.”
“Pardon?”
The CEO who had once mercilessly targeted anyone with even the slightest criminal record was reversing course.
“CEO, may I ask why you’re suddenly changing this?”
“Black Scythe expressed a preference for it, so I thought it best to comply.”
‘That person…?’
Watching Ma Gyeong-rok use an honorific he’d never employed before, An Sang-chul felt something peculiar.
“CEO, if I may be so bold, blindly following Black Scythe’s words doesn’t seem wise. Don’t you have your own path as a CEO?”
“Director An. Do as you’re told. Understood?”
He even grew angry.
‘He’s definitely changed. The CEO has.’
That certainty solidified as time passed.
With each round cleared, he displayed an attitude of continuous praise toward Black Scythe.
The shift was evident not just in how he never mentioned the nickname, but in how he always referred to him with that honorific.
Even when Ryu Min sold off 31% of the company’s shares and the company nearly collapsed, he showed not a trace of anger.
How had it come to this?
The reason was clear.
‘Everything changed after meeting Black Scythe.’
An Sang-chul, who had never harbored wishes before, now made a decision.
If he cleared the Survival Game and reached the Wish Room, he knew what he would wish for.

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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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