The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 378

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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 2
2. The Jung-sik Faction
Among organized crime syndicates, the Jung-sik Faction was a name that commanded instant recognition.
Boss Jo Jung-sik, at merely twenty-nine years old, was a charismatic young gangster who dominated the Seoul metropolitan area.
But then.
“What? What did you just say?”
“I came here because I want to become a gangster! Please accept me, sir!”
For Jo Jung-sik, this was the first time a fresh-faced kid barely into adulthood had walked through his door seeking to join the underworld.
“What’s your name?”
“Hwang Yong-min. I’m about to graduate from high school.”
“So, Yong-min. You came looking for me because you want to become a gangster?”
“Yes.”
“After asking around everywhere?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, you guys.”
At Jo Jung-sik’s glance, the burly men nodded curtly and approached Hwang Yong-min.
What they did was.
Crack!
“Gahhh!”
They simply beat him mercilessly.
“He’s down. Stomp him!”
“This green little punk!”
“Where did you get such lies!”
Under the men’s kicks, Hwang Yong-min curled up like a turtle, taking a thorough beating.
As his entire body throbbed with pain, Jo Jung-sik’s chilling voice pierced his ears.
“Hey. Which family are you from?”
“…What?”
“Who sent you here, you bastard?”
“I, I don’t understand…”
“This won’t do. Stomp him more.”
“Yes!”
The gangsters’ merciless kicks resumed.
Hwang Yong-min could only collapse into a battered state, unable even to protest his innocence.
“Do you think I’m a joke? Is this business a joke to you?”
“Ugh…”
“You think you’re the first punk like you I’ve seen? You’re a spy who rolled in from another organization, aren’t you? Aren’t you?”
“No, no… Absolutely not…”
“You keep lying to the end?”
Jo Jung-sik’s order came down again.
The burly men’s kicks continued.
However, Hwang Yong-min maintained his innocence to the very end.
“I, I’m n-not a s-spy or anything…. I really came all this way because I admire you, Jo Jung-sik…. Please believe me….”
“….”
At this point, even Jo Jung-sik had to reconsider his initial judgment.
‘Is this bastard serious?’
Now that I thought about it, something didn’t add up.
Even if a rival organization sent a spy, they wouldn’t send such a bumbling fool.
It would be obvious he’d get caught immediately—why send some greenhorn instead of a seasoned operative?
Moreover, the Jung-sik Faction’s position in Seoul was so overwhelming that they had no real competitors left.
“Hey, Hwang Yong-min. You really came here wanting to become a gangster?”
“…Yes. Ever since I was a student, my dream has been to join the Jung-sik Faction….”
“This bastard’s got a screw loose. Damn.”
Even to Jo Jung-sik, a gangster himself, this kid seemed genuinely insane.
A high school student aspiring to be a gangster.
‘I don’t know how good his fighting skills are, but I’ll give him credit for his guts and resilience. Hmm….’
In truth, fighting ability wasn’t that important for gangster work.
What mattered was swagger, momentum, nerve, and toughness.
Coming to the organization alone, maintaining that vicious glint in his eyes even after getting beaten down—he lacked nothing.
In short, he had all the makings of a proper gangster.
“You said you’re graduating soon, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ve met the basic requirements.”
“D-does that mean you’re accepting me…?”
“Kid, you think our organization is that easy to join? We’re the most famous gang in Seoul.”
“Then…?”
“You’ll take an entrance test, and if you pass, we’ll accept you. Hey, you guys!”
“Yes, boss!”
“Go prepare something for the test.”
“Yes!”
“In the meantime, you just sit and rest.”
Jo Jung-sik pointed to the sofa and turned away.
Hwang Yong-min dragged his aching body to the sofa and rested.
About thirty minutes passed like that.
The large men who had left returned.
Dragging some middle-aged man with them.
“Get in here, you bastard!”
“Aaaah, p-please spare me. I beg you…!”
A gaunt fifty-something man was wringing his hands and crying out for mercy.
“This guy borrowed money from us, but even though the interest has exceeded the principal, he refuses to pay it back, the bastard.”
“I, I’ll pay it back. I swear I’ll pay it back!”
“Stop spouting that garbage! I’m sick of hearing the same old excuses, you bastard!”
“Ugh!”
Jo Jung-sik, who had been making a fist, forced himself to calm down.
“Hwang Yong-min. I want you to cut off that man’s breath.”
“Huh?”
“This is our organization’s initiation test. Think you can do it?”
Kill someone?
Hwang Yong-min’s eyes widened in shock, but only for a moment.
“Yes.”
“Then get started.”
He nodded with a composed expression and turned his gaze toward the man.
“Please! Please, save me! I swear I’ll repay the debt by mobilizing my in-laws and distant relatives! Please…”
“That’s got nothing to do with me.”
Hwang Yong-min approached with murderous intent blazing in his eyes.
Thwack!
He threw a punch without hesitation.
“Since my brother gave the order, you’ll have to die here.”
Boom! Thwack!
After landing two more punches, Hwang Yong-min straddled the fallen man and began strangling him.
“Gack, gack…”
The man’s face turned purple as he gasped for breath.
It seemed like he would truly die at this rate.
“Stop.”
Jo Jung-sik halted Hwang Yong-min’s murder.
“That’s enough. I’ve seen your resolve.”
“Huh?”
“Did you really think I’d have you actually kill him? What money would I get from a corpse? Even if I sold his organs, they’re only worth anything if they’re fresh.”
“Ah…”
Only then did Hwang Yong-min realize it was a test and withdrew from the man.
The man lay unconscious, foam at his lips.
“You’ve passed the test. Hwang Yong-min. Congratulations on becoming one of us.”
“Th… thank you so much!”
Hwang Yong-min bowed deeply, his expression radiating unbridled joy.
“You’re that happy?”
“Of course! I can’t tell you how much of an honor it is to work under my role model, Jo Jung-sik!”
Watching the grinning Hwang Yong-min, Jo Jung-sik chuckled.
“Crazy bastard. Getting beaten and still smiling.”
“Haha… Um, but senior.”
“Call me brother from now on, got it?”
“Ah, yes. Brother. May I ask you for one favor?”
“What?”
“Has this bastard lost his mind?”
The massive men surrounding him glared at the word “favor.”
They thought a fresh recruit who’d just arrived didn’t know his place and was getting cocky.
Jo Jung-sik shared the same thought, but decided to hear him out first.
“What kind of favor?”

* * *
“Boss, we’ve arrived.”
At the Driver’s words, Jo Jung-sik snapped out of his reverie.
“Yeah. Where are we?”
“That’s the High School Hwang Yong-min mentioned.”
The area outside the school was bustling, likely due to the graduation ceremony.
Vehicles lined the streets, and adults carrying flowers streamed through the school gates.
“Looks like it’s about to start.”
Jo Jung-sik smirked, his gaze fixed on the school gates with the predatory eyes of a hunter stalking prey.
“Park the car somewhere inconspicuous. We’ll head in when the time comes.”
“Yes, boss.”
As he waited, Jo Jung-sik recalled Hwang Yong-min’s words once more.
-Boss, the Jung-sik Faction is about loyalty, isn’t it? We can’t just stand by and watch our people get hurt.
-You bastard, why are you laying all this groundwork? Just get to the point.
-Ah, yes… So here’s the thing. There’s this guy named Ryu Min in my class. I even took a photo of him. He looks like this…
-Why are you telling me this?
-Because he’s been acting out of line… Could you help me get revenge on him?
-Did you actually get beaten by this guy?
-Yes… Well, that’s what happened.
-You got beaten by some scrawny punk like that? So you’re just another idiot with guts but no brains?
-No, that’s not it. This guy is better at fighting than he looks. Five of us rushed him, but he took us all down with ease. I’m wondering if he trained in boxing somewhere…
-And here you are, joining the organization, making excuses! You little shit! So this was your real reason for joining?
-No, no, that’s not it at all! Truly, Jo Jung-sik, you’re my role model in life…
-Enough. What exactly do you want me to do about it?
‘Crazy bastard. He wants me to kill him? Even if we’re not afraid of anything, does he think it’s easy to stab someone in a place this crowded?’
Hwang Yong-min’s request was to kill Ryu Min, but Jo Jung-sik couldn’t grant it.
He still had business to conduct, and he had no desire to end up in prison.
‘Unless I’m planning a retirement ceremony, I should just intimidate him in front of people.’
Time passed.
As people began streaming out of the school, Jo Jung-sik’s thoughts came to an end.
“The graduation ceremony must be over. Let’s go.”
“Yes, boss!”
Jo Jung-sik stepped out of the van alongside his men.

* * *
“Say cheese!”
Click!
Father captured Ryu Min’s smiling face in the camera.
“Our son looks great.”
“Brother, you should do the peace sign with your fingers too.”
“That’s enough.”
“Now you two stand together. We need a photo of you brothers.”
At Father’s request, Ryu Min and Ryu Won stood side by side with their shoulders touching.
Click!
After taking the photo, Father broke into a satisfied smile.
“Now that I look at it, Min is taller. I thought Won was the taller one.”
“No way, my brother is definitely taller than me.”
“When did you grow so much? I didn’t notice until now.”
My parents’ questions continued, but there was no helping it.
‘Originally, I was the shorter one, after all.’
Due to the secondary effect of the Predation Rune, Ryu Min had grown 10% larger, reaching 181 centimeters.
Before, I was smaller because I didn’t have the rune, but now that I’ve returned through regression, things are different.
I possessed all the runes and skills, the Thanatos equipment set, the Elcis system, and tens of millions in stats.
“By the way, we should take a family photo too.”
“Who should we ask?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find someone.”
With those words, the person Ryu Min found was none other than Min Ju-ri.
“Ju-ri.”
“Oh, Min!”
“Haven’t you taken photos yet?”
“Nope.”
“Who is this? A friend of Ju-ri’s?”
Min Do-hun, Min Ju-ri’s father, looked at Ryu Min with the gaze of someone meeting him for the first time.
“Hello. I’m Ryu Min, in the same class as Ju-ri.”
“Ah, nice to meet you.”
“Dad, I told you before. I’m close with the top student in our class.”
“Is that him? Oh my, I didn’t know he was a boy. Are you two perhaps dating…?”
“W-wait, Min. What brings you here?”
Watching Min Ju-ri hastily cut him off, Ryu Min smiled softly.
“I came to take photos together. We need someone to take our family photo. How about we take photos for each other?”
“Huh?”
“That’s a great idea. We were just looking for someone to take our photo too.”
With Min Do-hun’s agreement, Min Ju-ri’s family came to meet Ryu Min’s family.
“Ah, hello.”
“Oh my, who is this?”
“She’s my friend.”
“I’m Min Ju-ri.”
“I’m Ju-ri’s father.”
“Ah, hello. I’m Min’s father.”
We exchanged brief introductions, and then the photo session began.
“Come on, smile. Say cheese~”
Click! Click!
“Now we’ll take some of you. Stand over here. Okay, the composition looks perfect.”
The photos were taken faster than expected, and the meeting was brief.
“That’s it. Here.”
“Thank you. The photos turned out great.”
“Min and Ju-ri look wonderful too.”
“You two look good together. You’re a perfect match.”
“Ah, Dad… please don’t say things like that…”
It was just as the warm atmosphere continued.
“Sorry to dampen the mood when things are going so well.”
Jo Jung-sik’s faction appeared alongside Hwang Yong-min.

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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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