The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 46

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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 46
46. The Fourth Round of Death
‘A walking… target?’
Hwang Yong-min glanced around.
Every player’s attention was fixed on this spot.
Their gazes resembled those of predators eyeing toothless prey, and Hwang Yong-min flinched.
Ryu Min chuckled softly at the sight.
“Don’t worry too much. You’re called a target, but honestly, few people are actually after you.”
“Pardon? They’re not after me?”
“You know better than anyone what happens to a Zone Representative.”
Jo Jung-sik had been betrayed and killed by the Hwang Yong-min he trusted.
Hwang Yong-min received stat reduction penalties and became insignificant.
The title of Zone Representative yielded nothing but poor outcomes.
“People have realized it now. That being a Zone Representative isn’t necessarily a good position.”
“Ah…”
“Besides, as more players change classes, the scope of command authority has shrunk dramatically. The merit doesn’t match the risk of being a representative.”
Ryu Min’s words rang true.
Now the Zone Representative position was something no one would accept even if offered.
Hwang Yong-min himself would gladly transfer his authority to someone else if he could.
‘Though there’s barely any authority left anyway…’
Hwang Yong-min looked around once more.
The players were turning away, as if they’d lost interest.
‘Were they just staring because I was talking to Black Scythe?’
He’d thought they were targeting him, but it was merely his own delusion.
They were even avoiding eye contact, as if reluctant to be involved.
They truly had no interest in the representative position.
‘This feels somehow unfair…’
As Hwang Yong-min wore a gloomy expression, someone approached.
It was Seo A-rin and An Sang-chul.
‘Why are those two coming over?’
His surprise was brief; Hwang Yong-min retreated cautiously.
He was wary, wondering if they were after the representative position.
But the two merely looked at him strangely.
After all, their business was with Ryu Min.
“Ah, hello, Black Scythe.”
Seo A-rin and An Sang-chul bowed respectfully.
“Do you remember us?”
“Of course. What brings you here?”
An Sang-chul glanced at Hwang Yong-min cautiously.
“Well, you saved us from that thug before, and we wanted to express our gratitude once more.”
“What? A delinquent?”
Hwang Yong-min bristled, but he didn’t step forward.
Black Scythe stood between them like a wall.
“You only need to thank me once. There’s no need to do it again.”
“But I’m truly grateful. Our company’s representative also asked me to thank you for saving him. Oh! Speaking of our representative….”
“That’s enough. I’m not interested.”
I turned to leave.
“Wait!”
Seo A-rin hurried forward.
“Um, Black Scythe. Th-this is a token of my gratitude for saving us. P-please accept it.”
The item Seo A-rin offered was a lowest-grade purple magic stone.
‘This is an unexpected windfall.’
My eyes gleamed.
“I thought it would be better to give something tangible rather than just express my thanks in words….”
“A good sentiment. I’ll gladly accept it.”
I swiftly placed the magic stone into my inventory.
‘There’s no reason to refuse such a fine item.’
Besides, if I combined two magic stones of the same grade and color, I could create a higher-grade magic stone.
‘Once I return, I’ll craft a lower-grade stone and embed it. There are too many eyes here.’
I didn’t want to reveal unnecessary information.
Since I was already strong enough without embedding magic stones, there was no rush.
‘Regardless, I’m grateful they gave me this.’
As I looked at Seo A-rin with that thought, her mind naturally transmitted to me.
-D-do you like it? I’m not sure. You’re not upset that I gave you what looks like a useless stone, are you?
From her thoughts, it was clear she didn’t know the value of the magic stone.
‘She wouldn’t have given it if she knew.’
As I shifted my gaze, I accidentally read Hwang Yong-min’s thoughts.
-I have something similar to that.
‘Hmm?’
My eyes flickered with interest.
‘Does he have a magic stone too?’
I focused on Hwang Yong-min and read his deeper thoughts.
However, he didn’t possess a magic stone.
He had something far more valuable.
‘He has a [Black Diamond Stone]?’
A Black Diamond Stone.
A material item that drops from monsters at an extremely low probability, with an appearance similar to a magic stone.
‘It’s actually harder to obtain than a magic stone.’
After the 10th round, it becomes more common, but in the current round, finding one is like plucking a star from the sky.
‘For such a rare item to be exposed to me. Whether that’s good luck or bad luck….’
Ryu Min barely suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising.
If I could obtain black diamond stone, I’d be able to craft a unique item within the next five rounds.
“Um… Black Scythe? Do you perhaps need a protective barrier?”
Ryu Min questioned Seo A-rin’s words.
“A protective barrier?”
“I’ve just changed my class to Summoner.”
‘A Summoner? Seo A-rin?’
It wasn’t a unique class like Dark Knight, but it was a respectable profession nonetheless.
‘It’s difficult to develop in the early stages, but there was a player who made a name for themselves as a Summoner.’
Of course, that player wasn’t Seo A-rin.
“I can summon a fairy to cast a protective barrier for you, so if you need one…”
“I appreciate the intention, but I’ll have to decline. It doesn’t seem necessary for me.”
“Ah… I understand.”
Seo A-rin’s expression was clearly disappointed.
“Then we’ll be on our way. Best of luck with this round as well…”
“I wish you fortune.”
Seo A-rin and An Sang-chul bowed and left their seats.
Just as Hwang Yong-min, who had nothing more to do here, was quietly attempting to leave.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“If you leave as you are, you’ll regret it.”
“What do you mean by that…”
“Didn’t I tell you? You’re a walking target.”
“But there’s no one targeting me anymore, is there?”
“I said there aren’t many, not that there are none at all. The advantages of being a zone representative haven’t disappeared yet.”
“Pardon?”
“Most will have reached level 10 and obtained a class, but there will certainly be those who haven’t advanced. There are still subjects for your command authority to control.”
“Ah…”
That was certainly true.
Take Hwang Yong-min himself—he was level 10 but hadn’t obtained a class.
It was because advancement items hadn’t appeared yet.
“Think about it. Among over a thousand people, do you really think not a single one would target you? No matter how great the risks of holding the representative position are?”
“…”
“In fact, those who haven’t advanced might desperately try to kill you instead. It would be better for them to eliminate you and claim your command authority than to let it fall into someone else’s hands.”
Hwang Yong-min’s expression grew anxious once more at the compelling argument.
“W-what should I do then?”
“I’ll help you so you’re no longer targeted.”
“Y-you really mean it? Thank you…”
“Don’t think it’s free. In exchange for my help, did you see that stone Seo A-rin was giving earlier? If you have stones like that, hand them over to me.”
“Ah… yes, I do have stones like that.”
Hwang Yong-min retrieved an item from his inventory.
[Black Diamond Stone]
-Classification: Possession
-Description: A hard black stone. Its surface is smooth and lustrous.
Based on the description alone, there was no way to know what it was used for.
Hisss—
For me, knowing its true value, I couldn’t help but feel even more elated than when I’d received the magic stone.
“Good. Do you have any other items?”
“Ah, no sir. Th-this is all I can give you.”
Watching Hwang Yong-min shield his body, worried I might strip the equipment he was wearing, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t take something like that even if you offered.”
If the equipment had been purchased from a shop, I could have resold it for gold, but since it wasn’t, there was no point in taking it.
“Since I’ve given you the item, does this mean you’ll help me from now on?”
“Yes. I keep my promises.”
At my weighty words, Hwang Yong-min’s face brightened.
-Surely a man wouldn’t go back on his word?
Though inwardly, he was still worried I might break my promise.
Just then, Olive descended from the sky in a burst of light.
[Kehehehe! Humans, gathering as usual today? Though your numbers have dwindled, I see.]
“Our numbers have dwindled?”
“Did they fight again in reality?”
[The currently assembled personnel number 1,042. The Round 3 survivors were 1,225, you know.]
The players were taken aback, but for me, it was nothing new.
‘If anything, it’s stranger that the players haven’t caused any incidents during this month in reality.’
I’d never seen all the survivors gather intact from one round to the next, so there was little reason to be surprised.
[Well then, it seems everyone has assembled, so shall I announce the Round 4 Quest?]
Flutter—!
As Olive’s wings beat, a message materialized.
◀ ROUND 4 ▶
【Main Quest】
└Kill each other for 3 hours
[All Zones]
└Participants: 181,906,418
└Achievers: 0/90,953,209
[Zone ESKS45-5]
└Participants: 1,042
└Achievers: 0/521
The players who saw the Quest were stunned.
“What is this?”
“Kill each other?”
[Kihihit, how humans panic. It’s exactly as I said, everyone.]
Angel smiled brightly, her expression at odds with the tense atmosphere.
[You simply stab and kill the player next to you. Very simple, isn’t it?]
“K-kill?”
“A player…?”
The players exchanged glances, trying to gauge each other’s reactions.
Player killing, out of nowhere.
I’d expected to hunt monsters as usual, so the shock was unavoidable.
[To elaborate, this round’s objective is to reduce your numbers by killing each other. Unlike the previous round, no monsters will appear.]
“No monsters appearing….”
“We need to level up and grow stronger quickly….”
[Low-level players will find this unfortunate. If you want to grow, you’ll have to wait for the next round.]
“Angel! Then if only half survive, does that mean each person only needs to kill one other person?”
[That’s a secret. It wouldn’t be fun if I told you.]
At those words, I laughed inwardly.
‘Fun, my ass. There must be orders from above not to mention it.’
The Angels were merely guides; the true organizer was elsewhere.
If certain rules were being hidden, it was because the organizer had issued that directive.
An NPC like Angel wouldn’t have the authority to reveal rules at will.
‘Everyone will think the Angels orchestrated all of this.’
While the players reacted with confusion to the word “secret,” Angel continued her explanation.
[Simply killing a player doesn’t make you a survivor. Only the top 521 players can survive. How the ranking is determined is a secret. By the way, killing quickly doesn’t make you first place. Kihihit.]
“….”
[Well! That concludes the explanation. I have nothing more to say, so I’m leaving! Now, go ahead and kill each other!]
As Angel vanished, a message appeared.
[Time remaining until round ends: 02:59:59]
The players stared at each other with bewildered expressions.
-W-what do we do now?
-D-do we just kill them?
-K-kill? Another person…?
-We have no grudge against them.
-Isn’t this round completely insane?
Looking around, I could sense the hesitation in the other players’ minds.
I turned my head and read Hwang Yong-min’s thoughts as well.
-Kill a player? Hehehehe, this works out perfectly. I’ve been wanting to kill that bastard anyway.
A cruel smile spread across Hwang Yong-min’s lips.
‘As expected, he’s thinking about killing his delinquent gang friends.’
I chuckled and approached Hwang Yong-min.
Hwang Yong-min was lost in thought, unaware of my approach.
‘Wait, if the other players are reluctant to kill me, isn’t that actually beneficial? It’s like being invincible?’
A chuckle escapes my lips.
‘Those bastards, wherever they are, I’ll kill them all….’
Hwang Yong-min, belatedly sensing my approach, flinches and steps back.
“Oh, you startled me! Black Scythe, sir. Is there something you need from me….”
“Didn’t I say I’d help you avoid becoming a target?”
“You did.”
I slowly raise my scythe.
“I’ve come to keep that promise.”
“Pardon?”
A sickening sound tears through the air.
Hwang Yong-min’s vision tilts before he can even comprehend what’s happening.
Before understanding registers.
Thud— roll.
Hwang Yong-min’s head falls to the ground.
His expression frozen in bewilderment, exactly as it had been in life.

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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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