The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 50

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Maxed-Out Player’s 100th Return – Episode 50
50. With a Little Help
[Congratulations! You have completed the Quest as the top player in this zone!]
[Congratulations! You have completed the Quest as the top player across all zones!]
[Your current ranking as Black Scythe is 1st across all zones and 1st in this zone.]
[As a reward for ranking 1st in this zone, you receive ‘Intermediate Rare Armor Selection Ticket’!]
[As a reward for ranking 1st across all zones, you receive ‘Special Reward Selection Box’!]
‘An intermediate rare armor selection ticket… I was thinking it was time to upgrade my armor anyway. Perfect timing.’
Ryu Min checked the rewards and immediately used them.
[You may select one of the following rare armors.]
[Please touch the reward you desire.]
└ 1. Lustrous Bronze Armor
└ 2. Crimson Assassin Suit
└ 3. Robe of Darkness
With only three options, the selection was limited.
‘I have no choice but to pick number 2.’
[Crimson Assassin Suit]
-Classification: Armor
-Grade: Rare
-Defense: 60
-Effects: Agility +4, Attack Speed +5%, Movement Speed +5%
-Durability: 600/600
-Usage Restriction: Regular Grade or higher
-Description: A crimson suit once worn by an assassin. It occasionally carries the scent of blood.
The options themselves weren’t bad.
‘The occasional smell of blood is the problem, though.’
Still, it was better than the seasoned hunter’s leather armor I’d been wearing.
‘I’ll need to separate the lowest-tier navy demon stone I embedded in the hunter’s armor later.’
Separation itself wasn’t complicated.
Simply touching the option section added by the demon stone would bring up a message asking if I wanted to separate it.
Ryu Min used the final reward—the special reward selection box.
[You may select one of the following special rewards.]
[Please touch the reward you desire.]
└ 1. Stat Increase Buff 50% (Limited to 5 rounds)
└ 2. 5,000 Gold
└ 3. Information about Round 5
Just like the previous round, there was no triple experience buff this time.
‘That doesn’t mean monsters won’t appear, though.’
In Round 5, I’d actually have to hunt for monsters.
And unlike before, the difficulty would be somewhat challenging.
‘It’s only slightly difficult for me, but it must feel incredibly challenging to the other players.’
Round 5 is quite difficult to that extent.
Even Ryu Min, who had accumulated considerable experience, died four times in Round 5 alone.
‘If I hadn’t been greedy about the Sub Quest, I wouldn’t have died that many times.’
Back then, I was curious about the Sub Quest rewards and got fixated on it, only to be killed by monsters.
But eventually I cleared the Sub Quest and obtained the rewards.
‘Fortunately, it was worth it.’
I remember being surprised by how good the rewards were.
‘This time, I’ll achieve not just first place in the Main Quest, but complete all the Sub Quests as well.’
Ryu Min selected reward option 1.
Considering the difficulty, the stat increase would be helpful.
‘Round 5 isn’t the only difficult one.’
The difficulty spikes dramatically at every round that’s a multiple of 5.
‘Especially Round 15—it’s fair to say the difficulty is otherworldly.’
Even having already cleared it, I felt somewhat tense, which says everything.
[Everyone’s confirmed their rankings, yes? Then shall we proceed with the elimination? Kehehehe!]
“Wait, hold on…!”
“Angel! Please show some mercy…!”
There was no chance for excuses.
Five hundred twenty-one players who failed to rank turned to ash in an instant.
Among them, someone exhaled in relief.
It was Hwang Yong-min.
‘I… I survived. I barely made it.’
Hwang Yong-min had fortunately kept his life.
Though not a single one of his friends remained.
◀ ROUND 4 COMPLETE ▶
[All Zones]
└Survivors: 90,953,209
[Zone ESKS45-5]
└Survivors: 521
[Your soul will transfer to your original dimension’s body shortly.]
[Round 5 begins at midnight on May 1st, 2022. We’ll see you in the next round. Congratulations on your survival.]
* * *
An Sang-chul, who had returned to reality, was rushing somewhere urgently.
“Director!”
Beep! Click—
As he opened the Hotel room with the master key, he saw Ma Gyeong-rok, the director, sleeping peacefully on the bed.
“Phew…”
“Hm? Manager An?”
Ma Gyeong-rok rubbed his eyes and sat up at the sudden commotion.
“What brings you here? I don’t recall summoning you, An Sang-chul.”
“You weren’t answering your calls, so I took the liberty of coming in urgently. I was afraid something had happened to you.”
“Something? Did you think I’d died in the Fourth Round? Haven’t you checked the final standings?”
“I did. Third place—quite impressive. Still, I was worried. That round was absolutely insane, wasn’t it?”
Ma Gyeong-rok nodded in agreement.
“That’s why I collapsed into bed the moment I returned. Mentally exhausted beyond measure.”
“Well, you did kill 433 people….”
“If we count the ones I killed multiple times, the number’s probably higher.”
Even for someone with Ma Gyeong-rok’s psychopathic hobbies, this was the first time he’d killed so many people.
Mental fatigue was inevitable.
“If I’m this exhausted, what kind of monster is this Black Scythe character? 722 kills… Is he even human?”
“Probably an active special forces operative. In Korea, if someone possessed that level of audacity and skill, there’s no other explanation….”
Ma Gyeong-rok fell into deep contemplation.
‘Who exactly is that bastard? How does he dominate the entire zone rankings so effortlessly? And how did he level up so much?’
The more he thought about it, the more he could only marvel.
‘If I could just cooperate with Black Scythe, clearing future rounds would be so much easier.’
It was unfortunate that they were in different zones and couldn’t meet.
‘I should ask that prophet later. See if he knows anything about Black Scythe.’
While he was thinking this, An Sang-chul happened to bring up the prophet.
“It’s truly remarkable. The Fourth Round proceeded exactly as the prophet predicted. To be honest, I was skeptical until I saw it with my own eyes.”
“I agree.”
Both men recalled the prophecy Ryu Min had made.
-The Fourth Round is not a quest to hunt monsters. Instead, a tragedy will unfold where players kill and are killed by one another. Please be careful not to fall victim to the blades of nearby players.
‘It happened exactly as predicted. The information that major shareholder provided was accurate.’
Now they could be absolutely certain.
That Ryu Min was undoubtedly a true prophet.
“What should we do now, sir?”
“What do you mean?”
“About the prophet Ryu Min. Are you truly considering a partnership with him…?”
“Of course. He’s a major shareholder holding 31 percent. What authority do I have? The company’s fate is essentially in Ryu Min’s hands now.”
“So you’re planning to completely overhaul the company’s business as he suggests?”
“What’s the point in discussing it? The company can grow. And….”
Ma Gyeong-rok spoke with resolute determination.
“Separately from that, we must absolutely bring Ryu Min onto our side. Don’t look down on him for his youth, and don’t let pride get in the way. Even if his actions displease you, shower him with praise and go along with whatever he says. That way.”
A sly smile spread across Ma Gyeong-rok’s face.
“We can extract every last drop of honey from this prophet. Understand?”
“Yes, I’ll be careful with my conduct when dealing with Ryu Min from now on.”
“Good. Call him right now then. Let’s confirm the prophet is still alive.”
“What should I say when I call?”
“Tell him that if he’s free today, let’s all celebrate his survival with a dinner party. Invite his family members too, if he has any.”
“Understood.”
“And invite the actress Seo to the party as well.”
“You mean Seo A-rin?”
“A celebrity can’t be absent from an occasion like this, can they?”
Ma Gyeong-rok’s face broke into a broad smile.
* * *
Click.
Ryu Min, dressed casually, stepped out of the Lamborghini.
He waved toward the woman in front of him.
“Over here.”
It was none other than Min Ju-ri.
She waved back with a delighted expression.
“Ryu Min! You look perfectly fine?”
“You look good too.”
“What’s this about? Contacting everyone to grab lunch first?”
“Just a survival celebration meal. I’ll pay, so don’t worry about it.”
“W-who said I was worried?”
‘But you were worried, weren’t you?’
Since I could read her thoughts, I could even sense her flustered inner self.
“Let’s go. I’ve made a reservation at a nice place.”
“Hmm, well then, I won’t be shy and enjoy the perks of having a wealthy friend.”
The man and woman in the Lamborghini raced through the city.
Throughout the drive, Min Ju-ri and I exchanged conversation naturally.
Was it because we had both opened our Runes to each other?
The atmosphere was comfortable, unlike last time.
“Thank you, Prophet. Thanks to you, I could prepare for the Fourth Round. If you hadn’t given me a heads-up, I would have been completely caught off guard.”
“You never thought my words might be false?”
“How could they be? What would you possibly gain by lying to me about something like this?”
“I’m grateful you trust me.”
At the same time, my conscience pricked me.
A well-intentioned lie was still a lie, after all.
I also felt a bit sorry for reading her hidden thoughts that she didn’t want revealed.
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Min Ju-ri spoke with a laugh.
“I’m the one who should be grateful. Do you know how terrified I was when I killed someone? You felt the same way, didn’t you?”
“Huh? Of course….”
Of course not.
I felt no disturbance whatsoever, no hesitation when I committed murder.
If anything, I wished I felt more disturbed now.
“If you hadn’t told me I needed to kill at least thirty people to pass, I would have been eliminated long ago. Thank you.”
Sensing her genuine gratitude, I smiled softly.
‘There’s nothing to particularly thank me for.’
Min Ju-ri would have survived anyway, even if I hadn’t given her a hint.
The protection rune that grew stronger the more people were around would have saved her life countless times.
‘Besides, she has a surprising knack for survival despite appearances.’
Unlike Seo A-rin, a delicate flower in a greenhouse, Min Ju-ri was more like a weed thriving outside of one.
“We’re here. This is it.”
The place the two entered was an upscale Korean Fine Dining Restaurant.
I chose this over a restaurant because the latter would feel too much like a date and make her uncomfortable.
“Welcome, guest. Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes. For two.”
Once we entered the private room, the pre-ordered 200,000 won course meal was brought out.
After the staff placed the food and left, only the two of us remained in the sealed space.
The perfect place for a conversation.
“Eat plenty.”
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
‘How many times is she going to say thank you?’
I let out a soft chuckle and picked up my chopsticks.
The food was quite good.
But for some reason, Min Ju-ri wasn’t touching her meal.
-Sigh… Is it okay for someone like me, who’s killed a person, to be here? Ryu Min called me out, so I came, but I can’t seem to eat comfortably…
Reading her thoughts, she was still feeling uncomfortable about the murder.
‘That’s understandable. No matter how strong Min Ju-ri’s survival instincts are, she’s still just an ordinary person.’
It was surprising that she’d managed to act unfazed until now.
Concerned, I set down my utensils as well.
“Ju-ri. Why aren’t you eating?”
“Huh? Oh, my stomach feels a bit….”
“Is it because you killed someone?”
“….”
“Don’t dwell on it. Don’t blame yourself. You had to survive.”
“That’s true, but….”
“You’re not the only one. I’ve done it too, and so have others. We all had no choice but to kill. It was unavoidable.”
“Still, I killed a person….”
“Stop.”
Deciding I needed to be a bit firmer, I spoke coldly.
“What then? If something like this happens again, will you just stand there and do nothing? If you do that, it’ll be me who gets hurt.”
“….”
“Think about yourself. It’ll be hard, but that’s what’s right. You have family you need to protect.”
“Family….”
Min Ju-ri’s thoughts immediately turned to her only father.
She couldn’t even imagine how sad he would be if she never woke up.
As motivation took root, my wavering heart finally solidified into unwavering resolve.
“You’re right. I’d forgotten about my family. Maybe that’s why I’ve managed to endure this long.”
There was no longer any hesitation in Min Ju-ri’s eyes.
“Thank you, Ryu Min. For comforting me.”
“Don’t mention it. Just eat something delicious and shake it all off.”
“Hehe, understood.”
With renewed spirit, Min Ju-ri finally picked up her utensils.
She sampled various dishes and couldn’t help but exclaim in delight.
“This is really delicious. It feels like all the fatigue I accumulated in the Fourth Round is melting away.”
“Then I’m glad.”
After finishing the main course of beef bulgogi and completing the seven-course platter and the rice with broth, both of us patted our stomachs with expressions of surrender.
An overwhelming sense of contentment washed over me.
“That was truly delicious, Min-a.”
“This is the first time you’ve called me by my short name.”
“Oh, really? Would it be alright if I called you that from now on?”
“Whatever you prefer.”
“Phew, I’m so full. There’s dessert coming, right?”
“Of course.”
Watching Min Ju-ri wait with eager anticipation in her eyes, I nearly let out a chuckle.
She looked like a puppy waiting for treats from its owner.
When jujube tea and ice cream arrived for dessert, Min Ju-ri’s eyes sparkled.
“I’m grateful for this meal!”
Was it just my imagination, or had her energy level risen compared to before?
‘Well, Min Ju-ri does love eating. Especially ice cream.’
That’s why I’d deliberately chosen a Korean Fine Dining Restaurant that served ice cream for dessert.
I needed to lift her spirits.
With all the courses finished and no more interruptions, I finally broached the main topic.
“The reason I asked to meet today wasn’t for anything else.”
“Hm?”
“I wanted to share some information about the Fifth Round.”
“The Fifth Round?”
Min Ju-ri looked startled and lowered her voice, glancing toward the door.
“…Did you see the future?”
“Yes. The Fifth Round will be far more difficult than any round so far. And zone integration will occur.”
“Zone integration means…?”
“The separated zones will merge together into a single zone.”
Min Ju-ri’s eyes widened in astonishment at this revelation.
“So, that means you and I could meet?”
“That’s right. Though not in the Fifth Round itself.”
In truth, we would meet in the Fifth Round, but I deliberately lied about when that meeting would occur.
‘If I mention the same zone, Min Ju-ri will definitely try to meet me.’
If I meet Min Ju-ri in the Other World, my lie will be exposed.
There’s no way to hide my nickname anyway.
Not yet, at least.
‘But it’s not like I have no intention of meeting her.’
To coexist with Min Ju-ri, I naturally need to be by her side.
There’s a way to make that happen.
A way to meet her while keeping my identity hidden.
“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
“Yeah. I’m listening.”
“The Fifth Round, as I mentioned before, has considerable difficulty. You might not be able to clear it. However, there is one method.”
“What is it?”
Ryu Min, who had been building suspense, finally spoke with a serious expression.
“Find Black Scythe. Go find him and ask for his help.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————