The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 72

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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 72
72. New Record
[High Orc defeated!]
[Experience +54.79%]
[Gold +8,000]
[Bonus Gold +4,000]
[Level increased!]
[High Orc’s Gauntlets obtained.]
[High Orc’s Tusk obtained.]
[Inferior Purple Mana Stone obtained.]
[Stone of Balance obtained.]
[Sub Quest Progress: Stone of Balance 4/4]
A cascade of messages flooded my vision, yet I remained unfazed.
These were messages to celebrate, not to panic over.
[High Orc’s Gauntlets]
-Category: Gauntlets
-Grade: Epic
-Defense: 60
-Effect: Strength +10, Additional Strength +5 against Orcs
-Durability: 1,000/1,000
-Usage Restriction: Regular Grade or higher
-Description: Gauntlets crafted in the image of a brutish High Orc’s fists. Even Orcs fear them.
The gauntlets offered a substantial boost to Strength, yet I paid them no further mind.
They couldn’t compare to the Shadow Gauntlets I currently wore.
What truly captured my attention lay elsewhere.
[Sub Quest completed!]
[Rune of Balance granted as reward!]
[The acquired rune is automatically inscribed upon the player’s body!]
I had obtained the Rune of Balance—an essential tool for true growth.
[Rune of Balance]
-Effect: If the difference between the minimum and maximum ‘Pure Stats’ is 10 or less, all stats increase by 2x.
Pure Stats refer only to points allocated directly, excluding items and additional effects.
The Rune of Balance’s condition was straightforward.
The difference between stats must be 10 or less.
Based on pure stats alone.
‘Simple in concept, yet difficult in execution. It means I must raise all four stats evenly.’
Consider an ordinary level 20 player with stats allocated as: Strength 30, Agility 14, Intelligence 3, Luck 3.
‘The minimum is 3 and the maximum is 30—a difference of 27. That fails to meet the threshold of 10 or less.’
Naturally, the Rune of Balance becomes worthless.
But what of someone who allocated their stats evenly: Strength 20, Agility 10, Intelligence 10, Luck 10?
‘The minimum and maximum values are 10 or less, so I’ll qualify for the Rune of Balance.’
Ultimately, all my stats double, and I gain benefits that exceed my previous stats.
Only by raising them in balance can I receive the rune’s effect and grow stronger.
But what if someone obtained the Rune of Balance without knowing this?
‘They’d struggle to balance their stats retroactively.’
Supplementing with items would be pointless.
Only pure stats allocated through points count.
But I don’t need to suffer through that.
‘I’ve already distributed my stats evenly in anticipation of obtaining the rune.’
My current pure stats are Strength 27, Agility 26, Intelligence 18, Luck 28.
By investing less in Intelligence, I’ve aligned the minimum and maximum values to exactly 10.
‘Besides, Intelligence is already sufficiently high thanks to the Rune of Radiance.’
My pure stats were also high relative to my level.
The 9 points I gained from the Orb of Eternal Sleep were included in my pure stats.
‘Let me check how much my stats have increased.’
Opening my status window, I was inwardly astonished.
-Strength: 374, Intelligence: 614
-Agility: 518, Luck: 374
‘All my stats are over 300?’
Round 5 buff 1.5x, Rune of Slaughter 2x, Rune of Balance 2x, Blessing 1.6x.
A total multiplier of 9.6x.
Unbelievable numbers for level 40.
My eyes widened involuntarily.
‘Of course, it’s thanks to the Round 5 buff and the blessing…’
Even so, the numbers exceeded my imagination, so I couldn’t help but be amazed.
‘Wait, I should be rejoicing, not just amazed.’
There was more to rejoice about.
[Your rank has risen from ‘Regular’ to ‘Expert’.]
[You can now use the Trading function.]
Upon reaching level 40, my rank increased.
A trading function that allows players to exchange gold with each other became available.
‘The other person would need this function too for it to be truly useful.’
The trading function didn’t matter much anyway.
What mattered now was that I’d learned a new skill.
[As a commemoration of your rank rise, the Death Seal skill is enhanced!]
[The additional damage of Death Seal increases from 120% to 140%.]
[As a commemoration of your rank rise, the Night of Death skill is enhanced!]
[The range of Night of Death increases from 500m to 1,000m.]
[Additionally, you’ve learned the Reaper-exclusive skill ‘Moonlight Annihilation’!]
[You can automatically learn the next skill upon reaching level 60.]
My existing skills had been strengthened, and I’d learned a new one.
The sole offensive skill the Reaper class could boast.
[Exclusive Skill – Moonlight Annihilation]
-Effect: Gather energy for 1 second, then unleash a fan-shaped area attack dealing 1,200% damage to the front.
This damage is a hybrid of physical and magical harm, increasing by 1.5 times when used at night.
It has a 10-minute cooldown and can only be used while wielding the scythe.
‘Finally learned it. The Reaper’s one and only offensive skill.’
Unfortunately, the Reaper class possessed only a single attack skill.
Everything else was merely buffs or debuffs.
‘Perhaps that’s the Reaper class’s sole weakness?’
With only one offensive ability, I naturally had to use it sparingly.
If it happened to miss, the risk would be immeasurable.
‘There’s nothing quite as hollow as wasting your ultimate move.’
But that was only if it missed.
As long as I had confidence in landing the skill, there was essentially no risk.
‘I’ve already pierced my opponent’s eyes with the scythe—Moonlight Annihilation is nothing.’
Moonlight Annihilation was relatively easy to land.
Its wide fan-shaped area made it nearly impossible to miss.
Failing to hit it would be embarrassing beyond words.
‘And there’s no skill quite this powerful.’
1,200% area damage, scaling to 1,800% when night falls.
Since it blended physical and magical harm, I needed to raise both strength and intelligence simultaneously, but it was worth the investment.
‘Plus, if my opponent has physical immunity, I can still adapt with the skill.’
For now, only trivial monsters appeared, but later, utterly hopeless beings would emerge.
‘Those bastards truly have no answer. The Seven Archangels who dominate the heavens.’
The Seven Archangels were beings even Ryu Min couldn’t overcome.
I’d met them only once, but their power was beyond description.
‘Of course, no absurd Quest to kill them has appeared yet….’
Since this was my final chance, I wanted to kill at least one of those Archangels.
Having seen items drop from slaying regular Angels, I suspected those creatures would offer rewards as well.
‘Well, that’s something to attempt only after reaching max level.’
For now, growth came first.
I gazed at the final message that appeared.
It was time to check the time attack reward.
[You have defeated Round 5 Boss ‘High Orc’ in 1 second.]
[This boss is subject to time attack rules.]
[Additional gold is awarded based on your record.]
[For defeating it in under 10 seconds, you receive the maximum reward of 100,000 gold. Congratulations!]
I’d obtained a full 100,000 gold in one go.
‘Last time I defeated it in 43 seconds and got 23,255 gold—this is incredible.’
When combined with everything I’d earned so far, I had more than enough gold to spare.
‘I should use this to learn all the common skills I’ve missed.’
Satisfied, I turned my gaze away before pausing.
Now that I looked closer, there were more messages that had arrived.
[You have set an unprecedented record in Time Attack history!]
[Your Achievement will be registered in the Akashic Record.]
[You receive a ‘Unique Item Selection Voucher’ as a reward!]
‘What does this mean? They’re giving me a reward for setting a record?’
The 1-second clear was a record I’d set for the first time myself.
I naturally hadn’t expected any additional rewards to come in.
Looking at my inventory, the Unique Item Selection Voucher was indeed there.
‘A chance to select a Unique Item. Could it really mean I can choose anything?’
I immediately pressed use, and sure enough, it wasn’t what I expected.
[You may select one Unique Item.]
[Please first touch the item category.]
└ 1. Weapon
└ 2. Shield
└ 3. Helmet
…
…
…
└ 8. Ring
It was truly set up so I could choose any item category without restriction.
‘Among Unique items, what I need is….’
I postponed my choice for a moment, stroking my chin in contemplation.
‘I don’t need a Unique weapon since I plan to craft one after returning, so something else….’
Right now, I needed utility abilities more than raw power.
I thought about what ability would help in my current situation.
‘Ah! That would be perfect.’
My finger touched option 3.
* * *
Um Jun-seok stared blankly at one spot.
Eyes with dilated pupils.
Pants soaked with moisture.
Was this what it felt like to return from the brink of death?
But above all, he couldn’t understand the current situation.
‘This… this can’t be real. That monster just got crushed in one hit….’
The High Orc that had pulverized his comrades with a single punch.
That very monster’s head was now rolling absurdly at his feet.
It was the result of a single swing from the player known as Black Scythe.
‘Black Scythe… was this strong all along?’
Um Jun-seok was dumbfounded.
A creature that five level-20 players couldn’t take down, and he—at level 30—had eliminated it in a single strike?
Of course, Ryu Min wasn’t level 30 anymore; he was level 40.
Moreover, he was strengthened by Round 5 buffs and Min Ju-ri’s buffs.
Severing the High Orc’s neck in one clean motion wasn’t entirely impossible.
Especially since he’d targeted the neck—its weakness.
Um Jun-seok’s inadvertent distraction had played its part as well.
Of course, he had no way of knowing any of this.
He could only regard Black Scythe with awe-struck reverence.
Just then, Black Scythe—who had been touching the air to check his rewards—turned his gaze toward Um Jun-seok.
Um Jun-seok flinched, his body trembling, and was about to speak when—
“Ah….”
Black Scythe swiftly departed.
Regret flickered across Um Jun-seok’s face.
He hadn’t even managed to express his gratitude.
* * *
At last, as the time limit expired, the players were transported to a single location.
And as if on cue, Angel appeared.
[Well, did you all complete the Quest successfully?]
“….”
[Quite a few of you are missing after ten hours. Surely you didn’t die to such feeble Orcs… or did you all end up fighting each other over hunting rights?]
Though her tone was unmistakably mocking, the players said nothing.
They were in no position to retort, nor did they have the energy for it.
[Then shall we see what results we have?]
As Priscilla’s wings fluttered, a results window materialized.
At the same moment, astonishment bloomed across everyone’s faces.

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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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