The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 89

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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 89
89. Russell’s Visit
The first emotion Heo Tae-sik felt was awe.
‘Black Scythe actually accepted me as a party member….’
Who would have thought I’d ever party with the legendary Black Scythe?
And the second emotion was admiration.
A Centaur that struggled even with five people attacking it was cleaved in two with a single stroke.
Truly overwhelming martial prowess.
‘Of course it’s Black Scythe. Truly someone worthy of respect.’
I found myself wanting to become as strong as Black Scythe.
And the third emotion I felt was.
‘Wow…. Thanks to Black Scythe, my level shot up incredibly in just 6 hours?’
Gratitude, pure and simple.
When I first partied with them, I never imagined I’d gain 13 levels.
‘Thank you so much, Black Scythe. I’m incredibly grateful that you accepted someone as unremarkable as me as a party member.’
Ever since meeting Black Scythe, fortune had followed me.
How could I not be grateful?
But there was one emotion that made me forget all of those in an instant.
“ROOOAAARRR!”
Crack— Boom—!
It was sheer terror.
‘D-did they just… kill the b-boss… in one hit?’
No matter how strong Black Scythe was, I never imagined they’d kill it in a single blow.
‘What an idiot! What a fool!’
I berated myself for the absurd thought I’d just had moments ago.
‘Wanting to become as strong as Black Scythe? That’s impossible!’
I finally understood.
Black Scythe existed in a realm I could never reach, no matter how much I climbed.
‘This person is beyond my reach. A being I dare not even gaze upon.’
A god, essentially.
To my eyes, Black Scythe looked no different from a god.
They didn’t look human at all.
‘I’ve received such kindness from Black Scythe… what can I do? How can I help?’
Even after returning, I racked my brain for ways to repay the debt, but nothing came to mind.
I was less useful than Buffer, the woman who stuck by their side.
A wave of depression washed over me.
‘Sigh…. If only I had a class that could actually help Black Scythe….’
A dark mage was only good for hunting; there was nothing else I could contribute.
‘And I can’t even help Black Scythe with hunting….’
A wolf cub could never be of use to a full-grown wolf.
You’re just getting in the way.
‘There’s nothing for me to help with in the Other World.’
I need to look elsewhere.
‘In reality, for instance.’
A perfect idea had just occurred to me.
What would a god need?
‘Devout believers, of course.’
Heo Tae-sik smiled wickedly.
* * *
The day after returning home.
Ryu Min was checking flight options on his phone.
‘I need to go see Russell and recover my stamina again.’
Perhaps this time he would welcome me differently.
After all, the prophecy about the sixth round that I’d shared must have been a tremendous help.
Just then, Ryu Min’s phone vibrated.
“Huh?”
An international call came through, and the caller ID was a number I recognized.
I answered immediately.
-Is this Mr. Ryu’s number?
“Yes, this is he. Russell Daniel.”
-Ah, hello, Prophet. First, let me express my gratitude. Thanks to you, I’ve been given a second chance at life.
Russell’s voice was trembling with emotion.
I could guess what had happened.
“What happened?”
-I’ll explain the details when I get there.
“What? You’re coming to Korea?”
-Yes. I’ve already booked my ticket and I’m in line now.
I was planning to go see Russell, but he’s already in line to come here.
‘What? This has never happened in any previous cycle…’
I’ve helped Russell dozens of times over, but he’s never said he’d come to Korea before.
-Mr. Ryu? Have I overstepped? If this is burdensome, I can cancel right now—
“No, not at all. I was hoping to see you anyway, so this works out perfectly.”
-I’ve received your help, so I couldn’t possibly put you out. Should I head to Seoul?
“I’ll pick you up at Incheon Airport. Tell me your arrival time, and give me a call once you land.”
-Understood. Mr. Ryu. I’ll see you at the airport then.
* * *
My meeting with Russell took place the next day.
“Mr. Ryu!”
Russell approached with a simple backpack slung over his shoulder, breaking into a bright smile when he saw me.
“It’s so good to see you in person!”
“Welcome to Korea, Russell.”
After a light handshake, I led him toward the Parking Lot.
“Let’s go. I’ll be your guide.”
“Ha, there’s so much I want to talk about that I’m itching to burst, but I’ll hold back for now. Hahaha!”
Russell turned out to be quite the talkative fellow.
By the time we reached the Parking Lot, I found myself wishing he’d close his mouth for just a moment.
“Get in.”
“Whoa, wait! Isn’t this a Lamborghini Aventador?”
“You have a good eye.”
“You’re not dismissing me just because I’ve been buried in the Mountains, are you? This is practically my dream car!”
“Wake up from that dream. You’d never afford it with dungeon earnings, no matter how many times you died and came back.”
“That’s exactly why it’s a dream car! Haha!”
The two of us drove down the road in the sports car.
“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”
“Rather than that, is there somewhere quiet where we can talk?”
Ryu Min paused to think for a moment, then checked the time.
“It’s lunchtime anyway. Should we grab some food?”
“Oh, that sounds great. I’ve been wanting to try Korean food since I heard it’s famous.”
“Then let me take you to a place I know well.”
I took Russell to a Korean Fine Dining Restaurant inside Ma Gyeong-rok’s Hotel.
Since I’d made a reservation just in case, there was no problem getting a table.
“This place is quiet and nice. It’s set up in private rooms too. Is this a Korean restaurant?”
“You could say that.”
Soon after, dishes began arriving in abundance, and Russell couldn’t help but gape at each one.
“W-what kind of variety is this? I’ve never received a course meal like this in my entire life.”
“That means you’re satisfied, right? I’m glad. Eat plenty. It’s my treat.”
“No, no! Mr. Ryu! I can’t keep accepting favors forever. Please, let me pay for this meal!”
“Can you afford it? This place is a bit pricey.”
“How much is it?”
“About 130 pounds per person.”
“Cough!”
Russell quickly set down his glass as he was drinking water.
He nearly sprayed it all over my face.
‘W-what? No wonder it looked expensive! 130 pounds—how many ingredients are in this?’
Russell, who had expected the price to be around 30 pounds, spoke while hiding his shock.
“I-I’ll pay. This much is no problem. Don’t worry.”
“I wasn’t worried.”
Besides, Russell’s money was money I’d given him anyway.
Though I’d been planning to save it carefully for repair costs, since it was never really mine to begin with, it didn’t feel wasteful.
“Russell. Don’t do that. Let me pay for the meal instead. In exchange, fix my durability like you did last time.”
“Durability? Of course, I’ll take care of that right away!”
Russell accepted the Orb of Eternal Sleep, repaired my durability, and promptly returned it.
“Thank you. I’ll cover the meal.”
“Hmm, but that feels like I’ve done too little for you…”
“It’s fine. Anyway, what happened? You died and came back to life?”
“Ah, well, you see…”
Russell’s explanation was straightforward enough.
He’d formed a party as I’d suggested, hunted for nearly six hours, and then challenged the boss—nearly dying in the process.
“If I hadn’t leveled up even a little as you advised, I would’ve been in serious trouble.”
“I’m glad I could help. Did you gain many levels?”
“I got up to level 29.”
‘The same level as Ma Gyeong-rok.’
A blacksmith, true to the name, isn’t exactly a combat-oriented class.
However, by strengthening party members’ weapons and repairing their durability, they can provide substantial support.
‘In a way, it’s a position similar to Buffer’s.’
So if he’d elevated the entire party’s synergy, reaching this level of growth made perfect sense.
Besides, Russell himself was strong enough to dispatch orcs with ease.
“But I’m embarrassed to ask… am I truly reaching the pinnacle among blacksmiths? It’s hard to believe…”
“If you work at it, it’s possible. And with my help, you can go even further.”
“Ha, that’s reassuring already. With your support, there’s nothing to fear. Oh, more dishes?”
As the server set down the dishes and left, Russell let out an exclamation of wonder.
“This isn’t even a buffet—why do these dishes keep coming endlessly? Wow!? This is genuinely delicious. What’s this dish called?”
“It’s called bulgogi.”
“This really suits my palate perfectly. I never knew Korea had such delicious food.”
With that, Russell devoured it as if possessed by hunger.
It seemed he’d been saving on meals to scrape together money for the ticket and travel expenses.
“But are you perhaps a chaebol heir? You’re young, yet your car is impressive, and the way you’ve been casually spending large sums…”
“A chaebol? I’ve simply been fortunate. With the ability to see the future, I’d be pathetic if I couldn’t earn this much. Eventually, you’ll become wealthy like me too, Russell.”
“Ah, through stocks?”
“Yes. You invested in the company I told you about, didn’t you?”
“Of course. I opened an account the very day you mentioned it. I actually invested more than half of what you suggested, though…”
“You did well. That amount should ensure you have no financial worries later.”
“Will that company really strike it big?”
“It will. That’s why I told you to invest.”
“What kind of business does the company operate?”
“You invested without even researching what they do?”
“I simply trusted your word and figured it would be fine. Ha ha…”
“Hmm…”
As the meal was winding down, Ryu Min broached the subject.
“Then shall I introduce you to the company?”
“The Company?”
“It’s nearby from here.”
“Oh, then shall we take a look on our way?”
After settling the bill, the two of them got into the car and headed toward Ma Gyeong-rok’s Office.
“We’re here.”
Upon arrival, I noticed that the sign for Cheonma Consulting had disappeared, replaced by a new one reading Player Place.
‘It seems the preparations are nearly complete.’
Though I’d arrived without warning, there was no problem with it.
After all, it was essentially my company as the supreme executive authority.
“This is the company where I invested 70% of my entire fortune, right? Ah! I’m sorry. It’s not my money but the Prophet’s money….”
“That money is Russell’s money. Don’t feel burdened—use it freely.”
“As expected, the Prophet is truly an Angel. Ha!”
Watching Russell make a gesture characteristic of foreigners, I let out a soft chuckle.
“Isn’t that compliment starting to sound more like an insult now?”
“Oh, ah, does it come across that way?”
“But if you’ve only kept 30%, won’t that be insufficient for living expenses?”
“It’ll be a bit tight, but it’s manageable. I can just reduce my meals from three to two a day….”
“When we leave the office later, I’ll withdraw some cash for you. Ten thousand pounds should be enough to live comfortably for a while, shouldn’t it?”
“Gasp! Well, of course!”
“You’re not refusing, I notice.”
“Ah, haha….”
Russell, lacking the confidence to refuse even out of courtesy, could only laugh.
“But still, is it really okay to just walk into someone else’s company like this?”
“It’s fine. Though I’m not the representative, it’s essentially my company.”
“Pardon?”
Russell’s eyes widened as if he’d suddenly realized something, his mouth falling open.
“Don’t tell me the company you told me to invest in is….”
“Yes, because I’m the actual owner of this company.”

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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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