The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 163

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

Episode 163
163
Jin-woo decided there were still a few things he should explain before leaving, so he spoke briefly and departed.
What Jin-woo said wasn’t much.
But it was all quite important.
First, he suggested forming an alliance to prepare against Kaiser.
An alliance centered around Jin-woo, specifically.
The numbers weren’t large, but he mentioned Barmon’s circumstances.
Han Yu-na naturally welcomed it, and after discussing various other matters, she left her seat.
In the space Jin-woo left behind,
“….”
“….”
Han Yu-na and Yu Ji-a stood in somewhat awkward silence.
Gia stood there with an aloof expression, whether because she was accustomed to such situations or simply didn’t care.
Han Yu-na, by contrast, appeared rather uncomfortable.
Still, this was someone Jin-woo had introduced.
It didn’t feel right to simply ignore her.
Yet she had no clear idea what to do about it.
As they stood there awkwardly,
Yuna spoke first.
“If you need hunting, would you like to join our party?”
Gia paused briefly at Yuna’s offer.
Hunting with a party versus hunting alone.
She appeared to be considering which would be more efficient.
“…Hmm, where would you be going?”
“Ah, we hunt in somewhat higher-tier areas. Since we all have hidden classes, we tend to hunt in places above the average level.”
“What about the monster density?”
Yuna found Gia’s detailed questions somewhat unexpected.
She had assumed Gia would simply ignore such matters without interest.
Perhaps it was because she came here on Jin-woo’s recommendation?
It seemed she was trying not to act unilaterally.
As Yuna had guessed,
Gia found hunting alone more comfortable.
With the Yellow Dragon’s power, she could easily conduct large-scale hunts, and since her advancement, she possessed enough strength to sweep through hordes single-handedly.
But this was a place Jin-woo had asked her to come to.
She thought it was right to hunt together, just in case.
Still, she couldn’t impose a burden on them.
‘For my brother’s sake, I need to do my best!’
Jin-woo didn’t need Gia’s protection.
She was at a loss for how she could help.
But here? This is a place Gia can protect.
Most are weaker than Gia anyway.
Still.
‘That woman does seem strong.’
Gia hadn’t watched the tournament either, had she?
Wasn’t it also famous as a control competition?
The woman who fought Jin-woo in the finals.
Since Gia knew Han Yu-na well.
For now, she would be stronger.
But she’d heard that this woman was also in the process of advancing to a hidden class in the God Series.
So she thought she might soon catch up or become evenly matched.
‘I hope I can stay as long as I’m helpful.’
In truth, Gia was well aware that without this place, there would be no opportunity to help Jin-woo.
That’s why she hadn’t refused Yuna’s offer.
Yuna quickly left information about the Hunting Grounds, and Gia nodded in response.
With so many monsters and such a vast Hunting Grounds.
It was a perfect place for herding mobs.
She could level them up tremendously here.
Already adapted to Jin-woo’s hunting methods, Gia had made it a habit to push them to their absolute limits.
The moment Gia had such a thought.
Yuna suddenly felt a chill.
‘Will it be okay?’
She had a premonition that while she might endure, her party members would have a rough time.
Well, but it wasn’t her problem anyway.
Besides.
‘Getting stronger is always good.’
She thought simply and moved on.
Yuna and Gia, sharing similar thoughts, headed toward the Hunting Grounds.
* * *
Meanwhile, Jin-woo, who had immediately crossed over to the Baroque Empire, made his first move by contacting Barmon.
Normally, even if he sent a message, he wouldn’t receive a reply immediately.
He’d thought he’d check later when Barmon saw it.
But what was this?
[Barmon: Yes! Jin-woo! What can I do for you!?]
A reply came right away.
Like someone waiting for a message.
For a moment, Jin-woo wondered what this was about.
But a quick response was always good.
He simply moved past it.
He just let it go.
Let’s focus on the main point.
These details are trivial.
[Jin-woo: Actually, there’s a matter involving Kaiser, and I’m trying to form an alliance with guilds that might suffer because of me. I wanted to extend an offer to see if you’d be interested in joining, Barmon.]
[Barmon: If it’s an alliance led by Jin-woo, I’ll participate immediately. Our guild’s strength is considerable, so we’ll be of great help!]
It was an instant response.
Normally, wouldn’t people think it over first?
Or at least say they’d consider it and contact you later?
Yet he agreed on the spot.
Jin-woo was momentarily taken aback.
Then he shook his head.
Well, that’s possible.
[Jin-woo: Currently, you can’t cross into other nations from the city, but starting from the next territory, it becomes possible. What’s your average level right now?]
[Barmon: Most are in the mid-40s to early 50s, and our elite party, including myself, is in the late 50s.]
It was higher than expected.
At this level, they’re comparable to the Han-sung Guild?
Though it depends on how many members they have.
This is quite substantial.
Jin-woo pondered for a moment.
He stroked his chin and sent another message.
[Jin-woo: By normal means, you’d need to reach level 100 to advance to the next territory, but there might be alternative methods. Since I’m currently in the Bark Empire, I’ll contact you again.]
[Barmon: I’ll wait anytime! Thank you so much for this wonderful offer. I was already annoyed with Kaiser, so this is perfect!]
[Jin-woo: Not at all. You’ve helped me greatly as well, so it’s only natural. I’ll see you next time.]
[Barmon: Yes! Thank you!]
After the conversation ended, Jin-woo paused to think.
Count Zapin, the most reliable figure in the Baroque Empire right now, was on his side, wasn’t he?
If I borrowed Count Zapin’s power?
‘I could relocate Barmon’s entire guild to the territory.’
Then they could freely travel to other nations afterward.
Normally, freedom of movement would be granted by foot.
But didn’t the Deron Kingdom also have a count indebted to Jin-woo?
‘Countess Amelia de Decan also owes me a debt, so I could even create a portal between the two territories.’
If that happened, the Han-sung Guild and Barmon Guild could combine during the guild war.
They could even launch a counterattack.
Jin-woo smiled faintly at the thought.
The counts would certainly agree to this.
Of course, I need to find out what Count Zapin is calling me for first.
With that in mind, Jin-woo headed toward Count Zapin’s Manor.
What could it be?
“Ah, you’ve arrived? Come, sit here.”
No matter how exalted Jin-woo had become, the nobleman’s greeting was remarkably casual.
A natural reaction, of course.
Jin-woo thought as much while choosing his words carefully, looking at Count Zapin with an unspoken question in his eyes.
“The matter is that ruins related to the Ancient Empire have been discovered.”
“Ruins, you say?”
“Indeed. And they’ve appeared within our territory, no less.”
“Hmm, quite the coincidence.”
“Our vision has been obscured for some time, which is why we missed certain things. But I believe that when we first broke through our family’s ruins, some seal was lifted.”
“That does seem to be the most plausible explanation.”
As Jin-woo answered, he could piece together the general situation.
So he’s asking me to clear these ruins, then?
Ancient ruins, no less.
There’s far too much to gain from this.
But I shouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet.
It’s best to wait and see.
Though, what could really be so different?
Jin-woo smiled quietly to himself at the thought.
But then, at that moment.
“So we’ve been trying to resolve this among ourselves, but if word spreads elsewhere, it could become problematic. I’ve concluded that if we proceed with only our own personnel, we may face certain difficulties.”
“That’s certainly possible.”
“So I was wondering if I might ask for your assistance.”
“Of course. Didn’t we agree from the start to share our strength together, Count Zapin?”
“I’m truly grateful for your ready agreement.”
Count Zapin spoke with genuine gratitude.
However, something unexpected occurred at that moment.
“Sending only you would contradict our agreement to combine forces. I’ll provide some of my knights to support you. It seems this ruin isn’t designed to allow only Travelers to enter.”
“Ah! Yes! That would be excellent.”
“I don’t doubt your abilities, but I hope you’ll understand my desire to help in whatever way I can.”
Jin-woo nodded at Count Zapin’s words.
He understood what was being said.
By bringing along several knights, the count intended both to assess Jin-woo’s abilities and to provide support.
Of course he could understand that.
But would those knights actually be capable?
In Jin-woo’s assessment, they probably wouldn’t be.
Though even so, overwhelming them with raw power would suffice.
Jin-woo nodded, speaking with evident satisfaction.
“I’ll make sure to handle it well. Is there anything in particular you’d like me to obtain from these ruins?”
At Jin-woo’s question, Count Zapin started slightly in surprise, then began to laugh heartily.
It was as if he were acknowledging Jin-woo’s exceptional nature.
Jin-woo focused, curious about what this meant.
Count Zapin nodded.
“You’re absolutely right. In fact, I’ve heard that an imperial seal left by an ancient emperor lies in that place. I was already planning to ask you for the seal, and I intend to hand over all other artifacts as compensation for your work. Treasures and items hold no meaning for me.”
“Huh.”
Jin-woo let out a gasp of surprise at Count Zapin’s words.
There was no helping it.
He was bringing knights along, yet he claimed to have no interest in anything but the seal.
What kind of windfall was this?
Jin-woo swallowed hard without thinking and nodded his head.
There was absolutely no reason to refuse this!
The moment Jin-woo thought this and nodded.
“Hahaha! I knew you’d accept!”
Count Zapin was delighted.
At the same time, a message appeared before Jin-woo’s eyes.
[Quest ‘Ancient Empire Ruins’ has been created.]
[Ancient Empire Ruins]
*Description: After learning the truth about Count Zapin’s identity, he has conducted extensive investigations into various matters.
In the process, he discovered a certain ruin. According to what is known, that ruin is said to contain an imperial seal left behind by an ancient emperor.
Only Count Zapin, who carries the bloodline of the Ancient Empire, is said to know this fact.
Before it is too late, we ask that you retrieve this seal from the ruin and present it to Count Zapin.
Should you do so, all other artifacts from the ruin shall become your possession.
*Objective: Find the imperial seal in the Ancient Empire Ruins.
*Reward: Ownership of all artifacts from the ruin, and the ability to make one request of Count Zapin.
‘Insane.’
The reward was the ability to make a request of Count Zapin?
It was a reward that could never be seen in other quests.
Jin-woo smiled brightly at the sight and spoke.
“I’m honored to be of service to you, Count.”

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