The Regressor Plays the Game Too Well - Chapter 49

—————

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

—————

Episode 49
Episode 49
The Pantheon Auction House had become quite famous.
Only three days after launch, and you’re wondering how famous it could possibly be?
Quite famous indeed.
Of course it would be!
Pantheon had established itself as the most successful game in human history.
A system where you could spend real money in such a game—how could it not be famous?
Impossible.
There was even an app for real-world smartphones.
So you could check listings and purchase items even when not logged into the game.
Truly, this was a game that knew how to do business.
Anyone playing Pantheon had surely seen this app.
Everyone wanted to obtain better items, after all.
Kim Ji-hwan was no exception.
‘Is there anything worth grabbing?’
Unfortunately, he hadn’t made it into the beta test.
But he didn’t believe his skills were lacking.
He was actually a fairly famous PanTube streamer, after all.
He’d been known for his gaming prowess since his MiTube days.
While he couldn’t claim to be a top-ranked player, he was confident he’d place quite high.
If there was anything lacking…
‘Everything else is fine, but my luck is just terrible.’
That’s how he’d earned the nickname “Unlucky Ji-hwan.”
In cases like this, there was only one solution.
Overwhelm it with money.
Skill could be improved through effort, but luck couldn’t be forced.
Every time he pulled, he only got the lowest-tier items.
What could he do about it?
So Kim Ji-hwan had been checking the Auction House constantly since launch.
Of course, only after he’d exhausted his ten hours of playtime.
‘Sigh.’
But he held no real expectations.
If good items appeared, why would anyone sell them in these early days? He’d use them himself.
Anyone would do the same.
Checking the Auction House so frequently was really just a habit for Kim Ji-hwan.
Just in case a good item happened to appear.
Besides, he was on a break with nothing better to do anyway.
Video editing, though…
He could always ask the editors he’d been working with for years.
Items at auctions like this had to be inspected personally.
It was during this browsing that—
“Huh?”
I discovered something.
An item with a distinctly different appearance from the others.
A beacon of light amid the Pantheon Auction House, which had been flooded with Normal and Normal+ items until now.
Or rather, it was actually multiple items.
Three Rare items, no less.
And one Rare+ item.
Where on earth did such a quantity suddenly come from?
‘This… this is insane!’
Rare—wasn’t that a tier Kim Ji-hwan had never even laid eyes on before?
After all, I was still wearing Normal+ equipment.
Yet suddenly Rare items were appearing?
And the Rare+ was even a class-change item.
Who in the world had unlocked something like this?
I found myself drawn into the auction window as if possessed.
Sure enough, the price kept climbing without pause.
‘Wow!’
I’d have to give up on bidding.
It had already exceeded five million won.
And it had only been listed moments ago.
If the price had stopped here, I might have joined the bidding.
But that wasn’t the case.
At this rate, this was far from the ceiling.
‘At minimum, it’ll hit ten million won.’
Anyone could see that.
Had some lucky novice who’d gotten a windfall listed these?
Unlikely.
Who didn’t know about Pantheon these days?
If a Rare item dropped by luck, you’d use it yourself—why would you sell it?
Then—
I studied the items whose prices were skyrocketing in the auction house.
Where had I seen this before?
I was certain of it.
Not just a feeling.
What was it?
Driven by curiosity, I opened the Pantheon community forum, and sure enough, everyone was talking about the auction house.
-Insane! Who listed these items?
└Apparently some lucky beginner did~.
└You’re out of your mind. A lucky beginner gets lucky and pulls a rare set item and even a Black Mage job advancement scroll, and they’re selling it?
└Yeah. They’re a Super Bowl winner from America. Take the post down.
Haha, no, I’m just lucky that what I pulled was a normal item.
Haha, you too? Me too! Hey! Me as well!
-Guys, doesn’t that look familiar from somewhere?
└Huh? So it wasn’t just me?
Lol, did you guys see that? In your dreams?
└No, I’m serious—I’ve definitely seen it.
└!! Breaking news! The same sword appeared on PanTube by Jin-woo!
That’s a mess!
└It’s you again! Jin-woo!
-Ah, the Emperor was shocked. Take the post down.
“Ah!”
Only then did Kim Ji-hwan, reading the comments, realize it.
He had a memory of seeing it on Jin-woo TV.
This wasn’t the time for that.
Let me verify if it’s real.
Check the community post and head straight to Jin-woo TV.
Sure enough, it was there in the video.
Weapons and equipment items listed on the Auction House.
‘Wow, insane.’
They’re selling this?
No sane person would sell something like this.
Yet the fact that it was sold means only one thing.
‘They traded it for even better items than rare?!’
Does that even make sense?
But if that weren’t the case, listing it for sale makes even less sense.
Jin-woo TV’s skill level has already spread across the entire world, hasn’t it?
Why would someone with that kind of skill need to sell rare items?
There’s no reason.
Nothing except obtaining something better.
They couldn’t have quit the game on day three.
“Phew.”
A chill ran through my entire body.
They have that much skill and luck too?
Or should I even call it luck?
Shouldn’t I call it skill?
If it were just good luck, it would mean pulling something better with the same opportunities and same number of attempts as everyone else.
But that’s not what Jin-woo TV’s owner is about.
The result of being ahead of everyone else.
If you can’t call this skill, then what would you call skill?
Kim Ji-hwan had no choice but to acknowledge it.
‘That’s truly impressive.’
Already at the level of selling Rare items.
Wait, hold on?
He sold a Dark Mage class change book?
Does that mean he obtained a better class than what you’d get from a Rare+ item?
‘Huh.’
Looking at it now, Dark Mage seems to be a rare class itself.
The fact that he sold that means…
He must have obtained an even better class.
He wondered if there were others thinking the same way he was.
There definitely were.
[This is not something to take lightly.]
【Author: Ppungppurungppungppung】
『Look, I didn’t have much to analyze about Hwang Gyeong-ma-jeol before, but I thought this was a good opportunity, right?
Looking at the auction, this is really not something to take lightly.
Think about it. The fact that one user monopolized things to this extent is genuinely dangerous.
Right now, Jin-woo TV operates alone as a lone wolf, but what if he forms a group and joins a guild?
That guild would immediately enter a state of monopoly and control.
This is really not something to overlook.
And a Dark Mage class change book?
Damn, this is undeniable proof that Jin-woo TV obtained a rarer class than Dark Mage.
From what I’ve seen in posts by beta testers, there are supposedly hidden classes.
I suspect he might have changed to one of those.』
【Comments】
I’m laughing so hard, this is crazy.
-Upvoting and leaving.
-But Hwang Gyeong-ma-jeol is legendary though;;>
-He’s a god! He’s a god! He’s a god!
-I hope he stays alone forever.
└222222
└3333333
└No, why are you guys cursing all of a sudden? ㅠㅠ Then it becomes a mistake.
└LOL Is it possible that I won’t be able to date until I’m quite old? lol
└You, I’m going to kill you.
└22
When he looked further, it wasn’t just that post.
Most people could make the same inference anyway.
Kim Ji-hwan searched through a few more posts and stroked his chin.
Only the posts he’d expected appeared; there were no surprises.
Well, there wasn’t much to speculate about anyway.
I think we’d need more video content to really understand what’s happening.
After spending a few hours like that, Ji-hwan remembered the auction and opened the auction window.
And immediately, he could see prices that defied all reason.
[Cobolt Warrior’s Sword]
*Current Bid: 23,500,000 Won
[Cobolt Shaman’s Pendant]
*Current Bid: 18,210,000 Won
[Cobolt Shaman’s Robe]
*Current Bid: 21,940,000 Won
The prices were absolutely incomprehensible.
No matter how rare these newly released items were.
Excessive pricing.
But when Ji-hwan saw the usernames holding the highest bids, he immediately understood.
[PleaseCheckThisOut****]
[GenesisSong****]
And so on—they were using their usernames like messages to place the highest bids.
After all, if it was a chance to send a direct message through Yuna’s stream.
That kind of value actually made sense.
They had to stand out somehow.
Since the system didn’t allow for arbitrarily large price jumps.
The prices were climbing in increments of 10,000 Won.
And the final auction item exceeded all imagination.
[Dark Mage Class Change Tome]
*Current Bid: 98,300,000 Won
“Wow!”
That one actually made sense to me.
It was a class change tome, after all.
A chance to change into a rare class!
And you could obtain it right away.
‘That one’s definitely worth the price.’
Ji-hwan let out a sigh as he looked at the auction house.
If only he could become a player like that.
How wonderful that would be.
I do well enough, I suppose.
But it’s not overwhelming talent.
Mediocre talent is what truly torments you.
At least I have decent communication skills and a knack for streaming.
Without that, I’d have struggled to make a living.
To do that.
‘I need to work hard too.’
Kim Ji-hwan logged back into the Pantheon.
And he prepared for his broadcast.
After all, everyone had their own circumstances.
* * *
Meanwhile, as the auction items were becoming a massive issue.
Jin-woo headed toward the Hunting Grounds with ease and speed.
Of course, with his own thoughts in mind.
‘I’ll sell the Dark Sorcerer’s Skull Staff and Dark Sorcerer’s Robe later.’
They were items obtained from Quests, but I couldn’t sell them together with the others.
It would have been nice to sell them alongside the Dark Sorcerer’s class change item.
Unfortunately, both were Hero-grade.
If I sold them now, wouldn’t it cause quite a commotion?
Since I wasn’t even aware of the current uproar.
They say that once you start watching these auctions, you can’t stop.
So I had deliberately decided not to watch, planning to check it after it ended.
Anyway, what was Jin-woo’s reason for coming to Falcon Village?
Simple.
‘I can obtain that skill here.’
To defeat Falcon, the hidden boss of Falcon Village!
Though it wasn’t a mob that Han Yu-na, the most famous user in Falcon Village, had defeated.
But hadn’t Han Yu-na set numerous incredible records here?
Well, of course she lost to Kaiser in all of them.
Still, impressive is impressive.
Even though I joked about her being “Bean Yu-na,” her skill was truly exceptional.
And her specs were equally remarkable.
A daughter of a conglomerate and a master of archery at that.
She had apparently even secured first place in the national team selection tournament.
‘Though she gave up on the national team afterward.’
She gave it up because she was from a conglomerate.
She just participated for fun and happened to win, then retired.
There were many such rumors, but I didn’t know the details.
I wasn’t particularly curious either.
I had happened to run into her earlier and inadvertently called out “Bean” without thinking.
I wouldn’t run into her again.
‘She had quite a persistent personality.’
Especially persistent when it came to talented individuals.
That’s why I avoided her.
If she found out who I was, she’d cling to me relentlessly.
What? You think I’m being self-important?
Ugh! With my skills, I can definitely pull it off!
I’m incredibly famous right now too!
Well, that’s true.
Something just rubbed me the wrong way.
‘Han Sung Group does have good benefits, but….’
I prefer playing however I want, don’t I?
Right now, I had no intention of joining a guild.
To be precise, I simply didn’t feel any necessity for it.
Even before the regression, I worked as a mercenary without joining a guild.
Now that my broadcasts are doing well and everything is progressing smoothly.
There’s even less reason to join a guild now.
If I were to join one.
They’d have to satisfy every condition and leave me completely free.
‘That’s quite the fantasy. As if that would ever happen.’
I dismissed my idle thoughts about Han Yu-na.
It was a possibility that would never come to pass anyway.
‘More importantly, let me hunt the hidden boss Falcon quickly.’
At this point in time, Falcon probably hasn’t been defeated yet.
The party that discovered Falcon did so months after the game’s release.
There’s no way it’s been defeated already.
However,
‘My arrival could create a butterfly effect.’
Like Han Yu-na discovering Falcon.
That’s entirely possible.
So I need to go and hunt Falcon as soon as possible.
Now is the opportunity!
Didn’t I confirm that Han Yu-na was in the village earlier?
So I need to go there quickly and secure it first!
The hidden boss Falcon in Falcon Village.
I had actually considered this one quite seriously too.
There’s plenty to gain here as well.
So Falcon Village was actually one of my candidates.
But why did it fall through?
‘Because Nen Village had overwhelmingly more to offer.’
When I think about it,
From the Cobolt set to the transfer, to the Evergreen’s Unbreakable Flame.
Not a single element could be overlooked.
Didn’t I use the Cobolt set quite effectively in the early game?
And on top of that, I even obtained Gruen’s Blessing.
Of course, that wasn’t what I’d anticipated.
But I’d gained something regardless.
In the end, choosing Nen Village had been an excellent decision.
Besides, to obtain the Demon Sword, I had to start in Nen rather than Falcon Village to reach Felsia.
Falcon Village connected to a city called Margantia.
So was Falcon Village really just a mediocre Beginner Region?
Absolutely not.
‘The skills I get from clearing Falcon are genuinely worthwhile.’
If I had to compare it, it was similar to Emerald’s Unbreakable Guard.
Of course, it wasn’t quite as exceptional.
But it had considerable practical applications.
True to its name, Falcon granted wind-related skills.
Elemental skills are always a safe bet.
So I’d be taking one with me.
Just as Jin-woo was heading toward the Hunting Grounds.
I heard a rather familiar voice.
“Excuse me.”
Why did I feel such an ominous chill?
A familiar voice?
In a village I’d never visited before?
Jin-woo swallowed hard without thinking.
And as I answered and turned around.
“…Yes?”
Sure enough.
She was standing there.
When had she finished preparing for the hunt?
Wasn’t she just discussing something important with her party members?
I’d seized the moment while they were occupied!
Why was she here?!
‘Did she follow me?’
Based on her expression and the situation, that didn’t seem to be the case.
I absolutely couldn’t let her come along.
Splitting the loot and rewards? Unthinkable.
I had to keep everything for myself.
That was Jin-woo’s principle.
Naturally, that’s why he’d been single for thirty-six years.
But the principle never wavered.
Not even for Han Yu-na!
Still, what was she calling me for?
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind.
Yuna opened her mouth.
“That hunting ground is for level 20 and above. It would be too dangerous for a beginner.”
Ah!
Fortunately, it seemed she just saw me as a beginner.
Phew, she didn’t recognize me.
What a relief.
I need to escape quickly while I have the chance.
I can just brush it off and leave.
But then,
“Oh, ah! I didn’t know! Thank you so much!”
As Jin-woo tried to hurry away with quick steps,
Han Yu-na looked at Jin-woo with a puzzled expression.
No, I need to leave quickly right now.
“Um, excuse me, but haven’t we met somewhere before?”
Gulp.
Ah, am I caught?
Jin-woo looked at Han Yu-na with a slightly tense expression.
Even without a gate to the Demon Realm, I could escape through teleportation.
But wouldn’t that definitely expose my face?
I didn’t want her to get a bad impression of me yet.
Then, in that moment,
I suddenly recalled my trump card.
“Huh? Are you hitting on me right now?”
Jin-woo answered with the most shameless expression imaginable.
This was my trump card!
Take this—the ultimate technique of a thirty-six-year-old bachelor!
And in that instant,
“W-what did you just say?!”
Yuna’s face flushed crimson.
Heh, I thought it would be my trump card.
But the rejection came immediately.
So why does it feel so sad?
Damn it.

—————

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

—————