The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Time, relentless as ever, brought the anticipated day into the present.
April 30th.
The moment poised on the precipice of the 5th Round.
Ryu Min, akin to a general preparing for war, adorned his gear and scrutinized his status window.
– Name: Ryu Min
– Alias: Black Scythe
– Rank: Regular
– Titles: Last Time Reverser (Hidden), First Slayer of an Angel (Hidden), The One Who Defies Divine Punishment (Hidden)
– Level: 30
– Profession: Grim Reaper
– Strength: 35, Intelligence: 39
– Agility: 39, Luck: 34
– Universal Skills: Tracking, Presence Sensing, Trace Erasure
– Unique Skills: Death’s Seal, Night of Death
– Runes: Slaughter’s Rune, Reaper’s Rune, Luminescence’s Rune, Mind Inner Thoughts’ Rune, Doppelganger’s Rune
– Gold in possession: 2,150
– Remaining Stat Points: 0
[Marketplace: Permits the purchase of items.]
[Combination: Enables item synthesis.]
[???: Unlocks at Level 40]
[???: Unlocks at Level 60]
[???: Unlocks at Level 99]
Ryu Min extricated the pre-installed orange and yellow magical stones and synthesized them with the magical stone harvested from the Black Flame Dragon.
After advancing these to lower-tier magical stones and implanting them into his equipment, both his strength and luck improved by four points.
Consequently, a harmonious compilation of stats was manifested.
‘My stats average out to be over 30.’
For his current level, his stats were remarkably high.
Even against an opponent of the same level, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.
‘Not that there’s anyone of the same level, though.’
The fact that the runner-up in the overall ranking was merely level 13 eliminated any room for debate.
‘Being strong for my level is satisfying, yet…’
Above all, what delighted him was the achievement of a set of stats that perfectly aligned with the requirements of the Balance Rune.
‘I’ll secure the Balance Rune in this 5th round. And I’ll craft a unique item as well.’
Ryu Min’s aspirations soared beyond just obtaining the Balance Rune; his eyes were set on reaching the milestone of Level 40.
‘It’s within my reach, especially with the aid of Min Juri’s buffs.’
While the previous round lacked the presence of Min Juri’s buffs, this time the scenario promised to be different.
‘I’m on the verge of establishing an unrivaled record.’
Brimming with resolve, he bided his time, awaiting his transition to the parallel world. Just then, an unexpected message popped up.
[Juri: Min! It’s nearly midnight, isn’t it? ㅠ..ㅠ Feeling so nervous… But I feel everything will go smoothly this time. Let’s not worry, instead let’s rally together. Come on, let’s give it our all! Go, go fighting! ٩( ᐛ )و We’ll meet each other, alive and victorious!]
The lengthy message of support brought an involuntary chuckle to Ryu Min’s lips.
‘She’s obviously on edge. Her long text is a clear indication.’
He had been the one to highlight the exceptional threats of the 5th round to her after all.
‘Worry not. From here on, I’ll be your shield.’
From the 5th round onward, the zones were set to merge, marking the moment that Ryu Min would cross paths with Min Juri.
Even if it meant he had to remain by her side solely for the purpose of receiving her buffs, ensuring her safety was a task he willingly undertook.
‘I’ve advised her to seek out the Black Scythe, so there’s no need for her to fret.’
She had no way of knowing that Ryu Min himself was the Black Scythe.
‘Oh? Is it time already? Well then, shall we embark on this journey?’
As the minute hand of the wall clock swept past midnight, Ryu Min’s eyes gradually closed.
Within the span of a heartbeat, his consciousness was transferred away to the parallel world.
* * *
As he opened his eyes, the surrounding landscape was starkly familiar.
A sweeping expanse of grassland, reminiscent of the setting of the 1st round.
One after another, avatars emerged on the vast plains.
For him, this situation was a well-known refrain, yet for others, it was a different song.
The gathering was noticeably light, and the numbers were reduced to a fraction of the usual crowd.
“Is…is this it? Is this all of us?”
“No way, there have to be more on the way.”
“Don’t be naive. The last round had about 500 survivors.”
“Upon counting, the number does seem about right…”
“It’s eerily quiet…”
The remaining survivors numbered approximately 500.
In stark contrast to the first round which nearly had a staggering 10,000 competitors, the current tally was depressingly light. But this was merely within their designated area.
‘Once the zones merge, this echoing sense of emptiness will dissipate,’ he thought with an amused smirk, casting a sidelong glance at the notification flickering in the corner of his vision.
[Your stats have increased by 50% for the duration of the 5th round.]
[The buff will automatically cease at the end of the round.]
The reward he had previously won had enhanced his stats by a phenomenal 50%.
‘With the Slaughter Rune boosting my stats by another 100% and with Juri’s Buff adding a further 50%, I’m looking at a cumulative increase of 4.5 times.’
Stats that were formerly at 30 were primed to soar past 130.
‘Backed by this enormous power, shattering my previous records seems within my grasp.’
Claiming the first position in this round would reward him with a title, and establishing a new record would rake in a significant heap of gold as an extra bounty. It was this enticing prospect that had influenced his choice of a stat buff over a special reward of 5,000 gold coins.
The potential gold windfall from smashing records promised to be a more lucrative deal. Just as he was reflecting on this, contemplating the static number of players, an angel materialized.
[Pleased to see you, humans. A hearty congratulations on your survival up to the 5th round. Ki-hehehe!]
It was hardly a surprise that none reacted to the angel’s celebratory greeting with a smile. After all, everyone held the angels responsible for the chaos engulfing them.
[Oh? Why the sour faces? Come on, lighten up! You folks had quite a blast in the last round, didn’t you? Slaughtering your kind so enthusiastically. Kikiki.]
“…….”
[I see, I see. Enough with the teasing. It’s no fun if there’s no reaction…….]
The angel, its cheerful demeanor replaced with a more stern expression, adopted a business-like tone.
[Presently, we have 442 survivors. We should be starting with 521, but it seems we’re short by almost 80. I presume some of you took the fight into the real world this time around too?]
“……The count dropped again?”
“Why does it keep shrinking?”
[Well, that’s fine. Whatever you choose to do in your world is none of my concern. However, a thrilling game seems far-fetched with just over 400 participants. So, I’ve planned something.]
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