The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 71 (Part 1)

Chapter 71: High Orc (Part 1)

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[Ryu Min]

[Experience +0.27%]

[Gold +40]

[Current Orc Count: 2,415/100]

[Rune of Slaughter Effect: Boosting all stats by 100%.]

[Skeletal Necklace Effect: Speeding up attacks by 25%.]

Ryu Min, who had carved through the orc horde like a well-oiled machine, checked the time with a quick glance.

[Time Remaining until Round End: 00:30:41]

With roughly 30 minutes left on the clock, Ryu Min sheathed his scythe. He decided it was time to shift gears, realizing that further orc hunting was becoming futile.

“It’s time to change our approach. Leveling up in the remaining time doesn’t seem feasible.”

At present, Ryu Min was standing at level 39. Just one more level, and he’d unlock new skills, significantly boosting his prowess. But…

‘Regrettably, time is running short for that.’

Still, he had no regrets; he’d given it his all.

Seven hours of relentless hunting, over two thousand orcs slain.

‘Min Juri tagged along during this ordeal, but I’ve handed her more than a hundred, so she should be content. Besides, she gave me buffs.’

This arrangement had its advantages. It had expedited their hunting, taking Ryu Min to level 39, boosting nine stats through the Bead of Eternity.

Ryu Min wore the neckless around his neck as he marked his achievement – slaying 900 orcs. Every hundred orcs equated to one stat point, so he had netted nine of them. Additionally, he had 99 more orcs tucked away in his inventory, nearly filling the stack to [99/100].

“One more, and the bead’s durability hits zero, shattering it. I’ll have to halt its use to restore durability later.”

The bead’s remaining durability stood at [1/1000]. To rejuvenate it for future use, he had to cease its current use.

“Black Scythe, finished hunting?”

“This should suffice.”

“Time to tackle the remaining boss, then?”

“Yes, it’s a must.”

“Any idea where it’s located?”

“We’ll have to search for it.”

Ryu Min suddenly extended his hand as he briefly locked eyes with Min Juri.

“Let’s part ways here. You’ve gone through a lot chasing me.”

“Ah… Is this the end?”

Min Juri’s face clouded with disappointment as they shook hands, signaling the end of their partnership.

– Should I ask if it’s okay to stick around until we defeat the final boss? No, parting ways here is for the best. Being by his side would likely hinder more than help. Yes, parting ways here is the right call.

Ryu Min heard her thoughts but chose to ignore them. The final boss, High Orc, posed a significant threat. No need for Min Juri to shadow him.

“I’ll refresh your buffs one last time.”

As Min Juri reached out her hand, the Bless and Swift buffs reset.

“Now… are you going?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you again for your help with hunting. It would have been incredibly tough for me alone. This is small, but…”

Min Juri handed over a blue mana crystal from her inventory.

“It dropped while I weas hunting. I’m not sure if you’ll need it, but I’ll give it to you.”

“You can keep it.”

“No, I’m fine with just the experience points.”

Even without reading her thoughts, her sincerity shone through. Her thoughts involuntarily seeped into Ryu Min’s understanding.

‘Originally, I had two, but I have to give Min the other one…’

Observing Min Juri’s caring nature, unaware that they were the same person, Ryu Min couldn’t help but smile.

‘I can’t let him refuse, I owe Black Scythe big time.’

“I also received help. So stop trying paying off your debt.”

“What?”

Min Juri appeared bewildered by his words, as if he could see through her.

In the meantime, Black Scythe accepted the mana crystal.

“I’ll gladly accept what you give me. Well then, we’ll see each other next time.”

Disregarding the perplexed Min Juri, Black Scythe urged a quick pace. Time was of the essence in defeating the High Orc.

* * *

Among the four bosses in Round 5, High Orc undoubtedly stood as the mightiest.

So formidable that even a group of twenty level 20 players wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Maybe a hundred players throwing their lives at him might have a shot.”

However, such a scenario had never unfolded, rendering it pointless to contemplate.

“That’s why I can be at ease until now as the round draws to a close. There’s no risk of someone snatching it from me, so there’s no need to fret.”

During the early regressions, no one had managed to take down the formidable High Orc. Its sheer dominance discouraged any thoughts of challenging it, except for one determined soul – Black Scythe.

At first, Ryu Min had hesitated to confront the High Orc. He had ventured out to complete a sub-quest but ended up dying four times, courtesy of the High Orc. However, as his head got progressively cracked open, he learned its tactics and grasped the rules of the Time Attack.

“Since then, I haven’t met my demise once while hunting the High Orc.”

With each passing round, he shaved off precious seconds from his hunting time, even setting a new record of 43 seconds.

“This time, I’ll shatter that record.”

Ryu Min’s feet pushed him forward with remarkable speed. Thanks to Swift, he could cover 100 meters in a mere 7 seconds. As he sprinted, his focus zeroed in on a specific point.

[Target ‘High Orc’ location identified.]

[Currently 1,121 meters away.]

The High Orc, essentially a boss that roamed the field without a fixed spot, remained elusive to Ryu Min until he employed the Tracking skill.

“Tracking isn’t exclusive to players; monsters aren’t exempt.”

Of course, the conditions remained constant: remember the face and name. But was tracking only useful for locating bosses? Not at all; it could be employed for regular monsters as well. If he thought of any orc and said “Track,” it would pinpoint the nearest one. This had been the secret to his rapid hunting all along.

“Seeing that tracking is possible means it hasn’t been captured yet.”

After all, who else but Ryu Min could tackle the High Orc? The players who had fought fiercely in previous rounds were unlikely to team up now.

[Currently 585 meters away.]

[Currently 321 meters away.]

[Currently 160 meters away.]

… …

As the distance to the High Orc shortened and it faintly appeared within Ryu Min’s field of vision, he sighed with relief.

“Good, it hasn’t been captured yet. If I handle it quickly…”

However, an unexpected turn of events halted Ryu Min in his tracks. The High Orc was already locked in combat with other players.

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