The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player Novel - Chapter 319
Chapter 319 – Round 20 Begins
72 people appeared in a colorless space.
Although the number of participants was small, given that it was the final round, Ryu Min felt satisfied with it.
‘When I first came here, I was alone.’
However, in this second experience of round 20, he was not alone.
There were many people by his side, so many that he didn’t have to worry about being eliminated.
[Finally, you have made it this far.]
Lifting his head at the sudden voice, Ryu Min saw the angel Millen with a moved expression.
[I didn’t think you’d reach round 20. I thought at most one or two would survive, but seeing so many is impressive.]
Although people looked at the angel with expressions of “who are you to say we’re impressive?”, Millen was unfazed.
After all, once he guided them for the last time, he wouldn’t see these humans again.
[Since you’ve reached the final round, I can’t help but ask how you feel. Does anyone want to share?]
No one opened their mouth. Only looks full of hostility were present.
It’s not like anyone wanted to be here.
[Why the long faces? Aren’t you happy? If you get through this round, you can fulfill your wishes. If all 72 of you make it, you’ll all get your wishes.]
“Enough. Show the mission window.”
Millen hesitated at Ryu Min’s command, then forced a smile.
[Haha, you must be curious. Let’s see what the mission of the anticipated round 20 is. Well, why don’t we check it right away?]
The mission window appeared and people couldn’t hide their surprise.
◀ ROUND 20 ▶
<Mission>
└?????
[Integrated Area CA-EA001]
Participants: 72
Achievers: Undetermined
“What, what is this? A question mark?”
“I can’t see the mission.”
“I’m not the only one who can’t see it, right?”
People began to murmur, clearly bewildered.
The only one not surprised was Ryu Min, who had gone through this before.
‘The first time I was also surprised. It was disheartening.’
He had to figure out the mission alone, meticulously checking the entire continent.
He finally found the temple that contained the boss room, but if it hadn’t been for that, he would be as bewildered as the others.
‘The problem is the boss room might not be the final mission.’
Even in front of the boss room, when he was eliminated, the mission wasn’t revealed.
This meant that even Ryu Min didn’t know exactly what the mission for round 20 was.
People, overwhelmed, looked to the angel for answers.
[Hoho, it seems you’re confused. The mission isn’t visible. Unfortunately, the mission for this round is confidential. It will naturally be revealed as you progress, so don’t worry too much… Eek!]
Ryu Min, who had jumped into the air and closed the distance in one strike, grabbed the angel’s neck with a deadly grip.
[Ka-agh, keck!]
“Speak clearly. What is the mission for round 20? If not, I’ll break your neck right here.”
[Keck, you have to let me go so I can talk.]
Ryu Min pushed the angel, letting him fall and gasp for breath.
“Now talk. No nonsense about confidentiality.”
[I-I don’t know! I just follow the system’s guidelines…]
Millen took a breath mid-sentence.
Ryu Min’s gaze, which seemed capable of tearing apart at any moment, was suffocating the angel.
“Don’t lie. Do you think I don’t know this isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this?”
[No, I really don’t know! This is my first time in the guide role, I really don’t know!]
The angel, trembling with fear, was visibly terrified. More so, considering he was facing someone famous for massacring angels.
‘He’s not lying.’
Reading his thoughts, Ryu Min withdrew his murderous intent and stepped back.
“I’ll believe you. Now, explain.”
[Yes, yes!]
The angel, massaging his sore neck, continued with the explanation.
[As I said before, I don’t know what the mission is. They always assign new angels to the guide role… But if you clear this round, everyone will come out alive. Everyone will get their wishes. However, I don’t know the details of the process, so I can’t say more. I just repeat what I’ve been told according to the manual…]
It seemed the fear of Ryu Min’s threat had made Millen speak more than usual, explaining in detail.
[In this round, the scenario is a fantasy world, and we don’t know the mission objective. Hence, we also don’t know the criteria for clearing it, and there are no side missions.]
“That’s…”
“We don’t know anything?”
“Ha…”
People let out sighs of frustration.
[At least, I can tell you that in this round, hunting monsters won’t give you experience or gold. So those who haven’t reached max level, don’t waste time hunting…]
“Don’t worry about that. Everyone here is max level.”
At Ryu Min’s statement, Millen forced a smile.
[What, what a relief! That’s good, very good.]
“Any other information?”
[Oh, um, what else was there? Oh, yes. In this round, you are all in one team. Although we don’t know the mission, at least it’s not about killing each other.]
“Ah.”
“That’s a relief.”
Sighs of relief were heard everywhere, indicating people felt more at ease.
[That’s all the explanation. Although you don’t have much information and it seems overwhelming, do your best in this final round. Good luck!]
The angel quickly disappeared in a flash of light, and shortly after, a message appeared before everyone.
[Round 20 will begin shortly.]
[Due to the characteristics of the round, you will not receive rewards for hunting monsters.]
[You will be transported to the fantasy world in 30 seconds.]
———–
When they were transported to the fantasy world, the players did not disperse.
Everyone was transported to the same place.
“Where are we?”
“I only see trees, I can’t tell where we are.”
While people looked around, Ryu Min knew.
It was the same starting point as the previous round.
“We’re in the Forest of Beasts. It’s at the edge of the Lutus Mountain Range and near the Kingdom of Braham.”
“Ah.”
Although people nodded, they couldn’t hide their uneasiness.
What good was knowing the location if they didn’t know the mission objective?
That’s why everyone depended on the practical leader, Black Scythe.
“What do we do now, Black Scythe?”
“What should we do first if the mission is confidential?”
“I guess being summoned here means we should try to hunt monsters?”
Each gave their opinion as they speculated, but Ryu Min shook his head.
The direction was already set.
“First, let’s explore the surroundings. There might be clues about the mission.”
“Then should we split up?”
‘Why split up if we already know the way?’
Ryu Min swallowed his words and shook his head.
“No. It’s dangerous to split up without a means of communication. Let’s stick together.”
“Understood.”
“Let’s go.”
The group followed Ryu Min as they walked through the Forest of Beasts.
He remembered where the boss room was, so he led the way.
Of course, to others, it seemed they were just walking aimlessly.
‘If we walk for about an hour, we’ll reach the Ancient Temple ruins. That’s the place where the boss room is.’
He couldn’t reveal this fact to others, so he pretended to explore the surroundings while walking.
“Black Scythe.”
At that moment, Min Juri approached Ryu Min and asked.
“Should we apply some buffs to the people just in case?”
“Yes. Please do. After all, we are a team.”
He originally planned to ask for this before reaching the boss room, but there was no problem doing it now.
“Well…”
Min Juri hesitated a bit before speaking with an awkward smile.
“I’m sorry about earlier.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I couldn’t recognize you. I saw on the news that Black Scythe had revealed his face to the people. But I couldn’t recognize you at the cafe…”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Now I realize it was a bit silly of me to criticize you so much for not recognizing you. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”
Ryu Min turned his head with an expression showing he didn’t really care.
But despite his unperturbed expression, he felt bitter inside.
‘Has her memory really been completely erased?’
It felt bittersweet to be treated as a stranger, except for the memories of Black Scythe.
On the one hand, he was grateful she had forgotten her suffering.
At that moment.
“Grrr.”
Monsters appeared in front of the group without even sensing the atmosphere.
As expected of the Forest of Beasts, they could occasionally see monsters.
“Grrraaaah!”
But as long as Ryu Min was present, none of them posed a threat.
[+1,200 experience]
‘My experience increased?’
He gained experience from the monsters, despite expecting not to receive any.
‘Is it because of the Transcendental Rune?’
He thought it might be thanks to the Rune that allowed him to gain experience from all enemies.
Although the amount was small, Ryu Min felt satisfied.
For the benefit of gaining something others couldn’t.
‘Also, when experience increases, my stats also increase with the Growth Rune.’
Not only that, but by accumulating a certain amount of experience, he could level up with the Transcendental Rune.
‘I want to hunt monsters quietly and keep growing, but it’s a shame there’s no time for that.’
Although there was room to grow more, Ryu Min focused on reaching his destination rather than hunting.
With the possibility that the mission might have a time limit, it was better to hurry.
“Oh? Are we finally leaving the forest?”
After walking a bit more, they finally left the Forest of Beasts.
“Since we’re out of the forest, why don’t we pick up the pace?”
Ryu Min looked at his companions who nodded and ran across the plain.
———————–
The destination they expected to reach in an hour was reduced to thirty minutes.
After hurrying with others, they managed to shorten the time.
“What is this?”
“It looks like an abandoned ancient temple, doesn’t it?”
Between the Forest of Demonic Beasts and the Labyrinth Forest, there’s an ancient temple in ruins.
It’s none other than the place where the boss room is hidden.
Ryu Min approached the temple as if he had found it by chance while walking along the path.
“It’s a strange place I haven’t seen before. It’d be good to investigate it.”
In reality, although he hadn’t seen it, it was there in the previous round.
They just couldn’t access it.
“Before round 20, the system blocked it with a barrier so we couldn’t enter.”
Therefore, the trick of opening the door and entering early wouldn’t work.
No matter what means they tried to use, they couldn’t enter due to the barrier.
Only now, in round 20.
“Finding this temple in thirty minutes after it took us two hours last time.”
This time, they saved some time compared to the last time.
“The boss room is here.”
Although it seemed to be full of debris as if a bomber had passed by, there’s a separate real entrance.
“Everyone, come here.”
When Ryu Min removed some debris as if he had found it by chance, a secret staircase leading underground appeared.
The boss room is beneath this.
“It looks like there’s something under here, should we go in?”
The companions nodded at Ryu Min’s words.
“Then, let’s prepare and all go in together.”