The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player Novel - Chapter 340
Chapter 340 – Episode 101 (4)
Four days later, at 2:40 AM.
Ryu Min, who was lying in bed, got up.
It was a time when everyone was asleep, but he had a task to fulfill.
‘Kill Nyx.’
He had already informed his brother, so he didn’t need to say goodbye.
Ryu Min instantly transported himself to the underworld and waited, like a hunter setting a trap, for Nyx to appear.
‘They said she would appear between 3 and 6 AM, right?’
Nyx, puzzled by Plunictos’ absence, would come to investigate.
‘Rubuahi said she was a Goddess just below Chaos, right?’
Although Nyx was on the level of Artaros, Rubuahi had said there wasn’t much to worry about.
Chaos’ weapons were designed to defeat all Gods except Chaos.
‘The more I think about it, the more it bothers me. Being treated as just a weapon…’
Being called Gaia’s messenger or toy, all were words he didn’t want to hear, but to kill Chaos, he needed Gaia’s cooperation.
There was no other choice.
‘I will take advantage of the surprise and finish this quickly.’
Prepared to use Moonlight Slaughter if necessary, Ryu Min hid in the darkness.
Around 4 AM, footsteps were heard.
Knock-knock-
The Goddess of the night, Nyx, appeared in the Demon King’s Castle.
[Hmm, if there’s a guardian, that means someone is in the castle. Why don’t they answer my calls?]
Nyx murmured with a nasal tone as she walked, but suddenly stopped.
[A human in the Demon King’s Castle… How rude!]
Suddenly, Nyx’s eyes turned black and the surrounding darkness began to move.
‘Oh no, she’s found me!’
Ryu Min tried to escape, but it was already too late to avoid the darkness.
Kwaaaah!
The darkness enveloped him, leaving him immobile.
Hiding in the darkness had been his downfall.
Dooong-
With a flick of her finger, Nyx dragged Ryu Min, trapped by the darkness, like a prisoner.
[Did you really think you could hide from me, the Goddess of the Night, in the darkness?]
Nyx looked at him with a terrifying expression.
[Speak. Why did you try to ambush me? Was it Plunictos’ idea?]
“…”
[Aren’t you going to answer?]
Kwaaaah!
The darkness tightened around Ryu Min, penetrating his body.
[Do you need your limbs twisted to talk? Who sent you?]
“…”
[Still not talking? It seems you don’t care about your life!]
Crack!
Ryu Min’s arms and legs twisted in unnatural directions.
But Ryu Min didn’t let out a single scream.
Ryu Min’s determination made Nyx marvel involuntarily.
[Wow, it’s impressive for a human to endure the pain of having their limbs twisted.]
“I didn’t endure it.”
The answer came not from the front, but from behind her.
At the same time, the human trapped before her vanished like an illusion.
‘A clone?’
Nyx, startled, tried to turn her head, but…
Screee-
The cold touch of a blade on her neck stopped her.
“If you move, you die.”
[A human threatens me…?]
Nyx tried to scream, but stopped, feeling a sharp pain and seeing a trail of crimson blood running down her neck.
‘How can a human hurt me?’
Nyx’s question was answered by Ryu Min’s mouth.
“Surprised that an insignificant human hurt you? Although it doesn’t seem like it, I’m not human.”
[Are you saying you’re a God or something?]
“Most likely. If we have the same blood, it must be so.”
Nyx couldn’t help but believe it. The pain she felt in her neck was proof enough.
[So, the reason Plunictos isn’t responding is… did you kill him?]
“Yes, I killed him. I killed him and took his territory.”
Although there were other Gods he had killed, just mentioning Plunictos was a big shock for Nyx.
Nyx trembled like a frightened puppy.
[Why are you doing this? Do you aspire to the Demon King’s throne?]
“It’s not that. I didn’t know I would become the Demon King.”
[Then why? Why are you trying to kill me?]
‘Why do I kill her?’
There are many reasons. In the past, Nyx had ordered Artaros to kill Ryu Min. Although the order came from Chaos, that was reason enough to kill her.
Besides, Nyx was the only known remaining Goddess.
‘I have to kill her to complete the soul binding mission.’
But he didn’t have to tell her the truth.
“The reason is simple. You’re a subordinate of Chaos.”
[Chaos?]
Nyx thought quickly. She wanted to find a way to save herself.
[Are you a human holding a grudge against Chaos?]
“What if I am?”
[Then you shouldn’t kill me. Chaos will notice my absence and seek revenge on you…]
“I don’t care. In fact, it would be good to give Chaos a warning.”
[What?]
Ryu Min whispered with a cold voice.
“Do you think I fear Chaos?”
[You don’t understand that being’s strength.]
‘Of course I understand it. I’ve already experienced its power enough.’
Ryu Min knew well that he couldn’t face Chaos yet. The disastrous results so far proved it.
But if he killed Nyx, the situation would change.
By completing the soul binding mission, he would become strong enough to challenge Chaos.
That’s why he had to kill Nyx here and now.
“I’m not afraid. Let him come if he wants. Though I don’t know if he’ll know it was me.”
[…….]
“Am I wrong? Even if I kill you here, how would Chaos know? Would he even think a human killed a God?”
Nyx knew he was right. If she died here, it would be difficult for Chaos to identify the culprit.
Understanding this, Nyx, after a moment of silence, spoke.
[I want… to propose a deal.]
“A deal?”
[Your goal is to eliminate Chaos’ subordinates, right?]
“That’s right.”
[If you spare my life, I’ll take you to where the other subordinates of Chaos are.]
“You’re going to betray your comrades?”
[If I can save myself, I don’t care what happens to them.]
Ryu Min smiled slightly behind her. If he could kill other Gods, there was nothing better.
“Fine. Lead me.”
[First, let’s make a soul contract. On the condition that you spare my life… Aaaah!]
Ryu Min pressed the scythe, and blood started to gush from Nyx’s neck.
“I told you to guide me. If I determine that your words are true, I will consider letting you live.”
[Bu, but…]
Nyx, who tried to protest, was forced to reluctantly accept under Black Scythe’s pressure.
[Alright. I will do so.]
Although a verbal promise had no value, Nyx had no other choice. With the scythe at her throat, there was no room for negotiation.
[I will take you to where they are.]
“Okay.”
Soon after, the darkness enveloped them and both disappeared from the Demon King’s Castle.
——————-
Upon arriving at their destination, Ryu Min frowned. A pungent smell of sulfur and rotting flesh filled his nostrils.
“Where are we?”
[In Tartarus, a dungeon deep in the underworld.]
“Dungeon? Did you bring me to a Dungeon?”
When Ryu Min touched her neck with the scythe, Nyx became alarmed.
[You asked to see Chaos’ subordinates. I had no hidden intention. I swear.]
“Who is here?”
[The God of Darkness, Erebus. He guards this place.]
“Why is he in the dungeon? Has he committed a crime?”
[No, he simply administers Tartarus. Those imprisoned here are insignificant creatures.]
“Do you think it would be very inconvenient to be captured by that insignificant creature?”
[…….]
Nyx remained silent at Ryu Min’s sarcastic words, swallowing her insults.
-Damn it! Damn human! Just a little more patience. Just a little more and I’ll be free.
Nyx turned and spoke with a forced expression.
[Yes, follow me. I will take you to Erebus.]
Ryu Min followed her silently. Although it was a new place for him, he didn’t feel insecure.
Nyx thought she might imprison him, but Ryu Min had already read her thoughts and knew her intentions.
‘She plans to trap me here, but that won’t happen.’
Nyx knew she wouldn’t survive. She was sure Ryu Min would kill her once they reached their destination.
That’s why she had proposed the soul contract, because she didn’t trust humans. But knowing her true thoughts, Ryu Min had everything under control.
[We have arrived. This is it.]
In front of a massive iron cell, Nyx gestured for Ryu Min to follow her.
However, he didn’t move. He just swung his scythe, aiming at Nyx’s heart.
Fshh!
[Ahhh! Why…?]
“Do you think I didn’t know you planned to imprison me and escape alone?”
[Ugghh…]
Nyx trembled and finally fell.
Then, the expected message appeared.
[Experience +6,000,000,000]
[The experience gained exceeds 10 million.]
[The experience converts to 60,000 stat points.]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
………………
…………
[You have reached level 400!]
[From now on, the number of stat points you gain per level increases to 33.]
With 6 billion experience gained, Ryu Min leveled up significantly.
‘I’ve reached level 403.’
Additionally, he had gained nearly 63,000 stat points all at once.
But the good news didn’t end there.
[The Soul Gauntlet has absorbed the soul of the god you killed.]
[The soul of ‘Nyx’ has been stored in the gauntlet.]
[Extracting skills from the soul of ‘Nyx’.]
[……Extraction successful!]
[You have learned the temporary skill ‘Ruler of Darkness’.]
[Temporary Skill – Ruler of Darkness]
-Effect: Passive skill allowing complete mastery over darkness. You can use darkness to exert various physical forces.
He had obtained a skill that allowed him to dominate the darkness and use it as if it were telekinesis.
However, all these were secondary rewards.
The true reward that Ryu Min desired was another.
<Soul Binding Mission>
Kill a god
Number of gods killed currently (4/4)
Reward upon success ▶ Progress to secondary deification
Ryu Min smiled at the reward.
He had heard from Rubuahi that deification didn’t end with just one time.
After killing four gods and demonstrating both the skill and the motivation to face them, Gaia had designed the process to allow a secondary deification.
Until now, Ryu Min had been only an incomplete God.
‘They said I needed the second deification to become a complete god.’
The reason he couldn’t sense Tera energy, which every god should be able to sense, was precisely this.
[You have completed the Soul Binding Mission.]
[As a reward for the Soul Binding Mission, the process of secondary deification will commence.]
[Analyzing the user’s soul……]
[The soul has already undergone deification once.]
[With the secondary deification, the nature of the soul will change to a complete deity.]
[Adjusting synchronization……]
[Changing the nature of the soul to deification……]
[Progress 5%……]
[Progress 26%……]
[Progress 47%……]
[Progress 68%……]
[Progress 89%……]
[Progress 100%……]
[The second deification process has been completed.]
[Infinite divine power now resides in the user’s soul.]
[From now on, you will be able to use ‘Tera’, the fundamental essence of the gods.]
The process of secondary deification was nothing spectacular.
It was carried out silently, just like the first time.
However, there was a clear difference.
‘I can feel it. The Tera energy.’
The energy that amplifies the power of a God was filling Ryu Min’s soul.
‘How much Tera do I have?’
Ryu Min focused with anticipation.
Then, the amount of energy filling his body translated into numbers.