The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player TL

└Select a district representative in 3 hours

[All Areas]

└Participants: 900,514,645

└Achievers: 0/900,514,645

[This Area ESKS45-5]

└Participants: 5,143

└Achievers: 0/5,143

People who checked the Round 2 mission looked surprised.

"What is this? Selecting a district representative?"

"I thought they'd tell us to kill some monsters again..."

"We're not fighting?"

That wasn't the only puzzling point.

"Wait, why is the number of achievers like this?"

The number of achievers, which should be half, was 100% this time.

"Does this mean everyone can survive this time?"

There were many parts that couldn't be understood just by looking at the message.

An explanation from someone was needed.

[Kihihihi, seeing you all looking puzzled, it seems my explanation is needed.]

The angel spoke with her nose in the air, as if it was her time to shine.

[As you can see, this round isn't about fighting. It ends when you select a district representative.]

"District representative?"

[A district representative is literally the representative of that district. They basically have command authority, which is an enormous power to forcibly control other humans.]

"Forcibly control..."

"Wow, that's incredible."

Just hearing it, one could tell how powerful the district representative's authority was.

[Three hours from now, voting rights will be generated for you. You just need to select one person to be the district representative with that. Then it's over.]

At that moment, someone brave raised their hand and spoke.

"Um, is it really over with just that? Nothing more?"

[Yes. Once you vote, you'll be counted as an achiever and can return home. It's like a breather round, you could say? That's why the achievers are 100%.]

In short, the goal of this round was to determine the king of the group.

"We pass just by voting..."

"It's too easy compared to the last round."

"W-we're saved! We don't have to fight!"

The murmurs of people grew louder.

They came prepared for an intense fight, but the mission was easier than expected.

[Well then, I'll be going, so discuss who to make the district representative for 3 hours! Kihihihi!]

As the angel disappeared, a message popped up.

[Time remaining until voting: 02:59:59]

"Do we really just need to vote in 3 hours to be counted as survivors?"

"This is sweet!"

Most players were relieved at the unexpectedly easy quest.

But some still looked uneasy and suspicious.

Hwang Yongmin and his friends were among them.

"This is strange. They said only half survive each round, but they give such an easy quest?"

"The angel said it's a breather round."

"Even so, we came prepared to fight a lot, but they just tell us to vote. It's anticlimactic."

"Yongmin. Just go with it. They say we'll survive if we just vote, what's there to complain about?"

"I'm annoyed because I invested all in strength but can't even use it properly. Tsk."

Ryumin, who was eavesdropping nearby, raised one corner of his mouth.

'Judging by him saying he invested all in strength, did he get the Rune of Strength this time too?'

Through repeated regressions, Ryumin knew all the information about most named players inside out.

As such, he couldn't not know about Hwang Yongmin's rune.

The current situation was also like that.

'The situation is flowing as I know it.'

People relieved that everyone will survive if they just vote, and those suspicious.

Even those disappointed after coming expecting to kill monsters.

It was exactly the same situation he had experienced in previous regressions.

'Now they'll discuss who to vote for for 3 hours among themselves.'

As the angel already said, the district representative is given command authority.

'It's a powerful ability to order anything to humans within the district.'

If told to crawl, they crawl; if told to die, they die.

If told to give their items, they give them; if told to be monster bait, they go without hesitation.

They can't refuse by will.

Because the system forcibly imposes restrictions.

It's truly a position where one can wield enormous power.

No different from a king.

They wouldn't want to give such a position to just anyone.

'Of course, they'll start by discussing who to select as representative.'

And his name will come up at the center of that.

Sure enough.

Looking around, people were glancing at him.

'The atmosphere of trying to recommend me as representative is already forming.'

If they have to choose one person as representative, a strong person would naturally be suitable.

It was only natural that he, who ranked first in the last round, would attract attention.

But Ryumin wasn't interested in the representative position.

Because the district representative was a poisoned chalice.

'If you're tempted by the command authority and try to become the representative, you'll only lose in many ways.'

Though it looked like a powerful position, there was something the angel didn't say.

'The command authority doesn't work on people who have a job.'

Once you reach level 10 and change class, you can escape the power of the command authority.

In the end, it's only half a power.

'Moreover, from Round 3, the representative takes on all responsibility for that reason.'

Knowing this, Ryumin had no intention of becoming the representative.

Rather, it's just a burdensome and dangerous position.

'Of course, regardless of my will, others might nominate me as a candidate and vote...'

Ryumin wasn't worried.

He knew from dozens of regressions that he wouldn't become the representative.

'Selecting a representative isn't important right now. The sub-quest is more important.'

Sharp people might have noticed, but there was a change in the quest message.

The word 'Main' was added in front of Quest.

'If there's a main quest, it means there's also a sub-quest.'

In other words, there's another quest besides voting in this round.

'Getting a job is this round's sub-quest and hidden quest.'

Anyone can get a job when they reach level 10.

Of course, a class change item is needed.

'I already got one in the last round.'

Ryumin wasn't worried since he obtained the Reaper class change item by killing the angel.

He just needed to reach level 10.

'I don't have time to discuss for 3 hours. In that time, I'll hunt to reach level 10 and change class.'

Then he can also escape the power of the district representative.

Ryumin's gaze turned to a message that appeared in one corner.

[3x Experience Gain Buff is in effect for Round 2 only.]

[It will be automatically removed at the end of Round 2.]

Fortunately, he had the 3x experience buff from the special privilege received in Round 1, so it shouldn't take long.

Glancing around, Ryumin moved his position.

Rustle- Rustle-

While people were discussing, Ryumin walked through the open space to the nearby forest.

He had no interest in the district representative and no intention of joining the discussion.

'It's none of my business who becomes representative.'

His current goal was just to reach level 10 as soon as possible and change class.

That's why he entered the forest.

'If you go deep into the forest, hobgoblins appear. Sometimes ogres appear too.'

Both are stronger monsters with better experience than goblins.

Though they're just experience fodder for Ryumin.

'We weren't thrown into this environment to have friendly chats.'

The forest itself was a good hunting ground.

If they spend time just discussing without knowing this fact, they won't gain anything.

'Only those who move their bodies to gain something will learn of the sub-quest's existence.'

If you walk through the forest, you'll find monsters, and if you hunt, you'll reach level 10.

When that time comes, the sub-quest window will naturally appear and they'll realize discussion isn't the answer.

'Of course, the district representative position might look good, but it's a position only 1 out of 5,000 can get. It's better to give up early.'

Moreover, since it was a poisoned chalice, it's better not to even look at it from the start.

The key to this round is to hunt quickly and become stronger like Ryumin.

"Kiit, kiit, kit."

Just then, Ryumin saw a hobgoblin appear from behind a tree.

With a slightly larger build than a goblin, it was holding a kukri used for hunting.

It looked quite threatening, but to Ryumin's eyes, it was no different from a toy knife.

"Come."

"Kiiit!"

When he beckoned with his finger, the hobgoblin charged as if its pride was hurt.

But it wasn't the only one that charged.

Ta-at!

As Ryumin moved too, the distance between them closed rapidly.

Before the surprised hobgoblin could react.

Stab-!

Ryumin's stiletto pierced the hobgoblin's neck.

[You have killed a hobgoblin!]

[3x Experience Gain Buff is in effect.]

[Experience +9%]

[Gold +15]

[Current Kill Count: 1/100]

[All stats increase by 1% due to Rune of Massacre effect.]

3x experience buff plus the Rune of Massacre effect.

Messages popped up in succession, but there was no time to check them.

'Where there's one goblin, there are more.'

Ryumin, who dealt with it instantly, immediately scanned his surroundings.

Sure enough.

"Kiiit!?"

There was another hobgoblin nearby.

Hobgoblins never travel alone.

Ryumin grinned and charged towards the goblin with gleaming eyes.

* * *

[You have killed a hobgoblin!]

[3x Experience Gain Buff is in effect.]

[Experience +7.2%]

[Gold +15]

[Current Kill Count: 50/100]

[All stats increase by 50% due to Rune of Massacre effect.]

[You have leveled up!]

The experience gained decreased as time passed.

It was natural as more experience was needed as levels increased.

He could tell how many he had killed without counting.

The Rune of Massacre showed the current kill count.

[Time remaining until voting: 02:29:24]

'30 minutes have passed.'

In just 30 minutes, Ryumin's level rose from 5 to 9.

He was now just one level away from being able to change class.

Ryumin invested his stat points while staying alert to his surroundings.

'Stats go into agility as usual.'

Nothing beats agility for the first 10 levels.

You need to avoid enemy attacks and survive to have a chance to counterattack.

Unless they're fools, most will realize the importance of agility.

'If you engraved the Rune of Strength like Hwang Yongmin, investing in strength would be efficient.'

But stubbornly sticking to all strength will make it hard to survive.

No matter how strong you are, it's over if you get stabbed by a knife.

Eventually, a situation comes where you need to invest in agility too.

'It's not just agility. It's the same for all stats.'

Players have four stats.

Strength, Intelligence, Agility, Luck.

Strength increases physical damage, health, toughness, etc.

Intelligence increases magic damage, mental power, mental acuity.

Agility increases attack speed, movement speed, evasion rate.

Luck increases critical chance, item drop rate, additional gold chance, etc.

'There's nothing to throw away among the stats.'

None of the four stats are unnecessary.

It's most important to raise them evenly.

'Especially for Reaper. Since it's a hybrid class.'

While most classes are divided into physical damage and magic damage, Reaper uses both.

It means you need to raise both strength and intelligence to increase damage.

'Just raising overall stats is most ideal.'

This conclusion is undoubtedly correct after dozens of tests.

If you add the [Rune of Balance] which gives bonus effects when stats are raised evenly?

It truly becomes like adding wings to a tiger.

'Like the Rune of Inner Thoughts, the Rune of Balance is also a must-have rune.'

For now, quickly clearing the sub-quest is important.

There's an additional reward for achieving it first.

It shouldn't be difficult since he moved first and has the experience buff.

As he was about to resume hunting.

Rustle-

'Hmm?'

Ryumin stopped moving.

The rustling sound stopped along with him.

'Look at this? Someone's following me?'

They could have followed from the open space, or followed after seeing the monster corpses scattered everywhere.

'I was too focused on hunting to notice, but I've picked up a tail?'

There had been no tailing in previous regressions, so Ryumin's expression wasn't good.

As a regressor, he didn't like the future changing.

"Whoever you are, come out."

Ryumin's voice lowered.

"Come out and state your purpose. If not..."

Ryumin pointed his blood-stained dagger towards where the sound came from.

"You should be prepared to die right now."

Did the threatening intimidation work?

Rustle-

The follower revealed themselves from behind a tree.