I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 56

56. I’m a Max Level Returner

‘Ah, Marina had a buff enhancement trait, didn’t she?’

Shin Hwa recalled Marina’s trait, which he had forgotten because it was so obvious.

She was more sensitive to buff-related talents, drugs, and potions than other Awakened.

As such, the side effects could be significant, but fortunately, if there were no side effects, the effects would be much greater.

Marina’s red eyes showed that the effect of the enhancement potion was not insignificant.

That look is a kind of warning.

It means that if the body is entering a berserk state, run away if you are an enemy, and stick close if you are an ally.

“Can I move around a bit?”

“Did you think you were going to stay still after drinking the potion?”

Shin Hwa smiled and nodded at Marina’s question.

He told her to drink it to check the effect, but if she stayed still, it would be useless.

The next moment.

Flash! Flash! Flash!

Marina began to move quickly around the spacious house.

Her movements, repeating short leaps and quick landings, were very agile and swift.

Shin Hwa watched Marina’s movements carefully, with his arms crossed.

It was definitely fast and flashy, but not to the point where he couldn’t follow the movements with his eyes.

It wasn’t that she was slow.

It was because Shin Hwa’s prediction and tracking of movements had become faster thanks to the ‘Flower of Transcendence’ he had obtained before.

If this was the case with only a part of the brain’s ability activated, what if the brain’s modification was definitely completed?

‘I can track the movements of multiple people simultaneously and continuously.’

It was like getting a taste of brain modification through tracking Marina’s movements.

In any case, Marina seemed amazed by her much lighter body and improved magic output.

She stopped moving several times, looked at her body with a curious expression, and then moved again.

“Shin Hwa Kang, how on earth did you get this potion recipe? Have you ever obtained a recipe or combination method from a dungeon?”

“If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a trade secret. I will never tell you.”

“Tch. Anyway, I really feel like my combat power has increased by at least twice. And there are no headaches, nausea, or hallucinations.”

Just then.

Creak!

Marina pulled out a strand of shimmering thread from her chest.

‘Silver thread! I’m seeing that disgusting demon’s talent again within days of returning.’

Marina is a special Awakened who can manipulate the bodies of others using silver threads.

She wraps magic power around the silver threads and releases it, tearing into the target’s muscles and planting the roots of the silver threads deep inside.

Then, using both hands, she manipulates the target like a marionette.

“Dummy?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

“Of course, it has to be a dummy, were you going to control me?”

Shin Hwa’s gaze was directed at a dummy in the shape of a human body.

It was a model used instead of a human body when experiments were needed, and it was quite expensive.

Thwack! Thwack!

Soon, the silver threads pierced through the joints of the dummy’s body.

Then, as if it had been given life, the dummy began to move busily from side to side, flying through the air.

From here, if she starts injecting magic power as a combat medic, then the dummy becomes a killing machine.

“Wow… Can you see this? They’re moving faster and more lightly than usual!”

“It’s my first time seeing it.”

Shin Hwa pretended not to know.

He had seen her talent enough in his past life, but officially, it was his first time in this life.

“The dummy’s reaction speed seems to be at least 50% faster than usual. This potion is really amazing! Shin Hwa Kang, you’re really amazing!”

“The strong point is that there are no side effects. And unlike magic power potions, enhancement potions can be taken again immediately when the effect wears off.”

“Why hasn’t the WSA’s [World Superhuman Association’s] research institute been able to create such a potion yet? There are dozens of projects that have been abandoned due to severe side effects in clinical trials.”

“Just because you invest a lot of money doesn’t mean you’ll always get results.”

“You’re different, Shin Hwa, is that it?”

“Aren’t you already experiencing it directly? I don’t think I need to explain it further.”

Marina’s reaction was full of praise.

Shin Hwa also became more relaxed.

If she, who will play the role of the buyer, is greatly satisfied with the product rather than negotiating coldly.

It was because he had calculated that he could sell it to the WSA at a considerable price.

Penny wise, pound foolish.

As the money he had accumulated was steadily becoming his retirement fund, he had a great desire to sell it at a high price.

But just then.

“Shin Hwa Kang.”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to fight the dummy, even if it means smashing it?”

“Are you saying that a S+ rank Awakened is asking a D+ rank Awakened to fight?”

“You know, and I know very well, Shin Hwa? That D+ rank, it doesn’t mean anything.”

“It’s an official measurement value.”

“At the WSA, ranks are just reference data with insufficient importance. We judge by visible skills.”

“If we fight seriously, not only will the dummy be smashed, but the house will be a mess.”

Shin Hwa said as if warning.

A sparring or mock battle with Marina, who is S+ rank, was what he wanted.

Because opportunities to test his current firepower by competing with an Awakened who is higher than him are not so common.

He had smashed Hwang Joon-hyung, who was A rank before, but that was the result of a trick that worked.

Marina is a meticulous person.

If there is a gap in her, it is most likely a lure. That was her repertoire.

At Shin Hwa’s words, Marina smiled. Then, she started pressing several buttons installed on the wall next to her in succession.

Shaaaa! Shaaa!

Then, thick barriers were created in every corner of the house.

“This is no ordinary house, Shin Hwa.”

“……”

He didn’t show it, but he was greatly surprised.

Marina’s house was like a huge fortress.

Looking closely, he could see that dimension stones were embedded in the wall at regular intervals and designed to react in conjunction.

With this level of barrier, even if an outbreak occurred and monsters of B rank or higher swarmed in, it could withstand it for several hours.

‘Later, when I get a private residence or a separate villa, I should make it a fortress like this.’

It was a device that gave him a lot of inspiration.

He had enough power to protect himself, but there was much to learn from Marina’s arrangement to pay more attention to safety.

“Are you ready?”

“Wait a moment.”

Shin Hwa, who always maintains 100% of his magic power circulation, loosened his stiff body slightly.

The dummy looked soft at first glance, but when power was applied through the silver threads, it showed destructive power.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m not trying to harm Shin Hwa.”

“I know. To be serious, I hope you will fight me with all your might.”

“Are you sure?”

“Just don’t die.”

Shin Hwa replied briefly.

It wasn’t an opportunity that came every day, so he wanted to test it thoroughly when it came.

In case, whether he could compete with Marina enough, or even surpass her.

He wanted to realize it directly.

The desire for the end of ability and talent, the ultimate of EX rank, did not disappear even after returning.

Because the order of the Awakened world, where you can earn more money if you have strong power, has never changed.

“Okay, let’s see your skills!”

“I want to return the same words. Let’s appreciate your skills!”

Shin Hwa returned Marina’s words with a pleasant remark and began to take a fighting stance.

Whoosh.

The first choice was the Explosive Fist 4th form, the Fire Fist, a fist technique of fire.

* * *

Some time later.

‘He’s blocking this barrage?’

Marina was greatly embarrassed by Shin Hwa’s brilliant performance. And quite surprised.

Of course, she had no intention of killing Shin Hwa, but she had intended to push him to the limit.

Because only by conducting a test that resembled a real battle could she reliably verify his skills.

In addition, depending on the interest of the VVIP, it was also to test whether he was qualified to meet him.

Currently, Marina’s combat ability was at the SS- rank level, according to her own judgment. It was thanks to the enhancement potion.

However, the problem was Shin Hwa.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Shin Hwa was silently accepting the barrage of attacks from the dummy dancing at her fingertips.

At first, he seemed to be blocking it head-on with the talent of Steel Reinforcement.

But looking closely, he was slightly twisting his body just before the collision to minimize the amount of impact.

He was cleverly achieving maximum defense with minimal tanking.

‘This is advanced martial arts. It’s not something you can acquire overnight, and it’s definitely not innate sense.’

She had reached her current level through mock battles and sparring with numerous Awakened.

Even just by doing a reconnaissance, it was not difficult to gauge the opponent’s skills.

But Shin Hwa received the attack too easily, making Marina’s thought of a full-force barrage pale.

If he knew how to smoothly deflect attacks in this way, the power Shin Hwa felt would be less than S rank.

‘I really didn’t expect this… He wasn’t just talented.’

Marina narrowed her eyes.

She was still focusing all her attention and pushing Shin Hwa roughly, but there were no results.

Of course, Shin Hwa was not able to counterattack her in any significant way.

But the stalemate was not a natural result.

Because the current sparring is clearly a sparring between S+ rank and D+ rank.

It was a battle that had to be packaged with sensational words such as overwhelm, annihilate, and absolute superiority!

‘How can he catch the dummy’s movements so quickly?’

That was the question Marina had.

Shin Hwa’s movements felt like he was seeing her next move in advance and responding.

From the moment Marina flicked her fingertips to control the dummy’s movements through the silver threads.

Shin Hwa was already defending or roughly striking the joints of the dummy that were trying to move with power.

As a result, the dummy could not react in time, or the attack was nullified by a preemptive strike.

‘The Shinchon Station video and the 攻略 of the A+ rank dungeon. I certainly thought it was unusual, but this is more than that.’

Marina was constantly surprised.

From Marina’s point of view, who was trying to raise her own ‘performance’ at the WSA by inviting Shin Hwa as a guest, she had to look at Shin Hwa’s skills objectively more than anyone else.

Even though she looked at it so objectively, the ability Shin Hwa showed was beyond her expectations.

Just then!

Pow!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Shin Hwa’s True Fist exploded on the dummy’s right arm, which had been exposed to effective strikes even while constantly defending.

Then, the dummy’s right arm, which had not been able to withstand it, flew helplessly into the air.

It was an ‘injury’ to the 500 million won dummy, which far exceeded the durability of an A+ rank Awakened when only pure durability was considered.

And.

“Huh, is that all you’ve got? Why don’t you try a little harder?”

Shin Hwa burst into laughter and provocatively provoked Marina.