I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 144

March 10th, Afternoon.

I arrived at Krones Island, which had been largely restored, and was taking a break, completely disconnected from civilization.

New palm trees had been planted where the burnt ones had been, a thoughtful gesture from the King.

The bushes and flowers that had burned away were also replaced with pretty ones brought from other parts of the kingdom.

So, at first glance, it looked as if nothing had happened, but I still felt a little uneasy.

“Well, it’s all in the past now.”

Lying in a hammock, I watched the emerald waves rolling in, a contented expression on my face.

Although nothing had been built on the island yet, I was looking forward to developing it from now on.

Meanwhile, the investigation and surveying were being carried out by experts who came with Jin Bo-mi.

“Kuh… This is the life.”

A sip of sparkling water while looking at the sea after a nap was truly heavenly.

It was a happiness you could never experience in Seoul, Korea, but only here.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Jin Bo-mi, dressed in a crop top and skinny jeans, was walking barefoot on the beach.

She also seemed to be completely immersed in the sense of liberation that nature provides, far from everyday life.

For the few hours that I was lying in a hammock enjoying my leisure, she was walking from one end of the beach to the other.

Then, perhaps envious of me enjoying my sparkling water, she quietly came to my side.

“Shin-hwa, do you want to retire as soon as possible and come live here?”

“No need to ask twice.”

“Haha, anyone would think you’ve been suffering the hardships of life for decades. It’s like you’ve transcended life.”

I *have* been through decades of hardship.

In my past life, from the age of twenty-nine when I met Nicholas until I was fifty-six, I was worked like a farmhand.

In total, I was exploited for 27 years, so it wouldn’t be normal if I *didn’t* want to rest.

When I was with Nicholas, I never even went on a single vacation.

His philosophy was that if there was time to rest, we should go to the dungeon and increase our strength.

“I like being surrounded by nature. But enjoying it like this on a short-term basis gets boring quickly.”

“You mean you want to have all the facilities and be self-sufficient on the island?”

“That’s right.”

“We are already focusing on that point and planning to promote development and construction.”

“You’re the only one who quickly understands my needs, Bo-mi.”

“My father is always disappointed. He feels like the guild isn’t good enough, so he couldn’t embrace Shin-hwa.”

“No, it’s okay. Even if I received the best treatment, I would have formed a team anyway. I am always grateful to Yang-hwa Guild. We are still cooperating like this.”

“Shin-hwa.”

“Yes?”

“If I were to join Team Mystic, would there be a spot?”

“There is, but there isn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Bo-mi is someone who needs to hold the center in Yang-hwa Guild. You don’t fit in our team.”

“…Is that so?”

“It would be more productive to think about how to grow Yang-hwa Guild even bigger than it is now. It’s too bad to be satisfied with the 7th-ranked guild, isn’t it?”

If Mok Jin-woo and Shin Jung-ah’s plan fails.

The landscape of Korean guilds will collapse the existing order and be reorganized into a new form.

The KSA [Korean Special Ability Association] would never leave a guild that plotted a conspiracy close to civil war as it is.

Then, starting with Hye-hwa Guild, there will be quite a few disputes among the top 10 guilds.

At this time, it is very important what position Yang-hwa Guild takes.

And Yang-hwa Guild has sufficient financial resources and drive to become a large guild.

It’s just that they have been deliberately suppressing it because they have insisted on nurturing a small number of elites so far.

“I see. That’s too bad.”

“Bo-mi is a really talented Awakened. You have a wonderful shamanic talent that can’t even be compared to others.”

“……”

“Give that power to Yang-hwa Guild a little more. That is the answer.”

“Okay. I’m sorry. I suddenly brought up a heavy topic out of nowhere.”

“Heavy? We’re supposed to talk about this and that. Being honest is good.”

Jin Bo-mi nodded.

She must have been impressed by the synergy and coordination of our team after the dungeon raid in LA last time.

She must have been attracted to the perfectly divided team structure centered around me.

Because in my team, you only need to worry about the part I assign.

It does not require more than ability, fighting spirit, or concentration. That part is my responsibility.

“Shin-hwa!”

“Yes?”

“Are you just going to lie in a hammock after coming all the way to the sea? Don’t do that, let’s go enjoy the water!”

Then, wanting to change her mood, Jin Bo-mi grabbed my hand tightly.

I had brought various items to the makeshift tent set up on the beach.

I had prepared a swimsuit to change into and a mini oxygen tank in case I needed it.

“Are you talking about exploring underwater?”

“Yes, that’s right! I see there are so many creatures visible on the coast, starting with turtles?”

“There’s also a motorboat to ride if necessary. A gift from the King.”

I pointed to the golden motorboat well-parked on the shore.

It was a boat that Ibachson XV gave me as a gift, and he said it was one of the boats he used to ride.

It was all gold-plated, so I initially thought it was a pure gold boat, but it wasn’t. If you’re going to use it, spend some money.

Anyway, I was getting bored of just lying in a hammock and drinking sparkling water, so I thought it was a good idea.

“If Shin-hwa is okay with it, I’d like to get some sea breeze together, how about it?”

“Okay. Let’s go out. That’s why there’s an island and a sea. Isn’t that right?”

“Haha, that’s right!”

“Then let’s go change our clothes. I can’t swim in training clothes.”

“I’ll go change too!”

5 minutes later.

“Wow… Shin-hwa, anyone would think you had abs carved into you! How much do you work out every day?”

“I don’t think we should be saying that to each other? Bo-mi, you’ve really been working out hard, haven’t you?”

“Haha, I live in the training room almost every morning on weekdays.”

We, standing in front of the boat, were complimenting each other’s bodies, which had been honed through exercise.

Of course, physical strength and muscle strength are very important to the Awakened.

Physical strength to endure long-term battles and muscle strength to increase physical abilities instantaneously.

This was also an element that should never be overlooked as a framework that would be the foundation, separate from talent.

Usually, an Awakened who only believes in talent neglects physical strength and muscle strength management and loses his life in the dungeon.

This is because they cannot manage long-term battles or cope with emergency situations, so they die in an instant.

“Are you confident in swimming?”

“I was a national representative when I was in elementary school, though it was only for a short time! Don’t worry!”

“That’s good. I’m confident in swimming as much as you are.”

Vroom!

So, I drove the boat and went straight to the sea near Krones Island.

* * *

‘This is the real taste of a resort. A life of oneness with nature… It’s really good. This is the first time I’ve properly enjoyed the sea since my regression, right?’

Shin-hwa’s mood was very high as he roamed the clear and blue sea.

He met a sea turtle and grabbed its shell and swam with it in the sea.

He went out to the ocean a little more and met a pod of dolphins and stroked their snouts.

It was a series of pleasures that could be enjoyed in nature.

Jin Bo-mi also seemed to be forgetting everything in reality like Shin-hwa and enjoying the pleasures of nature together.

‘I should come often. Until I properly build a building, it will only be a short-term event, but…’

Shin-hwa was completely fascinated by the charm of Krivia Island and its surrounding scenery.

He wanted to settle down here right now, but.

That would just make him a recluse with only an island and no amenities.

I didn’t want that.

Shin-hwa’s dream was to have everything he could, like Jin Seong-tae’s Jeju Island villa.

It was to create Shinhwa Land, complete with various convenience facilities and cultural attractions.

Gurgle.

The underwater exploration continued.

Shin-hwa, using his relaxed lung capacity and mini oxygen tank, dived quite deep and carefully examined the surroundings.

He wondered if there was anything he could give Jin Bo-mi as a souvenir.

But right then.

‘Huh?’

The fish that were swimming in groups seemed to avoid a dark-colored rock whenever they passed it.

It felt like they were swimming in a straight line and then suddenly turning in a different direction as if they were bouncing off something.

‘What is it?’

Is there a predator inside?

Shin-hwa first took Jin Bo-mi, who was above, and went back up to the boat.

“…What’s wrong?”

“I think there’s something strange about that rock, so I wanted Bo-mi to be in a safe place before I looked into it.”

“Okay. I don’t have the means to protect myself, so it would be better for Shin-hwa to go alone.”

Jin Bo-mi nodded.

Her words meant that she could not protect her body with a talent like Shin-hwa’s steel reinforcement.

Even if she was curious, she gave up on the idea of going with him because she knew that it would be a nuisance to Shin-hwa.

“There’s a low probability that it’s an underwater dungeon. If I don’t come back in 5 minutes, assume I’ve entered the dungeon and go back to the beach. Got it?”

“Okay. I know how to drive the boat, so I’ll go and wait.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

Gurgle!

Shin-hwa immediately started diving.

A variable in the sea that sea creatures react to first.

Usually, it’s the appearance of an underwater predator, but Shin-hwa’s intuition was a little different.

Some time later.

‘As expected…’

It was as expected.

When you just looked at it, there was nothing visible through the cracks in the rock.

This was because the light was completely blocked and nothing was flowing out from the inside.

But Shin-hwa also felt the unique magic power that was always subtly emitted near the dimensional gate here.

‘With this level of magic power, it’s easy to miss. Unless you can react as sensitively as I can, you wouldn’t have noticed the flow of magic power.’

That was Shin-hwa’s self-assessment.

Unlike in the air, the flow of magic power doesn’t stretch out; it shatters and scatters as soon as it is released.

That was why it was difficult to find underwater dungeons.

This is because the expansion of magic power is extremely suppressed by water pressure and other factors.

However, Shin-hwa used his unique sensitivity to detect that a very small amount of magic power was being emitted from the rock.

It was proof that it was a dungeon without a doubt.

He wanted to break the rock, but there was room for his body to squeeze in.

Without damaging nature, he carefully held his breath and reduced the volume of his body and slipped into the rock.

Right then.

Whoosh!

As soon as he entered the darkness, Shin-hwa’s body was rapidly swept away as if he was being sucked into something.

The next moment.

“Ah!”

Shin-hwa could clearly feel it in that instant, from the dimensional gate to the dungeon.

“This dungeon is…”