I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 172

172

“Cough! Cough! Ha, damn it, you’re disgustingly strong. Well, if even you were easy, it wouldn’t have been worth coming here!”

Ka-ack, spit.

What I spat out with a bitter taste was a lump of blood that looked quite vivid. It had been a while since I’d coughed up blood.

The battle with Krud had been going on for an hour already.

It was a continuous battle with no room to breathe.

Fortunately, Krud’s mobility wasn’t great, so there were occasional moments to rest.

So, I was careful with my mana distribution for a long-term battle, preventing excessive mana consumption.

For now, all the preliminary work was done.

I succeeded in provoking Krud, who was busy dancing and teasing in front of me, into eating the ‘Recipe’.

Right above his head-chest, in what could be called the crown of his head if he were human.

Shaaa.

The red light kept flashing. It was the flash from the flower of transcendence being created.

Of course, Krud wouldn’t know that the spiritual energy in his brain would react with the Recipe to create a flower.

If he were a monster with the ability of transcendence, well… someone would have died a long time ago.

The difference between being able to use your head wisely and not makes a big difference in the outcome of a dungeon.

‘Everyone’s doing well.’

Except for me, the division of roles among the other three was perfect.

Yoon-byeol was diligently moving around, dribbling [herding] the self-destructing baby spiders that were coming out all over the dungeon.

The problem with these baby spiders is that they are incredibly sensitive to the smell of humans and will rush in and self-destruct no matter what.

They have no fear, so they can’t be left alone.

The locations where the baby spiders appear are fixed, but there are quite a few of them.

However, there was a trick.

Controlling the distance.

Then, the baby spiders wouldn’t jump, which is called ‘self-destruct jump’, and would just follow the target.

Yoon-byeol was doing exactly that. Preventing them from suddenly exploding, but keeping them following.

So, she was strutting around the dungeon with many baby spiders in tow, like a mother duck.

‘The debuffs and heals are flawless, everyone’s skills have really improved. I can tell how hard you’ve been training.’

Also, the Priest and Han So-joon were fantastic. Everyone was really performing at 100% or more.

New Nine Lords!

It’s just a name I came up with, but with their current growth, they seem like heroes who are ready for the future.

Kuaaa!

“He doesn’t get tired, does he?”

I thought I could catch my breath for a moment, but Krud started moving his eight legs again and launched a fierce attack.

Pa-pat. Pat. Pat.

Three points are naturally designated in my vision.

Krud’s three legs, which are flying in at the fastest speed, are detected first.

It’s thanks to the power of the ‘Multiple Tracking’ talent I got from killing Venera.

Paaat!

Avoiding what is seen and predicted is easier than eating a piece of cake.

I jumped diagonally with all my might and easily avoided Krud’s attack.

As always, he didn’t aim at all eight legs, so I was able to avoid them safely.

Bang!

Then, I slammed Jin-kwon into the upper part of his head-chest.

Taang! Taang!

I hit him with mana bullets from the Mana Revolver MZ-20, which had its entire charged mana divided into two.

Puhwaaa!

A fairly thick stream of blood spurted out, but Krud didn’t even groan.

‘How thick is his outer skin that he can withstand this much even after being hit by Jin-kwon?’

I couldn’t help but stick out my tongue.

He’s not an easy guy after all.

“Hyung-nim! Be more aggressive!”

Right then.

Han So-joon’s voice was heard, shouting loudly to me from afar.

The fact that he’s ordering me to be aggressive means that my stamina loss rate isn’t that high.

Even though I’m fighting a boss monster, the fact that he doesn’t have to heal me means…….

‘Was my defense mechanism activated without me knowing?’

His words made my vision and senses open up once again.

Clearly, the battle was being carried out cleanly. There was no unnecessary movement.

But.

To me, who had been pouring out fierce attacks and winning with the reliable support of infinite debuffs and healing.

Krud felt like a barrier that I couldn’t overcome. I couldn’t figure out why.

But Han So-joon’s words reminded me of an emotion that I had unconsciously forgotten, or rather, wanted to deny.

‘Fear.’

It was fear of death.

That was no exception for me, who had reached the pinnacle of being called ‘Life Max Level’ in my previous life.

There was always a fear of death.

So, as my position as a member of the Nine Lords became more solid, and as I got involved with more villains, I made my security even more thorough.

‘Come to think of it, Reccello believed in the Flower of Rebirth and fought so recklessly, like he had nothing to lose.’

I naturally recalled it.

His psychology can be inferred from Reccello’s case.

‘I have the Flower of Rebirth, too? I can be resurrected in a flawless state even if I die, and the blessings of God that don’t lose any buffs or talents!’

It felt like an awakening.

It was definitely an emotion I had been missing.

The psychology of taking the pressure off your shoulders by recalling one thing you firmly believe in.

I guess I couldn’t think of that, so my defense mechanism kept being activated unconsciously.

So, even if I poured out fierce attacks, I couldn’t help but worry about powerful counterattacks.

The fear hidden inside me must have led to the pressure of not wanting to die.

The thought that it doesn’t matter if I die.

With that one thought alone, I can put boldness into every attack.

A special perk that allows you to die!

How absurd is this perk? That perk is in my grasp in this life.

‘Good.’

I took the strength out of my body.

Some say that you have to give your opponent a lot of strength to attack them powerfully, but this is not true at all.

When you continue to attack smoothly, without unnecessary movements, without pressure, and along the grain, the opponent takes more damage.

Even if the attack fails, the damage the attacker takes is significantly reduced.

Paaat!

I leaped powerfully towards the direction of Krud’s huge head-chest.

The battle will not end by just dealing with his legs.

Krud’s life will be cut off only when the center of his head-chest, which is the control tower and lifeline, is smashed.

‘Let’s put it down and go. I’m going to be prepared to die and pour it all out.’

I briefly organized my thoughts.

In terms of the game, I felt less pressure because I thought I had one more life.

However.

Kwieeeet!

“Ugh!”

Perhaps because I rushed in too enthusiastically, Krud’s leg attack that swung horizontally struck the side of my body.

Of course, I crossed my arms and received it with body strengthening, so there was no major impact. I just groaned a little.

Kuaaaa!

My body, which flew through the wind, touched the trunk of a tall tree nearby.

Rather, I used the trunk as a stepping stone, pressed my legs together, and then sprang forward again.

Fortunately… no one saw the embarrassing and shameful sight just now.

It was thanks to the fact that the Priest and Han So-joon’s eyes were on Yoon-byeol for a while.

Huwaaa!

Soon, Krud, who met my eyes, spewed out greenish smoke all at once.

Krud’s poison mist.

A mist that causes difficulty in breathing and has a fatal effect on the lungs.

But it’s a mist that has no effect on me, who has lungs that have been modified a long time ago. It just smells disgusting.

‘Simple defense exclusion.’

I set a major premise.

If I start by thinking about blocking Krud’s attacks, I won’t be able to launch a proper attack.

So, I thought of a way to accept Krud’s attacks on the premise of pain and great shock, while also exerting that much pressure.

Back? There is none.

It’s a tactic that only looks forward.

To put it nicely, it’s a tactic, and to put it badly, it’s a ‘reckless’ spirit.

But, my life has always been like that. Especially in my previous life, I lived without thinking deeply.

I’ve become a little more cautious because I have a lot to think about since Nicholas is gone since I regressed…….

Still, my thought circuit is simple. There’s no way it’s an exception in battle.

Cheok!

I climbed onto the center of Krud’s head-chest. It’s the weakest part, but it’s also the location that receives the most fierce counterattacks.

It was a part that I hadn’t easily targeted in previous battles. Because it’s a very dangerous location.

Kwieeee!

As expected, Krud showed a strong rejection and began to twist and move his eight legs.

‘You do it your way. I’m going to go my way.’

I, who had taken my life as collateral and made my mind as light as a feather, shoved Jin-kwon in again.

Kwang!

With the shock wave, the entire head-chest area became ‘soft’, and sufficient defense weakening occurred.

Here, the Bloody Rain from the Priest, which has been pouring down since earlier, further accelerated the weakening of the defense.

Puk!

Then, I stabbed the sword in without regret. And I shook my arms back and forth, left and right, stirring the inside as if grinding it with a mixer.

Uooo!

Krud screamed.

Of course, this is just the beginning.

He’s not stupid.

Wuoong! Huwoong!

As expected, the feast of heavy legs flying towards me with the sound of tearing through the air was seen out of the corner of my eye.

I turned my gaze.

There was nothing that would change as a result of staring at it head-on.

Just like there’s a saying that it hurts less if you get a shot without looking at the needle, it’s better not to look if you’re going to get hit by a leg anyway.

Seureureuk.

I activated the Liquefaction talent.

It’s a valuable talent for me that can significantly weaken the opponent’s powerful attacks.

Puk! Puk! Puk!

“……!”

Extreme pain that couldn’t even be compared to ordinary pain was felt.

However, I silently gritted my teeth and endured with indomitable fighting spirit and mental strength.

Because monsters are simple and use the intruder’s fear, dread, and screams as nourishment to fuel their fighting spirit.

‘Am I a thorny bush?’

I glanced down and saw Krud’s hairy black legs penetrating my liquefied body.

The strength of liquefaction is that you don’t get injured even if you get a penetrating wound like this.

Instead, the pain is conveyed as it is, so ‘mental strength’ is more important than ever.

Keureuk……?

Perhaps because he sensed the change in my mood and response? Krud pretended to tilt his head.

Ssuuk!

But I quickly pulled my body out without paying attention to his reaction. Now is my turn!

This is because Krud also needs to pull his legs all the way out and hit them with propulsion to make an effective attack on me.

‘I’m going to use all the means!’

I immediately summoned a necklace from subspace. Paralysis Necklace.

It was obtained from Akero, and it can sufficiently induce about 3 seconds of paralysis in Krud.

One flower of transcendence.

And his heart, which will greatly increase my mana and lead me to A-rank in an instant!

A sure reward is eagerly waiting for its owner in front of my eyes.

So how can I hesitate!

I have a firm belief, so I am not afraid of death at all.

And.

“Krud, I’ll show you exactly what the madness of a crazy X [person] who isn’t afraid of death is like.”

I made a clear declaration of war to him.