I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 264

“Are you feeling better?”

“How long was I out?”

“About an hour… I didn’t need to rush out of the dungeon anyway, so I was waiting.”

“But what’s with this position?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m lying with my head on Shinwa’s lap, aren’t I? Did anything happen while I was asleep…?”

“Like there’s anything to see.”

“Oh my! That’s a very rude thing to say, isn’t it?”

“Nothing happened. There wasn’t a comfortable place to lay your head, so I just lent you my lap for a bit.”

“Tch, it’s a shame nothing happened.”

“If you’re awake, let’s check the loot. I made sure to set aside Marina’s share without taking anything extra.”

I helped Marina sit up, and she groggily opened her eyes.

She looked surprised at the sight of the numerous dimension stones piled up beside her.

And for good reason.

Even though she and I simply split the loot 50/50, we each got dimension stones worth 50 billion won [approximately $37 million USD].

And that was just calculating the value of the dimension stones obtained from hunting the boss monster.

If you consider the cash value of the dimension stones obtained from the entire dungeon raid, the profit was close to 100 billion won each [approximately $74 million USD].

It was like obtaining loot that an average Awakened One would have to grind dungeons for years to get, all in one go.

She didn’t ask me if the flower appeared, if I ate it, or what it was like.

That’s because it was already agreed that I would take the flower in exchange for planning the raid, briefing everyone, and acting as the main tank and damage dealer.

It had become an unwritten rule.

So, at least those companions who were ‘used to’ working with me never questioned the loot distribution structure.

“I’d like to go through the loot list one more time before we leave the dungeon, is that okay?”

“Perfect timing, I was just about to take a break since you woke up, Marina. I’ll go for a walk for about 10 minutes. My legs are so numb.”

“Was my head heavy?”

“It wasn’t just your head that was heavy.”

“Shinwa!”

“Hahaha.”

With a good-natured laugh, I patted Marina on the shoulder and went out to the open field.

It was the same place where I had fought a life-or-death battle with Vargas just an hour ago, but now it was desolate.

‘First of all, my magic power has increased significantly. I didn’t expect him to have a buff, unlike in my past life.’

I looked at the buff filling one of the buff slots with a satisfied expression.

[Mana Overcharge]

[If you have a unique means of storing mana in your body, it triples the efficiency of that means.]

It was Mana Overcharge.

Just by the name, it might sound like it has significant side effects or causes a dangerous overload.

But the reality is different.

It was a buff that enhanced the method of utilizing the internal organs to store additional mana.

For me, whose heart is a giant mana storage, the synergy was incredibly good.

If there was a device that could precisely scan the mana in the body!

My heart would be so dense with mana that it would look like a nucleus itself.

In fact, the occasional throbbing in my left chest might be for that reason.

And.

[Judgment Grade: EX-]

“……”

The word that made me excited was proudly welcoming me.

The letters EX were in a sparkling gold color, unlike the usual monochrome status window.

That itself was a sight that clearly emphasized its specialness.

‘I don’t know about Leccetro, but at least I can go up against Elijah.’

I was sure of it.

On the one hand, I was deeply moved.

It had only been about three months since my regression… There were still steps left to reach the EX+ rank, which could be called the true pinnacle.

The fact that I had reached the EX rank in just three months was something that would surprise the whole world.

Of course, I had no intention of revealing it unless there was an official measurement later.

‘Nicholas, you took two years to reach EX rank after regressing, while I did it in three months… My victory!’

I laughed inwardly, muttering nonsense that was clearly absurd.

If he were next to me, he would have reacted intensely, whether by putting me in a headlock, poking my ribs, or swearing at me.

Whish.

A hollow gust of wind felt strangely lonely and cold.

‘Nicholas, the preparation is all done.’

I left a message for him again, one that wouldn’t reach him, or rather, one that I hoped would somehow reach him.

Now it was time to check the talent I gained after absorbing the flower of attributes.

In fact, if an ordinary Awakened One were to eat the flower of attributes, the range of utilization would be limited.

For example, giving an ‘attribute option’ to an attack.

In Marina’s case, she could give a ‘flame’ option to her silver threads to create burning silver threads.

Of course, even this would allow her to experience a very destructive change, so the effect she feels herself is dramatic.

But I had something more that could create a plus alpha concept here.

It was the ability to induce attribute changes by giving attribute options to physical transformation.

In simple terms, it was becoming an attribute human.

Whoosh!

“Ironically, by burning so fiercely, nothing burns; that is what I become.”

My body, which had heated up in an instant, was covered in flames.

But my body and suit were fine.

Because I had become fire itself, I was not affected by the flames at all.

Crack.

Then, as I entered a frozen state.

The hot flames disappeared without a trace, and my body turned into ice colder than a glacier.

The next moment.

‘Then…….’

I repeatedly rotated the surging attribute energy in my body at high speed and stopped it all at once.

It was to implement the best variable that could be created by utilizing the flower of attributes.

“Got it.”

Soon, the change I had thought of occurred in my body, and the variable I wanted was created. It was one of my aims.

“The Praise of Fire and Ice.”

I carefully recited the name that Nicholas had given this ability in my past life as it came to mind.

The coexistence of attributes!

It would definitely be a good means of attack against Elijah, who specializes in fire-only attacks.

The day I meet him is not far off.

* * *

I returned home.

I stopped by the island and rested for a day, and I also checked the progress of the construction with my own eyes, so there was nothing more to do.

John, the commander of the coastal guard of the Lolana Kingdom, said he wanted to meet with me to discuss the bounty, but I refused.

Anyway, the money would be deposited according to the established regulations.

It seemed like meeting him would only lead to unnecessary socializing.

So, I bought him a generous gift along with the message that he had worked hard and sent it with a messenger.

It was a request to handle the bounty well and an expression of my intention not to be bothered.

Anyway, I parted ways with Marina at the international airport of the Lolana Kingdom.

She headed to Japan, and I returned to Korea.

In addition, as soon as the Secret Dungeon reset, I promised to go to Osaka and meet her again.

Meanwhile, on the night of my return.

Jang Dong-shik came to me with a piece of good news.

“Shami, you said? I think I’ve almost found a way to undo Shami’s curse.”

“Almost? What level of progress do you usually call almost?”

“I think I can undo Leccetro’s curse within a month at the latest.”

“So, you’re saying that Shami can become a human instead of a cat in a month?”

“That’s right. I can’t revive the clothes she was wearing when she was alive, but at least I can help her regain her human ‘nakedness’.”

“Oh…! That’s good news!”

When I saw Shami, I always felt sorry for her unfortunate fate, even though it wasn’t a curse I had cast.

In fact, her life wouldn’t change dramatically just because she became a human.

Even if she returned to the Nas Continent in the future, her dead family and relatives would not come back to life.

But I thought it would be meaningful to restore her to her original form since she was originally human.

“Shami said she’s grateful.”

“Shami speaks?”

“No, she writes. She can understand Nas language, so it was a conversation I could have. And I had her take out the frequently used syllable chart separately and point at it with her hand.”

“Writing… That’s amazing.”

“I have to stay close to her to check the curse and research it, but there’s too much silence.”

“I know what you mean. You couldn’t stand the awkwardness, so you found a way to communicate somehow.”

“That’s right.”

Jang Dong-shik smiled awkwardly.

He seemed to be in a good mood as he saw me looking very happy.

After a moment of silence, Jang Dong-shik asked me a question as if he was curious about something.

“Have you done everything you need to do?”

“I’ve done it all.”

“What’s your next goal?”

“Just hunting down the remaining apostles, except for you.”

“Elijah Low. Can you beat the apostle Ricanella? I can’t even judge him rashly.”

“I usually focus on calculating whether I can lose rather than calculating whether I can win.”

“Then what are the chances of losing?”

“I don’t know about losing, but I think I’m confident that I won’t die.”

I said with emphasis, feeling the power of mana filling my whole body.

“I’ll tell you my inner thoughts in advance. I’m from the Apostles. But that’s it. I despise the Lechnat Order more than you think.”

“That’s good enough. As long as you don’t have the intention to betray me, we’ll continue to be partners.”

“……Thank you. I will never forget the grace of protecting Sohee and me.”

“However, there is only one thing I’m worried about. It’s Leccetro’s ‘trace’ that’s implanted in you.”

“Trace? There’s no brand or anything.”

As expected, Jang Dong-shik didn’t know about the ‘Great Shift’. I think it’s a natural result.

Wasn’t it a possession device that Leccetro had implanted in the body of his confidant in preparation for when he was in danger in the future?

There was no way he would have implanted it in a way that he could recognize it. He must have disguised and hidden it as something else.

“I’ll tell you more about this after I collect some more clues. What’s certain is that you still haven’t escaped Leccetro’s grasp.”

“……”

Jang Dong-shik couldn’t speak. But he seemed to believe my words obediently.

Perhaps it was because he sensed through the previous conversation that I knew more than the knowledge he knew as an apostle.

Anyway, when I go to the Nas Continent at the next Secret Dungeon reset, Nicholas will definitely give me the answer.

In addition, I believe that more advanced clues and facts will be delivered to me than in my first visit.

If nothing happens to him…….

* * *

Meanwhile, just before midnight.

Elijah had finished his tiring day and was on the top floor of the Elijah Building.

The top floor is called the ‘Secret Room’ and it is a private space allowed only to executives such as Elijah and Belic.

Pour, pour.

As always, he filled a glass filled with ice halfway with vodka, a pleasant nightly escape.

Just as he was about to sit on the soft sofa and savor what had happened today.

Beep, beep- Beep, beep-.

A call came from a man to a private contact number that was only known to a very few people.

“What’s going on all of a sudden?”

It was Shinwa’s call.