I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Whoosh.

The exit portal opened immediately.

This was proof that the death of the boss monster was real, not a fake.

“If an EX-rank [the highest possible rank for a monster or Awakened being, signifying near god-like power] had appeared, I would have been on my way to the afterlife.”

Looking back, it was a heart-stopping situation.

With my current level and power, I couldn’t win even if I were resurrected. Of course, there are no variables.

Something fell with a pattering sound in the spot where the boss had scattered into ashes.

It was a top-tier Dimension Stone.

Based on the asking price at the time of its appearance, there were as many as 20 Dimension Stones, each worth well over 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD].

Of course, I have no intention of selling these.

I have to save these rare Dimension Stones because they are hard to come by. Besides, there are many uses for them.

Just then.

Swoosh.

Something fluttered in the warm breeze and fell from the air.

It was a flower.

It was made in a thin and light form, so it floated in the wind like a dandelion seed.

The source was probably the flower dropped by the boss monster that just died.

“Today is a really lucky day.”

Starting with defeating the two Moonlight guys and earning artifacts and bounty rewards.

I was sweeping up everything I needed. It was as if luck had appeared as if it had been waiting.

Every single acquisition was substantial.

I carefully examined the flower that had gently landed on my outstretched palm.

[Flower of Divinity]

[A flower full of divine power; it is a source of divine power that constantly emits a unique aura.]

“This flower comes out here? That’s really unexpected. Well, that’s what dummy dungeons are like… This is really unexpected.”

While wearing a surprised expression, a smile plastered across my face.

That’s because the Flower of Divinity is effective even if you don’t eat it.

If you make this flower into a pendant and wear it around your neck, you can constantly surround yourself with a portion of divine power, like a ‘buff’ [a temporary enhancement or boost].

Moreover.

If Shami is constantly exposed to the steadily emitted divine power, it is also possible to purify her curse.

Actually, I was thinking of other ways to purify Shami, but the process was too complicated, so I was worried.

But if I have the Flower of Divinity, I can just make it into a necklace and have her wear it.

Because a flower the size of a finger joint contains an enormous amount of divine power.

Probably within a month, the Lechero’s curse injected into Shami’s body will be completely purified into the ‘blessing’ of divine power.

‘Even if the curse explodes later due to Lechero, I can use this to purify the corrupted people!’

I cheered.

I was sad that I hadn’t had any easy money since I returned, like a rigged game of Go-Stop [a popular Korean card game often associated with gambling].

But now, luck came to me one after another, giving me exactly what I wanted.

“Yeah, this is how life should be!”

I immediately put the Flower of Divinity into my subspace.

Besides, seeing the top-tier Dimension Stone emitting iridescent light, I felt like I had the whole world.

It was a short and intense, but very fruitful, digression for me.

* * *

The exit portal opened to the entrance of the underground warehouse, and Shin-hwa returned the way he had come.

As expected of the one-time nature of the dummy dungeon, as soon as he came out, the entrance and exit disappeared without a trace.

What greeted Shin-hwa outside the tower was a scene where the situation was almost over.

“Kneel, you bastards!”

“P, please spare me! Please!”

The Moonlight members, bound in ropes, were prostrate with their heads buried in the ground.

Just then.

A group of agents wearing KSA [Korean Special Ability Association] Daejeon branch badges on their left chests rushed in.

They lined up in rows in front of Shin-hwa and bowed at right angles without anyone saying a word.

“Thank you. Thank you so much!”

“Thanks to Kang Shin-hwa, the branch manager was rescued safely. We sincerely thank you!”

“You are the benefactor of the entire Daejeon branch and the benefactor of the KSA!”

“No. I just did what I had to do.”

Shin-hwa shook his head.

Looking around, it seemed that the situation on the ground was definitely in the final stages.

The KSA also decided not to push it any further since they had secured branch manager Han Seung-taek, and they were setting up barricades here and there.

“Shin-hwa!”

It was Jin Bo-mi who greeted Shin-hwa happily.

She ran to Shin-hwa in one breath and checked his condition.

She was worried that he might have been hurt somewhere during his short ‘outing,’ but there seemed to be no problem.

However, an unpleasant odor that she couldn’t openly talk about was emanating from Shin-hwa.

“I had to stir up some dirty garbage. It’s best to keep your distance if possible.”

“It’s okay! It’s like a rustic scent in nature, so it’s okay.”

“That’s a bit…”

Shin-hwa scratched the back of his head.

Even if Jin Bo-mi has a good personality, would she really have a ‘bad taste’ for liking bad smells? I didn’t think so.

“First of all, I’ll tell you about the current situation. According to the information collected through the secured points, it seems that both Moonlight and the Black Cross have all escaped.”

“Are you sure?”

“There are no remaining personnel in the northern and central parts of Bukdaejeon Black Zone. There’s not even an ant left.”

“Joo Cheon-ho seems to have shrunk back because the KSA is mobilizing more cooperative personnel than expected.”

Shin-hwa nodded at the understandable flow of the situation.

The possibility of a large-scale all-out war was small, but Lee Ha-seong didn’t just make empty threats.

In addition, cooperative guilds other than the KSA moved on a large scale, so it seemed that they had run away even faster.

Probably because of this incident, at least half of the Moonlight organization would have been destroyed or its members captured, even if the Black Cross wasn’t.

Just then.

“…?”

Shin-hwa frowned, feeling a murderous aura from somewhere in a building not far from the current location.

It was unusual.

It wasn’t far from here, but it wasn’t close either.

But he could feel a cold murderous aura that pierced through that distance and accurately enveloped him.

However, Jin Bo-mi and the other Awakened people right next to him didn’t seem to notice anything at all.

“Wait, Bo-mi.”

“Yes…?”

“First of all, this is an open field open in all directions, so let’s move slightly to the side path. Take the rest of the people with you.”

“What’s wrong, Shin-hwa?”

“I’ll be back in a minute. I have a bad feeling about something.”

The direction Shin-hwa pointed was south, beyond the barricade, that is, in the direction where the scene had not yet been secured.

“Shin-hwa… Ah!”

Bang!

Before Jin Bo-mi could stop him, Shin-hwa immediately kicked off the asphalt ground and jumped into the air.

At that moment, two clear footprints were imprinted on the spot where Shin-hwa had been standing, and cracks appeared.

“Wow…”

It was visible not only to Jin Bo-mi but also to the Awakened people of the KSA Daejeon branch and the Yanghwa guild members next to her.

Meanwhile.

Shin-hwa didn’t know it, but the Awakened news flash was almost completely covered with stories about Shin-hwa, who had rescued Han Seung-taek.

“Kang Shin-hwa smashed through a triple-structured security door and rescued me as I was dying…”

This was what Han Seung-taek said to the reporters’ microphones before being taken to the hospital.

Needless to say, this comment was repeatedly played and spread through numerous media outlets.

Thanks to this, the Awakened-related community was already in an uproar with stories about Shin-hwa.

There was also the fact that Lee Ha-seong had previously apologized and thanked Shin-hwa in person, and a similar case had occurred this time as well.

Riding on this, reporter Park Hyun-do, who has recently been raising his stock as Shin-hwa’s exclusive reporter, wrote an article.

[Kang Shin-hwa, the hero who has become the KSA’s top helper in name and reality, who is he?]

[Let’s take a closer look at the special qualities of Kang Shin-hwa, this charming man.]

The article, half praise and half promotion, was constantly quoted and spread widely. That’s how the Kang Shin-hwa syndrome was starting!

Of course, he was completely unaware of this situation and was seriously committed to the current situation.

* * *

‘Fast.’

I jumped to the top floor of the building in an instant, and at the same time, I was surprised by the movement of the opponent who was widening the distance that much.

The response was very quick.

But the interesting thing was that the guy stopped when he was at a suitable distance from me.

‘I can’t see well.’

My modified eyes certainly allow me to see farther and without interference, but they are not omnipotent.

In particular, it was even more difficult to figure out because the guy was positioned in the direction where the sand smoke was particularly severe.

Just looking at how he strategically uses the surrounding terrain and environment.

He was definitely smarter than Park Hyung-san or Jeilgeon, who I had faced earlier. He was also more experienced.

Just then.

Quiing!

I saw an arrow flying, tearing through the space sharply.

‘Was it Joo Cheon-ho!’

The leader of the Black Cross and a man with the nickname of Divine Archer, Joo Cheon-ho.

It was obvious that it was his attack.

“Ugh!”

I tilted my head narrowly.

Whoosh!

The arrow, which had been heated red, passed by, cutting through the spot where my left eye had been.

“…”

“…”

We stared at each other as if we had made a promise.

I couldn’t see exactly, but it was clear that we were aware of each other’s existence by silhouette.

‘The monster born from the KSA.’

The ill-fated relationship between Joo Cheon-ho and the KSA has a long history. It’s too hard to list them all.

Of course, that doesn’t justify his evil deeds, but at least I can understand why he became the incarnation of evil.

‘Archery and physical enhancement techniques.’

Joo Cheon-ho’s strengths are his excellent ability to endure with his toughness in close combat with his physical enhancement techniques,

And his accuracy and destructive power in ranged combat, which is called the Divine Archer.

If I exclude Steel Enhancement and compare Joo Cheon-ho and me, his level of physical enhancement was overwhelmingly higher than mine.

‘You never know who’s better until you try!’

I immediately touched the Blink Ring.

A fate that was intertwined with Joo Cheon-ho from the beginning. Then I wanted to compete with him once with strength.

Whoosh!

Soon, the surrounding environment around me was distorted, and then a new scene was revealed as it was recombined.

It was the power of the Blink Ring, which moved a distance of 90m in an instant.

But.

Shooah! Shooah! Shooah!

“Ugh, damn it!”

Teeting! Ting! Ting!

Joo Cheon-ho accurately predicted the point where I would appear, and sent three consecutive arrows to that spot.

If I didn’t have Steel Enhancement, my forehead and left chest, that place… would have been pierced by accurate aiming shots.

He was standing about 30m away from me.

With the bowstring drawn to the maximum, he was in a position where he could snipe me in an instant at any time if he wanted to.

Of course, I wouldn’t just stand by and get hit.

“I finally get to meet the brat whose voice I only heard once. Well, are you ready to die?”

Joo Cheon-ho threw a provocative word that stimulated my desire to win.