I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 129

129

‘The Hongyeon Guild’s presence at Sinchon Station was practically child’s play.’

I thought, observing the flags of the Elijah Group fluttering on every streetlamp and utility pole along the way to Elijah Park.

From the moment I stepped out of LA International Airport, everything felt connected to them.

Moreover, the Awakened individuals flocking to Elijah Park were all affiliated with the Elijah Group.

Each of them was wearing ultra-luxurious enhanced suits, of course.

There didn’t seem to be any Awakened without artifacts equipped.

‘In my past life, I didn’t pay much attention since they never cooperated from the start… but they’re really huge.’

I had already seen hundreds of Awakened just on the way here. Judging by the level of their equipment, they were all at least B-rank or higher.

This meant that in case of emergency, they could mobilize hundreds of B-rank or higher Awakened in a single area.

This was a number that even Hongyeon or Cheongyeon Guilds, known as the largest guilds in our country, couldn’t match.

‘Elijah, just how deeply have you rooted yourself?’

I couldn’t help but be amazed by his power, which I was realizing anew.

If I turned this guy into an enemy, all of these members would inevitably become my enemies as well.

Anyway, throughout the journey, I carefully observed all the surrounding scenery.

This place, a dungeon-dense area, was originally called Rogers Park in the past.

However, after the Great Cataclysm, many dungeons merged together, creating a hub for Awakened.

Later, it was divided into several guilds, each owning dungeons, until Elijah bought all of these dungeons in a lump sum.

After that, Elijah even bought the park land and changed its name.

‘His business acumen is definitely good. I need to learn from this.’

I nodded repeatedly, looking at the numerous facilities filling the entire park.

The dungeon linkage around Jijeyeok Station that I’m planning is exactly like this.

Although the number of dungeons is somewhat smaller here, the distance between the dungeons is actually closer.

Quietly and meticulously, I took in the scene at a glance.

Even if he’s an enemy, I still need to learn what I can.

15 minutes later.

Our group, having arrived at the deepest part of Elijah Park, all got out of the limousine.

It was quite far from the center of the park, so there were hardly any people around.

That’s because the K-10004 dungeon wasn’t sold by the KSA [Korean Special Ability Association] to the Elijah Group.

So, unless specially arranged, foreign Awakened were not allowed to attack it.

Naturally, the Elijah Group didn’t need to pay much attention to this dungeon, so there was no infrastructure investment.

“Thanks for the ride. I appreciate it.”

As soon as I got out, I greeted Bellic, who had thoroughly played the role of driver.

He wore a strangely ambiguous smile that was almost sinister, but he didn’t say a word to me in the car.

In fact, that’s why I couldn’t figure out his true intentions even more.

“The hotel where the five of you will be staying after the attack is nearby, so please come anytime.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay, everyone, let’s go back!”

As soon as Bellic’s order was given, everyone retreated like a receding tide.

Leaving behind the brief memory of luxury, our group stood in front of the K-10004 dungeon.

Once we finished checking the final preparations and luggage, we would begin the entrance immediately.

* * *

About 5 minutes later.

Bellic, who had been watching Shin-hwa’s group enter the dungeon from a distance, immediately called Elijah Rowe.

“Kang Shin-hwa’s group has entered.”

-Already? The porter shouldn’t have arrived yet.

“They’re storing their luggage separately.”

-Separately?

“It seems they have an artifact that utilizes subspace. It’s my first time seeing it, but…”

-So, he had such a unique artifact?

“Yes, that’s right. And the final confirmation of the participants is complete. It’s the same as we previously identified.”

-That means they’re aiming for an SS-rank dungeon with a composition of five people: A, A, B-, C-, and D.

“It doesn’t make sense, but they all seem confident. No team members raised any doubts.”

-Even considering enhancement potions, the imbalance is too severe. They wouldn’t come all the way here to do something pointless. Are they really that confident?

“Wouldn’t you think so, Master?”

-Hmm….

A deep humming sound came from Elijah’s voice over the smartphone.

Usually, most Awakened can be roughly understood by observing and investigating them.

Shin-hwa was an exception.

The more you know, the more new information is revealed, like peeling an onion.

It’s clear that he’s an ally, but it’s hard to know what he’s really thinking. He’s hiding a lot about his talents as well.

-Bellic.

“Yes.”

-Wait at the Elijah Hotel and, when Kang Shin-hwa comes out after finishing, propose a dungeon attack.

“When you say dungeon…?”

-I’ll send you a list of several dungeons, so request a cooperative attack. Let’s see his skills.

“Will he accept?”

-Nine times out of ten, he’ll go if it’s a dungeon with a big reward for him. He’s very interested in wealth.

“Understood, Master. Please contact me. I’ll investigate Kang Shin-hwa more closely.”

-Yes, do that.

The call between the two ‘Nas Continentals’ who were not born in this world ended like that. The target was Kang Shin-hwa.

They were wondering if Shin-hwa could become their reliable ‘ally’.

* * *

At the same time.

As soon as I entered the dungeon, I provided each of my companions with identification glasses.

The identification glasses, freshly taken out of subspace, were as warm as if they had just been made.

Jin Bo-mi, who put on the identification glasses first, repeatedly took them off and put them back on, saying,

“There’s no prescription?”

“I can’t adjust them to the wearer’s eyesight every time.”

“Ah, right, Shin-hwa.”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you speak casually to me and Han So-joon? You’re treating the other two much more comfortably than before?”

“That’s because you’re not team members.”

“Ah….”

I answered Jin Bo-mi’s question with a sharp tone.

It was a way of keeping a distance between close team relationships and slightly more distant business partners.

If that boundary were to collapse, there would be many complicated problems, so it was a kind of rule I had set.

“It doesn’t matter if you speak casually with the other companions. Just know that my thoughts are a little different.”

“Hmm… I understand. Anyway, these glasses tell you the amount of experience provided by the monster and whether there are dimension stones [rare minerals found in dungeons], right?”

“Seeing is believing.”

I checked the condition of my companions, who had just finished wearing them one after another, and then strode forward.

Unlike other dungeons, the K-10004 dungeon wasn’t teeming with monsters from the entrance.

However, it had a terrain that combined grasslands, forests, and canyons, making it somewhat difficult to secure a wide field of vision.

Climbing a nearby hill, I was able to spot a monster visible beyond the slope below.

‘It’s working well, as expected.’

It was as expected.

The guy in front of me was an Ashpas, a B-rank monster that lived alone, similar to a kangaroo.

Its body was emitting a purple light.

The glasses express the total amount of experience of the monster in rainbow colors.

The closer to red, the more experience, and the closer to purple, the less experience.

‘The experience is very low, but instead, there’s a dimension stone core.’

Judging by the lump next to its heart, I was sure I could get a dimension stone.

“Purple aura! And there’s a heterogeneous lump near its chest!”

“Wow, it’s true!”

“To think that such unique glasses would be created….”

Starting with Jin Bo-mi’s words, I heard voices of wonder.

However, I couldn’t jump to conclusions until I proved it with my own eyes.

I immediately kicked off and flew towards the Ashpas.

Kwaoh!

It had guts.

Usually, when a human suddenly appears when it’s alone, it runs away first.

But the Ashpas rushed at me roughly, extending its clenched fist with all its might, like a boxer.

‘Sorry, but I’m not impressed.’

The Ashpas’s leap was already wrong from the start.

At the uncontrollable apex in the air, the Ashpas was exposing too many gaps.

Pow!

One blow was enough.

The explosive fist, raised vertically from below, perfectly shattered the Ashpas’s chin.

It happened before the guy could even extend half of his confident fist.

“Kkeureureuk….”

While the Ashpas was staggering, momentarily unconscious from the shock.

Pooook!

This time, I stabbed my right arm, which I had transformed into a sword, between the Ashpas’s eyebrows in one swift motion.

Perhaps because of the rapid acceleration due to transcendental acceleration, the blade penetrated deeper than I thought.

The monster’s death.

At the same time, the purple aura split into five strands and naturally permeated all of our bodies.

We had gained experience.

Of course, I don’t know how much this experience will play a role in the next growth.

But at least it was very good to be able to visually know that we had gained experience.

Right then.

“Wow! Look over there! A dimension stone is really coming out!”

I heard Jin Bo-mi’s surprised voice.

“It’s real?”

With Han So-joon.

“No way.”

Yoon Byeol-i’s reaction followed.

“Being able to identify whether or not there is a dimension stone is nothing short of revolutionary. There’s no precedent for this….”

The priest’s reaction, as surprised as Jin Bo-mi, followed. His mouth was wide open enough to fit a fist.

“The first extraction is a high-grade dimension stone. 100 million won [approximately $75,000 USD] with one punch, not bad?”

I showed off the high-grade dimension stone extracted from the Ashpas with a satisfied expression.

This is the power of the identification glasses.

After that.

Our group went through a total of about ten verification processes against the Ashpas.

I was worried that there might be variables in the identification glasses that I hadn’t thought of, even if only one in ten thousand.

Of course, that worry was nothing more than a concern.

The identification glasses’ indication of whether or not the monster possessed a dimension stone never failed even once.

“Our guild also secured a total of three by negotiating with Byeol-i unnie [older sister or female friend], but if it’s this good, it would really be a big help to the guild!”

Jin Bo-mi was checking every monster she could see with the glasses without missing a single one.

She never tells a lie when it comes to the marketability of an item.

She had also cultivated that much discernment while accumulating numerous experiences under Jin Seong-tae.

If Jin Bo-mi evaluates it like this, the reaction of other guilds will probably be even greater than that.

“Does it seem useful?”

“It’s not just useful, it’s a revolutionary invention, as the priest said! It will be a sensational hit product for Awakened who pursue efficiency!”

My thoughts are the same as hers.

She looked at the glasses again and again as if she couldn’t believe it, and then asked me.

“The process of making this isn’t usually complicated, is it? I think it would require a lot of rare materials.”

“I can confidently say that no one but me can make it.”

I said confidently.

In my past life, it was an item that was accidentally developed by an Awakened in 2029, and even then.

“I really want to go back to the past with the knowledge of such a wonderful creation! If my past self made this item before others, how much money would I sweep up and earn?”

Jin Bo-mi said it out of envy, but I was taken aback for a moment when I heard those words.

For now, the stable and clear performance confirmation of the identification glasses is complete.

What remains is the question of how to control the production volume in the future and sell it more wisely!

The highest-grade magic potion.

Enhancement potion.

The third strategic product that I ambitiously developed following the two potions was finally stretching vigorously.