I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 171

171

*Tsk. Tsk tsk.*

With my arms crossed, I intently observed the priest as he sucked the blood from the deceased Venera.

Come to think of it, even in my past life, I had never focused so intently on watching the priest’s blood-drinking.

I thought of it as nothing special, like watching a colleague drink water.

There was no need to examine it closely. I just thought, ‘Oh, he’s drinking blood,’ and moved on.

But this time, observing closely, I could see the priest’s blood vessels dilating with each gulp.

For a brief moment, a red hue spread along the blood vessels, centered around his face.

‘He really struggled a lot in my past life.’

Everyone has their own story, but the priest’s story, as I remember it, was quite convoluted.

After all, a priest and blood-drinking is a combination that seems more fitting for movies or novels.

He’s fine now, but as time goes on, blood-drinking becomes an unbearable craving, like a thirst.

So, from around the time I met him, the priest always carried several plastic bags in his bag.

Surprisingly, the contents were his own blood, drawn at intervals, lightly mixed with someone else’s blood.

He said it was a self-devised measure because he couldn’t quench his ‘thirst’ by drinking only 100% of his own blood.

‘Nicholas said that it’s good to quickly promote the growth of those vampire-type awakeners.’

Nicholas was like a walking encyclopedia to me, and I remember everything he said.

Once you reach S-rank or higher, you can break free from primal desires and control the urge to drink blood.

And you can last quite a long time with just one blood-drinking, and you won’t be affected by sunlight at all.

‘I’ll make sure our priest reaches S-rank before I retire. Trust me.’

Muttering these thoughts to myself, where he couldn’t hear, I observed the blood-drinking process.

But right then.

“Kheuueuk!”

Suddenly, a change began to occur throughout the priest’s entire body.

His pupils turned intensely red, his fangs grew abnormally, and all his hair stood on end.

*Kwaaaaa!*

Not only that.

Intense heat poured out from his head, and the priest’s black hair turned white.

All of this happened suddenly in less than a second.

‘It’s a berserk.’

There was no doubt it was a berserk. [A state of uncontrolled rage and heightened power, often temporary.]

It was a golden opportunity to upgrade as an Awakener, but also the most dangerous situation.

“…….”

I prepared myself.

I expected it.

If male firefighters on an emergency call can give CPR to male patients, this is nothing.

In my past life, I had already kissed him and poured the healing energy into his insides several times.

It’s a dark history I’m revealing now, but Nicholas even had a passionate kiss with me once.

Of course, it’s a secret I was supposed to take to the grave…….

Let me say in advance, I absolutely do not enjoy skinship or affection with men.

I’m the type who feels awkward even with hugs or shoulder pats, let alone anything more, so anything beyond that was really a chore.

I’m just doing it mechanically because I have to. But who am I explaining this to so earnestly?

“Haa, haa, haa.”

“I have no choice.”

Looking at the priest, who was breathing heavily, I anticipated the results of the upcoming side effects.

I took out a towel from my subspace [personal storage dimension] and wiped my face clean, then thoroughly gargled with mouthwash.

I couldn’t possibly kiss him with a sugary mouth, could I?

“Ah……?”

“Huh?”

Meanwhile, Yoonbyeol and Han Sojun, who had come closer and were watching, sensed that something was not right.

And just as I diligently approached the priest and was about to lower my head.

“Eue……!”

Yoonbyeol and Han Sojun almost simultaneously squeezed their eyes shut.

I was the same. I couldn’t possibly keep my eyes wide open and pour the healing energy into his mouth.

‘It’s treatment, treatment. It’s treatment!’

After completing my final self-hypnosis.

I finished preparing to inject the healing saliva, created by drawing up as much mana as possible, into the priest.

Then, just as our lips were about to touch.

*Teo-up!*

“Eup?”

Something roughly blocked my mouth.

It was the priest’s right hand.

“I, I’m okay……. The lips are fine……. I can control it. The pain is subsiding right away…….”

“Are you really okay?”

“I wouldn’t joke about risking my life……. Haa, haa. The speed at which Venera’s blood is reacting in my body is beyond imagination.”

“The synergy is good, right?”

“It feels like I’m seeing a high-level essence that exists just for me……. Hoooaa.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. I didn’t want to lose my first kiss like this.”

I joked.

To be exact, it should be said that it was my ‘first kiss’ since returning to this life, but anyway.

At that moment.

“Rank! The rank!”

Suddenly, the priest, who had gotten up doing a backflip, shouted in surprise.

“What is it?”

“It went straight from D+ to C!”

“Really?”

“Wow! This is amazing, really. Is it okay for me to grow this much again?”

The priest was trembling with joy, clenching his fists in both hands.

It’s not difficult for a regressionist [someone who has returned from the future] to find shortcuts.

Even I haven’t been back to the past for two months, and I’m already eyeing A-rank, aren’t I?

“Really, really thank you. Thank you so much, Sinhwa…….”

Before I knew it, the priest was kneeling in front of me, sobbing with his body shaking.

He seemed to be overwhelmed with emotions.

He must have been.

For a long time, he would have been despised by others as an incompetent debuffer.

He’s said hundreds of times that he’s reached a turning point in his life after meeting me, so he must be deeply moved.

‘I’m proud.’

I felt good too.

The feeling of watching the rapid growth of a colleague I couldn’t protect in my past life…… was as happy and rewarding as raising a child.

‘It’ll be alright.’

Perhaps that’s why.

It was sudden, but I also had an unfounded confidence in the future.

Yes.

If you think hard, prepare, and get ready, there’s nothing in the world that can’t be solved. I’m a regressionist.

There was no one who could foresee and prepare more than me.

* * *

Some time later.

[Ability Name: Olfactory Diversification]

[Ability Name: Selective Auditory Enhancement]

‘Good. This is perfect.’

I checked the abilities I had obtained from the two mid-boss monsters I had eliminated in succession, following Venera.

They were abilities that could greatly enhance the sense of smell and hearing for necessary purposes, respectively.

Of course, I ate ‘strange’ parts that are hard to explain in words to get these, but I won’t go into detail.

I am an Awakener who utilizes the body in various ways.

Since I am a body enhancer and a transformation-type Awakener, the more variables I can utilize, the better.

The senses of smell and hearing are of great help in obtaining advanced information that sight may miss.

For example, stealth and tailing are typical examples. Mok Jinwoo and Shin Jeonga believed in that and got badly burned by me.

*Grrr*. *Grrr*.

The figure of Krud, growling angrily and wandering around, can be seen not far away.

The reason why the sound can be heard but no battle is taking place is because he is inside the barrier called the boss room.

The moment you step inside, his eight ferocious legs will pierce everything in sight.

And the eight compound eyes located on his cephalothorax [fused head and thorax] will glare at the uninvited guests, emitting murderous intent.

‘I’ve got all the ingredients.’

The recipe for Krud to synthesize the Flower of Transcendence within his body is complete.

I had to travel all over the southern part of the dungeon and catch three mid-boss monsters for this, so it was quite a forced march.

Thanks to this, the three of them, except for me, are fast asleep in the camping tent during the interlude.

‘Hyung [term for older brother or male friend], recently, I feel like the fluctuation range of mana utilization has increased. Sometimes, the mana circulation accelerates as if it’s suddenly misfiring.’

‘I’ve also been having trouble controlling my mana lately, strangely different from my calculations.’

Meanwhile, I was pondering the words that Han Sojun and Yoonbyeol had said while moving to the final destination.

If you ask if it’s a bad sign, it’s actually the opposite. It’s a very good sign.

From my past life experience, when you have these kinds of realizations, you can achieve a rank-up by pushing your body to the limit.

It’s a kind of prodromal symptom [early indicator], and the most common mistake that Awakeners make at this time is to rest, thinking that their bodies have been overworked.

But you should never do that.

If you push your body to the limit it can withstand, you can break through the wall of limitations and achieve a great rank growth.

‘It seems like it’s time for everyone.’

I’ve been working hard, so it was time to get a big reward.

The higher the rank of my colleagues, the less burden on me.

I’m fully utilizing my colleagues and exclusively taking the flowers and many things I need.

There’s nothing to lose.

“…….”

While my colleagues were resting.

I recalled my past memories of fighting Krud and drew a mock battle in my head.

SS+ rank monster Krud.

Moreover, the madness of the guy who ate the sacrifice to make the Flower of Transcendence will be beyond imagination.

‘The rewards that Krud will give me will be enormous. I’ll take it all. It’s all mine.’

A firm determination arose along with the clenched fist.

The stronger I become, and the wealthier I become, the closer my retirement date will be.

Even if unexpected variables arise, they can be easily resolved with power and money.

Like the ‘century’s blunder’ that the Mok Jinwoo and Shin Jeonga couple showed to the world before.

The sky I looked up at without thinking.

In the cloudy sky, a cloud formation was created that looked exactly like Nicholas.

It seemed to be smiling down at me.

‘Nicholas, I believe. I don’t think you, a regressionist, would have only regressed me. Right?’

The cloud said nothing.

*Gurrrreureung.*

It just made an incomprehensible sound.

* * *

Early the next morning.

Krud, who was guarding the barrier of the boss room called the Garden of Nightmares, immediately sensed the uninvited guest.

He could not forgive anyone who disturbed his rest, so he headed to the scene.

But there, a table was set full of ingredients that smelled like a delicacy he had never expected.

It was Krud’s favorite combination, with the smell of blood and fruit.

So far, countless uninvited guests – Awakeners – have come to him.

They all scattered blood and died from his terrifying roars and merciless attacks that made their limbs tremble.

So, since when.

The uninvited guests who came to this dungeon no longer came to the Garden of Nightmares. As if overwhelmed by his majesty.

So today.

The uninvited guest who came here must have been crazy, really crazy.

“Ho-! Billie Jean is not my lover! She’s just who……!”

It was Sinhwa, in front of Krud.

He was showing off Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, bouncing his hips and body, performing ‘provocation’.