I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It was Jin Bomi.

‘Was the “see you later” from our call this morning supposed to mean seeing each other in front of a dungeon?’ I wondered.

Moreover, Jin Bomi wasn’t alone; she had brought several porters from her guild.

“It’s my Awakened’s first dungeon raid, isn’t it? I came out to celebrate and offer support!”

“I’m pretty sure I said I was going solo?”

“I know. Please understand that this is just a pure desire to repay my benefactor. Use me as a follower or whatever you like!”

This feeling is so unfamiliar.

Seeing the chairman of a large corporation and his daughter treating me so respectfully and politely makes it even more so.

Perhaps it’s because my past self at this age is naturally overlapping with my current self.

Back then, Jin Bomi and Jin Seongtae lived in a separate world, people from a completely different realm.

“It’s okay. I’ve already planned out how to raid it. There’s no need to worry about safety.”

I said calmly.

The loot inside can be secured by obtaining a subspace artifact [an item that allows storage of items in a separate dimension].

Instead of using the exit portal, I can just go back the way I came and collect the loot.

If it were a dungeon raid that was too difficult for me, I would reluctantly accept her kindness.

But I was confident in a C-rank dungeon.

My physical condition now is far better than when I hunted Magos.

I’ve also undergone the Reorganization [a process of enhancing one’s abilities] and diligently purchased expensive equipment.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help? No matter how I think about it, a D-rank Awakened soloing a C-rank dungeon is…”

Jin Bomi tilted her head.

She’s not being unusual.

It was a very natural concern based on common sense.

‘I’m the weird one. I’m surprised too. I can’t believe I’m thinking of soloing a C-rank dungeon on my third day since my Regression [reincarnation or time travel].’

The time it took for the old me to solo a C-rank dungeon was five years after meeting Nicholas.

That would be 2030.

Just calculating it, I’m more than 10 years ahead, and I can’t help but feel good.

To be honest, I wanted to brag to someone.

That I Regressed.

And that I’m growing at a super-fast pace that’s incomparable to you all!

“I appreciate your concern. But it’s okay. I won’t forget your consideration.”

I politely expressed my refusal.

“Am I perhaps a burden to you?”

“No, it’s not like that. Why would I feel burdened by a colleague from the same guild?”

I smiled and shook my head.

Even though we signed a mercenary contract, I’m still a member of the Yanghwa Guild. That means she’s my colleague.

“Ugh! I was going to use Shin-hwa as an excuse to sneak a peek at the dungeon without my father knowing, but I guess not.”

“You should return quickly before the Chairman scolds you. Don’t worry about this place.”

I also greeted the porters, who were looking at me with surprised expressions, with a nod.

They didn’t say it out loud, but they seemed to be thinking this.

‘He’s rejecting the kindness of such a beautiful person, the Chairman’s daughter, at that?’

‘Shouldn’t he be making up excuses to go with her?’

That’s exactly the look they had.

Of course, Jin Bomi had a doll-like appearance comparable to any idol or actress called a goddess.

It was definitely true that she was someone I was attracted to as a woman. My heart even fluttered just by looking at her eyes.

But that was it.

It was like my body was twenty-four years old, but my mind was still in the state of a middle-aged man from my past life.

So, I didn’t easily have desires for romance or anything beyond that.

“Still, I’ll wait here just in case. No matter how I think about it, there are too many risk factors.”

“I won’t stop you from waiting.”

“How long do you think it will take?”

“About 2 hours?”

“Huh?”

Just as Jin Bomi was about to look at me with an expression that said it was nonsense.

“I’ll be back!”

Whoosh.

I was already inside the dungeon.

It was a bold decision I made before the conversation with her, who wanted to be with me, got any longer.

* * *

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a man reject the young lady’s kindness since joining the guild.”

“Do you think he’ll really come back alive? No matter how I think about it, it seems impossible.”

As soon as Shin-hwa entered the dungeon, the porters revealed their true feelings.

They were porters, but they were veterans who had been eating at the same table in the Yanghwa Guild for at least five years.

As porters assisting Jin Bomi, they were experts who knew exactly what to do with just a glance.

Jin Bomi nodded at the porters’ words and replied.

“Even if he’s full of confidence and courage, no one enters a dungeon to die.”

“What could it be?”

“Shin-hwa must have some special talent that he’s hiding from the guild. He definitely does. Something special that can’t be compared to his current rank…”

“Are you saying that he’s hiding his talent from our guild?”

“Yes. I think he has real skills. After all, Shin-hwa was the one who healed me instantly when no one else could.”

Jin Bomi’s wistful eyes scanned the empty space where Shin-hwa had disappeared, his traces.

“Is it true that it will take 2 hours to raid it?”

“Let’s all wait and see. I’m curious. If Shin-hwa finishes the raid in 2 hours as he said.”

“If he finishes?”

At the porter’s question, Jin Bomi added with a much heavier expression than before.

“It would be a big shock to the Master and the Chairman, of course, to me too. Because Awakened who can raid a C-rank dungeon, especially in such a short period, are rare.”

Beep. Beep beep.

Jin Bomi pressed the stopwatch button on the retro-style digital watch.

Interesting and enjoyable.

It was the start of the countdown.

* * *

The first change I made to my body as soon as I entered the dungeon was to transform my right arm into a long blade.

My right arm, imbued with magic, was sharpened like a master craftsman’s sword, unlike its original form.

‘The magic power that goes into maintaining the state is about 1% per minute. But the amount that the magic circuit recovers is enough to cover it, so it’s practically permanent maintenance.’

The calculation was certain.

What always holds back Awakened when they try to unleash their talents to the fullest is always magic power.

Just as a machine cannot run without power, an Awakened’s talent always needs magic power as its driving force.

The problem is that talent exertion always consumes a large amount of magic power, and the recovery rate is significantly low.

This is the background behind the flourishing potion business, which forms a pillar of the Awakened industry.

Swish. Swish.

I gently scratched a rock near the entrance with the tip of my hand, the end of the blade.

Then, a crack appeared in the scratched area, and soon powder fell down.

‘With this cutting power, I can handle ordinary C-rank monsters sufficiently.’

Thud!

I left the heavy camping equipment at the entrance.

It felt like taking off the sandbags I was wearing for training? My body felt lighter, and I felt good.

‘Come to think of it, I was being extravagant bringing camping equipment when I’m going to raid it quickly. Was I too excited? Well, human mistake, it’s okay. It’s okay!’

I immediately stared ahead.

“Grooo.”

“Kyaooo.”

Soon, the monsters that sensed the intruder began to appear one by one in the distance.

“They’re not pleasant guys.”

The official name of the guys greeting me head-on is ‘Bipedal Spider.’

They are also called ‘Human Spiders’ because their walking and running 모습 [Korean word for appearance or figure] are similar to humans.

They look like spiders, but they walk on two legs located at the very back.

The remaining six legs have sharp thorns like rose thorns, making them very threatening weapons.

The height of a Human Spider is about 2m.

So, they could aim at me from a higher point than my 189cm. It’s something to keep in mind when raiding.

‘If they didn’t have legs, they would just be nutritious food.’

Even though they look like spiders, their meat has a flavor that rivals beef.

It’s much tastier than heating up combat rations or 3-minute meals in the dungeon.

I’m planning to cook monster dishes myself when long-term raids are needed in the future.

Because there is a rising formula among monster dishes that creates meaningful changes in the body if eaten consistently over a long period.

Whoosh!

I kicked off the ground and ran, quickly scanning the movements of the Human Spiders that were rushing towards me.

A total of seven.

The forty-two legs that could be a threat are engraved in my eyes as if they were aiming at me simultaneously.

My two eyes, enhanced by the Reorganization, clearly found the Human Spider’s legs that were moving unnaturally or seemed to have minor injuries.

There was quite a distance between me and them, but my improved eyesight completely solved the problem of physical distance.

“Kuwaaaa!”

The Human Spiders, emboldened by their numerical superiority, threatened me by waving their legs wildly.

‘No matter how hard a scarecrow made of rice straw struggles, it will eventually be cut down by a scythe.’

I ran straight at the Human Spider in the lead with a confident smile.

“Waaack!”

The Human Spider simultaneously extended its six legs, full of thorns, towards me with a strange roar.

It was quite threatening.

Of course, the monster’s grotesque appearance also played a big part in that threat.

“No way.”

Swoosh!

“Kueo…?”

The situation ended in an instant.

I drew my right hand along a path that could accurately strike all six legs simultaneously.

Then.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The Human Spider’s legs, cut by the sharp blade, lost their strength and fell helplessly.

It was a loss as powerless as leaves falling in the autumn wind.

Stab!

“Kweck!”

I stabbed the heart of the Human Spider, who was looking at its missing legs with a flustered expression.

The thick outer skin was wrapped around the inside and outside of the chest, but it was helpless against the blade made with my Reorganized arm.

‘The current destructive power of the blade is about B+ rank.’

The measurement of power is also done naturally. I stabbed it to test it out, but it even took the enemy’s life.

This makes the battle much easier.

If I can pierce the outer skin of the chest in one go, I don’t even need to cut off the legs.

“Come on! This is your first time seeing an Awakened like this, right?”

I asked a question that the Human Spider would have nodded to if it knew how to understand words.

Swoosh! Slash! Swish!

I cheerfully cut off the legs of the rushing Human Spiders and forcefully imprinted the mark of death on the chests of the staggering monsters.

These guys, who someone would have to grit their teeth and fight with the determination to lose their lives to defeat.

In front of me, they were nothing more than a scouter to test my Reorganization ability.

The pleasure of overwhelming and annihilating.

The meaning it gave me was clear.

“Power doesn’t lie.”

That in the world of Awakened, power is omnipotent, the source of money, and the source of honor.

As things seemed to be going smoothly from the entrance, my movements became lighter.

“Shall we play a little!”

It was showtime.