I’M A Max-Level Regressor [EN]: Chapter 262

‘The only person who could face a boss monster nearing EX-rank in a one-on-one fight and pull off something like that is probably Shin-hwa.’

Meanwhile, she focused on blocking the baby golems’ movements, as Shin-hwa had requested.

Marina carefully watched Shin-hwa’s movements.

At first, she didn’t realize it, but Vargas was constantly targeting her.

He seemed more concerned about Marina, who was farther away and whose intentions were unknown, than Shin-hwa, who was nearby.

As time passed, Vargas continued to deploy attribute cannons while simultaneously separating his body.

It was like those robots in animations or movies where the head, hands, and legs separate and fly around.

However, Shin-hwa never missed a beat, perfectly anticipating Vargas’s movements.

Whether he flew his body, absorbed attacks, or actively defended using his talent, he did everything in his power to prevent even a single gust of wind from reaching Marina.

And from some point on, he was moving non-stop, as if in a trance.

Vargas’s movements were so fast that Marina couldn’t keep up.

Shin-hwa’s response was even faster than that.

It felt like Shin-hwa was moving at least 110 when Vargas moved 100.

So, there was no way Vargas’s attack targeting her could succeed. It was truly peaceful where she was.

Clatter. Clatter. Clatter.

Meanwhile, the baby golem, its body bound by the silver thread Marina had deployed, trembled and made metallic noises.

She had worried that the silver thread might not withstand the pressure and break, but it was holding up well.

‘Delay them for exactly 15 minutes, no more, no less. Since a baby golem appears every 30 seconds, that’s enough time for about 30 of them to gather.’

This was the request and mission Shin-hwa had entrusted to her.

Considering that in a normal battle, they would use at most four or five strands of silver thread to handle dummies or living creatures,

this special mission, requiring at least 30 strands of silver thread, was a new challenge for Marina.

‘I’m glad I made extra silver thread in advance. It really does come in handy when you make it.’

Marina felt truly relieved.

The production cost of silver thread was so high that even Marina, who had relatively comfortable finances, would hesitate every time she commissioned its production.

[Vargas’s beloved second component, ‘Ikazella,’ has completed production and is departing.]

‘That’s fast.’

The appearance interval of the baby golems was 30 seconds, but it felt like less than 10 seconds.

Marina looked around.

Then, she saw the second baby golem appearing from the northwest hill.

On the hill, there was an imaginary line Marina had drawn. It was the final defensive line she had envisioned.

‘Shin-hwa must not set foot in this direction even once.’

She bit her lip tightly.

She had relied on others [taken a backseat] more than her fair share.

Now, it was time to earn her keep properly.

Marina pulled the silver thread tighter and headed silently towards the northwest.

There was still much to do.

* * *

As the battle continued, Vargas’s attack patterns became more diverse.

Cheee-.

What greeted me next was a sudden, crude opening of Vargas’s mouth, spewing purple smoke.

‘Poison smoke.’

Smoke containing poison.

Smoke that, if inhaled, would paralyze everything from the inside of the mouth to the bronchi [air passages in the lungs], causing pain.

It would induce a minimum of 5 seconds of stiffness, making it fatal in this kind of battlefield.

Of course, it had no effect on me, with my modified nose, lungs, and esophagus.

“Cough!”

I clutched my neck as if I had been hit by the smoke and trembled painfully.

Thanks to countless practices of this kind of deception in my past life, the realism was Oscar-worthy.

-Kahaha!

Vargas burst into laughter, kicking his heavy body, especially his legs, towards me with all his might.

If I were hit head-on by that leg, not only the suit but also my bones would be unsalvageable.

But the next moment!

Crackle.

I transformed my entire hair into steel and rushed towards Vargas like a spring.

Because the weakest part of Vargas’s entire body was his face.

Only this part was made of soft iron, not steel.

-Ah?

The moment Vargas exclaimed, not expecting the attack.

Thwack!

I slammed my hair directly into his face.

Each strand of hair was as sharp as an awl [a pointed tool for making holes], and its destructive power was comparable to a decent weapon.

-Kuaaa!

At the moment of impact, blood splattered forward from Vargas’s face.

But he was experienced.

Even though his center of gravity was shaken by the blow, he swung his right arm to target me.

It was even a more powerful blow than usual.

He was using a clever trick to turn the crisis into an opportunity.

It was an improvisation that was hard for even boss monsters, let alone ordinary monsters, to come up with.

‘Fast.’

I decided that cleverly taking the hit was more meaningful than dodging.

So, I.

Splash!

Used my liquid transformation talent to absorb Vargas’s surprise counterattack.

-Hoo?

“What do you mean, ‘Hoo,’ you bastard!”

[Activating the Power of Genesis.]

[Activation Period: 1 second]

[Remaining Period: 6 seconds]

When else would I use it if not now?

I activated the Power of Genesis buff.

And as I blocked the counterattack and seized the chance to counterattack again, I relentlessly threw a power fist at Vargas.

[Damage is applied at the maximum of 7 times.]

‘Lucky.’

A smile spread across my face.

The highest-level option came up among the damage multipliers, like a roulette.

Nine layers of Power Fist, Destruction Fist.

This strike, which consumed all of my magic power in an instant, was a devastating blow that couldn’t even be compared to the previous one.

Bang!

-Ugh!

A heavy groan erupted from Vargas, whose only reaction had been short moans until now.

From my perspective, it was like using a ‘super special move’ as a sample.

The composition of the super special move is as follows.

The Power of Genesis, Instant Death Strike.

In addition, the super-awakened state caused by the activation of the Ring of Frenzy.

If these three combinations are achieved, the maximum firepower I can imagine is produced.

Right now, I’ve only mixed the Power of Genesis with the Power Fist. Its destructive power is different from that of the Instant Death Strike.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Vargas’s body, flying in an arc, tumbled awkwardly across the ground for a long time.

When I saw his face sliding straight across the ground at the end, I even felt a strange sense of pleasure.

Of course, I didn’t stop there.

A guy like Vargas will prepare for the next counterattack with just 1 or 2 seconds of leeway.

Unlike other boss monsters, he doesn’t lose his mind with anger or rush in recklessly.

So.

Tap tap tap! Thwack!

I narrowed the distance again and stabbed the back of Vargas’s head with the Stellard Sword, who still hadn’t raised his head.

-Kuaa!

He screamed.

Unlike normal cases, the head was not a vital point, so he didn’t die.

However, the Stellard Sword was embedded deeper than I thought, and the blood and bodily fluids that flowed out of it soaked the floor.

-Do you think I’ll just keep getting hit!

It was Vargas after all.

Even though he was lying face down and couldn’t even lift his head, he bent his arm back and immediately opened fire.

Attribute cannon attack.

This time, the characteristics of all the cannons were set to ‘fire,’ a fiery attack like a blazing inferno.

‘The hell is about to start.’

I gave an ambiguous smile.

Even though I knew the battle would become more difficult.

On the other hand, I was convinced that if I could handle this battle well, I could grow one step further.

In particular, the fire-based attacks among the attribute attacks used by Vargas were also sufficient as ‘pre-practice’ for Elijah.

So it was even more important.

A real battle that must be fought most fiercely, but also the best opportunity for practice.

I wanted to take every second, every attack, and remember it all with my body without wasting a single one.

And.

I completely, perfectly focused only on Vargas.

‘I can do it.’

There was no such thing as impossible.

It was a word I had always repeated to myself countless times since returning.

It might be difficult, but it was never impossible.

This belief was still deeply embedded in my mind at this moment.

* * *

-No matter how much you fly and crawl, you’re still human in the end. I can see your inevitable limits. Hahaha!

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Cough! Cough!”

But as time went on, it was still me who was increasingly being pushed into a corner.

With a dry cough, blood was spat out from the three consecutive attacks I had been hit by in an instant.

From the start, Vargas had a destructive power that was worth facing with an EX-rank Awakened One.

It wasn’t for nothing that Nicholas of EX-rank, me in my past life, and the members of the Nine Lords came to strategize.

The reason was that Vargas’s offense-defense transition was fast and his ability to create variables was excellent.

To handle this alone, you had to be able to constantly judge and move without wasting even 0.1 seconds in battle.

It was fortunate that I had maximized my performance through brain modification; otherwise, other Awakened Ones would have died long ago.

In fact, many Awakened Ones who had attacked this dungeon could not withstand Vargas for more than 5 minutes.

How could such a strategy of simply running away, regardless of the reason, if the results could not be achieved within 5 minutes, have formally circulated among the Awakened Ones?

Vargas was that difficult.

But.

‘15 minutes.’

Before I knew it, I had passed the 15-minute mark, far exceeding the 5 minutes called the limit time—no, three times over.

Perhaps that’s why Vargas’s movements had slowed down noticeably compared to the beginning.

Above all, the firepower of the attribute cannon attack had decreased. It seemed that he, too, was not an infinite engine, and the bottom of his energy resources was gradually being revealed.

In terms of cars, it was like having very poor fuel efficiency, requiring intermediate supply.

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

The baby golems, who were supposed to play the role of that supply unit, were all tied up on the outskirts, stamping their feet in frustration.

‘Damn it, was I too careless?’

When I turned around with a worried feeling, Marina was struggling with a pale face.

That was because she had to continue using a significant amount of magic power to maintain the binding force of the silver thread.

If Marina had the same magic power recovery ability as me, it would have been a worthwhile operation.

The problem was that I belonged to a special case. Marina’s recovery power had a clear limit.

She seemed to be enduring with her mental strength without showing any signs to avoid burdening me.

But the depletion of magic power was never a problem that could be endured with mental strength alone.

If you squeeze out and use the magic power you don’t have to the limit, you could have a heart attack or die instantly from shock.

Marina, who met my eyes with half-open eyes, trembled her bloodless lips and called me.