The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - RMLP Chapter 298: Temporary Alliance (Part 1)

Without a moment to think, Min Juri turned her body to check.

A Dark Ancient Tree was staring straight at her.

‘Ah…!’

She was caught.

She had been moving forward without thinking about what might be behind.

Guuuuuuuur—

The creature let out a grotesque wail and extended a tree trunk toward her.

Fwhoosh—!

“Gasp.”

Min Juri flinched as the tree trunk brushed past her side.

If she had dodged even a moment later, her heart might have been pierced.

‘I—I thought it was slow, but it’s incredibly fast?!’

It seemed its movement was slow, but its attacks were fast.

Min Juri, as if realizing this wasn’t the time to be idle, quickly threw herself aside.

Fwhoosh— Fwhoosh—!

Thwack! Thwack!

She ran like mad, using the trees for cover.

She had no confidence in defeating such a fast tree monster.

All she could rely on was the speed buff on her legs.

After putting some distance between them, Min Juri looked back.

‘So it’s only the attacks that are fast. It can’t chase me properly.’

She felt relieved—but she had overlooked something.

In her desperation to escape, she hadn’t paid attention to what was in front of her.

Guuuur?

Guuuuuur.

“Ah…”

Three monsters were staring at her all at once, and Min Juri froze.

‘I-I need to go back the way I came…’

She turned around, only to open her eyes wide in shock.

‘Seo Arin…?’

Seo Arin, the player who had been chasing her moments ago, was now close enough to see with the naked eye.

‘What happened? She was at least 500 meters behind just a bit ago…’

It seemed the distance had closed while Min Juri was focused on the monsters.

Just then, Seo Arin stopped walking, having spotted Min Juri.

Their eyes met, but there was no time for greetings.

“Run! Monsters are chasing me!”

Min Juri gave a brief warning and hurried past Seo Arin, panting.

However, Seo Arin didn’t seem at all flustered, nor did she show any intention of fleeing.

Instead, she began walking in the direction of the monsters.

Min Juri, bewildered, stopped running and shouted.

“What are you doing?! I told you it’s dangerous that way—!”

Thud— Thud— Thud—

While three golems charged in and drew the monsters’ aggro, two soul knights appeared from the side and severed the tree trunks.

Slice— Slice!

Kiiieeek!

As the monster let out a scream, four fairies simultaneously fired beams.

Chiiiieeeek—!

Amidst the searing pain, the trees were reduced to firewood by the soul knights’ relentless slashes.

Watching this in a daze, Min Juri suddenly felt awkward.

Her warning sounded laughable now that the monsters had been cleared so easily.

“What was that you said? That it was dangerous?”

“…I—I thought it was.”

Min Juri, answering like that, suddenly changed her tone and glared sharply.

“Then why were you following me?”

“Following you?”

“Don’t play dumb. You think I didn’t notice you approaching me?”

“Approach you? Me?”

“I saw the distance getting smaller.”

At those words, Seo Arin let out a sigh, looking incredulous.

“I don’t know what misunderstanding you’ve got, but I was just looking for a good hunting spot. That’s why I came this way.”

“S-So you’re saying you weren’t following me?”

“Why would I follow you?”

“W-Well, you have plenty of reasons.”

Seo Arin paused to think for a moment, then let out another sigh.

“So you’re saying I was chasing after you to kill you?”

“I mean… I can’t help but think that.”

“Ha… What kind of person do you think I am? Even if we’re rivals, I’m not the kind of person to commit murder just to win over Black Scythe-nim.”

“Black Scythe-nim? What are you talking about? Didn’t you say you liked Min?”

“Ah!”

Flustered, Seo Arin quickly shut her mouth.

She had made a slip of the tongue by equating Ryu Min with Black Scythe.

“Y-Yeah. I like Ryu Min.”

“But just now, you were talking about winning or losing over Black Scythe-nim.”

“I-It was a mistake.”

“That’s a weird thing to mistake. Their styles are completely different…”

“……”

Min Juri mumbled, but that was all.

She didn’t press further.

Seo Arin let out a quiet sigh of relief.

‘Black Scythe-nim told me to keep it a secret, so I can’t say anything.’

Not that she would believe it even if she said it.

Wasn’t it Min Juri who didn’t believe it even after hearing from the person himself that he was Black Scythe?

‘She should at least be suspicious, so how come she doesn’t know? Is it because they were high school classmates?’

Maybe it was because they were high school classmates that she trusted him even more.

That image of the frail Ryu Min back then must be burned into her memory.

‘Even so, how can someone be this oblivious…’

Seo Arin gave her a pitying look and shook her head slightly, which made Min Juri snap.

“What’s with that annoying look?”

“Nothing.”

“You saying that makes it even more annoying.”

“Wouldn’t you be more annoyed hearing that from someone younger?”

“You think two years makes that big a difference?”

“So you don’t think two years is a big gap? I guess you treated your school seniors like friends?”

“What did you say?”

An argument broke out in the middle of the forest.

It wasn’t the best place to argue, surrounded by monsters, but neither of them seemed to care.

“What are you even doing in this forest with no strength?”

“Don’t assume I came in here because I wanted to! The starting point was here!”

“You would’ve died if I hadn’t shown up.”

“You’re underestimating me because I’m a buffer, huh? I can handle myself just fine!”

“Weren’t you the one who was just running away saying it was dangerous?”

“I avoid poop not because I fear it, but because there’s no reason to step in it.”

“Then I guess you don’t need me to get out of the forest either?”

“Obviously!”

“Fine. I’ll go first. I’ll leave some monsters for you to hunt, so don’t worry.”

“Wow, thank you so much.”

The two bickered and turned their heads at the same time, scoffing.

As if they didn’t want to see each other anymore.

‘If I head back the way Seo Arin came from, I should find an exit.’

Min Juri thought so and started walking. Seo Arin also headed in the opposite direction from where Min Juri had been.

As they walked away from each other, that’s when it happened.

Both stopped walking simultaneously, as if prearranged.

A message had appeared.

Hyung_Otaku

I'm currently Translating the following novels: Pick Me Up! | A Frontline Soldier Awakened as a Gamer In The War! | The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player. If you want to support me and read more chapters please subscribe to my Patreon!

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