The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - Chapter 199: The First Trial (2)

He also seemed to be seeing him for the first time.

Now wasn’t the time to think about Jeffy.

He had received an unexpected proposal.

‘If I join, it makes five.’

If he accepted now, they would form a five-member team and avoid being the last two.

Since John didn’t have a team, he had no reason to refuse.

‘Besides, I could get closer to Black Scythe naturally.’

By becoming comrades now, he might achieve his goal of betraying and killing Black Scythe in the future.

‘I was hesitant about approaching Black Scythe, but this is perfect.’

It was convenient for John that Black Scythe reached out first.

But he didn’t easily grasp Black Scythe’s hand.

It felt suspicious.

‘Why? Why would he want to team up with someone like me…?’

He had to ask, even if he risked getting hit for speaking wrongly.

He needed to understand his intentions.

“Why… why do you want to form a party with me? There must be many others you could choose…”

“No questions asked. Just decide if you will or won’t.”

“…….”

Black Scythe was adamant.

He didn’t give any reasons and only demanded an answer on whether he would join the team.

‘He’s not planning to kill me. Even Black Scythe can’t kill a party member.’

So why?

John pondered over the reason, but Ryu Min didn’t give him time to think.

“I’ll give you ten seconds. Decide quickly.”

“What?”

“If you don’t decide, I’ll assume you’ve refused and find someone else. Ten, nine….”

“W-wait a moment.”

“Eight, seven….”

As time ticked down, John grew anxious.

It felt like he would never get another chance to approach Black Scythe.

With that thought, his complex mind cleared up.

‘Y-yes. For the sake of the plan, I need to….’

With three seconds left, John’s mouth opened.

“F-fine. I’ll join the team.”

“Alright. Then hold hands and recite the initiation phrase.”

The five of them held hands and chanted the party initiation phrase simultaneously.

A golden ring made of letters clasped around their wrists.

[Party number 7,389 has just been formed. Keep it up. There aren’t many slots left.]

People became more desperate under the angel’s goading.

Desperate not to be the last two, they moved frantically, but there were always losers.

[Hahaha! Finally, 7,880 teams have formed, and the unlucky two are left!]

“No, please!”

“Save me, Angel! Please….”

[You should’ve begged others to join their party, not me. Tsk tsk. Goodbye!]

“Nooooooo!”

With the merciless elimination, the screams of the two players echoed like a wail.

[Now that the teams are set, let’s start the quest, shall we?]

With the angel’s words, the background changed.

*

“Huh?”

Ryu Min’s team, who had been in a monochromatic space, found themselves in a dark cave.

Although they were startled to find themselves in a cave, Ryu Min remained calm.

‘It’s finally starting.’

Probably, every team saw the same scenery.

They must have all been dropped into the cave of trials.

“Black Scythe, where are we…?”

“It seems to have started.”

Leaving the startled party members behind, Ryu Min calmly stepped forward.

“We don’t have time to dawdle. The first team to clear the trials survives. I’ll lead, so follow me.”

Without looking back, Ryu Min walked ahead.

“W-wait. Let me cast a buff!”

Min Juri followed, hurriedly casting buffs.

Jeffrey and Ju Seong-tak also followed their leader.

Only John Delgado stood still, staring blankly at the backs of his party members.

‘Damn it, did I really join the party like this?’

Though he had formed a party by chance, Black Scythe wasn’t paying attention to him.

He didn’t say a single thing, just walked ahead, telling them to follow.

‘Is he crazy?’

He couldn’t understand why Black Scythe would team up with someone who was practically an enemy.

‘If only I could stab him in the back of the head right now….’

But he knew it was meaningless to do so now that they were in the same boat.

They had to survive together.

‘Hmph, whatever his intention, I’ll go along for now. At least I’ve gotten close to Black Scythe as planned.’

Comforting himself that he didn’t have to swallow his pride, he followed the group.

In the meantime, the only woman in the group, Min Juri, turned and spoke to him.

“John Delgado. Here, take this buff.”

“Buff?”

Receiving Bless, Swift, and Safety Barrier, John’s eyes widened in disbelief.

‘Crazy! Are my stats really boosted this much?’

All stats increased by 70%, attack, and movement speed by 70%, and a shield to block ambushes.

John could only stare in surprise as the buffer ran ahead again.

*

Ryu Min walked forward, sensing his teammates’ presence.

From the first to the fifth trial.

Since he knew the strategies, there was nothing difficult.

‘We need a tank for the first trial.’

He stopped walking when he encountered a dead end.

The teammates arrived one by one and stood before the wall like Ryu Min.

“The path is… blocked?”

As Min Juri and John Delgado arrived last, the condition was activated, and a message appeared.

[Welcome to the Cave of Trials.]

[We will now begin the first trial.]

└Endure the monsters’ attacks for 10 minutes.

└Success ▶ Unlock the next trial.

└Failure ▶ Eliminate one party member through a vote.

“Endure monsters’ attacks?”

John muttered as if not understanding, but the message wasn’t over.

[Monsters will soon invade the cave.]

[The monsters are under an invincible effect, so they cannot be harmed.]

[If the party endures for 10 minutes without receiving significant damage, the trial will end.]

[However, if the damage exceeds a set threshold, it will be considered a failure even if the party survives for 10 minutes.]

[If you fail to overcome the trial, one party member will be eliminated through a vote.]

“So monsters will invade here.”

“Wait, if our side takes damage, we fail even if we endure?”

John was flustered, but the others remained calm.

They already knew from the prophecy.

‘The first trial requires a tank. By directly taking hits, the tank must minimize damage to the team and withstand the monsters.’

It was a test of the tank’s qualities.

However, Ryu Min’s team didn’t have a tank.

But Min Juri had followed Ryu Min because of the prophecy.

She was told to trust Black Scythe no matter what.

“Everyone, get behind me.”

As Ryu Min moved forward, the teammates backed against the wall.

John stood behind Black Scythe as instructed.

‘What’s he planning? To fend off monsters alone? They’re invincible, so we can’t kill them, right?’

Though unsure what Black Scythe would do, he had no choice but to watch.

[Monsters will appear in 10 seconds. Everyone, prepare for their arrival!]

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