Chapter 73
“Hey! Bang Hyuk-min!”
No Death found Hyuk-min sitting on a ledge near the lake by the dorms and approached him.
“What’s that guy doing all alone there? It’s late.”
He was already in a dangerous situation since he revealed that he was a [Legendary Title Holder], so No Death was worried about him disappearing for so long and had come to find him.
“What’s he even doing? He’s not even looking around?”
Hyuk-min didn’t even glance back once, even though No Death was right behind him.
So No Death sat down next to him and stared at Hyuk-min.
His eyes and mouth were wide open as he stared blankly into the air, looking surprised by something.
“Hey! What’s wrong? Did you get poisoned or something?”
“Just… just give me a minute to sort things out.”
“What is it? You know you can’t be wandering around alone like this, right? Not in South Korea, and definitely not overseas.”
Then, Hyuk-min suddenly had a good idea.
He looked at No Death and asked,
“No Death, you were Black Label, so you must know a lot of information, right?”
“What’s with the sudden question? Isn’t that obvious? I worked there for quite a while.”
“Then…”
Hyuk-min’s gaze returned to the empty air over the lake.
More precisely, to the [UNLIMIT] system window with its black background and red border and text.
“Have you ever heard of a black system window?”
“What? What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Or someone who has two [Systems]?”
“Are you seeing ghosts? There’s no way someone like that exists.”
“So you don’t know either…”
A new black system window that even Black Label didn’t know about.
He couldn’t take his eyes off the slightly strange [Stats] within it.
==========
[UNLIMIT Status Window]
[Name: Bang Hyuk-min]
[Level: 5]
[Class: One Who Seeks to Challenge]
[Requirements: 5 / 10]
[Stats] – (Link Available)
==========
With the current system, his [Level] was almost 100, to put it lightly, and all his [Stats] were over three digits.
But now his [Stats] were barely around 10, and his [Level] was 5.
It was too strange.
‘Is it not compatible with the system I’m currently using? Is that why I’m starting over completely?’
If that were the case, then those [Stats] made sense.
Since he was a newbie starting from scratch, it made sense to assign low [Stats] at the beginning.
Even so, there was still something strange.
“But why [Level] 5 of all things? Why not 1?”
“What are you looking at? Are you really possessed?”
No Death waved his hand in the air where Hyuk-min was looking, trying to get his attention as Hyuk-min stared at the [UNLIMIT Status Window], lost in thought.
But with the [UNLIMIT] system window having just opened, he had no attention to spare for No Death.
‘Not [Level] 1, but [Level] 5. That’s weird.’
The most troubling part of his initial assumption was that very point.
The [Level].
The [Status Window] had just opened, so why was he [Level] 5 instead of [Level] 1?
But the [Level] wasn’t the only thing bothering him.
He pressed the (Link Available) button in the [Stat] section, which didn’t exist in the white system window.
Then, the [UNLIMIT] system’s male voice spoke.
[Skill Detected.]
[Skill Possession Confirmed.]
[Suitable Candidate Confirmed.]
[Linking is Available.]
[Skill Detected] meant [Regression Mode].
So, did that mean you had to possess [Regression Mode] to be able to link?
Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine.
The [UNLIMIT] system had appeared to him by chance while he was taking everything from Park Chung-ho.
But was it not a coincidence after all?!
“Hey! Bang Hyuk-min! You’re in a dangerous situation right now! The [Regression Mode] cooldown is over, right? Right?”
He was lost in thought when No Death’s words brushed past his ear, and an unexpected idea popped into his head.
“I’m an idiot. Why didn’t I realize it?”
He had come to see Chang-kyung, so he couldn’t [Level Up] right now.
The best way to confirm the identity of the [Stats] the [UNLIMIT Status Window] was showing him was…
“I have [Regression Mode].”
What better way to deal with a situation that required a big change than [Regression Mode]?
“Ah, right.”
But he had used [Regression Mode] not long ago to open the [UNLIMIT] system window, so it was on a rather long cooldown.
“No, I just used it, so it’s on cooldown.”
“What!? What are you…”
He had come up with a good idea, but it wasn’t something he could confirm right away.
But it was still something.
Now that he had a method, it wouldn’t be a problem as long as he waited for the cooldown to end.
He just felt a little disappointed.
“Too bad.”
Just then.
[Ding.]
A notification sound rang out, and the [UNLIMIT] system window’s unique black system window appeared before his eyes.
[Skill ‘Regression Mode’ is Available for Linking.]
[Proceed with Linking? Yes / No]
Hyuk-min’s eyes slowly widened.
‘It didn’t just detect it? How…’
The white system window he was currently using and the [UNLIMIT] system window were like a thief and a cop, for some reason.
Both were possessed by Hyuk-min, and one was chasing while the other was hiding, with Hyuk-min’s life on the line.
That’s why the two [Systems], which shouldn’t be compatible at all…
‘How does the [UNLIMIT] system know the exact [Skill] name of [Regression Mode]?’
Could they be secretly compatible?
“Hey! Bang Hyuk-min!”
No Death came over and grabbed Hyuk-min’s shoulder, pulling him.
He was so dazed by the series of incomprehensible events that he was easily pulled by No Death.
“Now is not the time for this. Let’s go back to the dorms.”
“Okay. Just wait a minute… just a minute.”
“Hey! You said you didn’t have [Regression Mode]! Let’s go back!”
“I can’t explain it, but this is a very important moment. Just… just trust me and wait.”
He asked the [UNLIMIT] system in his mind.
‘What happens if I proceed with Linking?’
Then, the [UNLIMIT] system’s unique young male voice responded.
[Skill ‘Regression Mode’ Will Return to Its Original Place.]
‘Original place? Wait, so when I was in [Regression Mode], I was able to see the [UNLIMIT] system’s notifications…’
[Skill ‘Regression Mode’ is Owned by the UNLIMIT System.]
It was shocking.
But his eyes, which had widened for a moment, slowly began to return to their original position.
No matter how much a new god had come to him by chance.
Hyuk-min wasn’t naive enough to easily believe such words.
The current system was the practical god that dominated the entire world.
The [UNLIMIT] system was a fugitive running away from that god.
“I can’t let this happen. I have no choice but to drag you away.”
No Death’s hand tightened.
Hyuk-min, without [Regression Mode], couldn’t withstand the power No Death possessed.
“Wait! 10 seconds, no, 15 seconds.”
“Hey, Leader, your body is not just yours anymore. From the moment I decided to follow you, I vowed to protect you. You know your situation better than anyone.”
“I’ll finish in 10 seconds. I don’t want to stop here.”
“I don’t know what you’re doing, but 10 seconds.”
He was dying of curiosity.
The new god was saying more and more shocking things the more he dug into it.
Regardless of whether he believed in the [UNLIMIT] system or not, he was fundamentally curious.
‘When were you created? Who created you?’
[Beep!]
[This Answer is Outside of Permitted Authority.]
‘It said it was activated, but now it needs another authority?’
[The Currently Activated UNLIMIT Interface is at 50 Percent.]
‘What…?’
[A Total of 10 Requirements are Needed to Fully Activate the UNLIMIT Interface.]
[Proceed with Stat Linking?]
[Proceeding Will Increase the Percentage of UNLIMIT Interface Activation to 60 Percent.]
‘If I link, will I be able to hear the answer?’
[Beep!]
[This Answer is Outside of Permitted Authority.]
Just as he was briefly considering whether to link or not!
The [UNLIMIT] system’s following words blew away all of Hyuk-min’s wavering attention.
[Upon Stat Linking, Skill ‘Regression Mode’ Will Be Deleted.]
[Proceed with Linking? Yes / No]
“That’s ridiculous!”
For Hyuk-min, [Regression Mode] was the most powerful [Skill] and an indispensable ability.
It was absurd.
He was so dumbfounded that he unconsciously shouted at the [UNLIMIT] system.
There was no reason to hesitate.
He immediately raised his index finger to press the [No] button.
Just as his index finger was about to touch the [No] button!
Crackle.
The strange phenomenon that had been quiet for a while unfolded.
Along with the crackling sound like an old TV, the [Yes] and [No] selection windows shattered and were pushed away.
In the short time of less than a second that the strange phenomenon manifested.
Press.
Hyuk-min’s whole body froze as the selection window returned to normal.
Because…
The index finger that had been heading for [No] was now located on [Yes].
[Starting Linking.]
“What?!”
What kind of absurd situation was this?
It felt like the sky was falling.
Just as he felt like all the blood in his body was rushing to his head in this ridiculous situation.
The changes taking place in the open white system window and the [UNLIMIT] system window began to unfold before his eyes.
The [Skill] [Regression Mode], which was clearly located in the current system, the system with the white background, gradually turned into powder and scattered.
On the other hand, as the [Skill] [Regression Mode] began to disappear little by little, all the [Stats] in the [UNLIMIT Status Window] changed rapidly.
He was focusing all his attention on the rapidly changing numbers when.
[Ding.]
[Abnormal Phenomenon Occurred.]
[Ding.]
[Higher Than Expected Stats Have Been Confirmed, Increasing Brain Usage.]
Notifications came from both the white system window and the [UNLIMIT] system window with different messages.
However, the messages that came immediately from the two [Systems] were the same.
[Ding.]
[Ding.]
[In 3 Seconds, the User’s Consciousness Will Be Suspended.]
“No Death?”
[3 Seconds.]
“What is it?”
“I’m screwed.”
[2 Seconds.]
“Please get me back to the dorms.”
[1 Second.]
“What are yo…”
Thud.
Before he could hear all of No Death’s words, Hyuk-min fainted on the spot.
“Damn it, I don’t know what to make of Leader, but I understand him less and less.”
No Death frowned as he caught Hyuk-min, who was about to fall.
He looked around.
“That’s right!? It is. That’s the guy. The one who was on the news recently.”
“Right? That [Legendary Title Holder]?”
“Why is he here instead of in Korea?”
“Ah! I think I heard from a public security friend that they’re offering a reward for information on that Korean’s location…”
“Really? Shouldn’t we tell them? He’s right there.”
No Death shook his head at the sight of the people gathering one by one and looked at Hyuk-min.
“You’re a very famous person. In a bad way, of course.”
He lightly slung Hyuk-min over his shoulder.
“What are you doing, coming to China, where things aren’t even good, and acting like this, Bang Hyuk-min.”
Swish.
He looked around one more time and pulled down the skull beanie he was wearing.
Then, black smoke slowly began to rise from No Death’s feet.
“What’s that?”
“Where’s that fog coming from?”
Just as the rising black smoke completely swallowed No Death and Hyuk-min.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind blew from somewhere and instantly blew away all the black smoke.
“What!? Where did they go!”
“Find them!”
And like a lie, No Death and Hyuk-min’s figures completely disappeared with the black smoke.
So quickly and discreetly that no one around them noticed.
Even now, as he was cutting through the air at high speed with No Death’s [Spirit Materialization].
Changes were taking place in Hyuk-min’s two [Systems].
Rustle.
The [Skill] [Regression Mode] was disappearing.
Beep.
The [Stats] of the [UNLIMIT] system were changing each time the [Skill] [Regression Mode] disappeared.
Just as the letter ‘d’ in the word ‘Regression Mode’ disappeared.
Click!
Mana, among the [Stats] in the [UNLIMIT Status Window] that had been spinning rapidly, stopped spinning.
Mana: 31
Click, click!
It wasn’t just the Mana Stat in the [UNLIMIT Status Window] that changed as the rotation stopped.
The Mana Stat in the white system window, called the god of the current world, also changed.
Mana: 210.
And that was… a huge change.