The 100th Regression of the Max-Level Player - RMLP Chapter 271: Choosing a Faction (Part 1)

ROUND 17

<Quest>
└ Become a commander and win the kingdom war.
[Unified Zone CA-EA001]
└ Participants: 288
└ Completion Status: Undetermined

The first thought that came to mind for the players reading the quest window was this:

‘Ah, so this round doesn’t have a sub-quest.’

It was clear from the fact that the usual label of “<Main Quest>” was now replaced with the simpler “<Quest>.”

Of course, some players had questions.

The part about the “completion status” being listed as “undetermined” stood out to them.

[Curious, aren’t you? Why the completion status is listed as undetermined?]

The players didn’t respond.

The angel, as usual, assumed they were too dumbfounded to speak, but the truth was that they simply weren’t curious.

After all, they already knew the reason from the Black Scythe.

[This round is graciously free of restrictions on the number of survivors. In other words, if everything goes well, all 288 participants might survive.]

All of them could survive?

Apart from the second round where votes determined survival, there hadn’t been a single round where everyone made it out alive.

This was undeniably good news.

But judging from the players’ expressions—devoid of any hint of joy—they weren’t particularly pleased.

[Oh? No one’s happy? Could it be you’ve caught on faster than I expected? Hehe.]

The notion that everyone could survive also implied the opposite: everyone could die.

The angel’s smirk was due to this very implication.

[Sure, there’s a chance all 288 of you could die, but isn’t it still worth celebrating? The possibility of total survival alone is a gift, isn’t it?]

‘Yeah, you’re right, angel.’

Ryu Min quietly agreed with the angel’s words.

The opportunity to save everyone wasn’t something that came around often.

But from the angel’s smug expression, it was clear that they didn’t believe it was possible—not even remotely.

[Anyway, keep in mind that all of you surviving is a possibility, and let me explain the quest now.]

Even though the players already knew the gist of it, they listened closely.

It was a good chance to confirm if the Black Scythe’s prophecy was accurate.

[Currently, the fantasy continent consists of five kingdoms and one empire. Albitz, Braham, Vair, Biso, and Deccan are the kingdoms. Then there’s the Holy Empire. These nations are at war. For simplicity’s sake, all five kingdoms have formed an alliance. So, it’s the Kingdom Alliance versus the Holy Empire.]

Whether this war was an actual event or merely a narrative setting was unclear.

After all, they couldn’t even determine if the inhabitants of this world were NPCs or actual beings from another dimension.

[Here, you must choose between the two factions: Will you fight alongside the allied kingdoms or against the massive Holy Empire?]

In simpler terms, they were being asked to pick the side they thought would win.

[I won’t tell you which side has the advantage. However, I will tell you this: one side is overwhelmingly stronger. So much so that the outcome of the war is almost predetermined.]

This statement served as a warning: choosing poorly might be disastrous.

[The choice of faction is crucial. Your survival hinges on it. I mentioned earlier that all of you could survive this round. If you lead your faction to victory in the war, everyone in that faction will survive, regardless of the total number of survivors. Conversely, if your faction loses the war, everyone in it will perish.]

Tying survival to the chosen faction’s success?
It was clear why this decision was so important.

[Once you’ve chosen a faction, you’ll each take on the role of a commander and engage in the war. Remember when I mentioned this round would require brains, not brawn? This is why. You won’t be fighting directly but will instead use tactics and strategy to lead your faction to victory.]

Direct intervention was prohibited. Commanders could only direct the war from behind the scenes.

This meant that even the Black Scythe couldn’t single-handedly tip the scales of the war.

In war, strategy and tactics always outweighed individual strength.

[So, if you choose the same faction as someone else, work together to devise a strategy for victory.]

In a way, this was just another team-based mission.

The only difference was that this time, physical action wouldn’t play a role.

[That concludes the explanation. The system will provide detailed instructions. Now, let’s proceed to faction selection.]

The angel flapped their wings, and the surroundings darkened.

One by one, the players disappeared—or more accurately, they were transported to individual subspaces.

The angel’s voice echoed once more.

[Startled because you suddenly can’t see anyone? Don’t worry. This is our way of helping you make an easier decision.]

‘Helping, my ass. You just don’t want us coordinating.’

Imagine if all the players could communicate and choose the same faction.

It would lead to only two possible outcomes: either everyone would survive, or everyone would die.

‘Either outcome would ruin the entertainment value of this survival game.’

The game’s designer clearly didn’t want too many survivors.

But at the same time, they didn’t want everyone to die anticlimactically, either.

‘All the previous missions made it clear. The creator of this survival game is a twisted voyeur who enjoys watching humans struggle.’

Preventing collaboration was just another way of keeping things “entertaining.”

[Please touch the faction you wish to align with.]

└ 1. Kingdom Alliance
└ 2. Holy Empire

[If you do not choose within the time limit, your faction will be chosen randomly.]
[Time remaining to make your choice: 00:00:59]

A simple choice between two options.

But the consequences of that choice were anything but simple.

It was a decision that would determine whether one went to heaven or hell.

Of course, Ryu Min already knew which faction the angel had described as “overwhelmingly stronger.”

‘It’s the Holy Empire, obviously.’

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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