Reaper's Stat Harvest

He tore the scroll clutched in his hand.

The barrier was now in place.

"Heh heh."

Mu-hyuk approached the nearest user first.

Grinning ear to ear, he plunged the dagger in deep—once, twice.

"W-what the hell are you doing?!"

"Doesn't matter. Just die."

"You crazy bastard...!"

How many times did he stab? Finally, the message he'd been waiting for appeared.

Luck was on his side—two stats boosted at once.

Oooh...!

His joy plain on his face, he moved to the next user and killed him too.

"Psycho fucker!"

"Why kill us again?! Shit! How am I supposed to wait another 24 hours?!"

"Ah, damn it...!"

He let their curses flow in one ear and out the other, toying with the dagger.

Next user. Then the one after that.

His stats were climbing at a steep rate.

*

Mu-hyuk stopped after precisely killing nine users.

How high are my stats now?

The thought crossed his mind.

Yeah, might as well.

He wanted to track the changes properly over the course of the day.

Status window.

Ignoring the extras, he checked just the base stats.

Already an insane level. More than enough.

But he could raise them even higher.

So simply, too.

If only a bit more strength or stamina... Well, didn't matter if not.

Anticipation bubbled up naturally.

He memorized the numbers roughly, then resumed stabbing users with the dagger.

"Y-you bastard...!"

"Fuck! Why—why can't we log out?! Why?!"

Many tried logging out, but it was futile. The Sacred Battle Scroll had sealed that option. That's why he could leisurely pick them off one by one.

"You next. Die."

"Y-you...!"

"You too."

"Fuck, shit!"

"You die too."

The dagger swung indifferently.

Poke. Stab. Slash.

The reward? Stats.

This place is the ultimate gold mine.

"T-that psycho...!"

"He's lost it for sure. Even if it's a game..."

"You fucker! Once I'm free...!"

Mu-hyuk stared calmly at the thrashing user.

He leaned in, meeting the man's eyes.

"Then what?"

"N-no, I mean... c-could you spare me just once...?"

"Spare you?"

"H-ha. Yeah. Another death means 24 hours offline..."

"That time doesn't get boring?"

"Hell no. You know that..."

Mu-hyuk grinned.

"That's why I'm killing you."

Purple light gleamed on the dagger.

Storm Slash. Cross Cut.

One swing, and the user dropped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dead.

Two more boosts.

"Urgh...!"

Each stat gain sent waves of euphoria crashing through him. Addictive, for sure.

Am I getting hooked on PK?

With just this dagger, endless PK for stats didn't sound half bad. He shook off the silly thought and scanned the remaining prisoners.

About half left?

Time to pick up the pace.

Storm Slash. Storm Slash. Storm Slash.

Users dropped much faster now.

"Goddamn it..."

By then, most Paradox Guild members had given up. Curses and pleas fell on deaf ears—Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo stayed stone silent.

"Fuck this, I'm never logging back in. Shit!"

"Me too!"

After killing another sixty or so...

"Whew."

Mu-hyuk paused.

"Ah, tiring. You handle the rest."

"Huh? Me?"

"Yeah. Here, dagger."

Sung Min-woo's eyes widened as he took it.

"Whoa, for real?!"

"Yeah. Forty left means four stats. Got it?"

"Hell yeah."

Sung Min-woo's lips curled into a grin.

"Heh heh heh, this'll be fun. I really get to kill 'em?"

"If you don't want it."

"Who said that?!"

With the green light, Sung Min-woo swung. The message popped up after the first kill, hyping him even more.

"Woooo! Awesome, fuckin' awesome!"

Mu-hyuk watched Sung Min-woo's excitement for a moment, then checked his status again.

Each stat up by three, stamina with an extra one.

HP 200, MP 150.

Attack 9, Defense 4.

All secondary stats ticked up too.

Just looking made him feel good. And this wasn't the end. Soon, 150 fresh Paradox recruits would log in. Fifteen more stats incoming.

"Dagger!"

"Hm?"

Apparently, he'd already finished all forty.

"Done?"

"Yeah, got too hyped and went nuts..."

"Stats?"

"Lucky—strength up two. No knowledge or agility, though."

"Stamina and wisdom one each?"

"Yup."

"Not bad."

"Heh heh, pretty sick, right?"

"Yeah, sick. Anyway, let's head out."

"Okay!"

Mu-hyuk returned to his spot, waiting for moonrise that late evening.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Clang!

He pulled out his hammer and started enhancing gear.

*

Paradox Guild Master Taiken crossed his arms.

"Spit it out."

"Yes! The First Guild was founded in Column Village."

"Column Village? Where Mu-hyuk is?"

"Correct."

"That explains the bad vibe."

"Backdoor sent a message—their skills are top-notch. Average user level around 140. Oh, and there's a problem."

"Problem?"

"Yes. Contacted our existing members—they're bound. Likely elite soldiers from the Hemil Empire sent by those mystery figures."

"Tch. Recruited empire elites into the guild, huh?"

Taiken chuckled amusedly, eyeing the gathered executives.

"Clever trick. Not mercenaries—straight-up imperial elites as guildmates? So, what now?"

One spoke up.

"Just rally all our guys and wipe 'em out?"

"Column Village?"

"Yeah, easiest way, right?"

"What about those elites there?"

"Take 'em out too."

Taiken facepalmed in disbelief.

"You think killing Hemil Empire elites won't bite us in the ass, you idiot?! Backed by a duke—a duke! Can you handle that?!"

"Uh, well..."

"Fuck, how are you all so dumb."

"S-sorry."

"Enough. Other ideas!"

A man cleared his throat cautiously.

"Ahem. Don't we have connections in the Hemil Empire too?"

"We do."

"Ask that count for elite soldiers on loan."

Taiken's reaction was much the same.

"You're killing me. Listen—this is a game, but think about their side!"

"Pardon?"

"Get it? Say we borrow elites. Then what? Raid Column Village or First Guild, kill 'em all? Think that count we pulled strings for will back us? Look ahead, not just now. The future!"

Asking for opinions was a mistake.

"Fuck."

Better to think alone.

"Shut up, all of you."

He closed his eyes, deep in thought.

Fishy. Too fishy.

Best option: Crush them in the guild war.

Blame for killing empire elites would fall on Mu-hyuk, not Paradox.

Why? He'd be the one declaring war. But did Mu-hyuk not know that?

He knows.

Then why?

Confident of victory?

On what basis?

Ignorance bred unease.

"Driving me nuts."

Frustration boiled.

But the guild war was set.

No other path.

"..."

No matter how long he pondered, same conclusion.

Taiken's eyes snapped open.

Flash.

No more hesitation—luxury he couldn't afford.

Fine. Let's do it.

"Just win. Win, and it's fine."

He issued orders to the executives in the meeting room.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Hire as many level 120+ mercenaries as possible before the guild war day after tomorrow. Entry fee 10 gold. 10 more per enemy kill."

"Got it!"

"One more. No one skips the war. Tell no-loggers it's a kill-on-sight order."

He'd show them again.

How ruthless Paradox Guild could be.

*

Evening came. Mu-hyuk headed back to the prison, using another Sacred Battle Scroll to block logouts for the logging-in prisoners.

"Heh heh heh."

He tried holding it in, but couldn't.

Laughter kept bubbling out.

At least 120 logging in. As good as 12 stats secured already. How could he not be thrilled?

"Your laugh's kinda evil?"

Even Sung Min-woo, tagging along, couldn't wipe the grin off Mu-hyuk's face.

It was that fun.

"Nah, no dagger this time. Just here to watch. Clears the stress."

"Yeah?"

"Yup. Watching alone does it."

"Fair. Does for me too."

Some Paradox members, clueless, spewed double curses.

"What the fuck are those psychos babbling?!"

"Quit screwing around and untie us!"

Mu-hyuk sensed it was time.

"Alright. Let's start."

Dagger out, he approached a user.

Storm Slash.

Users fell swiftly.

One, two, three...

He counted each kill.

"C-crazy..."

After the last one, Mu-hyuk spoke.

"124."

He checked stats immediately.

His stats had soared even higher.