Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Episode 45.
The initiation ceremony began.
As they left the room, robes and plain white masks were neatly placed by the door.
Wearing them was, in itself, consent to participate in the initiation ceremony.
Ryan and Gunter donned the masks and robes without hesitation.
Ting-!
[Item Equipped: ‘Mask of the Covenant Bearer (Rare)’]
The robes were ordinary, but the mask was a magical item that would be quite useful for future Order activities.
'Its abilities would only be activated after receiving a Blessing during the initiation ceremony, though.'
It possessed excellent inherent functions for obscuring one's presence to evade surveillance or conceal one's identity.
The other new recruit candidates were all standing in the hallway, wearing robes and masks.
No one here would back out of their choice.
They, too, must have been individuals who decided to face Rutien, carrying their own tragedies.
One of them asked Jedriel, who was standing in the hallway.
“Where are we going?”
“Come, come. Just follow me for now.”
The candidates left the hallway with determined, firm strides.
Some among them exchanged glances of anticipation and goodwill, thinking they would be companions for life.
But Gunter walked forward silently.
'No need to interact.'
The main scenario had begun.
It was time to inject emotion and start calculating.
This was the world of a 'game.'
A stage where efficiency and choices clearly diverged.
From now on, the future difficulty would change depending on whom one formed bonds with and whom one 'invested' in.
And the 45th class was not a particularly outstanding one in the main timeline.
While it would be easy to build rapport as fellow candidates, they were lacking as primary companions to see things through to the end.
For this reason, veteran players usually formed parties solely with characters from other classes.
...In other words, those very main characters were currently attending the initiation ceremony.
It was paramount to leave a deep impression on them.
Even if they couldn't be together immediately, it would surely yield valuable rewards later.
“Sit.”
In the heart of the Sanctuary.
Gunter sat in the seat he was guided to and looked around.
The first thing that caught his eye was the jet-black marble altar directly in front.
And before it, an old man wearing a crow mask was gazing at them with benevolent eyes.
They were eyes filled with warmth, as if looking at his own grandchildren.
'...Grand Crow.'
Of course, his gaze was not the only one falling upon the candidates.
They were currently seated in chairs arranged in a semicircle around the altar, and beyond that lay the elevated 'Observation Seats.'
Seniors in various masks and attire stared intently at them.
The atmosphere was surprisingly not that solemn.
Some were even chatting briefly.
But the new recruit candidates, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, only looked straight ahead.
'.......'
That was why Gunter's movement of turning his head back drew the attention of all the seniors.
...And the gods who were with them.
[The Sworn of the Tattered Banner gazes at you with a sharp gaze]
[The Endless Improver meticulously records and watches you]
[The King of the Coliseum glares]
[The Pilgrim Who Walked the Heavens...]
Messages, too numerous to follow with the eyes, filled his vision.
Gunter nodded silently.
'As expected...'
A large number of characters, from supporting roles and above, were present.
Some were famous figures for whom Rutien had even issued arrest warrants.
The fact that even such individuals had risked appearing spoke volumes.
The meaning of the initiation ceremony for the Night Crow needed no further explanation; it was felt through their very skin.
[Opener of the Red Night waves to you, congratulating you on your reunion]
[Arrow of High Noon stares at you as if searching]
Moon Wolf and Cheongmae, who would be his direct superiors, were also visible.
...At the moment his eyes met Cheongmae's, who was glaring with burning eyes for some reason.
“Come out.”
The voices in the hall fell silent all at once.
All the Order members' gazes shifted towards the front of the altar.
Once again, a low, resonant voice cut through the Sanctuary's stillness.
“Nameless sworn one, come forth.”
The old man's single eye was directed at the person seated in the first seat on the far right of the candidate section.
The candidate who was pointed out took a moment to catch his breath before rising.
Then, he slowly stepped forward to the altar.
'Will that event... trigger?'
It was an event that always occurred in-game, but he didn't know now.
Gunter silently watched the first oath.
Candidate 1 recited the oath with a diligent attitude and respectfully knelt at the Grand Crow's feet.
The Grand Crow placed his hand on the crown of his head.
“O Sovereign of the One-Eyed, O bearer of true sight. Let your servant pierce the fog of falsehood. Guide me, I pray, to the truth beyond delusion.”
His one remaining eye momentarily filled with pitch blackness.
And at that moment—
Crack, Whoosh—!
A blinding flash erupted in all directions.
But something was strange.
The light of rotten blood.
A twisted radiance, like blood mixed with poison, swirled around like mist.
At that moment.
Everyone felt that something was wrong.
The candidates' faces were a mixture of fear and bewilderment.
...Meanwhile, the seniors in the observation seats were expressionless.
Some simply turned their heads, while others sighed as if accustomed to it.
A few even looked down at the altar with noticeably contemptuous gazes.
“Th-that…”
Candidate 1, sensing the ominous atmosphere, stammered and whispered something.
Gunter, who was listening closely from a nearby distance, heard it clearly.
“Ah, ah. O God of Light, Rutien!”
CRACK—
But he couldn't finish the prayer himself.
A sharp form that sprang from behind his neck finished the punctuation mark in his stead.
A blade?
No.
It was a claw.
A bizarre shape made of something neither metal nor bone, but pitch black.
The old man's right hand had transformed into a monstrous form, a mix of human and avian.
He muttered with a sigh—
“They never tire of sending them.”
He spoke as he indifferently withdrew his blood-soaked hand.
“Next sworn one, come forth.”
The body, the blood—everything had vanished cleanly.
The front of the altar was tidied as if nothing had happened.
The Grand Crow's hand had returned to its human form.
However, the candidates understood exactly what had just occurred.
They had all clearly heard the hateful prayer that echoed before the altar.
“……”
A heavy silence.
But—
Swish—
Quietly, but with distinct steps, the second candidate rose and headed towards the altar.
The Grand Crow stood impassively, awaiting him.
“……”
Watching this, Gunter quietly assessed his own position.
Tenth, exactly in the middle.
One spot ahead of him, Ryan, in the adjacent seat, whispered.
“…Damn, this is definitely not a club.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Anyway, is that ritual? A test? Difficult to pass?”
No, it wasn't difficult.
Unless one intended to join the Order with impure motives, they wouldn't be 'eliminated' like that.
But what came next was the real hurdle.
The so-called ability assessment.
The One-Eyed King would personally judge the candidate's 'usefulness' and bestow a corresponding Blessing.
'…If I receive a useless Blessing, expectations within the Order will drop, making it worse than not receiving one.'
In-game, it was divided more intuitively.
Jackpot Blessing.
Decent Blessing.
Bust Blessing.
Jackpot was a trait.
Decent was a skill or equipment item.
Bust was a consumable item.
The results were judged by the radiance that spread over the altar each time an individual's oath concluded.
In case of a bust.
A light akin to one or two faint candlelight flickers would appear.
For a decent Blessing, a strong flash of light would linger on the altar before disappearing.
And a jackpot?
No need to say.
The entire altar would be enveloped in brilliant light.
An overwhelming radiance, so much so that the Grand Crow or the candidate standing before it would be invisible.
Of course, jackpots were extremely rare, even among the entire Night Crow.
The majority were busts, and even decent ones were rare.
Indeed—
'The 45th class is ordinary.'
Gunter nodded at the unfolding events as expected.
Seven people received their oaths.
Yet, up until just before Ryan, there was only one decent Blessing.
The rest were all busts.
“Why, why do I have nothing?”
“……”
There was even a deferral.
There was a candidate who received no Blessing at all.
He stared resentfully at the empty air where no light had appeared... and returned to his seat with slumped shoulders.
“Why on earth… what are the criteria… how much do I hate them! Why don't you know….”
Unfortunately, he would be classified into the reserve unit.
A temporary assignment unit deployed whenever units urgently needed personnel.
It was a unit that inevitably became a scapegoat position often.
Of course, if one achieved notable merit there, they might be given a second chance at a Blessing... but the possibility was infinitesimally slim.
“…Next, come out.”
And so, it was Ryan's turn.
“I’ll be back.”
He left a short remark before heading to the platform silently.
There was no hesitation in his steps.
He recited the oath in the prescribed order, knelt, and bowed his head.
The Sanctuary grew so quiet that even breathing felt cautious.
Wearing the crow mask, the Grand Crow placed his hand on his head.
…It was time to receive the Blessing.
'Ryan….'
Gunter watched with slight tension.
He had made contracts with gods and various stat upgrades for this very moment, but he couldn't be completely at ease.
WHOOSH—!
But his worries were in vain—
'Oh?'
A pure white light appeared above the altar.
The Grand Crow's low voice echoed over Ryan, who was kneeling.
“You are the indignation of the trampled; wield the hammer that crushes evil.”
Simultaneously, the radiance swirling in the air seeped into Ryan's heart.
Ryan gritted his teeth, swallowing a groan.
Gunter shifted his gaze to the system message displayed in the air.
[Party Member, ‘Ryan Parker’, has acquired the Rare-grade skill, ‘Earth Shatter’]
A smile naturally formed on his face.
'Ha, he got a good one.'
'Earth Shatter' was an enhancement skill that drastically increased the destructive power of hammer-type weapons for a certain period.
Upon activation, the hammer was temporarily imbued with a shockwave effect.
On direct hit, it caused powerful knockback and wide-area ground fissures, capable of pushing back even heavily armored enemies or shield-bearing front-line soldiers.
It was particularly specialized for destroying structures and suppressing multiple frontal enemies, making it excellent for breaking through enemy lines.
Although there was a risk of significant recoil on the arms and shoulders after use, limiting weapon usage for a period, it was a staple skill for hammer warriors.
'It's also good against large mothers.'
Ryan's class identity was slowly taking shape.
Frontline damage dealer/tank.
A position essential for any party.
Tsk tsk tsk—
Soon, the light receded, and Ryan slowly rose.
The Grand Crow's pleased voice echoed over him.
“I shall call you by your name. ‘Hungry Bear’. The one who did not fall even after having everything taken away, the one who ultimately chewed and swallowed their rage in silence. Now, execute vengeance in the name of justice.”
“……”
At the same time, the mask he wore rippled and transformed into the shape of a ferocious bear.
“…The one who had everything taken away.”
Ryan murmured as if repeating the words, then lifted his head.
His face, as he returned to his seat, was clearly filled with excitement.
'It's understandable.'
He didn't have many skills yet.
He had contracted with 'The Giant Enduring Thunder,' but he hadn't made an offering.
Since the Grand Crow had paid the price on his behalf and obtained a good skill, he had every reason to be happy.
Clap clap clap—
Some in the hall began to clap.
Moon Wolf also seemed slightly surprised that Ryan, whom Gunter had added as a bonus, had performed so well.
“……”
Gunter slowly raised his head.
“Next, come out.”
Now it was his turn.