Chapter 148
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: 148. Abu Bakr
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Boko Haram's leader, Abu Bakr, blinked repeatedly.
He wondered if he was seeing a ghost.
‘Where the hell did that bastard come from? He didn’t even show up on presence detection?’
From the sudden appearance, it seemed like invisibility, but presence detection hadn’t picked him up.
“You bastard, what the fu…….”
Abu Bakr shut his mouth just as he started shouting.
The opponent had sliced the throat of the group member holding the child named Ricky, without any warning.
Cleanly, without a drop of blood spraying.
Then he even leisurely handed the child over to Victor.
Unlike him, Abu Bakr couldn’t afford to be leisurely.
Sweat beaded on his forehead from the tension.
He’d just realized, belatedly, that the man in the white mask wielded a scythe.
‘A player who uses a scythe as a weapon…….’
One figure immediately came to mind, almost like a synonym.
‘Black Scythe?’
Nationality unknown, but always at the top of the global rankings.
Regardless of country, he was known as a monster among players.
‘No way it’s actually Black Scythe?’
Just because the nickname was Scythe, or the class was Reaper, didn’t guarantee he used a scythe.
He hadn’t seen it himself, and it wasn’t confirmed that Black Scythe used one.
It was just a guess.
‘No, even so, those movements…….’
They were no joke.
Not ordinary skill.
He wanted to confirm once more.
Glancing at Victor, who was covering the children’s eyes now that a corpse had appeared, Abu Bakr raised his hand.
Tsss-
The dagger that had left his hand returned to his grasp.
The assassin skill [Dagger Throw] was loaded with one shot.
Flick-!
The dagger flew at bullet-like speed, aimed precisely at the child’s head.
But the white-masked scythe blocked it once again.
Cling-!
This time, he saw it clearly.
‘Not a fluke?’
Reading the trajectory of the flying dagger and precisely raising the scythe to block it?
As expected, no ordinary expert.
“You blocked my attacks twice. You’re no ordinary guy, huh? But wherever you came from, you picked the wrong opponent.”
He’d blocked both daggers aimed at the children.
That confirmed it.
This guy couldn’t beat him.
It was practically impossible to fight while protecting someone, like in the movies.
‘Wanted to play the hero of justice, did you? I’ll show you reality’s different.’
One command from him, and all his subordinates here would spray bullets at the hostages.
How could one person block a hail of bullets?
‘Let’s see if you can protect the kids.’
Grinning like a devil, he opened his mouth to order his men.
That’s when Abu Bakr’s eyebrow twitched.
Sss-
The opponent vanished right before his eyes, as if showing off.
‘What? Didn’t he just use invisibility?’
There should be a cooldown, but he used it again?
Even more astonishing, presence detection lost him completely once invisible.
‘Impressive. But that won’t stop my command…….’
Abu Bakr couldn’t finish the thought.
Kwachik-!
Immense force from behind slammed his face into the floor.
“Grghhh…….”
It felt like his front teeth and nasal bone were shattered.
“B-Boss!”
The white mask, who had gone invisible and appeared behind, pressed harder on Abu Bakr’s head.
“Eeeeek…….”
His mouth was full of dirt, leaving him unable to move.
He wanted to give orders, but couldn’t in this state.
But his men weren’t the type to stand by while their boss was attacked.
“That motherfucker!”
“Save the boss!”
Thirty players charged at the white mask with their weapons drawn to kill him.
The regular members hesitated to aim their guns.
One wrong shot could hit the boss too.
But they didn’t know.
The man pinning their boss was smiling beneath his mask.
* * *
‘H-How is this…….’
Victor’s mouth hung open.
When he realized the kids were targeted because of him, his heart sank.
When the dagger flew at Ricky, his vision went dark.
But then, a savior appeared like a miracle: the white mask.
He was astonished when the man blocked the dagger, but above all, relieved the child’s life was saved.
Now, though, it was even more shocking.
‘H-He’s taking on all those guys alone…….’
No, it wasn’t even a fight.
It was too one-sided to call it a clash.
Players were being shredded by the scythe like moths diving into flames.
Thirty men seemed insufficient in the utterly overwhelming scene.
The kidnapped people, the gun-toting members—everyone froze in horror, watching the massacre.
Everyone except Victor.
“You kids! Turn away now! Don’t look at that!”
“B-But why? I wanna see!”
“Go on, hurry! This isn’t the time!”
“Just a bit longer.”
“Tsk! You ignoring Uncle?”
Worried the kids might get hurt, Victor fretted as they lingered. In the end, he had to ask for nearby help.
“Mr. Marcus! What are you standing around for? Get the kids out of here!”
“Huh? Oh, got it. C’mon, kids, let’s go!”
Snapping to at Victor’s voice?
The other adults, dazedly watching the slaughter, finally started evacuating with the children.
But with so many moving?
They caught the regular members’ eyes, and guns trained on them as expected.
“Where do you punks think you’re going? Get back here! Don’t wanna end up Swiss cheese, you slave bastards?”
“Ah…….”
The fleeing group halted.
Victor sighed.
He’d hoped to sneak the kids out quietly, but it was ruined.
Tatata-tatang-!
Suddenly, gunfire rang out, and the shouting member crumpled.
Tata-tata- Tata-tatata!
Not one—dozens of members fell like reeds, spurting blood.
What was happening? Three members were shooting the rest.
‘W-What’s going on? Suddenly betraying each other?’
Puzzled by the infighting, Victor nearly fainted at the sight of a woman who appeared out of nowhere.
“Now’s the time. Hurry and evacuate everyone.”
The Eastern woman said something, but he couldn’t understand a word.
Her gestures got the message across, though.
‘Oh, she means run fast.’
Nodding at her gratefully, Victor led the people away.
As far from the scene as possible.
* * *
“Argh!”
“Gah!”
“Urk!”
Blood sprayed everywhere in the slaughter.
Watching the hellish scene, Abu Bakr bolted immediately.
‘Fuck, it’s over. He’s way out of my league.’
He’d felt doomed the moment his face hit the floor.
Realizing the strength pinning his head, he’d known early on this was an untouchable being.
‘It’s Black Scythe. That guy really is Black Scythe.’
True to the Reaper class, he slaughtered thirty players without batting an eye.
They were the best picked from his organization, yet they died so pathetically.
‘Today’s the worst luck ever. Fucking hell.’
He had to escape while the guy was busy fighting.
His men’s lives? Didn’t give a shit.
His own neck came first.
‘Allah, why give me this trial?’
He resented God today, but figured it was his own failings.
Surviving to kidnap and kill more infidels who didn’t believe in Allah—that would cleanse his sins.
‘Ah, escaping’s one issue, but first…….’
Hiding behind a building wall mid-sprint, Abu Bakr pulled out his phone.
Tap tap tap-
He fired off a quick text, then peeked out.
‘Motherfucker!’
Presence detection radar pinged one person.
No doubt the Reaper guy.
‘Damn, might not spot me, so invisibility first…….’
Sss- He vanished and ran.
But the nape of his neck was grabbed; the gap had closed.
Kwachik-!
“Gaaack!”
His head smashed into the wall, breaking invisibility.
Brick dust rained down below his forehead.
Flick-
Thrown airborne, he spun six times before thudding to the floor.
“Where do you think you’re running?”
Crunch-
“Gack gack!”
Abu Bakr, ankle crushed by Ryu Min’s foot, had no will to counter the overwhelming power.
“This side too.”
Crunch-
“Aaaagh!”
Ankle shattered, immobile, he was grabbed by the collar and dangled like a rag.
“Come along. Unless you wanna die.”
Ryu Min dragged the half-conscious guy to Yamtti.
“Yamtti. Dominate this bastard. Gotta lure them out like before.”
“Yes, Master.”
Ryu Min eyed Victor, evacuated with the kids.
The sole alchemist, Victor Jafirelle.
Crushing organizations left and right, he’d achieved his two-day goal of rescuing him, but work remained.
He knew this dominated guy wasn’t the IS leader.
‘He’s just a mid-boss. Time to draw out the real one.’
Ryu Min smirked under his mask.
* * *
The anti-state group IS, followers of Islam, had been declining since 2017.
Now, only remnants remained.
Thus, IS’s second caliph and current supreme leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Shami al-Baghdadi, thirsted for revival.
‘Back to the old days, expanding until nations tremble at the name IS.’
Intensify terrorism beyond now, kidnap more children.
Brainwash them into warriors for Allah alone.
That’s why they kidnapped kids.
Investing for glory’s rebirth, for the future.
Players, meanwhile, were investments for the present.
‘Though they plot a downward curve each month.’
IS players active in Nigeria now numbered around 800.
Originally more, but halving monthly.
A few more months, and none left.
Players’ biggest flaw.
Why regular Al-Baghdadi disdained them.
‘Disposable with expiration dates, and not tough enough to dodge bullets…….’
Advantage: enter other countries sans guns for easy terror……
‘But folks won’t leave homes, scared of players these days.’
Even terror conditions sucked.
‘Useless players. Tsk.’
He clicked his tongue, but acknowledged Victor’s potions somewhat.
‘Potions help. Sell on black market, stockpile for later.’
Stockpiling now for the future.
Sell sparingly on PlePle market when funds short.
Normals couldn’t use potions, but players feeding them could grant benefits.
Potion shuttle.
That was players’ worth to Al-Baghdadi.
At least to him.
‘Accelerate terror before players dwindle more.’
He was about to launch a prepared plan.
Regulars and player members together for a masterpiece.
‘A world-shocking terror, and IS regains fame.’
Reviewing the plan again, a text hit Al-Baghdadi’s phone.
[Abu Bakr: Emergency. Organization attacked by presumed Black Scythe.]
‘Black Scythe?’
Even non-player Al-Baghdadi knew the name.
His player underlings hyped it endlessly.
‘89-level player never dropping rank 1?’
Compared to most at 40, strength estimable.
‘If we recruit this guy to IS?’
White House terror—IS’s dream—might happen.
“Finally found a decent player.”
Al-Baghdadi’s eyes curved like crescent moons.