Chapter 183
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: Justification
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John Delgado was a man brimming with resentment toward the world.
Despite being a healthy man in his late twenties, he had nothing to show for it—no job, no marriage, no accomplishments.
*It's all the world's fault. The world needs to be destroyed.*
That habitual wish came true like a lie when 2022 arrived.
The angels' survival game.
Within it, John obtained the mighty class of Necromancer.
*"I can command the souls of the dead as my familiars?"*
A class that collected souls and reborn them as spirit undead.
Spirit undead only took damage from magic, making them hard to kill.
It was straight-up broken.
Magic-using monsters were rare to begin with.
*"And not just monsters—I can turn players into familiars too."*
True, undead players only wielded half their original power, but that was still something.
*"Dozens of them at that."*
The number of undead he could command equaled his Necromancer level.
Level 40 meant 40 undead; level 99 meant 99.
*"Insane. Total mafia boss necromancer vibe."*
John wasn't confident in frontline fighting, but he knew he could direct from the back.
He quickly claimed the top spot in his zone ranking.
Though he never cracked the global rankings.
*"Fuck, I'm number one in my zone—why haven't I ever made the global top once?"*
John was perpetually stuck at 4th in the global rankings.
He couldn't wrap his head around it.
He'd become a powerhouse who could lay waste to battlefields with dozens of summons, yet there were three players stronger than him?
Especially baffling was the constant global number one: Black Scythe.
*"What the hell is that guy's deal? How's his level that high? What's a Reaper class even?"*
His own class was rare too, but he'd never seen a nickname and class match so perfectly.
*"I need to get stronger. Need stronger familiars."*
No more filling numbers with trash monsters. Only players from here on.
He wanted bosses only, but bosses couldn't be turned into familiars, so no dice.
*"I'll start a religion. The Church of Despair. Gather players that way."*
Then he could convert them into familiars in a pinch and scout talent.
And so John founded the Church of Despair and went recruiting members.
He pulled in a few from his zone, but it wasn't enough.
*"No point limiting to other realms. Gotta recruit from reality too."*
He preached that players were the new elite, that the old world needed plunging into despair to birth a new one.
Naturally, he got treated like a cultist or con artist and shown the door everywhere.
Sometimes brawls escalated to murder.
Even so, John never gave up.
Whenever he heard of a promising player, he'd chase them down regardless of region.
That's when he got word from a player in another zone.
About a Saintess.
*"Our zone has this priest named Christine. They call her the Saintess—over 50 followers easy."*
A Saintess?
John was dumbfounded.
*"She's building a religion and power base like me?"*
He learned later it wasn't actually a religion, but whatever.
A rival had appeared—that much was fact.
*"Gotta dismantle her faction. And snag that priest as a familiar."*
John granted the informant a high cardinal position in the Church of Despair.
And gave him one mission.
Infiltrate as a follower and act as a spy.
*"Your will be done, High Priest."*
Berbere was a capable spy.
He acted without blowing cover, bringing intel on the Saintess each round.
Some days, it was top-tier stuff.
*"There's a paladin named Douglas inside. He's obsessed with the Saintess, but he's got grievances building. Play him right, and we can flip him."*
*"A traitor would be ideal. Reel him in."*
They flipped Douglas too and bided time to kill Christine.
Different zones meant no direct meetings, but opportunity would come.
Fellow Americans—zone mergers would bring them together eventually.
After gathering 200 followers, round 11 arrived.
The zones merged.
America's seven zones fused into one.
*"Finally, the time has come."*
John decided to kill the Saintess and shatter her faction.
No need to spare followers either.
*"Each one's valuable points—gotta wipe them all."*
Same country or not, they were rivals in zone-based team wars.
Competitors to crush.
No reason to let them live.
*"The Saintess is a must—kill and make her my familiar."*
The plan launched, Douglas betrayed as planned...
*"Damn paladin betrays our church and steals the Saintess?"*
They caught and killed him just in time, but another interloper appeared.
*"Who the fuck is this guy?"*
A man with a massive scythe slung over his shoulder.
*"A scythe?"*
One nickname sprang to mind.
*"Nah, can't be that guy."*
What were the odds of running into global rank 1 at the critical moment?
Probably not Black Scythe.
Scythes were common shop items—not reaper exclusives.
*"Even so, no ordinary guy. One-shot my undead."*
He might know their magic weakness, but still not someone to underestimate.
"What are you?"
"Just a passerby."
Asian-looking, but spoke English.
Eyes closed, you could mistake him for American—accent was that good.
*"Black Scythe an Asian?"*
Didn't matter. Couldn't let him interfere.
"If you're just passing through, mind your business and keep walking."
John gave the presumed Black Scythe an out.
No interest in needless fights with third parties.
*"Honestly, he looks strong. Would rather not tangle if possible."*
But the guy had no intention of leaving.
"Looks like that woman's in danger. Or am I wrong?"
"I said butt out."
"How can I ignore someone in trouble?"
"I'll overlook you killing my familiars. Now go. Last warning."
He glared murderously, ready to summon.
*"No ordinary foe. Can't let his presence rattle me."*
If it came to blows, he'd go all out to kill.
He waited for the response with that in mind.
Predictable, of course.
*"'Can't ignore injustice,' blah blah, white knight bullshit."*
Sudden intervention screamed it.
He was already set on playing hero.
But then the unexpected.
"Got it. Guess I was sticking my nose in. I'll be on my way."
The presumed Black Scythe agreed to leave without fuss.
Christine, watching, couldn't hide her shock.
*"He... wasn't here to save me?"*
No joke—he turned away indifferently.
Panicked, she yelled at his back.
"H-Help! He's trying to kill me!"
"Shut your trap, bitch!"
Before the man changed his mind, John ordered his remaining undead.
Kill the Saintess now.
But.
Crackle-crackle-!
The attack missed.
Ryu Min unleashed electricity again, obliterating the undead.
"What the hell! You said you wouldn't interfere!"
"Even so, I don't wanna watch someone die right in front of me. Mind waiting till I'm gone?"
"......"
Kill her after he leaves?
*"Insolent prick!"*
It stung his pride, but John held back.
He'd gauged the guy's power clearly.
*"Magic damage dealer with high output. One-shots my familiars—obvious."*
Black Scythe or not, a powerhouse.
Plus, that lightning was too fast to track visually.
If aimed at him, he'd be dead.
"I'm leaving now."
Ryu Min turned indifferently, but his Heavenly Eye monitored everything.
He had to protect Christine.
*"Can't help openly, though."*
No justification.
No reason to save Christine.
*"Showing up by chance is one thing. But save a total stranger? No context, no connection?"*
Sure, he could claim "can't stand injustice."
He'd built that image wiping out IS in Nigeria.
*"But does this even qualify as injustice?"*
Third party Ryu Min had no clue if Christine deserved death.
Per the Necromancer, helping her was meddling.
*"Need a justification. A reason to save her."*
Helping without one would raise suspicions.
First meeting with Christine—botch it, and he'd ruin relations.
"Save me! He's trying to kill me for no reason!"
Christine pleaded desperately, but Ryu Min ignored her.
*"Not good enough. To hook me, need more than that."*
Offer an item or reward for saving her—that creates justification.
But Christine, flustered, hadn't thought that far.
"Just go about your way. Ignore the crazy bitch."
Urged by the Necromancer, Ryu Min had to move.
"Sure."
"W-Wait! Please, just..."
"I said shut it, you fucking bitch! I'll kill y—"
The Necromancer yelled but glanced at Ryu Min.
Couldn't even finish the threat.
*"Hoping I leave quick."*
So he could kill Christine as planned.
*"Hmm, no justification means trouble..."*
Then a brilliant idea hit Ryu Min.
He stopped and eyed the Necromancer.
The guy blinked wide—what?—as Ryu Min scowled.
"You."
"......?"
"Thinking about it, your tone's pretty rude."
English lacked formal speech.
Just respectful or disrespectful phrasing.
Necromancer's words were clearly the latter.
"Who are you to order me around? 'Go here, go there'? You my boss or something?"
"......"
Ryu Min picked a fight like a street punk.
Petty tactic, but effective.
Necromancer visibly flustered.
"Huh? Cat got your tongue? Wanna die?"
"......If I came off rude, I apologize."
Figured out Ryu Min's game?
Necromancer swallowed pride, backed down.
Mind read: desperate to send him off and kill Christine.
*"Can't let that happen."*
Ryu Min brazenly held out his palm.
"What...?"
"Sorry's not enough. Show some sincerity."
Demanding items outright.
Extortion, basically.
Necromancer pulled one out without complaint.
"This work?"
"You joking? Some random material item? Think that'll cut it? Like, 'take this trash and fuck off'? Mood's soured now."
"Fuck!"
"What? What fuck?"
Unable to take the berating, the Necromancer finally snapped.
Roooar—
"Die."
Thirty undead appeared from nowhere, swarming Ryu Min.
Perfect multi-angle ambush from all sides.
But with mind reading and Foresight rune, Ryu Min saw it coming.
"Area discharge."
Crackle-crackle-crackle-!
Electricity spread hemispherically, erasing everything in a 30-meter radius.
"......"
John Delgado stared blankly at Ryu Min, having lost thirty familiars in a blink.
"Who are you?"
"......"
"You just attacked me, right?"
Ryu Min approached, questioning.
John was too shaken to speak.
Overwhelming killing intent left no room for thought.
"I was gonna let it slide, but nah. Trying to kill an innocent passerby?"
Ryu Min smirked up close, lips twisting.
"Wanna die?"
Now he had the perfect justification to kill.