Chapter 188
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: 11th Round Ends
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“Wh-what? Our country took 1st place?”
Jo Yong-ho gaped at the results screen in utter disbelief.
He rubbed his eyes and checked again, but there was no mistake.
Korea was sitting at the top with 34 million points.
But the individual rankings were even more astonishing.
“Th-the Black Scythe is in 1st!”
“He racked up 20 million points all by himself? Is that even possible?”
“What the hell? Is this a bug?”
Shock after shock, and nothing made sense, but one thing was crystal clear.
“Our country only made 1st place thanks to the Black Scythe.”
The mercenaries nodded at Jo Yong-ho’s irrefutable words.
Korea would’ve been stuck around 90th with just 13 million points, but he’d single-handedly boosted them to 1st with 20 million.
There might not be any special rewards for 1st, but he’d undeniably elevated the nation’s standing.
“Insane. 20 million all alone.”
“The Black Scythe’s a Korean player, right?”
“What an amazing player.”
“I kinda wanna visit that country called Korea now.”
Even the foreign players watching couldn’t help but click their tongues in admiration.
It was enough to surprise the angels themselves.
[Whoa... How did he rack up 20 million points solo? This is a first. Did he hit a 200x payout on that final gamble, Black Scythe?]
Ryu Min didn’t deny the angel’s question.
“That’s right.”
[Keh, betting your entire fortune on a 1.5% chance... That’s the mark of a true gambler, huh? Impressive human.]
Even the angel let out a sigh of admiration for the Black Scythe.
Though some trembled in rage, shooting him venomous glares.
[Then, as promised, the representative of the unified zone will be the 1st place Black Scythe! Note that the other representatives’ authorities have been revoked!]
[Player ‘Black Scythe’ has become the new zone representative for CA-EA001.]
Ryu Min cracked a faint smile at the floating message windows.
‘Finally, the sole zone representative.’
Zones had merged frequently before, with representatives changing often due to the sheer number. But not anymore.
With everything unified into one zone, he was the only representative—and the only one who could wield dominion.
‘Now I can command the players however I want, if I feel like it. Though I’ll save it for the endgame as much as possible.’
Dominion was limited, so best to conserve it.
[With the results in, it’s time to eliminate all teams below 95th place.]
“N-No, please! Angel!”
“Don’t do th—...”
At the angel’s signal, the eliminations began.
Half the teams screamed as they crumbled into ash and scattered.
[We’re down to exactly 40,021 survivors now. More than expected, right?]
‘More my ass...’
Only 30% remained from the start, so that remark had to be mockery.
[Congratulations to the surviving 95 teams. And now, rewards for the top 3 individuals.]
Messages flooded in right after the angel finished speaking.
[Congratulations! You’ve completed the quest as your zone’s 1st place!]
[‘Black Scythe’ currently ranks 1st in the zone.]
[Zone ranking 1st reward: ‘Material Pack’ granted!]
[Zone ranking 1st reward: ‘Rune Pack’ granted!]
[Zone ranking 1st reward: ‘Special Reward Choice Box’ granted!]
They’d said rewards were getting better this round, and sure enough, three items arrived.
Ryu Min grinned and used the Rune Pack first.
[You’ve used the Rune Pack.]
[Congratulations! ‘Expansion Rune’ obtained!]
[The acquired rune is automatically engraved on the player’s body!]
[Expansion Rune]
- Effect: Allows wearing one additional ring item.
‘Oh? Not bad.’
Rings were normally limited to one.
But now he could equip two thanks to the Expansion Rune.
‘Items make up a huge part of power. One extra is a massive boon.’
Satisfied with the solid rune, Ryu Min kept the momentum and opened the Material Pack.
[You’ve used the Material Pack.]
[Congratulations! Black Iron Dust obtained!]
[Congratulations! Bubbling Mana Solution obtained!]
[Congratulations! Glossy Horse Tail obtained!]
[Congratulations! New Material Leather obtained!]
[Congratulations! Design: God-Grade Gloves obtained!]
God-grade materials poured into his inventory one after another.
They’d even thrown in a blueprint to scream “make god-grade gear.”
‘Blueprints are useless to me. I’ve memorized all the recipes.’
He could slap just the blueprint on the market later for a fortune.
A god-grade item blueprint, after all.
‘Everything but the trickiest one—Condensed Ether.’
No big deal.
Ryu Min had Condensed Ether from killing Archangel Remiel.
‘This’ll let me craft my third god-grade item.’
Faster than expected.
He hadn’t anticipated getting Condensed Ether from an archangel.
‘I’ll make the god-grade gloves after returning...’
Ryu Min used the last item, the Special Reward Choice Box.
[Choose one of the following special rewards.]
[Touch your desired reward.]
└ 1. EXP 2x Boost Buff (12th Round only)
└ 2. Stats 50% Boost Buff (12th Round only)
└ 3. Information on the 12th Round
He picked 2 without hesitation.
‘From here on, stat boosts matter more than EXP. Levels can wait.’
The angels suspecting him wouldn’t stay quiet forever.
Better to prep stats for any potential ambushes.
[Everyone get their rewards? Now opening the Special Shop!]
A message appeared before the angel even finished.
[Special Shop now open in the shop window!]
[The Special Shop lets you buy rarer items with points. It stays open even after rounds end, so browse at leisure. Oh, and no more points incoming—spend wisely!]
People barely registered the angel’s spiel.
They were too busy gawking at the shop.
Ryu Min could access the Special Shop too, but held off.
He’d check it leisurely after returning.
[Congratulations, everyone. See you in the next round!]
◀ ROUND 11 END ▶
[Zone CA-EA001]
└ Survivors: 40,021
[Your soul will soon transfer back to your original body in the former dimension.]
[12th Round begins December 1st, 2022, at midnight. See you then. Congrats on surviving.]
* * *
After the 11th Round ended.
Angel Millen, who’d handled announcements, sighed as she returned to the heavenly realm.
[Definitely no ordinary human. Surviving that brutal high-risk method...]
Millen thought of the human called Black Scythe.
An avatar from another world, yet he exuded a murderous aura.
‘Did that Black Scythe guy really kill an archangel, like the rumors say?’
Remiel’s death wasn’t officially confirmed, but any informed angel knew.
He’d gone to deal with a human and never returned.
‘No sign of the archangel yet. Pretty much confirms it.’
An archangel killed by a human?
Still hard to believe, but if true, only one suspect fit.
‘Black Scythe, dominating at level 90. Has to be him.’
Suspect identified, yet the higher-ups hadn’t acted.
Unbelievable they hadn’t executed someone so obviously guilty.
[Hmm, can’t figure out what those higher-ups are thinking... Huh?]
Then, a radiant angel appeared before Millen.
Overwhelmed by the majestic wings, striking features, and profound gaze, Millen froze.
[He-Heaven above Heaven. Archangel of Archangels, Michael, I greet you.]
Trembling in case he’d overheard, she bowed.
Michael looked down at Millen and spoke in a deep, resonant voice.
[I hear you handled announcements for the 11th Round.]
[Y-Yes? Y-Yes, that’s right.]
Pitying her shakes, Michael offered a gentle smile.
[I came early for the results. No need to fear.]
[I was just heading to log them anyway.]
[Good. How’d the 11th Round turn out?]
[Here’s the tally screen. Take a look.]
Michael scrutinized the results Millen presented with a grave gaze.
[Black Scythe took 1st again. By a landslide.]
[Looks like he cashed in big on high-risk bets at the late-game casino.]
[Understood. Take it to the Records Chamber as is.]
[Y-Yes, th-then I’ll be...]
Michael fell into deep thought as Millen scurried away.
‘Everyone else struggles for 200,000 points, and he grabs 20 million solo.’
This round was key for farming points for the Special Shop.
No more points after this.
‘Like he knew that, he amassed a ridiculous fortune no one can catch.’
A monopolizer through and through.
Dangerous.
Letting Black Scythe run wild would wreck game balance—and threaten the angels.
He’d already killed dozens of battle angels and one archangel in a spree.
‘And yet... I have to just watch...? Really?’
Michael recalled his recent talk with Rubahi.
-The 11th Round start. We strike then.
-I recommend waiting longer than the 11th. It’ll better serve your great cause, Michael.
-What did you say? Repeat that.
-Keeping Black Scythe alive will aid your great cause.
-You, a mere observer locked in a chamber, presume to know my ambitions?
-Of course. An observer of all worldly knowledge wouldn’t miss an archangel’s heart?
-...
-Straight to it: You want to become a god, right? You know what’s needed for that.
-Use Black Scythe, you mean?
-Yes. Watch his path—no one’s walked it before. He’s the only one who can fulfill your dream of godhood.
-Go on.
-Kill him now on murder charges, and your cause slips away again. You watch the humans’ game to become a god, don’t you?
-Yes.
-Black Scythe is closest to the 20th Round’s wish right now. Use him right, and you become a god. Kill him per heavenly rules, and your dream fades once more.
-...
-Your choice: Delay his death for your cause? Or enforce order, kill him now, and chase the next chance?
-...Not deciding now. I’ll think it over.
Snapping from reverie, Michael sighed inwardly.
He’d said he’d consider, but no conclusion yet.
‘Damn that librarian. What’s he after, rattling my head like that?’
Seemed to want Black Scythe spared.
No—wanted Michael to become a god.
‘What’s his game if I do?’
No reading that thoughtform’s mind.
Just more headaches.
‘Sacrifice heavenly pride and let that insolent pup who shamed an angel live—for my cause?’
Absurd, but Rubahi had a point.
Great causes demand sacrifices.
This chance might never return.
Justice or ambition?
Heavenly order or personal desire?
After agonizing, Michael steeled himself.
‘...Angels are selfish by nature, after all.’
He’d overlook Black Scythe’s crimes.