Chapter 199
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: The First Trial
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‘Damn it.’
To be honest, John Delgado had been hoping.
That Yang Tuiwen’s men would sever Black Scythe’s head.
That they would avenge that damn bastard for him.
But.
[Target ‘Black Scythe’ location detected.]
[Currently 501m away.]
[To track the target, follow the arrow in front of you.]
He tried using Tracking after entering the otherworld, and Black Scythe was detected.
That could only mean one thing.
‘Black Scythe—that bastard is still alive!’
Black Scythe being alive meant Yang Tuiwen’s plan had failed.
‘Why the hell not? We confirmed he was still in the villa right up to the end and executed the plan perfectly. So why couldn’t we kill him?’
It was a simple plan: infiltrate the villa after midnight and stab him in the throat.
According to plan, Black Scythe should have died shortly after entering the otherworld.
‘But he’s alive and well.’
He’d only know what happened after returning.
For now, he knew nothing.
‘Does this mean I have to execute the next plan?’
Swingman’s plan to reconcile with Black Scythe and befriend him came to mind.
‘Fuck that, no way. Am I insane enough to buddy up with that bastard...?’
To bow his head and grovel to the blood-sworn enemy who’d severed his limbs?
Was there anything more humiliating?
‘Swingman, you demonic bastard...’
He wanted to kill the Indian who’d come up with that cursed plan, but now there was no choice.
He had to go find Black Scythe as planned.
‘Haa. I really hate this.’
He’d been absolutely certain Yang Tuiwen’s plan would succeed, so he wasn’t mentally prepared.
He spat curses at Swingman one more time, and then the angel appeared to explain the 12th round.
‘Clear five trials? Form a party of five?’
Forming a party was no issue.
He’d already gathered nearly 200 Despair Church followers.
He could just pick the most capable ones and form a party.
‘The problem is not knowing anything about the trials.’
He couldn’t just grab anyone.
Without knowing what trials would come, he needed to select from as diverse a range of classes as possible.
But seeing others move quickly made him anxious.
Plus, hadn’t the angel said it?
The two left out would be eliminated.
‘This isn’t the time to hesitate. I need to form a party fast...’
His feet wouldn’t move because of the mission he’d been given.
‘Fuck, do I really have to bow my head to Black Scythe?’
It was the perfect timing since he needed a party anyway.
He could go to Black Scythe, apologize for last time, grovel, and ask to party up.
‘No, I can’t. Even if he beat me to death, my pride wouldn’t allow it.’
Even if he hid a dagger in his sleeve, he didn’t have the guts for that.
Not even billions in gold would give him the confidence to act tough in front of someone he wanted dead.
“Ha... fuck, huh?”
John Delgado, sighing habitually, used Tracking again and widened his eyes.
‘What’s this?’
The distance to Black Scythe had shortened since before.
No, it was decreasing in real time for some reason.
As if heading straight this way.
[Currently 363m away.]
[Currently 222m away.]
[Currently 113m away.]
………………
…………
[Currently 31m away.]
When it finally came within visual range, John Delgado tore his eyes from the message.
And slowly opened his mouth in shock.
Black Scythe was indeed approaching.
“Hey, John Delgado. Been well?”
“......”
Black Scythe waved like an old friend and brazenly struck up a conversation.
“How’re the limbs holding up?”
“......”
“Staying attached okay? Good to hear.”
John Delgado stayed silent.
It was too absurd for him to even ask what was going on.
‘For him to come find me personally...’
He was curious about the reason but too scared to ask.
Hadn’t he gotten his limbs chopped off last time for one wrong word?
‘This bastard up to some bullshit again...?’
He wanted to kick that jaw and rip out the tongue right then, but he knew it was impossible.
So John masked his panic and spoke.
More politely than before.
“Uh, what brings you here?”
“Straight to the point. John Delgado. Party with me.”
John’s eyes bulged wide.
It was a completely unexpected proposal.
“P-Party? What...”
“We’ve got one spot open on our team. You’re the only one who fits.”
Now he noticed Black Scythe wasn’t alone; he’d come with others.
Two men and one woman.
And one of the men had a familiar nickname.
“Huh? Zefi?”
Zefi—the assassin Swingman had hired to find Black Scythe’s hideout?
“Zefi, what are you doing here?”
“Do you know me?”
Jeffrey pretended not to recognize the necromancer, as per Ryu Min’s orders.
To act like strangers.
John tilted his head, puzzled.
‘He doesn’t recognize me without customization?’
Conversely, Jeffrey had the same nickname but looked different in the otherworld due to customization.
‘Did he lie about his nickname?’
Maybe the Zefi he’d met in reality wasn’t this one.
“You two know each other?”
“Ah, no. Must’ve seen wrong.”
John awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
Logically, Black Scythe wouldn’t hang with someone tailing him, right?
The guy seemed to be seeing him for the first time too.
But now wasn’t the time to worry about Zefi.
He’d received an unexpected offer.
‘If I join, that makes five.’
Accepting now would form the five-man team and escape the last-two cutoff.
John had no team anyway, so no reason to refuse.
‘Plus, I can naturally get close to Black Scythe.’
If he took that hand now and became teammates, he might betray and kill him later.
‘Approaching by bending my pride was daunting, but this works out.’
Having the offer handed to him first made it easy for John.
But he didn’t take Black Scythe’s hand right away.
Something felt off.
‘What’s the reason? Why me of all people...?’
He might get beaten for a wrong word again, but he had to ask.
To gauge the guy’s intentions.
“Why... why party with me? You could replace me with anyone...”
“No questions. Yes or no. Decide.”
“......”
Black Scythe was uncompromising.
No reasons given—just choose to join the team or not.
‘It’s not to kill me. Even Black Scythe can’t kill a party member.’
So why?
John pondered the reason, but Ryu Min gave no time.
“Ten seconds. Decide fast.”
“Huh?”
“No decision means no. I’ll find someone else. 10, 9...”
“W-Wait a sec.”
“8, 7...”
As time ticked down, John grew frantic.
As if this was his last chance to approach Black Scythe.
That thought cleared his muddled mind.
‘R-Right. For the plan, first team up with Black Scythe...’
With three seconds left, John spoke.
“I-I’ll do it. Team.”
“Got it. Grab hands and chant the party formation incantation.”
The five clasped hands and chanted the party formation incantation in unison.
A golden ring of letters clamped around their wrists.
[7,389th party formed. Do your best. Not many spots left.]
Spurred by the angel, people grew more desperate.
They scrambled to avoid being the last two, but losers were inevitable.
[Kuhuhu! Finally, 7,880 teams formed, and two unlucky ones remain!]
“N-No!”
“Spare me, angel! Please...”
[Should’ve begged players, not me. Tsk tsk. Adios!]
“Nooooo!”
With merciless elimination, the two players’ screams echoed.
[Now that teams are set, shall we start the quest?]
With the angel’s words, the scenery shifted.
* * *
“Huh?”
Ryu Min’s team, in the colorless space moments ago, was now in a pitch-black cave.
Party members panicked at the sudden change, but Ryu Min stayed calm.
‘It’s finally starting.’
Every team was probably seeing the same.
All dropped into this cave of trials.
“Black Scythe, where’s...?”
“Looks like it started. Cave means we’re here.”
Ryu Min stepped forward calmly, ignoring the frozen party members.
“No time to dawdle. The fastest clearers survive, remember? I’ll lead; follow close.”
Without a backward glance, Ryu Min walked ahead.
“W-Wait. Let me buff you!”
Min Ju-ri hurried after, casting buffs frantically.
Jeffrey and Joo Seong-tak followed their leader.
Only John Delgado lingered, staring blankly at the party’s backs.
‘Fuck, we really partied up like this?’
He’d joined on impulse, but Black Scythe ignored him completely.
No questions asked—just walk and follow, far ahead.
‘Crazy bastard?’
Teaming up with someone like an enemy.
An unfathomable man.
‘I’d love to stab him in the back of the head right now, but...’
As party members, it’d be pointless.
They were in the same boat now—had to survive together.
‘Hoo, whatever his intent, play along for now. At least I approached Black Scythe as planned?’
Comforting himself that he hadn’t bent his pride, he followed.
Then, the sole woman, Democracy, turned and spoke to him.
“John Delgado. Get your buffs here.”
“Buffs?”
Bless, Swift, Safety Barrier.
With three buffs applied, John’s eyes widened in disbelief.
‘Insane! Boosts all stats by this much?’
All stats up 70%, attack/movement speed 70%, and a shield against ambushes.
John could only watch in shock as the buffer thanked him and ran ahead.
* * *
Ryu Min sensed his teammates following via Presence Detection as he advanced.
From the first to the fifth trial.
Knowing the strategies made it easy.
‘The first trial needs a tank.’
He stopped at a dead-end wall.
Teammates arrived one by one, gathering before the wall like Ryu Min.
“The path... blocked?”
With Min Ju-ri and John Delgado last, the five assembled, triggering the condition and a message.
[Welcome to the Cave of Trials.]
[Let’s begin the first trial immediately.]
[First Trial]
└Endure monster attacks for 10 minutes
└Success ▶ Unlock next trial
└Failure ▶ Vote to eliminate one party member
“Endure monster attacks?”
John muttered in confusion, but the message continued.
[Monsters will soon flood the cave.]
[Monsters have invincibility and cannot take damage.]
[If party members endure 10 minutes with minimal damage, the trial ends.]
[If damage exceeds the threshold, it’s failure even after 10 minutes.]
[Fail to overcome, and one party member is eliminated by internal vote.]
“Monsters flooding in here.”
“Wait, if allies take damage, we fail even if we endure?”
John panicked, but the others stayed calm.
They’d heard the prophecy already.
‘The first is a tank trial. Minimize ally damage by tanking personally and endure the monsters.’
A pure test of tanking prowess.
But Ryu Min’s team had no tank.
Still, Min Ju-ri followed Black Scythe because the prophecy had foretold it.
Trust Black Scythe no matter what.
“Everyone, behind me.”
As Ryu Min stepped forward, party members pressed against the dead-end wall.
John used Black Scythe as a shield as instructed.
‘What’s he planning? Tank alone? Can’t kill invincible monsters?’
Unsure what Black Scythe would do, he could only watch.
[Monsters appear in 10 seconds. Prepare together for their emergence!]