Chapter 215
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: Hero's Rune
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One week before Christmas.
A provocative post went up on the PleSeBa café.
[Title: [Promotion] Join the Reaper Church and get 10,000 points on the spot!]
└Content: Hello. I'm NoPainNoGay, the leader of the Reaper Church.
First, I offer my sincere respect to all the PleSeBa family members who survived up to Round 12. You're truly amazing!
We're recruiting reverse heroes for our Reaper Church.
The Reaper Church is an organization that worships Black Scythe, the No. 1 ranker across all zones. Anyone who loves and admires Black Scythe can join, regardless of nationality.
However, only players can join, and you must bring ID (we'll have you fill out basic personal info upon joining).
Unlike other religions, we absolutely do not charge membership fees or donations (important)!
Plus, to celebrate our new branch moving to the Seoul area, we're holding a small event.
On December 25th at 10 AM, we'll give 10,000 points to everyone who joins our church.
And Black Scythe himself will personally trade the points to you! So don't miss this chance for a triple win: join, get points, and meet Black Scythe in real life!
FYI, existing members who come will also get them on the spot, so please attend without fail!
Here's a 3-line summary for busy folks.
◆Event Period: December 25, 2022, 10 AM
◆Event Details: Join the Reaper Church and Black Scythe personally gifts 10,000 points (ID required)
◆Directions: Reaper Church, 625 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Points are currency usable in the special shop.
The angel publicly announced that they can't be earned by any method, making them more valuable than gold.
Giving away that kind of points just for joining?
And 10,000 of them at that?
People drawn in by the clickbait title couldn't help but leave comments.
└Do you really give 10,000 points just for joining?
└Of course^^
└That famous Black Scythe is coming in person?
└Yes! Take this chance to behold him in the flesh!
└Why hold the event on Christmas of all days? Wanna see couples break up?
└No such intention. We picked Easter for the meaning, I swear.
└That…… you won't just scam us, right?
└Try it and see what happens lol
└Scamming when you're giving out real names and faces? lololol
└If there's a scam, Black Scythe will probably track you down and take your head himself……
Over 50 comments piled up, but Heo Tae-seok happily replied to each one.
He'd posted promotions before, but never gotten this much attention.
Just two days in, and views were over 120.
‘With 130 PleSeBa members, that's basically everyone seeing it?’
Compared to his previous post's 20 views, this was unprecedented.
‘Will they all really come?’
The long-awaited Christmas Day arrived.
Ryu Min and Heo Tae-seok waited for the followers in the front yard of their new church grounds.
Its prime location drew occasional curious glances from passersby.
“How much time left?”
“It's 9 AM now, so one hour.”
“Still plenty of time, so we can wait leisurely.”
But players showed up earlier than expected.
“Hello, is this the Reaper Church……?”
“Yes! You've come to the right place. I'm the leader, NoPainNoGay.”
“Th-then this person is……?”
The man's gaze shifted sideways.
Ryu Min, in a white mask, with extraordinary gear and a large scythe.
It wasn't hard to guess who it was.
“I'm Black Scythe.”
“P-pleased to meet you. It's an honor.”
Ryu Min lightly shook his hand while probing his inner thoughts.
To distinguish good from evil.
‘Not joining with bad intentions.’
A pure PleSeBa member drawn by admiration for Black Scythe.
‘Well, most PleSeBa members are decent people anyway.’
They'd all passed the personality screening, so no rough edges.
“Hello, I'm Cardinal Eom Jun-seok. Here's your number and application. Please read and wait. We'll assist with joining in order when the promised time comes.”
They weren't accepting joins immediately partly because it wasn't time yet, but mainly to prevent people from grabbing points and bolting.
‘We can't have that. Need to gather as many as possible.’
He hoped for over 100, and that hope was fulfilled sooner than thought.
“Wow, this is the Reaper Church?”
“Awesome! Didn't expect it to be this huge!”
Suddenly, people flooded in, buzzing with chatter.
As the promised time neared, the crowd grew.
‘100 was too easy a goal.’
Twenty minutes till 10, and they'd already hit it.
‘Might even get 130 at this rate.’
Possible if every PleSeBa member except the chairman showed.
“Time's up, so we'll assist with joining one by one. Number 1, this way…….”
The process was simple.
Sit, get your photo taken on the spot, fill out name, birthdate, phone, address on the form.
Then sign a pledge to attend Reaper Church services at least once a month, barring acts of God.
To prevent join-and-ghosts.
Then face Ryu Min, use trade, receive points directly.
“Ooh, really 10,000 points…… Thank you, Black Scythe.”
“Congratulations on joining the Reaper Church. Use the points wisely.”
“Can I go home now?”
“You can, but I recommend staying for the speech if possible. You'll regret missing the info.”
No time for long chats.
A line of next numbers waited.
Click-
“Done. Next, number 38?”
After photo, info, pledge, final face-off with Black Scythe for trade.
Simple, but with crowds, it was nonstop.
Amid it, familiar faces appeared.
“Black Scythe?”
“Democracy?”
He knew Min Ju-ri was coming.
She'd nagged to go together.
But Prophet and Black Scythe couldn't coexist, so he'd made excuses to go separately.
“First time meeting in real life, but you recognized me right away?”
“Faces are similar. And the leader already told me you joined.”
“Hehe, now you know all my info. Take responsibility, Black Scythe.”
“I will.”
Her joking words got a serious reply, flushing Min Ju-ri's face.
“Uh, uh…….”
She fumbled flustered, but Ryu Min stayed calm.
“Nothing else? If not, talk later. Next person's waiting.”
“Y-yeah. See you later!”
Ryu Min smirked at her hasty retreat, then took the next.
Past number 50, another familiar face.
Ryu Min had to play dumb again.
“Seo Ah-rin? You in the Reaper Church too?”
“What a thing to say. As CPF's promo ambassador, how could I miss it?”
Seo Ah-rin smiled brightly, took her 10,000 points from Ryu Min, and bowed.
“Thanks for the points. I'll use 'em well. Oh, and…….”
She glanced around, then whispered in Ryu Min's ear.
“Thanks so much for that thing before.”
“That thing?”
“Ma Dae-chul dying. You pulled strings so we wouldn't be in trouble.”
“Just told the truth. You didn't actually do anything wrong.”
“Still, thank you.”
Normally, they'd be stuck with police investigations, but Ryu Min's help spared the hassle.
“Ah, next person's waiting. See you later.”
Seo Ah-rin left with a wistful look at the short talk, next approached.
‘No breather.’
Without stats, it'd be backbreaking labor.
A brief lull let him check time and queue.
‘Almost 10:30, and already 130 gathered.’
Basic 100 goal smashed, even hoped-for 130 exceeded.
Yet more kept pouring in at the entrance.
‘Non-members heard somehow too.’
Not just PleSeBa; the post spread outside, got articles, drawing others.
‘This is enough. Time's right.’
Perfect conditions for Hero's Rune as planned.
‘Shall we start?’
Just then, a group poured into the church grounds.
‘More coming?’
Familiar bunch.
‘Jo Yong-ho?’
Mercenary King and his mercs visiting Reaper Church.
‘Play this right, could gather every player in the country?’
Enough surprise; time to execute.
Ryu Min eyed Heo Tae-seok.
Caught his eye, adjusted mask.
Signal to activate black seed.
Heo Tae-seok nodded faintly, eyed the seeded spot.
Right in the crowded yard of over a hundred.
‘Sprout the seed now…….’
Upper devil summons, people panic.
Sure, devil's his summon, so no attacks.
‘Dunno the plan, but Black Scythe has something in mind.’
God's order, no hesitation; activate skill.
‘Sprout.’
Suddenly, a stem shot up from the dirt where players clustered.
“Argh, wh-what!?”
“What the hell!?”
From the utility-pole-like devil stem, leaves gaped claw-like mouths.
Crack-
Drooling leaves dropped a random devil to the ground.
“Keehic, keehic, keehic.”
Two meters tall, goblin-like red-skinned devil: devilin.
“Finally, keehic. In the human world, keehic.”
Stammered devil tongue; none understood.
Couldn't speak it, and the sudden mess was bewildering.
But players weren't the only flustered ones.
“Humans, keehic. Gathered so many, keehic. Surprised, kek!”
Suddenly, the devilin's head spun off, thunking to the ground.
Ryu Min's scythe severed its neck without delay.
Pathetic end, five seconds post-summon.
“Summoning a devil in a sacred place. Are you insane?”
Ryu Min's icy voice warned the crowd.
“Whoever you are, no skills here.”
Murmurs rose, but settled.
Some clueless summoner called a devil; Black Scythe handled it quick.
Of course, summoner Heo Tae-seok was quite flustered.
Unannounced.
“Black Scythe, just now…….”
“Good work.”
Stunned at Ryu Min ordering the summon then brazenly killing it, Heo Tae-seok shrugged it off.
Must have a reason.
‘Reasons aplenty. Very clear ones.’
Back at his spot, Ryu Min smiled at the floating message.
[First to slay an upper devil species, saving 100 in peril.]
[Activation conditions met.]
[Hidden rune 'Hero's Rune' granted!]
[The acquired rune auto-engraves on the player's body!]
‘Finally got it. Hero's Rune, essential on the rune list.’
Rune condition simple: Kill one devil before 100 people.
‘That alone counts as saving from peril.’
System recognized bare crowd + devil = peril.
But devil must be upper species; black seed at 40 only summons mid-low.
‘Waited till Heo Tae-seok hit 60 for upper devil.’
Plan worked; rune secured.
Smiling under mask, Ryu Min eyed the info window.