Chapter 34
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The New Area Representative
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Jo Joong-sik’s mind went blank at the sharp refusal.
He never imagined the Black Scythe would turn him down.
"W-Wait! Did I hear you right? I'm accepting your offer!"
"I don't need it."
"It was your offer! You said you'd protect me if I did as you said!"
"Your chance has passed."
A missed bus doesn't come back.
As if to prove that fact, the Black Scythe coldly turned his back.
Rejected so openly, Jo Joong-sik couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.
"Why the hell not! I'm willing to serve under you, so why are you refusing me!"
At his voice, the Black Scythe stopped walking.
And tossed out a careless remark.
"A subordinate without Command is useless."
Leaving only those words behind, the Black Scythe departed.
He left Jo Joong-sik standing there with a dazed expression.
The eyes of the other players watching the scene changed.
"Did you all see that? He rejected the offer."
"Looks like the Black Scythe has finally abandoned Life is a Documentary."
"What a relief. I was worried what we'd do if the Black Scythe helped him."
"His life really is a documentary."
"Now we can kill him without any worries."
The players slowly closed in, their faces menacing.
Like a lion surrounded by hyenas, Jo Joong-sik's expression twisted.
'Damn it! Does he mean I'm useless now that I've used up my Command skill?'
If he'd known this would happen, he would have accepted the Black Scythe's offer from the start.
Then he wouldn't have had to use his Command skill, and he wouldn't be in this crisis.
*Throb-*
The pain in his side was severe.
He couldn't run anymore.
'Shit, is fighting my only option?'
Jo Joong-sik turned and gripped his sword.
It was a shortsword he received for becoming a Gladiator.
'If I'm going down, I'm taking at least one of you with me.'
Looking at the more than thirty players, Jo Joong-sik steeled his resolve.
He had no confidence he could win, but if he fought with the will to die, something might come of it.
'Tch, I shouldn't have dismissed my guards.'
How much better would it be to have even one ally at a time like this?
Even if they were just guys he'd controlled with his Command.
'No choice. I have to get out of this situation on my own somehow…'
Just then, a forgotten figure appeared before Jo Joong-sik.
"Sunbae-nim!"
"Hwang Yong-min?"
Jo Joong-sik’s face lit up at the sudden appearance of the large man.
"Where have you been, junior!"
"You're having a tough time, right? I came to help!"
"Yeah, thanks! If we get out of this alive, I'll make sure to take good care of you..."
Jo Joong-sik couldn't finish his sentence.
Because his vision suddenly flashed, and he was looking up at the sky.
"Sunbae-nim."
In his line of sight, Jo Joong-sik saw Hwang Yong-min with a raised fist.
"I'll give you a painless death."
"You son of a b—"
*Thud! Thud! Crack!*
Brick-shattering force slammed into Jo Joong-sik's face again and again.
The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Hwang Yong-min, smiling like a demon.
'Fuck... To think I, Jo Joong-sik, would be betrayed by a punk like that...'
*CRACK—!*
With a final, decisive blow, Jo Joong-sik lost consciousness, and his breathing stopped.
[Area Representative 'Life is a Documentary' has died.]
[The representative's authority is transferred to the killer.]
[Player 'Hwang Yong-min' has become the new area representative of ESKS45-5.]
Only after the messages appeared did Hwang Yong-min stop punching.
He raised his blood-soaked fist and beamed.
"Hahaha! I'm the area representative now! I'm the king!"
He checked his newly acquired skill, Command.
Although he could only use it ten times, it allowed him to wield immense power over non-class holders.
'That's more than enough! If I want, I can even make Seo Ah-rin do whatever I want. Hehehe!'
This was, in fact, his true goal in becoming the representative.
To make his ideal woman, Seo Ah-rin, his slave.
'I just hit level 9, so Seo Ah-rin probably hasn't gotten her class yet either. Huhu.'
Hwang Yong-min grinned from ear to ear at the thought of using his Command on Seo Ah-rin.
His innocent-looking smile left the other players dumbfounded.
"What just happened? Wasn't that guy sucking up to the gangster?"
"Did he approach him from the start just to betray him?"
"What a scary bastard..."
"Not scary, just vile."
"To think a guy like that would become the area representative..."
Voices of condemnation rose, but Hwang Yong-min paid no mind to the surrounding gazes.
He was too busy boasting about his achievement to his delinquent friends.
"Hey guys! Did you see that? Me landing the final blow?"
"Uh, yeah..."
"Told you we had a chance, right?"
"Y-Yeah, you did."
"Well, that's great."
His friends spoke with smiles, but inwardly, they couldn't help but feel uneasy.
'That bastard... he killed a man with his bare fists.'
'He said he could become the representative if he backstabbed him now, but I can't believe he actually did it...'
'Fucking psycho.'
Disgusted by Hwang Yong-min's crazy behavior, his friends shook their heads.
The calculated nature of his actions sent a shiver down their spines.
But Hwang Yong-min hadn't planned to betray him from the beginning.
Not until he saw Jo Joong-sik clinging pathetically to life.
'How disappointing. The boss of the Joong-sik gang, running for his life.'
Hwang Yong-min remembered.
The pathetic sight of Jo Joong-sik fleeing from the players.
'How am I supposed to go around telling people he was my role model? It's so embarrassing.'
He had seemed like an unreachable idol, but it turned out he was nothing more than a weak human.
'That's why I sent you on your way. Isn't it better to die by my hand than to struggle so wretchedly?'
An area representative without Command is worthless.
Jo Joong-sik, having lost his charisma, was also worthless.
That's why Hwang Yong-min stepped up.
To backstab Jo Joong-sik and become the area representative himself.
'I'll make good use of the Command skill. Hehe.'
After a brief moment of silence for Jo Joong-sik's corpse, he raised his head.
The murderous gazes of those around him were now focused solely on him.
The target had changed.
'They're after me now, are they? Keuk.'
Even so, Hwang Yong-min wasn't scared or intimidated.
Because he had an ace up his sleeve.
"Black Scythe-nim!"
Hwang Yong-min immediately ran to Ryu Min.
Ryu Min, who had long since been aware of him through Presence Detection, belatedly turned his head, feigning a curious expression.
"What is it?"
"Did you see the message? I'm the area representative now. I have Command."
"So?"
Hwang Yong-min thumped his chest.
"I'll accept the offer you made to Life is a Documentary. I'll do whatever you say. In return, please protect me!"
Hwang Yong-min had no doubt that Ryu Min would accept his offer.
He had overheard the conversation with Jo Joong-sik.
'Jo Joong-sik was abandoned because he had no Command. So he'll accept my offer.'
Having been on the receiving end of the Black Scythe's power, he never wanted to get involved with him again, but he had no choice.
When your life was on the line, who had time to worry about such things?
But contrary to his expectations, the Black Scythe's reaction was cold.
"I don't like your attitude."
"Pardon?"
"If you get on your knees and beg, I'll consider whether to accept or not."
"..."
Hwang Yong-min stared blankly for a moment before coming to his senses.
"Hey, did you hear me correctly? I said I have Command!"
"And what about it?"
Ryu Min's cold response was enough to fluster Hwang Yong-min.
"You seem to be misunderstanding something. You're the one in a desperate situation, not me."
"..."
"You want my protection? Then get on your knees and beg."
"..."
Hwang Yong-min was speechless for a moment, then glanced around.
He could feel the sharp gazes of the hyenas.
It was a humiliating situation, but Hwang Yong-min didn't let his pride get in the way.
*Thud-*
He immediately cast aside his pride and dropped to his knees.
"Black Scythe-nim! I'll do anything you say, so please take me as your subordinate. I'm begging you!"
He shouted as he bowed his head, his forehead touching the ground.
Seeing this, Ryu Min could only sneer inwardly.
It was a scene he had witnessed to the point of disgust.
'Just as I predicted, Hwang Yong-min became the area representative.'
This was the reason Ryu Min had kept Hwang Yong-min alive.
He was the wild card that would kill Jo Joong-sik.
'I don't care if Jo Joong-sik dies. What I need is a pawn that follows orders well.'
Jo Joong-sik hadn't been willing to bend his pride, and he no longer had Command.
There wasn't a single reason to protect him.
'On the other hand, Hwang Yong-min has his uses. For now.'
Watching Hwang Yong-min bow with such desperation, Ryu Min reluctantly accepted.
"Fine. I accept your offer."
"Th-Thank you! Thank you, Black Scythe-nim!"
Hwang Yong-min repeatedly bowed his head, a joyful smile on his face.
"That's enough. It's pathetic to watch."
"Huh? Ah, yes..."
Ryu Min stepped forward, leaving Hwang Yong-min to scratch his head awkwardly behind him.
*Shing-*
As he stood with his great scythe, as if protecting Hwang Yong-min, the other players didn't dare approach.
The pressure he exuded was as immense as his reputation.
"S-So it ended up like this?"
"The Black Scythe is protecting Hwang Yong-min?"
"Damn it..."
Dealing with Hwang Yong-min would have been nothing, but the Black Scythe was a different story.
His presence alone was intensely intimidating.
And for good reason.
The prowess the Black Scythe had shown so far, with the 5th wave still in progress, was beyond what could be called human.
"What do we do? The wave will be over soon..."
"How about we all just rush him at once?"
"Have you not seen the Black Scythe fight? He's the man who defended the entrance alone against hundreds of monsters."
"Yeah, how are we supposed to beat a monster like that?"
"But if you want to become the area representative, now's the chance."
Faced with Ryu Min, the players were caught in a dilemma.
Should they retreat as they were, or should they press the attack, even if it meant taking losses?
As if frustrated by their indecision, Ryu Min gave them a choice.
"I'll help you decide. You have two options. Either give up on being the representative, go back to hunting monsters and build your record, or die by my hand."
"..."
"I'd recommend the former, but I don't mind the latter. Anyone who raises a weapon against me will no longer be seen as human."
Were Ryu Min's words the final blow?
"I-I'm out."
"Me too."
One by one, the players began to turn away.
Watching them, Hwang Yong-min snickered, swallowing his laughter.
'This is incredible! A single word from the Black Scythe and they're all backing down!'
Hwang Yong-min once again felt the sheer authority of the Black Scythe.
He was terrifying as an enemy, but as an ally, he was unbelievably reassuring.
He even felt a sort of vicarious satisfaction.
Hwang Yong-min puffed out his chest, feeling smug.
Regardless, Ryu Min surveyed the situation, counting the remaining monsters.
'Looks like it's starting to wrap up.'
The gnolls were being pushed back and killed by the players.
At this rate, the 5th wave would be cleared without issue.
'And then everyone will receive their rewards, and the round will end.'
But that wasn't what Ryu Min wanted.
'It would be a shame to end it just like this.'
He was biding his time.
The time to reveal the sub-quest.
This was also why he had taken Hwang Yong-min as a subordinate.
"Hwang Yong-min."
"Yes, Black Scythe-nim!"
"As promised, carry out my order."
"What is it? Just give the command!"
Hwang Yong-min spoke energetically, but a moment later.
After hearing the order, the color drained from his face.