Chapter 149 - Al-Baghdadi
Victor's heart sank.
Beneath his feet, AbuBakar trembled like a scarecrow in the wind.
It was the leader of Boko Haram, who had tormented him for a year.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah..."
Looking at Victor, whose teeth had fallen out, and blood flowed copiously, Victor felt not compassion but rather a murderous impulse.
It seemed like this was his chance, as if the urge to commit murder was flooding over him.
Considering the suffering he had endured while captive, killing him would be a relief.
"Don't kill him yet."
A savior with a white mask spoke to him in English.
From his voice, it sounded like a man, but Victor couldn't discern which country he was from.
Instead, Victor expressed his gratitude first.
"Really thank you. Thanks to you, Ricky and the kids are safe. Ricky, you should also thank him."
"Thank you, thank you very much."
Looking at Ricky, who was thanking shyly, Ryu Min thought, 'This kid, it seems like he was originally destined to die.'
He probably would have died without lifting a finger.
When Victor and the kids expressed their gratitude, did those who were on guard relax?
People who had been keeping their distance until recently approached stealthily and expressed their thanks to Ryu Min.
"Thank you, mask guy."
"Thank you. For saving our lives."
"Thank you. For taking care of that scum."
He could read their thoughts; they perceived him as a complete ally.
Not only had they killed all the members of the Boko Haram organization, but they had also captured the leader.
Who wouldn't consider them allies after that?
The looks people gave Ryu Min were filled with deep respect and sympathy.
At that moment, Victor, representing everyone, asked a curious question.
"Mask guy, what's your name?"
"..."
"Ah, I understand it's difficult to reveal. That's why you wear a mask, right? But also consider our position. If you saved our lives, and we don't even know your name, will we live the rest of our lives without knowing it? If it's hard to say directly, could you at least tell us your nickname?"
"Black Scythe. That's my nickname."
"Ah..."
The others didn't know because they were civilians, but Victor couldn't hide his astonishment upon hearing that name.
"Is it serious, Black Scythe?"
"Do you think I'm someone who would lie?"
"No, it's not that. It's just that it's so incredible that...".
Meeting the number 1 in the ranking, Black Scythe... What an honor. I'm Victor Jafaile, a level 40 alchemist."
"Really?"
He already knew everything about him, but Ryu Min responded indifferently.
"But, what about what you said earlier? Shouldn't we kill him yet?"
"He still has utility value, that's why I said that. Through him, we must attract the leader of EI."
"The leader?"
Although Victor had been trapped by Boko Haram for a year, he didn't know who the leader of EI was.
Since it was a clandestine organization with many followers and carefully hiding their identity from behind, identifying the leader was difficult.
"How will you do that?"
"I was thinking of sending a message. With this guy's photo. Since we're talking about it, why don't we bait the hook right now?"
Ryu Min took a photo of the unfortunate AbuBakar and then searched for the contact of the EI leader through messages.
He already knew who the leader was; he confirmed it at the last meeting.
"I had sent a message saying this guy was being attacked anyway."
Considering it a good outcome, he sent the message along with the photo.
[AbuBakar: He's lost. If you want to save him, come here immediately.]
Victor, upon seeing the message, raised his head with an ironic smile.
"Is this guy the leader of EI?"
"Yes."
"How...?"
"I just know."
"No, rather, do you think he'll come by sending him this way? Or won't he come at all?"
The calm leader of EI wouldn't be swayed by a threat like this.
If they switch to the leader of Boko Haram, they'll be fine.
That was the question, and Ryu Min also agreed.
But he had confidence that he would respond.
"He will react. Sure. Maybe he'll even get excited?"
He had already squeezed the leader similarly at the last meeting.
And so it was.
A message arrived quickly.
[Al-Baghdadi: Wait there.]
He probably became interested upon hearing the mention of Black Scythe, but after learning that he single-handedly took down the organization, his interest increased.
"Oh, he really responded."
Victor, seeing the message, opened his eyes surprised.
But quickly his face turned worried.
"Do you really plan to fight against EI?"
"Once it starts, we'll have to eradicate all EI members."
"Isn't that too dangerous?"
"For me? Or for them?"
Ryu Min's confident response made Victor smile in disbelief.
He never seemed arrogant or presumptuous.
He was a man with the strength and qualification to back it up.
"It seems like I worried for no reason."
"Victor, what are you going to do now?"
Ryu Min asked, and Victor responded slowly.
"I have to go back to my home, Lagos. If I go now, I'll see my family after a year."
Ryu Min nodded and pointed outside.
"Go quickly. Leave this to me."
As if he was willing to let him go without hesitation.
Of course, Ryu Min knew that Victor wouldn't leave.
"Why don't you leave?"
"I'm going to see how these demons torment the temple. To the end."
"And the others? Do all of you think the same as Victor?"
After Ryu Min's question, people hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
"Honestly, we don't want to stay a moment longer in this place, but if Victor stays, we'll stay too."
"We'll stay to see what happens to EI."
Although they admired his firm determination and bravery, Ryu Min silently lowered his head.
With all the battles ahead, they would be a burden.
"Victor is a player, so maybe it's okay, but you are civilians. Staying here at the EI base after sending threats can be dangerous. Please return immediately. You can hear the result on the news later."
"Umm..."
Since there was no wrong word, no one could refute.
Frankly, they didn't want to stay in such a dangerous place.
Especially when the leader of EI was expected to arrive.
The desire to run downhill as soon as possible filled his heart. However, he only hesitated in his response due to loyalty towards Victor.
Victor, realizing this, smiled and said, "The words of Black Scythe-nim are correct. You shouldn't be here. It's too dangerous. Shouldn't you return to your homes before EI arrives? Shouldn't you also take the children who are here?"
"Well, if you put it that way, I understand."
"Victor, sincerely thank you for taking care of us and protecting us."
"No, what have I done?"
"No, thanks to you, we were able to endure."
By saying that, thanks. Ah, Mr. Marcus! Did you say you would stay in Lagos? Could you take care of the children until I return? There are many children here who have lost their parents and have nowhere to go."
"Don't worry about that. I'll take responsibility for returning the children to their parents. The parentless children are under my care."
"Thank you, Mr. Marcus. There are many cars below this, so you can take any and use it."
"Understood. See you when we're alive again."
"Yes, it will be."
"Well, we're leaving."
"We'll know about EI through the news. May everything go well...."
"Please take care. All of you."
"Come on, guys."
The 14 adults and the 10 children began to leave the camp.
Ricky, who looked back from time to time, finally couldn't contain himself and ran into Victor's arms.
"Sniff, sir. Will we be able to meet again?"
"Boy, of course. I'll be waiting for you at Mr. Marcus's house. Come find me as soon as the job is done."
"Yes. Make sure to come."
Victor stroked Ricky's head and bid him farewell.
Ricky, who looked back several times, walked far enough not to be visible.
'Ricky, come down safe and sound.'
There were many vehicles of the organization members below the hill, so there should be no problem escaping.
Victor turned to Ryu Min and Yamti.
"Do you have a chance of winning?"
"Well, of course."
Although Ryu Min spoke confidently, Victor couldn't shake off the unease.
There was no way the leader of EI would show up alone and unarmed.
"My profession is an alchemist."
Taking out several potion vials from his inventory, Victor offered them to Ryu Min.
"Take them. They will help you in battle."
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll decline. It doesn't need to come to this extreme."
"Still, it's better to strengthen a bit...."
"Trust me. If I thought I would lose to something like EI, I wouldn't have even started."
After saying that, Victor had no choice but to put away the potion vials.
With a face that couldn't shake off the anxiety, this was how Ryu Min, Yamti, Victor, and his horse waited inside the building, ready to face the enemy when they appeared.
They waited even after the sun set and night fell, and until dawn illuminated the sky with the bright stars.
They waited and waited, but the leader of EI never appeared.
'Did he get away?'
While waiting wearily, Victor remembered the people who left without waiting and who were still missing.
Knock-knock.
He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned his head.
"You came."
"Have you come?"
Suddenly realizing that many sounds of vehicle engines were heard.
He exited the building and looked down from the hill.
People were getting off trucks in dozens.
Ryu Min activated his exploration skill and looked at the increasing red dots around him.
"They've gathered many."
Victor's heart trembled seeing the organization members crowding into the old camp.
"H-How many are all these?"
At least three hundred people were entering the camp in plain sight.
Ryu Min signaled to Yamti with a head nod.
"Stay inside the building with Victor. Bring AbuBakar outside."
"Yes, Black Scythe-nim."
Following the instructions, Yamti brought out the hostage he had tied up and closed the door with Victor inside.
Ryu Min took the hostage, AbuBakar, to the wide open space.
Meanwhile, Victor kept an eye on the situation from the window.
Organization members surrounded Ryu Min.
"This is serious. There are too many."
Victor, who didn't expect so many to appear, looked with a pensive expression at his side.
"Is Black Scythe-nim okay? There are too many."
"I don't know what's going on. This is so frustrating; I should learn English or something."
Looking at Yamti muttering, he looked back out the window.
The number of people surrounding Ryu Min was countless.
Suddenly, a man with a bushy beard stepped forward.
"Who is Black Scythe?"
"I am."
Ryu Min, with a white mask, responded confidently.
"Are you Black Scythe?"
"Yes."
"Pleased to meet you. I am Abu Ibrahim Ashami Al-Baghdadi, leader of EI."
"Really?"
"Well, I came as you told me. Release AbuBakar."
"But you didn't come alone, did you?"
"When did I say I would come alone?"
"I thought you would come alone because you were holding a subordinate."
"You have a flower garden in your head. Did you think I would sacrifice one of my subordinates for one of your subordinates?"
"..."
"If you mess with EI, you should have been prepared for this. Don't tell me you got scared seeing this force."
"Scared seeing these guys? Don't even dream it."
Ryu Min smiled contemptuously.
It was natural that he had anticipated this by gathering so many.
"Stop talking nonsense..."
"I know everything. Don't look back and leave. I'll hear what you have to say."
"What nonsense are you talking? I am the leader of EI!"
It was then that another middle-aged man stepped out from among the crowd.
Ryu Min's gaze changed upon seeing him.
He was the true leader of EI he remembered.