Chapter 133 - The 9th Round Begins
<VOTING RESULTS FOR ZONE REPRESENTATIVE>
1. Black Scythe (4,088 votes)
2. Cheonma (1,057 votes)
3. Foolish Idiots (529 votes)
...
...
7. Bird Chest (65 votes)
The results disappointed Ma Gyeong-rok.
'Ah, I thought I would be the chosen one.'
Contrary to expectations, Black Scythe took the first place.
An overwhelming difference in votes.
Although Ma Gyeong-rok thought he might have a chance, it turned out to be a vain expectation.
'Well, considering popularity, I can't compete with Black Scythe.'
Even though he boasted about reaching second or third place in the entire zone, the gap with the first place was larger than he thought.
The voting results confirmed it.
Players' perception and sympathy towards Black Scythe were quantified.
Ma Gyeong-rok looked at Black Scythe with envy in his eyes.
Although he became the sole representative of the zone in South Korea, he showed no change in expression.
As if he already knew this would happen.
'Oh, well. I'm not a fortune teller, how could I know the voting results?'
He's probably hiding his emotions under an expressionless face.
Or maybe he really predicted the outcome.
Given Black Scythe's popularity, anyone could predict the results.
However, Ryu Min felt a genuine calmness because it wasn't a prediction, but a vision of the future.
From the 21st round to the 99th round, starting to win the votes from the 79th time, anyone would show this reaction.
'As expected, I'm the first. Although the vote difference is small.'
The number of votes increased more than in the previous round.
Maybe because of connections with fellow players like Jo Yong-ho, Min Juri, and Seo Arin?
Although he couldn't read minds, he could assume they voted for him.
[Player 'Black Scythe' becomes the new representative of zone C3-ESKA001.]
While looking at the message with indifference, Ariel exclaimed.
[According to the voting results, Black Scythe becomes the representative of the Korean zone! Congratulations, Black Scythe! Also, I have removed the representative authority from other players. Now Black Scythe is the only player with dominion in Korea.]
The angel continued.
[So, now that the representative has been decided, why not check the mission for the 9th round right away?]
A message window appeared before everyone.
◀ Round 9 ▶
<MAIN MISSION>
└Join a mercenary group and eliminate monsters
[Entire zone]
└Participants: 1,295,362
└Achievers: 0/647,681
[Specific zone C3-ESKA001]
└Participants: 6,008
└Achievers: 0/3,004
"Eliminate monsters?"
"What is a mercenary group?"
Players who checked the mission murmured.
On the other hand, people around Black Scythe remained calm.
He already knew thanks to Ryu Min's prophecy.
[Soon, everyone will be transported to a fantasy world to perform a monster elimination mission as mercenaries. Don't be surprised. It's a simple mission; you just have to eliminate monsters. Also, there's nothing to worry about, as you can choose which monsters to face.]
No one was surprised at the idea of being transported to a fantasy world.
They had already experienced the presence of NPCs protecting them in the 8th round.
Most thought it would be something similar this time.
"Does anyone have any questions?"
"Question! If I succeed in just one eradication, will I pass the mission?"
[Yes, of course. It's a fairly simple mission.]
Emphasizing simplicity constantly, players became nervous.
It had never been truly easy just because they said it was.
"Anyone else have any questions?"
"If it's about eradication, is it a group mission?"
[Yes, you'll act together, but it's not a group. Each one hunts monsters on their own and gets their share. So even for experience, you have to strive.]
"It's marked as the main mission, are there also secondary missions?"
[That's a secret.]
"Of course, that's a question?"
Everyone criticized the questioner with the same thought.
If it's marked as the main mission, there definitely are secondary missions.
That was a rule everyone knew from experience.
"Angel! How is the ranking determined?"
Even though the angel hadn't answered yet, some, upon hearing the question, lowered their heads as if it was pathetic.
That damn angel wasn't going to say.
The players' expectations turned out to be correct.
[I still don't know well. It will be revealed when the results are announced.]
Almost no one believed the angel's words.
That showed how distrustful players were towards angels.
But Ryu Min knew.
That the angel was telling the truth at this moment.
'I don't know everything about the mission just because I'm an angel. I have limited information in each round.'
They didn't know much about the rounds, fearing it would leak to humans.
Ryu Min had discovered that information by questioning the angel several times in previous rounds.
The reason Ryu Min was sure was simple.
'The final reward that can be obtained with this secondary mission. Just by seeing that, it's clear that the angels know nothing about the mission.'
Because the hidden reward of this round was a reward that could be considered lethal for angels.
'There would probably be an uproar if the angels knew about that reward.'
The reason Ryu Min didn't prophesize about the secondary mission lay here.
Because that reward, which only one could obtain, had to be completely his.
[That's all for questions. Shall we start the mission?]
Before Ariel's words finished, a selection window appeared in front of the players.
[Choose the monster you want to eradicate.]
└ 1. Lizardman
└ 2. Wolf
└ 3. Skeleton
└ 4. Troll
└ 5. Minotaur
[If you don't choose, it will be assigned randomly.]
[Time remaining: 00:00:59]
Like the previous choice, they moved immediately if they chose.
"Hmm, choose one of these?"
"This is obvious, isn't it? Number 1 seems the easiest...."
The difficulty could be estimated just from the names of the monsters.
'Everyone expects number 1 to be the easiest and number 5 to be the hardest.'
Ryu Min knew which was the best choice, but other players were at a crossroads.
They were pondering if, given such an obvious problem, there could be a trap.
"If we consider difficulty, the lizardman seems to be the best...."
"Won't everyone focus on the lizardman if we say that?"
"Should I face stronger monsters considering the rewards?"
"Isn't it the other way around, with number 1 being the hardest and 5 being the easiest?"
"Ugh, what should I choose?"
One minute was too short to consider all these concerns.
Most had made their decision and disappeared, but around a quarter hesitated and spent time thinking.
Some closed their eyes, perhaps intentionally leaving their choice to chance, waiting for time to pass.
"It may seem like there are traps, but there aren't. The difficulty is correct in the order shown. That is, just defeat the monsters you want according to your ability."
Ryu Min had shared this truth as a prophecy with his acquaintances.
Therefore, friends like Ma Gyeong-rok had no worries.
They had already thought enough about the reality.
"I'm going for number 2, Black Scythe."
"I'm going for number 2 too. Thanks for the buff, Min Juri."
Seo Arin and An Sang-cheol disappeared first.
They didn't forget to receive the buff from Min Juri before moving.
Having heard Ryu Min's prophecy that the buff would be maintained if they moved after receiving it, Min Juri generously shared the buff with Black Scythe and others.
"It was nice meeting you, Black Scythe, Min Juri. So, I'll go first."
After Ma Gyeong-rok made his choice, he disappeared too.
Although he didn't say what he chose, Ryu Min knew he had chosen number 3.
"I'm going first too. See you all alive."
When even Yamti disappeared, only Ryu Min and Min Juri were left with pending choices.
"Where are you going, Black Scythe? You'll surely go for number 5, right?"
"Well, it's a tough decision."
"I'm going for number 1. See you later, Black Scythe."
When Min Juri also disappeared, Ryu Min was finally left alone.
The reason he had postponed his choice until now was simple: he had to change his appearance.
"My choice is..."
Ryu Min cast an invisibility spell.
He transformed his appearance into the mask of an assassin, becoming invisible to others' eyes.
It was the face of Lost Yak.
In an instant, with 5 seconds remaining, Ryu Min's fingers moved to choose a monster, and his figure disappeared completely.
--------------------
In the fantasy world, there's an important rule.
Player nicknames are not visible.
"In the previous round, the angel explained that he covered the nicknames due to the traitor group, but that's not actually the case."
Because nicknames were hidden in the fantasy world, people could only distinguish each other as players by their faces or clothing.
The reason why Ryu Min transformed into Lost Yak was because of this.
"This way, I can complete secondary missions without Min Juri finding out."
Ryu Min's choice was number 1, just like Min Juri.
The reason for choosing the weakest lizardman was simple.
The secondary mission was only available there.
"So far, in repeated rounds, I've selected different options to confirm. I'm sure there are no secondary missions elsewhere."
The transformation into Lost Yak was also to complete secondary missions alone, without Min Juri's company.
If it had been Black Scythe, he would have surely followed or at least raised suspicions.
Moreover, Min Juri's back, who arrived first, was already visible.
Ryu Min, undoing the invisibility, approached.
She felt the popularity and glanced at Ryu Min, but quickly looked away.
She didn't recognize the so-called Black Scythe at all.
With his face hidden behind Lost Yak and without showing his nickname, it was natural that she couldn't recognize him.
Ryu Min opened the mission progress window.
[Current status of Lizardman Elimination Force]
└ Participants: 602 people
The player who chose option 1 turned out to be fewer than she expected.
Since the difficulty was low, many people avoided the choice thinking it was a trap.
'It's a shame. There's no better place than this to rank in the leaderboard.'
The way the angel ranked without saying a word was by the number of monsters eliminated.
That is, the ranking was determined by how many monsters were hunted.
'So killing weaker monsters would be the best.'
But if a monster was too weak, experience would be lost.
So it was better to hunt monsters that were at the player's level.
This was revealed as a prophesized fact.
The reason her friends chose options 2 and 3 was because they selected according to their level.
Min Juri chose option 1 considering her combat skill.
'Given my current skill, it would be obvious to choose the Minotaur from option 5, but the secondary mission is more important.'
The reward for this secondary mission could only be obtained by one person in the entire zone.
Given the importance of the reward essential to facing the angel, they couldn't miss this opportunity.
"Are all of you players, right? I can't be sure since I can't see your nicknames."
"It seems like they're speaking Korean."
"But why can't I see the nicknames again?"
"Is it because they're not visible in the fantasy world?"
"Anyway, aren't there fewer people than I thought? Wasn't Lizardman elimination supposed to be the easiest?"
"Yeah, I thought there would be a lot more people here."
"But isn't it the other way around, incredibly difficult?"
"I feel like something's off..."
While players chatted animatedly, a foreigner with a thick beard, apparently an NPC, appeared.
"Have you all had enough rest? I'm Kaltz Garsia, the leader of the first unit of the Golden Eagle Mercenary Company. Although I'm known in the Holy Empire as a warrior from another world, as I'm here as an apprentice, I'll speak informally. Understand it."
Kaltz said this and, after shouting "Follow me, soldiers!", turned around.
Players followed Kaltz, wondering things like "what will happen if we kill this guy? Will we fail the elimination mission and all be wiped out?".
Some actually considered trying, but couldn't carry it out.
There was no one crazy enough to risk such a dangerous action that could result in the death of all members of the elimination force.
If there were someone like that, they probably wouldn't have survived until now.
After walking for about 10 minutes, Kaltz stopped in front of the entrance to the dense forest.
"Here, comrades from another world. This is the swamp where the remnants of the Lizardman appear. You and I will eliminate the remnants of the Lizardman here. So let's start right away!"
After cheering them on, Kaltz advanced, and the players followed him nervously.
As they weren't in a group, Min Juri applied a buff again, firmly gripping the handle of her sword.
Although she hadn't faced the Lizardman, she felt relieved to have the unique armor she received from Ryu Min.
However, neither she nor Kaltz, nor anyone in this place, knew of one fact.
The exit of one person from the ranks.
None other than Ryu Min, Lost Yak.
[You have completed the secondary mission!]