Chapter 196 - Entities Aiming at Black Scythe
Entities Targeting Black Scythe
The operation to assassinate Black Scythe proceeded smoothly.
"Hello, I'm Jeffrey!"
Jeffrey introduced himself in front of the 5 apostles.
"I'm a level 48 assassin. I can track or kill, any task assigned to me, I'll do it. Just trust me."
"Have you heard of Swingman? Do you know what to do?"
Jeffrey nodded at the Spaniard's question.
"I've heard about the mission to track down the leader of the CPF in Korea to find out his whereabouts."
"Can you do it?"
"It shouldn't be difficult. I've already identified the police station where the commander frequently appears. I just need to stalk. Of course, the sooner the payment is made, the sooner the mission will begin."
"Haha, alright. How much will the payment be?"
"I accept 100,000 points as an advance and another 100,000 points upon completing the task, totaling 200,000 points."
"What...?"
Not dollars or gold, but points as a currency of transaction.
It was not surprising to anyone, as they already knew that points were used in transactions.
However, the amount was more than expected.
"200,000 points. Isn't that too much?"
"I don't think it's too much if we split it among five."
"There's no other choice. Everyone hand over 20,000 points as an advance."
Everyone nodded as if they already knew, except for one person who wore a suspicious face.
That person was John Delgado.
"Your name is Jeffrey?"
"Yes."
"Are you white? What country are you from?"
"From the United States."
"How did an American like you hear about Swingman, an Indian?"
"I don't discriminate nationality when taking clients. I just move for money."
Though taken aback by the unexpected question, Jeffrey responded easily.
Since Ryu Min had given him the answers beforehand.
"It seems you've done this kind of work more than once, haven't you?"
"Yes, there are people looking for assassins everywhere, whether civilians or players."
"If he's so famous, how come an American like you, who is from the same country, hasn't heard of him?"
"I can't openly disclose that I do contract work, can I?"
With that, the conversation came to an end.
Having no more information to glean from Jeffrey, John's attention turned to Ryu Min.
"Swingman, why did you need an assassin?"
"Personally, I've needed tracking in the past and met Jeffrey at that time. Is it okay now?"
When Ryu Min responded with a firm voice, John couldn't press further.
There was nothing to question, and the atmosphere turned tense.
To lighten the situation, the Spaniard clapped.
"Well, it seems we have someone experienced in great deals. We trust you, Mr. Jeffrey. Shall we make the deal quickly? Please, take care of this."
"Yes, don't worry."
Jeffrey, who had received points from the apostles, smiled and disappeared.
He used invisibility, probably due to being an assassin, and vanished without being detected in the surrounding scan.
"Now we just have to wait for that assassin to bring good results."
"That's right."
Everyone smiled satisfied, but only John Delgado couldn't hide his uneasy expression.
Jeffrey's communication came just a week before the next round.
"I found him!"
"What are you saying? Did you find him?"
"Yes! After tracking him, I found Black Scythe's residence."
"That's great."
The apostles laughed brightly at Swingman's report.
However, John Delgado, who had grievances towards Swingman, had an uncertain expression.
"Are you sure about that information? Did you verify if Black Scythe is inside?"
"Of course. Here's the video Jeffrey sent us."
The video showed someone with a white mask coming out of the villa entrance.
"It's him. If you see the mask, you can be sure it's Black Scythe, who attacked us at that time."
...
Only Swingman had seen Black Scythe in reality, so he couldn't deny immediately.
It wasn't easy to affirm it, nor to deny it.
"Are you sure that's Black Scythe?"
"Yes, I'm sure. I can stake my life on it."
When Swingman affirmed it with such certainty, the other apostles had no choice but to accept it.
"Haha, we finally found Black Scythe's hideout."
"Now all that's left is to assassinate him as planned."
"Leave it to me. I'll open up Black Scythe's lid with my sniper skills inspired by the gods."
Though Dark Soul spoke confidently, Yang Qiwen was unwilling to stay silent.
"Why is this guy meddling? We decided to follow the plan I mentioned! Wait until we reach Round 12!"
"We've already found his house. What's there to wait for? It would be better to shoot right away."
"Hey, this guy doesn't think. What if the shot fails? Black Scythe will change his hideout and my carefully prepared plan will be in vain."
"Yes, Dark Soul. It would be better to follow Yang Qiwen's plan as scheduled. You just have to wait a week, right?"
Even with the Spanish intervention, Dark Soul had no choice but to withdraw with an unsatisfactory taste.
"So, as planned, I will prepare the members of the dark society who will tear off Black Scythe's head."
"Yes. Yang Qiwen, please have the organization members infiltrate Korea as soon as possible after midnight on December 1st."
"Leave that to me."
Though the apostles smiled maliciously, they did not know that the mission's failure was practically guaranteed.
Nobody in the heavens was unaware that the seven archangels ruled, at least until recently. They even knew that Remiel had recently died and that now there were only six. However, nobody, except the high-ranking archangels, knew how Ramiel died and who killed him.
"There's a big problem."
"That's true."
The archangels gathered, something that rarely happened, but lately they hadn't gathered for anything important.
Until Remiel died.
"It's a significant matter that the seven archangels we've maintained for hundreds of years are reduced to six. This is unprecedented."
"I agree. The solid reputation of the archangels is plummeting. We need to take action."
Gabriel, second in hierarchy, and Uriel, fourth, raised their voices.
Michael, who had remained silent until now, asked for the opinion of the top-ranking archangels.
[What should we do?]
[We must catch and kill that damn vermin that killed Remiel!]
[We should take him to heaven, flay him in front of everyone for humanity to see, and then kill him.]
The opinions of the archangels were mostly similar.
After subduing Black Scythe, they should impose fair punishment in heaven.
'This is complicated.'
Taking a player in the competition to heaven would result in immediate loss of eligibility.
They would become an outsider, excluded from participants and not called for the next round.
They couldn't even return to Earth.
They would be a completely foreign entity to the survival game, but it didn't matter.
For the archangels, what mattered was bringing the sinner and punishing him.
But Michael's perspective was different.
'For me to become a God, I must lead Black Scythe to victory in this game.'
That is, he had to protect him so that he could safely reach round 20.
But in the current hostile environment, that seemed doubtful.
Especially for Raguel, who ranked fifth in the hierarchy.
[Michael, please, give me a chance. I will ensure that the human named Black Scythe receives a fair trial.]
Raguel, the archangel of justice, equity, and harmony?
He couldn't just allow Black Scythe's existence without punishment.
'He will probably tear him apart to the point of barely keeping him alive and then take him to heaven to inflict all kinds of tortures.'
It was so obvious that Michael couldn't let Raguel go.
It would be better if he took care of it himself.
'No, if I act on my own and return without gaining any benefit, won't I be the target of criticism instead of him?'
Finally, to calm the fire, someone had to be sent.
Of course, it had to be an archangel weak enough for Black Scythe to defeat.
'Who should I send?'
As Michael pondered, his eyes settled on the only calm archangel.
Sariel, the angel of death, ranking sixth.
'If I'm going to send someone, Sariel, who has the lowest rank among us, would be appropriate...'
The problem was that Sariel was practically equivalent to a reaper's accountant.
'The darkness of the reaper class cannot overcome the darkness of the angel of death.'
Could the darkness of a player, who was merely an occupation, compare to the darkness of the angel of death representing death itself?
'He will probably submit without doing anything.'
But he couldn't send someone like Raguel, who was above Sariel.
It was already clear that she would fight him with all her might as soon as she saw Black Scythe.
'If Raguel uses all his power, even Black Scythe won't be able to resist.'
He wanted to send an archangel strong enough to face Black Scythe, whether fifth or sixth in hierarchy.
But neither the fifth nor the sixth were easy opponents for Black Scythe.
Much less the one above them.
'Well, who should I send so that Black Scythe comes out unscathed...?'
Anyone listening would think it would be amazing, but unknowingly, the archangels were having a heated discussion in heaven.
[We must capture that human immediately! We must descend to Earth even by opening a dimensional portal if necessary!]
[Forcing open a dimensional portal before the round begins requires a great cost. Isn't it rushing too much?]
[Then, Gabriel, do you suggest letting that insect flutter freely like this?]
[Just wait until round 12, Raguel. It's not that I don't understand your feelings, but in times like this, we must seek reason and evaluate gains and losses, right?]
[Then, please, send me in round 12! I will establish the majesty of the archangels who lost by capturing that human.]
[No.]
Michael intervened during the conversation.
He had already decided who to send.
[We will go with Sariel to bring Black Scythe.]
[Lord Michael, why?]
[You've lost your reason at this moment. Wouldn't it be more appropriate for Sariel, who can handle the situation with indifference in front of a sinner, to handle this?]
[I can also do it well. With the sword of judgment, I will punish that insect disturbing the celestial order...]
[Look. Do you see which angel is excitedly agitated and shouting right now?]
[......]
[My opinion hasn't changed. To bring Black Scythe, Sariel is the right person. There's no need for the fifth in hierarchy to get involved in capturing a simple insect.]
[Hmm... That also makes sense.]
If the meaning of being the first is like this, then you must follow it.
Of course, Miguel's decision was after weighing which angel was weaker.
'If I have to send someone, the sixth would be easier to handle.'
It might be a confrontation with the reaper, but at least he could try to escape.
[Sariel, can you do it?]
[Of course. Lord Michael. Capturing a human shouldn't be that difficult.]
[Then, the decision is made. When round 12 comes, Sariel, bring the human named Black Scythe from the other world secretly. You must do it without killing him, as he must face his sins in the celestial realm.]
[So I shouldn't kill him?]
[It would be better to bring him in a clean state. Although it won't be easy.]
Was he provoked by the last words?
Sariel's long eyebrows trembled like feathers.
[Bring him without a single wound, understood?]
Sariel's appearance speaking while sharpening her sword somehow unsettled Michael.
'This isn't what I expected...'. The words he said to help Black Scythe would actually set fire.
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