Chapter 199 - First Trial
"Damn it."
Honestly, John Delgado was expecting it.
For the members of Yang Qiwen's organization to slit Black Scythe's throat.
Instead of avenging that damn son of a bitch.
But.
[Target 'Black Scythe' location identified.]
[Currently at a distance of 501 meters.]
[To track the target, follow the arrow you see in front of you.]
When he tried to track after entering this world, Black Scythe popped up in the search.
It only meant one thing.
"Black Scythe, that bastard is still alive!"
Black Scythe being alive meant Yang Qiwen's operation had failed.
"But why? We confirmed Black Scythe was alive till the end and acted according to the plan. Why didn't they kill him?"
After midnight, he just had to enter the villa and stab his throat, a simple operation.
According to the plan, Black Scythe should've died shortly after entering this world.
"But he's perfectly alive."
What happened would only be known when he returned.
At this moment, he knew nothing.
"Should I execute the next operation like this?"
He recalled Swingman's strategy of reconciling and befriending Black Scythe.
"Damn it, I can't do that. Am I going to bow down to that bastard...?"
Bow down and pay respects to a guy who cut his own limbs?
Is there anything more humiliating than that?
"Swingman, this damn demon..."
He wanted to kill the Hindu who devised the damn strategy, but there was no other option now.
He had to go look for Black Scythe according to the plan.
"Ah, I really hate this."
He wasn't emotionally prepared because he trusted that Yang Qiwen's operation would succeed.
Again he cursed Swingman while hesitating.
In round 12, an angel appeared and explained about overcoming the five trials.
"Overcoming the five trials? Forming a group of five?"
Forming a group wasn't a problem.
Even just with the followers gathered, they were almost 200.
Selecting talented people among them and forming a group was enough.
"The problem is we don't know anything about the trials."
They couldn't just choose anyone randomly.
Until they knew what trials they would face, they had to select a variety of professions.
But seeing people moving quickly, he felt anxious.
Moreover, didn't the angel say?
He would eliminate the two who got eliminated.
"It's not the time to hesitate. I need to form a group quickly..."
Because of the task given, his steps didn't slow down.
"Damn it, do I really have to bow down and go towards Black Scythe?"
Just when he needed to form a group.
Now was the chance.
After apologizing for the previous incident and asking for a group after bowing down to Black Scythe.
"Oh no. Even if they beat me, my pride wouldn't allow it."
Even if they offered him millions, he wouldn't kneel before his desired opponent.
"Ha... Damn it, huh?"
As John Delgado sighed, he used the tracking skill out of habit and opened his eyes surprised.
"What's this?"
The distance with Black Scythe had decreased since last time.
No, for some reason, it was decreasing in real time.
As if something was coming in this direction.
[Currently at a distance of 363 meters.]
[Currently at a distance of 222 meters.]
[Currently at a distance of 113 meters.]
………………
…………
[Currently at a distance of 31 meters.]
When he finally entered the visible distance, John Delgado averted his gaze from his message.
And then, as if surprised, he slowly opened his mouth.
Black Scythe was really approaching.
"Hey, John Delgado. How have you been?"
"...."
Black Scythe, shaking hands as if they were close friends, spoke to him with a cheeky face.
"Are your arms and legs okay?"
"...."
"Are they attached okay? What a relief."
John Delgado stayed silent.
It was so strange that he didn't even get a chance to ask what was going on.
"Is this guy really coming to find me...?"
Though he was curious about the reason, he was afraid to ask.
Didn't he lose a limb the last time he asked the wrong question?
"Is this idiot trying to do something again...?"
He would give anything to kick that mouth right now and pull out the tongue, but he knew it was impossible.
So, with hidden confusion in his face, John spoke.
More courteously than before.
"Uh, what's the reason for your visit?"
"Let's speak straightforwardly. John Delgado, join my group."
John's eyes widened.
It was an unexpected proposal.
"Join... what...?"
"We have a spot in our team. And there's no one else to fill it but you."
Now he realized Black Scythe was accompanied by other companions.
Two men and one woman.
But one of the men had a familiar nickname.
"Oh, Jeffrey?"
Wasn't Jeffrey the assassin Swingman hired to find Black Scythe's hideout?
"Jeffrey, why are you here?"
"Do you know me?"
Jeffrey looked at the necromancer and pretended not to know him.
Because Ryu Min had instructed him to act as if he didn't know anyone.
So John, with some doubt, shook his head with a smile.
'Can't they recognize me because I haven't customized my appearance?'
On the other hand, Jeffrey, though having the same nickname, looked different due to the customization from the outside world.
'Could it be he lied about his nickname?'
He thought the Jeffrey he knew in reality might not be the same as the one in front of him now.
"Are you friends with Jeffrey?"
"Oh no, it seems I mistook the person."
John Delgado scratched his head in confusion.
Even from a logical standpoint, wouldn't it be unlikely for Black Scythe to be accompanied by someone who pursued him?
He also noticed the guy was looking at him as if it were the first time he saw him.
"Are they Jeffrey's friends?"
"Oh no, I made a mistake. It must have been a misunderstanding."
John Delgado scratched his head in confusion.
Given the circumstances, wouldn't it be strange for Black Scythe to be accompanied by someone who pursued him?
He had no reason to think of Jeffrey at this moment.
He was in a situation where he received an unexpected proposal.
'If I accept immediately, we'll be a team of five.'
Since John didn't have a team, there was no reason to refuse, and furthermore...
'Furthermore, I'll be close to Black Scythe naturally.'
If he joins him now, he might achieve his goal of betraying and killing Black Scythe in the future.
'It was difficult to approach and tackle his pride.'
If he extended his hand first, John would feel more comfortable.
But still, he didn't shake Black Scythe's hand easily.
There was something uncomfortable about it.
'What's the reason? Why with someone like me...?'
He might receive another blow if he misspoke a word, but he had to ask.
Because he needed to understand that guy's intention.
"Why...? Why do you want to team up with me? Surely there'll be many other people to choose from..."
"I don't accept questions. Decide whether you will or not, that's all that matters."
"..."
Black Scythe was relentless.
Without giving reasons, he simply demands that you choose whether to join the team.
"He doesn't intend to kill me. He couldn't kill me even if he were Black Scythe after joining the team."
So, why?
John was carefully pondering the reason, but Ryu Min didn't give him time to do so.
"I give you 10 seconds. Decide quickly."
"What?"
"If you don't decide, I'll take it as a rejection and look for someone else. 10, 9..."
"Wait a moment."
"8, 7..."
As the time dwindled down, John's heart raced.
As if this were his only chance to get close to Black Scythe.
Thinking of that, his complicated mind suddenly cleared.
"Yes, I will. Join the team for now, for the strategy and..."
With 3 seconds remaining, John's mouth opened.
"I will. Join the team."
"Understood. Now take my hand and remember the team formation keyword."
The five of them held hands and memorized the team formation keyword simultaneously.
Then, a ring formed by golden letters closed around their wrists.
"We just formed team number 7,389. Strive. There are few spots left."
People became even more desperate with the angel's fan.
Moving desperately not to be the last two became a challenging task.
"Hahaha! Finally, 7,880 teams formed and only two unlucky ones remain!"
"No, please."
"Save me, angel. Please..."
"You shouldn't have begged me, you should have asked people to form a team, tsk tsk. Goodbye then!"
"No, it can't be..."
With the relentless disappearance, the cries of the two players echoed like an echo.
"Well, now that the team is formed, why don't we start the mission?"
With the angel's last word, the background changed.
-----------------
"Eh?"
Ryu Min's team, which was in a colorless space, suddenly found themselves in a dark cave.
Although the team members were bewildered upon entering the cave, Ryu Min was the only one calm.
'It finally begins.'
Probably every team is seeing the same landscape.
Since they were all transported here, they're likely in the place with the trial cave.
"Master Black Scythe, where are we...?"
"It seems it has begun. I suppose this is the cave."
Ryu Min advanced calmly leaving behind the team members who were dumbfounded.
"There's no time to hesitate. The teams that quickly conquer will survive. Follow me."
With that said, Ryu Min kept walking paying no attention to the others.
"Wait a moment. I'll give you a buff!"
Min Juri followed behind, hurrying as she cast buffs on the members.
Jeffrey and Joo Sung-taek also followed their leader.
Only John Delgado stayed behind, staring at the backs of his teammates.
'Did we really form a team like this?'
Though he joined the team abruptly, Black Scythe didn't even pay attention to him.
He didn't ask anything and simply kept walking, ordering them to follow.
'Is he crazy?'
Turning an enemy into a group mate was not something different.
He was a man of unknown intentions.
"Though in my heart, I'd like to stab him in the back right now..."
He understood that once the group was formed, any action was meaningless.
On the contrary, they were now in a situation where they had to survive together, having embarked on the same boat.
"Well, I don't know what his intentions are, but for now, let's play along with him. After all, didn't we approach Black Scythe according to the plan?"
He followed the group, comforting himself that he didn't have to bend his pride.
At that moment, Min Juri, the only woman in the group, turned to him and spoke.
"Mr. John Delgado, here's a buff."
"Buff?"
From blessing, swift to safety barrier.
John's eyes widened in amazement as he received three types of buffs.
"Incredible! Will these increase my stats?"
With a 70% increase in all stats, attack speed, and movement speed, and a protective barrier that prevents ambushes.
John simply greeted with astonished eyes and followed the buffer running forward.
----------------------
Ryu Min led the group, feeling if his companions were following correctly.
From the first to the fifth challenge.
It wasn't difficult when you knew the strategy.
"The first challenge requires a tank."
Finally, upon reaching a dead-end alley, he stopped his steps.
His companions arrived one after another, and they stood in front of the wall just like Ryu Min.
"Is the path... blocked?"
With the gathering of the five, the conditions activated and a message appeared.
[Welcome to the Trial Cave.]
[We will now proceed with the first challenge.]
<First Challenge>
Resist the attacks of the monsters for 10 minutes.
Success ▶ Opens the next challenge.
Failure ▶ One group member will be eliminated by voting.
"Resist the attacks of the monsters?"
John muttered as if asking what it meant, but the message hadn't finished yet.
"Soon, the monsters will rush into the cave."
"Wait, does it mean that even if our allies get hurt, we'll fail?"
John was confused, but the others were calm.
They already knew what was going to happen because of the prophecy.
"The first challenge requires a tank. We should minimize the damage to our allies and resist the attacks of the monsters."
A real challenge to test the tank's skills.
But Ryu Min's team didn't have a tank.
However, Min Juri had followed Black Scythe because of the prophecy.
Whatever the issue, she trusts Black Scythe.
"Everyone, follow me."
When Ryu Min stepped forward, the group members gathered against the wall.
John also followed the instructions and used Black Scythe's scythe as a shield.
"What am I supposed to do? Deal with the monsters alone? I can't even kill them because they're invulnerable."
He didn't know what Black Scythe would do, but for now, he could only watch.
"In 10 seconds, the monsters will appear. Everyone, get ready for the monsters' appearance together!"
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