Chapter 184 - Messiah
When asked if he wanted to die, there was no response from the necromancer.
A figure completely frozen, burdened by the weight of living.
"No, are you surprised that the counterattack failed?"
After all, it would have been astonishing to eliminate thirty undead entities at once.
Though he now had the justification to kill him, Ryu Min had no intention of killing him immediately.
"The necromancer still has utility. It would be a waste to kill him like this."
After round 11, someone would make a proposal to the necromancer.
To form a unified organization called "Messiah."
"It is necessary to keep the necromancer alive to establish a connection with them."
Furthermore, in round 12, the time to need the necromancer's summoning would come.
It would be more convenient to clear it using the guy at that time.
Even without knowing that there was a reason to kill him, the necromancer had an extremely tense expression.
"I must kill him. If I stay still, I will die."
Though one could read what he was thinking, Ryu Min threatened him as if he didn't know.
"Why aren't you responding? You really want to die...".
At that moment, the necromancer aimed his wand at Ryu Min's back.
Instead of a response, he used the "Corpse Resurrection" skill.
"Grrrr..."
When he turned, Douglas, lying as a corpse, had risen as if asking when he died.
Thud, thud, thud...
As the zombie guy straightened the neck that broke as if asking when he died, Christine was surprised.
It was not a spirit like the undead.
It was a true undead with a physical form.
Unlike the undead, real undead were immune to magical damage.
"Is it possible that he summoned it because he thought he was a wizard?"
Ryu Min smiled as if he thought it was pathetic.
Although it seemed he was going to try something with just one individual, it was a futile effort.
"The dawn of the room..."
Fwoosh!
Douglas, who was about to use some skill, had his head blown off before he could speak.
Swoosh, thud!
Ryu Min's scythe, which had detached, returned to its place.
"..."
The necromancer's face was full of surprise at seeing the scythe in his hand.
"Did you really think you could stand up to me with just that? Even if I summoned tens of them, the result would be the same."
"Who the hell are you... kuaaah!"
Instead of answering, the necromancer screamed.
Ryu Min cut off his arm in one stroke.
"The balance is off. I'll cut the other side too."
Before he could say anything more, the other arm also fell.
"K-kuahhh!"
Then, the left leg.
Thud!
"You've lost your balance. Instead..."
He cleanly cut off the right leg too.
"K-kuahhh!"
After cutting off the limbs, Ryu Min stroked his chin, thinking.
"Now, what else should I cut? Besides the head, is there anything else?"
He looked at the necromancer, who writhed with his limbs cut off.
"Wait a moment. Please don't kill him," said Christine, stopping Ryu Min's scythe.
Originally, he didn't even intend to kill him.
"Why are you stopping him?"
"Near here, this person's subordinates are fighting with our colleagues. If we save him and take him, they will surely stop the fight."
"So, we capture this guy as a hostage to stop the fight?"
"Though it's shameful, please do it. We are worried about my colleagues."
After speaking seriously, Ryu Min had no choice but to lower his scythe.
"The fight is already over, though. But we talked about it."
Through long-range sight, Ryu Min had already assessed the situation on the other side.
The followers of the saint had been defeated.
All were killed, and the only ones left were around 170 followers of the necromancer.
Unaware of this fact, Christine still believed she could save Russell, thinking it was not too late.
"First, you shouldn't kill him."
Originally, Ryu Min had no intentions to kill, but he nodded as if bored.
"If that's what you ask for."
A warm light emanated from his hands and wrapped around the severed section of the sorcerer commander.
The blood flowing like a tap stopped, and the expression of the individual who had reached the brink of death relaxed.
Emergency treatment saved the necromancer.
"I won't personally kill him out of mercy."
"..."
"Next time, be careful with your words when you meet people. You never know if you'll encounter a psychopath like me."
Though the sorcerer commander regained consciousness, he had no intention to respond.
He simply thought about how he could attack as soon as he had the chance.
"Is this no longer necessary, right?"
I'm tired!
He even burned the remaining leg left so he wouldn't have unnecessary thoughts.
The necromancer's expression turned pale as the chance faded away.
Now, he had no choice but to desperately hope his team would win, being the only survivor of this round.
Well, if he survived this round, his body would fully recover.
"So, is it okay now? You didn't kill him?"
When Ryu Min turned, Christine tilted her head gratefully.
"Thank you."
Then, she looked at the necromancer with a hostile gaze.
"I'll take you to where your comrades are. When you get there, tell your followers to immediately stop the fight."
"Me? Why?"
"Because if you don't, I'll kill you."
"Hmph..."
Though he let out a scornful laugh, the sorcerer commander did not take Christine's words lightly.
With no limbs, he had no abilities to defend himself even against a child's attack.
Furthermore, seeing Christine's gaze, it didn't seem like a joke.
She seemed determined.
"What are you going to do? Would you rather die by my hands now, or stop the fight?"
"I'll stop."
After getting his consent, Christine was about to lift the necromancer.
"Wait."
Ryu Min grabbed Christine and pulled her towards him.
He felt the presence of several individuals approaching with enhanced acute senses.
He confirmed through Clairvoyance that there was a group of 30 people approaching in that direction.
They were believers of the Church of Despair.
"Come behind me."
"Eh? What's happening all of a sudden...?"
Christine, seeing the approaching group from afar, quickly hid behind Ryu Min.
"Religious leader. Leader... Ah!"
Those approaching were frightened to see the necromancer with severed limbs.
Then, all of them, with blinking eyes, looked at Ryu Min and Christine.
"Did you make our leader end up like this?"
"These scoundrels!"
Two of them drew their swords and ran straight towards them.
Ryu Min showed no mercy.
With a sweep of his scythe, he cut off the heads of the two.
Then, the 28 who followed them flinched and halted their advance.
"Why did you come here? Come. If you wish to die."
"……."
Finally, they realized they couldn't handle the opponent, and hesitated as they retreated.
"Fools! Stop at once! Who do you think you're chasing? That person is Black Scythe."
"Eh, Black Scythe?"
When the religious leader spoke, the followers looked at Ryu Min again with curious eyes.
And indeed, he carried a scythe as his nickname indicated.
The atmosphere was just as fierce as his level 90.
The followers who belatedly realized they had stirred a hornet's nest started to break out in a cold sweat.
"You, come here and embrace me."
"Yes."
One of the followers lifted up the necromancer, whose body was all that remained.
"What brings all of you here?"
"We came to report that the situation has ended."
"The situation has ended? What does that mean?"
When Christine intervened, the necromancer responded in her place.
"Your companions have been killed."
"Ah..."
Christine opened her mouth in shock.
One hundred followers killed by the Church of Despair?
"What's our damage?"
"Close to 45 injured and around 30 dead."
Given the confrontation with 100 people, the losses were surprisingly low.
Though it was commendable, the necromancer restrained himself.
If Black Scythe suddenly changed his mind and decided to speak again, he didn't know when his speech would change.
"As you can see, the situation has ended. There's nothing more I can do. So now, I..."
"Understood, so leave quickly."
As he averted his gaze, he saw the saint who had lost her companions immersed in grief.
"Though I couldn't kill the saint, I managed to weaken her influence."
Having achieved his goal, it was a satisfying accomplishment.
"Let's go."
Following the necromancer's orders, the followers turned around without hesitation.
There were no fools insisting on revenge without realizing the situation.
Since the religious leader, who controlled dozens of summons, had come to this extent, who would dare to seek revenge?
...
When the leader and the followers left, silence fell between Ryu Min and Christine.
Christine, who never imagined all her companions would die, still couldn't snap out of the shock.
"It's my fault... They all died because of me."
They were followers who followed her, but she never treated them as inferior.
Even though they initially joined for mutual benefit, they had shared the trench as comrades.
"But... just because of me...?"
She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't flow.
"Hey, what's your nickname?"
"I'm... Christine... yes."
"Yes, Christine. I understand the situation more or less. It must be painful to lose the companions who followed you. It seems everyone thinks it's my fault."
"It's not your fault. If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened."
"If you keep thinking like that, there will be no end. What if that leader hadn't existed from the beginning? What if this survival game hadn't existed?"
Ryu Min's calm voice made Christine pay attention.
"Is it not my fault...?"
"Of course. Did you deliberately gather those guys telling them to follow you?"
Christine shook her head.
"No, it's not like that. People who follow you are usually followers. If you think about it, you did nothing wrong."
"But..."
"Worrying too much about the future is as foolish as getting oneself into a dead end. So..."
Ryu Min raised his head for a moment and said:
"Don't blame yourself and stop carrying the burden on your shoulders. You're not obliged to carry other people's burdens alone."
"..."
Christine wasn't originally of a sentimental nature. She didn't even feel emotion watching romantic or touching movies. Except for yawning, she didn't shed a single tear.
But then...
"Eh...?"
Drop by drop...
Unbeknownst to her, thick tears rolled down from beneath her eyes.
Christine was surprised by this fact, but Ryu Min acted as if he didn't know and looked away.
"Did... I get support?"
Christine, who had been leading many people without anyone to turn to, felt surprised and relieved at the same time.
The fact that she had found someone who understood her feelings.
"Did I overstep?"
"Oh, no. I should be the one to apologize. I showed you a pitiful sight..."
Christine wiped her tears and forced a smile.
"It's too late for introductions. My name is Christine. You're Black Scythe, right?"
Ryu Min didn't deny it.
"Yes. I guess you believe me when you see my skill?"
A man who eliminated thirty undead comparable to single spell players.
Who wouldn't believe he's the only level 90, Black Scythe?
"But if you're a reaper, how do you use magic?"
She doesn't know what a reaper's abilities are, but one thing's for sure, he's someone who welcomed her as a messiah.
He could be considered the only reliable mentor in this world.
"Thank you for saving me, Black Scythe. I don't know how to repay you for saving my life..."
"When did I save your life?"
"Eh?"
"I just fixed the tongue of a human who was talking nonsense. Nothing more."
"Ah, haha."
Even though he denied it, Christine could feel it. Black Scythe intentionally saved her using an excuse.
That's what a warm person feels like.
And this man is undoubtedly...
"I'm sure. Black Scythe... is the messiah I must follow, as predicted by the oracle."
She should follow the thread of life that connects according to the prophecy.
"Hey, Black Scythe."
"What's up?"
Christine, apparently nervous under Ryu Min's gaze, gathered the courage to speak.
"Can I accompany you for the time I have left?"
"Why?"
"Because you saved my life. I want to repay the favor somehow, even if it's like this."
"I refuse."
"Eh...?"
Christine was momentarily stunned by the sharp rejection.
"It shouldn't be like this..."
She didn't even consider that this could happen at such a breathtaking speed.
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