Chapter 250 - Shield
"Why be ashamed?"
Whether Christine felt embarrassed or not, Ryu Min only focused on protecting her.
If she fell, thousands more would fall with her.
"Perhaps we'll be wiped out in a few minutes."
In this round, healers were crucial.
Some other players seemed to realize that and sent Christine grateful looks.
Some even said it directly.
"Are you healing over there right now?"
"Thank you, Miss Christine."
"Are you a healer? Your healing ability is amazing!"
There was no time to respond.
If you lost focus or stopped channeling on your own, the healing ability would cease.
And to restart it after stopping, you needed a 30-minute cooldown.
"So Christine's role is crucial."
With determination to protect her, he channeled healing onto her back.
"Um, Mr. Black Scythe?"
"What is it?"
"Could you take your hand off my back?"
"By placing your hand near the wound, like now, the regeneration is much faster. Didn't you know?"
"Ah...?"
Even Christine was surprised that she, a healer herself, didn't know.
"Thank you for the advice."
"So don't worry about trivial things and focus calmly on your mind."
"Yes..."
Though she replied, Christine still felt embarrassed.
"Shaaa!"
"Aaagh!"
After about 15 minutes, groans were heard here and there.
It was clearly a moment when the pain intensified.
But when they received healing, their expressions returned to calm as if nothing happened.
If it weren't for Christine's healing, they couldn't have withstood this section and would have collapsed.
The same went for Christine, who was being healed by Ryu Min.
"The pain... seems to vanish as if washed away."
Christine, surprised, asked Ryu Min beside her.
"Mr. Black Scythe, are you using emergency treatment skills now? Why does it work so well?"
"It's not emergency treatment, it's healing."
"What? Healing?"
"Thanks to a rune, healing isn't common, but..."
Healing was a skill in the sacred category.
Because of the rune, which doubled the effectiveness of sacred skills, the healing capacity was exceptional.
"And since Christine uses healing the moment she takes damage, she won't even have time to feel pain."
It was a way to minimize pain on her own.
While other players had to go through the cycle of pain and healing repeatedly.
"Ugh, it's more painful than I thought."
"Still, with the healing, I can bear it."
"Thanks to healer Christine, this mission will be easy to complete."
"Let's just endure another 15 minutes!"
Shouting encouragement all around, they prepared for the showdown.
It seemed they might pull through.
If Christine's healing continued like this, they could mitigate the pain.
But Ryu Min wasn't as optimistic.
They couldn't retreat, as the damage would be disproportionate.
"Even if you heal with points, it won't help. The damage that's coming is much greater than that."
From the last 3 minutes, the damage was so great that healing became useless every 2 seconds.
At that moment, people couldn't afford to be as relaxed as they were now.
Even if they received healing.
This is a game designed under the premise of receiving healing from the start. That's why it's about enduring the pain.
Especially the last 10 seconds bring unbearable damage.
Even with healing, most will face damage that will inevitably kill them.
"There's no way to endure unless you use equipment with high defense like me or take multiple potions."
At this moment, Ryu Min, wearing Thanatos's black armor, has an 88% chance of dodging projectiles.
Originally it was 67%, but due to the effect of 5 sets and Russell's equipment enhancement buff, the options increased by 1.32 times.
"Most projectiles are passing me by, so I'm barely taking any damage, but..."
The others will soon experience hell.
Even Ryu Min almost lost his mind when he surpassed Round 15.
Is it like being stabbed with a spear, or more like being torn apart with a knife?
"The others will never withstand the last 10 seconds. Unless I intervene."
Ryu Min remembered an item in his inventory.
The extreme regeneration potion he received in Round 8.
"It doesn't matter if I'm alone, but I need this potion to save others."
For Round 20, it's necessary to save as many people as possible.
Even if it entails tremendous suffering, he can endure this sacrifice.
[Time remaining until the end of the round: 00:09:58]
Already 20 minutes have passed.
They only need to endure 10 more minutes, but it seems increasingly difficult.
The cries of pain sounded as if indicating they couldn't bear it anymore.
"Tchchchchch-!"
"Aaaah!"
"It hurts so much!"
The pain of the spears was felt and then disappeared.
Although the damage was unbearable for most, with constant regeneration, they could resist to a certain extent.
Of course, for those with little mental resistance, they were already on the verge of madness.
"Ugh...."
"Hold on, Christine! No matter what happens, you can't lose control."
"Yes..."
Christine gritted her teeth, but not everyone had the same mental resilience as her.
"Aaah!"
When one man quickly slid behind another, the one in front had to take two shots in his place.
"Hey! What are you doing? Aaah! Won't you move aside quickly? Ugh!"
"Sorry. I'm too injured to move."
"Get back to your place quickly! Aaah!"
Receiving one shot instead of two was obvious, but the difference in damage was considerable.
However, as if he didn't care, the man stepped away and used another person as a shield to protect his body.
"Hehe, this doesn't even hurt, you know? I should have done this earlier..."
The man's thoughts didn't continue.
A winged spirit appeared in front of him and slashed his neck.
Tunk-
The man became a corpse without leaving any words.
The projectiles that were aimed at him disappeared.
The expression of the person who was shielding the attacks relaxed a bit.
Seeing that, Ryu Min lifted the corner of his lips.
"You did well, John Delgado."
Previously, Ryu Min had instructed John Delgado.
If someone retreats, don't hesitate to kill them.
"Defending others in this situation? Those scum aren't worth living."
It's better to kill those guys off at once.
They're just a nuisance and cause confusion.
"Hey! Get back here!"
"I'm getting hit because of you!"
"What are you doing behind me...!"
Sshhk!
Sshhk!
Sshhk!
When someone else tried to retreat, Sariel approached and wielded her staff.
Although people were nervous at the overwhelming presence of the Archangel, Sariel simply turned away without saying a word.
As if indicating she wouldn't bother with those who didn't retreat.
When there were around a hundred bodies on the ground...
People no longer moved from their spots.
They didn't hide behind others.
If they weren't fools, they knew they would be decapitated the moment they retreated.
"It seems to be working."
As Sariel patrolled like a supervisor, people gritted their teeth and endured.
No one else attempted to withdraw.
[00:05:08]
Tick...
[00:04:32]
Tick...
[00:03:28]
Tick...
Even though they endured without withdrawing until there were only three minutes left...
Now it would be difficult.
Because now the torments of death would begin.
"Everyone, listen carefully!"
Ryu Min shouted to the crowd.
Even though they only saw the person next to them, people paid attention to Black Scythe's voice.
"Those who want to live, line up behind me! You must be in an orderly line!"
"A line?"
"Obviously, I know the strategy for this mission. If you want to live, I expect your cooperation!"
When people were distracted, Ryu Min shouted again.
"What are you doing? Move right now!"
There was no need to ask why.
It was Black Scythe's voice, after all.
There was no reason to ignore it.
Ururur...
People lined up without hesitation.
Using Black Scythe as a shield, they stood in line, but Sariel didn't move.
As if indicating that they wouldn't get involved.
"I don't have immunity to physical damage like ethereal undead, but that doesn't mean I can block bullets."
So Sariel's role ended here.
Now they would have to protect others with their own body.
Thwapthwapthwapthwapthwap!
When people lined up, the angles of the shots aimed at one point.
At Ryu Min in the front row.
Tingtingtingtingting!
But 88% of the bullets were deflected.
Pupupupupup!
He had also erected a barrier with dark runes to block hundreds of bullets.
Ryu Min's eyes glanced at the progress window's timer.
[Time remaining until the end of the round: 00:00:28]
There were only 30 seconds left.
He looked back and saw they still hadn't lined up.
It took longer than expected for a thousand people to form a line.
"Christine!"
"Yes?"
"We don't have time. Come quickly behind me."
"But that would mean Sariel..."
"We don't need his help, so hide immediately!"
When the person behind her gave up their spot, Christine slid forward.
And with her, the healing Sariel was doing stopped.
Thwap-thwap-thwap!
Dozens of bullets embedded into Ryu Min's body.
It was painful, but it didn't change his expression as he used healing to mend the wounds.
"I have to jump at just the right moment. That's the only thing that will keep me alive."
Christine, standing behind him, also used her healing, hoping that Black Scythe wouldn't die.
"Please, hold on."
Finally, all the players succeeded in forming a line.
When a thousand people lined up, all attacks focused on Ryu Min.
Tap-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!
He deployed a dark barrier, but it was quickly destroyed.
Ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-!
Although most shots were deflected by the black armor, about a hundred projectiles hit Ryu Min's body directly.
"Kkuh, it's still... not the time yet!"
Seventeen seconds, sixteen seconds, fifteen seconds...
Just a little more, a little more.
He had to take the regeneration potion exactly when there were ten seconds left.
If he delayed for even a second, he would be dead.
"When there are ten seconds left, the damage increases significantly."
People still didn't understand why Black Scythe was standing in as a shield.
They simply trusted his orders and moved.
But when the last ten seconds came, the thousand people finally understood.
Why Black Scythe was protecting them.
Tu-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-ng-!
The sound of the projectile explosions, just hearing it, made everyone shudder.
If they had been hit by that, they wouldn't have survived.
Everyone thought so and worried.
Would Black Scythe, who was taking the hits instead of them, come out unscathed?
Would he leave no trace?
Fortunately, those concerns didn't come true.
Because he used the potion just as the projectiles were fired.
["Using Instant Regeneration Potion"]
["Regeneration increases drastically for 10 seconds"]
As the message appeared, the dark projectiles struck Ryu Min's body.
Flesh tore, entrails churned, but the wounds seemed to heal as if they had never been there.
The supernatural power of regeneration cleaned the wounds flawlessly.
Tu-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-ng-!
Even with a hundred projectiles embedded, Ryu Min remained unfazed.
Tu-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-ng-!
He became a human wall, absorbing the damage meant for others with his own body.
Although he invoked a dark barrier, it was useless.
The barrier shattered like glass in an instant, and the projectiles pierced through Ryu Min's body.
But in the end, they couldn't pierce through.
Because he was healed before the projectiles could fully penetrate.
["Time remaining: 8 seconds"]
["Time remaining: 7 seconds"]
...
...
Although the regeneration time decreased, he didn't perceive it.
Ten seconds felt like an eternity.
Crunch-
He gritted his teeth and endured the pain.
Even when he was on the verge of losing consciousness from the pain, Ryu Min kept his mind focused.
He stood firm with superhuman mental strength.
Tu-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-ng-!
His body regenerated, but the pain was entirely his.
Ten seconds felt like ten hours.
He wished for time to pass faster.
He didn't know if he could keep enduring.
"No, I can't collapse yet."
He gathered his wavering mind and withstood the bombardment with his body.
He endured it with his mind.
Tu-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-ng-!
The last projectile attempted to pierce his body, but failed.
As soon as the wounds were healed, a message sounded.
["Instant Regeneration Potion has ended."]
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