Commander.
It's a useful temporary skill in Round 17.
"For anyone else, it would be tempting for 500 million gold, but I have no reason for that."
I just defeated the first-class angels a moment ago and just surpassed 70 billion gold.
It's worrying to think about when I'll spend all this gold.
"That's why my choice is number 1, Commander."
After choosing the temporary skill, a completion message appeared shortly after.
◀ END OF ROUND 16 ▶
[Integrated Area CA-EA001]
Survivor: 288
[Round 17 will begin on May 1, 2023, at midnight. See you in the next round. Congratulations on surviving.]
----------------
Miguel looked around with a serious expression on his face.
All because of the call from the goddess of vengeance, Nemesis.
"Damn it. Gabriel and Raphael also died."
Originally, he should be celebrating their deaths because Black Scythe hadn't died...
"Now it's just me."
The fact that there were no longer archangels to intervene baffled Miguel.
Click, clack...
As he opened the doors to the hall, the purple-skinned goddess, Nemesis, glanced at him.
[Did you call me, Nemesis?]
[Miguel. Have you heard the news?]
[Yes. It is said that even Gabriel and Raphael were defeated.]
"Even by a miserable human."
On Nemesis's face, there was no anger to be seen.
Only a look of contempt.
[...I'm sorry.]
[The honor of heaven is no more. Time and opportunity are scarce.]
With a sharp look, Nemesis sighed.
[Miguel, archangel. Now it's your turn. You're the only one left.]
[...Understood.]
Miguel could do nothing but accept.
There were no more excuses to be made.
------------------
Returning home, Min Juri felt strange.
Usually, when she returned from another world, she would just look at her bedroom ceiling, but not this time.
Just get on the plane back home.
"I'm back!"
"Our daughter! You returned safely this time too!"
Was it because she had gone abroad and returned?
Although her father welcomed her more enthusiastically than usual, Min Juri couldn't smile.
"Why that face? Is something wrong?"
"It's just... I feel a little strange."
"Why? What's going on? Tell Dad."
After hesitating a bit, Min Juri spoke carefully.
"I'm happy to have survived, but seeing my teammates disappear before my eyes is not exactly joyful."
So far, she had seen many disappear and only felt a bit of compassion, but... this time was different.
"How was it different?"
"Feeling guilty for surviving...? I feel bad for the people who died for no reason."
It was understandable.
She hadn't survived due to her usual efforts but because she had been chosen by Black Scythe.
Min Do-hoon didn't know what to say to his daughter's sadness.
"Go rest in your room for a while. You'll feel better."
"Yes..."
The sound of the door closing was followed by Min Juri changing clothes and lying on the bed.
After a while of staring at the ceiling, Min Juri touched her chest.
The place where her heart had been pierced was completely healed.
There wasn't even a bit of pain.
It felt like dying and coming back to life was just a dream.
"If it weren't for Black Scythe, right now..."
No matter how much she thought about it, meeting Black Scythe was pure luck.
At that moment, she recalled how she had been hugging Black Scythe.
She covered her face with the blanket, embarrassed.
"I'm crazy. What am I thinking...?"
Black Scythe was simply a benefactor who had provided her with great help and saved her life.
She should never have personal feelings towards him.
"Black Scythe is a God. The God of the Church of the Four Gods. That's how I should think."
As she took off the blanket and cooled her burning cheeks, Min Juri changed the topic in her thoughts.
"By the way, what happened to Min?"
When Black Scythe was ranking up to the 288th place, Min Juri was completely focused on her hearing.
This time, she was prepared to hear the nickname of Ryu Min.
"But I didn't hear the nickname 'Lost Yak.'"
What had happened?
Why hadn't Black Scythe called the Prophet?
Worried, as soon as the round ended, Min Juri searched for Ryu Min's name on the island.
But the results didn't match.
She only received an absurd message that the name and face didn't match.
"So, now what?"
Just in case, Min Juri searched for Ryu Min once more.
Then...
"Oh?"
"The face and name match. Tracking the target's location."
"We have found the location of the target 'Ryu Min.'"
"He is at a distance of 16,488m."
"Follow the arrow you see in front of you to track the target."
The tracking was working normally.
"What's going on?"
If it previously showed that they didn't match and now they do, does that mean he survived Round 16...?
However, Black Scythe did not mention his nickname.
It was certain she was completely sane.
"It's strange no matter how you look at it."
She would have to ask Ryu Min directly for more details.
After sending him a message with that idea, she received a response shortly after.
[Ryu Min: Right now it's a bit difficult. Let's meet later.]
[Min Juri: Why? What's going on?]
[Ryu Min: My house is a mess, so I'm busy trying to fix things.]
[Min Juri: What happened? How did it happen?]
[Ryu Min: I have no idea about the details]
Suddenly, his house was destroyed? Worried, she tried calling him.
"Ryu Min. Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Yes.
"What happened? I heard your house was destroyed?"
I have no idea. There aren't even any images on the security cameras...
"Is your younger brother okay?"
He's fine. Fortunately, he was sleeping at a friend's house.
"That's really a relief."
"By the way, you said you had something to tell me. Is it urgent?"
"Mmm, really? Well, we can talk later. But it will be an in-person conversation."
— Really? Then, shall we meet when everything is resolved?
"Understood. By the way, what do we do with the house in that state? Do we have any place to stay immediately?"
— Well, I'm looking for some decent hotels right now. We could stay in one while fixing the house.
"So, that's it. When we've found a place and everything is more or less settled, tell me the address. I'll come to see you."
— Alright.
"Then, see you next time."
After hanging up, Min Juri still looked worried.
'What could be happening?'
She had no idea, but it didn't seem like her curiosity would be resolved immediately.
Min Juri resigned herself to keeping her doubts for now.
-------------------
[Title: "They say the followers of the Church of the Four Gods handled the situation well this time, what are they talking about?"]
Content: It seems I've seen this article, but I can't find it. Could someone respond in the comments?
[Total comments: 12]
— I have no idea either. Someone else respond.
— Here's the link to the article: http://news.nover.com//20220426 <--- Summary: During Round 16, monsters appeared where the players were, but Black Scythe moved the players to an island beforehand, avoiding civilian damage.
— Strictly speaking, there was no damage. If no civilians were affected, the damage is 0.
— So, if it had been a city, the monsters would have appeared there?
— Yes, exactly that's what I understood.
— Wow, it would have been a disaster if the monsters appeared in the city!
— According to my son, who is a member of the Church of the Four Gods, he also says that even the angels appeared, and the monsters they've faced so far are incredibly strong.
— Wow, even if just one of those guys entered the city, it would have been total chaos!
— Moving to the island beforehand was really a divine move.
— But how did they know the monsters were going to appear and moved to the island beforehand?
— They say Black Scythe saw the future as a prize for being in first place. They also say he tells the players how to survive each round.
— It seems lucky to join the Church of the Four Gods.
'Well, lucky or not.'
The corners of Heo Taeseok's mouth naturally lifted as he read the community comments.
They praised the Church of the Four Gods, so it was natural.
'I always feel proud as a leader when I read these kinds of comments.'
With the revelation of the reason they had taken refuge on the island, the reputation of the Church of the Four Gods had increased even more.
Of course, both Black Scythe and the players' positions were indisputable.
However, Taeseok became somber again as if he was thinking, "Since when?"
'I didn't make it into the top three again.'
Because he wasn't summoned by Black Scythe again.
Or more precisely, he was.
Only he didn't make it into the top three.
'The problem is my ranking dropped even more this time.'
Before, he was in tenth place, but this time he was labeled as the thirteenth.
Although Black Scythe had called him quite casually, Taeseok didn't take it so easily.
'It must mean I've been even more deficient.'
Considering the position Black Scythe had engraved in his subconscious as a ranking of relationships, Taeseok was truly depressed.
Even though it was something trivial that shouldn't matter that much.
'I must be useful to Black Scythe. I must show the faithful, as well as Black Scythe, that I'm not just an empty leader.'
It was a kind of sense of responsibility.
Shouldn't the Leader stand out among the other believers?
"What should I do to make Black Scythe praise me?"
Although he pondered deeply about something that could be useful for the Church of the Four Gods, nothing in particular came to mind.
Simply keeping the current situation under control to prevent the believers from deviating seemed to be the best.
"Will Black Scythe forget me if we continue like this?"
At that worrying moment, Eom Jun-seok entered the room with a smart knock on the door.
"Leader."
"What is it? Eom, the Deputy Minister."
"One of the believers wishes to see the Leader. They have something to report..."
"Report?"
Heo Taeseok nodded with wide eyes.
"Let them in."
Soon, a foreigner entered.
"Hello, Leader!"
Eom Jun-seok acted as an interpreter between them.
"Who is this?"
"Philip Robertson from Scotland. His nickname is Kobold Blue."
"Oh, I see. Do you have something to report?"
"Yes."
Kobold Blue took a moment before speaking.
"The atmosphere among the believers is not good right now."
"What do you mean? What's happening?"
"It seems someone is forming factions."
"Factions?"
The surprised look on Heo Taeseok's face quickly narrowed.
"Please, explain more."
---
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