Chapter 215 – Rune of the Hero
One week before Christmas.
A post that could only be called outrageous went up on the Plseba café.
<Title: [Promo] If you join the Reaper Sect, we’ll give you 10,000 points on the spot!>
└Content: Hello. I am the Reaper Sect Leader, NopaeinNoge-i (노폐인노게이).
First, to all Plseba family members who have survived up to the 12th Round, I offer my sincere respect. You’re truly incredible!
The reason I’m posting is because our Reaper Sect is recruiting you heroes of reversal.
The Reaper Sect is a group that serves Black Scythe-nim, who is ranked #1 across all Zones. If you love and admire Black Scythe-nim, anyone may join regardless of nationality.
However, applicants must be Players only, and bringing an ID is mandatory (you’ll fill out simple personal information when joining).
In return, unlike other religions, we do not collect any membership fee or offerings whatsoever (important)!
Also, to commemorate that we have newly relocated the sect to Seoul, we’d like to hold a small event.
On December 25 at 10:00 AM, anyone who joins our sect will receive 10,000 points.
And Black Scythe-nim will personally do the point trade himself! So please don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime triple-win chance: join, receive points, and meet Black Scythe-nim in real life!
For reference, existing members will also receive it immediately if you come, so please attend without exception!
Below is a 3-line summary for busy people.
◆Event period: December 25, 2022, 10:00 AM
◆Event details: Immediately upon joining the Reaper Sect, Black Scythe-nim personally gifts 10,000 points (ID required)
◆Directions: Reaper Sect, 625 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Special City
Points are the currency used to access the Special Shop.
Because an angel publicly declared that you cannot earn them by any method, they are considered more precious than gold.
And they’ll give you points just for joining?
As many as 10,000 points?
People who got pulled in by the clickbait title had no choice but to leave comments.
└Do you really give 10,000 points just for joining?
└Of course^^
└That famous Black Scythe-nim is coming in person?
└Yes! Take this chance to behold him in the flesh!
└Why did you schedule the event specifically on Christmas? Do you want to see couples break up?
└That is not my intention. I chose that date because I thought it would be meaningful to do an event on Easter. I truly did.
└Uh… you’re not gonna take the points and run, right?
└Go ahead and try it. Let’s see what happens lol
└Your real name and face get exposed, how would you even take the points and run ㅋㅋㅋ
└If you take the points and run, Black Scythe-nim will probably come take your head personally with Tracking….
More than fifty comments were posted, but Heo Tae-seok happily replied to each one.
He had posted promotional 글 many times, but he had never gotten this much attention before.
It had only been two days, yet the view count had already passed 120.
‘The Plseba membership is 130 people, so that’s basically almost everyone reading it, isn’t it?’
Considering the previous post had gotten 20 views, it was an exceptional record.
‘Will they all actually come?’
And then, Christmas Day—the day he had waited for—arrived.
Ryu Min and Heo Tae-seok waited for the believers in the front yard of the newly prepared sect.
Because it was in a good location, ordinary people occasionally passed by and showed interest.
“How much time is left?”
“It’s 9 o’clock right now, so there’s one hour left.”
“Still a long way off, then. We can wait calmly.”
But the Players appeared earlier than expected.
“Hello, is this the Reaper Sect…?”
“That’s right! You came to the right place. I am the Leader, NopaeinNoge-i.”
“Th-then this person is…?”
The man’s gaze shifted to the side.
Ryu Min—wearing a white mask, holding a large scythe, and equipped with uncommon gear.
It wasn’t difficult to guess who he was at a glance.
“I am Black Scythe.”
“Ni-nice to meet you. It’s an honor.”
As he shook hands lightly, Ryu Min dug into the other person’s inner thoughts.
It was to determine whether he was good or evil.
‘He isn’t joining with bad intentions.’
He was a pure Plseba member who came out of admiration for Black Scythe.
‘Well, if you’re a Plseba member, most of you are people without issues in character.’
Because they were the ones who passed the character interview in the first place, there was no sharp edge to find.
“Hello, I am Cardinal Eom Jun-seok. I’ll give you your number and the 가입 form, so please wait while reading it. When the promised time comes, we will help you join in order by number.”
The reason they didn’t accept memberships immediately was because the promised time hadn’t come yet—but more than that, it was because someone might join and then run away.
‘That can’t happen. I need to gather as many people as possible.’
He hoped it would be over 100, but that hope was fulfilled faster than expected.
“Wow, this is the Reaper Sect?”
“No way! I didn’t expect it, but it’s huge!”
At some point, people began pouring in while murmuring noisily, like a surge of water.
The closer it got to the promised time, the more people increased.
‘A target like 100 was laughable.’
There were still 20 minutes left until 10 o’clock, but they had already filled the target.
‘At this rate, even 130 might be possible.’
If every Plseba member except the owner came, it would be a possible number.
“It’s time, so we will help you join in order. Number 1, this way….”
The joining process was simple.
Sit in a chair, take a face photo on the spot, then write your name, date of birth, phone number, and address on the form.
And sign a written pledge that, unless there is a natural disaster, you will attend Reaper Sect worship once a month.
It was a measure in case someone joined and then never participated.
After that, you meet Ryu Min face-to-face, use the trade function, and receive points directly.
“Ohhh, it really is 10,000 points… Thank you, Black Scythe-nim.”
“Congratulations on becoming Reaper Sect. Use the points well.”
“Can I go home now?”
“You can, but if possible, I recommend you listen to the speech before leaving. I’ll be providing information you’d regret missing.”
There was no time to talk at length.
Because behind them, the next numbers were already waiting in a long line.
Click—
“Done. Next, believer number 38?”
After the series of steps—taking the photo, writing personal info, signing the pledge—finally, you met Black Scythe and traded.
It was simple, but because there were so many people, it was nonstop.
In the middle of it all, he ran into a familiar face.
“Black Scythe-nim?”
“Min Juri?”
He already knew Min Juri would come.
Because she had been nagging him to go to the Reaper Sect together.
But since a Prophet and Black Scythe can’t exist simultaneously, he had dodged it by saying he’d go separately.
“It’s our first time meeting in real life, but you recognized me right away?”
“Your face is similar. And I also heard from the Leader that you already joined.”
“Hehe, now all my personal info is exposed too. Take responsibility, Black Scythe-nim.”
“I will.”
When he answered seriously to what she said like a joke, Min Juri’s face flushed red in an instant.
“Uh, ah…”
She was so flustered she couldn’t find words for a moment, but Ryu Min remained calm.
“Anything else to say? If not, we’ll talk later. The next person is waiting.”
“Th-that’s true. See you later!”
As if she’d found an excuse, Min Juri hurriedly retreated. Watching her, Ryu Min let out a quiet snort of amusement and received the next person.
When the numbers passed 50, another familiar face appeared.
This time too, Ryu Min had to act like he didn’t know.
“Seo Arin? You were in the Reaper Sect too?”
“What a hurtful thing to say. As the C.P.F Promotional Ambassador, how could I possibly miss the Reaper Sect?”
Smiling brightly, Seo Arin received 10,000 points from Ryu Min, then bowed.
“Thank you for the points. I’ll use them well. Ah, and….”
Seo Arin glanced around, then leaned to Ryu Min’s ear and whispered.
“Thank you so much for last time.”
“Last time?”
“The thing about CEO Ma dying. You worked hard so we wouldn’t get in trouble.”
“I only handled it according to the truth. In the first place, it wasn’t like you did anything wrong.”
“Still, thank you.”
Normally, they should have been detained by the police and subjected to various questioning, but because Ryu Min had exerted influence, they were spared the hassle.
“Ah, the next person is waiting. Then I’ll see you later.”
With an expression like she regretted not being able to talk more, Seo Arin left, and the next person approached.
‘There’s no time to breathe.’
If he didn’t have stats, it would’ve been grueling labor no different from hard labor.
Then, when he had a brief gap, he checked the time and the waiting numbers.
‘It’s almost 10:30 already, and there are 130 people gathered.’
The basic target of 100 was already reached, and even the 130 he’d expected had been exceeded.
Yet when he looked at the entrance, people were still coming in continuously.
‘Even non-members are somehow hearing about it and showing up.’
Even though the post was only on Plseba, it wasn’t only Plseba members who came.
Maybe because it got shared outside and even turned into 기사, even non-members were coming like this.
‘This is enough. It’s time.’
The conditions were good for obtaining the Rune of the Hero as planned.
‘Shall I start?’
Right then, he saw a group of people rushing into the sect.
‘More are coming?’
When he looked to see who it was, it was a familiar group.
‘Jo Yong-ho?’
The Mercenary King and his mercenaries came to the Reaper Sect.
‘If this goes well, I might be able to gather every Player in the whole country.’
Enough being surprised—it was time to execute the plan.
Ryu Min looked at Heo Tae-seok.
When their eyes met, Heo Tae-seok saw Ryu Min adjust his mask.
It was the signal to activate Black Seed.
Heo Tae-seok gave a small nod and looked toward the place where he had planted the seed.
It was, of all places, the yard where more than a hundred people were clustered densely.
‘If I sprout the seed now….’
A high-ranking demon would be summoned, and people would be startled.
Of course, even if it was a demon, it was Heo Tae-seok’s summoned creature, so it wouldn’t attack.
‘I don’t know exactly, but Black Scythe-nim must have something in mind.’
Because it was the god’s command, there was no need to 고민. He used the skill immediately.
‘Sprout.’
In an instant, from the dirt ground where Players were clustered, a single stalk shot up.
“Eek, wh-what is that?”
“What is this!?”
From the demon’s stalk that rose like a utility pole, leaves opened a rake-like mouth.
Chwaak—
Below the leaves, dripping saliva, the randomly summoned demon stepped onto the ground.
“Kihik, kihik, kihik.”
A demon with red skin, about 2 meters tall, resembling a goblin—Devlin.
“Finally, kihik. In the human world, kihik. I have appeared, kihik.”
No one could understand the stammering words.
They couldn’t speak demon language, and this sudden situation was nothing but bewildering.
But it wasn’t only the Players who were flustered.
“So many humans, kihik. Gathered like this, kihik. It’s shocking—keh!”
In the next moment, the demon’s head spun and then dropped to the ground with a dull thud.
Ryu Min’s scythe had cut off the demon’s neck without delay.
A pointless death that happened within five seconds of being summoned.
“To summon a demon in a sacred place. Are you out of your mind?”
Speaking in an icy voice, Ryu Min spat a warning toward the crowd.
“Whoever it is, do not use skills here.”
People murmured, but the situation settled for now.
As if some clueless Summoner had summoned a demon, and Ryu Min had dealt with it early.
Of course, Heo Tae-seok—the summoner—was extremely shocked.
Because it was something he hadn’t been told in advance.
“Black Scythe-nim. Just now….”
“Good work.”
Heo Tae-seok was a little startled at the shamelessness of ordering him to summon it and then cutting it down himself, but he let it go.
He assumed there must be a reason.
‘There is a reason. A very clear reason.’
Returning to his spot, Ryu Min smiled as he looked at the message floating before his eyes.
[You have, for the first time, killed a high-ranking demon species and saved 100 people in crisis.]
[Activation conditions have been met.]
[You will be granted the hidden rune ‘Rune of the Hero’!]
[The acquired rune will be automatically engraved onto the player’s body!]
‘At last. The Rune of the Hero—one of the must-obtain rune list.’
The condition for getting the rune was simple.
You only needed to kill a demon in front of 100 people.
‘Just that alone counts as saving them from a crisis.’
The System recognized the mere appearance of a demon among defenseless people as a crisis.
However, the demon had to be at least a high-ranking species. With Black Seed learned at level 40, you could only summon mid-to-low demon species.
‘That’s why I waited until Heo Tae-seok reached level 60. I needed to kill a high-ranking demon species.’
Fortunately, it worked as planned, and he could obtain the rune.
Smiling inside the mask, Ryu Min looked at the status window floating before his eyes