Chapter 233. Bringing Honor to the Nation
[As of this moment, I, “Gustavo,” will end my dictatorship and surrender to “Black Scythe.” The slave system will be abolished, and all oppression will be lifted, including the communications and routes that were blocked off, trade, and so on. From here on, with a heart that seeks atonement for what I have done, I swear that I will never again appear before the public.]
From the TV—silent for so long—an unbelievable video began to play.
It was the dictator Gustavo, who had held Mexico in an iron grip, declaring that he would step down of his own accord.
Along with an apology.
“I-is this real?”
“The face is real, but…”
“What if he’s lying to mess with us again?”
People couldn’t bring themselves to believe it so easily, out of fear.
Would the monster among monsters, who had carried out a reign of terror, really retreat this simply?
But it didn’t take long for suspicion to turn into belief.
The TV returned to normal, communications and the internet came back online, and families who had been dragged away like slaves returned home.
Above all else, there were no Players in the streets—the terrifying presence that had oppressed them at every opportunity.
It was as if they had all emigrated somewhere together.
“Huh… So it really went back to normal?”
“So Gustavo and the Players just… hid themselves like this?”
They didn’t know where they had gone, but one thing was certain.
That the citizens had gained their freedom thanks to none other than Black Scythe, as mentioned in the video.
[Black Scythe rescues six countries in one week, including Mexico, Brazil, India, and China.]
[Black Scythe really did it! Citizens of each country convey their gratitude……]
[A hero who saved nations in crisis—his name is Black Scythe.]
[President Yoon says he will continue to request reports if there are countries ruled by force.]
[Black Scythe saves hundreds of millions of citizens, yet asks for nothing in return……]
Articles went up one after another.
All over the world, the heroic actions of Black Scythe were reported in a rush.
Even the reactions of netizens—who had mocked him as arrogant before—shifted dramatically.
└Whoa… he actually pulled this off. A real hero. A hero.
└He really boosted our national prestige with this one.
└Shouldn’t they give him some kind of medal of honor or something?
└No medal needed. Put Black Scythe in the National Assembly!
└I’m a Korean expat living in Germany, and thanks to Black Scythe-nim, our country’s image has improved so much. Thank you so much.
└But there really were countries being oppressed by Players?
└A few days ago you were all like “what country even has that” and talking bullshit ㅉㅉㅉ and now you’re nowhere to be seen.
└All those hate-commenters who trashed Black Scythe are hiding like cockroaches now, huh?
└I’m proud that Black Scythe-nim is Korean.
└Black Scythe-nim is a god! Black Scythe-nim is a god! Black Scythe-nim is a god! Black Scythe-nim is a god! Black Scythe-nim is a god! Black Scythe-nim is a god!
└Black Scythe is seriously a legend. All I can say is he’s incredible. To devote yourself this much for other people……
└What’s so amazing that you’re all kissing his ass ㅉㅉ. If I had power, I’d go around helping people too.
└The guy above, some bastard sitting in his room typing on a keyboard while picking his nose, acting like he’d do that—yeah right.
└HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA dumbass bastard HAHAHAHA
└It sounds easy when you say it, but it’s really not. He’s literally risking his life and waging war against evil…… just respect.
└I believed in him. I knew Black Scythe-nim would use his power for the right cause.
└The comment above—if you go look at his past comments he’s one of the guys who was leaving hate comments. Don’t believe him.
└HAHAHA look at them switching their stance the moment he actually saves countries?
└So damn disgusting. Hate-commenters.
└But how did he make them film a video like that? Did he threaten them with a gun, like “if you don’t listen I’ll kill you”?
└What gun are you talking about against guys who can dodge bullets. He probably threatened them with a scythe.
└He should’ve just killed them. Why threaten them……
└He probably filmed the video and then killed them. No way he let them live.
└They deserved to die. The ringleaders, and the Players who followed under them too.
└Filming the video was seriously the right call. It clearly shows they were forced to submit, and it can be evidence too. Plus, thanks to this, our country’s stature went up like crazy. He accomplished a feat nobody else could.
└True. He’s basically at the level of a great figure who saved the world.
“A great figure, my ass.”
Ryu Min let out a pointless chuckle and tucked his phone into his waistband.
“Well, it doesn’t feel bad.”
Up until recently he’d been cursed out for being arrogant and all sorts of other things, and now, in less than a week, he’d become a praised hero.
He had become a vigilante who stood against crime and saved countless people, so it was only natural.
“They say it was difficult in the comments, but it was easier than I thought.”
How do you take a country back from bastards who seized power with force?
The answer is simple.
“Just take it back with force, the same way.”
With an even greater force, execute the ringleader and all the trash involved in the coup—simple.
The only thing is, after killing them, it’d be awkward to display their corpses as proof, so he had to force their surrender.
How?
“Like I’m doing now—kill them, transform into them, and film a video.”
Ryu Min could transform into a Player he killed because he had the Assassin’s Mask.
A little manipulation like that wasn’t hard.
“And for information, I just read their true thoughts and dig it out.”
In fact, after reading Gustavo’s true thoughts, he learned the nicknames of the ringleaders who were trying to create independent states in China and India.
As with the others, those bastards went death first, then video.
“After that, I saved two more countries, too. Same thing—I left videos for the whole world to see.”
As a result, over the course of a week, the number of Players Ryu Min killed came close to four hundred.
Criminals he had to kill while saving a total of six countries.
“Now I’ve saved every country that needed saving.”
Given that no more reports were coming in, that had to be the case.
“That doesn’t mean I plan to stop.”
He told the President to notify him immediately if any additional reports came in.
Because there might be another country he didn’t know about.
“And if another country asks for help again?”
Every time, Ryu Min intended to step forward like an apostle of justice.
It wasn’t simply to raise his own value and build a hero narrative.
It was to prevent the world’s dystopia—and to reduce the number of Players who would be sacrificed to criminal Players.
“I have to be the one to shoulder it—only then can I prevent the crimes that will happen going forward.”
Ryu Min had declared, officially, that he would stop Player crimes—and then acted on it.
Hearing the rumors, other criminals could only shrink back like turtles.
“If you want to control criminals who won’t listen, you have no choice but to raise the club.”
Laws don’t work on Players who have stepped beyond the category of human.
The only way to bind them is to crush them down with an even stronger power.
Because in the world of Players, the one with power is the law.
Just like Ryu Min is doing now.
“Player crime is more or less handled. Now the key is to endure as long as possible with the remaining Players.”
Of course, he couldn’t save every Player.
Every Round, half had to be discarded—those were the cards dealt.
“So I should fill my surroundings with the people I actually need. Like the ones here.”
Right now, a long line of people stood before Ryu Min.
Their nationalities were diverse—America, Canada, Argentina, the UK, Spain, France, and more.
All of them were Players who had come to join the Reaper Church.
Maybe because of the week-long relief activities, it was even more crowded.
“Out of these, I’ll only bring the trustworthy ones into the Reaper Church.”
Skill mattered, but what mattered more was whether he could trust them enough to have them watch his back.
Since the final Round was a boss room that required a party of five or more, that was only natural.
“Black Scythe-nim.”
As Christine approached, Ryu Min rose from his seat.
Beside her was a familiar face as well.
Nathan.
“This is my father. He’s the clergyman of this church hall.”
“Hello. I’m Black Scythe.”
When he bowed his head and greeted him politely in the Korean style, a smile spread across Nathan’s lips.
“I’m Nathan Craig. I’ve heard so much about you from my daughter that I really wanted to meet you at least once.”
The two shook hands.
They looked like strangers meeting for the first time, but in truth, they had met in Korea before.
“Back then, I was under the identity of the Prophet.”
Smiling behind his mask, Ryu Min spoke in a softer tone than usual.
“I needed a place to conduct interviews, so thank you for lending it to me like this.”
“Haha, not at all. You’re the benefactor who saved my daughter—of course I should do at least this much.”
“Still, it’s an event for joining another religion, and you’re offering it so willingly. Won’t God be displeased?”
“Of course not. In the Bible, it says to obey and submit to those who lead you. Black Scythe-nim, aren’t you someone who saves and guides many people? It might be a burden to hear, but I even think of you as the return of God.”
“The return of God—nothing could be further from the truth.”
“Haven’t you saved that many people?”
“I only did what someone with power ought to do.”
“To have ability, character, and even humility…… Honestly, it makes me want to pull you into our church instead of the Reaper Church. Hahaha!”
Watching the two talk, Christine let out a relieved breath.
She didn’t show it, but she had been worried they might clash in personality.
Black Scythe spoke in a blunt, authoritative tone, and Nathan could be rather rigid.
“But that was a needless worry. Black Scythe-nim’s voice is softer than usual, and Dad is taking it kindly too.”
She was thinking how fortunate it was that the conversation was going well, when she heard something outrageous.
“By any chance, are you married? Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No. I don’t, but……”
“Haha, that’s perfect. As it happens, my daughter doesn’t have a boyfriend either, so how about—would you be willing to meet—”
“Dad! What are you even saying right now? You’re embarrassing me!”
Because his daughter shrieked, Nathan had no choice but to stop there.
“Ahem. In any case, please take good care of my daughter. Then……”
As Nathan exited, Christine had to scramble to patch things up.
“Ah—please don’t mind what my father said. Sometimes he says things like that as a joke. You know, American jokes? American-style, haha……”
“I’m not minding it.”
“……”
Then why did it sting a little when he said he wasn’t minding it?
“R-right. Of course you wouldn’t mind. Black Scythe-nim likes someone else—ah, no, it’s nothing.”
Mumbling, Christine pushed out her lower lip.
“She’s misunderstanding something.”
Thinking he should clear it up, Ryu Min said,
“From the look of it, because I’m often with Yamtti, you’re thinking we’re in that kind of relationship. We’re not.”
“We’re not?”
“Of course not. I only keep him with me because I need his ability for work. I don’t have personal feelings.”
“Ah……”
So it was a misunderstanding.
Christine’s heart felt lighter all at once.
“So don’t have pointless misunderstandings.”
“Okay.”
Having him cut it off cleanly like this made it feel like a lump in her chest had finally dropped away.
“It’s time. Let’s get started with the interviews.”
Ryu Min met the people lined up in the sanctuary one by one and conducted one-on-one interviews.
The questions were simple—just three.
“Why do you want to join the Reaper Church?”
“Because I respect Black Scythe-nim.”
“Do you have a criminal record?”
“No. I’ve lived my whole life with integrity.”
“Lastly—are you confident you won’t leak the information the Reaper Church provides to the outside?”
“Of course. My mouth is heavier than I look.”
As the interviewer, Ryu Min listened to the answers while prying into their true thoughts.
“He means it. No issues with character, either.”
Then, after judging several things, he announced pass or fail on the spot.
“Pass. Congratulations on joining the Reaper Church.”
“Thank you! Thank you, Black Scythe-nim!”
Like this, if there were no issues with character, he let anyone join, regardless of ability.
So the number of Reaper Church believers kept growing.
All the way to four hundred.
“Not a bad result.”
He couldn’t take all four hundred to the final Round, but all of them would receive benefits for being part of the Reaper Church.
The benefit of learning about the next Round in advance.
With a satisfied smile, Ryu Min finished recruiting believers and returned home with the delegation.
The week-long trip to America ended in success.
And after three peaceful weeks passed, Round 14 began.