Chapter 246. Round 15 Begins
The person who approached hesitantly was none other than Min Juri.
Maybe because she had confessed to him, he felt awkward for no reason.
Though he didn’t show it at all on the outside.
“You came early.”
“There’s something I want to ask Black Scythe-nim.”
“You want to ask me?”
What could she want to ask?
Unable to resist his curiosity, Ryu Min read Min Juri’s thoughts first.
‘Ah, she came to me for advice.’
Having a 고민 상담 in the other world?
It might sound strange to others, but Ryu Min understood.
‘This place is lawless—where the law doesn’t reach. Nothing you do is strange.’
The other world is no different from reality, but most people forget that and act accordingly.
For example, they act rudely to strangers, lose control and lash out like they have anger issues, and in extreme cases, even commit murder.
They do things freely that they can’t do in reality.
‘Even an introverted person in reality will flip 180 degrees once they come here. Because they’re wearing the mask of an avatar.’
Because of that 특수성, many Players change when they come to the other world.
Ryu Min himself wasn’t he acting as a character 180 degrees different from his real self?
Min Juri was the same.
‘Things you can’t talk about openly in reality become possible here.’
It was like posting a 고민 online to an unknown person.
‘In that sense, it’s an honor. It means I’m the person she can speak her heart to in this place.’
Ryu Min asked, pretending not to know.
“So, what do you want to ask?”
“It might get long… is that okay?”
“It’s fine. Ask.”
“Well…… my friend confessed to someone she liked, but…….”
Min Juri poured out her own situation to Ryu Min, pretending it was her friend’s story.
Watching her, what he felt was regret.
Regret that he hadn’t kept postponing it to the end.
‘If I knew she’d suffer like this, I should’ve kept postponing.’
It wasn’t that he meant he would accept her.
But seeing how much she was struggling because of him made him think he had rejected her for no reason.
“……So in a situation like that, my friend says she doesn’t know what to do. If you were in that position, Black Scythe-nim, what would you do?”
“Now that I hear it, it’s a romance 상담.”
“Y-yes, something like that.”
“Do I look like someone who’s dated a lot?”
“That’s…….”
“The fact you’re hesitating tells me you’re not exactly saying yes.”
“Haha…….”
Min Juri scratched her cheek with an embarrassed expression.
“Why did you come to me for counseling?”
“I just wanted to hear Black Scythe-nim’s advice. I don’t know what you’re like with romance, but…… you have insight, you know. I wanted to know what Black Scythe-nim would do…….”
“Isn’t it a simple problem?”
Ryu Min spoke like it was nothing.
“She confessed and he didn’t accept it, right? He says he wants to stay friends, right? Then she should stay friends.”
“But I—ah, no, my friend says she doesn’t want to stay friends……”
“Then what? Is she going to lose that friend like this?”
“…….”
“If you can’t be lovers, then at least be friends.”
As if it wasn’t the answer she’d hoped for, disappointment showed on Min Juri’s face.
‘Control your expression. Anyone can tell it’s your story.’
Holding back a smile, Ryu Min asked.
“Then why did that friend reject her? What was the reason?”
“He said he only sees her as a friend, not as a romantic interest.”
“Then she just has to become someone he sees romantically, doesn’t she?”
“That’s not such a simple—”
“Having a goalkeeper doesn’t mean the ball can’t go in. And besides, didn’t you say he doesn’t even have a girlfriend? If it’s a goal with no goalkeeper, doesn’t that mean there’s plenty of opportunity?”
“…….”
Min Juri’s eyes went wide.
Come to think of it, that was true.
There was still a chance.
She didn’t have to collapse just because she’d been rejected once.
“If you fail, you can stand back up—that’s all. But if you give up, it ends there. Are you going to sit down like this? You said she’s liked him for four years, right? Wouldn’t it feel like a waste to give up after all that time?”
“It would feel like… a waste.”
“Then keep trying. Don’t act like the world collapsed just because you got rejected once. The fact he still wants to be friends means there’s still a chance.”
As if she realized something, Min Juri thought for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“Thank you for the advice, Black Scythe-nim. Thanks to you, my worries are completely gone.”
“You said it was your friend’s issue. You’re talking like it’s your worry.”
“Huh? Ahaha…… Th-that’s because I was worried too, for my friend. Haha…….”
Seeing her try to brush it off with an awkward laugh, Ryu Min felt relieved inside.
‘Good. Looking at her, there’s nothing to worry about.’
Maybe his advice worked—Min Juri didn’t seem to be worrying about it anymore.
She wasn’t gloomy, and she didn’t look drained.
‘No… is it a little different than before?’
Her eyes were filled with drive, like someone who had found a new goal.
For some reason, a sense of unease rose in him.
‘It’ll be fine. At least it’s better than becoming distant, right?’
An energetic Min Juri was far better than a withered, dispirited Min Juri.
Though anything in excess can become poison.
“Black Scythe-nim?”
“Hello, Black Scythe-nim.”
Once the romance counseling ended, the Reaper Church believers started gathering one by one.
Not only key members like Christine, Seo Arin, Heo Tae-seok, and Jo Yong-ho, but also Russell, Victor, and Sophia—who had joined recently—gathered in one place.
It was because of the instruction to assemble on his side upon arriving in the other world.
‘That way, it’s easier to protect them.’
Turning his gaze, he also saw slaves like Yamtwi, Jeffrey, and Joo Seongtak.
However, John Delgado wasn’t present.
He couldn’t call him over.
‘If Christine sees him, she’ll come at him with fire in her eyes.’
They were enemies, so it was best they didn’t meet if possible.
“Everyone, receive buffs.”
“I’ll strengthen your weapons.”
“You’re Reaper Church, right? Here—take your potion.”
While supporters like Min Juri, Russell, and Victor moved about busily, light flashed in the sky.
[Hello? Humans? Welcome to Round 15. Then shall we check the quest right away?]
The angel appeared with a smile, fluttering its wings as if there was no need to talk at length.
◀ ROUND 15 ▶ <Main Quest>
└Pass three missions
[Integrated Zone CA-EA001]
└Participants: 2,304
└Achievers: 0/576
“Three missions?”
“What kind of missions are they?”
“More than that, look at the number of achievers.”
“It’s less than half.”
Hearing the Players’ murmurs, the angel frowned.
[Didn’t another angel tell you before? That the difficulty increases every Round that’s a multiple of five. This Round is no different. Out of 2,304, only 576 can survive.]
“Not even 600…….”
“Can I make it into the top 576?”
Outwardly, people looked worried, but inwardly, they were hopeful.
Even if I’m bad, I can get into the top 500…….
There’ll be a spot for me, at least…….
But unlike people’s expectations, this Round will fall short.
By a huge margin.
‘Not 500—hardly even 50 survive. That was the previous loop, but still.’
This loop would be very different from the last.
Because the situation wasn’t the same as back then, when he didn’t care whether people died or not.
‘This time, we fill all 576.’
Because when thinking about Round 20, it’s better to save even one more person.
“If you want to make it into the rankings, competition’s going to be brutal.”
“Why compete? Aren’t we all one team?”
“Angel! Is this Round an individual match or a team match?”
At a Player’s question, the angel smiled and answered.
[I cannot tell you that. One thing I can tell you is that you are not a party.]
“We’re not a party?”
“Then isn’t that basically saying it’s an individual match?”
People were puzzled, but Ryu Min knew the answer.
‘In a way, it’s not an individual match. If you don’t cooperate, everyone gets wiped out together.’
He wanted to explain the missions right away, but with the angel watching, he stayed silent.
It still wasn’t time for him to step forward.
“Angel! Then what about the three missions?”
“What missions will appear?”
[I cannot tell you that either. You will confirm the missions directly as you proceed with the game.]
“What about sub-quests?”
“What’s the 기준 for ranking?”
[Sub-quests and ranking 기준 are also secret. If I tell you in advance, it won’t be fun, heehee.]
The angel chuckled unpleasantly to itself, then suddenly went expressionless and fluttered its wings.
[Then shall I send you to the mission location now?]
The instant the angel finished speaking, darkness swallowed the two thousand Players.
“W-where is this?”
“Is anyone there?”
“I can’t see anything.”
The achromatic space turned into a pitch-dark space in an instant.
Their panic lasted only a moment—once their eyes adjusted, they could faintly make out each other.
The problem was that, in the place they’d been moved to, there was no visible terrain or landmark at all.
“There’s nothing here.”
“It’s just flat space.”
“Guess it’s not outer space? If I can feel the ground.”
“By the way, where’s the angel? I don’t see it.”
“I guess it means we solve it ourselves from here.”
In an endless dark space, what kind of mission were they going to be forced to do?
The mystery was only resolved when a message appeared.
[Welcome to the Round 15 mission location.]
[If you pass all three missions within the time limit, you will survive this Round.]
[Then we will begin the first mission.] <First Mission>
└Survive for 30 minutes against Dark Illusion
[Upon success, you may challenge the second mission.]
[Current number of survivors: 2,304]
[Time remaining until the next mission: 00:29:59]
“What’s Dark Illusion?”
“A monster name?”
“Either way, we just have to survive, right?”
“Running around is my specialty.”
A few Players wore confident expressions, but it wouldn’t be easy.
‘Darkness is the optimal environment for Dark Illusion.’
Then some Players voiced doubts.
“We don’t necessarily have to run, do we?”
“Yeah. If it’s a monster or whatever, can’t we just kill it?”
“If we kill it, we don’t have to run.”
But as if it had been waiting, another message appeared, leaving the Players awkward.
[For reference, Dark Illusion is invincible.]
No matter how strong Ryu Min was, he couldn’t smash through invincibility.
Meaning even Ryu Min would have no choice but to avoid Dark Illusion.
‘But there’s a way to clear this easily without running.’
Invisibility.
Dark Illusion can’t detect Players who use invisibility.
Meaning, if you use it and just stand still, you can pass safely.
That was why Ryu Min had given invisibility potions to his key members.
‘Use it. Now.’
Not forgetting his words to drink it the instant the mission began, Christine, John, Min Juri, Yamtwi, and Seo Arin drank their potions and vanished smoothly.
Ryu Min could hide as well, but he deliberately didn’t.
‘This Round isn’t about surviving alone. We all survive together.’
Because he had to lead the other Players who didn’t have invisibility.
It was then—
Uuuuuuuuu—
With a strange wailing sound, Dark Illusion revealed itself.