Chapter 368: Ma Gyeong-rok of Chapter 101 (2) |
“It’s quite a good rune.”
Ma Gyeong-rok believed that the reason he could be number one in the entire area was due to the characteristics of his rune.
In addition to boosting all his stats as he slashed through enemies and absorbed their souls, the dark aura was incredibly powerful.
“When I coat my weapon with the dark aura, its cutting ability changes dimensions. It can slice through anything as if it were paper.”
Not only that, but in emergency situations, he could launch the dark aura at a distance to tear apart enemies.
“Then I’d receive even more dark magic and could keep using the dark aura.”
It was the best rune, one that allowed him to grow stronger the more enemies he killed.
Ma Gyeong-rok was confident that no one had obtained a more powerful rune than his.
But the best part of it all was the information about the system.
He had anticipated that, just like in games, there should be a class change system, given that there was a profession section in the status window.
However, he didn’t know it would start at level 10.
In fact, no one else knew.
“Now that the first round is over, I’m at level 5. Quickly reaching level 10 is the most important thing.”
Was it because of this thought?
As the second round began, Ma Gyeong-rok ventured into the forest without worrying about the voting.
He planned to hunt for three hours if he encountered any monsters...
“Kiiii.”
He came across a Hobgoblin.
Ma Gyeong-rok’s lips curled into a smile.
“Bingo.”
After hunting for a while, Ma Gyeong-rok finally reached level 10.
[You have reached level 10.]
[You can now access the shop.]
[Class change conditions have been met.]
[Automatically changing class according to the rune’s characteristics.]
[You have changed to the Dark Knight class. Congratulations!]
[You have received a ‘Rune Sword’ as a class change reward.]
[You have learned the exclusive Dark Knight skill ‘Dark Aura Handling.’]
[The next skill will be automatically learned at level 20.]
The automatic class change also brought an item.
[Rune Sword]
Classification: Weapon (growth type)
Rank: Rare
Attack power: 20
Effect: Increases dark magic +1 each time it’s used against an enemy (cooldown 1 minute)
Durability: 225/225
Usage restriction: Apprentice level or higher
Description: A weapon created from the Dark Knight’s magic. It improves as it ranks up.
A smile appeared on Ma Gyeong-rok’s face as he looked at the information.
“Just when I was craving more dark magic, I’ve gotten a good weapon.”
Moreover, it wasn’t just any weapon, but a growth-type one.
He was probably the only player who had received such a weapon.
“And the skill isn’t bad either.”
[Exclusive Skill – Dark Aura Handling]
Effect: A passive skill that allows more precise control of the dark aura.
Reduces the consumption rate of dark magic when the dark aura isn’t being used.
Although he didn’t know how effective it would be, it allowed for more precise control of his main skill, the dark aura, so it wasn’t bad.
“Since I don’t have other skills, this is more than enough.”
As he felt satisfied, an unexpected message appeared, and his eyes widened.
[There is a hidden side mission!]
<Side Mission>
Change class before the voting time
Obtain the class change item and acquire a profession
Success Reward 50% Discount Coupon for the Item of the Day
[You have completed the side mission.]
[You have been awarded a 50% Discount Coupon for the Item of the Day.]
There was a hidden side mission in the second round.
“Get a class change item and switch classes?”
Honestly, he hadn’t expected there to be missions aside from the main one.
He also didn’t know that class change items existed.
No one expected such a mission to be hidden.
“Should I consider myself lucky? I changed class without needing a class change item.”
Ma Gyeong-rok was certain.
No one had changed class faster than him.
“If there were rankings based on class change time, I’d be number one in the entire area.”
He had started hunting faster than anyone and changed classes as soon as he hit level 10.
Shortly after, the voting time ended, and the angel announced the hidden mission.
[There was a side mission in this round. Most of you probably didn’t know.]
“Huh? A side mission?”
“Was there something like that?”
Among the murmuring crowd, Ma Gyeong-rok smiled.
He was confident that he was the only one who knew about the side mission and felt assured of his place at the top.
[Shall we check the side mission results?]
The angel opened the message window.
[Corresponding Area ESKS1229-8]
1st place. Cheonma (Lv10 Dark Knight) 02:36:15
2nd place. None
3rd place. None
Ma Gyeong-rok felt satisfied seeing the side mission results.
He was number one.
But his satisfaction didn’t last long.
“What? I’m not number one in the entire area, but only in this area?”
When he checked the results window, Ma Gyeong-rok frowned.
★ Second Round Side Mission Results ★
[Entire Area]
1st place. Black Scythe (Lv16 Reaper) 00:39:42
2nd place. Cheonma (Lv10 Dark Knight) 02:36:15
3rd place. Dumb Idiots (Lv10 Shaman) 02:37:17
“Black Scythe is number one?”
Black Scythe.
It was the nickname that had secured the top spot in the entire area during the first round.
He remembered it clearly because he had been in third place.
“I thought I’d be number one for changing class faster than anyone...”
It was surprising.
But what was even more shocking was Black Scythe’s record.
“What’s that record? 39 minutes and 42 seconds? Did he reach level 10 and change class in less than an hour after the second round started?”
His own record of 2 hours and 36 minutes seemed insignificant.
Moreover, Black Scythe was already at level 16.
He had barely reached level 10 in three hours.
“That guy is a monster.”
He couldn’t deny it.
It was clear that Black Scythe was superior to him, the Dark Knight.
“Maybe the Grim Reaper profession is a good class too.”
Although the nickname Dumb Idiots, which had secured third place in the entire area, was also impressive, it quickly faded from his mind.
The number one’s record was that shocking.
After the round ended, An Sang-cheol came to see him.
He brought incredible news.
“You say you contacted Black Scythe?”
“Yes. We were following Black Scythe in the forest during the second round, but he spotted us and said something unexpected. He claimed to have a rune that allows him to see the future...”
“A rune that sees the future?”
In a situation where they were dragged into a survival game every month, there was nothing he couldn’t believe, but that didn’t mean he trusted Black Scythe.
“Did he really make a prediction?”
“Yes. He said a group would soon appear chasing after Seo Arin, and sure enough, a group showed up. We’re not sure if they were targeting us, but if we hadn’t been warned, we would have suffered heavy losses.”
“So his prediction saved your lives?”
“Something like that. We’re not completely sure, but...”
No matter what, I felt the need to get to know him.
“I want to set an example, so request a meeting.”
“Even so, we agreed to meet after the round.”
After a while, a young man arrived at the hotel room.
“Hello. My name is Ryu Min.”
“Nice to meet you. Black Scythe. No, Ryu Min. Thank you for saving my subordinate. But a prophet. It’s hard to believe.”
“Are you doubting me?”
“Because the world is a scary place these days. Please don’t take it too personally.”
I quietly observed the young man named Ryu Min.
Ryu Min must have sensed the suspicious gaze and suggested something first.
“I don’t want you to have doubts, so I’m doing this. I’ll make two predictions.”
“A prophecy?”
“Coins will rise in a month. If you invest all the money in your pocket, you’ll make huge profits. Of course, it’s up to you to believe it or not. I’ll also tell you about the third round.”
“Information about the third round? What’s that?”
Ryu Min lifted the corners of his mouth and continued speaking.
“The third round mission is to protect the artifact for three hours. This mission involves defending the village’s relics, and there will be a total of 5 waves every 30 minutes. A third of the monsters that appear will be weakened, so if you cooperate and guard well, it won’t be a big problem. The order of the monsters’ appearance is goblin, hobgoblin...”
Ma Gyeong-rok’s eyes widened.
The more he listened, the more amazed he was.
Does he really know such detailed information?
Is the future-seeing rune really that impressive?
For the first time, the Dark Knight’s runes seemed so insignificant.
“What do you think? Do you trust my abilities now?”
“It hasn’t happened yet, so it remains to be seen. But I’m curious about something else.”
“What part?”
“Why are you giving me this information? Why do you want me to trust you?”
This part is key.
It doesn’t matter whether the other person is a true prophet or not.
What’s the reason they’re approaching me?
That’s the key and the most important information we need to uncover right now.
Ryu Min slowly opened his mouth.
“I’ll tell you when it’s time for you to trust me.”
After completing 3 rounds.
Ma Gyeong-rok started talking with An Sang-cheol.
“That young man, Ryu Min. Did you say he lives under the actor Seo’s attic?”
“Yes. That’s right, executive director.”
“Have you ever received a call saying you were heading here?”
“No contact with me...”
Ma Gyeong-rok eagerly awaited Ryu Min.
What he said was accurate. The information was exactly as he said.
The foretold information about the third round turned out to be true.
That’s why Ma Gyeong-rok was so excited right now.
Now he couldn’t help but believe that if he invested in coins, they would go up.
Currently, the profits had increased significantly, earning a billion won profit.
“If I had known it would be like this, I would’ve bet everything.”
It was disappointing, but more than that, he was curious about the other person’s purpose.
What was the reason for approaching him by revealing that he was Black Scythe and even his runes?
“We’ll wait until tomorrow, and if I don’t hear from you, I’ll go find you first.”
“You mean first?”
“Shouldn’t a thirsty person dig a well?”
Since it was proven that he was a prophet, they couldn’t help but receive his help.
After an anxious wait, fortunately, the prophet contacted him first and visited.
“Have you been waiting?”
“Please sit, Ryu Min.”
“Now you believe.”
“I believe it. Thanks to this, I was able to prepare well for the third round.”
Ma Gyeong-rok treated the other person with more seriousness and respect than at the beginning.
“Now let’s get to the point. What’s your purpose in coming to see me?”
“I want to invest in your company.”
“Investment?”
“I understand you want to grow your company. We also need to prove our qualifications due to the competition for succession within the group.”
Ma Gyeong-rok’s expression hardened.
Can you even know such a thing?
Is it possible to know even the smallest details of a person’s personal history?
Seeing the future is truly a terrifying skill.
Once again, he remembered the greatness of his abilities and nodded in acknowledgment.
“You’re right. If I’m not careful, I could lose my place as a successor, so I need to grow the company more than anyone.”
“I’ll help. We invest 280 billion won into Cheonma Consulting.”
Ma Gyeong-rok’s eyes widened at the enormous amount.
But Ryu Min’s words weren’t over yet.
“We won’t stop there, but we’ll also teach you how to grow your company in a short period of time.”
From the perspective of a company representative, it was a comment that hurt his pride.
A young man who seemed clueless about the world appears and says he’ll help grow your company.
However, Ma Gyeong-rok knew well the value of a prophet.
“This isn’t the time to show your pride. The presence of a prophet is essential to survive until the final round.”
There’s no need to compare or compete with him.
We must move toward the future by receiving the prophet’s advice as if attending a sanctuary.
This is because in the survival game, information about the next round was as important as rain during a drought.
That’s why I listened to his suggestion.
“If you do, I’d be grateful. How do I do this?”
From that day on, Ma Gyeong-rok entrusted his future to Black Scythe.
His predictions never failed and were a great help in winning the round.
“I survived this time too. This time as well.”
I’ve already conquered 10 rounds.
We’re halfway through.
If this keeps up, reaching round 20 won’t be difficult.
“The company has grown as well. I also received my father’s approval.”
Listening to the prophet’s advice was an excellent choice.
After switching the industry to the Apple Market, the company’s stock price rose day by day, and the successor’s position was almost confirmed.
Then one day came.
“Are you here, Sir?”
“Representative Mom.”
The prophet came without a message.
“What prophecy have you come to tell us today?”
“I didn’t come to prophesy.”
Ryu Min said something out of the blue.
“I came to find a new horse.”
“You mean?”
At that moment, a woman entered behind Ryu Min.
It was the first woman I’d seen.
“Are you part of the group? Who is she?”
“Is this the person? Master?”
“Oh. You just have to reign.”
The woman and Ryu Min ignored his words and continued talking amongst themselves.
It was an unfamiliar conversation.
“I asked who she was.”
“Hey. Could you look at me for a moment? It’ll only take a moment.”
“What...?”
The moment Ma Gyeong-rok made eye contact with her.
Ma Gyeong-rok’s memory was cut off.