Escape - Chapter 19.2
Chapter 19.2
“Usually, yeah, but when he fights, it’s unbelievable. He’s a Necromancer. He summons the souls of the dead to fight, and it’s not just creepy, it’s terrifying.”
Geto shuddered, as if just the thought sent chills down his spine. Seeing the large warrior express fear suggested the Necromancer was indeed powerful. Now that she knew who he was, she could see people at nearby tables glancing at him, clearly aware of his presence.
‘He summons the souls of the dead. This world… even that’s possible.’
Adeline stared intently at the man whose face was hidden by the robe. At that moment, the man turned his head.
It was the moment she felt their eyes meet.
“Since everyone seems to be here, I declare this meeting open.”
The sound of a gavel striking resonated through the hall. It was the opening ceremony, heralding the festival of blood.
“What is this, parliament? Banging a gavel and all.”
Geto was the first to jeer loudly. People’s gazes briefly landed on Geto and Adeline before scattering. Some of the more perceptive ones lingered on Adeline.
“Please refrain from making comments unrelated to the meeting.”
Judai frowned in warning. He was the vice-guild leader of the Japanese guild, ‘Ren,’ and was in charge of today’s meeting due to the apparent lack of other suitable candidates.
“Honestly, the guy has no sense of humor.”
Geto leaned in and whispered to Adeline. She was too preoccupied observing her surroundings to respond.
‘So many people, including Rankers. Are you telling me all these people are playing the game?’
“First, I’d like to express my gratitude for your willingness to participate in this raid. Not only are there isolated players, but at this rate, beginners will die on their first day. Almost 90% of District 11 has become a snake’s nest.”
“How did that even happen in the first place? Were the guys who participated in the main quest that day even real Rankers?”
“This is an official meeting. Please use respectful language.”
“Ah, sorry, sorry. Come to think of it, weren’t they your friends? I heard most of those trapped are from Heroes.”
A French man shrugged arrogantly, chuckling while making a gesture of slanting his eyes.
It was blatant racism. The reaction was immediate. The Chinese guilds at the central tables jumped to their feet. The hall descended into chaos—Southern European guilds looking down with disdain, Asian guilds erupting in anger, and others rising to try and calm the situation.
It was a mess. This was why Rankers rarely united. Global harmony, my foot. This was a gathering that only bred division.
“Ha, they’re mad, mad. Are they gonna fight? Should I join in? Can I? Will Eric be pissed if I do?”
said the American (Geto). He was practically vibrating with excitement, like a large dog being told it was time for a walk. Adeline, arms crossed, remained silent, simply observing the commotion unfolding in the center of the hall.
She was thinking this might be a good opportunity to gauge people’s personalities. That’s when she heard it.
A scraping sound. Even amidst the raised voices, the sound of his chair was distinct. Adeline’s head whipped around, her eyes narrowing. It was Shade. But no one else seemed to notice. In that instant, the face hidden by the robe looked directly at Adeline.
Red eyes glowed within the blackness of the hood.
‘Wait a minute, could it be…?’
“Geto, get ready to fight.”
“Huh? What… we need Eric’s permission…”
Thud. Geto didn’t finish his sentence. His jaw dropped, his body frozen in shock. A scream ripped through the hall. A massive scythe protruded from the top of the head of the man who had uttered the remark before.
Crimson blood gushed from the man’s skull, his hair standing on end. Bone and sinew sprouted from the scythe’s handle, forming a colossal skeleton that materialized in the center of the hall. It was easily five or six times the size of a grown man.
“A… a skeleton soldier!”
Click. The crimson eyes within the skeleton’s dark sockets fixed on the person who had screamed.
[Player Killing attempt detected.]
[Player Killing is prohibited in this zone.]
[Player ‘Shade2002’ has received one warning. Three warnings will result in forced expulsion.]
“Ah, I forgot. I should have killed him outside.”
A languid, cynical voice drifted from within the robe.
Silence descended upon the hall. While death was averted, pain was not. The man who had caused the commotion remained slumped on the floor, moaning and screaming. The expressions of the high-ranking players seated at his table hardened.
“No way. It’s common knowledge this is a no-PK zone,” Geto whispered to Adeline, dumbfounded. He seemed captivated by the skeleton soldier still gripping the scythe. Adeline, too, couldn’t tear her eyes away. The imposing skeleton, standing amidst the crowd, looked ready to swing its scythe at a moment’s notice. It was grotesque. And thrilling.
‘This… this is Shade’s power.’
The air crackled with tension. The commotion had subsided, but in its place, a palpable fear settled over everyone. Judai was the first to break the silence with a sigh.
“…Shade, what do you want?”
He had known Shade since the early days of the game. An enigmatic, genius player. An arrogant kid who rarely spoke outside of combat. But one thing was certain: he never acted without a purpose.
