episode_0018

I’ve never handled a scythe before.

It looks quite convincing at first glance, but realistically, it’s inefficient to consider.

It’s difficult to handle, and even if you can handle it well, it’s inherently less efficient as a tool for combat. It’s much better to use a sword or a spear than to swing a scythe.

However, this place is within a game. So, isn’t the scythe clearly categorized as a weapon…?

Many characters in the game favor the scythe.

Like Gein from League of Reijan, or Jerry from the Collapse 4th series, or characters like Briede from Black Soul 3.

Of course, this scythe doesn’t look as imposing as those appearing in games, more like an ordinary farming tool…

“…Impressive.”

After passing through my mental filter, it looked cooler than anything seen in games or comics. Even the rust-covered blade was charming.

A name. It needed a name.

For a beloved item, it requires a fitting nickname.

Where can I find a cool name? A name that anyone passing by would say, “Wow, that’s awesome.”

As I pondered, one name suddenly came to mind.

“Death Scythe.”

There couldn’t be a more fitting name than this…!

I, Ha Ye-rin, have decided. I will spend my life with Death Scythe and reap the lives of many with this blade.

Someday, until the names of Death Scythe and I are called symbols of death…!

But there is one significant problem.

The durability of Death Scythe, clearly visible to my eyes.

[Durability: 2/100]

Remaining durability, only 2.

It’s so fragile that it could break after a few swings. I couldn’t let it break easily since I vowed to spend my life with Death Scythe.

I immediately approached the blacksmith.

“Sir.”

“Hmm?”

“Can you repair that for me?”

“Huh?”

“That! Can you repair it for me?”

“Oh, sure. I can do that.”

“How much?”

“Huh?”

“How much?”

“Oh… 5 silver….”

After an intense conversation, I was able to entrust my Death Scythe for repair.

As soon as the conversation ended, Grandpa, who had somehow finished preparing for the repair, looked quite skilled as he placed the sickle on the grindstone.

“Perhaps…!”

Perhaps the true reaping will begin now!

That’s what I thought, but my excitement shattered in just two short minutes.

“Death Scythe!”

Just one strike of the hammer.

The sight of the Death Scythe meeting the hammer without a drop of blood or tear.

It was the last sight of the Death Scythe that I could behold.

“No, my Death Scythe!!!”

The Death Scythe was dead. It went so pitifully.

Have you seen it? Life is so futile and pathetic. It vanishes so easily, with no order to its departure.

Just like now, where the Death Scythe, which had promised to be with me for a lifetime until just a moment ago, is rolling on the ground in tatters….

I desperately held the shattered Death Scythe, swallowing back tears.

Countless memories of the time we spent together flashed through my mind.

Goodbye… my Death Scythe. Perhaps, I will never forget you for the rest of my life.

Grandpa, who had been resting for a moment, chuckled.

“Oh? It’s all broken….”

“Grandpa… can’t you hear the cries of the broken Death Scythe…? How can you do this so heartlessly, without a single tear or drop of blood?”

“I guess I need to bring a new one.”

“Grandpa, could this poor girl perhaps listen carefully to what it has to say?”

“Hmm…? There are plenty of those lying around in the warehouse. Just bring a new one.”

Indeed. As Grandpa swiftly disappeared into the warehouse, he emerged holding an old sickle, just as he had said.

My heart raced with anticipation.

Is this what love feels like…?

[Rusty Harvest Sickle]

[Rare]

Attack Power: 54

Attribute: Corrosion (Minor)

A sickle for harvesting. With its long handle, it seems capable of reaping a large amount at once!

What it reaps is up to you!

It has not been maintained for a long time, so it has rusted. It’s unlikely, but if someone were to be pricked by this… they would likely suffer quite a bit.

[Durability: 96/100]

[Chapter 1]

The item’s name and performance perfectly matched with the Death… something.

Even its durability was sturdy, unlike the useless Death whatever.

Carefully receiving it from his grandfather, he held it close to his chest.

“Will you be with me for life? Death Side 2.”

Deciding to continue the legacy and naming it Death Side 2.

* * *

Crack!

The goblin’s head burst under overwhelming force! Brains splattered out.

It was different from the game. Unlike the goblins in Save of Abyss, its appearance was several times more grotesque and eerie.

Even the scattered brain remnants looked so real that it made him feel nauseous.

“Darn it…”

But as the guardian of this area, there were duties to fulfill.

Park Cheol, wiping the blood off his cheek, cursed under his breath.

“Damn it. Why are these monsters suddenly popping out and causing a ruckus?”

Of course, gates suddenly appearing in the city were not uncommon. Unlike the Empire, the Ma-su tribe, any existence on Earth, wanted to spill blood. It was natural for gates to appear where there were many people.

However, creatures freely slithering out from there was a separate issue.

“Geez… really. Hyungnim, do monsters normally pop out from gates like this?”

“Would that even happen?”

As if there was no point in Park Cheol answering the question from one of the guardian hunters, he scowled as if it wasn’t worth responding.

It wasn’t because of his peculiar personality. As a hunter and the guardian leader, the weight of responsibility burdened him heavily.

If the flowing Ma-su caused harm to innocent citizens, it would become Park Cheol’s mistake. Before facing punishment for failing to protect properly, the sense of duty as a hunter made him overly sensitive even to trivial matters.

In reality, not only Park Cheol but most hunters became overly sensitive when they went into action, often getting worked up over trivial matters.

“The term ‘Gate Break’ didn’t just come about for no reason. Creatures pouring out from the gate is not a common occurrence.”

Gate Break.

It referred to the phenomenon where the creatures inside the gate poured out like mad when the gate couldn’t be managed for a long time.

Reaching this point, it had become a phenomenon treated like a natural disaster such as earthquakes, floods, or volcanic eruptions.

However, on the contrary, if the gate doesn’t just break open, it’s not particularly dangerous. Hunters can quickly come and clear the gate, and until the break occurs, monsters will never come out.

Whether they can’t come out or won’t come out, I don’t know.

That’s why I don’t understand what’s going on in the current situation.

It’s not that the gate broke. However, the monsters from another world popped out of the gate and caused a riot on their own.

And it’s not just one or two, but about twenty of them.

Clearly a situation that can be called an incident.

If even ordinary people popped out of the gate, it would be goblins that could somehow be managed, but if monsters like orcs or werewolves popped out… I didn’t even want to think about those possibilities.

Certainly, the damage would have been unimaginably huge. The civilians around must have been massacred before the hunters arrived.

“I should go home and write a report right away.”

The fact that monsters can pop out of the gate on their own is very important. It would be fortunate if it’s only this time, but you never know what kind of monster might pop out again later.

Park Cheol, still not disappearing, glanced at the intact gate for a while, then gave orders to Park Jin-soo, a member of the Guardian Corps, and turned around.

“Block off the street and take turns guarding the gate among the Guardian Corps for a while. Don’t take your eyes off the gate for a moment. If you notice anything strange, contact me immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Since there’s no guarantee that goblins won’t pop out next time, never let just one person guard the gate. At least two or three should be guarding the front.”

“Understood, sir. We’ll guard it well, so please don’t worry too much.”

“…Okay.”

Park Cheol knew that the guy was deliberately speaking so playfully to lighten his mood.

After tapping Park Jin-soo’s shoulder, Park Cheol turned around and left the street.

…Five hours later.

Park Cheol, who was in the process of sending his report to the association, received shocking news.

Three members of the Myeonghakdong Defense Corps who were guarding the gate had gone missing.

Shortly after, when the contents of the report were delivered to him, it summarized as follows:

Park Dahye, a C-rank hunter from the Myeonghakdong Defense Corps

Park Jinsu, a B-rank hunter from the Myeonghakdong Defense Corps

Shin Dongchan, a C-rank hunter from the Myeonghakdong Defense Corps

These three individuals were suddenly seized by an unidentified monster that emerged from the gate and dragged into it.