In the middle of a silent city, the night wrapped everything in a cold chill.
The sound of steady footsteps echoed on the cobblestone road.
A squad from the Holy Organization was patrolling, full of confidence.
"So... do you think he'll show up tonight?"
asked the leader, his voice flat, carrying a tone of disdain.
"Maybe," one of the members replied with a smirk.
"But I think he's just a clown craving attention."
"Hahahaha!! White Reaper? What kind of name is that?" another laughed loudly.
"Probably just a wannabe brat who read too many novels!"
But... their laughter didn't last long.
From the end of a dark alley, a group of black-robed figures appeared.
There weren't many of them, but the pressure in the air from their presence was enough to make breathing feel heavy and suffocating.
One of them stepped forward.
Her gaze was sharp. Her demeanor cold.
She was... Neera.
"Heh... So you dare to slander our Lord's name in public, huh?" she said coldly, like ice slicing through flesh.
"Hah!? Who the hell are you!?" one of the members shouted, instantly on alert.
The leader narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharpening.
"...Wait. You... you're underlings of the White Reaper?"
Neera gave a thin smile.
"So what if we are? Scared?"
"Not scared," the leader replied calmly, though his tone was sharp like a drawn blade.
"But…"
In an instant, his figure vanished.
CLANG!!
He appeared right in front of Neera.
His sword nearly sliced through her face. But Neera, with sharp reflexes, blocked it. A thin blade of light formed from her hand, light forged from her Master's power.
"You're pretty good," the leader said, pushing his sword with full force.
"You're not bad either," Neera replied coldly, her eyes piercing.
A clash of power erupted.
Light and metal rang through the air. But even though Neera was only using a fraction of the White Reaper's light power, she began to get pushed back.
Suddenly....
THWAAAM!!
A solid kick struck her in the gut.
Her body was flung, slamming hard into the wall of a nearby building.
The Holy Organization's leader chased after her immediately, not giving a moment to breathe.
His sword spun wildly, forming a storm of death.
But then...
TZZZTTT!!
A blackish-purple light shot from afar, slicing through the night like a blooming flower of death.
"DEATH BLOOM."
BOOM!!
An explosion of dark light swept the area.
The Holy Organization's leader froze. His eyes widened.
"W...What!?"
Before he could react...
WHUUMM!!
A strike from an unseen direction hurled his body across the ground, crashing hard.
And in the night sky...
White Reaper hovered calmly.
The wind gently blew, as if the world itself held its breath to welcome him.
"Heh… so you finally show yourself, WHITE REAPER!!" the Holy Organization's leader shouted, his fury exploding.
Without hesitation, he lunged forward, slashing at full speed.
CLANG!
White Reaper blocked it with one hand.
He drew the White Blade, a purplish-black sword of light that radiated death and destruction.
In an instant, the tide turned.
His attacks were sharp.
His blade pierced through the enemy's defense.
"DAMN YOU!! HEY!! ALL OF YOU, HELP ME!! DON'T JUST STAND THERE!!" the leader screamed.
"Yes, sir!!" his troops answered.
White Reaper let out a slow breath.
"Hmm... Alright. It's time."
His left eye lit up...
A dark purple mixed with light, light that devoured logic.
And then...
Time stopped.
Everything froze.
The wind stopped. Dust hung suspended in the air.
Even the sky seemed to wait silently.
White Reaper moved in silence.
Like a shadow, he danced between the frozen enemies.
And when time resumed...
BRUAAK!!
The bodies of the holy troops collapsed all at once.
Blood flowed.
All of them... were slain in a single move.
Only the leader remained. His body covered in wounds, but his rage still burned.
"DAMN YOU!! YOU'RE NOT HUMAN!! YOU'RE A MONST..."
BRUAAAK!!
Before he could finish, his body was torn apart by a blast of purplish energy.
Death Bloom.
"Talk too much. Acting tough."
White Reaper's voice was flat, like Kazuki in the daytime. Cold, without sympathy.
"Target eliminated."
Neera stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Excellent work, Master."
All members of Nocturne Eclipse saluted in unison.
Their movements were precise, silent, deadly...like shadows never meant to be seen.
White Reaper stood tall, gazing at the high moon above.
"Alright then... This time, we'll become a threat to the entire world."
But within himself…
I don't want to be a hero.
Not even becoming the final boss is my goal.
I'm just playing my own role.
My role... as the White Reaper.
The next day...
In the emergency meeting room, chaos erupted.
People screamed. Panic on every face.
Sweat, fear, and anger all mixed into one.
"I TOLD YOU!! WHITE REAPER IS TOO STRONG!! EVEN THE HOLY ORGANIZATION COULDN'T DEFEAT THEM!!"
one of them shouted, nearly throwing his chair.
"CALM DOWN, IDIOT!! MAYBE HE CHEATED!! IT MAKES NO SENSE FOR THE CITY'S STRONGEST ORGANIZATION TO LOSE JUST LIKE THAT!!"
another one replied, desperately denying reality.
"BUT...!! ALL OF THEIR MEMBERS ARE DEAD!! YOU MORON!!"
another voice interrupted, eyes red, almost crying in frustration.
Amidst the chaos...
Someone who had been silent all along finally spoke.
His voice was quiet, but sharp. Like a whisper of death.
"Seems like... he's not human."
Everyone turned instantly.
"What do you mean?" one of them asked, voice trembling.
He slowly raised his face.
His eyes full of doubt... and deep-seated fear.
"Maybe... he's the Demon King who has awakened."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
No one spoke.
Some just stared at the table, tongues tied, hearts pounding wildly.
And then...
The chapter ends.