He slowly woke up to the sound of birds chirping. The sunlight filtered through the trees, and the air felt fresh. It was morning, and he found himself lying on soft, green ground. He looked around, tall trees, a clear blue sky, and a peaceful, almost magical atmosphere. A place that seemed like a hidden paradise.
"This is no heaven, right?" he muttered to himself, sitting up on the ground. His hand went to his face, trying to clear his mind. But something felt off. His voice... why did it sound so different?
"Uh, argh argh! HEH?!" He blinked in shock. It wasn't just that it sounded different, it was different. The voice that came from him didn't feel like his own.
He looked down at his clothes. He was wearing black trousers with a silver chain hanging at the side of his waist, a white long-sleeve crew-neck t-shirt, and a sleeveless dark purple jacket. What the heck is this?! This wasn't his usual attire. Everything felt unfamiliar, like a life that didn't belong to him.
And then, just like before, a dialogue box appeared before him, glowing faintly in the air.
[Welcome, Player WHITE REAPER!]
[Initializing status panel…]
🔻 PLAYER PROFILE 🔻
Real Name: Ren Arashi
Player Name: White Reaper
Class: None (Unlockable)
Title: None
Level: 1
Race: Human
Karma Points: 0
Spirit Coins: 100
Gold bars: 0
🔻 ATTRIBUTES 🔻
HP (Health Points): 100/100
MP (Mana Points): 100/100
SP (Stat points): 0
Strength: 0 / Agility: 0
Endurance: 0 / Intelligence: 0
🔻 SKILLS 🔻
None (Unlock skills through gameplay.)
🔻 QUESTS 🔻
[Main Quest: Survive Round 1 of the Spirit World Gameshow]— Objective: Clear the first challenge and advance.
— Rewards: +1000 Spirit Coins, 50 gold bars, Unlock Basic Class Selection
Good luck, Player WHITE REAPER. The game has begun!
Ren blinked, his eyes scanning the strange screen in front of him. His heart thudded in his chest. This wasn't what he expected. This isn't real. It can't be!
He stood up, feeling the ground beneath him, the soft grass brushing against his palms. He wasn't sure what to believe anymore, but one thing was certain, he was no longer alive. Not in the way he once was.
"This is some kind of game..." Ren muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. "But what the hell is all this?"
"Why are my attributes all zero?" he shouted, anger rising in his chest. "Are you kidding me? I'm White Reaper! I know my speed! How is this possible?" His voice echoed through the empty, strange world, but there was no response.
The sky above remained calm, as if nothing had happened.
PING!
[You have unread notifications.]
Frustrated, Ren clenched his fists and opened the notification bar, his heart racing with a mix of confusion and anger. Three notifications were waiting for him. He tapped the first one without hesitation.
[About the Spirit World Gameshow.]This is a chance for chosen players. If you climb the tower and complete all 50 levels, you can grab the ultimate prize: a second chance at life. Transmigrate into the moment before your death, so you can avoid it, or die again.
"So I really am dead..." Ren murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "And now this afterlife has turned into a game?" He scoffed. "Gods using technology, huh? What a joke."
He quickly moved on to the second notification, reading it carefully.
[About Karma Points.]Karma Points (KP) will help you level up. You can earn KP by killing monsters, demons, and criminals. You will earn more KP for killing players (Criminals).
Ren's eyes widened as he read it over and over again. "So this place is full of criminals?" he muttered. "And the players… we're all criminals?" He shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it. "Hunting other players… what kind of game is this?"
He finally opened the third notification, feeling a strange sense of urgency.
[Soul Guard Pact.]You can create bonds with Soul Guards. As this game is dangerous, Soul Guards can protect your soul from being vanished or shattered. Forming a pact with a Soul Guard greatly enhances your survival.
Ren read it carefully, his mind spinning. So in this place, everyone was both a hunter and prey, constantly fighting for survival. He'd have to be careful, but he had no choice now. This was the world he was stuck in.
"Looks like things are going to get messy," Ren muttered to himself as he looked around at the vast, unknown landscape. Every corner of this strange place was full of threats, and the only way out was through survival.
The rules were clear: kill or be killed.
And White Reaper had always been a hunter.
"I need to go back. I can't just die like this. Not until I avenge my family and cure my mother. I have to go back. I can't leave Rin all on his own," Ren muttered to himself, looking down at the ground.
His fists clenched tightly. His life had never been easy. After his father died and the family business crumbled, he lost everything. At the same time, his mother fell into a coma. Five years now, she'd been trapped in that state, unable to wake up. Ren had been the one to pay the hospital bills, the one to look after his younger brother. He couldn't afford to die now. Not like this.
His mind was made up.
"I will eliminate everyone who stands in my path," he said, his voice sharp and full of resolve. "But... why the heck are all my attributes zero?!" His frustration boiled over, and he threw his hands up in the air. "This is ridiculous! What am I supposed to do with this? Can you at least give me something decent?!"
He kicked a small rock in anger, watching it bounce away, and then shouted to the sky, "I hope you step in dog poop, you damn system!"
The words hung in the air, echoing a little too loudly in the otherwise peaceful surroundings. For a second, there was nothing but silence.
Then, just as Ren stood there in his moment of outrage, a soft rustling noise came from nearby.
A squirrel, completely oblivious to Ren's rant, dashed across his path. Ren blinked at it, his anger slowly fading into a dry chuckle.
"Well, at least something's having a better day than me..." he muttered, wiping a hand across his face. "Just... don't let the system give me zero luck, alright?"
Ren sighed, feeling a bit lighter. He couldn't let all of this get to him. One step at a time. He would figure this out.
And then he heard a voice.
"Hello."
Ren turned quickly, his instincts kicking in. A young woman, dressed in a black gown, stood between the trees. Her long black hair cascaded like silk down her back, and her deep blue eyes sparkled like gems, framed by long, delicate lashes. She was... stunning.
"By chance, mister, are you lost?" she asked, her tone sweet and calm.
Ren narrowed his eyes, instinctively scanning her for any sign of danger. He couldn't trust anyone in this strange place.
"Kinda, I guess," he replied cautiously, his gaze never leaving her.
"You look like you're from the city," the girl said again, her voice full of curiosity.
"City?" Ren raised an eyebrow. He was used to this kind of small talk back in the real world, but this? He didn't know what to make of it.
"Yeah, from Shinjuku. Perhaps you're not?!"
Ren froze, his mind grinding to a halt. Shinjuku? His mouth went dry. This... is the afterlife? right?
A dazed expression spread across his face, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Aaaa, yeah, I am. You're right. I came for sightseeing... but, uh, I got a little lost, hah ha!" He laughed awkwardly, wiping sweat from his forehead. His fingers fumbled slightly as he tried to seem casual, but the disbelief bubbling inside him was hard to hide.
The girl smiled, a gentle, knowing smile, as if she could sense the confusion in his voice. "It's okay. You're not the first one to get lost here," she said, her tone almost playful.
Ren rubbed his neck, trying to recover from the awkwardness of the moment. "Yeah... this place is really... something else."
"Don't worry, I can help you find your way," she said, stepping closer. "But first, would you mind telling me who you are, Mister Lost Traveler?"
Ren's eyes narrowed slightly. Trusting strangers wasn't his thing, especially not in a place like this. But there was something in the girl's demeanor that made him hesitate, a sense of familiarity, even though he didn't understand why.
"Sho... Sho Ryuunosuke," he answered finally, keeping his guard up. He can't trust this girl and he can't reveal his real name that soon. "And you...?"
The girl's smile widened, "My name is Lira. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sho."
Ren frowned, still confused. "Lira, huh... So, what exactly is this place?"
She smiled gently, her voice still sweet. "This is the middle of a forest. Most travelers come here for sightseeing. I live nearby. If you want, I can guide you outside."
Ren didn't have much else to do, so he nodded. He needed to find this tower, whatever it was, and climb it. Maybe she knew something that could help.
As they walked through the forest, Ren couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
"Uh, Miss Lira," he began, "You know... the tower? That—"
"Are you talking about Tokyo Tower?" Lira interrupted, her voice still calm. "Yeah, I know it. Most players climb it to gain power. By the way, are you a player too?"
Ren hesitated. Her casual tone made it sound like she knew exactly what he was talking about. Maybe she was just an NPC... But something about her didn't seem like that.
"Yeah, I am. A newbie, though."
"I see," she said with a slight chuckle. "Most new players get confused at first. There are five towers in this world, and Tokyo Tower is one of them. The others are on four different continents. They say the towers will merge one day when there aren't many players left. But some people don't care much for the prize, so they keep living their lives the way they did before. I'm one of those people. I chose not to be a player. So now, I run a little coffee shop in Shinjuku."
Ren blinked, trying to make sense of her words. "....??"
Was she talking about the afterlife, or was there something more to it? Her speech was getting harder to follow.
Then it hit him. The system had asked him whether he wanted to be a player or not when he first arrived. If he had chosen "no," he wouldn't have been part of the game. He'd have been stuck in this... spirit city, just another lost soul, maybe with no way out.
It would've been the afterlife, for sure.
Ren hesitated for a moment before asking, his voice quieter, "Uhm, Miss Lira, by any chance, are you also... dead?"
Lira raised an eyebrow but smiled softly. "That's not exactly something you'd ask someone so casually, Mr. Sho."
Ren immediately blushed, flustered. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make it awkward…"
Lira chuckled, her voice light and playful. "It's alright. I'm just messing with you. Yeah, I'm dead. I was just like you when I first arrived here." She continued walking, her steps easy, as if this was just another ordinary day. "It's hard to wrap your head around it, isn't it? The afterlife... It seems to be like that, though."
Ren couldn't stop his thoughts from spiraling. So she's dead too… His mind kept replaying that fact. The world felt like a strange, unfamiliar dream.
As if reading his mind, Lira added, "And there are original creatures here too, not just souls like us. Some are humanoid, some not. They're called demons."
"Demons?" Ren repeated, the word lingering in the air. "You mean... like in stories?"
"Something like that," Lira said, her tone neutral. "They don't look like the ones in your human stories, though. Some are terrifying, some... well, you'll see for yourself soon enough. Some demons are pretty dangerous. And if you're not careful, they could be the end of you."
Ren shivered at the thought. Demons, huh? He wasn't sure what to expect in this world anymore, but he knew he needed to keep his guard up. Everything was so much more complicated than he'd imagined.
Ah right! The system mentioned this before too. If he kills demons and monsters, he can gain karma points to level up.
"So... what exactly happens to us? After we climb the tower?" he asked, his voice low, trying to gather his thoughts.
Lira glanced over at him, her expression unreadable. "That, Mr. Sho... is something you'll need to figure out for yourself."
"Yeah, you are right," Ren said awkwardly.
"Oh right, Mr. Sho!" She asked as if she remembered something special. "What kind of crime did you commit to be here?"
Ren blinked, his mind racing at the sudden question. "What?!"
Lira's smile widened as she shrugged nonchalantly. "You see, everyone here in this world is a criminal. Myself included." She gave a small laugh. "I used to be a swindler, ha-ha. There are murderers, thieves, rapists... you name it. All kinds of criminals are here." Her tone was casual, but her words struck Ren like a cold splash of water.
"This place... is an afterworld dungeon for criminals, I think," Lira continued, her voice softening a little. "But, you know, after my death, I left all that behind. I'm just trying to live a better life now, no more swindling or deceit. I'm waiting for my judgment." She looked at Ren with curiosity in her eyes. "So, Mr. Sho... What crime did you commit?"
Ren froze for a second. There was no way he was telling her he was an infamous killer.
"I... uh... Just a little thief," he mumbled, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"I see," Lira said, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, try to live a better life here, Mr. Sho. You've got the looks for it. You should've done modeling instead of stealing!" She suddenly brightened up. "Oh! Right!"
Ren blinked. "What?"
"They're saying White Reaper is here!" Lira said, her voice filled with excitement.
Ren froze again.
"Eh?"
"White Reaper, you know, the legendary killer hunter?" Lira's eyes sparkled. "They say he's here too. I wonder if I'll ever meet him. I'd love to ask for an autograph!"
Ren awkwardly scratched his head. "Uh, he's a criminal, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah, but he never hurt any innocent people, right? He was like a hero in the underworld!" Lira said, smiling brightly. "And they say he's even got a handsome face!"
Ren let out a nervous laugh. "Heh, heh."
But how did they know he was here? Maybe when someone new arrives, it notifies everyone? As he was lost in thought, the two of them stepped out of the forest and into the outskirts of the city. Shinjuku was ahead of them, but it looked... different. It no longer resembled the usual city Ren knew. Instead, it had a cyberpunk vibe, like something out of an anime.
The streets were bustling with life. There were huge TV screens on the sides of buildings, flashing the latest news from the spirit world. People zoomed by on skateboards, others were casually walking, and some even rode futuristic vehicles. It looked just like the real world... but not quite.
"Most of them are players," Lira said casually as if she were used to the scene. "And there are non-players like me too."
Ren glanced around, still trying to process it all. "So, everyone here is either a player or someone who doesn't want to be part of the game?"
"Exactly," Lira nodded. "Some just want to live out their afterlife in peace, and others... well, they're here to climb the tower, like you." She gave him a teasing smile.
Ren glanced at a nearby digital screen, and his eyes widened when he saw the date: 2027/January 4th.
His heart skipped a beat. "That's wrong, isn't it? Today is January 4th, 2025," he muttered under his breath, almost as if he could wait for the date to change.
Lira raised an eyebrow, looking confused. "No, the date's right. Don't tell me you died in 2025 and arrived in the afterlife in 2027. That's... not possible."
Ren shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. "I am sure it was 2025."
But I know it was 2025. I was fighting with the crow... I remember it clearly. January 4th, 2025, my younger brother's 16th birthday! How could I have slept for two years in some void? That doesn't make sense!
Lira's expression softened, but there was a flicker of disbelief in her eyes. "I don't know what to tell you. Time's strange here. The rules of the afterlife… well, maybe they don't always match up with the living world." She paused, then added, almost as an afterthought, "Maybe the spirit world doesn't play by the same calendar as Earth does."
Ren stared at the date again, trying to wrap his head around it. Two years... gone. But how? Why? And what had happened during those two years? He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
"Oh, look," Lira said, her voice dropping slightly. She pointed toward a massive screen on one of the skyscrapers. The image of a figure cloaked in black appeared. His hoodie was pulled low, casting a shadow over his face, and a strange, eagle-like mask, resembling something from ancient Egypt, covered his eyes and nose. Ren couldn't help but wonder, Can he even see with that thing?
The figure's presence on the screen was chilling, like something out of a nightmare. And then Lira's voice broke through his thoughts.
"That's Black Jailer," she whispered, her words laced with fear. "The most powerful player across all continents. Mr. Sho, if you ever meet him, just run."
Ren narrowed his eyes, watching the ominous figure on the screen, wondering what made him so terrifying. "Who is he?" Ren asked.
Lira hesitated for a moment, clearly uneasy, before answering. "He's... a player who kills other players to gain their power. A true monster in this world. They call him the Grim Reaper. There are rumors...that his power is approaching god-like levels."
Ren stared at the screen, a strange, heavy feeling settling in his chest. The figure moved with an eerie, almost predatory grace. His mask seemed to amplify his already intimidating aura, giving him an otherworldly presence. It was like he didn't belong to this world at all.
Lira's voice trembled as she continued, "Some say his mere presence can freeze the air around you. If you see him, the best thing you can do is run. You don't fight Black Jailer. You don't try to challenge him. You just... escape."
Ren's eyes remained glued to the screen, but his mind raced. A S-Ranker… He had heard about players like this in video games, ones whose power was so terrifying that even the system feared them. If what Lira said was true, Black Jailer was a force unlike any other. A walking nightmare.
The image of the mask flickered on the screen, and Ren couldn't shake the feeling that, for just a moment, those masked eyes were staring directly at him. Run... or die...