The night air was thick with the scent of blood. The alley, bathed in the cold light of the moon, was eerily silent save for the distant rustling of night creatures. The five men lay scattered across the ground, their bodies already growing cold.
Ren stood in the center, white cloak fluttering in the breeze. His eyes, void of emotion, scanned the remaining enemies, four now, the last of them standing, eyes wide with disbelief.
The first man, the one who had foolishly underestimated him, was already dead, his throat slashed with a single, swift movement. His blood soaked the ground at Ren's feet.
The remaining four men were still reeling from the shock. They had expected an easy target. They hadn't thought a D-rank could pose any real threat.
They were wrong.
Ren moved before they could even process what was happening. A blur of black mixed gold, a flash of crimson, and in the blink of an eye, he was on them.
One of the men closer to the group had his hand on the hilt of his sword, but Ren was faster. The moment the man attempted to draw, Ren was already upon him.
His crimson dagger flashed, cutting through the air with deadly precision. A single slash, clean and perfect, and the man's body crumpled without a sound. Blood sprayed in an arc, but the rest of the men hadn't even realized their comrade was dead before Ren vanished into the shadows.
The next to fall was a man standing by the alley's entrance, trying to react, eyes wide with panic. He barely had time to draw a blade before Ren appeared behind him. A swift, silent strike, a flash of crimson, and the man collapsed, his life slipping away without a word.
Ren's eyes locked onto the last two men, their faces pale with fear now. They were no longer brimming with arrogance, no longer thinking they had the upper hand. They had seen their comrades fall in seconds. They knew they didn't stand a chance.
But even as they tried to adjust, to position themselves, Ren was already moving. His figure flickered in and out of sight, a ghost in the night, too fast to track. He was already on the third man, his dagger finding its mark in the blink of an eye.
The man didn't even scream. He simply fell, his body crumpling to the ground like a discarded doll.
Now only one remained.
The last man, the one who had been watching Ren with wide, desperate eyes, stumbled back, his face a mask of fear and disbelief. His hand trembled as it hovered near his weapon, but Ren was already there, his figure moving like a reaper in the night.
With a final, decisive step, Ren was in front of him. The man tried to swing, tried to put up a defense, but it was useless. Ren's blade was already in motion, cutting through the air, and before the man could even blink, the cold steel had pierced his chest.
A single breath, a gasp, and then nothing.
The last man fell to the ground, joining his comrades in the silence of the alley.
Ren stood over the bodies, his breath steady, his expression void of anything resembling emotion. The blood that stained his cloak was nothing more than a part of the night now. A dark reminder of what had just occurred.
The only sound was the distant cry of a lone creature in the shadows. Moonlight bathed the alley in a cold, haunting glow, casting long shadows over the carnage.
Ren, the reaper clad in black, stood motionless among the fallen bodies.
Zero Seven stood frozen, the shock still registering on his face, his body stiff as if he couldn't process the reality of what had just happened. Lira, however, watched calmly, her cold eyes never leaving Ren.
Ren's gaze dropped to the blood pooling beneath his feet, the reality of his actions settling in. His expression remained unchanged, as if the death he had dealt was nothing more than a fleeting moment.
PING!
[You have successfully defeated 5 C-rank opponents.]
You have gained 5000 KP.
Current KP: 12000.
[You leveled up!]
[Congratulations, you have reached level 5.]
[Rewards]
+5000 Spirit Coins
+3 Gold Bars
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
New Skills Unlocked:
Killing Intent (Passive): Weak opponents freeze in fear when you glare at them.
Reaper's Reflex (Passive): Faster reaction speed when an enemy is within 5 meters.
Ren's cold gaze didn't waver as his profile updated,
[Welcome, Player WHITE REAPER!]
🔻 PLAYER PROFILE 🔻
Real Name: Ren Arashi
Player Name: White Reaper
Class: None (Unlockable)
Title: None
Level: 5
Race: Human
Karma Points: 7000
Spirit Coins: 25,000
Gold Bars: 3
🔻 ATTRIBUTES 🔻
HP: 100/100
MP: 150/150
SP (Stat Points): 8
Strength: 7 | Agility: 8
Endurance: 4 | Intelligence: 2
🔻 SKILLS 🔻
Mandora Vines (Active): Triggered by moonlight, these deadly vines rise from the ground to restrain and slash anyone nearby. The effect will last for five minutes.
Killing Intent (Passive): Weak opponents freeze in fear when you glare at them.
Reaper's Reflex (Passive): Faster reaction speed when an enemy is within 5 meters.
🔻 ITEMS 🔻
Mandora Heart - C Rank
🔻 WEAPONS 🔻
Crimson Spider Dagger - C Rank
Ren slowly turned to face Zero Seven and Lira, his eyes still cold. The windows of the system interface shut down in an instant, leaving only the tension hanging between them. Zero Seven muttered under his breath, barely able to grasp what he had just witnessed.
"They didn't even have a chance to fight back…" he whispered.
Lira's gaze flicked toward him, her voice calm but sharp. "It's not that they didn't have the chance. They did. But fear paralyzed them. That's what makes emotions dangerous."
Ren didn't respond, merely turning away as he began to walk off, his steps echoing through the alley.
"Go on," he said quietly, not looking back. "I'll follow after."
Lira's eyes softened slightly as she reached out to grab the young man's hand. "Let's go too, boss healer," she said, her tone more gentle now. "I'll make you some soup."
_____________________________________
The next day
"What are you saying?! A mere D-Rank took out five C-Ranks? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?!" The middle-aged man with streaks of silver in his hair screamed, slamming the glass in his hand into his servant's face.
His fury was palpable, the owner of the Aurum House and the auction reduced to this in a single day. His building was destroyed, and the most valuable item was stolen. Anyone could feel the intensity of his rage.
"But one of our employees witnessed it," the servant stammered, his body trembling with fear. "That D-Rank didn't even give them a chance to fight back."
"It must've been some higher-ranked idiot!" the owner spat, his face twisted with frustration.
"No, sir... He was definitely D-Rank," the servant insisted, his voice shaky.
"The hell?! Damn it, damn it!" The owner's fists clenched. "Did they get a good look at his face?!"
"I-I'm sorry, sir. It was too dark."
"What about mana recording or CCTV records?"
"Everything was destroyed, sir. Even CCTVs in other buildings. Like killer got rid of them."
The owner struck the servant again with a furious roar, sending him stumbling. "You worthless idiots! Set up a search team for this guy immediately!" He turned on the other men in the room. "And any information on that damn demon from last night?"
"N-No, sir! Nothing yet!"
"Aaaagh!" The man howled in frustration. "Even three S-Ranks couldn't hold him! Damn it all!"
In the corner of the room, a figure silently observed the chaos, blending into the shadows. Dressed in a security uniform, long black hair tied back in a ponytail, the man's red eyes analyzed the scene with a calm, detached focus.
Your peaceful days are about to end, Senpai, he thought, his expression unreadable. What are you going to do now?
__________________________________
"Why are my attributes all zero?" someone shouted in frustration. Lira froze, instinctively stepping behind a tree. Who was that again? Probably a newbie.
"Are you kidding me? I'm White Reaper! I know my speed! How is this possible?" the voice shouted again, louder this time, filled with disbelief.
Lira's eyes twitched.
Wait… did he just say White Reaper?
She peered through the leaves, keeping herself hidden. A handsome young man was causing a commotion, his voice rising in irritation. There was no way this loud, messy fool was the emotionless White Reaper, right?
But then again, what if he actually was?
Lira tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. Maybe I should keep an eye on him...
After a moment's hesitation, she stepped out from behind the tree, deciding to approach him. She could always invite him over, get a closer look.
"Yeah, I'll watch him closely," she muttered under her breath, stepping forward.