#352
The Reaper of Death
KWA-QUA-QUA!
With a tremendous noise, the workshop trembles.
Countless defensive spells, layered multiple times for protection, scatter like mist with a single swat from the massive paw of the teddy bear.
An overwhelming force that destroys even magical defenses with a physical attack has manifested.
Gggggggggggg.
The magic supporting the makeshift workshop in the underground cave crumbles completely.
“······.”
Golden light gleams from the depths of the hood worn low over the Undertaker’s face.
Shine.
The magical doll resembling an old teddy bear, the marionette teddy bear, has sparks of magical energy shining in its glassy eyes.
[Grururururur.]
It flows from the teddy bear’s mouth.
The bear raises its front paw.
Pssss. The magical barrier has completely crumbled.
In the spot where Dokta Shinahel had been, a straw doll with a needle stuck in it has taken its place.
Whirr, pssss.
The straw doll that took damage in Dokta Shinahel’s stead turns to ash, scattering away in a burst of flames.
“······Substitution Sacrifice Magic······.”
The powerful sorceress, the Undertaker, immediately recognizes the nature of the magic used by Dokta Shinahel.
Substitution Sacrifice Magic.
At the moment of taking fatal damage, the damage is redirected to a magical sacrificial object like a straw doll, allowing the user to teleport to another location and survive.
“······I expected as much······.”
The Undertaker mutters briefly.
Even though she is a step below, Dokta Shinahel is still a top-tier villain and sorceress, having reached EX rank.
The Undertaker herself never thought that a mere ambush would be enough to kill the enemy from the start.
Moreover, Substitution Sacrifice Magic isn’t just a game mechanic to save your life without any cost.
Since high-level magic was used in such a desperate situation, Dokta Shinahel’s true body must have taken considerable damage and weakened.
So it’s simple: track down the escaping Dokta Shinahel through magical trace and deal with the weakened enemy. That’s what the Undertaker thought.
Swoosh.
The Undertaker throws off the robe she had been wearing, which had concealed her identity until now.
In the dark, dim cave where the lights extinguished, under the glow of the Ivory Orb, the appearance of a beautiful girl with ivory short hair, burning golden eyes, and a gothic dress is revealed.
“No longer necessary… for disguise…”
“There’s no need for it…”
A clear voice, devoid of any voice modulation, flowed from the lips of the Undertaker, or rather, Wilhelmina Heisenberg.
As Wilhelmina pointed out, with the betrayal already executed, camouflage was no longer necessary.
By now, Dokta Shinahel must have reported to the Messiah, who would have realized her betrayal.
Thus, the name Undertaker and her status as one of the Four Horsemen were no longer needed.
Her golden eyes gleamed.
In her vision, the green magical pattern left by Dokta Shinahel appeared like splattered blood.
“Wait…”
The Undertaker murmured softly, swallowing her anger.
It was time to avenge her precious younger brother, Damian.
The floating orb in the air shook slightly, representing her feelings.
*
In the middle of the night in Gangwon Province.
Dokta Shinahel was desperately running while clutching his lower abdomen in a pine forest that stretched endlessly atop the snow-covered mountains.
“Ugh…”
A pained scream slipped through the beak mask.
Blood dripped from beneath his black coat.
Having used the sacrificial magic and forcibly released the barrier, he was now in a considerably weakened state.
“…Undertaker… I never trusted you from the beginning, but to betray me at such a crucial moment…”
Dokta Shinahel gritted his teeth.
Although he was also linked with the EX-rank villains as one of the Four Horsemen, he trusted none of his fellow Horsemen.
More than ten years ago, before the New World League was even formed.
No, he was the first follower when the Messiah initially preached the ideals of the New World.
To Dokta Shinahel, who had served the Messiah longer than anyone in the League, he understood the order of the New World more deeply than anyone and fervently followed him.
To Dokta Shinahel, the other Horsemen were merely strong beings who knew nothing about the Master’s ideals and were untrustworthy.
Thus, he also never trusted the Undertaker.
He had always thought she would betray him one day.
But to think that timing would be now.
‘Could it be that the disappearance of Damian’s Soul Gem…’
Was directed by Kim Deok-Sung through the Saint, and that the Undertaker had heard this from Kim Deok-Sung, joining forces with him?
What if this entire operation was a trap set by Kim Deok-Sung from the very beginning?
A chill ran down Dokta Shinahel’s spine as he reached that thought.
If that were the case, there was no way to win.
Their side consisted only of fully EX-rank Diego and himself, who had become a half-hearted EX-rank.
In contrast, on the other side, aside from the half EX-rank Seira, there stood the complete EX-rank Kim Deok-Sung, the Undertaker, and the Son of the Sword Master, Kurosawa Yuji, who had a high awakening potential.
Especially Kurosawa Yuji; he was the most dangerous.
He possessed the power of colorless magic, completely disregarding the Master’s, the Messiah’s, ability.
‘Executing the operation is meaningless.’
Dokta Shinahel concluded.
If the speculation that the current operation was a trap laid by Kim Deok-Sung was true, there was no obligation or loyalty for him to help Diego Morales.
After all, according to the Master’s intentions, Diego Morales was also just a potential target for elimination, to be used only until the underground ruins of Shuo Hero Academy, the Broken World, could be opened.
According to his thoughts, Diego Morales was also a potential target for elimination, one to be used only until the opening of the underground ruins of Shuo Academy and the portal to the Broken World.
With his abnormal interest in artifacts and ruins, he was definitely someone who would not support the Master’s ideal of the New World.
So there was no reason to assist him until the end.
‘I must inform the Master.’
Dokta Shinahel’s thoughts reached that point.
He took out his cellphone from his black coat and called.
Beep beep beep, click.
[What is it, Dokta Shinahel?]
He heard the Master’s voice in his ear.
With a desperate tone, Dokta Shinahel spoke into the receiver.
“Master. The Undertaker has betrayed us. This entire operation was a trap set by Kim Deok-Sung from the beginning. The chances of winning this operation are 0%. It all began when Damian’s soul gem disappeared…”
[I already knew.]
Dokta Shinahel’s words were cut off.
He knew.
Hearing that, Dokta Shinahel’s body trembled.
Tears streamed down his eyes.
“Oh, you are indeed the Master. To think you foresaw everything from the start, I, Dokta Shinahel, am in awe of your insight.”
It truly was him.
The one and only savior of this world knew everything.
Just as he reconfirmed this fact, tears of emotion flowed from Dokta Shinahel’s eyes.
[Dokta Shinahel.]
He heard the gentle voice of the Messiah in his ear.
“Yes, Master.”
[My real purpose is different. Go immediately to the scene where Diego Morales and Kim Deok-Sung are fighting. Go and…]
Upon hearing the Master’s commands, a green light ignited in Dokta Shinahel’s eyes.
“Understood. I, Dokta Shinahel, will execute the Master’s order even at the cost of my life.”
[Thank you very much, Dokta Shinahel.]
Click.
The call ended with the Messiah’s farewell.
Truly grateful.
Hearing the Master’s gratitude made Dokta Shinahel tremble with extreme pleasure.
Crack!
The smartphone in Dokta Shinahel’s hand shattered into pieces.
“Ha.”
Still savoring the moment, Dokta Shinahel’s steps resumed.
For the Messiah.
It was to fulfill the last command of the one and only world savior.
*
In front of him, Diego Morales smiled warmly.
His Gift was the Soul Eater.
Literally, it absorbed souls and turned them into soul gems, allowing him to control those souls or enhance his own powers using their strength.
“So you’re the Black Beast.”
Diego Morales smiled kindly.
Swish.
From the stick that looked like a cane in his right hand, a gray blade sprouted.
A scythe-like weapon, the Death Scythe.
It was the source of his other nickname, the Soul Reaper.
“The ability of my realm, which resides in the Hell of Niflheim, is to release all the souls I have harvested at once, turning the current realm into the afterlife.”
Diego Morales generously explained his ability like a typical light novel villain.
“The living cannot remain in the afterlife, so just being here will affect your souls.”
“It’s enough to hit the soul just by being here.”
Diego Morales says with a kind smile.
He wasn’t wrong.
Diego Morales’ manifestation ability was to turn the living world into the underworld.
With the living lingering in the realm of the dead, debuffs were unavoidable.
Of course, most manifestations grant debuffs to the user’s enemies, but his manifestation maximizes those debuffs in this space.
On top of that, he had the ability to command souls, which are usually capped out and limited, infinitely.
All of this comes from volume 17 of the original work.
“In the world of the dead where spirits roam (Hell of Niflheim), I am invincible! I am akin to the grim reaper! It’s pointless to face me. So give up your resistance. Then I will spare your life.”
Diego Morales laughs.
The grim reaper sounds a bit repetitive, doesn’t it?
That line about sparing my life is a lie.
However, his ability description was no lie.
So even now, debuffs were continuously attacking.
[Ugh, partner…]
The Black Prince, a spirit without a body, speaks to me in a pained voice.
In the original, the protagonist Yuji awakens his manifestation during a decisive battle with Diego Morales in volume 17.
Yuji wins against Diego right after awakening his manifestation.
But I am not the protagonist.
However, I do have an ally as powerful as the protagonist from volume 17.
“Come on, hurry up…”
Diego Morales trails off in his kind voice.
Just then, as black wraiths began to slowly rise from below the surface according to his words.
[The White World that Signals Doom]
【World End White】
A familiar incantation engraves itself into the world.
Fatsutsu!!
The world, mixed with black, white, and gray, begins to crack.
Through the cracks, a white light shines, and a silver-haired beautiful girl riding a white parasol descends slowly.
Yoshizaki Seira.
The White Empress has now descended here.
She was the ally I had prepared with the Undertaker.
Flap flap.
Yoshizaki Seira, descending from her parasol, gently lands in front of me.
As soon as she did, the ground began to gradually transform into a pure white color.
Yoshizaki Seira’s manifestation was eroding Diego’s manifestation.
Flash.
Yoshizaki Seira’s crimson eyes lock onto Diego Morales.
“How dare you target our little one… Who’s this fearless fellow?… Oh, it’s you, Diego.”
Diego’s expression stiffens slightly upon seeing Seira.
The kind old man with gray hair speaks.
“Who do we have here? It’s been a long time… Sister Seira.”
The moment I heard Diego’s words.
Snap.
A vein mark appears on Seira’s forehead like in an anime.
Tremble.
Her hand quivers slightly.
Indeed.
According to the guidebook, the white-haired, red-eyed gothic loli named Yoshizaki Seira was far more imposing than Diego Morales, who looked like a grandfather with gray hair and a white beard.
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