Chapter 7: The Soul Reaper (1)

Part 1

The tunnel sloped downward slowly, and the glow from the magical crystals grew dimmer with every step.

The air was thick—almost oppressive—as if an invisible force were pushing us back.

—This is where it gets interesting, Haruto muttered, trying to mix tension with humor.

—"Interesting" isn't the word I'd use, —Melodía replied, clutching her wand while eyeing the shifting shadows in the tunnel. —This feels... unnatural.

Up ahead, Thalindra gave her gauntlets a firm smack.

—It's time for the real deal.

A massive chamber opened before us—far larger than any we had encountered. Its ceiling stretched so high it vanished into darkness.

In the center stood a spectral figure, tall and shrouded in a black cloak that billowed like smoke.

It held a scythe with a glowing green blade that radiated a sinister aura.

Under its hood, two crimson lights stared straight at us.

—Welcome, mortals, —a voice boomed from all directions—. You've come far… but your journey ends here. Your souls now belong to me.

—Great, Haruto muttered, drawing his katana.

His panel lit up, displaying data. Olivia, unusually alert, spoke immediately.

—Warning! Final Boss: Soul Reaper. Level 30. Primary Ability: Soul Harvest. Only vulnerable to Light and Dark elements.

—"Soul Harvest"? —Yuna echoed, tensing her grip on her bow as she took position behind the group—. Yeah, I'd really rather not find out what that does.

—Come for mine if you dare, —Thalindra growled, activating both her Light and Dark runes.

The Reaper raised his scythe with deliberate menace. The chamber trembled, and a chilling wind swept through us, making our skin crawl under its spectral aura.

Haruto stepped forward, katana raised—the blade reflecting the gloomy light of the room.

—Let's make every strike count, —he said firmly, his eyes gleaming with resolve.

The enemy tilted its head, studying us, then let out a low, sinister chuckle.

It raised its scythe, and dark circles began to form on the ground.

From them, ten armed skeletons emerged, standing as its personal guard.

—Of course he has minions. And I skipped all those wave-control classes… —Haruto muttered, recalling his online game days with a hint of sarcasm.

—We can handle them, Melodía said, raising her wand. —But I'll need someone to keep the boss busy.

—Leave that to me, —Thalindra said, stepping forward.

She slammed her gauntlets together, and the runes of Light and Darkness flared even brighter.

Melodía began channeling energy into Yuna's quiver, enchanting her arrows with a luminous glow like dancing stars.

The Reaper pointed his scythe, and the skeletons marched forward in perfect formation, while he watched from a distance.

—Here they come! —Thalindra warned, standing in their path. —I'll provoke them—you smash them!

—Provoke! —she shouted. A pulse of magic radiated from her, instantly drawing the skeletons' attention.

They all turned and rushed at her. Thalindra raised her arms, bracing for impact.

—Light Shoot! —Melodía shouted, launching a radiant note at high speed.

It struck one of the skeletons, blasting it into pieces.

—That was amazing, Kizu! —Kizuna exclaimed, spinning excitedly through the air.

—It's just like Haruto's moves, but with light magic!

Melodía tilted her chin proudly, still channeling power.

—Told you. I'm a magic prodigy. I pick up fast and craft my own spells with ease.

—Courtesy of the Luminis Military Academy.

Kizuna glanced briefly at Haruto, wondering just how much stronger he might become… if he ever bonded with her.

Meanwhile, Haruto was fully engaged in close combat. Suddenly, Olivia's voice cut through his concentration.

—Alert! Kizuna believes that a bond with Melodía would greatly increase your power. What is your opinion, Master?

Haruto dodged a slash, countered, and cleaved the skeleton in two. The pieces clattered to the ground… then began to split apart.

—Even if I wanted to, that's not something we can force, he replied, bracing for the next strike. —But yeah… it would help. Light-based skills are pretty rare around here.

—Note! —Olivia chimed in with her usual hum—. Data registered. Updating records.

Haruto sighed—more at the intrusion than the battle itself.

—That doesn't mean you can start making weird combinations in my panel, Olivia.

—I cannot promise that, Master. —she said with a slightly mischievous tone before disconnecting.

Yuna, meanwhile, continued to drop skeletons with precision shots imbued with light.

Every arrow struck true. Every enemy that fell stayed down—at least, for now.

Finally, the last skeleton shattered into bone fragments.

The group barely had time to breathe… but something felt off.

The Reaper hadn't moved an inch.

He still stood there, silently watching—like a hunter sizing up his prey.

—Interesting… —he said in a deep, mocking voice, slowly raising his scythe in a threatening gesture—. This is far from over.

The defeated skeletons began to reform.

Broken bones floated in the air, reassembling as if time itself had rewound.

This time, a dark aura surrounded them—they looked even more dangerous.

—Again...? —Thalindra growled, clearly irritated.

—How annoying... —she added, adjusting her stance.

Haruto tightened his grip on his katana, never taking his eyes off the enemy.

—Anyone got a plan? —he asked, his tone more serious as the skeletons advanced again.

Yuna turned to Melodía.

No words were needed—the look in her eyes said it all.

Melodía nodded subtly.

—Symphony of Light: Oblivion, —declared the elf, as her wand began to glow.

Ethereal notes etched themselves into the air, marking the skeletons and the Reaper himself.

Seconds before the enemies reached them, Melodía's spell detonated.

A blinding flash filled the chamber, followed by a powerful blast of sound.

The explosion of light vaporized several enemies on the spot, blanketing everything in thick smoke and tense silence.

—That's what I'm talking about, Melodía! —Haruto called out, trying to see through the haze, relieved by the spell's impact.

But the elf staggered, one hand going to her head. For a moment, exhaustion showed on her face.

—Huh? What'd I say? Did I mess up? —Haruto asked, rushing to her side in concern.

—She's overloading, —Thalindra said gravely. —Her mind is paying the price for using too much magic.

—Light is powerful… and demanding. I warned her not to spam large-scale spells.

Yuna reached Melodía and caught her before she could fall, helping her sit as she pulled out a mana gem and began recharging.

—I'm fine… just need a moment, —she whispered, voice weak but steady.

Thalindra crossed her arms, frowning.

—The gem will restore her mana, but not her mental fatigue. If she doesn't recover soon, we're in trouble.

As the smoke began to clear, the Reaper's figure emerged, completely unharmed—his silhouette still looming in the shadows.

—This isn't over yet, Haruto muttered, raising his katana again.

—Dark Shock.

The Reaper launched a volley of dark spheres from his scythe, each moving with relentless speed.

Thalindra was the first to take a hit.

A wave of dark energy surged through her, draining a significant portion of her life.

—Tch... damn it… —she growled, stumbling but refusing to fall.

Haruto sliced one of the spheres midair—but part of the energy still hit him, forcing him back with a grunt.

Yuna, still supporting Melodía, looked up—more spheres were coming straight at them.

—Watch out, Kizu! Dodge, Yuna-chan! —Kizuna screamed, flying frantically.

—Light Shield! —Melodía gasped. She raised her wand, and a radiant barrier blocked the incoming spheres just in time. But the effort intensified her headache, forcing a groan from her lips.

Thalindra ignored her own wounds and charged toward the Reaper, the runes on her gauntlets flaring brightly.

—Lightning Strike! —she shouted, landing a direct punch to the enemy's chest.

The impact was brutal. The Reaper staggered, letting out a ghostly wail. A glowing soul burst from his body… only to vanish instantly. Within seconds, he was completely intact again.

—Now you understand, —he said mockingly—. Every time I'm struck, I release a soul to absorb the damage in my place.

He raised his scythe with a sinister gesture.

—And I still have… a hundred more.

Thalindra backed off and returned to the group. Steam rose from her gauntlets, forcing her to remove them. Her magical armor vanished instantly, leaving her exposed.

—What's going on with those super-cool gauntlets, Kizu? —Kizuna asked, floating nearby.

—They overheated, —Thalindra said seriously, letting them drop to the floor—. They need to cool down before I can use them again.

The Reaper erupted in spectral laughter that echoed through the cavern—a laugh that chilled their very blood.

—I see you're reaching your limit, —his voice rang out, cold and mocking, as he lifted the scythe with both hands—. It's time to harvest your souls.

Simo flew with elegance, landing on Haruto's shoulder. Their eyes met—Simo's glowing gaze seemed to speak volumes without a word.

—Just you and me now, partner… time to shine, huh? —Haruto said with a faint smile.

The raven let out a soft caw, as if in agreement.

Haruto gripped his katana tightly and stepped forward, staring down the enemy without flinching.

—If I'm going down… it won't be easy.

The air around him shifted—calmer, sharper.

Focused.

—Musashi Mode: Full Blossom.

A swirl of white sakura petals formed around him as his energy surged. Behind him, the spectral figure of an ancient swordsman appeared, silently guiding his stance like a ghostly master.

The Reaper didn't wait. His scythe, glowing with dark purple energy, slashed through the air in a killing blow.

—Soul Drain Slash! Your soul is mine!

Haruto closed his eyes. His blade remained lowered—in perfect guard.

The scythe drew closer. Inches away.

—1000 Years of Blooming.

A flash.

Then… silence.

Haruto vanished, leaving only a trail of drifting petals behind.

An invisible slash cleaved the chamber.

The Reaper's shriek pierced the air as his body crumbled with a crash.

The Musashi aura faded.

Haruto fell to his knees, gasping. His mana was nearly depleted, and his body trembled from the strain. He steadied himself by plunging his katana into the ground.

Simo returned to his shoulder, eyes gleaming with something akin to pride.

—Told you I'd beat him…

But there was no time to celebrate.

His panel flashed red.

—[Immediate danger detected!] —Olivia warned urgently.

—What… what now? —Haruto muttered, turning with effort.

And then he saw it.

The Reaper stood tall once more.

Untouched.

His scythe wrapped in darkness, glowing as if he had never been defeated.

—I warned you, boy… —he growled, his voice like a death sentence—. Your soul… is mine.

—Haruto! —Yuna shouted, reaching toward him.

—Don't give up, Haruto-kyun! —Kizuna cried out, flying frantically in his direction.

—Hang in there, Master Haruto! Please don't give up! —Olivia's voice, usually composed, trembled with worry.

—No! Leave him alone! You idiot, don't you dare fall now! —shouted Melodía, louder than ever, a mix of fear and fury.

—Damn it! Get out of there, Haruto! —roared Thalindra, slamming her fist into the ground in frustration.

But Haruto could no longer feel his body.

Amid the chaos and shouting, an eerie calm wrapped around him.

—Sorry, girls… —he whispered, smiling faintly as his eyes fluttered shut—. Guess I wasn't as strong as I thought…

The Reaper raised his scythe. The final blow.

—Soul Drain Slash!

The blade descended with crushing force.

Everyone shut their eyes.

The sound of the air splitting was like the toll of fate.

And then… a crash.

Haruto's eyes snapped open.

A hand was gripping the scythe.

From a swirling vortex of white—a mist as soft as morning fog—an impossible figure emerged.

The blade quivered in midair, unable to move an inch forward.

The mist cleared.

Standing before Haruto was a girl with hair as white as snow, holding the scythe with one hand.

Her expression was calm. In the other hand, resting casually on her shoulder, was a white parasol…

As if she were out for a stroll in the city—not standing in the middle of a deadly battlefield.

The Reaper struggled, but his weapon didn't budge.

His once-imposing aura crumbled under the girl's silent presence.

The entire chamber fell into stunned silence.

Only the ragged breathing of his companions and the soft metallic tremble of the scythe could be heard.

—Who… is she? —Haruto whispered, stunned.

The girl slowly turned toward him.

Her white eyes gleamed with a serenity beyond comprehension.

And though she said not a single word…

…her very presence changed everything.