Fake hero?

That night, laughter and cheers echoed through the city center, right in front of the Hero Guild headquarters. Tables full of food stretched along the street, magic lanterns glowed brightly, and alcohol flowed freely.

"LET'S EAT TO OUR HEARTS' CONTENT!!" shouted one of the heroes, raising his giant mug high.

Everyone laughed.

The atmosphere was festive.

But that joy didn't last long.

A loud noise shook the air, followed by a rumble and a burst of dark magic exploding from the guild's rooftop.

Chaos broke out instantly.

Screams. Panic. Blood.

A silhouette of a young boy stood atop the guild, his black cloak billowing in the night wind. The light from the magic lanterns couldn't pierce his shadow.

He stared down calmly.

"What is that…!?"

"Who is he!?"

One step. Two steps. The figure jumped down from the rooftop, landing without a sound, right in the center of the terrified crowd of heroes.

And as if answering their fear, shadows began to emerge one by one around him. Unknown figures appeared out of nowhere.

They were... members of Nocturne Eclipse.

Their arrival was silent, but the pressure of their magic made the air heavy.

Then a voice was heard.

Calm, deep, filled with arrogance:

"We..."

The boy stepped forward.

"...are Nocturne Eclipse."

A single step, and dark magic energy spread across the ground beneath him.

Kazuki... the White Reaper, slowly raised his hand like a director unveiling the curtain of a dark theater.

"We rise from the light and shadow..."

His gaze sharpened.

"...to expose this rotten world… and erase these fake 'heroes' from the grand stage of history."

A soft chuckle followed.

Silence turned into terror.

The night performance had begun.

But as always… there's always someone who tries to act like a hero.

A young man stepped forward with a ridiculous flair, puffing his chest and shouting loudly:

"AHHH!! SHUT UPPP!!!"

White Reaper simply stared at him blankly. Deep inside, he just wanted to finish the performance in style.

Well... guess I'll just fight him first. Then I'll use my ultimate move... the night's still long.

"Heh..." White Reaper hissed softly.

The guy charged at him in the most amateurish way possible. Reckless, no technique, just screaming and swinging his sword wildly.

White Reaper drew his sword... the White Blade, a black..and...white weapon with a dark purple hue, and parried with ease. The clash of metal rang out sharply.

Kazuki stepped back, expressionless.

"DON'T RUN, YOU COWARD!! IDIOT!! PERVERT!!" the guy shouted, pointing at Kazuki furiously.

Kazuki simply blinked.

Does he think... I have a bunch of female followers, and I'm running a harem or something? What a paper-brain.

"Hmm... you're not even worth fighting," White Reaper said flatly.

He walked away calmly, unaffected by the insults.

"You and the rest… are not true heroes. Just cheap clowns begging for applause on a fake stage."

"Tch!!" the man growled, but his eyes were starting to tremble.

And then...

Swoosh!

A shadow flashed by.

A wolf girl, one of Nocturne Eclipse's members, suddenly appeared from the darkness. Her claws and magical speed struck them all at once. One move, five bodies thrown. Screams echoed.

"AAARGHH!!"

"W-WHAT IS THIS!?"

No one could fight back. They were just playthings.

…Ah great, she stole my stage. Haha…

Then, the wolf girl returned to White Reaper.

She called out excitedly, "Boss!! Wasn't my move super cool!?" she said full of energy.

Welp... she's so happy... It's fine. Even if my stage got taken, as long as she's happy. Oh right... I haven't given her a name. Hmm...

"Now, I'll give you a name… Hmm… maybe Fenya." said White Reaper in a cool tone.

"I LOVE THAT NAME, BOSS!!" shouted Fenya with sparkling eyes.

That name was just something I randomly made up in my head… Haha… my genius imagination is truly dangerous.

Suddenly, another member of Nocturne Eclipse appeared...Neera.

With a serious face, Neera said,

"Master White Reaper... we sense a different aura approaching this area."

I hope… this one's my stage again.

"Alright. I'll deal with this one myself." said White Reaper, his eyes sharpening as he looked up at the night sky.

White Reaper calmly walked toward the source of the strange aura.

His eyes were cold, fixed straight ahead.

"Are you… a hero?" he asked quietly, his voice low but suffocating.

The man looked startled.

"Huh?! Who are you!?" he replied cautiously.

White Reaper lifted his chin slightly, still expressionless.

"You don't need to know my name. Only those strong enough to fight me deserve to know who I am."

The man frowned. "I see..."

His power exploded instantly. Without hesitation, he attacked White Reaper.

But...

Zzzzt!

The attack was deflected. White Reaper dodged effortlessly… his movements far beyond ordinary sight.

Tsk... too easy. Boring... Might as well just kill him.

"Boring." White Reaper muttered, as if yawning.

In an instant...BRUK!

He kicked the man's head to the side.

Blood splattered.

The man's body slammed into a stone wall, groaning in pain.

White Reaper calmly walked closer.

Then without saying a word...SLAASH!

His White Blade, black-and-white with a hint of purple, sliced the man clean in two.

The body dropped… motionless.

"One more piece of trash removed."

White Reaper continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Elsewhere, a group of heroes appeared amidst the ruined city chaos.

There were only five of them.

One of them looked around with a serious expression.

"What… happened here!?" he shouted, in disbelief.

Another stepped forward, frowning.

"Hmm… let's check inside the guild headquarters."

They entered the main Hero Guild building, now eerily silent… too silent.

But the moment they opened the main door...

Their steps froze.

There…

In the center of the main hall, sat someone on a grand chair, dim light glowing behind him.

The figure sat casually, legs crossed, eyes staring straight ahead like he was enjoying a stage prepared just for him.

Beside him stood his subordinates, members of Nocturne Eclipse.

It was...

White Reaper.

"W...What!?" the heroes cried out in unison.

They instinctively stepped back, danger screaming in their minds.

But White Reaper only gave a small smirk.

Silence… yet overwhelming.

And...

My true stage is about to begin.