The Reaper (Death) 3

“Run–!!”

Upon Doyun’s shout, Sophia caught the hurtling Rosinante and Elroar.

Elroar momentarily hesitated in surprise.

“Wai-“

However, their figures immediately dissipated into light – Sophia’s [Celestial Phantasmal Flight].

Her anguished face bit her lip as she vanished.

While reluctant to flee without Doyun, this was the protocol he had repeatedly instructed, demanded, and drilled into Sophia.

Without even a chance to confirm their retreat, Doyun whipped his head around frantically with eyes stretched wide.

His [Seventh Sense] heightened to the extreme scanned every movement, every breath in the vicinity.

“Wh, What’s happening? A fight?”

“An earthquake?”

“The ground is cracking!”

His commotion drew all attention towards him.

Doyun gripped his sword, its sheath imbued with [Sword Manifestation]’s radiance, poised to strike.

‘Where is she?’

But the Reaper was nowhere to be seen.

Unlike before, she evaded his [Seventh Sense].

‘Where… Where are you!’

His heart raced madly.

After swiveling his eyes, Doyun finally leapt forward.

Fwang-

“Kyaa!”

The discharged kicking force shattered the ground beneath him.

Steadying his ragged breaths, Doyun frantically scanned the Cocachoatl area at tremendous speed.

Yet one perplexing question lingered in his mind.

‘How… am I still alive?’

The story was his own.

He should be dead – his head still attached was abnormal. Even within the Auric Mundane, the instant [Seventh Sense] detected the Reaper, death should have been inevitable, for the assassin had spotted him first.

Yet Doyun still breathed.

‘Why…?’

It was incomprehensible.

“Get that bastard!”

Thugs from the area’s governing crime syndicate appeared down an alleyway he approached.

Though not slowing his pace, Doyun felt a momentary lapse from his brief [Sword Manifestation].

“Kill him!”

The thugs surrounded him.

Doyun’s bloodshot eyes, reddened by fatigue and stress, swirled with thick irritation and murderous intent.

‘Damned insects…!’

His heart pounded violently.

Schick-

No fancy moves were needed.

A fleeting flash, and the six thugs were bisected, entrails strewn about as Doyun had already moved on.

He continued frantically scouring Cocachoatl.

‘…!’

Occasionally spotting violet-haired prostitutes, he would feel a momentary vertigo from his skipping heart.

Upon regaining his senses, their night sky-colored locks would be stained crimson on the ground, with him standing over them, sword in hand.

“…”

And Doyun would run again.

Only after slaying the hundreds of mobilized thugs and some violet-haired women amidst the chaos did Doyun finally regain lucidity and halt.

‘…’

He had ultimately failed to find the Reaper.

+++

Knock knock.

[Hero… Regarding the day’s events, Elder Dokkogamuyong and Heineken have come to see you… Hero…]

Knock knock.

Doyun did not respond.

He sat silently in the dark room, gazing at the moonlight, night sky, and black clouds.

‘…’

His heart still pounded fiercely.

It felt like the dark shadow beneath those clouds could move at any moment to sever his neck. The mortal terror did not leave his side.

He could not tear his eyes from the night sky.

‘…Was it an illusion?’

No, absolutely not.

On this continent, she alone could instill such fear in him. Even facing the Dark Lord, Enoch had only burned with fighting spirit and resolve.

Though merely a fleeting instant, Doyun had undoubtedly sensed an overwhelming presence and mortal terror.

Yet it had vanished just as swiftly. Paradoxically, that very fact further validated the Reaper’s existence.

The only being capable of eluding his [Seventh Sense] despite such an overwhelming presence

was the Reaper with her concealment power.

‘Definitely… she hid from my senses.’

The pinnacle of perception, [Seventh Sense] – an apex intended to pierce the Reaper’s stealth.

Even during Enoch’s prime, the Reaper could not evade his senses.

Yet she had slipped through this time, despite her power being sealed within the Auric Mundane.

The implication was evident.

‘She has grown stronger.’

His heart ached.

‘Just what are her intentions?’

If she had grown powerful enough, she could have easily killed him.

The excessive stress caused his recently deified little friend, the tiny golem, to resurface in his thoughts.

‘It can briefly regress the world when I face peril.’

However, that ability had not activated this time.

Was it because the golem had not been present? Or…

‘That moment… did not constitute peril.’

Perhaps the Reaper had never intended to kill him in the first place.

‘…’

His heart would not settle, a nosebleed flowing freely.

Yet the moonlight-reflecting gleam in his eyes remained vivid.

‘Though robbed of the initiative… I must still act.’

His golden eyes glared at the clouds’ dark shadows beneath the moonlight.

What were fear and stress?

If he were to kneel before fear, he would have long since perished.

When facing Warlords as a mere mercenary incapable of swordsmanship. When dying of stress-induced heart failure. When confronting the Dark Lord.

When slain by the Reaper herself.

Even if it meant death, he had never kneeled before fear.

Enoch too was human, susceptible to fear and stress.

But that was the extent of it. To him, fear and stress were utterly isolated.

They could never influence his resolve.

[Hero. Please step out for a moment to discuss this… Alright?]

[Leave him be, Elroar. It seems he wishes to be alone for now. Let’s visit again tomorrow…]

“Your Eminence.”

The voices outside fell silent.

“Please come in.”

[…]

After a brief pause, Dokkogamuyong entered through the opened door.

As it closed, only the hazy moonlight illuminated Doyun and the room once more.

He turned his chair to face Dokkogamuyong.

“…!”

Witnessing Doyun’s nosebleed and bloodshot eyes, Dokkogamuyong inhaled sharply.

Fortunately, his irises still shone vividly.

“Your Eminence.”

“…Speak.”

Suppressing a sigh of relief at the solemn atmosphere, Dokkogamuyong responded.

“Expedite the review for the Name Seeker usage I proposed.”

“When would you prefer?”

“Tomorrow. Today, if possible.”

“…”

“I implore you.”

The deeply wrinkled Dokkogamuyong bowed deeply.

After Dokkogamuyong left and the commotion outside ceased, Doyun turned his chair back towards the window.

His eyes still glared sharply at the clouds’ shadows.

+++

The next day, the review for Doyun’s Name Seeker usage was completed – Dokkogamuyong’s influence at work.

It was not an unreasonable request. Doyun’s eligibility review had long since concluded, merely awaiting formalities.

The Elders were only slightly perplexed by Dokkogamuyong’s uncharacteristic action.

“He was one who never abused his privileges in life, so this is rather…”

“Well… it’s not too strange. He is the Boss Monster Killer who amassed Hero-tier might in just 6 months.”

“I am aware. But such an unexpected move is still somewhat surprising.”

“Indeed… he never showed such favors even to Lord Heineken and Lady Rei. Quite remarkable.”

As they conversed, they observed through the window.

Within the room stood Doyun before the Name Seeker that had previously startled them.

To prevent potential abuse, some Elders were required to attend whenever outsiders used the device.

However, the Elder Council did not know whom Doyun intended to locate.

More precisely, they had received the surname’s spelling but not whose it was.

[Thănatos]

“Thănatos, huh…”

“The root meaning is ‘death’. Who would bear such a grandiose surname?”

“For Apostle Han Doyun to seek this person, they must be no ordinary individual.”

They could not fathom whose surname it was.

“…”

After composing himself momentarily, Doyun stepped forward.

From his bosom, he retrieved an ebony dagger to place as the medium.

Engraved inside the dagger’s hilt in minute lettering: [Thănatos]. A Reaper’s blade acquired as spoils this cycle.

While sensing the Reaper’s presence in Cocachoatl, there was no guarantee she remained there. She could have crossed the Blight by now.

Activating the Name Seeker now aimed to gather as many clues as possible.

‘Sigh…’

Doyun caressed the small black gemstone pendant – the vessel for his little friend’s, the tiny golem’s, soul.

This had been Winny’s recommendation. She had sensed an exceptionally potent desire within the golem’s record to always accompany Doyun.

Hence, instead of crafting a cumbersome new body, she suggested transferring the record into a pendant or ring for him to carry.

Doyun had agreed, also wishing for the golem’s constant companionship.

Naturally, the tiny golem had been overjoyed.

“…”

A fragment of the Dragon Heart containing a Spirit Beast’s soul – a minuscule portion of Baird’s Heart that had undergone preliminary purification.

Stroking it, Doyun felt his mind settle as the pendant’s faint mana flow seemed to resonate joyfully in response.

Bolstered by his little friend, he activated the device.

Weeeing-

The machine whirred to life.

“Oh, it’s beginning.”

“Hmm, let’s see…”

The Elders too focused on the device.

Doyun’s heart raced. To steady himself, one hand grasped the pendant while the other caressed the sword hilt.

Weeeing-

“…”

Each passing minute felt like an hour.

During that minute, endless thoughts raced through Doyun’s mind.

‘If she’s still in Cocachoatl… what should I do?’

‘Perhaps she followed me here.’

‘Where has she been until now?’

His heart throbbed with agitation.

After that agonizing minute,

“Hmm…?”

“What’s that?”

The results appeared on the monitor.

Squinting at the display, the Elders muttered in puzzlement.

“Huh? Who did he search for?”

“What kind of result is…?”

However, they fell silent upon witnessing Doyun’s reaction as he gazed up at the monitor.

The hands gripping the pendant and sword hilt went limp, arms slackening.

His eyes stretched wide, pupils trembling in bewilderment and losing focus.

‘This… This is…’

On the mapped display, locations of those bearing the ‘Thănatos’ surname were marked with dots.

To reiterate, the locations of those ‘bearing the surname’ were indicated.

[Cocachoatl: 1]

One in Cocachoatl, where Doyun had sensed her presence.

[Dark Lord’s Domain: 40]

Forty in the Dark Lord’s Domain.