The street was filled with dark energy. Cars were abandoned, streetlights flickered, and corrupted souls circled the area like hungry wolves.
Lysander stood calmly in the middle of the street, his violet scythe glowing.
Gaon tightened his grip on his own scythe. His heart was beating fast, but he refused to step back.
"Let's see what the new Reaper can do," Lysander said with a cold smile.
Without warning, he disappeared.
Gaon's eyes widened. "Behind you!" Kairo shouted.
Gaon quickly used Shadow Step, vanishing just before Lysander's scythe slashed through the air where his head had been.
CLANG!
Their scythes collided, sparks flying.
Lysander moved fast—much faster than any enemy Gaon had faced before. He attacked again and again, each strike stronger than the last.
Gaon blocked one strike but was pushed back several steps. "This guy is strong…" Gaon thought.
The system flashed in front of him.
System:
"Warning: Rival Reaper power level higher than host."
Gaon gritted his teeth. "I don't care."
He activated Shadow Fusion. Dark blue energy wrapped around his scythe. "Shadow Strike!"
Gaon swung hard, sending a wave of energy toward Lysander.
But Lysander simply spun his scythe and cut the attack in half. "Too slow," Lysander said.
Then he attacked again.
Gaon barely dodged with Shadow Step, appearing behind Lysander and quickly using Soul Bind.
Dark chains shot out and wrapped around Lysander.
For a moment… he stopped moving. "Got you!" Gaon shouted.
He jumped forward, raising his scythe to finish the fight.
But then—The chains shattered.
Lysander broke free easily. "Nice try," he said.
Before Gaon could react, Lysander struck him with the handle of his scythe, sending Gaon crashing into a parked car.
CRASH!
Gaon groaned, slowly standing up.
Kairo stepped forward, ready to help, but Lysander raised his hand.
"Relax. I'm not here to kill him," Lysander said.
He looked at Gaon carefully. "You're weak… but you have potential."
Gaon wiped blood from his mouth and glared at him. "I'll get stronger."
Lysander smirked. "I just hope so. Because a storm is coming."
He pointed his scythe toward the sky.
"There are monsters far worse than Elite Souls. When they arrive, weak Reapers will die first."
Then he turned and walked away into the shadows. "Survive until then… Gaon."
And just like that, he vanished. The street became quiet again.
Gaon slowly stood up, breathing heavily.
Kairo walked over and sighed. "Well… that could have gone worse."
Gaon looked at his scythe, determination burning in his eyes. "I need to get stronger."
The system appeared again.
System:
"New Quest Unlocked: Grow Stronger.
Next Objective: Investigate the Dark Zone."
He stood on a tall building, looking down at the city. Cars moved normally, people walked on the streets, and everything looked peaceful.
But Gaon knew the truth. The world was full of hidden dangers.
The system window appeared again in front of him.
System:
New Quest: Investigate the Dark Zone.
Warning: High danger area.
Gaon frowned. "Dark Zone… what is that?"
Kairo crossed his arms. "It's a place where too many corrupted souls gather. The system doesn't control it well."
Gaon looked serious. "So it's dangerous."
"Very dangerous," Kairo said. "Even strong Grim Reapers avoid it."
Gaon tightened his grip on his scythe. "Then we should go."
Kairo looked at him and smiled slightly. "You're brave… or crazy."
---
Entering the Dark Zone
They arrived at an abandoned part of the city.
Old buildings stood broken. The streetlights didn't work. The air felt cold and heavy.
Gaon activated Soul Scan. Immediately, dozens of red dots appeared. "Too many…" Gaon whispered.
Suddenly—SCREEEECH!
Three corrupted souls jumped from the darkness.
Gaon reacted quickly. "Shadow Step!"
He disappeared and reappeared behind one of the shadows.
Slash!
His scythe cut through it and the soul was pulled into the system.
But the other two attacked together. Kairo moved fast, spinning his scythe.
Slash! Slash!
Both souls disappeared instantly. The street became quiet again.
But then the ground started shaking. Gaon's system flashed red.
System Warning:
High Level Entity Detected.
A huge shadow slowly rose from the darkness between the buildings.
It was taller than a house. Its eyes glowed deep red.
Gaon felt a chill run down his spine. Kairo looked serious for the first time. "That… is a Dark Zone Boss."
Gaon swallowed. "This place really is dangerous…"
The giant shadow roared loudly. The battle was about to begin.
And Gaon realized something important.
The enemies from before were only the beginning. And the real monsters were here.