The resistance continued.
The members of Nocturne Eclipse kept advancing relentlessly. Shadows crept behind the ruins, magical lights flickered wildly, and explosions shook the ground.
Students and teachers ran in panic. Their screams blended with the blasts of magic and the burning stench of crumbling buildings.
But…
Someone stood still amidst the chaos.
Kazuki Altherion.
His body unmoving. His violet eyes stared straight at the main enemy, who stood far in the distance, smiling as if victory was already his.
Then…
One enemy leapt out from the smoke.
"I'M GONNA—!!"
But Kazuki didn't even flinch.
Only one finger lifted.
Light pierced the night.
ZRRRAKK…!!
A sharp beam shot through the enemy's head in an instant. No scream. Just a collapsing body, slowly dissolving into dust.
Kazuki remained silent.
He took a step forward, slowly.
The wind ceased. The air fell dead silent. A hush so sharp, it cut deep—as if the world itself held its breath.
The shadows moved.
And... the game began.
Their leader narrowed his eyes.
His heavy voice echoed among the ruins.
"Who... are you really?"
Kazuki slowly turned, then took a step forward... one step, two steps...
A smile curled on his lips. Thin, sharp, mocking.
"Who am I?"
He chuckled softly. His voice calm—far too calm for a moment like this.
"You really want to know?"
Kazuki stopped—three steps from the leader.
The night wind lifted his black cloak, revealing a crescent moon symbol glowing faintly on his chest.
"My name isn't something I reveal... to someone who hasn't even proven himself."
The smile turned cold.
"So let's do this instead... Defeat me first. Then we'll talk names."
Kazuki's gaze cut through, not with anger—but with the presence of an actor standing center stage.
And in that instant… the world changed.
Magical pressure surged. The air thickened. The sky turned darker than ever before.
Kazuki had just opened a new act in tonight's performance.
Their leader grit his teeth. Then shouted with all his might:
"ATTACK HIM! ALL OF YOU, ATTACK NOW!!"
Dozens of underlings charged like a pack of starving wolves.
But Kazuki didn't move. Not even slightly.
The smile stayed on his face. Not the smile of a hero… but of someone who was genuinely enjoying the game.
Slowly, he drew the White Blade, a sword glowing softly beneath the moon.
Sreet…!
In a flash, blood sprayed. Screams vanished. The sound of steel disappeared.
Every attacker fell.
Their bodies collapsed one by one—cleanly, precisely. No wasted motion.
Only one remained standing.
Their leader.
Kazuki tapped his sword lightly, as if brushing off dust that wasn't even there.
"Too easy…" he muttered, sounding almost disappointed.
The leader gritted his teeth, face red with rage.
"STOP ACTING COOL, YO—!"
But he halted, staring at the corpses around him.
His tone changed. Smoother. More seductive.
"You have immense power… Why not join us? Together, we could rule this world!"
Kazuki chuckled softly.
Then looked straight at him.
"Heh… interesting."
His voice soft—but laced with threat.
"But me…" Kazuki spun his blade, pointing it forward. "…I'm not interested."
Sreet!
Kazuki dashed forward—faster than lightning. But the leader suddenly vanished, slipping into the mist.
Kazuki stopped.
No panic on his face.
He simply looked up at the sky, unfazed.
"Cheap vanishing trick…" he muttered.
His eyes glowed bright violet, like stars in a dead night.
And in that instant… the world froze.
Time stopped.
Kazuki walked slowly through the mist.
"You think you can run from me?" he said softly.
His gaze pierced through everything. And he saw him… the leader, trying to sneak away.
Kazuki moved.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Battle erupted. Swords clashed, magic exploded, mist was torn apart.
But…
The leader's expression began to change. Panic. Trembling.
Kazuki… smiled.
"This kid… he's not even serious!?" he thought, horrified.
Kazuki danced between attacks, as if he were composing music.
His steps light, his movements minimal.
"SHIT… he's toying with me!"
Kazuki only grinned wider.
As if saying: "I haven't even started."
The leader staggered.
One step… two steps…
Blood dripped from wounds across his body.
"WHY ARE YOU THIS STRONG!? AND WHY… ARE YOU SIDING WITH THE 'GOOD GUYS'!?"
Kazuki didn't answer right away. He just stood there, letting the wind blow his cloak.
The White Blade spun in his hand.
Its glow reflected like a crescent moon in the dead of night.
"Good guys? Enemies of the kingdom? Demon Lord?"
Kazuki smirked.
"I don't care about any of that."
And in an instant, he vanished.
ZRAKK!
Kazuki's blade pierced the enemy's body.
Straight. Clean. Merciless.
The leader froze. Trembling. Speechless.
Kazuki lowered his head, and whispered:
"Playtime is over."
He looked at the body like it was trash in his way.
Then slowly, Kazuki rose into the air.
A dark aura engulfed him. Clouds rolled in. The sky turned black.
The wind halted. The world stopped.
Kazuki snapped his fingers.
"DEATH BLOOM."
BOOOMMM!!!
An explosion shaped like blooming magical petals consumed everything.
Buildings collapsed. The earth cracked. The academy vanished in a storm of darkness.
No sound.
No remains.
Only one figure slowly faded away…
Kazuki.
Amid the chaos, the students and teachers could only stand in stunned silence. They didn't know what just happened.
To them… everything vanished without a trace.
But behind the rubble, hidden in shadow…
A few black-cloaked figures knelt quietly.
Members of Nocturne Eclipse.
They looked up at the now calm sky.
"As always… our leader doesn't play around." "And he wasn't even serious."
They knew the truth.
Because they had watched the performance from behind the curtains of darkness.
While the world kept wondering…
"Who really is the White Reaper?"
Kazuki only left one sentence behind before vanishing from that place:
"Time to go home."