No one dared speak, make a sound, or even glance toward the person who had just entered the pub.
The moment he stepped inside, the entire atmosphere changed.
A suffocating pressure spread across the room, cold and heavy, as though invisible blades had been pressed against everyone's necks. Even the drunken men who had been laughing moments ago lowered their heads instinctively.
Death had entered the tavern wearing a black cloak.
Despite the silence below, a faint mumble drifted from the second floor.
"…my protagonist…"
Kaiser's obsidian eyes shifted upward without much interest.
A pair of round crimson eyes quickly disappeared behind the railing. The figure ducked out of sight so fast that only a puff of fluffy pink hair remained visible for a second.
Kaiser ignored it.
He walked straight toward a waiter carrying four mugs of beer and grabbed him by the collar mid-step.
The tray rattled violently.
"Calix," Kaiser said coldly, "where's that woman?"
The waiter stiffened.
Though clearly much older than the young man before him, he didn't dare protest the rude treatment after meeting those dark emotionless eyes.
"Y-Young sir," Calix replied carefully, forcing a polite smile, "if you're searching for the pub owner, she's upstairs."
He slightly bowed and gestured toward the staircase.
Without another word, Kaiser released him and headed upward.
The moment he disappeared from sight, the tavern collectively exhaled in relief.
Even Calix found himself wiping cold sweat from his neck. Still… something bothered him.
The way that young man casually called his name left a strange impression in his mind.
Upstairs, Kaiser immediately noticed the scattered wooden cups covering the table. Several untouched dishes of roasted meat had already gone cold, their scent lingering faintly in the air.
Beside the mess stood a woman wearing the expression of someone caught off guard.
Thud.
Kaiser dropped a heavy pouch of coins onto the table. The sharp metallic sound finally snapped her back to reality.
"Oh! Forgive me, dear customer," the woman said quickly, rubbing her hands together with the friendliness of a merchant. "How may I help you tonight?"
"Take off the mask, Shayn Graduza." Kaiser's voice remained calm and flat.
But the effect of his words was immediate. The woman's smile vanished. Her eyes narrowed carefully.
Very few people knew her true identity. The name Shayn Graduza carried influence throughout the underground world, but her face remained a mystery even among members of her own guild.
Yet this young man saw through her disguise instantly.
"Who are you?" she asked cautiously.
Kaiser didn't answer.
Instead, he calmly placed another pouch of gold onto the table. Coins spilled slightly from the opening, glimmering beneath the tavern lights.
Shayn's serious expression immediately softened. Money truly was the fastest way to her heart.
"Well," she said with a grin, "you're much more interesting than my previous customer."
Originally, she had only visited the southern region to see her younger brother and pass time.
Yet somehow, she'd encountered two unusual clients in a single night.
"So then," she asked sweetly, leaning forward slightly, "what exactly do you need?"
"A teleportation scroll," Kaiser replied immediately. "Destination: Annonno-os Forest. Deliver it within one day."
Shayn raised an eyebrow.
That amount of money for a single teleportation scroll? The forest could be reached within a week by horseback. Expensive, yes, but not impossible.
Still, she followed one important rule:
Never ask questions beyond the request.
"One day is impossible," she replied honestly. "A proper scroll takes months to make. Though…" Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I might know someone capable of finishing one within three days."
"No." Kaiser cut her off immediately. "One day. No later."
Shayn let out a short laugh.
"Demanding, aren't you?" she muttered. "Fine. That's what your money is worth. But don't blame me if your limbs tear apart during teleportation."
Kaiser's expression didn't change. Without hesitation, he placed another smaller pouch beside the others.
Heavy.
Silent.
Final.
"I don't care," he said coldly. "As long as I arrive in time."
For the first time, Shayn noticed something hidden behind those emotionless eyes.
Not desperation.
Something deeper.
Urgency.
A purpose sharp enough to consume someone whole.
"...Understood," she finally replied, her playful tone fading slightly. "It'll be ready tomorrow evening."
She found herself strangely intrigued by him. The young man carried a dangerous sort of charisma—quiet, restrained, yet impossible to ignore.
When Kaiser gave no response, she continued with a small smile.
"Meet me here tomorrow night. I'll personally hand it over."
Kaiser simply nodded. Oddly enough, he never questioned her abilities, nor doubted her word. It was as if he trusted her completely.
'How amusing,' Shayn thought. Getting close to someone like him could prove useful someday.
Just as Kaiser turned to leave, she suddenly called out again.
"Any other requests? I'd feel guilty taking this much money without offering extra service."
Kaiser paused halfway down the stairs. Without fully turning around, he spoke quietly.
"Keep your pub open." Then he continued walking.
A chill crawled across Shayn's spine. Not from fear, but anticipation.
Something terrible was coming. She could feel it lingering around him like smoke.
Rage. Cold and tightly restrained. Yet barely contained beneath the surface.
"Tomorrow night…" she murmured with a faint grin. "Something interesting will happen in Annonno-os Forest."
The following night, deeper within the roads of Annonno-os Forest, a richly dressed man sat lazily upon an extravagant velvet chair.
Gold rings decorated nearly every finger on his hand, making him resemble a walking jewelry display.
After finishing a plate of expensive steak, he casually wiped his mouth with a pristine white cloth before checking the golden pocket watch in his hand.
One of his subordinates immediately stepped forward.
"Where's Jack?" the man asked calmly.
The subordinate hesitated. "Boss… he still hasn't returned."
A vein twitched across the man's forehead. "I told him to retrieve them before I finished dinner."
CRASH!
The wooden table exploded beneath a single strike of his fist. Splinters scattered across the ground. The subordinate didn't even flinch.
Another servant immediately approached and respectfully draped an expensive coat over the man's shoulders as he stood.
His irritated gaze shifted toward the now-empty cages nearby. This was the first time captives had escaped from him.
And the reason for it all?
A plain village boy from Nivas Village.
"I still can't believe that brat could use magic," he muttered darkly. "That useless brother of his never mentioned it."
Thinking about the situation only worsened his mood. No one understood how the captives escaped so cleanly. And now they were losing valuable time.
Three days and two nights.
That was how long it would take to reach the nearest city gates before eventually traveling toward the Imperial Palace, which will take another months.
His client wouldn't tolerate delays. Especially not a client residing inside the palace itself.
The boss's patience finally snapped.
He gestured sharply toward a massive subordinate standing nearby. The man was enormous, his muscular body covered in scars from countless battles.
"Yes, Boss?" he asked in a rough voice.
"Go tell Jack his time's up."
The words sounded casual. But everyone present understood what they truly meant.
A death sentence.
The boss leaned back near the slave cages, already imagining the wealth and women waiting for him once the delivery was complete.
Then, a sudden scream echoed from the forest. Followed by a heavy thud.
The boss frowned and turned.
A figure cloaked in black slowly emerged from the darkness.
Kaiser.
His cloak swayed gently behind him while obsidian eyes gleamed faintly beneath the moonlight.
The pressure surrounding him alone made the air feel thinner.
In one hand, he dragged a corpse across the dirt. Blood trailed behind the body. Without speaking, Kaiser tossed the dead subordinate toward the boss.
The man narrowly dodged it.
Instant irritation twisted across his face.
"Who are yo—"
"Where's Eane?" Kaiser's voice cut through the air sharply.
The boss blinked before letting out a small laugh.
"Who?" he asked mockingly before noticing Kaiser's eyes scanning the cages nearby. Then realization dawned on him.
"...Ah. One of my slaves."
At that moment, the surrounding slavers closed in around Kaiser with drawn weapons.
Steel clanged softly.
Murderous intent filled the air.
Kaiser's grip around his sword tightened. He needed to find Eane alive.
That single thought drowned out everything else.
The surrounding mercenaries hesitated the moment his gaze landed on them.
Being surrounded by enemies meant nothing to Kaiser anymore. Without warning, he swung his sword.
A spray of crimson burst across the night.
Bodies collapsed one after another before most of them even realized what happened.
Moments later, Kaiser stood alone amidst the corpses, facing only the boss.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
The boss slowly applauded with amusement, seemingly unconcerned by the deaths of his men.
"They're replaceable anyway," his expression seemed to say.
"Magnificent," the man praised casually. "Feel free to search the cages. If your slave is there, I'll hand him over personally."
His grin widened. "On one condition. Work for me."
He wanted Kaiser. A talent like this was worth more than hundreds of B-Rank mercenaries.
Kaiser's expression hardened slightly. "A person's life isn't something to be traded."
Slowly, he bit the glove covering his left hand and pulled it off in one swoop. "You're not worthy of my sword," he said coldly.
Moonlight illuminated the black insignia resting on the back of his pale hand. A feather-shaped mark.
The moment Kaiser touched the matching black mark near his neck, dark mana exploded outward.
Something began materializing above his hand.
At first, only shadows formed. Soon after, a massive raven appeared.
The creature perched silently upon his finger, its dark feathers swallowing the surrounding light.
The boss's eyes widened in horror. "That mark… you're His—!"
"Devour."
The raven spread its wings, as soon as it heard Kaiser's command.
A deafening screech echoed through the forest as its body twisted violently midair, transforming into the monstrous head of a dragon.
In a single motion, it swallowed the boss whole.
An eerie silence followed.
The creature returned calmly to Kaiser's hand, once again taking the form of an ordinary raven.
Nothing remained where the boss once stood.
Only an empty space.
The captives trembled violently inside their cages. Fear filled their eyes as they stared at Kaiser.
To them, he looked no different from death itself.
Kaiser calmly placed his glove back on while the raven dissolved into darkness and returned to the mark on his hand.
Without wasting another second, he approached the cages and searched each face carefully.
"...He's not here." he mumbled.
The captives flinched when Kaiser suddenly drew his sword again.With one swift strike, the cage bars shattered apart alongside the chains restraining them.
The precision left everyone speechless.
Kaiser tossed the keys toward them before turning away.
One small child stared at him with wide innocent eyes. "Are you the Grim Reaper of Death?"
Kaiser didn't answer. His silence felt heavier than words.
Before the child could speak again, a trembling woman quickly shielded him.
"Young man…" she called nervously. "If you're searching for a boy with white hair and blue eyes…"
Kaiser instantly turned toward her.
"Where!?"
The woman pointed deeper into the forest with shaking fingers.
"They escaped in that direction," she whispered urgently. "But the others followed them… hurry before it's too late."
For the first time that night, Kaiser's expression shifted slightly. "Thank you."
With that, he disappeared into the forest.
The woman watched his retreating figure quietly. Then lowered her gaze.
"He wasn't a Reaper of Death," she murmured softly while clutching the child close.
"He was our savior."
.
.
.
To be Continued...