The White Reaper - Savior

Yasuline assumed the two were some of the White Reaper's allies right away. As long as he had no intention to kill you, it wouldn't be strange for him to have allies if he is so simple to interact with. So far as she's aware.

"Yo! So you going to give me the silent treatment too?" She called out, assuming that the two would just nod their heads like their fellow assassin.

"This one is quite the forward one, brother." One of them spoke up which shocked Yasuline since she didn't expect them to respond with actual words.

"Woah, so you assassins CAN talk." She says in a playful and exaggerated shocked tone.

"That confirms she saw us, so she is the one. How faithful it is to be the princess." The other spoke next.

"This certainly makes things more complicated."

"No, it makes things easier, we can take her and use her to force the king to submit.

"Huh?" Yasuline blinked. 'Did they just talk about kidnapping me to blackmail Dad? In front of me? Pretty rude.'

Their stances confirmed everything. They pulled out their blades in front of her. 'This is no joke.'

As a reaction, she grabs onto the handle and frees her sword, the weight was still heavy for her, so she holds onto it with both hands.

"Oh, she plans to put up a struggle. How cute."

"Just silence her well so we can hurry back to end that man before we leave." One of them said as the other began walking toward her, eager to play.

Yasuline moved a step or two backward to put some space between herself and her approaching foe. She had no idea this would happen; her only prior experience with villains was in her fictitious adventures. She had not anticipated having to face off against assassins in her pre-career as an adventurer.

She appeared anxious as the first assassin approached. Her nervousness made him chuckle. Yasuline didn't stop until she realized she was approaching the edge of the roof. However, the adversary continued to move toward her, his sly grin revealing his pointed yellow and red fangs.

"Nowhere to run, princess. Now come on, show me what you can do with that sword and I'll show you mine. Fair enough?" Its unusually narrow and long tongue stuck out of its mouth and hung about.

Yasuline lowered her gaze and firmly wrapped her fingers around the leathered sword handle. She didn't know how to approach her enemy because she hadn't received any training. Although she had witnessed knights charge at one another, Caliber would always easily swat their blades away and prevail in the matches, so it never seemed to be an effective strategy. It occurred to her that charging at her adversary now would be a repetition of that; she needed something else. She also lacked any skills to fall back on. In addition, that was a drawback. The skills her adversaries possess could be used against her.

'If only I had a skill of my own.' She thought to herself. Even just knowing one would have boosted her chances from actually being possible that she could run from this match-up.

Yasuline observed that the assassin's hands were oddly reddish as it twirled its weapon. She is unable to recall which of the World Races would have skin that red.

"Not going to come at me? Oh, I guess you want me to share what I got, first." Its tone was dripping with condescending as it puts the weapons away and opens his hands, cursed flames begin to ignite on his palm.

Yasuline sensed magic was being built up. Just how she could sense it whenever Caliber used his own or the Castle Healers when they heal the wounded.

[Daemon Race Skill: Eternal Burning, has been activated.]

The flames grew more intensely and violently twirled about as if they were about to devour everything.

Yasuline scrambled through her mind on what to do. She searched in her memories for what people have said or what Caliber or the knights did when in this kind of situation. But nothing came up. She was completely unprepared.

The assassin let out a disgusting laugh as he tossed the flames at her.

"You idiot! We need her alive!" The other shouted at the one casting the magic, but it was too late. Yasuline kept looking behind her at the abyss and wondered which option she should take.

Yasuline flinches and curls her arms in front of her as she prepares to get burned by their flames. A sudden gust blows over her and she peeks her eyes open to see a shield had been thrown in front of her and has managed to hit the flames.

Quickly the flames engulfed the shield and began to eat away the metal material until it all turned to ash and got blown away in the wind.

"W-where did that come from!?" One of them shouted. The other simply growled like it was some dullbeast.

In a swift and daring move, the White Reaper descends from the towering castle and stands firmly between the princess and the two would-be assassins. All people present are taken aback, but the assassins are especially shaken by the Reaper's boldness.

"The White Reaper!? He was here!?"

"Not only that, but he is protecting the princess! This changes everything!"

The two of them shouted at each other about what could be going on. Meanwhile, Yasuline lets out a sigh of relief seeing that she wasn't at all abandoned as she was assuming but not wanting to believe.

"You had me going for a second there, sheesh." She puts up a front and pretends to be offended. That front gets cut off when the White Reaper offers her something in a cup. Steam was coming from it and it had the sweet aroma of chocolate as well.

She quickly takes it and looks eager to gulp it all down. The warmth of the drink going through her throat drowned out the morbid sense that was beginning to prick at her heart and mind. She smiles sincerely at him, but she remembers herself and puts on a fake pouty face. "Okay, I'll forgive you a little bit. If you want me to fully forgive you, just give it your all when you defeat them."

He nods and motions for her to take cover behind the tower where he had just leaped from. He will handle the two assassins on his own.

Finding that they need to take a serious approach to their enemy, they cast aside their cloaks.

The two were red-skinned beings, with scale-like armoring covering some parts of their bodies, but didn't leave much to the imagination on their physique. Their yellow eyes shined through even in the dark of night. On their legs and limbs were small belts that had attached blades in all shapes and sizes.

It took a moment for Yasuline to process what they could be, in terms of their race, but the sight of their horns and arrowed tails was the key feature she needed to see for what they were.

"Daemons." She mutters to herself.

"Indeed, we are daemons, from our Hellfire Gang! And we will be taking you with us!"

"Quiet brother, we have more pressing matters to focus on."

"True, but how can the White Reaper stand against us?"

"Less focus on the questions, and start focusing on taking him down. Don't hold back!"

[Daemon Race Skill: Eternal Burning, has been activated.]

The two daemons were confident their Fire Spells would keep the White Reaper at bay, but he had other plans. With a swift leap, he soared through the flames, leaving the startled villains in his wake. As he closed the distance, they drew their swords, hoping to finally land a hit on him.

But the White Reaper was a master of combat, and their swings were nothing but a breeze for him to dodge. He moved with the grace of a dancer, weaving between their blades without breaking a sweat. They grew more and more frustrated as each of their attacks missed their mark.

As they continued their futile assault, the White Reaper suddenly launched into the air, unleashing two powerful kicks that narrowly missed their faces. The daemons barely managed to block his follow-up sword strikes, which came at lightning speed from both directions.

The White Reaper was a blur of motion as he pressed his advantage, his two short swords a deadly blur as he struck with precision and speed. The daemons were struggling to keep up, their attacks becoming more and more desperate as they tried to land a hit on the elusive assassin.

But the White Reaper was a force to be reckoned with, and he showed no signs of slowing down. The battle raged on, the sounds of clashing steel echoing throughout the empty great hall of the castle.

[Phantom Class Skill: Backstep, has been activated.]

[Description: The User will feel their body move backward without any restriction stopping them.]

The two daemons began to notice a strange sensation coursing through their bodies, as if some invisible force was sapping their strength. Despite their efforts to hold back the Reaper's blades, they found themselves struggling against an insurmountable force. Their arms trembled with the effort, and they cried out in pain as their muscles began to ache and burn.

Realizing that they couldn't sustain this level of exertion for long, the daemons made a strategic retreat, sliding backwards about a meter to create some distance between themselves and the Reaper. As they moved, they could feel the energy draining away from them, leaving them feeling weak and vulnerable.

Meanwhile, the Reaper's blades struck the roof flooring with a resounding clang, but didn't leave any visible marks. The Reaper himself remained focused and unwavering, ready to continue the fight at a moment's notice.

"What the hell is going on?" One of the brothers muttered.

"I feel so weak. Did that champion drain us more than we realized? Or..."

"Or does the Reaper have some kind of skill that drains their opponents' stamina?" The other finished the assumption his brother was making.

The White Reaper simply stood by, holding his dual swords at the ready for another attack should they try anything else. The weapons didn't seem anything special. They looked like they were taken from the Knights themselves. Standard swords, no magic enhancements could be detected on them.

At that moment, a frontal or ranged assault was not possible against the White Reaper since they could dodge both methods of attack. To secure their long-awaited victory and eliminate a major threat to their organization, they had to adopt a new approach that they never imagined before, after years of hard work.

"We'll try something else." When said, the two would look at one another and then nod simultaneously. Their plans likely went to the other through their sibling bond.

One of the daemons swiftly switched to a bow and arrow, quickly loading and firing off three arrows within a single second. In the next three seconds, they continued to fire off a barrage of arrows with incredible speed, their hand movements a blur as they expertly aimed at the White Reaper.

But even as the arrows flew towards him, the White Reaper's body moved with preternatural speed and agility, his blades a blur as he deftly dodged and deflected the projectiles with the flat of his swords. His movements were graceful yet deadly, and it seemed as if he could see every arrow coming before it was even released. Despite the rapid fire, the daemons' arrows posed no real threat to the elusive and skilled White Reaper.

[Assassin Class Skill: Backstab, and Poison Blade]

[Description: The User will swiftly move toward behind the enemy, and if a weapon is on hand, can pierce the foe for incredible damage due to the lack of awareness.]

[Description: The weapon of the blade will become coated with a liquid that poisons anything it cuts into.]

"Ha!" The daemon with the bow exclaimed, as he watched his brother sneak up behind the White Reaper. But the villain was too quick for him. In a swift move, the White Reaper poked his swords behind him in a cross, catching the poison dagger in the daemon's hand before it could pierce his neck.

The daemon's eyes widened in shock as he realized his attack had failed. He shouted in frustration, but it was too late. The White Reaper had already initiated his counterattack. Keeping his blades behind him, he prevented any further attacks from the daemon, but he was unarmed for the moment. That didn't stop him, though. In a fluid motion, he spun his body forward, the swords now pointed at the daemon.

The daemon frantically tried to pull his dagger away, but the White Reaper was too quick. With lightning-fast reflexes, he kicked the daemon in the chin, sending him stumbling backward. The force of the blow was enough to knock the dagger out of the daemon's hand and send it flying across the rooftop.

The princess was impressed by the White Reaper's remarkable agility and combat skills as he executed a quick somersault to close in on him, which was distinct from Caliber's.

The attack didn't end there. The daemon was stunned by the hit, leaving an opportunity for a secondary action. The White Reaper released his swords, freeing his hands to grab onto the demon's leg and twirl him around.

"Brother!" The other cried out as he aimed his bow at them, but couldn't muster the strength to fire and risk hitting his own. That hesitation would cost him as the White Reaper, one gaining enough momentum, flings the daemon at the other.

With great enthusiasm, Yasuline applauded the White Reaper as the two assassins clashed and tumbled to the ground, marveling at their skillful maneuver.

As the two struggled to climb off each other and get back up, they felt a stinging pain hit them. The White Reaper surprised them by not only countering with a throw but also by flinging his two swords at them, which pierced each of them.

"Agh!" The other cried as he angrily pulled the blade out and with his anger, snapped the blade in half.

The other simply pulls it out and tosses it off the roof.

It was evident to Yasuline, the scale of skill between the two sides as the daemons had suffered considerable harm, yet, they couldn't even lay a finger on the White Reaper. She has never seen actual combat like this in her life.

"Should we retreat?" One asked.

But the other quickly rejected the idea. "No! We must succeed here. We can't go empty-handed!"

Yasuline could sense that they felt cornered in their options. This was an all-or-nothing moment for them.

"If that's the case, then we can go all out then." When said, the other thought for a moment before nodding. With a determined look on their face, both stared down at the White Reaper. Who remained apathetic to the whole conflict.

[Daemon Race Skill: Hell's Touch, has been activated.]

[Description: A daemon's body is always with the fires in the world's core. They can tap into its power to enhance themselves for the sacrifice of cutting their lives shorter.]

The reddish hue emanating from their bodies was a sure sign that something extraordinary was happening. As their muscles began to expand and contract, they grew in size at an alarming rate - doubling, tripling, and continuing to do so. The stealth that they had relied on was no longer a viable option for them. The situation was rapidly spiraling out of control.

"This should be enough to take him down." One said, his voice is deep and loud. The other nodded with a grunt. Both omitted an endless growl that they couldn't shut off since it was actually how intense their breathing became to cope with their altered bodies.

Despite being faced with two intimidating opponents, the White Reaper remained steadfast and unfazed by their newfound strength.

The two daemons charged towards the White Reaper with an immense amount of force. Their giant blades looked like mere daggers in their hands, as they had grown massively in size. But the White Reaper stood his ground and remained unfazed, showing no signs of fear in his expression. Yasuline observed as the charging behemoths moved closer, their bloodlust stares growing more intense with every step they took. The weight of their bodies shook the roof with each pounding step.

The daemons raised their tree-trunk-like arms, preparing to slam their weapons down on the White Reaper. Yasuline saw no escape route for him, with no space to dodge their impending attack. As they closed in, their hands were ready to swing at him if he tried to escape through them.

However, the White Reaper was full of surprises. As the daemons approached, he made a swift move that caught both of them off guard. He leaped back from them and off the roof itself, leaving them momentarily stunned.

With no target in their sights, the two gargantuan daemons switched gears to now abruptly halt their charge. This is where Yasuline finds what their weakness seems to be. With such a large amount of power going into that charge, they failed to be concerned about where they were going. Watching the two simply run off the roof was a good lesson for the princess.

But then, as the princess began to lean outward to see the rest of the battle.

[Champion Class Skill: Radiant Blade, has been activated.]

[Description: A powerful aura flows over the weapon with Light Magic. Upon landing the attack, the Light Magic will continue to damage the enemy. If the enemy was already weakened, the enemy will return the Godbeasts as offerings, leaving behind their possessions.]

A heavenly glow blew up from the spot where the three assassins fell from the roof. Someone immediately shot up like they were shot from a cannon.

"That armor..." Yasu says, quickly realizing who it was.

"Caliber!? But how!?"

"He...should still be stunned from the nightmare paralysis potion. There shouldn't be any miscalculation!" The two daemons were aghast. Completely unaware of their own bodies' conditions.

"I would never fall for such a tactic! Now you two have faced the wrath of the King's Sword. Now disappear back into the abyss you came from!" The champion would hold up his sword skyward, that same radiant glow that always follows him was on his sword, and also...

Finally, the two daemons gaze at their bodies and discover a deep cut running through their center. Along the edges of the cut, they see a similar glow that is starting to spread over them. While it didn't seem like it should be harmful, the two began to make noises Yasuline couldn't comprehend other than the fact they were in pain.

Their bodies were completely enveloped in the light and they began to deteriorate into light dust. Any materials they had on them fell to the floor. Daggers, equipment, and items. Two of those items were bottles of some kind and both, of course, shatter upon impact. Caliber didn't seem phased by it and landed near the site, as he had spotted far more important.

"Princess, are you unharmed?" He says calmly as he puts away his sword and extends his hand to her. Yasuline knew better than to keep the bias up and take his hand.

Still, she was neutral to his barrage of questions about her well-being while he leads her back to her balcony, they pass by the puddles that came from the potions that were dropped. Both of their nostrils were filled with strange smells, but neither took any notice. Likely because both of them were looking at their surroundings for a certain white coat.

Once Yasuline's feet were planted on the floor of the balcony, Caliber let out a sigh.

"Truly, the White Reaper is an omen for daemons to be attacking the castle."

"What could they be doing here?"

"Obviously, to finish the job they failed to do many years ago."

"What job?"

"Best to forget it for now, we should be more focused on the defenses we have at our disposal. Not only do we have the White Reaper to worry over, but the Hellfire Gang is now something we have to be aware of too."

Yasuline seemed to want to ask more questions, but her eyes started to feel droopy. While trying to rub the sleepiness away, she could see Caliber holding his forehead.

"What's going on, my head is starting to feel mushy. I guess their attack must have strained me more than I thought." He mutters.

Yasuline was finding it difficult to remain focused. She tried to make her way towards her bed as she no longer felt Caliber's hands on her, keeping her upright as she stumbled on her own. She can't seem to remember if she eventually reached her bed or not.