1: The Game Reapers

"Collect the souls." A far off voice says ringing through my head but I ignore it and continues to do what I have been doing for the past hour which is writing an essay that's due in two days.

After about another hour I hear my moms voice from down stairs.

"Kiyoto, Blithe, Akane, dinner is ready." She says calling me, my younger sister, and brother.

When I was little my father contracted an incurable illness and passed away as a result of it.

After he passed I still saw him and me being little didn't understand why. He told me not to tell anyone and so I didn't.

I get up from my desk and stretches out my muscles while also popping my neck, back, and arms before going downstairs to the dining room where both my siblings sit at the table.

The both of them give me an odd look.

"What?" I ask them.

"You look extremely tired." Blithe says.

"Well yeah, I've been working on an essay that due in two days for the past two hours." I say as our mom sits down at the table.

"What she means is you look like you haven't slept in a week." Akane says before he starts to eat.

Confusion courses through me as I begin to eat.

When I am finished I excuse myself before cleaning up my area placing my plate and glass in the sink. I head back upstairs to take a shower and finish the rest of my homework.

When I'm done I check the time to see that I have a couple of hours before I actually have to go to bed so I lay down on my bed grabbing my phone and my Nuro headset. I connect the two and logs into a game that came out recently.

It's called Reapers.

When you first start playing the game like in all games you start as a low level person after you pick what you are going to be.

You can choose to be a Reaper, Angel Reaper, Demon Reaper, Angel, Demon, Hunter, Trader, Weapon Maker, Beast Tamer, Jewel Smith, and Mage.

There is an option that you can tap and you can pick to be up to three different things.

All three types of reapers reap souls just all three are different in their own way.

A Reaper is a human but you don't start reaping souls until you level up to Soul Reaper.

After that you level up to Angel Soul Reaper to Demon Soul Reaper, and lastly to Master Soul Reaper before you can challenge everyone else who wants to be the Head of all Soul Reapers which will end up with you being a Devine being.

Angel and Demon Reapers are self explanatory. They level up similarly to a regular Reaper they just have Devine or Hellish powers.

Angels and Demons are self explanatory as well. Both have wings and powers of their realm. Angels differentiate with each region you choose from the seven regions. Demons have horns depending where they hail from. You choose from the seven kingdoms.

A Hunter also know as Bounty Hunters or Trackers go after what they are paid to go after or what they want to go after.

They level up from Apprentice Hunter, to Skilled Hunter, to Master Hunter. If you are in a Hunter Clan then you can challenge the previous leader or just stay what you are.

Weapon Makers also known as Blacksmiths obviously makes weapons and anything from metal.

They level up from Apprentice, to Blacksmith Shop Worker, to Master Weapon Maker, to Devine Weapon Maker Apprentice, to Devine Weapon Maker, to Master Devine Weapon Maker, to Demonic Weapon maker Apprentice, to Demonic Weapon Maker, to Master Demonic Weapon Maker, ending with Ultimate Weapon Maker.

A Trade trades all sorts of things for money.

They level up from Trader, to Market Place Trader, to Market Place Official, to Travel Trader, to Worldwide Trader, to Devine Trader, to Demonic Trader, to Universal Trader.

Beast Tamers can tame any beast of any realm they come across depending on how powerful they are.

They start off as Apprentice Beast Tamers before leveling up to Beast Tamer, to Master Beast Tamer, to Ultimate Beast Tamer, to Superior Beast Tamer.

A Jewel Smith finds, sells, or barters for different jewels and sometimes precious metals. They also make and sell jewelry and things.

They level up from Apprentice Jewel Smith, to Jewel Smith Shop Worker, to Jewel Smith, to Master Jewel Smith, to Ultimate Jewel Smith, to Jewel Smith Shop Owner.

Mages are sorcerers or whatever you want to call them. They can summon things and heal.

I don't know how they level up it, doesn't show that like the others.

I picked to be one thing, a Reaper.

I almost have enough points to become a Soul Reaper. I won't have to be in an apprenticeship any longer.

Having to follow around a jackass of a trainer who is a higher level is annoying especially when they aren't teaching you shit.

Half the stuff that I have learned has been what I have learned on my own.

I understand why a beginner Reaper would need a higher up Trainer but that doesn't mean the trainer can slack off and not teach the other anything. Then turn around and be an asshole about it.

I put on my Nuro gear and dives into the game.

I am immediately placed in my little house that I bought once I was able to.

I go to one of the four bedrooms that I have claimed as my own.

I change into my new Reaper outfit that I got recently that was only given to me.

From what I can gather is that the game only makes outfits that articulate to you and you alone. You can't sell or give away the outfits you magically accumulate but the ones you buy from the store you can.

My outfit consists of fitted black cargo pants, black knee high lace up combat boots, a black button up with teal vine like runes all over that matches the ones I have on my arms, neck, and chest.

When you pick out what you want to be runes appear on your body interlocking like vines. They are black originally and sometimes they change to a different color. Mine are teal. My trainers runes are still black. All I know where his runes are is on his arms and the right side of his face from his forehead down to his chin.

I can't bring up the topic of the rune color to my trainer because he gets all annoyed.

To pull the outfit together is a hooded military style almost floor length trench coat and Scythe holder.

Once I'm done changing my clothes I waist no time going outside where some of my friends wait since I don't have to see my Trainer until another fifteen minutes.

"Wow, the outfit looks great Kiyoto." Kuga says winking at me but ignore it while rolling my eyes as I walk up to them.

Kugamei Noshidori (Kuga) - Trader - Lv. 1

"She's not wrong." Chikara 'a.k.a Fluffy' says making me nod in agreement.

Chikara Shimizu (Fluffy) - Demon Reaper - Lv. 1 - Hunter - Lv. 1 - Weapons Maker - Lv. 1

"Yeah, I know."

'But I don't want Kuga flirting with me.' I say in my head annoyed.

I know that Kugamei likes me. Everyone knows she likes me. She has liked me since we were in middle school, but I don't see her that way. I know that I never will.

"Kuga please stop flirting with my brother. You and I both know that he and I both has told you to stop. Can you not see that he's uncomfortable? Chase after someone who will like you back instead of someone who only sees you as a sister." Blithe says once gets to us.

Blithe Higa (Blaze) - Mage - Lv. 1

"Blithe don't you think that was a bit harsh to say to Kuga?" Seena asks.

Seena Akashi (Sky) - Angel Reaper - Lv. 1

"Nope, she needs to know what I said. No, scratch that what we've all told through her head." Blithe responds.

This whole conversation is making me uncomfortable but I won't have to deal with it much longer since I'll have to meet up with my trainer in a couple of minutes.

I look over at Yeji who looks to be done with everything. I check the time to see that it's time for all of us to meet up with our trainers.

Yeji Noshidori - Demon - Lv. 1 - Beast Tamer - Lv. 1

"Bye guys see you all when training ends." I say before quickly leaving to meet up with my trainer.

I get to the meeting place where trainer Shinoto is.

Shinoto Akage (Shin/Shino) - Reaper - Lv. 3

"We are going to continue scythe spar training." He says once I get to him.

"You said yesterday that you were going to show me how to actually reap with the scythe." I say annoyed.

"Well, I just realized that you need more spar training."

"No, you just don't want me to level up. You just want me to remain weak and unable to do anything. You just want me to continue being your caddie. Guess what asshole I can level up without your help. So good luck on getting that Trainer achievement because I am no longer being your apprentice." I say before leaving to look for the right object to practice on.

I continue walking as I realize that I am being followed.

I step into a clearing that I know is close to my house.

The runes on my body start to glow faintly as I feel whatever that has been following me get closer. I quickly take my scythe from the secure holder that's on my back and spins it once before swinging it as I turn around to face whatever or whoever is behind me.

I find Shinoto's face three inches from the blade of my scythe.

"What do you want? Why did you follow me?" I ask irritated not moving my scythe in case he decides to attack me.

Something is different with him. His aura isn't the same.

Not long after I ask this he attacks me. Swinging his own scythe at me. I block it and shoved him backwards making him stumble a little. I swing my scythe again the blade cuts into his left arm. He counters by swinging his scythe at me but I block it.

Our scythes clash and scrape. Both sounding each other but not enough to severely injure or kill us.

I dodge and block his attacks.

I flip over him taking him by surprise. I swing my scythe at his feet taking them out from under him.

The runes on my body start to glow and heat up even more. The glow transfers to my scythe urging me to swing it once again to which I do.

When I pull it away from him a dark red string of light is pulled out of him that is attached to the tip of the blade.

Congratulations!

You have leveled up to Soul Reaper!

You have gained a Soul Collecting Meter!

You have gained a soul Map!

I watch as Shinoto's body fades indicating that he logged out.

After a couple of minutes Shinoto messages me.

Shino - Thanks you brat. Now I have to pick something else to be. Apparently after a players soul gets reaped they get logged out and the can't pick what they had originally picked. They have to change what they originally picked because it's no longer an option.

Key - Hm, seems fair.

Shino - Whatever, the next time you see me I'll be a Beast Tamer.

Key - Cool, for you to be such an ass you can be cool when you want to be.

Shino - I'm leaving.

With that I close out of the messages without answering. I make my way to my house to find my brother sitting in one of the chairs that is on the porch.

Akane Higa (Akah) - ??? - Lv. 1

"You just started playing haven't you?"