The rain had reduced to a drizzle, but the air inside the ruined factory was heavy with a terrifying pressure.
Aryan stood amidst the debris, holding the massive scythe, Vedna.
He swung it experimentally.
Whoosh.
There was no resistance. The heavy blade sliced through the air as if the atmosphere itself was parting way for it. Despite its six-foot length and heavy appearance, in Aryan's hands, it felt as light as a feather.
[Weapon Compatibility: 100%]
[The weapon is hungry.]
A strange thought echoed in Aryan's mind. It wasn't his own. It was the weapon. It was pulsing, vibrating against his palm, demanding essence.
"Calm down," Aryan whispered, stroking the cold, bone-like handle. "You will get your fill."
Suddenly, beams of bright light cut through the darkness of the factory entrance.
The sound of heavy engines roaring approached, followed by the screeching of tires on wet gravel. Three black SUVs skidded to a halt just outside the shattered entrance.
Doors slammed open.
"Over there! The mana spike came from inside!" a rough voice shouted.
Aryan didn't hide. He didn't move. He simply stood there, resting the blade of the scythe on the ground, watching calmly as twelve figures walked into the factory.
They wore black leather armor with a green snake emblem on their chests. The Viper Guild.
These weren't the top-tier elites, but they weren't weak either. Aryan's eyes scanned them.
[Analysis]
* Target: Viper Guild Squad
* Average Level: 18 - 25 (F-Rank)
* Leader: Level 32 (E-Rank)
The leader, a bald man with a scar running down his lip, stepped forward. He held a large battle axe. He looked at the destroyed surroundings, then at Aryan, and finally, his greedy eyes locked onto the glowing purple scythe.
"Well, well," the leader sneered, showing yellow teeth. "We came looking for a monster, but we found a rat with a treasure."
The other hunters chuckled, surrounding Aryan in a semi-circle. They saw a kid in tattered clothes, level 9 hovering over his head (if they could inspect him). They saw easy prey.
Aryan looked at the leader. His voice was calm, devoid of fear.
"Turn around," Aryan said.
The leader blinked. "What?"
"This place is dangerous for you," Aryan continued, his grip on the scythe tightening slightly. "I have no quarrel with you. Get in your cars and leave. Now."
He was giving them a chance. He remembered his humanity. He remembered that not every Hunter was evil; some were just doing their jobs. He didn't want to slaughter them if he didn't have to.
The factory fell silent for a second.
Then, the hunters burst into laughter.
"Did you hear him?" one of the goons mocked. "The little F-Rank trash is giving us orders!"
The leader's face darkened. He spat on the ground. "Kid, do you know who we are? We are the Viper Guild. We take what we want. And right now... I want that weapon."
He pointed his axe at Aryan.
"Kill him," the leader commanded coldly. "Make it painful for disrespecting us."
Aryan closed his eyes for a brief moment. He had offered them life. They chose greed. They chose death.
"So be it," Aryan whispered.
[Void Energy: Activated]
When Aryan opened his eyes, they were glowing with a violet hue.
A burly hunter (Level 22 Tank) charged first, holding a heavy steel shield. "Die, you little sh*t!"
He rammed the shield forward, intending to crush Aryan's bones.
Aryan didn't dodge. He stepped forward.
"Space Severing."
He swung Vedna in a horizontal arc.
It was a silent strike. There was no clash of metal. No spark.
The scythe passed through the steel shield as if it were made of smoke. It continued through the hunter's waist and exited the other side.
The hunter stood there, frozen. "Huh? You missed..."
SLIDE.
The top half of the steel shield slid off. Then, the top half of the hunter's body slowly slid off his legs, falling to the ground with a wet thud. Blood sprayed like a fountain.
"W-What?"
The laughter in the factory died instantly.
The other hunters stared in horror. That was a reinforced steel shield! It could tank hits from D-Rank monsters! How did a single swing cut it like butter?
[Soul Harvested]
[Mana Recovered: 10]
A wisp of grey smoke rose from the corpse and was sucked into the purple veins of the scythe. The weapon hummed in delight.
"Monster!" the leader screamed, stepping back in fear. "Kill him! Everyone attack at once!"
Spells and arrows flew towards Aryan. Fireballs, ice shards, and steel bolts.
[Agility: 37]
Aryan vanished.
To the hunters, he was a blur. He moved faster than their eyes could track.
"Behind you!" someone screamed.
Aryan appeared behind a mage. Before the mage could cast a shield, the scythe hooked around his neck.
Slash.
Another head rolled.
"I gave you a chance," Aryan's voice echoed in the factory, cold and merciless.
He dashed towards the next target. A swordsman tried to parry the strike.
"Don't block! Dodge!" the leader screamed.
Too late. Aryan swung downward. The sword shattered, and the hunter was split from shoulder to hip.
It wasn't a fight. It was a massacre.
The Space Severing attribute of Vedna meant that physical defense was useless. Unless the armor was enchanted with high-level spatial magic, Vedna would cut through it like paper.
Within thirty seconds, ten hunters were dead.
Only the Leader (Level 32) was left.
He was trembling, backed against a rusted machine. His axe fell from his shaking hands. He looked at Aryan, who was walking slowly towards him. Aryan wasn't even out of breath. The scythe was dripping with blood, but the blade itself remained pristine black, drinking every drop.
"W-Wait!" the leader stammered, raising his hands. "Let's talk! I... I can give you money! I can get you a position in the Viper Guild! Vikram sir will—"
Aryan stopped in front of him. He tilted his head.
"You had a chance to talk when you walked in," Aryan said. "You chose to kill."
"Please! I have a family!" the leader cried, tears mixing with snot.
Aryan's expression didn't change. "So did I."
Swish.
The scythe moved one last time. The leader's head flew into the air, his eyes wide with regret.
[Soul Harvested]
[Quest Complete: The First Hunt]
[Experience Gained]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Current Level: 11]
Silence returned to the factory.
Aryan stood amidst the carnage. Twelve bodies lay around him. The air was thick with the smell of blood.
He felt a strange sensation. He didn't feel guilty. He didn't feel sick. He felt... calm. The souls he absorbed settled his turbulent emotions.
He walked over to the leader's corpse and checked his pockets. He found a high-quality communication device and a wallet full of credits.
He picked up the communicator. It was flashing. A message was incoming.
Sender: Boss Vikram
"Did you find the source? Report immediately."
Aryan looked at the message. He pressed the record button.
"Your men are dead," Aryan spoke into the device, his voice distorted by the static of the rain. "If you want to join them... come find me."
He crushed the device in his hand, dropping the pieces into a puddle.
He strapped Vedna to his back and walked out into the rainy night. The "Survivor" was gone. The "Reaper" had been born.