A Reaper's Philosophy-Chapter 73: Teacher

{Death can now take a physical form.}

As soon as the message appeared, the dark cloud that was absorbing the demons began to shrink and take the form of a four legged creature. A devastatingly, horrific aura began to leak out of the cloud even before it took shape.

"Retreat." The silver-white grimme said softly, but everyone within the battlfefield heard.

He then sunk into the ground as all traces of him disappeared. Death soon completed his transformation and was now a 6-foot, cat-like creature.

His mouth was now decorated with dozens of sharp teeth. A pair of long blade-like canines were sticking out of its mouth, like that of a sabre-tooth. He was scaly on his joints and forehead. His body was mostly covered with jet black fur that glimmered in the moonlight. His fur was so sharp it could slice your hand right through if one were to brush it. A thick black smoke continuously rose from the beast.

Two long and powerful, furry tails swung left and right with enthusiasm. His long claws dug into the solid ground easily. They would have no problem tearing apart flesh. With its scarlet eyes, Death simply looked like a mythical beast straight out of hell.

By the time Death had completed his transformation, all the grimmes had long retreated. Grayson stood in the middle of dozens of grimme corpses trying to stop the bleeding from his shoulder with his hand.

He then began to walk back towards the city. Death quickly ran after him. As Death was running towards Grayson, he began to shrink in size. His fangs no longer stuck out of his mouth, his scales disappeared, and his hair became soft.

He then jumped into the air and landed on top of Grayson’s head. He had now shrunk to the small size of a palm. Roars and cheers of victory sounded as Grayson walked back to the city walls. They initially wanted to raise him up into the air, but were all scared to approach him.

Although he just saved the entire city, he looked more like a beast than the grimmes themselves as he ripped them apart. He was now covered in blood from head to toe. No one dared to approach him. They only praised from afar.

Grayson aside, they all saw Death’s transformation and were all trembling from just looking at the small cat-like creature on Grayson’s head.

So instead, they all walked up to Lilith and lifted her up with cheers, as she too played a big role in defending the city. Nearly the whole city was lively now, drinking and partying over their victory over the grimmes. The battle ended with 0 casualties thanks to Grayson and Lilith. Lilith didn’t mind all the attention and praise, not in the least.

"Everybody drinks on me, tonight, nobody’s sleeping! We drink till sunrise!" Lilith shouted as she walked away with the crowd, laughing along with them.

"Allow me to treat your wounds." Ravana said to Grayson softly.

"Yeah thanks, I might just bleed out soon haha." Grayson said half-jokingly.

They then walked to an empty building near the city gates. Ravana found a medical kit and began to treat Grayson’s wound. As she did it, she looked somewhat disappointed.

"You don’t owe anyone anything." Grayson said to Ravana.

"What! What do you mean?" Ravana asked in shock.

"This attack, I can tell that you actually feel somewhat responsible. However, that eye, the blood that runs through your veins, they don’t define who you are. We’ve been given the privilege to choose that ourselves.

From what I’ve heard, you have helped countless people in this city without asking for anything in return. That is a selfless quality about you that has earned even my praise. Things aren’t the same like when you were a child. Back then, it was tough for people like you.

You have friends now and people who care about you. No one holds you responsible for the grimme attacks. They all trust you with their lives. Your power has proved that to them.

So stop looking like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders all the time. Stop trying to prove yourself so much. You are enough. You’ve done nothing wrong." Grayson said to Ravana as she finished to patch him up.

"I am a Nexus. The grimmes despise us even more than humans. I’m a mistake in nature and the grimmes know that!" Ravana rebutted.

"You’ve done nothing wrong." Grayson said.

Tears now began to fall from Ravana’s eyes as she said,"The grimmes have always chased after me. So many people have been hurt because of me. Nexuses bring calamities. That’s what everybody says. If it weren’t for The Bartender..."

"The grimmes will attack Madsus City whether you are here or not. You’ve done nothing wrong." Grayson said calmly.

Ravana then looked at Grayson as if she were in a daze, her tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Feeling sorry for myself won’t change my past or help with my future." Ravana said with tears still rolling down her cheeks.

She couldn’t help but cry as she remembered her childhood when she used to be beaten and shunned for being a Nexus. She had to live in the outskirts of Madsus City until The Bartender found her.

He welcomed her into the city and said warned everyone not to harm her. She thought she would forever be despised and did everything in her power to prove herself to others that she was useful. She didn’t want to be seen as just a Nexus.

Elder Mai took her under her wing. She knew Nexus’ had outstanding talent, that would be beneficial for the sect. She raised her and protected her. Eventually, she began to make friends and defended the city alongside them multiple times.

Slowly, people began to accept her, but even so, she would always feel like she still needed to prove herself to them. Her strength has been used many times, for the sake of the city, and not once did she question what she was being told. She had never met someone who simply said she is enough. Not for her power, but for who she is.

Grayson then got up and was ready to go back to The Bartender’s to have a good night’s sleep. Unlike Lilith, he was completely spent and done for the night.

"Thank you, Grayson." Ravana said then kissed Grayson on the cheek. Grayson gave her a warm smile, then warped back to his room with Death. He then threw his body on the bed and was about to pass out.

"I’m telling Lilith." Death said before he dozed off as well.

"Hey nothing happened." Grayson said with his face deep in his pillow.

"Tell that to Lilith." Death said as he dozed off on Grayson’s back.

(Tsk)

Grayson clicked his tongue then fell asleep soon after.

At 7am sharp, Grayson was already up and ready to take on another high ranked mission. As he was going to get something to eat, he found Lilith passed out outside the door to her room.

"Lilith?" Grayson called out, but there was no response.

He then picked her up and carried her into her room. He placed her on her bed and left her there to sleep. After covering her with a sheet, he finally went downstairs.

"Good morning!" A young waiter greeted Grayson enthusiastically.

She looked like she was still in her teens. She was the only one around, which Grayson found odd.

"Morning, where is everyone?" Grayson asked.

"You won’t find anyone awake right now. Nearly the whole city was celebrating last night. We actually ran out of booze here. There was quite a ruckus since The Bartender’s is one of the only places that sell drinks that can actually get hosts drunk." The young waiter said with a hint of pride.

"I see." Grayson said then sat on a chair nearby.

He ordered breakfast and ate quickly. Immediately after he finished eating, he was off to the Hardon Sect. On his way, he barely saw anyone in the streets and the few people that were there were either passed out on the ground or children playing.

Grayson finally reached Hardon Sect. He could enter on his own since he now had the sect’s emblem on his body. He immediately went to Tempelis’ station and asked for Elder Mai.

"She’s out investigating last night’s incident. She did leave me instructions for you. Your class will start soon and the hosts-..." Tempelis began to say before being cut off.

"Class? What class?" Grayson asked with a look of shock.

"Did she not tell you? Elder Mai said that you both came to some agreement where you will be granted permission to do any high ranked missions, given that you teach a class of elite hosts to prepare for the Despicable Deity’s Inheritance that will open in 6 months." Tempelis said to Grayson.

’Me? Teach? That manipulative woman! She isn’t even here to tell me herself!’ Grayson cursed in his head.

"Where is the class?" Grayson asked after calming down.

"On 10th floor, door number 1." Tempelis said.

’Making him a teacher. Is this really okay?’ Tempelis thought to herself feeling annoyed, but never showed it on her face.

"You want to kill me." Grayson said out loud.

"What?" Tempelis asked with a look of shock as she didn’t expect Grayson to suddenly say that.

"Last time I was here, I sensed killing intent from you, it was directed at me. Even now I can still slightly sense it." Grayson said to her.

"Yes, I do want to kill you. You are a threat and we don’t know you. Having you roaming around our sect is a mistake. If it were up to me, I would exterminate you now. It would be much safer." Tempelis said no longer hiding her killing intent.

"I have no reason or interest in harming this sect. However, if someone were to get in the way of me accomplishing my objective here, they can only blame themselves for what happens next.

I’m going to give you a friendly warning Tempelis. You cannot kill me! You’re welcome to try, but I’d rather you don’t. Like I said, you will only have yourself to blame for what happens after." Grayson began to say then appeared next to Tempelis’ ear.

Goosebumps crawled all over Tempelis’ skin as cold sweat began to cover her back. She then clenched her fists tightly, trying to compose herself.

Grayson then walked away and flew towards the 10th floor.

’I did say that I would be of use to the sect, but never mentioned how. I guess it’s my own fault for being in this situation now.’ Grayson thought to himself.

(SIGH)

He released a long, heavy sigh before opening the first door on the 10th floor. He was then greeted by a lively group of hosts chatting amongst each other. The classroom was built like a miniaturized colosseum. A group of students were standing in what would be the arena and were showing off their powers.

The hosts immediately ran back to their seats upon seeing Grayson walk in. Only one arrogant looking twerp, with silver hair, continued to play with lightning between his hands as he sized up Grayson in the middle of the arena.

"So you are the one that went up against the grimme army last night? You’re just an Ascended Host, and you think you are fit to teach a whole class full of elites? I bet the stories from last night are exaggerated." The silver haired twerp said mockingly.

"If you have a problem with me, take it up with Elder Mai. Till then, go back to your seat and pipe down, I don’t have all day." Grayson said to the silver-haired twerp.

"Why don’t you make me?" The twerp said as his hair stood up. Silver lightning now danced all around his body as he prepared to attack.