Death

At that moment, Natsuo suddenly understood. The fourth Vassal was Death.

The feeling he felt was too familiar for not being it.

Every human being was afraid of dying, so it was normal that they were all blocked, trembling at the sight of that Vassal.

Death waved his hand and all the ghost silent monsters spread through the streets of the city.

One of the soldiers, the eldest, stepped forward.

“Our mission is to protect people from Silence, why are we watching without doing anything?” he exclaimed.

He himself was trembling, but faced his fright to accomplish his mission.

The Vassal turned to him and calmly led his horse toward his direction. The soldier backed up, gripped by fear, and tripped over his feet. He fell on the ground and the Vassal pointed his scythe to his neck.

The soldier grabbed his sword, but the Vassal swung his scythe and the soldier’s body fell completely on the ground, dead.

Everyone stared at him, horrified. If that scythe touched you, you would die immediately. There was no turning back.

Natsuo gritted his teeth. He was tired of dying, he wouldn’t have let everything end like this.

“You know, once you experience it, death is not that scary” he said.

Death immediately turned to him, diverting attention from the soldiers. He pointed his scythe toward him, then cut the air.

“Are you trying to say that you want to kill me? It must be bad not being able to speak” Natsuo mocked him.

The Vassal lowered his chin menacingly. He wanted to kill Natsuo because he recognized him: he was one of the guys who made those annoying noises and he was potentially dangerous for him.

Natsuo twirled his scythe and leapt forward, with the intent of striking a blow.

Death stretched his arm and a group of silent monsters rose before him from the ground. They placed themselves in front of Natsuo and blocked his way.

Natsuo’s sudden action made everyone wake up. The other members of the band reached him to help him beat off the monsters, while the members of Unit 1 immediately ran behind the monsters that wandered around the city.

Olive blew up a few monsters and Tristan froze the others, then shattered their statues.

They advanced toward the Vassal, but he summoned another group of monsters to block their path.

Beatrice burned them with a ray of sunlight and Gregory pierced them with metal thorns.

They tried to approach Death, but he used the same strategy once again.

Natsuo got rid of the group of monsters with his sound waves.

“We will never reach it like this” he said.

The Vassal stretched his arm and silent monsters rose from the ground all around them, surrounding them.

“That’s bad” commented Beatrice.

She shot a burst of arrows that killed a lot of monsters on the first row, but there were others ready to replace them.

“Natsuo, run toward the Vassal, we’ve got your back” said Olive.

“Right, if we all stay here, we’ll never even touch him” added Gregory.

Natsuo nodded. “Thank you, guys.”

He leapt toward Death, ignoring the silent monsters that got in the way. The other four cleared the way for him, killing them, so that he could keep on running.

Olive’s explosion got rid of the last row of monsters and Natsuo charged a blow, to the Vassal’s surprise.

Natsuo swung his scythe and slit the horse’s throat.

Death backed up, astonished: he rarely got hit. He glanced at Natsuo and nodded at him, in sign of respect. Even if the wound wasn’t enough to kill it, the Vassal got off his horse.

Natsuo looked at him, startled. Had he voluntarily passed to the second stage? Or maybe he didn’t have stages. He seemed to be more intelligent than the other Vassals, perhaps he didn’t follow the same rules.

Suddenly, a shabby cloak with a hood appeared on Death. He swung his scythe in the air and got into position.

Natsuo smirked. “Do you want to challenge me?”

The other four members reached him and stood behind him.

“I warn you, you are at a numerical disadvantage” he said.

If Death had a face, in that moment he would have raised an eyebrow. He slammed his scythe on the ground and three greenish portals opened on the ground.

From the first, a white familiar figure rose up. Olive turned pale.

“It’s Plague!” she exclaimed.

The first Vassal landed on the ground and stretched his bow’s string.

From the second portal appeared the red Vassal: War. He raised his greatsword and placed it on his shoulders. He seemed to be in good spirits.

Famine rose up from the third portal, holding his scale in his right hand.

Death pointed to the group and the other Vassals seemed more than glad to confront them.

Gregory clasped his fists with a grin depicted in his face.

“Fine, let’s see if our friend has gotten better at taking hits!” he said and ran toward Famine.

“Then I’ll go challenge the white one, I’ll show him who’s the best archer here!” exclaimed Beatrice.

She shot arrows against Plague, then immediately hid behind a house. Plague locked on her, forgetting the rest of the group.

Tristan glanced at War, turning pale.

“Does this mean that… I have to face the creepiest?” he asked. “No, no, I can’t do it alone! I will vomit because of all that blood!”

Olive patted his shoulder. “I can help you.”

Tristan turned to her and shook his head. She had to help Natsuo, it was more important.

“No, you have to stay with Natsuo. I’ll distract him so you two can defeat the strongest” he replied.

There was no time for hesitation. He used his system and got War’s attention, dragging him away.

Death pointed his scythe toward Natsuo.

“You made so much effort to leave us alone. Are you sure you’re not my fan?” Natsuo smirked.

He stretched his arm and waved two fingers.

“Bring it on.”