The terror of Red Reaper

Everyone froze in terror as Red Reaper stood before them. He truly was far more intimidating up close due to his large stature and glowing red eyes. It was also clearer to see his skeletal face was not a mask, but real bone.

While Okisato was to be his main target, he first turned, staring directly at Scharlachrot.

"You changed your face, Charlotte."

"So did you, Frederik," Scharlachrot nervously smiled as she tried in vain to hide her trembling.

Prior to becoming Red Reaper, Red Reaper was a man known as Frederick von Richthofen. He was said to be descended from both the Red Baron himself and the royal Prussian line. He was born with monstrous strength and a sharp mind, which quickly led to him seeking to create a 4th Reich for Germany. Many tried to stop him, but even while he was still human, he was a one-man army and could easily dispatch a platoon bare handed while giving a speech.

When he got ahold of a DESPER, Germany fell in a single night. All it took was one victory with the DESPER and Red Reaper gained unimaginable power, shedding his flesh for undead invincibility and immortality. Though despite the fact that he was a grandmaster with a terrifying rating of 2780, he lacked Caïssa's blessing.

Okisato quickly realized just how bad the situation was. Red Reaper was the top enforcer of the Desperados and was said to be one the strongest in the league as well. Worst of all, he was the only one present even capable of going toe-to-toe with him, but not once had he ever faced him in a match.

Red Reaper shifted his focus away from Scharlachrot and returned it to Okisato. "I'll deal with you later, Charlotte. Herr Oni-tiger, you shall be my first kill of the day."

Red Reaper instantly activated his DESPER causing Okisato to be warped into the seat of an airborne Sopwith Camel.

"Well someone's a Red Baron fanboy."

"He was my ancestor and one of Prussia's greatest war heroes, perhaps even the greatest. Had we not lost him, we would have won the first world war."

"Yeah right. So the conditions for the match?"

"You lose, you die and get shot down by my Fokker."

"I win, and you die and blow up into a million pieces."

Red Reaper nodded and opened by moving his pawn to e4 while Okisato opted to move his pawn to b5.

"Well you should have said you were suicidal. Now you're going to die," Red Reaper sneered as he captured the pawn at b5 with his bishop.

"Suicidal? Not in the slightest. I'm just testing out how far I can go with disrespecting you. So ready to lose to an O'Neil gambit?" Okisato asked as he moved his pawn to e5.

"I've heard you play odd, but no matter. I've felled many that resorted to desperate attempts to live," Red Reaper scoffed as he moved his knight to c3.

"Then clearly, you know nothing about me," Okisato glared as he moved his knight to f6.

The two went silent and played on. Red Reaper moved his pawn to d4 while Okisato moved his pawn to a6, prompting Red Reaper to slide his bishop to a4 on his next turn. Okisato then captured the pawn at d4 with his e-pawn, but Red Reaper simply captured said pawn with his queen. Okisato then moved his knight to c6, prompting Red Reaper to capture it with his bishop, and Okisato to capture said bishop with his d-pawn on his next turn. However, Red Reaper wasn't done trading pieces yet.

"Check, herr oni-tiger. And now, the advantage is mine," Red Reaper sneered as he captured the queen at d8 with his queen, forcing Okisato to capture said queen with his king.

Now on a high, Red Reaper moved his g-knight to e2 as Okisato moved his bishop to e6. He then moved his knight to d4, prompting Okisato to move his king to d7. This only further elevated Red Reaper's confidence as he moved his bishop to f4. Okisato decided to go on the attack and moved his bishop to b4, but Red Reaper ignored it entirely and moved his pawn to f3. Okisato did decide to capture the knight at c3 with his bishop, but Red Reaper naturally just captured said bishop with his b-pawn. Still in the mood for trading, Okisato advanced his pawn to c5, prompting Red Reaper to capture the bishop at e6 with his knight, which was then promptly captured by Okisato's f-pawn.

"Let me show you the might of the Red Reaper. Check!" Red Reaper declared as he castled on the queen's side.

"Well that sure was flashy, but also advantageous for me," Okisato thought as he moved his king to c6.

Red Reaper followed up by moving his rook to d3 while Okisato moved his knight to d7. He then moved his pawn to h4 while Okisato moved his knight to b6, still unaware that he was beginning to lose his edge. After moving his h-rook to d1, the game was essentially even despite him still being up a pawn. However, he didn't seem to realize it. Okisato had begun to catch on though and moved his h-rook to b8. Now a bit confused as to what to do next, Red Reaper moved his pawn to g3 and after Okisato moved his knight to c4, things were suddenly beginning to shift in Okisato's favor.

Red Reaper didn't seem to realize, but did know his advantage had slipped a bit, yet he remained confident and moved his rook to d7. Okisato followed up by moving his pawn to e5 while Red Reaper moved his bishop to g5. Next he moved his rook to b2 as Red Reaper slid his bishop to d8. However, that did little to stop Okisato from capturing the pawn at a2 with his rook, ending the one pawn advantage Red Reaper had held over him up until now.

It was after that move that Red Reaper began to get a bit more frustrated. He moved his king to b1, but after Okisato moved his rook to b2, he was forced to move his king back to c1. Okisato quickly retreated his rook to b7, prompting Red Reaper to move his rook to e7. Okisato didn't care though and moved his a-rook to b8, setting up a massive attack and forcing Red Reaper to move his rook to e6 in an attempt to delay it. But after Okisato simply moved his knight to d6, Red Reaper became flustered and moved his bishop to g5. This allowed Okisato to move his pawn to h6, but rather than move again, Red Reaper let out a frustrated roar and captured the pawn at h6 with his bishop. However, Okisato didn't capture the bishop immediately.

First, he moved his rook to b1, forcing Red Reaper's king to d2, and allowing him to capture the rook at d1 with his rook on his next turn. And after Red Reaper captured said rook with his king, a malicious grin formed on Okisato's face as he captured the bishop at h6 with his g-pawn. It was clear as day, he was now winning.

"Damn you! How'd you recover from that opening blunder!?" Red Reaper fumed as he moved his pawn to f4.

"Just did, it's what I do," Okisato snickered as he captured the pawn at f4 with his e-pawn.

Red Reaper promptly captured said pawn with his g-pawn, but quickly found himself in a new predicament after Okisato moved his rook to e8. Not wanting to lose his rook, he noticed the undefended pawn on h6 and promptly captured it with his rook. However, Okisato simply captured the pawn at e4 with his rook, prompting Red Reaper to move his rook to f6. However, none of that mattered as Okisato simply marched his pawn to a5. Red Reaper retorted by marching his own pawn to h5, but Okisato didn't let up and moved his pawn to a4. Thinking he could win the race, Red Reaper moved his rook to f8, but that move would ultimately seal his fate as Okisato moved his pawn to a3.

"You can't escape me!" Red Reaper shouted as he slammed his rook down on a8.

"Yeah I can. I still got a knight," Okisato snickered as he moved his knight to c4.

"And I have a horse in the race too!" Red Reaper retorted as he moved his pawn to h6.

"Yeah that pawn's not going anywhere," Okisato snickered as he slid his rook to e7.

"Just try it!" Red Reaper taunted as he moved his rook to h8.

"Think I will. Psych! Now you're screwed!" Okisato snickered as he moved his king to b7.

Red Reaper became consumed with immense rage and let out a frustrated roar as he slammed his rook down on c8.

"Sorry, not in the mood for rooks," Okisato taunted as he moved his pawn to a2.

"Then eat your words!" Red Reaper shouted as he slammed his rook down on a8.

"Well NOW I'm gonna take it. Otherwise I'd blunder the game," Okisato snickered as he captured the rook on a8 with his king.

Red Reaper immediately began slamming his fist in frustration and cursing in German as he moved his pawn to f5.

"Now how about a bit more disrespect. I don't need a queen to finish you off. A rook is all that's needed. Checkmate," Okisato snickered as he moved his pawn to a1 and promoted it to a rook, winning the game.

Red Reaper and his Fokker immediately burst into flames and began spiraling towards the ground before crashing into the dock and exploding in a mighty fire ball. Okisato then found himself back on solid ground right before the fire ball. He noticed fragments of Red Reapers clothes and bones strewn about and nodded before turning and heading away.

Rattle! Rattle!

A chill went down Okisato's spine as he noticed the bone fragments all began moving and reforming. Even the tattered clothes began to repair themselves and to Okisato's horror, Red Reaper stood revived upon the smoldering remains of his Fokker.

"Impossible! The DESPERs can't bring the dead back to life!"

"Oh, there's a way. You just need a good life insurance policy," Red Reaper sneered as he leaped down and pulled out his DESPER.

A puff of smoke had emitted from it, signifying it was busted, however, Red Reaper was clearly still alive and functioning.

"Another one down. This is the only true inconvenience that occurs whenever I "die". Well no matter, I have the authority to summon the Ultima-master and get a new one on the spot."

Okisato stared as Red Reaper slammed his palm into the ground. The earth began to rumble as a menacing red light and malevolent metallic structure began to rise behind him. The statue was large and round, looking to be about 7 meters tall.

A figurehead of a bald woman clad in what appeared to be bellbottom jeans and sneakers sat prominently in the sphere's center as a single glowing red eye on it's forehead lit up.

For the first time he could remember, a look of genuine fear and bewilderment overtook Okisato's face as he stared at the structure. "It couldn't be... THIS is the Ultima-master!?"

Indeed it was, but perhaps the more terrifying thing was the fact that Red Reaper was able to survive a death penalty and get a new DESPER. While he didn't have Caïssa's blessing, he did have something else which worked just like it. It was known as Assïac's curse, though perhaps to Red Reaper, it was a blessing in disguise, as now he could spend the rest of eternity doing as he pleased; hunting for Prussia's glory.

"Now, let's begin Round 2," Red Reaper sneered as he activated his new DESPER.

The full game:

White: Red Reaper (2780) Black: Okisato Tanabe (2550)

1. e4 b5

2. Bxb5 e5

3. Nc3 Nf6

4. d4 a6

5. Ba4 exd4

6. Qxd4 Nc6

7. Bxc6 dxc6

8. Qxd8+ Kxd8

9. Nge2 Be6

10. Nd4 Kd7

11. Bf4 Bb4

12. f3 Bxc3+

13. bxc3 c5

14. Nxe6 fxe6

15. O-O-O+ Kc6

16. Rd3 Nd7

17. h4 Nb6

18. Rhd1 Rhb8

19. g3 Nc4

20. Rd7 e5

21. Bg5 Rb2

22. Bd8 Rxa2

23. Kb1 Rb2+

24. Kc1 Rb7

25. Re7 Rab8

26. Re6+ Nd6

27. Bg5 h6

28. Bxh6 Rb1+

29. Kd2 Rxd1+

30. Kxd1 gxh6

31. f4 exf4

32. gxf4 Re8

33. Rxh6 Rxe4

34. Rf6 a5

35. h5 a4

36. Rf8 a3

37. Ra8 Nc4

38. h6 Re7

39. Rh8 Kb7

40. Rc8 a2

41. Ra8 Kxa8

42. f5 a1=R#