A sword had pierced Ren's back, making him lose strength and falling on one of his knees.
The Death Reaper withdrawed it's weapon and stabbed Ren just a few centimeters below his left shoulder with the lower edge of it's scythe, making a big hole that went through him. Ren was just stabbed in the back and now in the front. But the identity of the one who stabbed him behind was still to be discovered. So Ren looked behind him and finds...
Using a rusty sword from the fallen Skeleton Warriors, Takeshi stabbed Ren from the back. With a look of frustration in his face, he glared at Ren.
"H...H...Haha...", Takeshi laughed in a satisfied yet trembling tone.
"Takeshi...you...", Ren said glaring back at Takeshi.
What led to Takeshi stabbing Ren was his hate towards him. It shows in his face that he really hated Ren. That's because of Ren's recent success, meaning his plan earlier against the Summons and the Death Reaper.
Earlier, during Shin and Takeshi's conversation, he overheard about how Ren handled the situation and during that time where Takeshi and the other two heroes ganged up against the Death Reaper, it was unknown to him why he had to do it since the one who told Takeshi to participate in the plan was Mitahara, who Ren talked about the plan.
After overhearing Shin and Kenchi's conversation, something inside him snapped.
'That...Ren. He was the one who came up with the plan all along. That bastard of a failure', Takeshi thinks to himself cursing Ren.
'Why does that failure had a handle on the situation? Screw him!'
The frustrated Takeshi didn't want to accept that Ren, who was a failure according to him was the one who came up with the plan that allowed them to survive.
Jealousy, pride, and anger are few things that tends to get at one's self, their very being. And this things led Takeshi to stab Ren.
"Takeshi...you..."
"A failure who isn't accepted by everyone should just shut up and stay at the sidelines.", Takeshi said at Ren with a sadistic look on his face.
"Why...Takeshi?"
"Didn't you hear what I just said, huh!"
Takeshi yelled at Ren at the same time pulling the sword he used to stab Ren, dropping it on the ground.
"You can die there for all I care."
Takeshi stood up, running as fast as he could to catch up with the group. As he ran, Haru looked at him. Haru had just arrived at the entrance and when he turned back, he saw Ren stabbed by the Death Reaper.
"Ren!", Haru yelled as he was preparing to run towards Ren.
In his way, he was stopped by Takeshi who was nearing the entrance. Takeshi stopped Haru's advance by grabbing both his shoulders.
"Haru, where are you going!"
"I have to rescue Ren!"
Knowing Ren's situation, Takeshi still looked behind as if to act shocked that Ren was stabbed by the Death Reaper. He then quickly turned to Haru who he was holding.
"Haru, it's too late for him now!", Takeshi yelled concealing his involvement.
"Let go of me, bastard!", Haru returned while pushing Takeshi aside. Ren, I'm coming for you!"
As Haru was running, the Death Reaper noticed him and pulled out it's scythe. Ren then fell to the ground, lying face first.
"You monster, get away from my friend!", Haru yelled with rage.
The monster started to cast magic. A magic circle appeared on it's left hand. After 5 seconds, multiple Fireballs appeared. It was a form of Fire Magic called Fire Rain, which was targeting Haru.
To avoid the incoming attack, Haru jumped to his right. When he landed, he immediately ran towards Ren but was once again stopped by Drey this time.
"Haru, we have to go now!" Drey said holding Haru's left arm.
"Let go of me, Captain! I have to save my friend!" Haru said angrily while tears fell from his eyes.
"I hate to say this but it's too late for him!" Drey said convincing Haru to stop resisting.
"But, Captain-"
While Drey and Haru were arguing, they heard movement coming from Ren's direction. Both of them quickly looked at it and saw Ren standing...and bleeding. This made Haru want to get free of Drey's grasp even more. Emotion and tears filled the room, as Haru struggles to save his only best friend that he knew even before this tragedy. But that struggle was put to a stop.
Ren, who was standing there bleeding, was looking at Haru. In his face was a smile. That smile was so sincere as if it was telling Haru to stop. As Haru saw Ren, strength left his body. Drey noticed that Haru wasn't struggling anymore and wondered why. For a short time, he looked at Ren. That smile he saw even pierced Drey's steel resolve. To the fact about losing an irreplaceable Hero and a friend of sort, a drop of tear came out of Drey's eye.
While Ren, who was watching both of them, nodded his head, telling Drey to carry Haru and get out. With a heavy heart, Drey did as what Ren told him, in his own understanding.
The door was halfway closing. Drey sprinted as fast as he could. The others who were already outside saw Drey headed towards them. But they were busy tending to the wounded or was rather tired. They didn't notice Ren who was at the distance. Drey and Haru finally got out. Without a moment's time, the door closed as they got out.
Now everyone except Ren was outside the room. No one bothered to look if all were accounted for. Only three people knew about what happened to Ren. Setting it aside, Drey dropped Haru to a corner of the hallway. He tried calling out to Haru but failed. Haru was still sad about Ren's decision that he cursed himself for not being able to save him. He could no longer cry as his tears were already dry.
Meanwhile, inside the room.
'That Takeshi...just what did I do to be treated like that.', Ren thought to himself while frustrated.
'Curse him!'
"But for now, that doesn't matter. Because it looks like I'm not alone in here!", Ren said out loud.
Ren unsheathed his sword and assumed fighting stance. The Death Reaper, looking at him let out an intimidating shriek.
"Heh...So you still have that much energy in you. Well then...Here I come!"
"RARGHH!"
Ren and the Death Reaper both charged at each other. The monster went for an attack on Ren's left side. Evading the monster's attack,Ren jumped upwards and unleashed an attack on it's body.
"Second Sword: Twin Cranes!"
Two parallel attacks hit the monster. Ren landed on the monster's feet. Not giving it a time to recover, Ren proceeded to his next attack.
"Fifth Sword: Severing Blade!"
This time, three slashes in a shape of a triangle hit the monster, severing both it's concealed legs.
The monster cried in pain as it's legs fell off. But Ren, who was still suffering from the damage he received flinched. Seizing the chance, the monster immediately went for an attack coming from above.
"Tch! Sixth Sword: Flash Boost!"
Ren dodged the monster's incoming attack in a very quick way. As his skill was done, he stood just 5 meters in front of the Death Reaper.
'That was a close one-'
Due to his wounds, Ren coughed blood.
"*cough*..." Ren chuckled as he cleared his throat.
"And here I am, moving like crazy while there are two holes in my body.", Ren said in a sarcastic manner.
The Death Reaper approached Ren while withering in pain.
"Hey now...How can you move with your legs cut off? Oh, I forgot. All this time, you've been hovering above the ground, haven't you?"
The monster's advance was slow, enough to give Ren the time to stand. With his sword struck to the ground, he used it as support to stand up.
"Let's...finish this."
Ren grabbed the hilt of his sword at the same time assuming fighting stance. He breathed deeply and concentrated.
"...Sword Drawing..."
Ren waited for the monster to get close. When it was only a meter away from him, he unleashed his attack.
"Two-way Slash!"
Ren's first strike cut through the Death Reaper's body. Starting from the lower right of it's waist then to the upper left of it's shoulder and vice-versa for the second strike. That finishing attack split the monster's body in half, diagonally.
Finally, the battle of dying being's was over. Ren sheathed his sword and walking away from the Death Reaper's carcass.
'The battle's finally over.', Ren thought to himself. But an eerie feeling filled the room after.
Ren sensed it as if it was someone's killing intent.
'What is it now!'
Ren turned back slowly, only to see that some sort of smoke was coming out of the Death Reaper's carcass. Bit by bit, the smoke took shape. Ren was shocked to see that the smoke looked like...