Rio went to a cave lit by a gentle light. He examined the walls and walked through the narrow openings until he finally saw the pool of divine water. From above, a dripstone dripped steadily—each drop rich with divine essence.
Divine essence was the energy that powered spells and abilities. He lay down in the divine water; it was calming and relaxing as energy filled his pores. The sensation was incredible—but he knew he couldn't waste time.
He quickly cut up the herbs, ground them, and slowly added a bit of divine water. Then, as he used Soul Reaper, everything shifted. The air turned cold yet hot, and suddenly he was inside a train.
He still had his body, but he quickly realised that this train was his skill transporting him to the underworld. When it dissipated, he landed softly on the dark earth. The sky above was dim with an unknown light. He had arrived on the shores of the underworld.
Suddenly, a dark figure in an even darker cloak floated above the ground, its face hidden by shadow—yet Rio could feel its fury.
"Oh, great Child of Death, who dares to sacrifice you? Give me their name! Oh, great Child of Death, who dares to sacrifice you, give me their name, and we shall make them suffer the furious anger of the underworld!" the Grim Reaper roared, scratching at its own face.
'Damn, this is going to be hard to explain,' Rio thought. 'First rule of persuasion: be confident.'
"Don't worry about that—you don't have to," Rio said calmly, though his heart was racing.
"Are you sure, oh great Child of Death? The one who sacrificed you must pay," the Grim Reaper said, its fury still boiling.
"Well… I'm the one who sacrificed myself."
Even though the Reaper's face was hidden, Rio could sense its confusion.
"Why would you do that, my lord?" it asked.
Rio explained, "It'll help me get stronger."
The Grim Reaper tilted its head, then suddenly nodded. "Ah, I see now, great Child of Death. As Death's son, you wish to interact with your father's domain."
That wasn't quite his real reason, but Rio didn't bother correcting it. "Exactly. That's why Uncle Hades and my father picked you guys."
The Grim Reaper seemed flattered—if such a being could even feel that emotion. Rio decided not to think too hard about it.
"Have a great, happy living life, oh great Child of Death," the Grim Reaper said, sending Rio back.
He awoke to the cold embrace of death, leaving his body, and the warm breath of life returning.
He was back in the water cave.
[Unique Skill Exp +1]
[Unique Skill: Soul Reaper (1/10)]
Looking at the screen before his eyes, a smile dawned on his face.
He did it.
Rio had returned from the embrace of Death.
"Now, I just need to do it a few more times."
It was going to be a long, long day.
Rio breathed heavily.
His chest heaved up and down.
Death was exhausting.
His fingers twitched uncontrollably, and he had trouble moving his body.
"Dammit, it feels shitty to be revived."
After a few deep breaths, he was ready again. He submerged himself in the pond and activated his skill.
Soul Reaper.
The sensation of dying no longer felt alien. The train appeared again, taking him to the shores of the underworld.
This time, he had the leisure to feel everything carefully. Previously, he'd been too nervous to pay attention.
The gravity disappeared, a sudden pull jerked his body, and the cold fire within him burned.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in the underworld.
"Child of Death, why did you return?"
The Grim Reaper, still in the same place, stared at him.
Rio patted the sticky sand off his body and stood. After last time's success, he was more confident.
"I'm here for the revival ritual. Can you send me back?"
"We can…" The Grim Reaper, still confused, nodded.
He assumed Rio had accidentally sacrificed himself again.
"We will send you back, but please—do not return by mistake again. Death is not a child's toy. The living should not touch it too many times."
The Grim Reaper decided to forgive Rio for the mistake.
After all, he carried the bloodline of the Primordial God, Thanatos.
He was royalty.
"Then, goodbye, oh Child of Death. We wish you a blessed life."
The black clouds rushed from the Grim Reaper, sending Rio's soul back to his body.
[Unique Skill Exp +1]
[Unique Skill: Soul Reaper (2/10)]
He woke up with a groan.
The water splashed around him, chilling his skin.
"Brrr…"
"I should finish this quickly, or I might catch a cold with this damned weak body."
He dived into the pond again and used Soul Reaper for the third time.
The train manifested, taking him to the underworld. The familiar sensation coursed through his body.
"Again?"
"We hope we are wrong, but… oh Child of Death, are you doing this on purpose?"
As soon as Rio arrived on the beach, the Grim Reaper appeared before him, flames of anger flaring in its eyes.
"Do you dare belittle Death? Even if you are the child of Lord Death, you are not above Death itself!"
A chill crawled up Rio's spine. The air grew heavy, pressing down on him.
His legs trembled. His teeth clattered.
But his eyes remained calm.
He didn't flinch.
He stared straight at the Grim Reaper.
The Reaper calmed after seeing Rio's unshaken gaze.
"I don't know much about Death," Rio said. "How can the son of the Great God Hades not understand his father's domain? That's why I'm learning—by experiencing it myself."
His words struck the Grim Reaper deeply. Its shadowy form trembled.
Just when Rio thought it might attack, it knelt down on one knee.
"We apologise for failing to understand your intent, oh Child of Death! You looked far ahead while we dared to shout at you. Please, allow us to pay for this unforgivable sin with our lives."
The Grim Reaper raised its arm with a black scythe growing from its arm as it tried to murder itself
"Stop it you shouldn't kill yourself you are the angels of death why do you think Father picked you cause he trusted you" Rio said smiling which seemed to cheer up the grim Reaper
"THANK YOU OH GREAT CHILD OF DEATH. HERE IS A GIFT AND WE SHALL ALLOW YOU TO ENTER THE UNDERWORLD ASAP MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT" the Grim Reaper said
The Grim Reaper placed his finger on Rio's hands and did a sign before sending him off but before he did the Grim Reaper warned Rio "Young Prince I beg of you don't die too much as it can dull your senses and emotions and might make you go insane"
Rio found himself in the water he went to his status and he saw he had one great great-ranked spell
[Death mark:you can inflict death on your enemies; stack=5]
The repeated process of everything but one the last time the Grim Reaper proposed something
"OH GREAT CHILD OF DEATH I HAVE A WAY FOR YOU TO GET STRONGER" the Grim Reaper said
Rio listened attentively and said "Go on"
"Well oh great child of death the Gulawaks ancient skeleton warriors who fought in the titanomancy I could summon them for you to fight them, my lord and they will help you get stronger"
Rio pondered about it if he chose the option though there was a risk of permanent death as those who died in the underworld would be dead permanently no second afterlife
Rio agreed all of a sudden the ground shook with furious rage and a bone warrior rose from the ground some with armour some with ranged weapons
Rio quickly ran into the warrior he punched the head which surprisingly pushed him back the Gulawaks whom Rio punched unhurt their blade and they slashed at Rio's shoulder
Rio caught the blade, pulling the blade, bringing the Gulawaks closer before punching it using a death mark on its jaw, breaking its jaw. It dissolved into Dust.
It fell to the fall suddenly three Gulawaks surrounded him and tried to spear him but he jumped up and landed on the spear suddenly an arrow flew to Rio and he caught it and sent it back while adding two stacks of death mark to it it pierced the archer dissolving its body
Rio then kicked the heads of the Gulawaks who were the ones who tried to stab him suddenly a massive Gulawak with a motante stabbed him in the leg he left the attack go though and pulled it in applying three stacks of death mark to it head and crashed to the floor he quickly asked the grim Reaper to send him back
"fuck me this shit is painful as hell" rio said with frustration suddenly he saw two girls staring at him