My Grim Reaper Class: I can kill anything.

Chapter 73: A Quick Mission and Combat to Earn Resources

*Two hours later. Rondel Forest.*

Rondel Forest was dense but not dark.

The trees were tall, with thick trunks and yellow autumn leaves. Afternoon light filtered through the canopy, producing golden columns on the ground. No visible corruption. No heavy signature like Nathan had felt in the dungeon or near the Arren River.

Just a normal forest.

With corrupted creatures inside for reasons the guild apparently hadn’t investigated thoroughly.

Nathan left the horse tied at the forest’s edge, in a small clearing with fresh grass. Liaraen sat on a flat stone beside the horse with the book she’d been reading.

"Are you going to be okay here?"

"Yes. I’ll read. If something happens, activate Soul Sense and find me."

"Acceptable."

Nathan entered the forest alone.

He walked for approximately fifteen minutes north, following the direction the parchment had specified. Soul Sense expanded passively. Nothing in the immediate radius. Nothing ahead yet.

About half an hour from the clearing where he’d left the horse, Soul Sense reported the first presences.

Nine.

Corrupted.

Low level.

Distributed within approximately thirty meters of a central point that was apparently their den.

*Nine creatures.*

*Low level.*

*I can test Death Pulse.*

*Perfect.*

Nathan approached slowly. Approximately forty meters from the central point, he stopped. He checked the exact positions with Soul Sense. All nine creatures were within a radius of approximately twenty meters around the center.

*Death Pulse has a fifteen-meter range.*

*I can’t reach all of them with a single pulse.*

*I’ll move closer.*

He approached another ten meters.

Now he was approximately thirty meters from the center. The nine creatures were within a twenty-meter radius around the center. If he positioned himself at the edge of the radius, approximately eight creatures would fall within the pulse’s range.

*Acceptable.*

*Eight out of nine.*

*The ninth, I’ll eliminate afterward.*

He moved toward the group’s edge.

The creatures began to notice his presence. They emitted guttural alert sounds. They started turning toward him.

Nathan didn’t wait.

He stopped at the exact point.

Extended both arms.

And activated Death Pulse.

---

The skill manifested as a circular detonation.

From Nathan’s chest outward, a dark wave shot out in all directions simultaneously. It wasn’t the green fog of emergency mode. It was a black wave with green veins, rippling outward with the efficiency of a stone dropped into still water.

The wave reached the eight creatures in approximately half a second.

And all eight, simultaneously, froze.

Their eyes widened. Their bodies locked in the position they were in at the moment of impact. Their breathing cut off.

Nathan didn’t wait.

He lunged forward.

He drew the short dagger he’d recovered from Liaraen and had been carrying at his belt since then. He approached the first paralyzed creature. Cut its throat. The second. The third. The fourth. All fell without resistance. The fifth. The sixth. The seventh. The eighth.

Eight creatures eliminated in approximately twenty seconds.

Nathan turned.

The ninth creature, which had been at the radius’s edge and hadn’t been paralyzed, was retreating quickly north.

Nathan extended his hand.

*Soul Pulse.*

The dark wave shot out. Hit the creature in the back. The creature staggered. Didn’t fall.

*Soul Reap.*

The skill activated at range. The creature fell.

Nine creatures.

Nathan lowered his hands.

He breathed slowly three times.

He checked the System mentally.

```

COMBAT RESOLVED.

Eliminated: Corrupted Forest Beasts x9.

Level: 10.

Total EXP: +1,800.

Status: Fragment absorption complete.

Mana recovered: +400.

Total combat cost:

Death Pulse: 500.

Soul Pulse: 100.

Soul Reap: 50.

Total: 650.

Remaining mana: 2,550/3,200.

```

*Death Pulse works exactly as it should.*

*Eight creatures paralyzed in one second.*

*And the actual consumption was lower than I anticipated.*

*Good.*

Nathan approached the bodies. Collected the evidence. Fangs from the eight creatures eliminated with the dagger. And the small head of the ninth.

He stored everything in the bag he’d brought.

And with the calm of someone who’d executed his first combat mission in a month with exactly the efficiency he’d planned, he began the walk back to the clearing where he’d left Liaraen.

Approximately forty minutes later.

---

They arrived in Rendel at dusk.

Nathan went to the guild first. Delivered the evidence. The receptionist reviewed it with her usual efficiency. Paid him the thirty silver coins. Signed the completion record.

"Fast," the receptionist commented.

"It was complicated."

"Acceptable."

Nathan and Liaraen left the guild.

The Magic Plaza was considerably more crowded at this hour. Approximately forty people surrounded the platform. Another fight was underway.

Nathan stopped for a moment.

"Sprout."

"Yes?"

"I’m going up."

Liaraen looked at him.

"To the plaza?"

"Yes. A fight. Without major skills. Just hand-to-hand and minor magic."

"Nathan."

"It’s training, Sprout. And apparently they pay."

"How much do they pay?"

"I don’t know. I’m going to ask."

He approached the plaza organizer—a human man of about forty who apparently supervised the fights. Nathan explained his intention.

"Ten silver coins to participate as a challenger," the organizer said. "If you last more than two minutes, you get your ten back. If you last more than five minutes, you earn twenty. If you win the fight, fifty."

"Now that’s interesting."

"You in?"

"Yes."

Nathan paid the ten coins.

The organizer announced the fight.

"New challenger! Nathan Voss, F-Rank from the Greywall guild! Open challenge for the next participant!"

From the group around the platform, a man stepped forward.

A human. Approximately thirty years old. Tall. With a short sword at his belt and the posture of someone who’d fought many times in the plaza. Visible Seal of Draken on his right hand. Rank approximately C.

Nathan looked at him.

*C-Rank.*

*Acceptable.*

He climbed onto the platform.

The man climbed onto the other end.

The organizer announced the rules. No lethal skills. No major magic. Fight until one surrenders, falls off the platform, or is non-lethally incapacitated.

"Begin!"

The man lunged forward with his short sword drawn.

Nathan stepped back half a step. Waited for the first strike.

The man attacked with a horizontal slash.

Nathan ducked under the blade. Extended his right palm toward the man’s chest.

*Soul Pulse—it’ll be safe since this is a person without killing intent, so the effect will be minimal.*

The wave hit the man in the chest. He staggered backward.

Nathan straightened. Closed the distance. Placed a hand on the man’s left shoulder with enough force to destabilize him without causing injury.

The man fell backward.

Against the platform’s edge.

He rolled off.

Silence in the plaza.

The organizer raised his hand.

"Fight resolved! Challenger Nathan Voss, victory in approximately forty seconds! Fifty silver coins to the winner!"

Applause.

Nathan stepped off the platform. Received the fifty coins. Turned to Liaraen, who was at the group’s edge with her usual carefully controlled aristocratic expression.

He approached her.

"Sprout."

"Nathan."

"Fifty silver coins in forty seconds."

"Your economy is improving."

"How was it?"

"Nathan."

"Yes?"

"That man was C-Rank. You’re officially F-Rank. Apparently you made the fight deliberately fast to avoid drawing attention with skill usage."

"Soul Pulse was the best option since it would look like a simple psychic attack."

"And apparently the organizer is going to put your name in the plaza’s record."

"That’s fine."

"Nathan."

"Yes?"

"Apparently we’re going to have to leave Rendel fast tomorrow."

"I suppose you’re right—I don’t want to draw too much attention, and the priority is getting you home fast."

Nathan looked at her.

And with the calm of someone who’d enjoyed the fight more than he would have publicly admitted:

"Let’s go eat, Sprout. Early tomorrow we cross into Aelthoren."

"Acceptable."

They returned to the inn.

They had a hot meal in the dining room. Nathan paid for an extra portion of meat. Apparently fifty silver coins could cover minor extravagances. Liaraen accepted with the slightly satisfied expression of someone who’d spent weeks on the road and was apparently going to enjoy a proper dinner.

Then they went upstairs to the room.

They fell asleep approximately thirty minutes later.

And the next day, at dawn, Nathan and Liaraen left Rendel.

Heading toward the border crossing with Aelthoren.

A few hours away.