Look at me!! I'm the reaper now: Reincarnated as the Herald of Death-Chapter 60: Unnamed

Huey stood in the center of the void, watching Jazz project holographic footage across the darkness.

The cathedral raid. From multiple angles. Every moment captured by the tracker he’d planted in the wire.

"Rewind to timestamp 21:47," Huey said.

The footage reversed, then played forward at normal speed.

On screen: the Blue Reaper and Zelda fighting through the cathedral’s basement. Guards falling. Doors being kicked open. The holding room filled with dying students.

Then the confrontation with Milo. The confession. Everything.

But there was something else.

Another feed. This one from the sub-basement—a section Zelda and Huey never reached.

Three students. Their Crests glowing unnaturally bright. Eyes vacant. Moving in perfect synchronization like puppets on strings.

Armed men in Kaiser tactical gear surrounding them. Loading them into a transport vehicle.

The timestamp read: 21:52—exactly when Zelda was discovering the main holding room upstairs.

"They were taken during the chaos," Huey said quietly.

Azzuri, in his Echo form, padded over and sat beside him. "Those three... they’re different from the others."

"The serum worked on them." Huey zoomed in on one student’s face. Male. Second-year. His Crest mark—normally a simple flame symbol—now blazed across half his chest in intricate patterns. "The others rejected it. Died from pneuma overload or depletion. But these three..."

"Survived," Jazz finished. Her voice echoed through the Zone. "Enhanced Crests. Elevated pneuma levels. But complete loss of autonomous function."

"They’re zombies," Azzuri said flatly.

"No." Huey closed the footage. "They’re weapons. And Q now has three enhanced Topplers who can’t disobey him."

"That’s worse than zombies."

"Much worse."

Huey pulled up another file. A map of Vitalis with a single location marked in red.

Azzuri stared at it. "That’s Q’s building. Azzuri Innovations Tower."

"Forty stories. Reinforced. Private security on every floor." Huey studied the structure. "He’s going to contact me soon. Use the Nexus Key as bait."

"How do you know?"

"Because it’s what I’d do." Huey dismissed the hologram. "The key contains data on every Virelia student. Their Crests. Their pneuma levels. Everything Kaiser needs to continue their experiments."

"But you have the key."

"Exactly. Which means Q needs to negotiate. Or take it by force." Huey smiled slightly behind his mask. "Either way, I get what I want."

"Which is?"

"Answers."

---

**Two Weeks Earlier – Vie’s Pie**

Huey sat across from Alessia in the back room of the café, a small device on the table between them.

"A wire?" Alessia picked it up, examining it. "You want me to wear this to the meeting with Milo?"

"Yes."

"To record her confession?"

"No." Huey took the wire back and made a small adjustment to the internal mechanism. "I want her to *find* it."

Alessia blinked. "What?"

"Milo’s smart. Paranoid. If we set up a meeting where you’re supposedly trying to help her, she’ll be looking for a trap." Huey attached something smaller—barely visible—to the wire’s edge. "So we give her one to find."

"I don’t understand."

"When she discovers the wire, she’ll think she caught me trying to record her. It’ll make her feel clever. Superior. Overconfident." He handed it back to Alessia. "And when people are overconfident, they make mistakes."

"Okay, but—" Alessia turned the wire over in her hands. "What’s the actual plan?"

"This." Huey pointed to the tiny addition he’d made. "A tracker. When she takes the wire off you, she’ll keep it as evidence against me. Proof that I’m trying to frame her."

"But the tracker will show you where she goes."

"Exactly." Huey leaned back. "She’ll lead me straight to wherever the operation is based. Probably where they’re holding the students."

Alessia was quiet for a moment. "You’re manipulating her into exposing herself."

"I’m giving her the opportunity to make the choice she was already going to make. I’m just... providing the tools."

"That’s still manipulation."

"Yes." Huey met her eyes. "It is. Are you okay with that?"

Alessia looked at the wire. Then at him.

"If it saves the students? Yes."

"You’re sure?"

"I’m sure."

Huey nodded. "Thank you."

"Don’t thank me." Alessia pocketed the wire. "Just make sure it works."

---

**Present Day – Huey’s Dorm Room**

Huey sat at his desk, the Nexus Key positioned directly in front of him.

The device was small—barely larger than a phone—but it represented months of work. Data collection. Student profiles. Crest analysis.

Everything Kaiser needed to perfect their experiments.

His phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Huey picked it up. Read the message.

*You have something we want. We have something you want. Let’s make a deal. - Q* 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Huey typed back without hesitation.

*Where and when?*

The response came immediately.

*You already know where. The tower. Tomorrow night. Bring the key. Come alone.*

Another message followed.

*Oh, and Blue Reaper? We know who you are. Huey Cross, the Curse of House Cross. See you soon.*

Huey set the phone down.

*They know.*

*Of course they know. Montez saw me without the mask. Q probably has footage from the cathedral. Security cameras I didn’t account for.*

*But that’s fine.*

He picked up the Nexus Key, turning it over in his hands.

*I planned for this.*

*The key is bait. I’m bait. Everything is bait.*

*The question is: what are they really after?*

His door opened without warning.

Huey’s hand moved to his katana instinctively—

Azzuri’s Echo form trotted in, followed by Jazz’s holographic projection.

"We need to talk about tomorrow," Azzuri said, jumping onto the desk. "You’re not seriously walking into an obvious trap."

"Of course I am."

"That’s insane."

"It’s necessary."

Jazz materialized beside them, projecting a three-dimensional model of Q’s tower. "The building has forty floors. Private security on each level. Estimated seventy to ninety combatants. Surveillance covering all major access points."

"And Q will have those three enhanced students," Azzuri added. "The ones from the cathedral. They’ll be his guard dogs."

"I know."

"So your plan is...?"

Huey held up the Nexus Key. "They think this gives them everything they need. Complete data on every Virelia student. Crest types. Pneuma levels. Medical histories."

"Doesn’t it?"

"It did." Huey smiled. "Before Jazz corrupted ninety percent of the data and replaced it with junk files."

Jazz’s projection flickered with what might have been pride. "I also installed a remote wipe function. The moment they attempt to access the database, everything deletes permanently."

Azzuri stared. "So they get nothing."

"Correct."

"But they don’t know that."

"Also correct."

"And while they’re distracted trying to use the key..."

"I get what I actually came for." Huey set the device down. "Answers. About St. Helena. About Marcus Chen. About what Q and the red-robed figure are planning."

"You’re going to interrogate Q."

"Among other things."

Azzuri’s tail swished in agitation. "This is still incredibly dangerous. You’ll be alone. Outnumbered. Fighting enhanced Topplers."

"I won’t be alone."

"The Trinity can’t help you with this. It’s too dangerous—"

"I’m not bringing the Trinity." Huey looked at Jazz. "But I’m not going in blind either. Jazz, can you access the building’s security network once I’m inside?"

"If you can get me within range of their servers, yes."

"Good. Then you’ll be my eyes. Map the building. Find Q’s location. Guide me through."

"And the enhanced students?" Azzuri asked. "How are you dealing with them?"

Huey stood and walked to his closet. Pulled out his Blue Reaper gear.

"Carefully."

---

**Vitalis General Hospital – Evening**

Huey entered Alessia’s room without the mask. Just himself. Just Huey Cross.

She was awake, sitting up in bed. Bandages around her wrists where the bindings had cut into her skin. Bruises on her face already starting to fade.

But her eyes were clear. Focused.

"You came," she said.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I got kidnapped and tortured." She smiled slightly. "But alive. Thanks to you."

Huey pulled a chair over and sat down. Didn’t quite know what to say.

Alessia filled the silence. "I heard about Milo. The confession. The arrest."

"She made her choices."

"So did you." Alessia’s expression was unreadable. "You used me as bait."

Huey didn’t deny it. Didn’t look away.

"I know," he said simply.

"I’m not angry."

That surprised him. "You’re not?"

"I knew what I was doing when I agreed to wear that wire. I’m not stupid, Huey." She leaned forward slightly. "I knew you were planning something. I just didn’t know exactly what."

"You still went along with it."

"Because I trust you." She said it simply. Like it was obvious. "You saved those students. You stopped Milo. You did what needed to be done."

"Twelve students still died."

"Eight lived. Because of you."

"That’s not—"

"It’s enough." Alessia reached out and took his hand. Her grip was surprisingly strong. "It has to be enough. Otherwise you’ll destroy yourself trying to save everyone."

Huey looked at their hands. Didn’t pull away.

"I’m going after Q tomorrow," he said quietly. "The person behind all of this. It’s going to be dangerous."

"Of course it is. You’re you." She squeezed his hand. "Just... be careful. Okay?"

"I’ll try."

"Good."

They sat in silence for a moment. Comfortable. Quiet.

Then Huey stood. "I should go."

"Huey?"

He stopped.

"Come back," Alessia said. "After whatever you’re planning. Come back."

He looked at her. Really looked at her.

"I will."

---

**Q’s Tower – Night**

The Blue Reaper stood outside the building, looking up at forty stories of glass and steel.

The Nexus Key was secured in his coat pocket. His katana hung at his side. Jazz’s program loaded into his earpiece.

The tower loomed above him, windows dark except for the top floor where a red light glowed.

*This is it.*

*Montez said the red-robed figure would be waiting at the top.*

*Q wants the key.*

*They know who I am.*

*This is absolutely a trap.*

He started walking toward the entrance.

*Good. I’m counting on it.*

The doors slid open automatically.

Inside: darkness.

Then movement.

Three figures stepped into the light.

Virelia students. Their Crests glowing with unnatural intensity. Eyes completely vacant—no recognition, no emotion, no humanity.

The experimented ones.

They moved in perfect synchronization. Not walking. *Moving.* Like they were controlled by a single consciousness.

The Blue Reaper stopped.

One of them spoke—voice flat, mechanical, wrong.

"Master says you must be stopped. Master says you cannot reach the top."

The Blue Reaper drew his katana. Blue flames ignited along the blade.

"Then let’s see if your master is right."