Cards/Ghilley/The First Reaper's Secrets

The First Reaper's Secrets초기사신의 비밀

## Story

1/4

In the library, the Manager is looking through data when Licht and Sian arrive to share some interesting information. It turns out that Ghilley is in every Soul Reaper yearbook and he hasn't aged a single day! The Manager explains that they already knew this, when Ghilley makes a surprise entrance! Sian and Licht are so surprised that they end up holding onto each other, while the Manager says they saw Ghilley come in but had no chance to tell them. Ghilley teases the duo, saying it was sneaky of them to do a background check while the pair claim it was mere curiosity that led to the discovery. Ghilley looks at the pictures, while the Manager comments on his youthful appearance. He responds that the secret is that he's immortal, a privilege granted to Soul Reapers. Sian asks Ghilley why he's still there, especially with endless work to purify the souls and fulfill their own wishes. Ghilley replies that he's envious of him because Sian probably had a place to go, when Ghilley himself had nowhere to go and no choices in life. There's a flashback to a very long time ago, when Ghilley was the top rookie Soul Reaper selected to present the behavior guidelines and pledge for all Soul Reapers in front of the student body in the auditorium. Present day Ghilley monologues during the pledge, saying that the path of a Soul Reaper was the only path that he could take.

2/4

Ghilley continues to monologue as we're shown a scene involving a reaper, Cain, bragging about saving Ghilley's life and making him indebted to Cain for the rest of his existence. Present-day Ghilley tells us that he had no choice but to follow this man after he lost his family, and he even vowed to never be thrown away again. Later, Cain is shown berating another Soul Reaper, Carl, because he pities human souls. This makes Ghilley promise to be more merciless so he won't become like Carl.

In the Diluculo Team Dormitory, Carl approaches Ghilley as the loudspeaker announces that Ghilley has an assignment. Before he can leave, Carl begins talking about how they've been lied to regarding the soul reaping they perform. Carl believes there is a better way to help the souls. Ghilley states that they can only do what they're told, which is hunt souls. Carl fires back that of course Ghilley is only interested in fulfilling his own wish regardless of what becomes of the souls. Ghilley pulls out his weapon and aims it at Carl, while telling him that with an attitude like that he is unfit to be a reaper. As Ghilley leaves, Carl tells him that Cain will betray him without a second thought when he's no longer useful, and that he should be wary of him but he responds that he doesn't care.

3/4

In an unknown warehouse, Ghilley comes to consciousness, wondering if he was knocked out during a mission. His walkie-talkie sqwakes with Cain's voice telling the other team members that the spirit was killed but Ghilley stopped responding. After gathering his bearings, and more orders from Cain for him to answer, Ghilley finally answers. He's warned that there will be no mercy if he does anything stupid, to which he responds that he'll return after hunting down a nearby soul. Ghilley reminisces on what Carl told him about Cain using them.

In a nearby hospital, Ghilley quietly observes two people, one of whom will be hunted. It turns out that this is a grandfather and grandson, but the grandfather doesn't recognize him. As Ghilley prepares to hunt the soul, the grandson calls out to him. Ghilley doesn't respond, surprised a human can see him, but the grandson continues after noticing that Ghilley is injured. He asks if he should call a doctor for Ghilley, but he just tells him to move out of the way. Telling Ghilley not to come near, the grandson explains that his grandpa can't tell people apart and he is covered in dirt and blood. Ghilley watches as the grandson cares for his grandfather, and is at a loss of words from the emotions between the two. Finding it difficult to do his job, Ghilley instead tells the grandson it's pointless. Angry, the grandson declares that Ghilley has no right to speak about his grandfather that way. After claiming that he's the Grim Reaper, the grandson decides Ghilley must have hit his head. Ghilley can't fathom why the grandson would stay beside someone who is useless. Ghilley moves to another room while the grandson retrieves a doctor. The radio buzzes to life but Ghilley remains silent, and eventually smashes the walkie-talkie to pieces. Determined that he must get away before he remembers that he has feelings and emotions, Ghilley resolves to stop living as a reaper. At that moment, the door is bashed open by Carl, who has finished hunting the nearby soul. Ghilley is placed under arrest at the orders of Cain.

4/4

In an unknown room, Cain berates, belittles, and hits Ghilley over his decision to not follow orders. Ghilley thinks on whether someone will feel the same way for him as the grandson did for the grandfather, while Cain continues his tirade. Suddenly the emergency alarm sounds, which sends all Soul Reapers scrambling for the main gate. Ghilley begins to reminisce on his life being so worthless that no one would remember if he disappeared and wonders if he will live and die just like that. Ghilley opens his eyes to a new landscape, with a stranger speaking to him. He's arrived in the Celestial World because the Otherworld was destroyed, along with the other Soul Reapers and many citizens with it. Some who ran away were able to live but more than half were destroyed, however, Ghilley is angry that he's not even allowed to die alongside them. The Celestial God tells him to stop his childish outburst, because he only saved him because of Ghilley's desperate will to live. The Celestial God already knew of his situation, as a lonely being trying to earn salvation but ending up as a tool for another. It turns out that many Soul Reapers were suffering under the merciless orders of Cain to hunt souls, and because of this the Monsters took advantage of this chaos and attacked the Otherworld. While not blameless, Ghilley is plagued by the souls he's hunted in the past. The Celestial God explains that he is a fair being who allows others to experience happiness and tragedy, but because Ghilley only experienced loneliness, he had yet to enjoy the things he was missing. He gives him an extension on his life and declares that Ghilley should live his own life while waiting for the people that the Celestial God has destined for him. And so, Ghilley waited for something intangible, feeling that it was punishment rather than reward.

In present day, Nyang Manager is scolding Ghilley for flunking his courses, which Ghilley teases that he's stuck in the department until his fated ones arrive. Nyang Manager asks him what he thinks of the new batch of Soul Reapers and we see flashbacks of Day, Sian, Licht, and Quincy. Ghilley says that *this* might really be it, and asks Nyang if he'll miss him. Nyang answers that he never said he'd miss him and in fact he'd be happy to see a trouble-maker gone! When this last batch of Soul Reapers fill their kaleidoscopes, Ghilley says that he'll finally be able to fill his own and leave as well. There's no one else he needs to wait for. Ghilley laughs off the serious moment by saying that only time will tell, and Nyang scolds him some more, telling him to fill in the blank line he left for his wish if this might actually be his chance to graduate. Ghilley thinks on his final wish, "To meet these friends I've made again, in another life. No matter how. No matter what."