Darker than Black: Shinigami No Owari

by The World Needs Bloody Heroes

It's been eight years since the Izanami and Izanagi incident; eight years since anyone had heard or found any trace of the Black Reaper. But now, once again, the world will be plunged into chaos, and old enemies and rivals must join forces if they hope to stop the Ends Beginning from becoming a reality. BK201 is back...

1. Introduction

Darker than Black: Shinigami No Owari

Introduction - Aftermath…

'No one had heard of BK201 since the Izanami and Izanagi incident. It was as if he had faded into myth; that the Black Reaper was nothing more than an urban legend. But some, such as myself, know the truth. The Black Reaper was real, and he did exist. Where he is now, what he's doing…no one knows.

It's been eight years, and nothing has ever turned up. My partners, the other members of this "Syndicate", as we've been named by others, insist that he is gone. I don't believe that. I know he's alive. I know he's out there. I know…I know that Li-kun is out there. How do I know this? I use the most basic method in knowing a Contractor's status: His star. BK201's star still shines bright among all of the other fake ones. BK201 is alive. He has to be.

Kobayashi claims that this means nothing, as, at one point, BK201's star disappeared. But if he was dead it would have fallen, and so I decided to carry on believing that he was alive. And indeed he was! So, even now, I continue to believe he's among us; walking the streets, eating worrying amounts of food, possibly even working with an agency. Yet if that was the case, then his star would've shown some activity, surely…'

"Miss Kirihara?" A voice says over the intercom, interrupting my train of thought.

Pressing the button, I then reply, "Yes? What is it, Nagato?"

"Mr Kobayashi says he needs to speak with you. It's urgent."

Unable to hide my frustration, due to the fact I can never have a mere five minutes to myself, I sigh loudly, my finger still placed on the button. "On my way…"

"No need, Miss. He's here now."

What?

Then, instantly, my office door opens. As expected, the large and well-built man, Kobayashi, walks in. Surprisingly, he seems to be in quite a rush, nearly tripping over his own two feet.

"Kirihara…!" He gasps. The sweat on his face, as well as the horrid aroma he was filling the room with, was a clear indication that he had run here.

After he tries to speak a number of times, my patience runs thin. "What the hell is it, Kobayashi? If it's important then-!"

"He-he-he's back!" He finally manages to blurt out. This, however, still puzzles me, and I give him a questioning frown.

Once again, the man seems to be tongue-tied. So, deciding to assist him, I ask, "Who's back?"

Then, he mutters something. "…eaper…"

"What…?"

"…The…Reaper…" What he's trying to say starts to make sense. But, surely he was joking? It's been eight years…how could…? "The Black Reaper…BK201..." The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Was this really true…?

BK201...Li-kun…is back?