For the most part, all Reapers more or less looked the same. They had bull-like horns that twisted downward, long muscular limbs, sharp claws on their hands and feet, deadly rows of teeth, tough dark skin, a thick tail, and bone plated armor usually around the neck/chest area, tail, and waist but this could vary. However, once you get to A class Reapers and above the looks become much more personalized to the actual reaper.

The Reapers that rushed towards the surprised Zero were no higher than B class - but there wasn't just one of them.

There were three.

Zero had to act fast; he threw his arms out to the side, "Chronos Trigger!" The time field manifested and the Reapers came to almost a stand still, a mere few feet from where Zero currently stood.

The men from Command, currently huddled behind Marcus and Haji for safety, were in awe. "Ooooh! So this is the time ability you spoke of. But if my eyes are correct, it looks like they're still slightly moving. Is that supposed to happen?"

"Yes sirs, that is correct." Haji answered. "We've tested it a few times and was able to discover the current limitations. He can only speed up or slow down time using Chronos Trigger. He's not able to reverse time or stop it. Not yet anyways."

"Hmm I see," the man said, stroking his chin. "Well, a boon nonetheless."

Once the field was in place, Zero ran to get out of dodge of the Reapers.

"Why are there Reapers here?! Now of all times…" That's when it clicked for him. The sound of the whistle. No one coming to help him.

This was the test.

As Zero got another few feet away, the Reapers were free of the time distortion. They immediately gave chase to Zero.

Shit! I forgot about the fixed radius! thought Zero.

He knew he couldn't outrun the Reapers this way. Zero planted his feet once more, "Chronos Trigger!"

The time field reappeared and the Reapers were stopped dead again. "Just made it. Wait….1,2.." There was one missing.

*BAM!*

Zero was suddenly blindsided by one of the Reapers with a mighty tail swipe. Zero was sent rolling across the ground. Thankfully he was still close enough that his time field kept the other two in check.

The third Reaper that attacked him stood stalking him from a distance. There was a clear hunger in his eyes and he could feel the lust radiating off of it. Zero knew all too well that the Reaper wanted nothing more than to sink into his flesh. After all, he's been there too.

This is so fucked, he thought. Why would they do something so crazy as pit me up against three Reapers as his test. I haven't even fought one yet!!

Zero and the two Reapers were inside the time zone. He just needed the third one to move a little bit closer.

"Hmmm." One of the men from Command was looking past Haji at the battle unfolding with a curious look. "How did that one manage to actually get a hit in?"

"What do you mean?" Marcus replied.

"Well…he had his ability activated. The Reaper should've instantly been affected by the time change before he even had a chance to touch the boy."

"That's actually a good question. Haji?"

Haji turned to the man, "That's because Zero has to actually implement the distortion himself. Whenever anything enters the radius of Chronos Trigger, Zero has to actively slow down or speed up whatever is in there. Which is why he was able to get the first two Reapers. But, the third attacked him from behind. So Zero was unaware he was even there."

"Interesting. One would think that he would be able to automatically do something like that."

That's not the issue at hand, Haji pondered. Reapers are definitely faster than humans, but it shouldn't have been able to get around Zero that fast. How…

Zero stood in a standoff with the Reaper. It was refusing to move any close as if it KNEW something would happen. However, things only worked less in his favor the longer he prolonged.

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"Fine, I'll come to you!" Zero dashed forward towards the Third Reaper, moving the time field with him.

The Reaper snarled at him and bared his teeth. But as long as it was within Chronos Trigger's time field, Zero was untouchable. He kicked off hard from the ground to increase his dash speed. The Reaper went to respond to this, but found itself stuck.

It was now within the radius.

*Bam!* *Bam!*

Zero went at high speed, dealing punch after punch to the Reaper. While he didn't have any type of super strength like Three, a high speed punch was a weapon of its own.

"Ahhhh!" The Reaper cried out in distress as he was being pummeled by a force he could no longer see.

That's it, keep striking! Zero thought to himself as he gritted his teeth and went in for another pass. He didn't want to stay within the Reaper's grasp for too long - he didn't know it could possibly be capable of.

"I…I can barely even make him out right now!" One of the men spoke. He stepped slightly past Marcus to get a better look.

"Sir, please remain behind us for your safety."

"Please Marcus, forget safety. This boy is handling the situation all by himself! We were right to make the test harder. With him around, think of what we could achieve…"

However, Zero's caution was quickly justified.

The Reaper was getting annoyed by the constant invisible blows. Each time it was struck it would swing wildly back at Zero only to hit empty air. The other two were slowly trying to make their way over to the action but it was a literal snail's pace.

*BAM!* Zero came in for a quick uppercut to try to knock it down. But it simply lowered its chin just as fast as it shot upwards and got a clear view of Zero, who hadn't had a chance to duck back out.

"Fuck-"

*BOOM!*

With a huge swipe of its long arm, it finally connected with Zero's face. He was knocked off his feet and sent flying through the air. Zero landed hard on his side and popped up off the ground from the force of the landing and flopped back down on his back.

"Ugh….*cough* that one hurt…"

He turned himself over and managed to get up on a knee before he realized that he was much further from the Reapers after that attack. Meaning…

They were no longer caught in Chronos Trigger.

All three Reapers bum rushed towards Zero while he tried to recover. It's like they were all linked to a single thought: Feast.

"RAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"

"This is bad!"

Zero tried to quickly activate his ability, but the Reapers got to him first.

*SLASH!*

One of the Reapers came down with its claws and ripped straight down his shirt. Surprisingly it barely broke through the fabric. Zero jumped back but the second Reaper caught up with him.

"Chronos T-"

The Reaper raised both its arms high above Zero and slammed down its fist with impressive force on top of Zero.

*BAM!*

Zero slammed straight down into the ground from a short distance. "Argh!" He briefly blacked out from the sudden trauma. A ringing sounded in both ears and he was sure one of his ribs cracked.

Marcus watched on at the development. "In case you gentlemen weren't aware, the clothes they wear provide minimal protection against the elements as well as physical attacks. Just enough to shave off a potentially fatal attack."

"We know." The man that had walked past him said. "Let's see how much it helps him out of this jam though."

The Reapers stared down at the fallen Zero who laid flat on his stomach not moving. One of them raised its claw in the air and aimed right at Zero's helpless neck.

"Chronos…..Trigger!"

At the eleventh hour, Zero was able to put his time field back in place. He quickly turned over and was met with a pair of claws that were slowly on their way down to impale him. The way the Reapers body was positioned in the midst of the attack, Zero was unable to get up around him.

"Back off!" Zero threw a hail mary punch in an attempt to knock the Reaper's arm away to allow him to escape the beating.

As his hand impacted the Reaper's arm, something strange occurred. It was like his fist suddenly vibrated and it plowed straight through the arm, completely severing it off.

What…., Zero thought, confused by how he was just able to do that. No time to think about it! Zero took the chance to slip away and create distance between them. He knew this would most likely remove them out of the time field, but he couldn't risk being caught again.

Just as the Reapers were freed from the distortion, the one with the missing arm screamed out in agony. "AGHHHHHHH! AGHH! AGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Blood sprayed out of the wound where half his arm used to be. The missing part of its arm plopped on the ground.

Haji stepped forward, "Did Zero just do that?" He looked to Marcus to see if he had an answer. But Marcus was fixated on the fight - his focus unwavering as he shut everything else out.

As the Reaper continued to scream, one of the other Reapers stepped closer to it. Zero pegged it as the one from earlier that got around his time field since it still had some visible damage from his punches.

It then immediately shoved its claws through the chest of the amputated Reaper.

"What?!" Zero shouted.

As the blood began to pool in its throat the screaming turned into soft gurgles. Then…nothing. The Reaper grabbed the now lifeless body with two hands and started gnawing at the flesh. Consuming one of his own.

The men from Command now started taking a few steps backwards. "W-wait…Reapers eat EACH OTHER? I've never heard of Reaper cannibalism. What does this mean??"

Marcus and Haji didn't respond. They were just as taken back.

Zero watched on in horror as The Reaper continued to eat. That's when the other Reaper lunged at it for whatever reason. The cannibal Reaper quickly turned to meet it and grabbed it by the neck with its tail.

*SNAP*

The Reaper went limp.

"This is crazy.." Haji finally spoke. "Reapers have an enhanced skeletal and muscular system. It takes a great deal of force to break a bone or even fully puncture the skin. Even for a Reaper, to so effortlessly take out two others…"

The Reaper dropped the partially eaten one and decided to take a bite out of this one too.

Zero knew that now was his chance to attack with the numbers now even and it being distracted. He didn't understand what was unfolding before him, but if he was going to survive this life or death test he had to act. Before it was too late.