Demon Lord's Reincarnation

The blade of the scythe almost fully penetrated Sayaka's abdomen but before it went deeper Gratz flashed by and saved her. There was so much blood flowing out but as long as she was still breathing, and her soul wasn't damaged too much such a wound was still something they could heal.

While Gratz was moving he was helping Sayaka heal, Kamael and Schlau stuck to Skatt's side protecting him. The Clone of Death did not chase after them as his main focus was Skatt also because most of his power was focused on Erste, the clone can only go so far.

Schlau was able to notice that little detail, not only was the Clone of Death unable to go too far from the heart but the further he was from the area where the pocket dimension was hidden the weaker the clone became.

Schlau then told everyone through telepathy what he learned, yet even upon knowing the weakness of the clone they had no hope of winning, but now they can delay better.

...

Kamael was about to charge at the clone hoping to push it farther away from them, but Gratz who had finished healing Sayaka appeared in front of Kamael and stopped him.

"Sir Gratz, what are you doing?"

"Kamael, you, Sayaka, and Schlau stay here and protect the Dragon. I'll face off against the clone of Death myself."

"Wait, wait, wait, you can't do that, even with all of us together it was hard to keep up!" Kamael's face distorted as he shouted at his idol Gratz.

"There's no need to worry if it's just distracting and pushing him farther away from here I can do it."

"Sir Gratz, if anyone should do such a task I should do it." Kamael did not back down as he wanted to be the one to do this task as he knew it was a suicide mission.

"Please Kamael allow this old man to do this."

"Why?! Come on guys tell him that he can't do this." Kamael looked at his two companions who protecting Skatt side by side.

"Sorry Kamael, as a strategist Sir Gratz doing this task is our best bet for survival, and as a warrior how can I dishonor the oldest warrior of the rebellion by not honoring his final wishes."

"Thank you young Schlau." Gratz did not turn around as he continued to stare at the unmoving clone of Death while speaking his words of gratitude.

"I also support Sir Gratz in his decision." Sayaka who was still recovering from her previous injuries also gave her opinion.

"Thank you as well young Sayaka."

"Are you guys crazy?! You're allowing Sir Gratz to march to his death! No, no, no, I cannot allow that! I-"

"YOUNG KAMAEL!"

Gratz suddenly shouted making Kaamael shut up as he looked at the back of his idol.

"I understand that you wish to do this in my stead, but please allow me to protect you young ones. I cannot bear to watch you young ones fall before this old man." The image of Jonathan exploding flashes in Gratz's mind. "Please allow me to die an honorable and elegant death."

"..." Kamael opened his mouth wanting to say something but no words came out, he pursed his lips, and finally he spoke. "It was an honor to have met you, Sir Gratz." Kamael did a knight's salute as taught to him by Gratz, Schlau, and Sayaka followed suit and also saluted.

"It has also been my honor to have taught you three and to have fought beside all of you... Be well..." During the entire conversation not once did Gratz look back as he went forward to face the final battle in his life.

"Oh, are you guys done with your strategizing? Don't worry I did not eavesdrop on your conversation."

"Thank you for patiently waiting."

"So are you the only one going to face me?"

"Yes, please allow me the honor of battling you in a duel."

"That's interesting, very well."

"Thank you for this honor." Gratz got into a fighting stance and so did the Clone of Death. The two looked at each other and in the blink of an eye, the two disappeared from their initial positions.

The clone of death appeared behind Gratz and slashed at him but Gratz deflected the attack while barely evading it. The clone then continued his assault while Gratz continued to evade, deflect, and defend.

Gratz was focusing his senses to the extreme, he was pushing his body beyond its limits, and he needed to do his best just to survive the next second. Just defending for a few seconds was already making Gratz's body scream in pain, but the old man did not bother listening to it as he kept on pushing himself.

As he fought against memories of the past kept flooding his mind, the deaths of his comrades, his friends, his students, his past lovers, and even his children. Every battle he had someone died and he kept on living. He survived until he no longer had any living relatives.

In the beginning, he hated his strength and his weakness, he hated that he was strong enough to survive but too weak to protect what was important to him.

"I'm grateful to you Ancient One who governs over death!" Gratz suddenly shouted as he evaded another slash.

"Hoh, why is that?"

"You have given me a chance to make up for my regrets."

"Is that so," The clone continued his attacks but unlike before Gratz did not block, deflect, or evade instead he grabbed hold of a part of the scythe's handle as the blade plunged into his side. The clone was quite surprised by what happened, and then he heard Gratz's chuckle while coughing out blood.

"I'm truly grateful, you have also given me a chance to have the death I so wished. As expected of the one who governs over death, you have given me the chance to die elegantly and honorably."

Gratz then roared as he pierced the clone with his rapier and then pushed him farther and farther away. The clone tried to pull out his scythe from Gratz's body while trying to stop himself from being pushed back but he was unable to do both.

As the clone was getting farther and farther away from the heart he could feel that his body was disappearing, but instead of feeling any sense of dread, the clone chuckled.

"That was a fun fight, but unfortunately I won't be able to accompany you to the end. Well, I hope you enjoy your stay in my kingdom." With those parting words, the clone disappeared.

Gratz whose consciousness was fading could not hear what the clone said, but he saw the clone's body disappearing. As his body was dying, Gratz had a smile on his face.

'So this is what death feels like. Heh, it's been a long journey, but this is the end of this one... I wonder if the next journey would be just as exciting... I guess... I will find out... Now that I think about it are all my past wives in the kingdom of death?...

Hehehe, well it's going to be a... chaotic... reunion...'

Those were the last thoughts Gratz had before his body died.