Jermaine was dead. His death caught everyone off guard, especially since they were confident he would win when he used the Phantom Reaper technique.
After all, the technique was a long-lost secret technique that was renowned two centuries ago. It was said to be unbeatable against opponents of the same level and capable of killing those beyond one's rank.
The Phantom Reaper technique could bypass physical defenses and protective barriers to deliver a deadly blow straight at the target's soul.