Chapter 116

The control room of the Trinity Research Institute.

On the main monitor of the control room, the figure of The Gray Reaper was being displayed.

Just as shown on the monitor, the destruction test had been a complete failure.

Perhaps because of this, the slightly elated atmosphere after successfully blocking The Gray Reaper’s ghosting phenomenon had completely disappeared.

The screen was filled with numerous blinking alerts, casting an eerie light on the faces of the security guards, whose expressions were brimming with worry.

“It’s ineffective.”

Amidst the rapid tapping of keyboards and intermittent beeping sounds, the self-deprecating voice of the security captain could be heard.

The deputy director, who had lost his sanity and turned into an object, had melted away without a trace, yet The Gray Reaper remained unscathed.

Every kind of destruction method prepared by the Trinity Research Institute had proven powerless.

Not even the intense heat that melts hungry ghosts.

Not even the blades that tear apart ghosts.

Not even the shockwaves that crush shadows.

All were useless.

Only a few containment measures, such as the unbreakable bubbles, seemed to still function.

[Strike Team, successful sniping. We will continue attacking from a safe position.]

At that moment, news of the strike team’s success in attacking the hostages came through.

With a meaningful smile, the security captain waited for The Gray Reaper’s reaction on the monitor.

Suddenly, a massive tremor echoed throughout the facility.

The monitors in the control room pitifully continued to flicker, and people struggled to maintain their balance, falling flat on the floor.

And then, a power outage.

All electricity in the control room was cut off, plunging it into darkness.

The solemn interior of the control room became chaotic, filled with urgent voices.

Fortunately, a few seconds later, the control room’s power was restored.

As the emergency generator roared to life, the control room regained its original atmosphere, but not what lay beyond the monitors.

The Gray Reaper was gone.

The indestructible bubbles had all shattered.

The specially-made alloy walls designed to contain objects had been torn apart like paper.

And at the edge of the cracked wall, something strange could be seen.

A trace so small it would go unnoticed unless carefully observed.

Void.

A blackness that ceaselessly devours light.

Sensing unease from that faint trace, the security captain felt a premonition and quickly left the control room.

“Ah…”

Looking up at the sky, he witnessed the true nature of the void.

From horizon to horizon, the sky had split open.

The sun had vanished, casting shadows over the ground, and an endless sense of terror emanated from the void.

“Huh, what is this? Could this really be the work of The Gray Reaper?”

Like the Milky Way slicing across the heavens, the sky had been torn into five streaks.

Those streaks mirrored themselves on the ground in five lines.

The Trinity Research Institute had been ripped apart.

It’s impossible.

There’s no way humans can face something like this.

How are humans supposed to fight against something like this?

The security captain hurried back to the control room.

I need to escape.

This thought alone filled the captain’s mind.

“Captain. The total annihilation of the strike team has been confirmed.”

To the captain, frantically grabbing car keys, a pale-faced officer reported.

Looking up at the monitor, the CCTV showed the shredded remains of the strike team.

They had been wiped out in the blink of an eye.

Struggling to erase the fear from his voice, the captain spoke.

“Listen up, all security personnel! Scatter throughout the facility. Buy as much time as possible! From this point forward, we abandon the containment and elimination of The Gray Reaper.”

Maintaining as solemn and calm an expression as possible, the captain continued.

“Release all contained objects. Do everything you can to irritate The Gray Reaper and buy time. If we wait until the director arrives, we can win. Understand?”

“Yes!”

With a serious expression, the captain donned his coat and exited the control room.

Looking up at the sky, he noticed the torn heavens had returned to normal.

That’s good. If my subordinates saw those terrible wounds, they’d try to flee.

My subordinates need to buy me time.

Until I can escape safely!

Pretending to walk leisurely at first, the captain gradually quickened his pace until he began running.

Whether the director or The Gray Reaper is stronger, the captain couldn’t tell.

But one thing was certain: he’d die before the director arrived.

Arriving at the underground parking lot of the Trinity Research Institute, the captain opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat.

“Haha, I’m alive!”

The anxiety faded from the captain’s face, replaced by a smile.

BOOM.

But that smile vanished in an instant.

A monstrous creature with fiery yellow eyes blocked the path ahead.

With a fierce expression, The Gray Reaper spread its hands wide, then slowly brought them together.

Space itself began to warp.

The captain tried to force the car door open, but the rigidified space refused to budge.

“No! Please, help me!”

Trapped within the shrinking space, the captain kicked and punched in every direction, but to no avail.

Smaller, smaller still, until he completely disappeared.

And at that spot, only a faint chocolate scent lingered behind.

***

Oh, I made a mistake.

The youngest one doesn’t have physical immunity and is fragile, but I underestimated Trinity because they were so incompetent.

While playing in the custom Trinity sauna pool, I sensed a will.

A somewhat sad and painful final scream.

Hearing the Blue Reapers’ [Mom…], my mind went blank.

So maybe that’s why I used too much firewood when tearing down the barriers.

Anyway, ‘Mom’, huh?

I thought they’d treat me more like a ‘Sister’ or ‘Friend’, but this is surprising.

To eliminate potential dangers, I hunted down and killed everyone who reminded me of those who shot the youngest.

Using the Black Penguin Teleport, I returned to where the Blue Reapers were and summoned the one who had been previously dismissed onto my palm.

The Blue Reaper lay there, utterly drained, sprawled out like a corpse.

It’s okay. It’s okay.

Reassuring myself internally, I gently stroked the Blue Reaper’s head.

[Mom, you’re gentle.]

Awakening from sleep, the Blue Reaper giggled happily.

[Mom, you’re gentle now! Isn’t that amazing?]

[Mom, you’re gentle!]

The other Blue Reapers all crowded into my arms.

I’m always gentle, yet somehow calling me ‘mom’ feels subtly mocking.

Except when eating snacks, when I’m bothered, or watching TV—they ignore me then.

I affectionately petted the cute Blue Reapers who clung to me.

***

White Flame spread in all directions, burning the residents of Gwanak-gu.

Or rather, what used to be the residents of Gwanak-gu.

“James! You said we’d be fine!”

The interpreter, tense with anxiety, gasped while speaking.

“Haha, who could have known Gwanak-gu would become a city of the undead?”

“I knew it would come to this!”

The interpreter’s scream echoed through the streets of Gwanak-gu.

James’ group hid inside a building to evade the endlessly approaching crowd.

No matter how many they burned, the endless flow forced them to barricade the narrow entrance and fortify their position.

The weapons carried by James’ bodyguards looked incredibly advanced to the interpreter.

Though they appeared like old-fashioned torches made of iron, they transformed into powerful flamethrowers spewing White Flame with a simple adjustment.

Is this American technology! While examining a torch lent to him for self-defense, he noticed a frog.