Chapter 148

James’s simple words echoed in my mind.

“Please guide the guest.”

At the same time, as an intense pain surged through me and my eyes snapped open, a sky filled with thick, cream-like smoke loomed before me. Lying amidst the ashes of what was once a well-organized city, my gaze was fixed on the eerie crimson-and-gray-painted heavens. Above, smoke spiraled upward like a colossal snake devouring the sky, while below, fierce flames dyed the world red with destruction. The dense smoke, darker than the night sky, glowed ominously red from the fire consuming the ground. Occasionally, ominous thunder roared through the smoky skies like a symphony heralding the apocalypse.

“Haa… haa…”

Breathing grew increasingly difficult. With every strained exhale, the blood filling my lungs bubbled and gurgled as if boiling. A hacking cough sent more blood streaming from my mouth, splattering across the cracked asphalt to mark my final traces. Death was near. Even without moving, every part of my body screamed in agony. There were more injured parts than not. I had failed.

If only I’d been more careful, we could have escaped…

In the midst of endless self-reproach, a rustling sound nearby made me painfully turn my gaze.

“!”

I saw James’s guest slowly rising. Despite the massive collision, they were still able to move. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Yerin stood up.

“At least they’re safe…”

A wave of relief washed over me. Though clearly injured, their life wasn’t in immediate danger. Still, this was the mission James entrusted to me—I wanted to see it through to the end. I had to guide them to safety, but my body wouldn’t respond. Trying to push myself up using just my fingertips proved futile.

“Even if I couldn’t finish guiding them… is this enough, James?”

Though unable to speak, I addressed someone not present. Regret for unfinished tasks and apologies for failure swirled in my blood-filled mouth. My eyes no longer opened properly, and my lips merely quivered as a shadowy figure approached. As my vision blurred, I caught glimpses of gray and yellow flames flickering before losing consciousness.

***

The faint shadow draped over the city, and looking up at the looming shape of a giant pig, I was struck by its overwhelming size. Though unmistakably the same pig I’d seen before, its presence was extraordinary now. When it used dead flesh, it felt like a miniature pet pig, but now it radiated immense power. Its gaping mouth oozed putrid, dark-red magma, and its skin burned with unquenchable flames. The enormous pig slowly lowered its head to look directly at me. Its wild, soulless eyes pierced into mine intensely.

Then, gradually fading, the pig’s form disappeared. It seemed to exist between reality and unreality—perhaps it couldn’t fully manifest yet. To deal with this pig, I’d need to head toward that whirlpool Yerin and I observed earlier.

Turning back, I saw Yerin fumbling with my antennae, seemingly lost in thought, then limping over somewhere. She arrived where the secretary lay bleeding heavily. “Reaper, what do we do?” Confused and helpless, she stared at the blood-soaked secretary, whose injuries looked beyond saving even in a hospital. At the sight, I summoned the Blue Reaper.

Appearing on my palm, the Blue Reaper glanced worriedly at me before flying over to the secretary on a broomstick. Both Yerin and the Blue Reaper, along with the Golden Reapers clinging to my hair, all wore concerned expressions whenever they looked at me. Do I really look that bad? I’m just turning into something like a dried-out mud doll…

[Please don’t be in pain.]

[Let the painful spots heal.]

[Do not succumb to your wounds.]

The Blue Reaper closed its eyes and repeatedly wrote strings of text. Thanks to this, the secretary, who had appeared close to death, began breathing steadily. Still, proper treatment would be necessary since the Blue Reaper’s healing couldn’t cure severe injuries completely. I attached a few Golden Reapers to the recovering secretary and sent them toward Sehee Research Institute. They’ll likely send her to the hospital from there. I wanted to send Yerin back too, but I couldn’t. We needed her to handle the pig.

My stomach growled; I was exhausted and dizzy from hunger. After sending the secretary off, dizziness crept back in. More firewood was needed. Exhausted, I approached Yerin sitting on the ground and licked the blood off her cheek.

“!”

Startled, Yerin turned to look at me, but I pretended not to notice and looked away. Thanks to my little prank, more firewood seemed to flow toward me from Yerin, who hugged me from behind. I commanded the Mini Reapers: “Alright, scatter and help people.” But both the Golden and Blue Reapers shook their heads violently in refusal. “I’m fine now,” I insisted, showing them my somewhat recovered skin. Finally convinced, the Mini Reapers dispersed in all directions. The despair-filled city began to lighten its mood. Between the small amounts of firewood brought by the Mini Reapers and the large quantities provided by Yerin, we should gather enough firewood to fight the pig before it fully manifests.

***

Clomp clomp.

Holding the Reaper’s hand, I continued walking past the fiery curtain. On each shoulder perched a Golden Reaper and a Blue Reaper, guarding me. Thankfully, thanks to the Blue Reaper’s healing, the pain was gone, allowing me to accompany the Reaper. Though I still felt some discomfort in my side, as long as it didn’t hurt, it was fine! Crossing the blazing Spirit Barrier revealed the long-abandoned ruins of the city, taken over by ghostly objects. Despite the lack of electricity, the city was illuminated sufficiently by the burning walls and crimson-tinted sky. Roads were split, overrun with weeds, and civilization’s remnants crumbled. Fresh pig tracks covered the area. Against the flow of these tracks, we kept ascending. Noticing the ominous clouds gathering above, I nervously held the Reaper’s hand tighter. “Reaper, look at the sky.”

Above, black smoke gathered in one spot, coiling like a snake nesting in the heavens. It resembled a whirlpool in the sky—an ominous sight. The Reaper is invincible, so everything should be fine, right?

***

The closer we got to the pit, the more the space stretched unnaturally, making the ruins appear distorted through our lens. Spreading the Mini Reaper Garden around us to counteract spatial distortions, we reached our destination faster than expected. Passing through the dark forest, a vast cliff greeted us below, revealing a gigantic pit. The pit was closer than anticipated—not distance, but spatial distortion was the issue. From the helicopter view, it felt entirely different. The massive vortex of twisted earth appeared before us. The darkened land churned like a living entity, with a bottomless abyss at its center swallowing everything. Slowly stepping forward, the giant pig emerged from the shadows. Its presence was far more overwhelming than seen through the smoke. Each step caused earthquakes, distorting the space around it. Every time its foot hit the ground, the earth twisted into a vortex. Tensed by its monstrous aura, I checked the destruction condition.

[Destroy every shred of flesh.]

Unexpectedly simple for such a massive creature. Despite its power to warp space and emit black flames, why such a basic destruction condition? Upon closer inspection, I noticed the reason.

The faint stench emanating from it. The oozing black magma. Though it emitted black flames, perhaps it wasn’t enough? This pig already seemed tainted by the black liquid. What I thought was just foul-smelling liquid might be more significant. Then this should be easier than expected. I decided to use the new technique gained from handling dead bodies. Extending my right hand forward, its skin turned black. Crunch. Clenching my fist, space warped, creating a black sphere. The sphere that consumed everything, including light, reappeared before me. The construct, fueled by Yerin’s goodwill and affection, seemed ready to crush the entire pig.

***

As the Reaper’s right hand turned black, space warped, forming a black sphere. It looked like a black hole, sucking in everything, including light. “Wow, the Reaper is amazing!” I cheered internally at their newfound ability. However, events unfolded differently. The giant pig began tearing apart the space containing the black sphere. Though difficult, it succeeded in isolating more than half its body. The space crushed within the pig’s teeth twisted into a whirlpool and shot toward us like a bullet. Twisted into a vortex, it tore through space as it flew. Seeing this, the Reaper urgently let go of my hand and kicked me away with both feet. The black sphere swept past where the Reaper had been, leaving long marks on the ground.

“Reaper!”

Could the Reaper have disappeared?

The Reaper vanished without a trace.

***

Standing dumbfounded on the marshmallow-like ground, Yerin watched as the Pig King, having lost most of its body, began regenerating. Black bones formed first, followed by decaying veins weaving together, then muscles and skin covering them. Ready to charge, the golden and blue reapers stepped forward tensely. Just as the pig prepared to pounce, it suddenly stopped. An out-of-place sound echoed through the battlefield.

Clomp clomp.

Small footsteps.

The sound came as the marshmallow ground stretched toward the pig. Alone, tiny gray Reaper feet walked across the soft surface. Slowly, methodically, the squishy gray Reaper regenerated from its small ankle upward. Fully regenerated, complete with feelers, the Reaper glared fiercely at the pig.