Chapter 151

The spirit barrier has collapsed.

The trustworthy guardian that had protected the city was slowly crumbling, engulfed in flames.

I was relentlessly roaming around the insides of such a city.

As I ran madly through the once-familiar labyrinth of the city, every breath felt as though I were burning from within, agonizingly painful.

It was as if my lungs would burst any moment.

The crimson glow of the collapsing spirit barrier stretched along the horizon like an evening twilight, staining the silhouette of the ruined city.

The fallen outer walls looked like the skeleton of the city, while smoke and flames surged endlessly into the sky.

The streets, once so familiar to me as the palm of my hand, now felt alien due to destruction and fire.

“Hurry. We need to escape quickly.”

A friend’s voice came from ahead, guiding the way.

“Stop.”

Half-hidden against a shattered wall, my friend whispered with a small voice.

Looking in the direction my friend was staring, I saw emaciated monsters with elongated limbs wandering the road.

Not human—they were objects with limbs stretched like salted shrimp, appearing all over the city corners, attacking people.

If it weren’t for these creatures, escaping the city wouldn’t be this difficult.

A crooked monster was searching thoroughly nearby, walking around.

Judging by its pacing, it seemed like it would wander here for at least a few minutes.

I asked what we should do as I observed it.

“It seems like it’ll take longer than expected. What should we do?”

“We wait here. Once we pass through that alley, the forest will keep us safe.”

‘That’s right,’ I muttered softly, trying my best to regulate my breathing.

Even though the smell of scorched remnants penetrated deep into my lungs, I suppressed my coughs and focused on steadying my breath.

After waiting for a few minutes, the wandering monster turned into an alley and disappeared from sight.

“30 seconds. Let’s run after 30 seconds.”

“Got it.”

With a calm breath, I replied to my friend’s composed words.

25…26…

While counting silently in my mind, a low chuckling sound reached my ears.

A laugh so hoarse it sounded like someone who had inhaled too much smoke.

What’s so funny?

Turning toward my friend, I noticed they were looking upward with their head tilted back.

Following their gaze, I saw a grotesque monster with an unnaturally long neck peering down at us from behind our leaning wall, laughing.

“Run!”

At my friend’s shout, we sprang into action.

Graaaak.

The monster’s hand scraped the asphalt where we’d been standing, like carving through cake.

Crazy, crazy, crazy!

We were almost there!

Glancing back while cursing under my breath, I sprinted toward the forest.

But we couldn’t help but stop our frantic dash.

Blocking our path was a colossal pig radiating heat so intense it felt like our skin would burn just from being near it.

In front of us, the giant pig; behind us, the slow-moving monster.

Trapped between two dangers.

“Haha, looks like this is it.”

My always calm friend spoke with a defeated tone.

Is this really the end?

Letting go of everything somehow made me feel lighter, and oddly enough, the smoky hell around me started to feel refreshing and humid.

Humidity?

No matter how strange, the thought of dampness and coolness in this scorched war zone was bizarre.

Simultaneously, incomprehensible strings of text illuminated the sky, and droplets surrounded us protectively.

[Please protect everyone!]

Above us flew a tiny object.

The clear blue object shone with a refreshing light just by looking at it.

And from the ruins of stone walls, overturned cars, broken asphalt cracks—everywhere—golden objects began peeking out.

Like meerkats emerging cautiously, they appeared adorably.

“It’s the Golden Reaper! We’re saved!”

My friend collapsed onto the ground, completely relaxing.

“Golden Reaper? What’s that?”

Another object’s appearance made me tense, but I didn’t understand my friend’s reaction.

“You still don’t know about objects, huh?”

Shaking their head, my friend started explaining enthusiastically about the ‘Golden Little Reaper,’ referencing some suspicious fan site.

Their fanatic gaze was slightly unsettling.

My roommate was this kind of person?!

Looking around, both the monster and the giant pig had vanished.

A small golden object tugged at the hem of my pants.

Pointing with a finger toward the road’s end, the harmless-looking object urged us forward with a worried expression.

Lifting the creature clinging to my pant leg onto my palm, it happily stretched out its hands like a baby.

The cute appearance of the Golden Reaper exuded a warm, pleasant scent like sunlight.

“Well, it is kinda cute.”

“Right?”

Smiling faintly, my friend followed the path indicated by the Golden Reaper.

Holding the cheerful object in my hand—no, petting the ‘Golden Reaper’—I slowly followed behind.

Looking around the city, the numerous monsters that once filled it had all disappeared, replaced by little fairy-like beings running everywhere.

Though subjective, it felt like the situation had resolved itself.

***

In a massive underground facility built with forged funds, a voice echoed.

“No! Please, just let me explain!”

“I’m sorry, but misappropriation is misappropriation. Object-related fraud carries heavy penalties.”

Director Lee Sehee clung to my feet, pleading desperately.

“It’s not misappropriation! This underground facility is merely an extension of the research institute…right?”

I stared incredulously, pointing at the radiant golden statue.

“And what about this large golden statue? It looks ridiculously expensive!”

“It’s not misappropriation. The gold was recycled material, that’s all.”

Recycled gold?

Ah… could it be?

“Could this be the ‘cute puppy’s’ doghouse?”

Yet, wasn’t the golden doghouse supposed to be safely stored in the cute puppy’s isolation room?

You stole the doghouse?

But I never heard any report about it disappearing?

Even if our institute operates sloppily, they wouldn’t miss a report about a missing golden doghouse…right?

Of course, they would.

There’s no way they’d overlook something so important.

Honestly, anyone with eyes would notice a big doghouse going missing.

Unless…did the security team really fail to report it?

What are they even paid for?

And when exactly did they start digging this basement?

Why does everything have to be so smooth except when it matters?

As my last shred of trust in the institute evaporated, Director Sehee’s voice broke through.

“The doghouse was swapped out with a secretly gilded one…”

Phew, thank goodness.

So, if it’s just an extension for the basement, it’s not misappropriation, right?

While pondering, something popped out from behind the golden statue.

It was the Golden Reaper.

Seeing the Golden Reaper, Director Sehee pointed excitedly and continued passionately.

“This golden statue is beloved by the Golden Reapers! Please, consider them and give me a chance!”

Director Sehee held up the Golden Reaper perched on her palm.

Confused but mimicking her sorrowful expression, the Golden Reaper looked like it was saying, “Please don’t destroy the golden statue!”

“Well, if it’s used by the Golden Reapers, there might be justification.”

Deciding to let Director Sehee off this time for the sake of the Golden Reapers, I loosened the angry facade I had been maintaining.

The Golden Reapers, who had been cautiously watching me near the golden statue, happily dashed toward me.

Surrounded by the Golden Reapers, I reconsidered.

‘Guess it’s because of the Golden Reapers.’

***

Inside the transport van heading to the airport arranged by James, I sat with a sullen expression, gazing at the remnants of the city streaming past.

The burned city and the completely collapsed spirit barrier.

This city was designated as an Object Hazard Area, and soldiers were evacuating people to safety in a hurry.

Despite the total collapse of the spirit barrier and attacks from countless objects, reports suggested minimal casualties.

At the heart of it all were the significant contributions of the Golden Reapers and Blue Reapers.

Through numerous eyewitnesses and videos, the heroic acts of the Mini Reapers spread widely.

Their purely cute and altruistic image made them immensely popular, unlike typical objects.

At that moment, Yerin thrust her phone toward me.

“Next time we’re in Korea, let’s try these outfits!”

Yerin showed me pictures of various outfits, bubbling with excitement.

Why does everyone, including Yerin and the Mini Reapers, want to dress me up so badly?

With a gloomy face, I reluctantly agreed to Yerin’s suggestions, as a service to cheer her up.

She recovered quicker than expected from passing out due to my prank, fortunately.

But she seemed extremely shocked, judging by her firm anger, so I had no choice but to take drastic measures.

Annoyingly, wearing weird costumes favored by Mini Reapers or Yerin!

Of course, finding clothes in the Rocky Mountains was impossible, so I wore a White Hungry Ghost like a cloak.

Whether it was because I found it funny or liked seeing me dress up for myself, Yerin immediately regained her energy.

Realizing I felt sorry and would try on a few outfits, she began showing me several horrifying costumes.

Dresses covered in frills.

Just from a glance, these complex ribbons and knots looked impossible to wear alone, and moving in them would be inconvenient.

Surely, I don’t have to wear those too, right?

Yerin’s determined expression told me otherwise, making me anxious.

***

Where marshmallows flutter like snowflakes, candy clouds cast soft shadows, and waves of hot chocolate leave trails of sweet chocolate fragrance.

The usually bustling Mini Reaper Garden, where Mini Reapers joyfully played, was now steeped in deep solitude.

All the Mini Reapers who wandered this space had left to assist humanity, leaving the garden desolately quiet.

In the center of the empty garden, a massive presence began to form.

A pristine sphere without a single blemish.

[The Unchanging Black Sphere]

The flawless black sphere ascended above the Mini Reaper Garden like a sun, dyed in perfect blackness.

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