Chapter 163

Waddle waddle.

After getting lectured in Unnie Seoah’s office, I finally stepped out with heavy footsteps, only to realize it was already late evening.

“Ah, it’s nighttime already?”

The courtyard visible through the window in the corridor outside Unnie Seoah’s office had transformed into a full-blown night scene, without a trace of sunlight remaining.

Being scolded for such minor issues! Unnie Seoah is way too meticulous!

Starting from the missing initial report about ‘The Black Reaper’ to various other unreported cases—it all came up.

Especially about the ‘Sugar Flamingo.’ How did she figure out that I was the one who discovered it?

Still, today’s reprimands from Unnie Seoah were much softer than before.

Unnie Sehee said that Unnie Seoah has become kinder, her expressions gentler and laughter more frequent. And it was true.

It felt like there was an increase in her understanding and consideration for others.

“Groooaan.”

While stretching my stiff body, a cute shadow flickered through the research institute corridor.

Clomp clomp.

A figure about half the size of an adult wobbled along with its characteristic gait.

Is the Reaper back?

Though the steps seemed a bit off, the silhouette looked exactly like the Reaper.

“Reaper?”

I quickened my pace, but instead of the Reaper, a completely different child stood there.

Black Reaper!

Under the soft moonlight, countless Black Reapers filled the corridor, happily walking around, bumping into each other, and rolling about.

Just like in the Colosseum, they gathered in various sizes and wandered around.

From two Black Reapers merging into a double-sized one…

To ones as large as the Gray Reaper—various sizes of Black Reapers were everywhere!

The most common size was around 1 meter, similar to the Gray Reaper. Unlike in the Colosseum, these lacked a purpose, so they often stumbled and rolled around.

When they fell, they lost their form and scattered into hand-sized pieces.

The scattered Black Reapers on the floor giggled and playfully bickered as if something extremely fun was happening.

Their joyful laughter drew me in, making me smile naturally.

With a grin, I took out my phone to capture the procession of Black Reapers extending from the courtyard when one of them noticed me and waddled over.

Twice the size of a regular Black Reaper, it extended both arms toward me while looking up.

Opening its tiny hands wide, it made a gesture resembling “Pick me up!”

Understanding the request, I carefully lifted the Black Reaper with my hands.

Warm.

And heavier than the usual Mini Reapers, giving an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

Filling my palm and feeling its weight made me appreciate its adorable size even more.

Rubbing its cheek against my palm, the Black Reaper revealed its cute shark teeth and seemed delighted.

It grabbed my fingers, rubbed them against its cheeks, and playfully nibbled with its tiny shark-like teeth, showing affection.

Piiip!

As I petted the Black Reaper, it let out a sound like a baby bird expressing satisfaction.

Looking up, I saw all the Black Reapers in the corridor staring at me.

Smiling brightly, I spread my arms wide and called out.

“Come here, everyone!”

In response, the Black Reapers rushed over and swarmed around me, forming a cocoon of Black Reapers.

***

Inside the underground temple guided by the orange moon.

Approaching the hearth, the orange pearl floating above it began emitting a gentle glow.

The light from the pearl combined with the mosaic patterns on the ceiling, softly illuminating the dark interior of the underground temple.

However, as the light grew stronger, the thick columns arranged densely within the temple cast deeper shadows in all directions.

Seeing the long-extinguished hearth and the orange pearl floating above it, an image of its original state came to mind.

A white flame rising high enough to engulf the ceiling, with the majestic orange pearl overlooking everything from within the flames.

But reality was far from it.

The cold hearth and the pearl that had lost its former glory.

The pearl hovering above the hearth had a rough surface like concrete and was stained black.

Black liquid dripped noisily into the hearth as the pearl vibrated slowly, as if in pain.

Checking the destruction condition:

[Depletes regeneration ability.]

The same destruction condition as the Hungry Ghost species caught my eye.

Clearly, those contaminated with black liquid have simplified destruction conditions.

Squelch squelch.

Just as I confirmed the destruction condition, a slushy sound echoed throughout the temple.

From the shadows beneath the temple columns, black fish emerged, having apparently lost their flight ability, now crawling forward with grotesque legs.

Their legs resembled those of drowned human corpses, swollen and hairy.

Attaching such ugly legs to the Cute Cloud Fish made them twice as hideous.

Gruuuh.

As the Cloud Fish approached, dripping black liquid from their mouths, I extended one hand forward.

The moment my right hand turned black, I clenched the space before me.

A black sphere formed in the air, beginning to suck everything inside the temple into it and erase it.

The mosaic pictures on the ceiling.

The thick temple pillars.

The broken statue of the Black Reaper.

The extinguished hearth.

The black Cloud Fish emerging from the shadows.

Even the pearl oozing black liquid.

When I released my grip, the black sphere disappeared, leaving nothing behind in the temple.

Even the ceiling was swallowed by the black sphere, and soft moonlight poured in through the gaping hole in the sky.

Looking up at the collapsed underground temple, a silver beam of light shone down on me like a spotlight.

Above me, various moons revealed themselves among the clouds.

The gray moon, the red moon, the blue moon, the indigo moon, and the yet unseen but sensed orange moon.

The fog barrier surrounding the area like a fortress quickly began to dissipate.

As the fog dispersed, Cloud Fish scattered across the skies.

The Cloud Fish that once adorned the heavens like the Milky Way were gradually dispersing.

This marked the end of the Cloud Fish incident.

***

Late at night, numerous materials began arriving at Trinity Research Institute No. 1.

They were thick containment walls designed for object isolation and construction materials.

The director of the 1st Research Institute stood by the tall office window, watching trucks endlessly entering the premises.

[Director. The materials are arriving as planned.]

“Load the arrived materials into the prepared containers. Once we confirm the disappearance of the fog at Odaesan, we must depart immediately. Make thorough preparations.”

[Yes, Director.]

The Director slipped his phone into his pocket and paced slowly around the office, reviewing the plan.

“I’m uneasy… so uneasy.”

Everything seemed perfect, and the Gray Reaper was excluded, yet the uneasiness wouldn’t go away.

Without proper experimentation or verification, rushing headfirst into this situation was making him try to comfort himself.

Since the Gray Reaper appears to be collecting moons, it couldn’t be helped.

If humanity’s last hope, the moons, were gone, then all would be lost, even if the Evolution Liquid proved to be humanity’s salvation.

Preparations for a secret research facility at Odaesan were already complete.

Every precaution was taken to avoid detection, especially from the media and world associations.

Most importantly, it shouldn’t be noticed by the ‘Gray Reaper,’ who watches the news.

While other institutes considered the ‘Gray Reaper’ a mere beast, the Director of the 1st Research Institute held differing opinions based on the notes left by the Director of Research Institute No. 3.

‘The Gray Reaper possesses human-level cognitive abilities and is humanity’s great adversary.’

Using that intelligence, the Gray Reaper was destroying humanity’s last hopes—the ‘moons’ and ‘Evolution Liquid.’

Thus, under no circumstances could the Gray Reaper find out.

So, a plan minimizing external exposure was devised.

Containment walls made of materials effective against ‘Evolution Liquid’ would prevent leaks, allowing rapid research in the secret facility.

Upon confirmation of the neutralization of the Orange Moon, the team would rush to establish the research base.

If the harmful effects of the black liquid could be removed, humanity could be forever freed from Objects.

And that achievement would be his alone, the Director thought with a small smile.

Recalling the future fruits of his labor, the uneasiness in the Director’s heart began to fade.

[Director. The fog at Odaesan has been confirmed cleared!]

At the exact moment his heart settled, the awaited message came through the radio.

“Depart immediately.”

After issuing the order via radio, the Director watched the departing vehicles from the window.

“What a fine weather.”

Shifting his gaze from the departing containers to the sky, the Director admired the beautiful night sky.

It seemed as if the heavens were celebrating humanity’s entry into a new turning point.

A cloudless sky.

Beautifully swimming Cloud Fish.

And the yellow flames reflected in the window.

“!”

Startled, the Director turned around to see the Gray Reaper standing there, calmly examining the notebook of the Director of Research Institute No. 3 on the desk.

At that moment, the Gray Reaper looked up from the notebook and stared at the Director.

Its expression carried a hint of annoyance and anger.

Clap clap.

Two claps.

Tap tap tap.

And three stomps.

Simultaneously, everything began to crumble.

The building, the Trinity Research Institute, and the Director’s dreams.