Chapter 171

Scary Senior Jungloe and the office brimming with work stood in stark contrast to the isolation room filled with fun things to do with the cute Reaper.

Yet, even as I fondled the soft, squishy belly of the always fluffy Reaper, something seemed off about its usual cheerful vibe, leaving me less entertained than normal.

Is something bothering it?

Even its favorite pudding was consumed half-heartedly, like a robot going through the motions, and massaging its jelly-like limbs yielded little reaction.

Normally, just a gentle rub would’ve sent it into a blissful slumber with a melted expression!

Its normally swaying antennae now hung limp, like a wilting orchid.

The Black Reaper must have sensed this too, approaching with a worried look and kidnapping a White Hungry Ghost.

“Hiiing!”

The adorable cries of the White Hungry Ghost, sensing its impending doom, echoed pitifully.

The Reaper regained its spirit after tearing apart and eating the ghost’s limbs.

Then, rising fresh as ever, like a rejuvenated tentacle, it disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The Reaper is gone…

Now *I* feel down.

I wanted to play with the Reaper…

Cradling the limbless but still cute Hungry Ghost, I collapsed onto the bed like a ragdoll.

Ugh, I don’t wanna work.

Lost in thought, staring at the ceiling, the Black Reaper approached with a concerned look, gently patting my cheek.

It looked like someone watching over a critically ill patient.

Reapers are so over-the-top when I’m just a little down—it’s kind of endearing.

Though they don’t seem to react this way toward others, maybe they really do care about me?

With that thought, I suddenly grabbed the worried Black Reaper and hugged it tightly.

Despite its shark-like teeth, its personality is as cheerful as the Golden Reaper.

This contrast makes it all the more charming—and cuter.

As if hearing my thoughts, the Black Reaper went limp in my hands, melting like warm butter before clinging snugly to me like a glove, giggling softly.

A warm, squishy black Reaper glove.

With one hand, I enjoyed the soft texture of the Reaper-turned-glove, while with the other, I took a bite out of the leftover White Hungry Ghost.

Reaper, please come back soon this time.

***

As the vision cleared after teleportation, all I could see was the vast expanse of the sky.

Below stretched an endless sea of clouds, and above blazed the fiery sun.

Ah, the sky.

Teleporting to the Orange Reaper landed me in freefall through the heavens.

Startled by my sudden appearance, the Orange Reaper quickly grabbed my hand—but it wasn’t strong enough to pull me up.

Will we crash together into the ground?

Just then, something soft caught me and lifted me gently into the air.

It was a cotton-candy cloud whale.

The Orange Reaper, looking ten years older, calmed down from the shock.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

I picked up the fuzzy Orange Reaper and began petting it slowly.

Aside from the Black Reaper, the colorful Mini Reapers seem too weak. Is it because I lack strength?

The Black Reaper can transform into a giant version of itself, so lifting me should be no problem for it.

The cloud whale slowly carried us both near the surface before ascending back into the sky.

Flying sure looks fun.

I wish I could try being an Angel Reaper with wings, but killing bird-type objects probably won’t give me wings, right?

Plip-plop.

With various thoughts swirling in my mind, I strolled toward where the Blue Reaper’s presence could be felt, the Orange Reaper flying excitedly behind me.

Come to think of it, I haven’t spent much time with the newer ones.

Seeing the Orange Reaper enjoying itself alongside me, I picked it up and placed it on my head.

The Orange Reaper loves my antennae, so it quickly buried itself in its own fuzz and gave me a tight squeeze.

As we drew closer, a building emanating horrifying emotions came into view.

Are they torturing people here under the guise of a cult?

Climbing nearby buildings for a peek, I saw Blue Reapers gathered helplessly atop the roof, overwhelmed by waves of pain and despair.

“The humans are hurting!”

“What do we do?”

Their general mood seemed to say.

With a determined look, I started descending into the building.

An adventure to rescue attachment humans and suffering victims had begun.

At a slight distance, I followed the Blue Reaper using ghosting to move quietly.

***

While the Golden Reaper distracted the Association employees patrolling the village, Rachel sneaked into her parents’ house unnoticed.

Dark and empty, the house felt lifeless.

Any moment now, Dad might rise from the porch swing to greet me, Mom might open the door smiling, and my wheelchair-bound older brother might laugh brightly upon seeing me…

But inside, the house was only cold and lonely.

“There must be some clue.”

Rachel whispered to herself, beginning to search the quiet home.

Perhaps leaving it to the Association would’ve been the better choice.

But she didn’t want to sit idly by, waiting anxiously.

Because the Association, though excellent, isn’t perfect—there are always casualties.

If there’s even a small chance to save her family, she didn’t want to give up.

Guided by the faint light of the Golden Reaper, she searched for several minutes.

She found a letter sent by the “Eye Sect,” a fake religious group promising immortality and miraculous healings.

On the back of the flyer, marked with a map and location.

“I found it!”

Excited, Rachel quietly cheered.

The Golden Reaper bounced happily alongside her.

To avoid drawing attention, Rachel hid the glowing Golden Reaper in her arms and slowly made her way out of the village.

Thanks to the Golden Reaper’s antics, which shouted “Watch me!” multiple armed vehicles and personnel arrived.

Fortunately, with reinforcements, the commotion allowed Rachel to escape through the nearby forest.

“We need to hurry. My family might be in danger.”

Given the Association’s swift response, this cult seemed far from ordinary.

Swallowing her worries, Rachel drove toward the marked location on the map.

***

The Blue Reapers passed through the empty building and began advancing cautiously toward a hidden underground cave.

Though well-concealed, the entrance was easily located due to the overwhelming emotional signals radiating from it.

The closer they got, the stronger the emotions became.

And the sadder the Blue Reapers grew.

“Why hurt humans?”

“I hate this.”

One Blue Reaper riding a broomstick accidentally fell mid-flight, startled, and frantically scanned its surroundings.

On either side of the cave corridor were makeshift prisons filled with people groaning in agony, their bones shattered.

[Please stop causing pain.]

[Let all wounds heal.]

The Blue Reaper cried endlessly, pouring every drop of liquid from its body to heal the prisoners.

The Blue Reaper who lost its attachment human moved deeper into the cave with a particularly pale complexion, stumbling along.

As strings of text shattered in the air, filling the damp cave with a refreshing scent, the unconscious Security Room Employee woke up.

“The Blue Reaper has come.”

Clutching his teeth, the employee crawled toward the source of the Blue Reaper’s cool aura.

The prison cells weren’t locked.

They probably assumed anyone with broken bones wouldn’t attempt an escape.

He could’ve stayed put, but he pushed through the pain.

So the Blue Reaper could find him sooner.

After crawling despite drenched in cold sweat, the Blue Reaper appeared before him.

Upon seeing its attachment human, the Blue Reaper clung to his head and sobbed loudly.

[Please stop causing pain.]

[Promise never to do this again.]

“It’s okay. I’ll get better after resting a bit. Don’t cry.”

The employee consoled the Blue Reaper with a raspy voice from shouting too much.

He wanted to stroke it but couldn’t move his hands properly.

The Blue Reaper lightly tapped his head with its fists, wanting to scold him but afraid of causing pain.

Thanks to the Blue Reaper’s magic, the employee slowly extended his trembling hand and patted its head gently.

This caused the Blue Reaper to cry even harder, overwhelmed with emotion.

***

I watched the sobbing Blue Reaper from within the dirt wall using ghosting, staying hidden.

The Orange Reaper disguised itself by covering its hair in dirt and stuck to the ceiling, pretending to be part of the wall.

Nothing dangerous seemed to have happened so far.

‘Maybe it’s time to head back?’ I thought, when a suspicious figure appeared.

It looked human but wasn’t.

It resembled an Object but was different.

A middle-aged man dressed flamboyantly, spreading his arms wide in exaggerated movements, wearing a sorrowful expression.

“Suffering is a blessing, the path to eternal life.”

At the sudden voice, the Blue Reaper stood protectively in front of the Security Room Employee, glaring tensely.

The Blue Reaper instantly recognized the man wasn’t human and had harmed its attachment human.

Something that’s not human yet harms humans?

The Mini Reapers’ least favorite kind of enemy.

[Needles made of water, 10 of them!]

Ten needles made of water shot rapidly toward the middle-aged man.

“Hiss!”

But the man deflected them all with a dramatic wave of his hand.

Like a martial arts show, I applauded silently in admiration.

Those water needles pack at least the force of arrows, yet he blocked them barehanded.

Confident after deflecting the needles, the man now faced ten Blue Reapers and a thousand water needles.

[Needles made of water, 1000 of them!]

The confident Blue Reaper swung its broom, launching the needles.

“Hiss!”

Facing the relentless barrage, the man let out another dramatic shout, gracefully spinning his arms.

His loosely clenched fists and fluid movements seemed almost effortless.

Could he possibly block them all?

With mixed feelings of worry and anticipation, I waited for the outcome.

However, the man ended up riddled with needles, pierced like a porcupine, collapsing lifeless as a corpse.