Mini Reaper Garden, Sea of Hot Chocolate Deep Place.
At the blue reapers’ nest, a blue reaper and a yellow reaper were gathered together doing something.
“We need an outfit for dolls that can give courage.”
“A hat is necessary….”
The blue reapers fidgeted with their fingers while shyly passing something to the yellow reaper.
The blue reaper, unable to express themselves strongly, blushed and wrote a tiny string of text as they spoke.
The yellow reaper listened carefully to the blue reaper’s request with an awkward smile on their face.
Upon hearing the blue reaper’s request, the yellow reaper instantly conjured up ten new Golden Reaper Doll Outfits.
The outfits gleamed confidently, each one sporting a bright grin.
Moreover, witch hats adorned the heads of these doll outfits.
Although the blue reapers received custom-made Golden Reaper Doll Outfits tailored for them, they seemed too embarrassed even to attempt putting them on.
Among them, one brave blue reaper closed their eyes tightly, took off their hat and clothes, and began slipping into the doll outfit.
“…!?”
The other blue reapers stared in awe at the courageous blue reaper before turning away with reddened faces.
With their eyes squeezed shut, the blue reaper wearing the doll outfit soon started squirming in embarrassment, trying to cover themselves with their hands while displaying a string of exclamation marks.
“!!!”
They quickly stripped out of the doll outfit, retrieved their original clothes and hat, and put them back on.
“We need a doll outfit we can wear over our regular clothes…!”
With their hat firmly pressed down, they relayed this new requirement to the yellow reaper.
The yellow reaper, though visibly perplexed by the challenging request, soon cracked a wrinkly smile as if finding a solution and created a new doll outfit.
This time, it was designed to be worn over their existing clothes by pulling it over their head.
While the doll outfit still resembled a mini reaper somewhat, this version barely qualified as such—it looked more like a blobby costume.
Thus, the blue reapers exchanged skeptical glances upon seeing it, questioning its effectiveness.
“When humans see it, they’ll only see the Golden Reaper.”
The yellow reaper, covering their mouth with both hands, chuckled mischievously and assured everyone that humans would perceive it as a Golden Reaper.
“Thank you so much.”
“Thanks….”
The blue reapers then surrounded the yellow reaper with expressions of deep gratitude, repeatedly expressing their thanks.
And just like that, ten blue reapers cloaked in golden reaper sack-like costumes mounted their brooms and flew off toward the sky.
Their destination? The place where the Attached Humans resided!
The Isolation Room filled with floating golden reaper puddings grew quiet except for the low hum of the TV.
The news featured Japan’s colossal Object known as the “Island of Red Lightning.”
[The previously unobservable ‘Island of Red Lightning’ became briefly visible after a collision with the Cloud Fish Object.]
Onscreen, the calm voice of the anchor explained while footage from Japan translated into subtitles played—a scene showing the Cloud Fish swiftly swimming through the sky until it collided with the cloud barrier surrounding the island.
The Cloud Fish vanished instantly after being struck by red lightning, but the impact seemed to have caused some damage, leaving a gaping hole in the barrier shrouding the island’s skies.
[Through interference between Objects, the obscuring barrier disappeared temporarily, allowing us to uncover the cause behind Japan’s ongoing missing persons cases.]
Through the newly-formed hole, numerous people could be seen moving about below.
Though the hole quickly sealed itself, continuous satellite surveillance due to its classification as a “colossal” and “special-class” Object ensured everything was recorded.
The news compared photos of missing individuals with blurry images captured within the frame, analyzing potential matches.
Evidence suggested some missing persons across Japan were residing within the island.
“Wow, the satellite resolution is amazing.”
I found myself marveling not at the mysterious Object causing mass disappearances but at the impressive advancement of satellite technology.
But wait… wasn’t that Cloud Fish carrying a Mini Reaper seeking natural encounters?
Looks like Mini Reapers are willing to travel all the way to Japan in pursuit of their ‘ideal attachment,’ higher standards than expected!
Next to my bed, clusters of golden reapers leapt around excitedly with their hands raised high, watching the TV screen.
“Little brother!”
These were golden reapers waiting patiently at the Pudding Factory for labor assignments.
Come to think of it, their numbers had grown significantly without me noticing.
Back during the Mapo District incident, there were barely enough golden reapers to cover the district population, yet now their ranks had swelled further.
It was already hard distinguishing between individual golden reapers; this would make it even tougher…
What caused such a sudden surge in their population?
Could it be because more Attached Humans appeared, or did the golden reapers absorb too much firewood from humans?
Golden reapers usually consume very little firewood but also inefficiently absorb emotions, which always felt a bit disappointing. But now I felt like I’d uncovered the reason.
Perhaps the rapid increase stems from using absorbed emotions primarily for their reproduction?
Meanwhile, the TV continued discussing Japan’s special-class Object.
As fascinating as it was to wonder about the Mini Reaper visiting Japan, venturing there myself sounded too troublesome.
Besides, if things get dangerous, they’ll call me, right?
With that settled in mind, I grabbed a pudding prepared by the golden reapers, popped it into my mouth, and switched the TV channel.
As the girl slowly approached the entrance of the Labyrinth, chaotic noises and the crunching sounds of gravel beneath her feet began to echo.
The gravel path surrounding the labyrinth buzzed with lively street vendors shouting enthusiastically to attract customers, their stalls shaded by makeshift tents offering various goods.
Farther from the labyrinth entrance, the aroma of sizzling meat mingled delightfully with the sweet scent of exotic fruits ripening under the sun.
Usually, the girl indulged in buying a tasty snack whenever she passed this way, but today proved difficult.
Her stomach growled audibly at the delicious smells, but the impoverished girl stubbornly turned her head and continued walking toward the labyrinth entrance.
Venturing deeper, the atmosphere gradually shifted to feel more authentically like the Maze City.
Gems so large they were rarely seen outside, ornate swords with antique decorations, magical artifacts scattering faint traces of magic, and glowing steles that radiated brightly even under the sunlight could all be spotted.
On one stele twice her height, inscriptions written in multiple languages, including Japanese and Korean, proclaimed the same message.
“If you break through the labyrinth to the end, you will be granted one wish.”
A wish, huh?
Despite knowing even Special-Class Objects couldn’t possibly grant wishes, the girl reasoned that perhaps returning one person wouldn’t be beyond its capabilities.
This labyrinth city’s wish represented her sole hope—to return home someday.
To break through the maze and reclaim her peaceful daily life once again.
Reaffirming her resolve, the girl stepped cautiously inside the labyrinth.
As she entered, the space warped instantly, revealing a narrow cube-shaped room before her.
“[1P4B]”
Looking up, the girl read the inscription on the ceiling.
She flipped open her notebook, checking the map she purchased earlier at the labyrinth entrance.
“The fourth pattern.”
Each time entering the first floor of the labyrinth presented a different layout—a complex maze formed by countless cube-shaped rooms.
Approaching the wall with a torch embedded, the girl removed it, flipped it upside down, and reinserted it.
Instantly, the room flipped, and the reversed torch vanished.
Caught mid-air, the girl skillfully flipped herself onto the ground.
“Huff.”
Breathing steadily after the aerial twist, she pushed against the now-empty wall with her hand.
The seemingly solid wall softened and enveloped her.
Emerging from the opposite side, the girl cheered upon spotting grass growing in the center of the room.
“Got it!”
Known as “Dungeon Rose” among adventurers, this herb was highly sought-after for crafting healing potions, making it both rare and expensive.
Rare enough that the girl had only encountered it once despite frequent visits to the labyrinth.
“Just this alone should cover rent and let me eat something nice!”
Selling this at the Dog Meat Man’s General Store might finally allow her to visit the Maze City Ramen Shop after so long.
Thinking about food while hungry made her salivate uncontrollably.
Checking the room number on the ceiling, however, left her utterly baffled.
“Why?”
Instead of the expected label, “[7P9X]” greeted her—an entirely unfamiliar designation absent from her map.
“Oh no, I’ve gone somewhere strange!”
Even combing through her labyrinth level 1 map revealed no record of any room labeled “[7P9X].”
Crisis—she had lost her way out.
*
Inside a chamber lit by eerie green flames instead of the usual red ones, the girl swung her tattered bag wildly.
Unfortunately, the precious Dungeon Rose she had carefully tucked inside was now torn apart and scattered across the floor.
“Stay back!”
The girl desperately brandished her bag to fend off an eight-eyed wolf engulfed in green flames advancing towards her.
Lost in an unknown area, she had relied on improvised mapping skills to navigate but ultimately stumbled upon a monster.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Finding the elusive Dungeon Rose had seemed like pure luck earlier—but maybe today just wasn’t her day.
“Ack!”
Suddenly, the wolf lunged forward, seizing her bag and yanking it violently out of her grasp.
Now defenseless, the girl braced herself for the worst as the wolf bared its teeth and charged.
“Sorry, Mom… Dad…”
Closing her eyes tightly, she awaited her inevitable doom—but the expected pain never came.
Crunch.
Crunchcrunch.
Instead, an odd sound akin to bones grinding echoed through the room.
Peeking through half-lidded eyes, the girl froze as the snarling wolf loomed inches away.
Panicking but managing to stifle her scream by clamping her hands over her mouth.
Grind.
Within the wolf’s body, something twisted and shattered violently.
Limbs bent unnaturally, bulging eyes popped out grotesquely, ribs pierced through its belly, and dark fiery spines erupted momentarily from its back before vanishing.
What is happening?! What’s wrong with it?!
Terrified, the girl wanted to look away but feared meeting the same fate as the wolf if she moved her gaze.
Soon, the wolf’s skin sagged like melting wax, collapsing inward before its head exploded dramatically.
From the wreckage emerged a blood-soaked black object glowing ominously with yellow eyes.
Its arms stretched high as if threatening the girl.
Then it slowly advanced, extending its hands toward her.
As one detached eyeball floated upward and stuck to her face, the girl promptly fainted.
