Chapter 225

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A dim room permeated with the faint aroma of dried herbs.

From twisted flasks to glass bottles containing mysteriously glowing liquids.

The room exuded an unmistakable atmosphere of an alchemist’s workshop, where a soft golden light flickered.

On a neatly cleared table, something was hopping around, emitting a gentle golden glow as if trying to express itself.

They were five warriors among the Golden Reapers who wielded swords skillfully.

The Gray Reaper’s massive Light Sword, which had broken from use, and the 1st Sword’s smaller but equally ruined Light Sword lay on the table, as if attempting to explain something through gestures.

Listening to the Golden Reapers’ explanation was a tattoo-covered Alchemist Woman.

The alchemist in the workshop was fully dressed in proper alchemist attire, even wielding the Alchemist’s Sword.

“The small one is salvageable, but the big one is completely wrecked.”

The alchemist muttered under her breath while examining the two broken Light Swords brought by the Golden Reapers.

Although the Golden Reaper’s and Gray Reaper’s Light Swords appeared to have broken in similar ways, they were actually entirely different cases.

While the smaller sword had simply worn out from overuse, the larger one had melted internally due to excessive power output.

“Grey Reaper’s output exceeds my expectations. How does such a Magical Book even exist?”

The alchemist was astonished as she disassembled the severely damaged Light Sword used by the Gray Reaper.

She had never seen such powerful magic before she died.

After disassembling the smaller Light Sword, replacing a few parts, and reassembling it, she managed to repair it.

Upon receiving the repaired sword, the 1st Sword of the Golden Reaper created a blade of light, swung it once through the air, erased the blade, and smiled contentedly.

“This one will take a bit longer to fix. I need to gather materials at Seoul Forest.”

The Golden Reapers, though not understanding everything, seemed to grasp that immediate repairs weren’t possible and looked slightly deflated.

“Can’t fix Mom’s Sword?”

The bright firewood’s glow dimmed slightly, flickering mournfully.

Despite taking anti-mental-pollution medication, the alchemist instinctively patted the head of the Golden Reaper, moved by its expression and aura.

Normally, she would’ve taken another pill, but this time, she was half-giving up.

Cute is cute, after all, even with the meds.

“I should go collect ingredients for the suppressant soon, might as well combine trips.”

The alchemist thought while gazing toward the north, where the Seoul Forest, resembling her hometown woods, lay.

***

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the quiet Mini Reaper Garden.

A giant bioluminescent Tyrannosaurus, carrying numerous Mini Reapers, was roaming the garden.

“Of course everyone loves T-Rex!”

I watched them with satisfaction.

The Mini Reapers on the T-Rex waved enthusiastically, seemingly showing their presence.

“Mom!”

Each time I saw the Mini Reapers beaming with joy toward me, a small doubt crept into my mind.

‘Is it because they like the T-Rex, or do they just enjoy the attention and stares I give when they’re riding it?’

Nah, probably not.

Who wouldn’t love a T-Rex?

I shook my head vigorously to dispel the unsettling thought.

Clomp clomp.

Leaving the children playing on the T-Rex behind, I began strolling through the Mini Reaper Garden.

It’d be nice if something new and interesting happened…

Should I play hide-and-seek for Hungry Ghosts?

Though I can summon White Hungry Ghosts anytime, finding them directly is more fun.

There’s a special thrill in ambushing a resting ghost.

Or maybe I could use the Halo to create a grisly Gray Reaper corpse and place it in the Isolation Room?

Yerin would freak out so much… Hehe.

Lost in thoughts of various pranks, a very unfamiliar scene unfolded before me.

“Kwaang!”

A Golden Reaper collapsed on the floor in a dramatic sprawl, wailing dramatically.

And next to that fallen Golden Reaper, many others lay scattered in identical positions.

Instead of another Golden Reaper or a Black Reaper, it was an Orange Reaper who had defeated them this time.

Let out a chuckling “Uhuuuh,” kind of vibe?

With eyes closed and a serene smile, the Orange Reaper radiated an aura of superiority.

Another confident Golden Reaper approached the Orange Reaper, challenging them.

As the challenge was accepted, both the Orange Reaper and the Golden Reaper started stacking peculiar wooden pieces on an unstable table.

The rules were surprisingly simple.

Shake the table until only one piece falls.

Of course, the table was designed to shake easily.

If more than one piece fell, it was an automatic loss.

It was a game I wouldn’t dare attempt.

As the match began, the Golden Reaper, with an unusually focused expression, gently tapped and rocked the table.

With astonishing precision and agility, the Golden Reaper successfully made one piece fall.

“Wow, impressive!”

I quietly applauded, unseen by the Mini Reapers, marveling at the feat.

If the Golden Reaper could do this, how skilled must the Orange Reaper be?

Curious, I observed as the Orange Reaper took their turn.

With a gentle tap and a subtle smile, the table vibrated perfectly, ejecting exactly one wooden piece.

Cheater!

The Golden Reapers didn’t seem to notice, but the Orange Reaper had just used their ability.

An ability to manipulate probabilities.

Having used a similar ability often, I immediately recognized it.

My ability, unlike the Orange Moon’s probability manipulation, guided deaths rather than objects but shared similarities in altering probabilities.

The Golden Reapers were clearly being deceived.

Though the game might allow abilities, I doubted it.

Squinting types are usually plotting something!

Picking up a fallen Golden Reaper, I whispered the truth.

“The Orange Reaper is using an ability. Probability manipulation.”

“There’s no way sheer physical skill alone could pull off such feats.”

“Cheater!”

“Revolution is needed.”

“Arise, Warriors of Gold!”

Initially confused, the Golden Reaper soon understood and gasped in shock.

Their face said, “How dare you do such a thing!” before gathering fallen comrades and began discussing animatedly.

Realizing the truth, the Golden Reapers swarmed the Orange Reaper to lecture them.

“You shouldn’t cheat next time!”

But the Orange Reaper, with eyes still closed, surveyed the surroundings, then floated upward to escape.

“!”

Stunned by their sibling fleeing, the Golden Reapers quickly regrouped.

Like zombies scaling walls, they piled up rapidly, forming a tower to grab and pull down the Orange Reaper.

Though the Orange Reaper tried hard to escape, their flight speed was slow, and they lacked the strength to break free.

Some Golden Reapers awkwardly slipped on the non-slippery floor, but it didn’t affect the overall effort.

Eventually, the captured Orange Reaper was lectured by the frowning Golden Reapers grabbing their waist.

Watching this, I felt slightly disappointed.

I had hoped the Golden Reapers would become revolutionary warriors and beat up the Orange Reaper, but it ended in lectures…

Hmph.

***

Clack clack.

In a ghosting state, the Golden Reaper followed from corner to corner.

Trying to stay hidden, they trailed behind.

However, instead of heading straight to the evil object, the men visited several humans, spreading negativity.

“Hey, mister! You borrowed money, now repay it!”

Everywhere the Golden Reaper followed, the men shouted loudly, aggressively banging things.

With each shout, sadness, injustice, and fear spread.

They were humans, yet acted like objects, spreading sorrow and injustice wherever they went.

They must be harmful humans disliked by the Attached Human.

“Bad humans?”

The Golden Reaper tilted their head curiously, having never seen such people before.

Though bad, there was no smell of blood.

What should I do?

After much thought, the small-headed Golden Reaper gave up!

We need a grand meeting at the Mini Reaper Garden!

This was definitely a moment for a pudding-based podium discussion.

If the great meeting that solved the immense dilemma of “Which Golden Reaper gets the last pudding?” could handle this issue too.

My head was spinning from thinking, but feeling relieved, the Golden Reaper resumed tailing.

After wandering around for a while, tormenting humans, the men finally entered a car and drove off somewhere.

The Golden Reaper stealthily climbed inside and hid in the glove compartment, de-ghosting within.

Though dark and cramped, the Golden Reaper found sneaking around somewhat fun and giggled silently.

“Miss Attached Human.”

After some time hiding in the glove compartment, growing bored, the Golden Reaper began missing the Attached Human.

“Brother, are Golden Reapers really profitable? I haven’t heard of anyone making money off Golden Reapers.”

The driver suddenly spoke to the passenger.

“Of course not. We don’t sell objects for profit. We just give hope, isolate when necessary, and take what we need.”

As the car arrived at its destination and slowed to a stop, the passenger reached for a cigarette, opening the glove compartment.

There, he discovered something unexpected and froze.

The golden glow emanating from the glove compartment.

The Golden Reaper inside, realizing they’d been caught, grinned sheepishly.

Startled by the sudden encounter with a top-tier object, the passenger could only sit there stunned.