Chapter 242

The Gray Reaper had suddenly departed somewhere, leaving the isolation room where Yerin was observing the Golden Reapers.

The observation target was a Giant Golden Reaper that walked on four legs and could emit sounds.

“It’s grown.”

And indeed, the massive Golden Reaper had multiplied from one to two.

Next to them, smaller Golden Reapers were unsteadily crawling around.

Because Yerin kept giving attention to the larger Golden Reapers, the other reapers began mimicking them by crawling on all fours as well.

Then they approached Yerin, clinging to her and rubbing against her face.

“Ticklish. I’ll give you snacks if you stop.”

Their behavior somehow reminded her of pets—cute but also ticklish, making her chuckle slightly.

Mmmph.

She cradled each Golden Reaper in her arms, petting them while feeding them snacks.

After feeding most of the gathered Golden Reapers in the isolation room, only the newly formed giant remained.

The two large Golden Reapers lay side by side like close friends, sprawled out on the floor like cats taking a nap.

Yerin tried lifting one up to cuddle.

“Way too heavy!”

But their weight was far heavier than expected, causing her to drop it back onto the ground with a thud.

Klang!

The impact resonated through the room like metal hitting the floor.

“Whiiiine…”

The giant Golden Reaper whimpered pitifully.

Weird.

Something feels off… but I can’t quite place it.

Just as she was about to examine the strange Golden Reaper more closely, an astonishing report came from the TV.

“This is breaking news! The Gray Reaper, under South Korea’s jurisdiction, has been spotted in Russia!”

“The Reaper!”

In that instant, Yerin dismissed her suspicions about the odd Golden Reaper and focused entirely on the TV showing the reappearance of the Gray Reaper.

***

Upon hearing suspicious noises and entering the dark alley, what I found were ninjas who had kidnapped another version of Yerin and a Girl with Blue Hair being chased by those same ninjas.

For some reason, the blue-haired girl felt familiar—like the preserved corpse I’d seen before or the one who often appeared in my dreams.

However, this blue-haired girl looked much younger than the one in my dreams.

“Of course.”

This blue-haired girl wasn’t human; she was an Object, just like the corpse I’d seen earlier.

“Probably then, the ninjas kidnapping Yerin are bad guys, and the blue-haired girl in my dreams must be the good one?”

Even though I didn’t know why the girl was being chased or why the ninjas were pursuing her, I quickly decided who to help and used my abilities.

Clap clap!

And hop hop hop three times!

Suddenly, the ground beneath the ninjas collapsed, walls crumbled, and chaos enveloped them.

Normally, I twisted fate following fairly logical sequences, but now, with stakes higher than ever—twice as much as Yerin’s worth—I ignored minor cause-and-effect relationships entirely.

Truly, I am the Grim Reaper of death!

Tump tump!

Once things settled, I slowly approached the tense-looking blue-haired girl.

There she was—the girl from my recurring dreams who resembled ‘the Gray Reaper’ in physical form.

Her presence filled me with anticipation, making my heart race.

I had so many questions:

What exactly is the ‘Gray Reaper’?

What was your purpose?

Yet, I doubted I’d get proper answers since this blue-haired girl seemed merely a character from my dreams, likely from a distant past.

Still, there was hope…

Before I could speak, however, the world started collapsing.

Everything began getting sucked into the Purple Moon.

Starting with clouds filling the sky, followed by the distant snowy fields, the collapse was spreading closer.

Trying to assess the situation, I noticed the blue-haired girl staring intently at me.

With an unwavering gaze, she stepped closer, grabbed my cheeks, and began squeezing them.

Then, with a strangely delighted smile, she rubbed her own cheek against mine.

“!”

Startled by this sudden development, I froze completely.

***

Clearly human yet unmistakably beyond humanity, the little brat approached.

Definitely a Magical Book but inexplicably close to humans, the blue-haired girl thought.

“What exactly is she?”

Energy poured from her eyes, transforming into golden flames scattering everywhere.

The power within her body surpassed even the strength needed to sustain an entire city under the influence of the Purple Moon.

When our eyes met, it felt like being struck by lightning.

Unable to resist, the blue-haired girl embraced me tightly—a perfect match for her tastes.

At that moment, a wave of reassurance washed over me.

Such a cute child couldn’t possibly be evil.

But just as quickly, the world began crumbling apart.

Holding the small girl close amidst the chaos, I gazed upward.

The disintegration revealed traces of advanced alchemy techniques used to construct illusions.

“Wow, this pattern is so intricate even I have trouble deciphering it.”

Impressed, I marveled at the genius behind it.

Could this illusion also be crafted by a mastermind?

It bore resemblance to the alchemical patterns I used myself.

In that moment, realization dawned upon me.

“This must be a spell created by my future self.”

“Though everything here is fake, it feels real. Though it’s a dream, it mirrors reality.”

I understood what this spell sought: “A proper conclusion.”

Whoever dreamed this must possess the ability to connect timelines.

Looking at the Purple Moon, I pondered:

“Could this be the moon’s dream? No, impossible.”

Smirking, I whispered into the ear of the girl in my arms—the sole outsider in this dream:

“To achieve the proper ending, you need a Master.”

Despite the collapsing world and fading air,

Amidst the cacophony of destruction,

I continued whispering, hoping my words would reach her.

***

After everything shattered into darkness, I opened my eyes again.

Every part of my body burned painfully, reminiscent of the beginning of these recurring nightmares.

Healing my wounds with firewood, I organized the hints I’d gathered.

The condition for destroying the Purple Moon was achieving “.”

And the clue given by the blue-haired girl was: “You need a Master.”

Apparently, this dream has a set storyline and conclusion that must be fulfilled to complete it.

It seemed like a loop that would repeat until properly cleared.

If that’s true, maybe I should start looking for this ‘Master’ the blue-haired girl mentioned.

***

As the city grew darker, I panted heavily.

“Haaah… haaah…”

Breathing after such a long absence proved difficult.

Ah, I feel dizzy.

All around me lay countless black shells scorched by golden flames.

I’ve repeated this world ten times already, yet I still haven’t found this ‘Master.’

Instead, I keep encountering black hermit crabs disguised as humans.

These black hermit crabs clearly obstruct the “proper conclusion.”

Moreover, their numbers increase with each iteration.

Some transform into armored guards hindering the escape of the blue-haired girl’s cult,

While others become ninjas surveilling my room starting from round eight.

Since then, breaking everything became the only way to escape.

“This is bad. There isn’t much time left.”

Gazing at the darkening skies, I muttered anxiously.

This world is collapsing.

Perhaps endless repetition isn’t possible after all.

Each cycle leaves the purple moon above darker and more fragmented.

It feels like the recurring dream might end at any moment.

And for reasons unknown, failing to reach the conclusion will undoubtedly result in catastrophic consequences.

The mere thought sends shivers down my spine.

Ignoring the tempting aroma of delicious meat skewers, I ventured into the dark alley.

Like searching for a lost child, I carefully inspected every corner, walking step by step.

Finally, I spotted them.

A man resembling the leader of the Eye Cult stood beside a blue-haired girl.

Although younger-looking than the leader I knew, his muscular build remained identical.

“I’ve found you.”

With a grin tinged with relief, I quietly whispered to myself.

***

Deep within the city under the purple moon.

“Hmm.”

The teacher of the blue-haired girl sensed something amiss.

Despite no apparent issues, an overwhelming sense of foreboding weighed on him.

Was it because the blue-haired girl returned unexpectedly after planning to infiltrate the cult?

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pinpoint the source of his unease.

“Didn’t she say she’d infiltrate the cult today?”

Attempting to dispel the anxiety, he turned to address the blue-haired girl.

Please let there be nothing wrong.

“Ahhh! Tomorrow…”

But before she could respond with her usual cheerful laugh,

Space warped violently, and the blue-haired girl exploded into six pieces.

“No!!!”

Reaching out toward the scattered blood, the teacher knew full well that once shattered, she could never return.