Chapter 323

In a field that crunched like sand.

The Pink Girl stood tense, her expression tight as she glanced around nervously.

“There’s nowhere to run…”

As time passed and the sky grew darker, shadows cast by the canopy above began stretching toward where the Pink Girl and the Blue Reaper stood.

No matter which way she looked, there was no escape route that avoided the encroaching darkness.

From within the shadows, monstrous figures writhed like melting wax, slowly advancing…

These shadow-born creatures stared intently at the nearly faded shadow of the Attached Human, as if salivating over a delicious meal.

Some monsters prowled around the Pink Girl while others clawed furiously at the ground.

BAM. BAM.

The Blue Reaper felt like they were adrift in an ocean of harmful Evolution Liquid, clinging to a tiny boat.

Before long, some impatient monsters stuck their heads out of the shadows, only to dissolve instantly upon touching the Faint Light.

The Blue Reaper then began weaving Strings of light into the air.

[Repel the shadows with light!]

As the glowing text dispersed like mist, dozens of massive orbs of light, each as big as the Blue Reaper’s head, floated up into the sky.

Gathering protectively around the Blue Reaper and the Mom Golem, these orbs emitted blinding radiance, obliterating all nearby shadows like flashbangs.

And just like that, the shadow-rooted monsters vanished without a trace.

“Amazing!”

Excitedly shouting, the Pink Girl lifted up the Blue Reaper, pressing their cheeks together affectionately.

“Those monsters could be driven away by light. We’ve met them so many times, but I never realized it.”

“Even the faintest alchemical light wasn’t enough to drive back the shadows…”

While saying this, the Pink Girl rummaged through her bag as if remembering something.

“I thought I had plenty of torches when I checked my bag last time, but apparently I don’t have any left.”

“I should have kept at least one instead of throwing them all away because they were heavy.”

Continuing to search her bag, the girl tilted her head in confusion.

“Huh? Why did I have so many torches anyway?”

“They’re not even edible… Strange.”

With that, the Pink Girl closed her bag and gave an embarrassed laugh.

Watching this, the Blue Reaper wore a worried expression.

The barely remaining shadow of the Attached Human kept flashing in the Blue Reaper’s mind.

***

KUHNG. KUHNG. KUHNG.

The heavy footsteps of the Mom Golem echoed through the area.

The barren fields had given way to a metallic landscape stretching endlessly.

On top of the golem, the Pink Girl and Blue Reaper were arguing.

“It really is delicious! Just try a little bit. Even a nibble would do!”

[FALSE!]

The Pink Girl trying to feed candy.

The Blue Reaper dodging.

Eventually, the endless game of tag ended with the Pink Girl’s victory.

Since the Blue Reaper cared too much about the Attached Human, they couldn’t keep refusing forever.

Grinning widely, the Pink Girl broke off a small piece of candy.

“Come on, open up~”

Clutching their eyes shut, the Blue Reaper opened their mouth slightly as the Pink Girl shoved the candy piece inside.

MUNCH.

As soon as the Blue Reaper tasted it, their face contorted in shock.

“How is it? Delicious, right?”

‘Trickster!’

It was an extremely sour candy that none of the other Mini Reapers would ever touch.

With tears welling up in their eyes, the Blue Reaper glared accusingly at the Pink Girl before collapsing dramatically.

“Huh?”

Startled, the Pink Girl picked up the Blue Reaper, but no matter how much she shook them, they wouldn’t wake up.

***

POP. POP. POP.

After quite some time had passed since the Blue Reaper regained consciousness, they were still pounding the Pink Girl’s head with a mallet.

“I’m sorry! I said I’m sorry!”

Despite her apologies, the Mom Golem continued walking until they reached the edge of the landmass.

“We’ve arrived!”

At the Pink Girl’s excited announcement, the Blue Reaper stopped their assault and looked around.

As they approached the edge of the disc-shaped layer, the wind blowing from below grew stronger, carrying the increasingly potent smell of Evolution Liquid.

Peering over the edge, the Pink Girl’s hair whipped around like she was facing a fan.

When the Blue Reaper joined her in looking down, they saw bubbling Evolution Liquid continuously consuming everything it touched.

The liquid level was rising slowly but surely.

“The floor where I lived is already submerged.”

The Pink Girl’s expression turned slightly melancholic.

The place where she used to live with Grandfather was gone forever.

Seeing this, the Blue Reaper patted the cheek of the Attached Human comfortingly.

“Well, it’s fine. Climbing higher and watching lower levels get submerged is something we’re used to by now.”

Wiping away her expression, the Pink Girl turned her gaze upward to the Tower rising from the disc’s edge.

A massive tower connecting this disc-shaped layer to the next.

Following its height with her eyes revealed the complex web of metal and pipes beneath.

“Alright, let’s ascend to the next level! Toward the sun!”

With renewed determination, the Pink Girl set off toward the tower.

***

Deep Inside Sehee Research Institute, Gray Reaper Isolation Room.

I was sound asleep on the large isolation bed, enjoying a peaceful nap.

Thanks to all the recent wandering around, I was feeling especially cozy and warm.

TAP. TAP.

Someone started waking me up.

First gentle taps on my cheek, then more insistent taps on my eyelids.

Judging by the frequency and intensity, it appeared to be one Golden Reaper trying to rouse me.

On the emergency alert scale, that would be: One Golden Reaper.

Not particularly urgent.

Probably just a Mini Reaper wanting pudding or playtime with Mom.

So I forced myself to sink deeper into sleep, drawing back into the sweet embrace of slumber.

Hehe.

‘Even Objects can be happy when they sleep.’

Thinking this, I drifted off again.

When I surfaced briefly from sleep, the tapping had intensified.

TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP. TAP.

Suddenly there were far too many Golden Reapers to count.

On the emergency alert scale: Five or more Golden Reapers!

This meant either a Mini Reaper had been kidnapped or someone important in the research facility was in danger – like Sehee, Yerin, or Seoah.

“Oh no, this is bad!”

As I opened my eyes, the Golden Reapers gathered close, projecting their urgency.

“A weak sibling has disappeared!”

“Blue Sibling Missing!”

“We must rescue them quickly!”

“They’ll die soon!”

The news they conveyed was about the disappearance of the Blue Reaper – the one whose limbs break easily with just a tap.

This is serious.

In their panic, the Golden Reapers handed me a water fragment.

On it was written [Blue Reaper Missing!].

It looked like a missing person flyer.

The fragment showed a full-body illustration of the Blue Reaper and the estimated time of disappearance.

Though I couldn’t distinguish between different Blue Reapers even with the picture.

The estimated disappearance time mentioned when the moon resembled a pregnant Agui with a swollen belly seven months in.

Whatever that means.

Anyway, I need to check out the area near Seoul Forest quickly.

Rising swiftly from the bed, I teleported near Seoul Forest.

***

A tower so tall it seemed to reach the heavens.

At its peak, a Giant Spider spun webs endlessly.

SQUEAK. SQUEAK.

However, the spider’s webs were made of steel pipes.

CLANG. CLANG.

And the spider’s nest was a tower reaching toward the heavens.

As the spider worked, it paused momentarily to look up at the sun shining down.

[The sun’s gaze does not touch this earth.]

[The sun sinks into darkness.]

After speaking these words in a Small Voice toward the heavens, the sun disappeared once more.

SQUEAK. SQUEAK. SQUEAK.

Hovering above the giant spider’s head was a single White Halo, radiating light.