Chapter 99

I was having a dream.

A dark and gloomy dream.

It was so vivid, just like reality—so much so that I couldn’t feel any difference between the two.

But the sleep-inducing ability obtained from processing the Golden Tree told me this was all just a dream.

An expansive wasteland stretched out before me, littered with the shattered remains of Objects.

Dry earth and arid air filled the atmosphere.

For some reason, it felt as though this place belonged to the “Garden of the Golden Reaper,” though there was no sign of said Reaper anywhere. Despite the lack of commonalities in the setting, an inexplicable sense lingered in my gut.

From the broken Object debris oozed a thick, black substance, pooling around the wreckage like blood clotting from a wound.

Even though only the Objects were destroyed, the scene radiated an eerie chill.

Then, amid this ominous backdrop, familiar figures appeared.

Ninjas clad in black robes, their faces concealed by Black Masks.

Their numbers stretched endlessly across the horizon, resembling an army of black cockroaches.

They bowed their heads toward an empty throne.

The throne itself was crafted from fragments of ruined Objects, vacant yet exuding an oppressive aura of dominion despite its emptiness.

With expressions mingling reverence and fear, the ninjas paid homage to the unseen ruler of this throne.

It was a gesture of awe and devotion aimed at someone who wasn’t even present.

And then came the murmurs.

The tongueless ninjas began chanting a hymn incomprehensible to the ear.

Though lacking lyrics, the emotion behind the song—a profound sense of veneration—flowed directly into me.

Reverence… worship!

An indescribable omnipotence spread through the firewood.

Even within the confines of this dream, I could feel the emotions feeding the growth of the firewood.

As I basked in the sensation of omnipotence saturating the firewood, I sensed a gaze and turned my head. There, atop the throne, sat a Black Silhouette.

Jet black…

And fiery red.

My own shadowy figure, foreboding and unsettling.

The moment our gazes met, the dream started pushing me out.

It felt like it was telling me not to come here.

The space where dreams are woven grew hazy, cracking like glass and shattering into pieces.

Through the blurred vision, an unfamiliar sky came into view.

Above the sky burned a moon made of black flames, accompanied by seven radiant moons glowing in rainbow hues.

***

Awakening suddenly from the loss of warmth, I found the Reaper who had been sleeping in my arms had vanished without a trace.

“Reaper?”

Looking around the surroundings revealed no sign of the Reaper, so I resolved to search for them.

It wasn’t typical for the Reaper to wander alone during such late hours without reason—it was strange.

Passing through the dim corridor and stepping outside, I finally spotted the Reaper.

In the serene backyard of the research institute, cool breezes danced about.

There stood the Reaper, gazing intently upward at the moonlit sky.

Their hair fluttered in the wind as one hand reached skyward, creating a mystical atmosphere straight out of novels or movies.

Against the backdrop of trees and grass under the dark night, the Reaper looked quite striking.

Silently observing from behind, I pulled out my phone and immortalized this beautiful moment with a photograph.

Upon reviewing the picture, something caught my eye.

Now that I think about it, the Reaper’s color has returned to normal?

Their once whitened form had reverted back to its original hue—thankfully!

***

[Why hasn’t the pudding incident escalated into a major disaster as expected?]

[Initially, we anticipated accidents due to foam bursting and puddings falling.]

The Deputy Director’s Office buzzed with TV noise.

“At least it’s fortunate. It doesn’t seem like it’ll escalate into anything serious. Especially since James didn’t mention us at all and merely referred to it as ‘malfunctions caused by object occupation in the factory.'”

Unni Seoah’s calm words.

Honestly, I thought I’d be dragged into the Deputy Director’s Office and verbally beaten almost to death over this incident!

Surprisingly, Unni Seoah let it slide without much fuss.

Definitely thanks to the Golden Reaper perched on my shoulder cooing cutely to her.

Thanks, Golden Reaper!

Lately, Unni Seoah seems less angry than usual.

“Rather, these guys are the problem…”

“Ahh…”

Unni Seoah cast a worried glance downward at her desk.

There lay five Golden Reapers sprawled out like corpses.

Adorable cooking caps adorned their heads, complete with bunny ears doubling their cuteness factor.

No reaction when poked with a finger.

Lifeless when lifted, moving like liquid without any strength.

Poor Golden Reapers, overworked 10,000 times—or more!

While the Gray Reaper showed little interest, they would likely recover on their own given time—but it was still heartbreaking to see.

At first glance, I thought the Golden Reapers had succumbed to overwork.

Since they don’t breathe anyway, their stillness mimicked death, giving me quite a fright.

Fortunately, they weren’t dead.

Feeding them small bits of pudding brought slow chewing motions as they munched away.

So, we’ve moved these little ones to Unni Seoah’s private office to care for them.

Om.

Resting a Golden Reaper on my palm, I fed them pudding bit by bit.

Ah, too cute!

Even just caring for them feels rewarding.

Unni Seoah was also fully focused on tending to the Reapers.

She concentrates like this even when not handling documents—it’s impressive.

A peaceful daily life at Sehee Research Institute.

Still, Unnie Sehee hasn’t been seen lately?

***

A grand hall unfolded like a forgotten scene from history.

At its center sprawled an enormous mosaic embedded into the floor, intricate patterns formed from tiles weaving countless tales.

Exotic landscapes and mythologies never seen before painted vivid pictures.

[Humans killed the gods. Then they needed them again.]

[The gods were cruel but protected humanity.]

Director of Research Institute No. 3 read the inscriptions etched onto the mosaic.

Luxurious chairs and tables encircling the mosaic were crafted from premium wood, inlaid with gold and silver for a soft, shimmering glow.

Circular tables arranged around the mosaic bore ominous items reminiscent of sinister religious rites.

A golden plate held a freshly cracked skull.

A silver bowl contained a heart still dripping with blood.

These objects were neatly arranged according to specific rules.

After staring down at the mosaic for some time, Director of Research Institute No. 3 turned his gaze to the Butler standing nearby.

“Isn’t the culture of other worlds quite fascinating? Now, what is the matter?”

“The operation targeting James has completely failed.”

“Indeed, ultimately a total failure. Now James will spread degraded alchemy throughout Korea. We need a countermeasure.”

Though calm on the surface, underlying anger simmered beneath.

“Wasn’t it the Gray Reaper who struggled against the Hungry Ghost? What exactly are we missing? Could it be James’ doing? No, he isn’t capable of that level yet…”

Pacing restlessly across the mosaic while muttering to himself, the Director of Research Institute No. 3 finally stopped and asked.

“There must be more reports. Haven’t you determined why it failed? Tell me everything.”

The Butler handed over several photos and documents before beginning his report.

“Based on surrounding CCTV footage, there appears to have been no external interference beyond the Gray Reaper. Analyzing the data suggests the Gray Reaper successfully dealt with the Hungry Ghost. The institute concludes a reassessment of the Gray Reaper’s combat capabilities is necessary.”

The Director reacted unusually nervously upon hearing the Butler’s report.

“No. Absolutely not. That thing couldn’t possibly possess the ability to handle a Hungry Ghost.”

“But based on the information gathered so far, there’s no other conclusion…”

The Director grabbed the Butler’s shoulder with his palm, shoved him aside, and stormed out of the mosaic-decorated hall.

“Conduct another investigation. This time, don’t bring me flawed results.”

With a final warning glance, the Director of Research Institute No. 3 left.

***

The Gangseo District transformed entirely into a desert, erasing all buildings in its wake.

The disaster originating from the Kachi Mountain Research Facility turned the entire Gangseo District into a barren wasteland.

The damage was catastrophic.

Being one of the more populous areas in Seoul, Gangseo’s disappearance left a gaping void.

A refugee camp was set up near Gangseo, in Yangcheon District, to accommodate the displaced survivors.

Despite the massive number of casualties during the desertification, relatively few people inhabited the camp.

Then, relentless rain began pouring down upon the camp.

Drizzling incessantly, though lightly, it refused to stop.

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