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The ruins of the city, still warm, with smoke occasionally rising.

The streets, once bustling with people, were blackened and collapsed, leaving only traces of their former selves.

Buildings that once soared towards the sky now bowed their heads, exposed skeletal frames visible through broken windows and crumbling walls.

The once busy alleys, the roads traversed by countless vehicles, and the buildings that provided shelter to many were all empty, engulfed in eerie silence.

Designated as a dangerous area with potential ghost object appearances, everyone who lived in this street had been relocated elsewhere.

Amid such ruins, several researchers from the James Research Institute, led by James, slowly entered the desolate landscape clad in protective suits.

Of course, they weren’t entering this dangerous zone without reason.

The first reason was that they had received a request for investigative cooperation from this institute.

Since it could be related to the Gray Reaper, they probably hoped that the ‘James Research Institute,’ which knew the Gray Reaper best, would lend a hand.

The second reason was a cooperation request from the government as well.

It was a request to help search for personnel from the Drug Enforcement Agency who had gone missing.

[Drone units 1 to 80 clear. No ghost objects detected within the ruins so far.]

The voices of soldiers controlling drones from James’s team could be heard over the radio.

[Then, let’s split up and start working!]

As James issued commands into the radio, the researchers began to scatter in different directions, equipped with detectors and other devices.

While the researchers dispersed, the soldiers busily moved to set up tents for a makeshift base.

[Overall, the mental pollution index is quite high. There’s definitely something in these ruins.]

James frowned at the mental pollution readings on his measuring equipment.

It meant that object drugs were buried somewhere within these ruins.

James suspected that this incident of the spirit barrier collapse was somehow linked to the object drug case.

To uncover that fact, it would be necessary to locate a member of the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Ideally, finding the team leader of the agency would be the best outcome.

They had to find the missing team leader who last reported being shot while under the influence of mental pollution.

While seated in the makeshift tent, James was organizing data when researchers approached him.

These were the researchers whom James had assigned specific tasks.

[James, we’ve taken photos. It truly seems the whirlpool has disappeared.]

The data they sent included pictures of some open lot.

Images filled with traces of the ground being eaten away, with giant pig footprints and signs of destruction.

Photos of the location that once had a distorted whirlpool that had made satellite observation impossible.

[It was expected that the spatial distortion would disappear, and it really has. What on earth happened there?]

James muttered to himself, then spoke to the researchers who had photographed the former site of the whirlpool.

[We don’t know what clues might be present, so be sure to preserve and seal the site properly.]

Upon hearing those words, the researchers nodded slightly and returned to their posts.

*

Entering the entrance of James’s private aircraft, a unique atmosphere welcomed us.

Luxurious and cozy ambiance.

The Reaper walked in cheerfully as if unaffected by that atmosphere.

Soft lighting gently illuminated the corridor, and the spacious area provided a comforting vibe unlike ordinary airplanes.

The well-furnished hallway was finished with glossy wood, smooth and soft to the touch.

When we arrived at the area where the Reaper and I would stay, plush large seats were arranged in a way conducive to conversation.

Upon discovering the seats, the Reaper awkwardly waddled over and plopped down on a huge sofa, popping a pudding into its mouth.

The Reaper in the hungry ghost outfit was adorable!

While the Reaper enjoyed the pudding, I opened a wardrobe located beyond the seating area, revealing a contented smile.

The wardrobe was filled with the clothes I had asked to be saved.

Countless kinds of children’s clothes to dress the Reaper in!

Although the Reaper was currently obeying and wearing clothes, I needed to dress it as quickly as possible since I wasn’t sure when it would stop.

I felt like arriving in Seoul was out of the question.

The fact that the Reaper wasn’t shedding the hungry ghost outfit made me increasingly uneasy.

There had to be a reason why the unpredictable Reaper was calmly wearing clothes.

“Reaper!”

Calling the Reaper with a big smile, it looked up at me with a somewhat hesitant expression.

Ta-da!

When I pulled out a child’s dress from the wardrobe to show it, the Reaper’s eyes widened in shock and it shook its head vigorously.

No way.

It was clear that it had no intention of wearing them.

Tsk, the fainting potion’s effect is wearing off.

It should have stayed out longer, why did I wake up so quickly?

Had it not been for the Reaper beckoning me to come back with a bright smile in my dreams, I might not have woken up so easily…

Could it be that the Reaper entered my dream and woke me up?

After a long period of persuasion ensued.

I mixed in some pleading to stimulate the Reaper’s sense of obligation.

Normally, it wouldn’t work at all, but since the Reaper was fainted from my antics, I thought it might just work.

“Reaper, I’ll pull out three outfits, so please wear at least one of them, okay?”

The Reaper, squinting its eyes, pondered for a moment and slowly approached with a reluctant expression.

Success!

If I laid out similar-looking clothes as options, the Reaper might pout, so I carefully selected a moderately varied and cute array of clothes.

First up, a pink children’s dress with lots of frills.

The Reaper didn’t even glance and simply passed it by.

Sigh.

Second, a Gothic-inspired voluminous children’s dress in black and white.

The Reaper pondered deeply, then passed that as well.

Third, a kindergarten uniform fitting the Reaper’s height.

Seeing that, the Reaper began slowly examining the clothes from the top.

None of the clothes seemed to catch its fancy, but ultimately, it chose one outfit.

It was an unexpected choice.

I dressed the Reaper up while adjusting its posture and even tied the hungry ghost outfit onto it.

Perfectly adorable Reaper complete!

I took out my phone and snapped photos of the Reaper, thinking.

I had thought the third option would have been the least likely choice, yet it picked that.

It seemed like just a preference for less fabric.

Could it be that it really hates clothing that much?

A researcher’s instinct made me wonder if it was related to abilities or characteristics, but thoughts of the Reaper’s cuteness quickly overshadowed that.

Two types of photos of the dressed Reaper!

A hungry ghost outfit and a kindergarten uniform, I couldn’t be happier.

This was a remarkable achievement as part of my American journey.

While in the plane concluding my trip to America, I could enjoy a happy moment.

*

Researchers from the James Research Institute were moving about with measuring equipment to create a mental pollution index distribution map.

The distribution map was nearing completion.

It showed a form where the mental pollution index gradually faded, centered around the site of a church building.

Amidst that, a particularly conspicuous area with anomalous readings was discovered, prompting the researcher to slowly approach while recording the data.

[Here is Block D, number 7. Unexpected readings are observed.]

‘What in the world?’

Could there be an object hidden in this desolate, motionless ruin?

Feeling a chill, the researcher’s steps grew slower.

Bee. Bee. Bee.

Following the irregularly sounding measurement device, a large rock awkwardly positioned in the center of a collapsed building came into view.

Could this rock be the cause?

What on earth is this rock?

[Suspicious rock discovered. I’ll begin the investigation now.]

After reporting strange findings in accordance with the procedure, the researcher, trusting in the performance of their protective gear, slowly pushed the rock.

Then, ‘ta-da!’ something popped up high.

It was the Golden Reaper, smiling innocently as if caught off guard.

What? It was the ‘Golden Reaper’?

Relieved that it wasn’t a malevolent object, there was still a sense of unease.

Had the Golden Reaper always had such a high mental pollution index?

A delicious scent wafted through the protective gear.

The fragrance of the sun-like Golden Reaper.

Well, the Golden Reaper is kind, so it shouldn’t pose any issues.

At that moment, a strong current flowed through the protective gear, and the researcher collapsed.

In the darkening field of vision, the concerned Golden Reaper approached.

“It’s okay. You just fainted because mental pollution was detected, so don’t worry.”

The researcher tried to reassure the Golden Reaper with a smile, but the electric shock rendered them speechless, and they lost consciousness entirely.

*

The Black Reaper and the Golden Reaper held hands on the pitch-black land, laughing joyfully.

Just jumping felt so much fun.

They leaped about, ran here and there, and even stumbled and rolled on the slippery ground.

Lying on the ground, the Golden Reaper suddenly thought.

It would be more fun to go outside and play with everyone!

It was time to take the newly added youngest out and introduce them to everyone.

The Golden Reaper tightly held the Black Reaper’s hand, walking toward the boundary of the black sphere.

But at the boundary of the black sphere, the Black Reaper halted.

Shaking its head sadly.

The Black Reaper’s expression, shaking its head in refusal, puzzled the Golden Reaper.

If it didn’t want to go, what could be done?

Reaching that conclusion, the Golden Reaper waved broadly.

I’ll come back again!

Then, the Golden Reaper hopped over and leaped past the boundary.

Left alone in the dark space, the Black Reaper erased its faint smile and trudged off somewhere.

It was fun.

The Black Reaper thought.

It was fun.

And it leaned against the large mother’s body, delivering its wish.

‘I had fun.’

But that wish didn’t get through; it bounced back and scattered into the void.

‘So please, mom, wake up too.’

Believing that since it had revived, surely mom would wake up as well.

Continuously murmuring while blowing the firewood that the Golden Reaper had given it.

As tears streamed down, it continued on.

Until it could no longer maintain its form due to excessive use of the firewood and crumbled down completely.