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The beautiful trajectory of the sword illuminated the dark alley as if painting the Milky Way in the air.

Like a cluster of sparkling stars ripped straight from the Milky Way, they existed within a waterfall of golden light.

That sparkle felt strangely akin to the vitality, soul, or essence of the Golden Reaper.

Perhaps that’s why, shrouded in a subtle flame, the Golden Reaper grew fainter as time passed.

The fading Golden Reaper no longer danced flamboyantly through the alley using the terrain and walls like before.

Instead, it merely swung a massive strike that was far larger than its own body.

The group of murderers looked overwhelmingly powerful against them, yet to the student, it seemed incredibly precarious.

The two legs stood straight and appeared to have no issues at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it was clear something was off.

The Golden Reaper’s firmly rooted feet on the ground swayed slightly as if all strength had drained from them.

It was evident that they could fall at any moment, yet they bore down and endured.

It seemed less about choosing not to move in 3D and more about lacking the energy to do so.

Thus, the Golden Reaper abandoned the style of eliminating enemies with minimal strikes and enlarged the sword blade, starting to eliminate foes without moving.

And that brilliant and overwhelming trajectory intimidated the murderers.

However, the cost of that dazzling swordplay was steadily accumulating.

With each swing, their presence grew more and more transparent.

With each swing, their body crumbled further.

“Just run away. Even if you help me like this, there’s no hope anyway.”

The student repeatedly said this, feeling a bit sad about the Golden Reaper’s nonsensical dedication and considering it pointless.

Yet the Golden Reaper simply returned a happy smile to the student.

As if swinging the sword for the student’s sake brought them happiness.

Upon seeing that smile, the student could no longer speak.

It felt as though they could sense the Golden Reaper’s heart.

Thinking that it must be the chaos of the ongoing incidents that was driving them mad, they silently wished for the Golden Reaper’s well-being.

‘I hope this kind Golden Reaper can survive.’

They wished that the Golden Reaper wouldn’t sacrifice their life for something meaningless.

They hoped that this wish would reach some god and come true.

*

It hurts.

The flesh was gradually burning away, turning into firewood.

Originally, converting flesh into firewood held little significance.

Firewood lacked direct offensive capabilities and was of little use in protecting the Attached Human.

But now the Golden Reaper had developed the ability to turn firewood into a Light Sword.

A brilliant trail of starlight emanated from their raised hand, extending long.

Then it struck down at the ‘Bad Object.’

As the sword swung, chipping away at the firewood, the flesh also chipped away a little.

The more flesh burned, the more hazy the mind became.

They were unsure if they even held the sword properly.

They simply swung the sword out of habit from thousands and thousands of swings.

“Just run away. Even if you help me like this, there’s no hope anyway.”

As the incomprehensible murmurs from the Attached Human reached their ears, the Golden Reaper wore a sad smile.

It was from the emotions coming from the Attached Human.

A desire that even if the Attached Human were to die, they wished for the Golden Reaper to survive.

It was a wish resembling the Golden Reaper’s own yearning.

The Golden Reaper desired that even if they died, the Attached Human would survive.

Thinking that the Attached Human should always smile and be joyful, they swung their sword.

‘I hope the Attached Human always feels only happiness.’

The trajectory infused with the Golden Reaper’s yearning sliced another object in half.

Crumble.

In that instant, the Golden Reaper’s body tilted to one side.

With one leg crumbling, they could no longer support themselves properly.

Yet even with one leg broken, the Golden Reaper mustered strength into their remaining leg and swung the sword once more.

In the Golden Reaper’s blurred vision, they saw their own body becoming more transparent.

As the firewood dwindled, their body lost its luster, transforming into something brittle and sandy.

“You were truly amazing. But it seems we’re nearing the end.”

The ‘Bad Object’ spoke with a tone full of arrogance.

It felt as though victory was imminent.

However, the Golden Reaper remained silent, only swinging their sword as if they couldn’t hear those words.

Crumble.

This time, a cracking sound resonated in their head.

Something important had broken.

Their vision blurred.

The hazy sight filled with endless darkness, yet the dazed mind continued to silently hold the sword and swing it.

However, the Golden Reaper had the ability to sense emotions and malice.

It was enough for the Golden Reaper to feel the warm heart of the Attached Human.

As long as they sensed the malice of the approaching Bad Object towards the Attached Human, that was sufficient.

The Golden Reaper was left with just one small wish.

That this feeling wouldn’t fade until their last breath.

That they could continue swinging the sword until then.

They simply swung the sword, infused with that yearning.

Even if the Bad Object mocked the Golden Reaper’s meaningless death.

Even if the Attached Human worried for the Golden Reaper.

The dazed Golden Reaper merely swung the sword, filled with their yearning.

In the endless darkness, they felt something catch at the end of their sword swinging in an out-of-body experience.

It was ‘space,’ which could barely be reached only by pouring all their firewood into it.

In that moment.

The Golden Reaper realized ‘space.’

The endless darkness began to crumble.

The endlessly stretching alley.

The Bad Objects rushing endlessly.

And the Attached Human looking down at them with a sorrowful face.

Not light, but a world viewed through space.

In that world, they saw the weave of space.

The Golden Reaper opened their unseen eyes wide and stared straight into the space ahead.

There remained barely enough firewood for a single slash.

Yet still, the Golden Reaper solemnly raised their sword and swung it towards the structure of space.

An exquisitely sharp strike left only fine cracks, like a visible trace left when a mother forcefully tore space apart, but the Golden Reaper smiled happily.

The Golden Reaper’s ultimate technique was activated.

‘Ultimate Mother’s Call.’

*

The brilliant trajectory of the sword sliced through empty air where no one existed.

The final slash of the Golden Reaper was unleashed into that empty void.

It seemed the Golden Reaper was gradually deteriorating, and ultimately, it had led to this.

Then the Golden Reaper collapsed like a doll with a dead battery, becoming motionless.

“Reaper…”

Given the Golden Reaper’s fragile state, akin to being on the verge of crumbling, they couldn’t bring themselves to touch it.

They could only look at the collapsed Golden Reaper, feeling restless.

“Hahaha! Finally!”

Seeing this, the female student held her stomach and laughed heartily.

As if to say she expected this outcome.

Continuing to struggle in a meaningless fashion was just hilarious to her.

She chattered with glee, filling the alley with her laughter as the murderers wearing their guise had hollow, vacant smiles.

After a long bout of laughter, the student suddenly stopped and glanced at her wristwatch.

“The serial killer in Mapo District. From 6 PM to 4 AM.”

Her voice was so candid, it was hard to believe she’d just been laughing moments before.

Then, raising her expressionless face, she smirked with one corner of her mouth lifted.

“Not much time left, huh? One a day.”

Her demeanor was uncomfortably awkward, resembling a marionette moving in erratic motions.

No sooner had she said this than the murderer, who had been frozen, rushed forward again.

In an instant, the murderer closed the distance, lifting a folding knife high to stab down at the student, when the space around her exploded.

Rough and forcibly ripped traces formed out of the space the Golden Reaper had previously cut out to treat the student.

And from beyond those traces, a familiar chocolate scent began to waft.

Bam bam.

A massive gaping hole, appearing roughly 5m both ways, broke through, and from it stepped out a gray object that looked angrily despised.

An object hailed as the strongest in Korea.

It was the ‘Gray Reaper.’

*

It had been a delightful day.

The Reaper-exclusive resort was pleasing, and the Lightsaber gifted by the Golden Reapers was great.

And today’s highlight was to watch the battle between the Red Reaper wielding a flame weapon and the Golden Reaper with a Lightsaber.

The Golden Reaper with a serious expression faced off against the cheerful Red Reaper in the center of the Mini Reaper Colosseum.

The Red Reaper, having taken my suggestion, appeared as a splendid warrior with a flame hammer in one hand and a flame scythe in the other, naturally bringing a smile to my face.

Regardless of who won, it would undoubtedly have been an incredibly entertaining match.

But my joyful mood plummeted in an instant.

Because the space near my ear had been sharply severed.

And from that crack, an extremely faint will began to seep out.

If the crack in space hadn’t formed right next to my ear, it would have been a will so faint that I wouldn’t have heard it.

“Mom…”

It was a plaintive will, resembling a last cry uttered while dying.

The moment I heard that sound, my mood soured drastically as I thrust my hands into the sharp crack and tore it wide.

Screech.

The space crumpled and tore loudly, resonating throughout the Mini Reaper Garden.

Beyond the torn space lay the crumbling Golden Reaper, barely any firewood remaining.

Despite being able to return to the ‘Mini Reaper Garden’ whenever I wanted, the Golden Reaper kept getting hurt, calling out for their mom.

With a fierce smile, I surveyed the surroundings.

The yellow shining moonlight and the wicked objects with a strong presence.

They were the ones tormenting my child, whom I could only torment.

Pouring firewood into the Golden Reaper, who seemed like they could scatter at any moment, the Mini Reapers began to slowly follow in through the hole in the Mini Reaper Garden.

The Red Reaper wielding a scythe and hammer.

The Black Reaper with arms transformed into swords.

The Blue Reaper with a water-made staff.

And finally, the Golden Reaper with a Lightsaber.

As they entered following me, the Mini Reapers raised their respective weapons upon seeing the injured Golden Reaper as if vowing to take revenge.