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The next morning, I was hiding in the ventilation shaft on the way to the security room, sporting a beaming smile.

I was truly excited to see how the prank involving the Golden Reaper, which I had been preparing for the Blue Reaper since yesterday, would turn out.

‘Here it comes!’

After waiting for a few minutes, I spotted the Blue Reaper, disguised as the Golden Reaper, hopping along into the security room.

It was quite a familiar gait, since he had come a few times disguised as the Golden Reaper.

Once I confirmed that the Blue Reaper had entered the security room, I slowly passed through the thick walls and peeked inside the room.

Inside the security room, the Blue Reaper was being harassed by the Golden Reapers with a somewhat flustered expression.

‘What a curious Golden Reaper!’

‘What a curious Reaper!’

The Golden Reapers were bouncing around as if they had discovered something funny upon seeing the Blue Reaper moving differently from the other Golden Reapers.

There weren’t as many as in the courtyard, but still enough Golden Reapers that seeing such a number in the security room was quite unusual.

The security room had typically been an unpopular spot for the Golden Reapers, so the Blue Reaper looked incredibly flustered.

Of course, the reason why so many Golden Reapers had come into the security room was because of me.

I casually hinted to the Golden Reapers, who were doddling in the Mini Reaper Garden, about it.

‘In the depths of Sehee Research Institute, there’s a security room guarded by really thick walls where a curious Golden Reaper is said to be!’

In this way, I tossed out the information lightly as I passed by.

Then, the Golden Reapers began to shout, ‘Treasure hunt!’ as they started roaming around every nook and cranny of the Sehee Research Institute.

Of course, they had no idea where the security room was, but that only added to the mystery and made them happy.

Now, when those Golden Reapers realize the Blue Reaper is in disguise, he would surely run away, right?

Hehe.

I don’t feel this way around the other Mini Reapers, but strangely, when it comes to the Blue Reaper trying to bond with the Attached Human, I feel an urge to meddle.

However, the Golden Reapers’ reactions were a bit different from what I expected.

‘Younger Brother!’

Once they realized that the Blue Reaper was hidden under the cloth, the Golden Reapers cheered as if they had uncovered a mystery.

How strange.

Normally, upon figuring out such a disguise, one would want to take off the doll’s clothes, right?

The Golden Reapers began to munch on the snacks provided in the security room with satisfied expressions, while the Blue Reaper sat quietly again, gazing longingly at the security room employees.

The Blue Reaper looked quite happy, for some reason.

My perfect prank was turning out to be a complete failure.

Feeling a bit sulky, I resolved to take matters into my own hands.

‘Time Acceleration!’

In my ghosting state, I accelerated time and quickly moved toward the Blue Reaper.

Having been tricked by me many times, the Golden Reapers quickly sensed the distortion in time and looked startled, turning their heads.

And the Golden Reapers also started to accelerate time with nervous expressions, but that didn’t mean much.

Because this time, my target wasn’t them!

The Blue Reaper was so distracted by the Attached Human that he didn’t even realize I was approaching him.

As my hand moved closer to the cloth covering the Blue Reaper, the Golden Reapers began to dash over with expressions like, ‘How could you do that to your younger brother!’

‘Hehe, this time I’ve won!’

As soon as I grabbed the cloth of the Blue Reaper, I removed the time acceleration.

Then, the once slow-moving time began to flow normally again.

The bustling sound of the Golden Reapers rushing toward me.

The startled Blue Reaper as the cloth was suddenly pulled off.

The security room employees turning their heads toward the sudden commotion.

The Golden Reapers clung to my fists trying to retrieve the cloth, but there was no Mini Reaper stronger than me, who was far bigger than a non-Black Reaper.

Bam, bam.

The Golden Reapers were throwing punches at me, furious for tormenting their younger brother, but I was merely anticipating the Blue Reaper’s response.

When the uncovered Blue Reaper’s eyes met those of the security room employees, he pulled his hat down low, looking quite flustered.

The Blue Reaper’s body shook as if it was boiling.

And just as I had expected, he began to arrange strings to escape.

[Please hide me….]

But before he could finish the strings, the Blue Reaper froze in place.

‘I can do it.’

A determination full of hope began to seep slowly from the Blue Reaper.

Then, he slowly raised his head and began to stare directly into the Attached Human’s eyes.

He didn’t flinch or avoid eye contact.

As the Blue Reaper’s image reflected in the Attached Human’s eyes, he smiled at the Attached Human as if he were happy.

*

The sound of men’s footsteps echoed beside the already fading campfire.

Greedy men, full of avarice towards the items, were gradually drawing closer to the girl.

Unaware, the girl was sleeping with a happy expression while hugging the sword tightly in her arms.

“I’m sorry. But in a labyrinth like this, it’s better to die cleanly, so try not to hold too much resentment.”

The man muttered in a low voice and, with all his might, stabbed the dagger toward the girl’s heart.

Thunk.

Like he was taking revenge on a sworn enemy, the dagger surged forward, only to be caught by something just before touching the girl’s skin.

The Black Sword melted away like a shadow, grabbing the dagger.

And then the darkened shadows began to fill the room.

The sword that had been cradled in the girl’s arms melted away completely.

Even the dying campfire was enveloped by shadows.

“What, what is this?”
“Is it another anomaly?”

The three men suddenly facing this unexpected phenomenon began to back against each other, keeping watch in all directions.

‘Greed.’

The shadows started to rise as if they had a volume of their own, towering up to touch the labyrinth’s ceiling.

‘Hypocrisy.’

From within, the beast’s teeth stained white and its ominous white eyes, exuding a sinister light, opened wide.

‘Betrayal.’

The risen shadows gradually took shape, taking on a sinister figure with elongated arms.

Clack.

As sharp teeth clashed together, a white flame began to blaze from the core of the shadow, fixating its gaze on the men.

At the same time, the white flame flowed down in a trickle from the eyes forcefully created from the shadows like blood.

It looked ominous, like it was crying.

‘Betrayer!’

Seeing this surreal vision, the men were filled with terror and tried to flee, but couldn’t move an inch.

The shadows had already ensnared them like a spider’s web.

The men had become mere prey caught in the web.

The giant shadow began to pick the men up one by one and started to chew them with its massive jaws.

Crunch.

Crack.

Chomp.

The sound of bones and flesh breaking and the shrill, agonizing screams echoed, yet it felt as if the shadow, resembling a dark veil of night, devoured all the noise, rendering it silent.

And after consuming all the men, the shadow vanished as if it had been a mere illusion.

Returning to the campsite just before the girl fell asleep.

Only the men who had prepared the campsite had vanished without a trace.

But there was one difference aside from the men disappearing.

The pommel of the Black Sword nestled in the girl’s arms had changed from a warm yellow to an ominous white.

*

A space filled with sand, where walls, floors, and even the ceiling were composed of sand.

The sand that formed the boundaries of that space was constantly flowing, creating the feeling of being in the midst of a flowing sandy river.

In the air of that sandy space, a giant Light Ring existed, drawing a vivid white line.

And on the ground beneath that Light Ring, the flowing sands formed various shapes.

Countless rooms and monsters made of sand.

It felt just like a miniature version of a labyrinth.

And on a high chair overlooking that miniature, an old man was sitting with his eyes closed.

The eccentric and stern-looking old man was nailed down with numerous sand stakes, securely fastened to his seat.

The space, constructed from flowing sand, which had remained tranquil for years, suddenly began to shake.

The once dynamic yet stable space started losing its form and shaking chaotically.

The disturbance began with the miniature.

The clearly defined heap of sand that depicted the labyrinth began to scatter and break apart wildly.

The light emitted from the hanging Light Ring grew stronger.

The sands that formed the space began to fall with a rustling sound.

It felt as if the space was about to collapse.

But at that moment, the old man, who had kept his eyes shut, opened them and started to gaze down at the miniature, causing the chaotic vibrations of the space to cease.

A chilling gaze filled only with sand stared down, and the miniature began to represent parts of the labyrinth once more.

The gigantic Black Reaper’s shape.

And the brutal scene of him devouring men.

Like a nail, the old man kept his gaze on the Black Reaper, showing no sign of releasing his hold even if the Black Reaper were to return as a sword.