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As the man with a halo was sucked into yearning, the sun began to slowly unveil its face over the ruined Seodaemun District.

The dawn’s light was like a signal announcing the end of a long night.

‘It’s over.’

The faint beam of light appearing in the eastern sky gradually pushed away the darkness, slowly revealing the outline of the shattered city.

The devastated streets had transformed into a strange landscape.

Twisted steel structures soared towards the sky like gigantic sculptures, and the broken glass windows sparkled like stars in the dawn light.

The once-bustling streets had completely changed their appearance against the brightening sky.

Signs littered the ground, and broken road signs lay scattered.

Dust particles danced in the wind.

Faint bird chirps could be heard from a distance.

It was a sight I never could have imagined while searching for the missing Golden Reaper.

As I surveyed my surroundings, I spotted a bench that remained oddly intact amidst the destroyed facilities.

It was the very same bench I had found when I was chasing the missing Golden Pig Reaper.

Feeling a slight wave of nostalgia, I sat down on the bench and lifted a coffee cup that had long lost its aroma to examine it.

At that moment, I noticed the Golden Reapers approaching from afar.

The Golden Cloaked Reaper was energetically lifting the fainted Golden Horn Reaper and bouncing over debris.

Despite carrying the Golden Horn Reaper, the Golden Cloaked Reaper effortlessly hopped over the shattered concrete piles.

Was the Golden Cloaked Reaper particularly strong, unlike other Golden Reapers, who would carefully break stones into smaller pieces when moving them?

It was quite a difference.

As I watched the little one bravely make it over the broken concrete, I noticed something had changed.

‘Originally, they only wore a cloak, but now they’ve got boots and gloves?’

The Golden Cloaked Reaper was wearing sturdy-looking boots and gloves.

The design of the boots and gloves looked quite impressive, making me want to try them on as full-body armor if they were my size.

‘A bit disappointing.’

Of course, there was no way I could fit into armor made for a Mini Reaper.

When the Golden Cloaked Reaper reached my knees, I playfully squeezed the charming horn of the fainted Golden Horn Reaper I held in my hands.

Strangely, no matter how I fiddled with it, the horn had an irresistible charm that wouldn’t grow old.

Hehe.

As I was teasing the Golden Horn Reaper, forgotten memories slowly crept back, whispering to me.

[Swirling White Hungry Ghost Roast.]

As that phrase surged in my mind like mental pollution, I sprang to my feet.

With both Golden Reapers in my lap, I teleported to the Mini Reaper Garden.

Amidst the distortion of space as I moved, I saw drones scattering in all directions that had been filming me, beginning to capture the image of the ruins revealed beneath the sun.

*

Mini Reaper Garden, Marshmallow Plains.

The Gray Reaper suddenly popped out of thin air and dashed off somewhere, leaving the Golden Horn Reaper and Golden Cloaked Reaper on the floor.

As expected, the Golden Cloaked Reaper tried to regain its balance like other Golden Reapers but plopped down on its plump belly without getting a proper stance.

Naturally, the fainted Golden Horn Reaper also fell unceremoniously to the ground, rolling over.

‘I can’t fly…’

Perhaps due to the armor not fully regenerating, the Golden Cloaked Reaper was unable to soar through the sky.

After properly laying down the Golden Horn Reaper, the Golden Cloaked Reaper began to bounce away, searching for an Attached Human.

‘….’

As time passed, the bustling atmosphere caused the Golden Horn Reaper to awaken.

‘Ah! I’m awake!’

‘Long time no see!’

‘It’s been a while!’

Soon, my vision was filled with numerous Golden Reapers, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

The Golden Reapers were bursting with joy at seeing each other again.

As soon as the Golden Horn Reaper opened its eyes, the Golden Reapers snuck closer, rushing in.

A massive Golden Reaper Cocoon!

Squishy cheeks rubbed against each other, and little arms reached out from every direction.

‘Ugh!’

‘I can’t move!’

‘Hey, someone bit me!’

Once the Golden Reaper-style welcome party concluded, only a small group of the oldest Golden Reapers remained to tumble around together.

They were Golden Reapers from a time when their lifespan was so short they couldn’t even last a single day.

‘I’m staying at the Gap Research Institute!’

‘???’

Since it had been a while since they met, they shared updates about their situations.

‘It’s a Shaved Ice Snowfield.’

‘It’s all white!’

They held each other’s hands and guided each other around the newly formed Mini Reaper Garden.

After bouncing around the Mini Reaper Garden, the Golden Reapers settled in the snowfield and began munching on sugar fruits.

Om nom nom.

The Golden Horn Reaper’s eyes widened in surprise at the new taste as it eagerly devoured the fruits.

While the Golden Horn Reaper was absorbed in its snack, one of the Golden Reapers joyfully approached and bit its horn.

Munch munch.

The Golden Horn Reaper chuckled, seemingly tickled, looking up at the Golden Reaper that just bit it.

It was a meeting of squishy teeth and squishy horns.

Soon, other Golden Reapers stood up and charged in.

‘Me too!’

‘I want to bite too!’

While the Golden Reapers were happily rolling around in the snowfield, the Orange Crowned Reaper watched them with a meaningful expression from above.

*

Sehee Research Institute, Researcher Office.

The Helmet Researcher glanced away from the monitor as lunch hour began and looked around.

Turning his gaze, he noticed an unusually excited atmosphere lingering in the Sehee Research Institute office during the lunchtime chaos.

It had always felt this way in the office, but today felt especially intense.

‘It must be because of the incident in Seodaemun District a few days ago.’

The large-scale Object incident yesterday had garnered significant attention for two reasons.

First, it was due to the emergency Object alert and evacuation recommendation issued by the James Research Institute, followed by the collapse of the city just after the evacuations were completed.

Thanks to the James Research Institute, despite property damage, no one was injured or killed in the Object incident.

It was a prime example highlighting just how remarkable the James Research Institute was.

The Helmet Researcher was curious about what thoughts the last people to evacuate had, who had stubbornly resisted leaving.

The second reason was that it featured a well-recorded battle scene of the Gray Reaper after a long time.

A vivid yet fierce and intense battle sequence.

The Helmet Researcher thought that the Gray Reaper’s popularity would likely rise significantly this time.

Perhaps this time, it might finally catch up to the Golden Reaper’s popularity?

Lost in thought, the Helmet Researcher glanced down to see a Golden Reaper sprawled across the report, rolling around.

‘Ah!’

As soon as the Golden Reaper sensed the researcher’s gaze, it flailed its limbs, rolling around to block the report from view.

‘You can’t work!’

‘It’s time to rest!’

Since understanding the concept of lunch breaks, it had taken this approach every time.

The Helmet Researcher couldn’t help but smile and lifted the Golden Reaper up, standing from his seat.

‘Still, it’s unlikely the Gray Reaper could outshine the Golden Reaper’s popularity, right?’

Looking down at the laughing Golden Reaper, the Helmet Researcher suddenly pondered.

‘….’

After grabbing some easy-to-eat sandwiches and pudding meant for Golden Reapers and arriving at the lounge, a gigantic TV screen was playing the battle scenes of the Gray Reaper.

The Gray Reaper, glowing golden all over, was shown extending a fist in an awkward manner.

The Golden Reaper sitting on the Helmet Researcher’s shoulder jumped onto the table upon seeing the TV and started mimicking the Gray Reaper on the screen.

‘Golden Mama Punch!’

The Golden Reaper awkwardly threw a sloppy punch.

Wobble wobble.

Its expression clearly indicated a fondness for the Gray Reaper, but the act felt like teasing, which made me chuckle a bit.

Well, it was evident that the Gray Reaper disliked when others mimicked it.

A few Golden Reapers who had been caught imitating the Gray Reaper ended up puffing up like ping-pong balls.

Suddenly feeling playful, the Helmet Researcher pointed to the lounge entrance and whispered softly.

“Look, there’s the Gray Reaper!”

‘Ah!’

The Golden Reaper gasped, covering its mouth with both hands and peering at the entrance, but there was no one there.

‘I tricked you!’

The Golden Reaper, looking slightly annoyed, rushed in and playfully thumped the Helmet Researcher on the cheek.

The Helmet Researcher smiled, taking the soft punch with amusement.

*

The man with the halo was dreaming.

It was a fragment of a very old memory.

A dream from his childhood.

In the dream, the man was filled with immense anger.

Bang!

The man in the dream slammed his hands down on the table piled high with various alchemical tools, releasing his frustrated emotions.

[Why!]

The man observed his past self like watching a play from a distance.

‘So, this was the beginning.’

This was the pivotal moment when he would continually clash with the girl with blue hair.

[I am the Last Alchemist.]

[How can a mere magical book be the chief alchemist? I can never accept that.]

The man in the dream spat out words filled with fury, his face contorted.

However, unlike the man in the dream, the defeated man in the Gray Maelstrom saw something new emerging.

‘Titles conferred in an academy that will vanish soon are really not that important…’

‘It was after this that everything began to go awry.’

As he pondered, the solid dream began to crumble away, dissipating into the maelstrom.

And gradually, the man’s consciousness started to fade.

“This must be my end.”

Feeling his awareness disperse, the man murmured with a mildly forlorn expression.

Just before his consciousness scattered completely, he caught a glimpse of something pitch-black within the swirling currents of yearning.

Something dark like Evolution Liquid, perfectly maintaining a round shape.