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Mini Reaper Garden Deep Place.

Endlessly stretching fluffy Marshmallow Plains, above which lies the canopy sky of the Paradise of Mini Reapers.

I was enjoying a relaxed moment there with a wireless TV placed nearby.

Lying on the large White Hungry Ghost, I took a bite of the jelly in my hand.

The sweet taste of the jelly made from the Hungry Ghost Reaper’s finger filled my mouth.

Then, I listened closely to the sound coming from the wireless TV in front of me.

[Professor, it’s been quite some time since the San Francisco incident. Starting with the Covered Sky object, many buildings including the Golden Gate Bridge were destroyed, causing tremendous damage. However, there have been various allegations raised recently about this incident in the United States. What are the details?]

[Yes, that’s correct. Currently, there are conspiracy theories circulating in the U.S. claiming that this incident was planned by James Company. Particularly, the fact that the company seriously injured by this incident is known to be a rival of James Company, the ‘Alexander Group,’ adds weight to these allegations.]

On the TV, the announcer and panel were discussing the recently occurred San Francisco incident.

Despite being an event that happened in America, I smiled with satisfaction at the rapid broadcasting.

‘It’s something that happened in America, yet it’s getting aired so quickly….’

Thinking about how things used to be like in Korean broadcasting, I could really feel how much it had changed.

In the past, it either wouldn’t have been broadcasted or would have taken at least a month to appear on air.

After the Association Doll incident led to the disbandment of the Association, news related to overseas objects, which had been thoroughly blocked, started flooding in.

[Ah, I see. So how exactly is the speculation being raised?]

[It primarily started from the differing views of the two companies surrounding the introduction of Mini Reapers. The Alexander Group was cautious about introducing Mini Reapers, while James Company was very proactive. However, during this San Francisco incident, a Giant Black Reaper suddenly appeared, raising suspicions among some people.]

As I listened to the TV sounds, I continued pondering about the council that emerged after the association’s disbandment.

‘Surprisingly, is the Object Association’s Chairperson, Golden Cloaked Reaper, actually doing a good job?’

Judging by appearances, they looked extremely greedy, as if they would show me a hell beyond that of Oh Muryong….

But at least to me, all these changes were welcome.

One of my few hobbies was watching the news.

Now that I could freely access news from abroad, it greatly increased the number of news stories!

Hehe.

[Recently, it has come to light that all high-ranking executives of the Alexander Group have died brutally, and it has impacted the incident, or so I’ve heard.]

[Yes, that’s right. However, public opinion in America remains extremely favorable towards the Mini Reapers, so it seems unlikely that this incident will be properly investigated.]

[….]

[That’s it for our recent updates on the San Francisco incident. Viewers, we will return with the next story. Thank you.]

As time passed and the announcer’s closing remarks signaled the end of the news, I slowly stood up to go see Yerin.

Doo-bang doo-bang

Stepping on the fluffy Marshmallow Plains, I walked forward.

The White Hungry Ghost and Hungry Ghost Reaper stood side by side to see me off.

Kyu!

As I heard the White Hungry Ghost’s “Kyu!” sound, a suddenly amusing thought popped into my head.

Like a mischievous child, I became captivated by an exciting idea.

‘What will happen if I fuse the White Hungry Ghost and the Hungry Ghost Reaper?’

If I think in terms of color, since the Hungry Ghost Reaper is the color of a ghost, there might be a possibility of fusion with the White Hungry Ghost.

As my curiosity flared up, I immediately acted without hesitation.

Putting the Halo of Fusion on my head, I fused the White Hungry Ghost and the Hungry Ghost Reaper in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, a large white orb appeared, which soon began to crack.

With excitement and anticipation mixed together, I held my breath and watched the outcome.

And when the orb completely shattered, what emerged was….

A hybrid that looked nothing like what I had imagined.

‘Wh… what is this?’

In disbelief and confusion, I slowly backed away.

Startled by the unexpected result, I teleported away from that spot before the hybrid opened its eyes.

*

Mini Reaper Garden, a secluded spot in the Marshmallow Plains.

There, the Golden Cloaked Reaper was looking down at their fist.

Recalling the memories of yesteryear, they were trying to resurrect the sensation from the moment they fused with the 1st Sword, the strongest of the Golden Reapers.

Whiruk.

With a small golden flame, a handful of firewood settled in the Golden Cloaked Reaper’s fist.

They swung their fist vigorously, but contrary to expectations, the fist simply sliced through the air rapidly.

‘Space….’

Clearly, the sensation of cutting through space remained in the Golden Cloaked Reaper’s fists, yet no matter how many times it was repeated, progress was minimal.

Of course, if they blew a ton of firewood into their fist like before, they could tear space apart, but that’s not what they wanted.

‘Maaa….’

Suddenly, a voice was heard, and the Golden Cloaked Reaper turned their head.

Next to them now stood the Discolored Reaper.

The Discolored Reaper was looking up at the Golden Cloaked Reaper with a face full of concern.

A warm smile spread across the Golden Cloaked Reaper’s face.

“It’s okay.”

The Golden Cloaked Reaper bent down and gently patted the Discolored Reaper’s head.

“As long as there’s a signpost, we can move forward no matter how hopeless it may seem.”

At the Golden Cloaked Reaper’s conveyed will, the Discolored Reaper’s gaze brightened slightly.

The Golden Cloaked Reaper adjusted their stance again and repeated the motion of swinging their fist with firewood in it.

Once, twice, three times….

They continued endlessly.

Until they reach the desired level, forever.

Moreover, the Golden Cloaked Reaper was not alone.

“Maaa!”

“Maaa!”

Beside them, the Discolored Reaper also extended a small fist, mimicking the Golden Cloaked Reaper’s movements.

‘….’

While they were training like that, a loud voice suddenly rang out from afar.

“Festival!”

“It’s a festival!”

“War Festival!”

It was the ever-cheerful will of the Golden Reapers.

‘?’

“Maaaa?”

However, this commotion felt a bit unfamiliar.

The Golden Reapers would periodically hold festivals such as swordplay tournaments, coliseums, and hide-and-seek.

But a war festival?

Even the Golden Cloaked Reaper had never heard of such a festival name before.

“Maaa!”

As the Discolored Reaper expressed curiosity, the Golden Cloaked Reaper stopped training.

Then, they picked up the Discolored Reaper and slowly began to walk towards the place where the “War Festival” was being held.

*

I was nestled in Yerin’s arms, eating snacks, and started to feel like it was time for the hybrid to disappear, so I returned to the Mini Reaper Garden.

As I landed on the soft ground of the Marshmallow Plains, an unexpected sight greeted me.

“It’s a festival!”

“A war festival!”

“Charge!”

The Golden Reapers looked incredibly excited, just like when the coliseum was first built.

What on earth was going on?

Filled with curiosity, I quickly followed behind the Golden Reapers rushing through the Marshmallow Plains.

And there, I encountered the hybrid that I never wanted to see again.

Even upon seeing it again, its appearance was shocking.

A massive size that must be about 3 meters tall.

Two large curves made of white jelly.

Surrounding them were flying balls of white flame ghosts.

The “War Festival” referred to this hybrid and the Golden Reapers joyfully having a playful fight.

‘Why is it still not gone???’

It had been way longer than the duration of the 1st Sword fusion in San Francisco…!

Watching the hybrid fight, it was ten times stronger than I had predicted, and its duration was much longer too.

I couldn’t bear to witness the terrible hybrid I had created and covered my eyes with both hands.

Yet even covering my eyes, that dreadful sight couldn’t be hidden.

Hing hing.

*

In the midst of the War Festival, Seoul Forest.

A hazy black planet was visible in the sky, and many Golden Reapers and Black Reapers stood guard in the densely wooded forest.

It was definitely much better than before, but since space loss phenomena still frequently occurred around Seoul Forest, they remained vigilant.

The Mini Reapers stationed to guard let humans know, “It’s dangerous here!” as their main task.

Doo-bang doo-bang.

In that Seoul Forest, a Black Reaper was vigorously kicking their limbs while wandering around.

Perhaps because it was a deep forest, a faint resolve could be heard in the dim shadows cast by the setting sun.

“For Mom!”

It was a voice I had never heard before.

‘? Who?’

A will that sounded very distant.

It was certainly a Mini Reaper, but it was a whisper I had never heard before.

With a question mark above their head, the Black Reaper began walking toward where that will spread out, doo-bang doo-bang.

“For Mom!”

“Mommy!”

As they got closer, the desperate will became clearer.

The Black Reaper stepped into the deep darkness of Seoul Forest.