The Paradise of Mini Reapers. Sehee Research Institute!
As the Helmet Researcher looked up, they noticed a large banner hanging at the entrance of the Sehee Research Institute parking lot.
Behind it was revealed a temporary building made using tents.
The colors were vibrant and flashy, giving off a circus tent vibe.
“What in the world… happened between yesterday and today?”
The Helmet Researcher stared bewilderedly at the giant tent that had appeared overnight.
No matter how hard they tried to recall, there had been no announcement about such an event.
‘This must be Director Lee Sehee’s doing.’
If Deputy Director Park Seoah had done it, she would’ve notified everyone at least a month in advance.
It seemed like this facility was built due to the recent increase in visitors to the institute, likely because of the Red Reaper who had saved people worldwide.
Just then, the Golden Reaper suddenly popped its head out from the pocket of the lab coat before quietly climbing onto the researcher’s shoulder.
Something interesting must’ve appeared in the Sehee Research Institute because even the Golden Reaper looked slightly excited.
“Alright, let’s go inside and check it out.”
The Helmet Researcher playfully tapped the Golden Reaper’s head as they moved toward the tent entrance.
Inside, the place was surprisingly well-decorated.
More like a museum than a circus performance hall.
Gentle lighting hung from the ceiling, and along the corridor leading from the entrance, numerous pictures of Mini Reapers were displayed.
A Red Reaper flying through the sky while wielding a scythe and hammer.
An ultra-high-definition photo of the Happy Golden Reaper breaking through the atmosphere.
Most of these photos were ones that had been featured in the magazine circulating among the researchers.
This was the weekly magazine known as Weekly Mini Reaper!, which mysteriously appeared every Monday morning in the lounge without anyone knowing who made it.
Jokingly, the researchers speculated that there might be some kind of object hidden in the institute creating this magazine.
Sometimes, the magazine included photos of the Gray Reaper with closed eyes posing like a model in extravagant clothing.
Who could possibly be making this?
Given that there were photos of the Gray Reaper dressed up, it wasn’t entirely implausible that it was indeed created by some mysterious object.
After passing through the corridor filled with photos, Sehee appeared, handing over a stack of pamphlets and explaining the tasks for the day.
The job was simple:
Distribute pamphlets.
Patrol and manage the venue.
Introduce people without Attached Reapers to the Mini Reapers.
With that, Sehee handed over a large cardboard box, similar to one used for chicks, and disappeared somewhere.
Inside the box were countless colorful Mini Reapers resembling baby chicks.
“Ang!”
“Ah! Did someone call me?”
Despite making no sound, these “baby chick” Mini Reapers were incredibly active, rolling around chaotically.
Before long, time flew by as they played with the Mini Reapers, and guests began entering the tent one after another.
Thanks to the green slime incident, the number of visitors was significantly higher than expected—about ten times more than what the Helmet Researcher had anticipated.
‘If this tent hadn’t been built, the research institute would’ve been overwhelmed.’
While moving the now-empty cardboard box and looking around the venue, the researcher noticed a particularly crowded spot.
★Mini Reaper Photo Zone★
This was where visitors could take photos with either their Attached Reaper or free-roaming reapers wandering the photo zone.
There were various props available, much like a sticker photo booth, all specially designed for Mini Reaper-sized subjects.
A woman was seen taking photos of a Golden Reaper.
“Okay, let’s do a V pose!”
The cheerful woman extended her fingers into a V shape toward the blissfully unaware Golden Reaper, who was holding up two triumphant arms.
However, the Golden Reaper seemed confused, unsure of what this “V” thing was.
‘Ah, this must be a newborn Golden Reaper.’
This rare Golden Reaper, only visible for about three days after birth, was smaller than usual, slightly expressionless, and struggled to understand language.
Even though Golden Reapers eventually learn human language by being around people, they don’t truly grasp it but rather become better at reading cues.
The woman continued trying to explain, but the Golden Reaper kept staring at its own fingers shaped into a V, tilting its head in confusion.
Finding the baffled expression adorable, the woman gave up on the V pose and snapped the photo anyway.
Click.
Nearby Songpa District Hospital.
The sole survivor of the James Space Station woke up quickly, seemingly unable to dream after sleeping too much.
“Haa…”
As the woman tried to get up while pressing her throbbing head, she noticed something warm and fluffy on her stomach.
Pulling back the blanket, she found a palm-sized object with green skin curled up inside.
Though unfamiliar, it clearly resembled a new Mini Reaper.
Instinctively, she felt it.
‘Mingming is alive!’
She instantly recognized it as Mingming despite the differences.
Green skin.
Cat-like triangular ears.
Bright yellow eyes.
A cute curved mouth.
Though many features matched, she just knew—it was definitely Mingming.
Overwhelmed with emotion, the woman wiped away tears and gently picked up the tiny Mingming.
Slowly, so as not to wake it.
Moving Mingming close to her face, she heard soft breathing.
“Meeeng. Meeeng. Meeeng.”
Deep asleep, the rhythmic sounds continued.
‘Hehe, so cute.’
Smiling warmly, the woman poked Mingming’s big leaf-like appendage.
“Ack!”
The sensitive leaf startled Mingming awake, causing it to flutter about in panic.
Realizing it couldn’t escape, Mingming curled up and began emitting a glowing green light.
From its body sprouted lush moss-like fur.
Now resembling a fuzzy moss ball, Mingming whimpered softly.
“Meeeng.”
Though smaller, it bore a striking resemblance to the figure seen at the space station, save for its elongated caterpillar-like form.
Perhaps the human-shaped Mini Reaper inside caused this transformation.
“You don’t have to do that.”
Gently stroking the plush moss, the woman spoke kindly.
“I already know who you are. There’s no way I wouldn’t recognize you.”
Puff puff.
Instantly, the moss fell off, revealing a slightly worried-looking Green Reaper.
Seeing this, the woman smiled widely at the Mini Reaper.
In response, the Green Reaper happily flew into her arms.
“Ming!”
A touching reunion between the surviving Object and its human companion.
Deep within Seoul Forest, where civilization—and even people—had vanished.
I was advancing into this area alongside the Mini Reapers.
The place where I was reborn as an Object.
The place where I gained Ghosting and physical immunity.
The place where I nearly died countless times.
As we ventured deeper, the ruins of a village turned to ashes came into view.
‘The village with the burning steel pig statue.’
Walking through the desolate forest, memories surfaced.
‘Somewhere around here was the cave where I met Sehee.’
‘Beyond those rocks was the territory where Giant Moles once flew.’
Thus, reminiscing, I moved forward through Seoul Forest.
Tump tump.
Behind me, the Mini Reapers followed, clearing harmful objects along the way.
‘Finally, we’re cleaning up the Objects in Seoul Forest.’
Back when I was born, I was too weak to handle them. Later, it was simply too vast to tackle alone, so I left it be.
Plus, Mini Reapers rarely ventured into areas devoid of people, so it took until now to clean up.
After dispersing the Mini Reapers throughout Seoul Forest, I headed toward the most important location.
The cause of Seoul Forest: The Steel Tower.
Standing before it, the atmosphere felt distinctly different from my previous visit.
The gentle mist that once filled the open lot was gone.
The sacred silence that inspired reverence had also disappeared.
Instead, the open lot was filled with the slow sound of something crumbling.
Cracks of black spread across the surface of the towering Steel Tower.
‘Is <Nostalgia> referring to the seven months’ scenery I saw atop the Steel Tower?’
Looking up at the slowly disintegrating tower, that thought crossed my mind.
‘Since it’s breaking apart, there’s no need to interfere further.’
Deciding to confirm the destruction conditions of the Steel Tower one last time…
But upon viewing it with my ‘eyes,’ something previously unseen became visible.
<Empty Destruction Condition>
And beyond the tip of the Steel Tower reaching toward the heavens, a star stained black came into view.
