Glurp, glurp.
Daesik wobbled slightly as Sosik, who had somehow ended up on his shoulder, handed him a piece of tree bark smeared with red jam. The jelly-like substance clung to it, glistening invitingly.
Though Sosik hadn’t revealed their true form, they had managed to stuff the bark into the colossal mouth of Alice with ease.
Daesik chewed joyfully, his doll-like mouth opening unnaturally wide as he savored the taste of the bark.
After handing over the bark, Sosik slumped lazily on Daesik’s shoulder, appearing as if all worldly troubles had suddenly become too much. However, there was a faint smile playing on their lips, seemingly pleased by Daesik’s enjoyment of the meal.
The mutual bond between them—both caring for one another—was a tender sight. But no one was around to witness it, as the humans hidden beneath Daesik’s skirts couldn’t see him or Sosik due to the towering presence of the giant Alice.
Be it for lack of interest or otherwise, that remained irrelevant.
Meanwhile, amidst the small festival celebrated by the various jellies, a unsettling sound could be heard – a gnawing, crunching noise.
High above, in the depths of the canopy, deep-red monstrosities hung like massive fruits from the branches, gnawing on each other. The tree itself seemed dedicated to nourishing these strange growths, devoting every ounce of its energy to them.
Every time the veins of the tree pulsed with nutrients, as witnessed by Lime, the barren, withered branches that bore no fruit grew even thinner and drier, their stripped appearance stark and pitiful. Yet, given the tree’s recent ruthless consumption of humans, few would likely feel sympathy.
Perhaps among those who encountered this through stories or from a distance, some might offer pity, but for those cowering beneath the skirts of the giant Alice, that was out of the question.
In any case.
While jellies and humans alike enjoyed a moment of calm, the ominous, ripe, crimson fruits continued to swell, their pulsing palpable even to those far below.
The humans, despite being so far removed, could not help but notice the fruits’ unsettling expansion. Memories of past hunts and human sacrifices made their faces pale.
The gruesome vision of the fruits bursting open, spilling crimson, blood-like contents that would consume the humans as fertilizer, painted itself vividly in their minds.
The foreboding fear spread like black ink in water, turning transparent tranquility to opaque terror.
“Uh… what is that thing up there…?”
“A giant persimmon…?”
“Isn’t that a bit too big?”
In no time, the fruits had grown so large, even distant observers could make them out.
A menacing pulse radiated ominously from them. Though no one knew exactly what transpired within, the faces of those who had survived the previous hunts turned ghastly pale at the sight.
The scene was all too clear in their minds: the fruits would burst open, unleashing a horrifying sight of crimson carnage.
“Uh… we gotta run!”
“Where to?!”
“Maybe… it’s safer to just stay here?”
“Look at its size! We’re all dead either way!”
“Then let’s just… perish here?”
“Mommyyyy…”
Panicking spread with alarming speed, especially among those who had already faced death. Those who had yet to experience it reacted more sluggishly, while the rest mimicked a panic they had grown all too familiar with.
In a way, their amateurish experience with fear turned into a poison that fueled their distress.
Their commotion eventually reached the jellies, impacting Daesik the most.
Not out of fear that the panic had infected him—he was unshaken—but rather, from the realization that the panicking humans had placed him in a position where he could not move freely.
If he moved recklessly, he might trample the humans he had been tasked to protect, as instructed by Lime.
And if that happened, he feared the consequences might be far worse than simply having the remote taken away.
Despite no direct harm ever befalling him, images he had seen on TV now haunted his jelly-like consciousness.
Letting these fruits burst would lead to a far more gruesome spectacle than what had already transpired.
Thankfully, an unexpected voice echoed in the air.
“Stay calm, everyone. Panicking will only prevent our guardian from functioning properly.”
“Wh-whose voice is that?”
“A voice out of nowhere?!”
The voice belonged to Han Seori. Busy orchestrating operations while the others tackled the situation outside, she now felt it was time to intervene.
Introducing herself to the startled crowd, her identity was met with confusion.
“Who…?”
“Is she some kind of doctor?”
“I’ve never heard of that laboratory…”
Understandably, no one recognized her. After an unintentional flinch, Han Seori mentioned her collaboration with Lime during a press conference, eliciting recognition.
“Ah, that person!”
“I remember!”
[…]
Of course, it was unsurprising. Who would recognize a title such as ‘Doctor from Whatever Research Lab’?
Their laboratory was neither public nor widely known. If her face had been shown more prominently, things might have been different—but where Han Seori stood, in control of a distant speaker, she brushed off her unease with a small cough, focusing instead on addressing the urgency of the moment.
“Understood? The more you panic, the harder it is for us to help you. Please move into the nearby buildings alongside the jellies, and stay calm. Assistance is on its way.”
Realizing she was a credible authority on the matter, the crowd trusted her without question. Her reputation as someone knowledgeable about phenomena like the Singularity was well-earned.
Her only lingering concern was whether the jellies would understand and comply with her request—but it was unnecessary.
Satisfied by snacking on bark, the jellies moved happily with the humans, making their way into nearby buildings in an organized, non-clustered manner.
It was quite impressive how efficiently they split and dispersed.
Just as if that moment had been awaited—though in reality, it was coincidental—a crunching sound echoed high above, and the massive fruits began to split open, their pulpy insides oozing into the open air.
Relieved by the timely evacuation, Daesik and Sosik looked up toward the splitting fruits with a slight sense of tension.
Even Sosik, who had been lethargically sprawled across Daesik’s shoulder, stirred awake, emphasizing how dire the situation was perceived by everyone.
Watching the scene unfold through some hidden camera, Han Seori quietly murmured, biting her lips in anxiety.
“Be careful…”
She hadn’t expected to utter such words to the realm of the Singularity.
Though she occasionally addressed Lime with similar warnings, for the other realms, it was a first—a fact that made Han Seori feel oddly conflicted.
Perhaps sensing her awkwardness, Daesik signaled with Alice’s arms, flapping them gently, while Sosik… well, Sosik didn’t respond much. The jelly’s subtle movements indicated that, while he understood, communication remained unconventional.
Seconds later, a thunderous buzzing noise roared above.
Loud and menacing, it shook the ground like multiple helicopters hovering above, drowning out all other sounds.
With a powerful gust, the already lifeless branches cracked under the pressure of the wind, snapping like dry twigs.
The monstrosities, now fused, soared high into the air, testing their newfound strength.
Like a hawk diving for its prey.
They descended swiftly toward Daesik.
Daesik, sensing the growing tension within the jelly, kept his unwavering gaze locked onto the incoming menace, his resolve firm.
*
A peculiar scene unfolded.
What moments ago had been vibrant, pulsating veins now lay dry, desolate, like a barren desert.
Placing a jelly appendage, the surface crumbled easily, brittle like dried leaves, completely devoid of any trace of life.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
Approaching the source of the once-powerful, now silent pulse, the situation felt even stranger.
The once-strong heartbeat, which had resonated moments before, was now completely absent.
Something…
Something was amiss.
Unless the tree chose to commit suicide, this was… abnormal.
In my field of view, a strangely pulsating lump remained, seemingly alive yet weak.
Clearly, there had been no self-inflicted harm. However, the reasons for this sudden decline in vitality remained elusive.
What was this discomfort?
Unable to identify the source of the unease, it grew more unsettling.
Since becoming a jelly, such vague discomfort had never eluded me.
…This is driving me mad.
Beyond the discomfort, there was a nagging sensation, akin to leaving home with the gas stove on.
The unsettling fear of a lit stove igniting and exploding.
I don’t know.
And because I don’t know…
I should resolve this situation in front of me and return quickly.
Making my way toward the faintly pulsating lump, it appeared significantly weaker now compared to just moments ago.
Its fragility seemed almost glass-like.
Not wasting any time, I extended the jelly and made contact with the lump.
Assuming the tree had been a delicious source of nutrients, I couldn’t help but wonder what this would taste like. Despite the nagging unease, my intention was still to crush it immediately.
Confident in my strength, I proceeded.
However…
The moment my jelly touched the lump, it retaliated as if it had been waiting for this exact moment. Releasing hidden power, it grabbed hold of my jelly.
It felt like dealing with a tantrum-prone child.
Or like being suddenly stopped by an insistent passerby.
At that moment…
Something began to flow into my mind.
