Standing atop the Cloud Whale, I gazed up at the sky, basking in the warmth of the sunlight and the clear blue heavens that seemed to be blessing me. The perfect weather felt like a celebration of the fantastical adventure that lay ahead.

I raised my hand to admire the way my armor gleamed in the sunlight—a luxurious black that sparkled brilliantly. It looked like something a Black Knight would wear. Amazing!

Although the armor fit snugly against my skin like clothing, making it feel a bit stifling, I was more than willing to endure it for the sake of fulfilling my fantasy. Plus, this armor had a unique feature that set it apart from ordinary outfits.

“Massage, please.”

As I willed it to move, the armor responded with a cry of “Massage!” and began to shift, kneading my shoulders as if giving me a massage. Enjoying the Black Reaper’s attentive treatment, I relaxed in the soothing sunlight.

Time slipped by as I lay atop the soft Cloud Whale, basking in the pleasant warmth. Before I knew it, the Cloud Whale started circling a spot, as if it had reached its destination.

I stood up and looked down to see the 'Red Lightning Island'—my destination—below. The entire island was hidden by clouds, but just imagining the fantastical world that lay within them filled me with excitement.

Through the swirling mist, occasional flashes of ominous red lightning flickered, but they didn’t seem particularly threatening. With a grin, I jumped down toward the island.

Thud!

I passed through the red lightning, which seemed intent on repelling intruders, and landed on a hill covered with lush green grass. From my vantage point atop the hill, I surveyed my surroundings.

The open plain stretched wide, dotted with sparse trees. Far off, a dense forest loomed, and filling one side of my view was a sprawling fantasy city.

With no tall buildings obstructing the view, I could take in the entire fantasy city from the hill. This was fantasy!

Raising both arms like the Mini Reapers, I shouted out in joy. Even from a distance, the city exuded that classic fantasy vibe. I compared the outfit of my transformed Black Reaper to the clothing of the people walking around the city, checking for any discrepancies.

Perfect.

The Black Reaper’s armor looked almost identical to the armor worn by the city’s inhabitants. I was relieved. This meant I could blend in as an adventurer without attracting any unwanted attention.

Lost in excitement over entering the fantasy world, I suddenly realized a serious problem.

“My skin color!”

As I surveyed the city, I couldn’t spot anyone with uniform-colored skin and hair. Even the 'Skin Color Transformation' I’d gained from destroying the Yellow Moon wasn’t helpful in this situation. Changing my skin to peach meant my hair would also turn peach…

On top of that, my unusual eyes shone a piercing yellow!

“No! My fantasy life!”

I’d come this far only to have my fantasy life ruined! I wanted to play the part of an adventurer, not a monster. I’d done plenty of monster stuff already as an Object.

It was a despairing situation.

Feeling utterly dejected, I knelt on the hill, clutching my head. But amidst my anguish, a simple solution suddenly struck me.

If the problem was my skin, then I just needed to hide it!

I’d simply don a large helmet and roam around as a fully-armored Gray Reaper. Brilliant!

Giggling, I accepted the drawback of the increased discomfort for the sake of my fantasy life. After fashioning a helmet, I added the finishing touches.

I strapped a pair of sleek twin swords to my waist, donned a stylish black cape, and finally, summoned a mount—the flower of any knight’s ensemble. I summoned my butler Agwi, capable of sculpting his form like muscle and clothing.

After a brief struggle, I managed to summon him despite a slight resistance, and soon he materialized, sturdy as ever.

He had a neck stretched like a horse, strong legs to support his body, and gear tailored to my specifications.

The result, however, left much to be desired.

No matter how you looked at him, he looked nothing like a horse. He looked more like an alpaca!

Undeterred, I started binding him tightly with threads spun from the Black Reaper, hoping that shaping him like a horse would do the trick.

After wrapping him up, I tapped him and issued a command.

“Neigh like a horse.”

Agwi responded with a sorrowful sound.

“Nee-he-he!”

But he still didn’t resemble a horse. Now, he looked more like a sausage bound in threads.

Oh well, fantasy protagonists usually don’t ride horses anyway! With that thought, I dismissed Agwi to the Mini Reaper Garden and strode toward the fantasy city in my magnificent armor and cape, blending in perfectly.

The fantasy city was bustling with people, far more than I expected. The guards, in particular, were numerous, patrolling every corner of the city.

Considering the abundance of weapon-bearing adventurers, it made sense that they’d need plenty of guards.

However, two issues hampered my exploration. First, everyone spoke Japanese, and second, I had no currency.

Stalls selling mouth-watering foods lined the streets, but without money, all I could do was stare.

I considered using ghosting to sneak a bite, but that felt far too un-fantasy-like. Just as I was about to give up and head to the giant ruins in the city center, a vendor handed me a skewered chicken with some incomprehensible Japanese words.

“Here…take this, please.”

Though I didn’t understand, I assumed he was offering it for free and took the skewer with a beaming smile.

Ready to dig in, I was met with a problem. I couldn’t eat because of the helmet! Removing it or creating a hole would reveal my skin color. What to do?

After a moment of thought, I ordered the Black Reaper to handle it.

“Feed me the skewer without revealing anything! Let’s eat together.”

Suddenly, tiny hands emerged from the helmet, pulling the skewer inside. Within moments, I’d devoured the tasty snack and reached the grand ruins at the city center. The ruins seemed to be the heart of Red Lightning Island.

In front of the ruins stood a massive stone tablet, and to my surprise, it bore a line in Korean.

“Reach the end of the labyrinth, and you may have a wish granted.”

So, this was the labyrinth! Was this city a labyrinth city?

Giggling, I gazed up at the labyrinth, which was the very essence of fantasy.

Moving into the labyrinth, I encountered the chilling scene of the second floor: snow falling upward from the ground, and trees with their roots exposed, floating mid-air. The strange world felt surreal.

A girl lay on the cold floor, curled up and mumbling faintly, oblivious to her surroundings. She was barely conscious, having exhausted herself getting to the second floor.

Her cheeks flushed with fever, she shivered, her inadequate clothing no match for the bitter cold. She had come unprepared and was now struggling, her weak body unable to handle the labyrinth’s harsh conditions.

Beep.

The Black Reaper reverted to his original form, gently patting her cheeks with a worried expression.

“Mom.”

His expression revealed a deep longing, as he poured his energy out, desperately calling for her.

“Mom!”

But his calls went unanswered, and the Black Reaper continued to emit waves of energy, forlornly calling out to his mother.