The end of the adventure, where everything dissolved into sand.

As the very sky crumbled into sand, I understood.

‘Ah, it was a trial within an illusion.’

And I began to comprehend the destruction conditions revealed by my “Eye.”

They weren’t the conditions for breaking the labyrinth object but rather for breaking free from the illusion.

The condition to “Die in this world” must have meant that I could escape the illusion through death.

With this realization, my consciousness began to rise from the depths of the illusion, and I awoke.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the towering vortex reaching toward the heavens and, at its center, the ruins of a structure that seemed like it could turn to sand at any moment.

I had expected to find myself inside one of the flowing sand-filled rooms of the labyrinth or one of its cubic chambers.

Instead, I was greeted by a whirlwind, ruins, and black reapers.

The black reapers clung to my stomach, sound asleep.

They must have broken through the vortex to help me escape from the illusion.

It looked like intervening in the illusion had drained them, as their glow was dim, and their forms had melted and softened.

‘Looks like they had a tough time.’

Lifting each of the worn-out black reapers, I filled them with firewood and patted them, a sudden thought crossing my mind.

‘If the black reapers hadn’t intervened, wouldn’t I have found peace in death within the illusion long ago?’

It was a logical and coldly rational thought, very fitting for me.

Hmm.

I then picked up the overfed black reapers, now stuffed with firewood, and began burying them in the sand one by one.

Hehe.

It was amusing to see their heads poking out of the sand like little plant sprouts.

It felt like all the stress from enduring the trial had melted away.

The black reapers’ reactions when they woke up would undoubtedly be entertaining.

With that future enjoyment in mind, I began exploring the ruins.

The sound of fierce winds constantly echoed in my ears, making it difficult to hear anything else.

With no sunlight penetrating, the darkness was so dense that an ordinary person would find it hard to distinguish between heaven and earth.

But for me, with light radiating from my eyes, the lack of visibility wasn’t an issue.

The ruins were vast, but they were so weathered and collapsed that there was hardly any structure left standing.

Though I knew little about architecture, based on its size, it seemed this place might once have been a grand palace.

Among the eroded ruins, one place stood out, maintaining its form better than the rest.

Though faded, cracked, and seemingly on the verge of crumbling into sand, a massive throne retained its shape.

The floor beneath it, unlike the sand around it, was made of solid stone, and it seemed as if it could hold up the throne forever.

Massive pillars lined the path to the throne, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a royal audience chamber.

Atop the throne sat a skeleton, its tattered clothes hanging on bones that were nailed down with large stone spikes.

Every joint was meticulously nailed to prevent any movement, creating a ghastly sight that made me wince, even though I wasn’t the one nailed down.

Resting atop the skeletal hands was a glowing white Halo.

It seemed this skeleton was the one who had created the labyrinth and its trials using the Halo.

I didn’t know why he had done such a thing, but surely, there must have been a compelling reason.

He must have believed it necessary, to the extent that he’d nailed himself to his own throne.

I offered a silent hope that, by passing his trial, I’d fulfilled whatever wish he’d held.

I slowly climbed the nine steps leading to the throne and placed my hand on the Halo above it.

At that moment, light burst from the Halo, consuming the surrounding reality.

It was as if an unseen hand in the middle of the ruins was delicately rewinding the flow of time.

The old, yellowed, and crumbling floor transformed into a gleaming marble surface, reflecting the emerging sunlight with a polished shine.

Pillars that had nearly succumbed to the elements were reborn in pure white, reclaiming their former grandeur and strength.

The ceiling, which had once shown only the open sky, reappeared, adorned with colorful frescoes, returning to its former splendor.

Red fabric, which had been reduced to dust over the centuries, now flowed across the floor between the pillars like a crimson river of silk.

That red cloth stretched toward the throne, which had lost its luster, and as it reached the throne, the seat of power regained its imposing aura.

Simultaneously, the silent figure on the throne began to open his eyes.

Flesh and sinew reformed over the once-bare bones, and a magnificent crown settled upon the reborn king's brow.

The revived king, now seated upon his restored throne, slowly looked down at me.

‘An illusion!’

If I hadn’t undergone the trials within the illusion, I might have mistaken this scene for a genuine reversal of time—it was that vivid and powerful.

An illusion on the level of the “Eye” itself!

Now that I thought about it, while I had broken the illusion, I hadn’t destroyed the labyrinth object.

Could the old man on the throne have been the object?

The illusion wouldn’t work on me once I realized it was false!

Biting down on a confident smile, I was about to summon the Halo that nullifies all abilities, when the cracked voice of the old man reached my ears.

“You’ve finally arrived, conqueror of the trial.”

His tone held no malice; instead, there was a sense of fulfillment and relief.

Seeing no threat, I stayed still, allowing him to continue.

“Conqueror of the trial. Before I pass on the Eye of God, may I ask you a question?”

I remained silent, knowing I couldn’t speak, and he seemed to sense this, projecting his thoughts directly into my mind.

[It’s fine if you can’t speak. We can converse through thoughts.]

Even though it felt like he would force the question upon me regardless, I stayed quiet, waiting for him to ask.

[Imagine two people, each wishing for the other’s death.]

[One has a noble purpose and a valid reason for their wish.]

[The other, however, wishes for death out of pure anger and jealousy.]

[If you were to grant one of their wishes, what would you do?]

The answer came to me immediately.

‘Why should I care about that?’

Even if I could grant their wishes, I’d simply ignore them.

Of course, I kept this thought to myself, trying to come up with a more respectable answer. But before I could respond, the old man spoke again.

[Correct.]

Without any projection, he somehow seemed to have heard my answer, smiling with satisfaction.

[We desired a god like that.]

And with those words, the old man began to crumble into sand, and the entire illusion fell apart.

‘?’

Why the sudden change?

‘Mom needs help.’

This single thought reached mini reapers across the world.

The golden reaper, who had been exploring Seoul to find his beloved human, was no exception.

Upon hearing the call, the golden reaper halted his search and extended his firewood toward his mother for support.

The burden she bore was so immense that it felt like his whole body was burning, but he was proud to be able to help.

Despite the pain, which eventually caused him to lose consciousness, he felt fulfilled.

As he lay curled up on the ground, fast asleep, the golden reaper seemed to dream of helping his mother, his mouth moving as if munching on something in his sleep.

When he awoke from his blissful dream, he rubbed his eyes and stretched his tiny arms wide.

As he looked around, still a bit groggy, he suddenly opened his eyes wide in shock.

‘!’

Where am I?

He remembered walking through the alleys of Seoul, but now he found himself in an unfamiliar place.

The air smelled of antiseptic, and the surroundings were stark and white.

Though he had never been here before, the golden reaper recognized the place.

‘Sehee Research?’

It resembled one of the object containment rooms at Sehee Research.

‘?’

As he tilted his head, a person wearing a white coat, much like a researcher, appeared before him.

“Finally. Once I succeed in isolating the golden reaper, I can establish my own research lab!”

The woman wore a twisted smile, radiating an unsettling aura that would usually drive others away.

But the golden reaper, who simply adored humans, stretched his arms out toward her with a big smile.

‘Hug me!’

He bounced up and down, asking for a hug, completely unbothered by the ominous atmosphere.