Object Management Office, a Research Institute under the Object Association.

Deep within, a single object reeked of a thick, oily evolutionary fluid.

A hermit crab, mostly rotting with a blackened body, yet its shell retained a shade of purple.

Outside the isolation chamber housing the hermit crab, voices could be heard.

"It's about to die, isn't it?"

The hermit crab, which had been deteriorating as if corroded by the evolutionary fluid from the moment it was discovered, could barely move now.

"Then why don't they just dispose of these objects?"

A man in a researcher’s uniform glanced around at the various objects scattered about.

These objects, decayed and blackened by the evolutionary fluid, weren't particularly valuable nor difficult to get rid of.

Keeping them preserved and isolated seemed rather uncharacteristic of the Object Association.

"It likely means the Association’s upper ranks are still interested in this 'evolutionary fluid.'"

"But hasn't most of the research on evolutionary fluid already failed? It was concluded to be quite ineffective…."

"That's why they’re leaving it isolated, I suppose. Too valuable to throw away, but not worth pursuing. It’s like a chicken rib—hardly worth the trouble."

Much time had passed since the Evolutionary Fluid Incident in Gwanak District, and most contaminated objects had been destroyed.

Among the few remaining ones, the hermit crab's condition was rapidly deteriorating.

"Looks like the hermit crab won’t make it much longer. We should prepare for disposal."

"Alright, I’ll get things ready."

The two researchers continued their chatter as they exited the isolation area, which fell back into darkness and silence.

Just then, the purple hermit crab raised its eyes to gaze at the sky.

[My final mission.]

Memories from long ago surfaced within the failing eyes of the hermit crab.

A blue-haired girl smiling brightly.

Summoning the last of its strength, the purple hermit crab began to move its body.

Far away from Korea, a snowy expanse in Russia.

The Golden Reaper, delighted from enjoying her mother's candy, skipped along with a giant cookie in hand.

The finest marshmallow from the Mini Reapers' Garden, sugar as clear as obsidian from the Black Sugar Desert, cocoa powder from the depths of the Hot Chocolate Sea, and the most fragrant chocolate from the Cookie Stick Forest.

A treat crafted with utmost care by the Golden Reaper, replacing the candy she’d unknowingly eaten, which her mother had wanted.

'Mother will like this, right?'

With a huge chocolate cookie held high, the Golden Reaper imagined her mother’s reaction.

'Mother?'

But at the sight of the Gray Reaper giving a candy to another Golden Reaper, the chocolate ball slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

A candy they’d said was one of only two in the world!

Dreadful thoughts of her mother’s trickery surfaced, yet the Golden Reaper tiptoed closer to confirm her suspicions.

'I'm not really into it. You don’t have to eat it if you don't want to.'

Her mother’s words to the other Golden Reaper echoed what she’d told her.

'!'

The Golden Reaper was struck by the betrayal.

Why would she pull such a prank?

With her mother’s trustworthiness slipping, the Golden Reaper lowered her rating from 'common object' to 'harmful object.'

Frozen in shock, she heard a sound behind her.

Turning around, she saw another Golden Reaper, standing dumbstruck, having dropped a transparent candy.

'You too?'

The newly-arrived Golden Reaper nodded solemnly.

The two Golden Reapers then rushed toward the Gray Reaper in a rage.

Seeing them coming, the Gray Reaper let out a squeal and fled.

Thud. Thud.

Footsteps of the Jelly Pig resonated gently through the hospital.

The massive creature absorbed all shock and vibration, keeping the hospital as calm as ever.

A Black Reaper, watching from the window, observed the furious Golden Reapers bustling around.

Over twenty Golden Reapers had been duped by the Gray Reaper’s antics.

In just a day, the tally of victims had risen.

It was a clear sign that the Gray Reaper had been tricking Golden Reapers nonstop.

'Why would Mother do that?'

The Black Reaper pondered silently, yet no one knew the reason.

Unlike the resolute, strong Mother, the weaker Mother often did things without purpose or gain.

When the Gray Reaper could no longer be found in the Mini Reapers' Garden, the Golden Reapers looked to the sky in bewilderment.

Once used to rescue the Gray Reaper from the maze, the Golden Reaper network was now repurposed to track down the mischievous Mother.

Yet not a single Golden Reaper had managed to locate her.

The Black Reaper turned away from the window, surveying the quiet hospital room.

Inside, an alchemist slept most of the day, cared for by his sister, alongside the peaceful oni.

Without the Gray Reaper's interference, the oni seemed more at ease.

For once, the oni found calm in the absence of the one who would sometimes come and devour the White Oni.

The oni savored this rare tranquility, joined by an old friend from the past.

In the snowfield, two small, barefoot footprints marked the white expanse.

Barefoot on snow was a strange sensation, but I had fled to Russia to escape the Golden Reapers who had caught onto my tricks.

Killing time to quell their anger, I was also hoping to create a snowfield in the Mini Reapers' Garden.

But despite Siberia being closed off due to the Object Incident, no objects were in sight—just endless snowfields.

Then, in the vast white, I noticed a faint presence, a purple shell carrying the sickly scent of evolutionary fluid.

A shell, long since dead.

What did a shell have to do with the snowfield? But it didn’t matter; it was already gone.

As I prepared to continue my search, a faint sound came from within the shell.

'?'

Pressing my ear to it, I heard words I couldn’t understand yet somehow grasped.

[Broken moon. Repeated past. Twisted fate.]

A cryptic message, incomprehensible.

Trekking the snowy plains, a blue-haired girl gasped.

"Look, we’ve finally arrived."

She patted her white guardian, around waist height, with a hint of regret.

"Why is our oni so rough like a rock? It’d be nice if it were soft like marshmallows."

The stone-crafted guardian rumbled as if to dismiss her thoughts.

Then, with a determined shout, the girl moved toward the grand city that lay ahead.

An enchanting city, illuminated by a purple moon.

Yet, it was a city destined to fall.

Her faint foresight painted it clearly.

In the darkness under the purple moon, the blue-haired girl was coughing up blood in an alley.

A long blade had pierced her heart.

The weapon belonged to a ninja, cloaked in black.

'How did it come to this?'

Growing colder, the girl’s thoughts raced.

The purple moon she tried to save had turned black with evolutionary fluid, leaving her with nothing, as she died.

Then, as she took her last breath, time began to rewind.

Back to the snowy plains with the white oni, where the blue-haired girl roamed.