Late at night, the park, isolated from the city's bustling noise, was submerged in quiet.

In a dim corner beyond the reach of the streetlights, a girl sat curled up.

Her bobbed hair softly swayed, partially covering her face.

The girl was deeply asleep, clutching a small orb tightly against her chest.

It looked as though she was holding the orb as the most precious treasure in the world.

"…."

As the slightly chilly night air brushed against her, the girl unconsciously curled up even tighter.

Then, the light of the Golden Armored Reaper floating right next to her began to grow brighter.

The Golden Armored Reaper radiated the warmth and comfort of kindling to the bob-haired girl, gazing at her with a gentle expression.

The Reaper carefully adjusted the intensity of both the light and warmth, ensuring she could rest peacefully without waking her.

'An evil object…'

The Golden Armored Reaper glanced down at the orb in the girl's arms, a somewhat sorrowful look crossing its face.

It wanted to crush the orb immediately, but it held back, knowing that it would make the girl sad.

Moreover, destroying the orb wouldn’t solve all the problems.

'I need to find the object that created this evil object.'

To the Golden Reaper, the orb was akin to poison.

The moment it was consumed, it would strip someone of their humanity.

Even if they appeared human on the outside, there was no way to reverse it.

"Uhm…"

The girl let out a soft groan and curled up even more tightly as though feeling the cold.

Seeing this, the Golden Armored Reaper nestled closer to her, letting more warmth radiate from the kindling to make itself warmer.

As the warmth of the kindling wrapped around her like a cozy blanket, a peaceful expression gradually appeared on her face.

The Golden Armored Reaper, watching the girl’s serene face, closed its own eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

In the soft hues of the moonlight casting a rainbow over the bob-haired girl and the Golden Armored Reaper, the day of a new "festival" was drawing near.

The dawn began to tint the sky over Seodaemun-gu.

It was a special moment when the first light of morning outlined the city’s silhouette.

The bob-haired girl and the Golden Armored Reaper sat side by side, admiring the view.

Their gaze was fixed on the eastern sky where the sun was rising, holding a simple breakfast in their hands.

The girl quietly picked up a cookie and took a bite.

As the sweet flavor spread in her mouth, a small smile played on her lips.

The Golden Armored Reaper licked the coffee in a paper cup and frowned slightly at the bitterness.

Seeing this, the girl couldn’t hold back a small giggle.

Though they had only met the day before, they looked like old friends.

It was then.

"!"

With a small gasp from the girl, the atmosphere around them suddenly changed.

The people filling the streets began to vanish as though dissolving into the air.

A familiar grid pattern etched itself into the sky, and a thick, white mist poured through.

The density of the air shifted rapidly, giving the sensation of being underwater.

The startled girl reflexively held her breath, only to realize she could still breathe within this strange liquid-like air.

The Golden Armored Reaper adapted instantly, moving its limbs as if swimming underwater.

In the distance, a red lightning bolt split the sky, followed by a booming explosion.

It seemed like a signal marking the start of the "festival."

Thus, the second day of the festival began.

The Marshmallow Plains in the Mini Reaper Garden.

There, a thick fog had filled the air, which was rare to see.

The Blue Idol Reaper created the fog, while I distorted the terrain to trap it within.

Now, the marshmallow-covered plain, enshrouded in fog, was like a maze with walls sprawling in every direction.

'They’re enjoying it more than I expected.'

I had created this terrain as a new game for the biting Golden Reapers, but it was far more popular than anticipated.

Sitting atop a tall marshmallow wall, I snacked on pudding while watching the Golden Reapers play tag.

Hehe.

Then, within the mist, I noticed one of the Golden Reapers wandering around the maze, looking around constantly as though being chased.

At that moment, another Golden Reaper, with glowing red eyes, lunged from the fog, mouth open in attack.

'Nooo!'

The first Golden Reaper frantically started sprinting through the maze to escape.

The intensity was on par with someone protecting a beloved human in danger.

The reason for this desperation was the penalty of losing the game.

As I glanced sideways, I saw the defeated Golden Reapers lying on the ground.

'Noooo.'

'I’ve become a "Daetji."'

I cheerfully tapped the bellies of the plump, defeated Golden Reapers, thoroughly enjoying the tag game.

It was a win-win game, drawing away the Golden Reapers who liked biting me and letting me see these plump Daetji Golden Reapers.

Hehe.

As I watched the tag game, I noticed the escaping Golden Reaper’s movements were remarkable.

Despite only the tagger being able to use ghost mode, this Golden Reaper managed to dodge the biting Golden Reaper’s attacks multiple times with agile moves.

As time passed, the mist began to lift.

'Nooo!'

'I won!'

The Golden Reaper with red lenses sprawled on the ground in despair, while the escaping Golden Reaper leapt up and down, celebrating victory.

Chuckling, I grabbed the defeated Golden Reaper in my grasp, and it flailed its limbs wildly in protest.

'Nooo!'

To honor the first defeated Golden Reaper, I decided to unveil a new skill.

First, I placed the Speech Halo above my head, creating a command slowly.

[Become a Daetji.]

Simultaneously, I activated the green moon's Daetji transformation ability.

And thus, a much rounder, plumper Daetji Golden Reaper emerged.

Hehe.

'I… I can’t get up…'

The Golden Reaper struggled but was unable to lift itself up, trembling all the while.

Satisfied, I poked at the super plump Daetji Golden Reaper’s belly.

It was delightfully squishy.

Under the gridded sky, the cityscape of Seodaemun-gu had transformed into a fog-filled maze.

The air, now thick and liquid-like, seemed to squirm as though alive, with countless walls forming a labyrinth between the buildings.

Unlike the first day, the setting had now turned into a maze.

The man leaned against a cold concrete wall, catching his breath and scanning his surroundings.

His heart was racing, but a quiet confidence radiated from his face.

For him, this fog-covered maze was as powerful an ally as any weapon.

His unique ability to completely blend into the mist shone even more in this environment.

Rising slowly, he activated his power.

In an instant, his form blurred into that of a giant wolf, indistinguishable from the surrounding fog.

Now, he was the mist itself.

Listening to the distant footsteps, he focused.

It sounded like sharp, metallic claws scraping against a stone floor.

'That must be the one who summoned the red lightning this morning.'

He was moving, still searching for the participant responsible for the lightning earlier.

He slid quietly through the mist, making no sound, advancing with the flow of the fog.

Rounding a corner, he spotted his target.

A monstrous figure with a massive bow crackling with red lightning on one arm.

It was truly intimidating.

Over three meters tall, with a bow that discharged lightning bolts.

If this weren’t a maze, or if the fog weren’t so thick, he would never approach.

Holding his breath, he waited patiently for his chance.

The red lightning monster, as if inviting anyone to come, continued to shoot lightning into the sky, circling the same area.

He decided to strike the moment the red lightning monster aimed at the sky again.

Gliding through the fog, he approached, step by step. Cautious yet precise.

Boom!

As the red lightning monster sent another bolt skyward, he leapt out of the mist, sinking his fangs into it.

Caught off guard, the red lightning monster screamed and collapsed.

But it was too late.

His attack was precise, fatal.

The battle ended in an instant.

Confirming his victory, he extracted an orb from the red lightning monster’s body.

Slowly rising, a small, bloodstained smile played on his lips.

'This festival is too advantageous for me.'

'I might just finish it today.'

He was certain.

In today’s arena, he would not lose.

A thrill of victory surged through him.

It felt as though his wish was about to be granted.

[Laugh, laugh.]

The man, now transformed into a wolf with mist-colored fur after consuming the orb, laughed with a wolf’s maw.

At that moment, the sky suddenly brightened.

A golden comet pierced the sky, illuminating the air.

A beam of light stretched from the heavens to his heart.

[!!!]

He couldn’t utter a word.

The moment he saw that brilliant beam, he was already pierced.

There was no sound, no pain.

Only dazzling light.

As he exhaled his last breath, he released his wish into the world, dissolving into the air.

It was the end of his forgotten wish.

In a secluded alley of Seodaemun-gu, the thick fog had settled.

From within the fog, the bob-haired girl’s faint voice echoed.

"Is it over now?"

As the girl looked at the Golden Armored Reaper who had returned in an instant, it gave a slight nod.

At that moment, the orb in the girl’s hand began to emit a faint light, absorbing something.

The energy within the orb filled up as if it were a clock ticking forward with precision.

50%… 60%… 70%…

Her heart raced as the orb’s charge increased.

80%… 90%… and finally, 100%.

The moment it completed charging, a cracking sound tore through the sky, creating a fissure in the grid pattern.

Through that gap, a man slowly descended.

Above his head floated a glowing white halo.

The girl recognized him.

It was the man from her dreams.

[An unexpected development, but this isn’t bad.]

The man muttered with a smile.

Clap, clap.

The man clapped his hands and stepped into the air.

With each step, transparent stairs appeared, and he naturally walked down them.

A radiant smile blossomed on the girl’s face.

"Now I can finally bring my sister back! Thank you so much!"

She shouted with joy, turning toward the Golden Armored Reaper.

But the Reaper’s reaction was entirely different from her expectations.

The Golden Armored Reaper, upon seeing the man, bared its teeth, wearing a fierce expression.

'Why?'

The girl’s mind flashed with confusion.

Feeling unsettled, she turned back to the man.

At that moment, a chill ran down her spine.

The ominous aura emanating from his expression struck her instincts.

[You’ve worked hard.]

The man’s voice echoed against the backlight.

[Your wish will be granted with the achievement of greatness.]