The James Explorer sliced slowly through the endless expanse of blue waves.

I stood by the railing, gazing out at the ocean that sparkled like diamonds beneath the dazzling sunlight.

The sky was a clear, deep blue, stretching unbroken to the horizon.

Warm sunlight wrapped around my skin, and a gentle sea breeze playfully lifted strands of my hair.

The sound of gentle waves tapping against the hull created a rhythmic pulse, almost like the heartbeat of the ocean itself.

Far off in the distance, a pair of seagulls danced gracefully in flight, as though they were performing their own private ballet.

As I continued to admire the ocean, I found myself leaning between the railings, captivated by the view.

“The rail is too high…”

Usually, people would just rest their hands on the railing and enjoy the view, but since I was shorter than the railing, I had no choice but to stick my head between the bars.

The peaceful scene of the blue sky and sea radiated tranquility, but oddly, a small sense of unease clung persistently to my chest.

“Hm. Well, I’m on board the ship, so things will work out somehow.”

Pushing aside that inexplicable feeling, I made my way to my private spot on the deck.

I lay down, sinking into the soft marshmallow-like seat, and took out the TV I’d brought from the Mini Reaper Garden.

When I turned it on, a familiar broadcast started playing.

Thanks to the signal flow that connected [Sehee Research Institute] - [Mini Reaper Garden] - [James Explorer], I had a private little trick up my sleeve.

Hehe.

As soon as I turned on the TV, several Golden Reapers began to shuffle closer and stuck themselves to my skin.

It didn’t seem like they were particularly interested in watching TV…

“Well, whatever.”

Ignoring the Golden Reapers’ inquisitive stares, I turned my attention back to the TV screen.

The broadcast was covering the latest case I’d resolved.

“Shocking revelations have surfaced regarding the mysterious island discovered in the Pacific.”

“The James Institute has announced that this island is connected to the recent large-scale abductions in Europe.”

“The scale of damage is beyond imagination. The institute estimates over ten thousand victims, with only a few dozen survivors.”

“Currently, survivors are being transported to the James Tower in Korea for comprehensive examinations and treatment, with future arrangements to be decided based on their recovery status.”

“It has been confirmed that this case was also resolved by Korea’s renowned Object, the ‘Gray Reaper.’”

Interviews followed, with people debating whether to classify me as a new type of Object.

They suggested names like “Beneficial Object Tier” and “Guardian of Seoul Tier.”

Hehe.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.

It was as if the work I’d been doing all along was finally being recognized.

Although I hadn’t cared much about what humans called me, hearing nicknames laced with praise did warm a corner of my heart.

At first, I’d worried that being labeled a “benevolent Object” would invite endless bothersome requests.

But, perhaps thanks to my past actions, no such inconveniences had arisen.

And even if they did, I could just ignore them, so it wouldn’t be much of an issue.

“Mom’s amazing!”

“Amazing!”

Seeing my image on TV, the Golden Reapers asked the passing Purple Reaper to interpret the broadcast for them. Once they understood, they started cheering as if they were the ones being praised.

“Yeah, yeah, amazing, amazing. Hehe.”

As I chuckled, the broadcast shifted to a different story.

“However, some experts argue that this discussion is premature and that priorities need reassessment.”

“There are Golden Reapers tirelessly serving humanity around the globe, so it doesn’t make sense to debate the usefulness of the Gray Reaper.”

The voice of the scientist being interviewed was passionate.

“The intentions and disposition of the Gray Reaper still seem ambiguous. But what about the Golden Reapers?”

The scientist gestured to the Golden Reaper on his shoulder.

The camera zoomed in on the tiny Golden Reaper, who looked up mid-bite of a jelly and gave a bashful smile.

“There is no doubt about the goodwill of the Golden Reapers!”

Hm…

The Golden Reapers, noticing my silence, tilted their heads up at me in confusion.

“?”

They probably didn’t understand the contents of the broadcast, but somehow, it felt like they were teasing me.

Feeling a little annoyed, I began picking up the Golden Reapers around me and popped them into my mouth.

“Oh!”

“Mom’s mad!”

“No!”

And so, the Golden Reapers found themselves at the mercy of a random disaster.

The once calm blue air had now turned blood red.

The air was filled with a sweet, bitter scent of burning sugar.

But it was more than just a smell.

It was the signal of the White Maws’ paradise’s downfall.

The jelly earthworms crouched on the underground cavern floor, gazing upward.

Their once-safe refuge had transformed into a fiery hell.

Their bodies were slowly dissolving.

Flames licked at their jelly-like forms, sending shivers of discomfort through them.

Their efforts for a better life had only brought about a deeper hell…

The jelly earthworms slowly melted away in the dark corners of the underground cavern.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The heavy footsteps of the golem burning the underground cavern reverberated through the ground.

Once targeting only the White Maws, the golem was now indiscriminately harvesting both the jelly earthworms and White Maws.

From nearby came the mournful cries of the White Maws.

In the distance, rows of transparent sugar jars lined the area, each containing a White Maw with a despondent expression.

Ironically, this place was the same spot where the jelly earthworms had once been imprisoned.

Call it poetic justice?

The jelly earthworms who had feasted on countless humans now faced their own grim fate.

And the White Maws… their sad destiny was simply to suffer for being White Maws.

The wheel of fate turned mercilessly.

Above, Red Reapers soared through the air, crying “Revolution!” at the top of their lungs. At the center of it all was a blonde girl.

Perched on her shoulder was a Golden Reaper, and she jotted down notes as she listened to their stories.

“So, those worms killed a lot of humans?”

The Golden Reaper nodded, its face clouded with sorrow.

The blonde girl gathered various pieces of data before handing down a sentence to the Red Reaper.

“Jelly earthworms, sentenced to the incinerator!”

Deep within Sehee Research Institute on the outskirts of Songpa District.

The Gray Reaper’s isolation chamber, tucked into a corner of the institute, exuded its usual warm and cozy atmosphere.

Mounds of snacks.

Soft lighting.

A specially made bed for the Gray Reaper.

But the Gray Reaper herself was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, the Mini Reapers had gathered on the plush bed, seemingly trying to fill the void left by her absence.

They bounced around, busy as ever, but there was a faint air of gloom about them.

Lying atop the fluffy, cloud-like bed in pastel-toned pajamas was Yerin.

With a sullen expression, Yerin muttered with a sigh.

“The Reaper… is late…”

As if in response, the surrounding Mini Reapers mirrored her downcast look.

A few approached her with particularly sorrowful expressions and gently patted her shoulders.

In Yerin’s hand was a brightly colored flyer.

The words on it read: “Gray Reaper Theme Park – Coming Soon!”

Yerin pouted as she looked at the flyer.

“The Gray Reaper Theme Park is almost ready…”

Her voice was filled with disappointment.

But soon, her gaze softened with a glimmer of hope as she looked down at the Mini Reapers.

“She’ll be back before then, right?”

In unison, the Mini Reapers nodded, as if answering her.

A faint smile appeared on Yerin’s face at their response.

“It’ll be so fun to go to the theme park with the Reaper!”

Clutching the flyer to her chest, Yerin closed her eyes and imagined a day at the theme park with the Gray Reaper, a smile spreading across her face.

“Alright, let’s eat some snacks!”

With that, she laid out the treats she had specially prepared.

The Mini Reapers, seeing the snacks for the first time, cheered and crowded around Yerin, laughing happily.

The James Explorer sailed onward across the Pacific.

Feeling a nagging sense of unease, I walked over to the railing and looked out toward the horizon.

The wind and waves had calmed, and the sun was inexplicably dimming.

The Golden Reapers looked up at the sky with worried expressions, and the James Institute staff were running around, responding to the unknown phenomenon.

Then, at the point where the sky met the sea, a massive blue wall slowly began to take shape.

It looked almost like a wall—a dense, ominous fog.

The thick blue mist, radiating a sinister aura, was closing in on the ship with an eerie speed.

At the same time, darkness spread across the sky.

The sun had disappeared, and everything around us was engulfed in an unnatural blue glow.

The sea was no longer blue.

The water had turned black, like ink, and a foreboding atmosphere permeated the air.

The blue fog undulated, as if it would soon climb aboard the deck.

It reached up like waves, wrapping around my ankles, cold and damp as it seeped into my body.

“So, it’s finally here.”

As the source of the nagging unease revealed itself, I felt a strange sense of calm.

The powerful presence of the foreign entity spread across the entire ocean.