The ash-gray clouds covered the sky, pressing down on the world.

A harsh wind howled across the endless snowfield, and its chill seeped deep into the bones.

It was a coldness that seemed to reject the very existence of life.

At that moment...

Thud. Thud. Thud.

With the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the distance, the ground began to tremble ever so slightly.

Gigantic mechanical soldiers, covered in ice, emerged from the blizzard.

Wherever they passed, the temperature dropped even further, and it seemed as though the moisture in the air itself was freezing.

It was a march of colossal mechanical soldiers, but humanity had yet to notice their advance.

The thick clouds obscured the sky.

The horrible cold made movement nearly impossible.

Blue lightning blocked all communications.

These three factors were the cause.

The direction of the mechanical soldiers' attack was twofold.

One was where the superconducting frog had died.

And the other was where something emitting fatal heat to the mechanical soldiers was located.

The former was where the superconducting frog emperor was heading, and the latter was where the superconducting frog, leading the mechanical soldiers, was going.

The mission given to the superconducting frog was simple.

<Recover the heat source and keep advancing.>

At the end of the march of the mechanical army led by the superconducting frog, there was an empty ice throne.

It was an empty throne as if it had been made for someone.

Underneath the enormous throne was a small chair for the superconducting frog.

The superconducting frog, gazing at the black city in the middle of the snowfield in the distance, gave the order.

[Attack!]

[And find the heat source!]

The superconducting frog exhaled a chill and glared at the city of Frost.

As people began to gather in the snow-covered square, the area quickly became bustling.

A drum barrel had a fire lit underneath, with a large pot on top boiling soup.

The coral-haired girl, eating soup among the adults with serious expressions.

People gathered near the warm drum barrel.

The Red Reaper stared at the attachment human in the crowd, then turned to look at the sky.

"I can't hear anything at all…"

No matter how much the Red Reaper sent signals, the Mini Reaper network was silent.

Normally, it was so noisy that it was easy to ignore, but now, that noise seemed somewhat nostalgic.

'There are so many humans here!'

'Huge buildings!'

'This is delicious!'

'This?'

'There’s a beetle bigger than us!'

'Really?'

'Wow, it's huge!'

'Not that nostalgic…'

Just recalling those moments made the noise feel overwhelming, so the feeling of nostalgia quickly faded away.

The Red Reaper, pondering the blockage of the network and the cold blizzard, felt that something was amiss.

‘I have to call Mom.’

If this situation turned out to be nothing, it would be an excuse for Mom to play some of her crazy tricks, but the Red Reaper decided to endure it for the attachment human.

The Red Reaper began to create a butterfly from flame.

A tiny butterfly, no larger than the combined size of its two palms.

‘May it reach a nearby Mini Reaper.’

As the Red Reaper's wish took form, the flame butterfly flew swiftly southward.

The Red Reaper watched the butterfly fluttering its wings as it flew away before returning to the attachment human.

The coral-haired girl was eating soup slowly when she saw the Red Reaper return and smiled brightly.

The Red Reaper also smiled back and clung to the girl’s cheek.

"Would you like to try some?"

The coral-haired girl scooped a bit of the pale soup and offered it, but the Red Reaper slowly shook its head.

The environment clearly looked like there was a shortage of food.

Moreover, in this cold, one needed to eat properly, and so the Red Reaper couldn’t bring itself to eat the girl's food.

In truth, the 'attachment human's' food was something the Red Reaper would love to eat.

‘Let’s have some really delicious Mini Reaper garden snacks later.’

The Red Reaper looked up at the coral-haired girl, silently making this vow.

"The Propaganda Department isn't here."

"We haven't heard the labor start alert either."

"What’s going on?"

Because of the strange situation with the steam tower, the adults had spent the morning waiting for a broadcast. But as the wait grew longer, their faces began to show signs of growing unease.

Screech!

At that moment, a loud notification echoed from the speaker.

[Attention citizens.]

Then, the voice of the chairman, sounding somewhat drained, came through the speaker.

[There has been a serious issue with the steam tower, which is the lifeblood of our city.]

[The city’s heating system is on the brink of collapse.]

[Therefore, the following instructions are issued.]

[All citizens must immediately stop what they are doing and inform those around them.]

[Please gather as quickly as possible at the central steam tower square.]

[Be sure to bring warm clothing, blankets, and emergency food supplies.]

[Prioritize the protection of the elderly and children, and cooperate with others to ensure a safe journey.]

[This is an emergency. The survival of our city depends on it.]

[Do not panic and act calmly.]

[Further instructions will be given upon arrival at the steam tower square.]

Once the broadcast ended, the Red Reaper could feel confusion and fear spreading through the crowd of humans.

"What should we do? The city’s in danger."

The Red Reaper smiled at the anxious attachment human, silently wishing.

‘I hope the flame butterfly arrives in time…’

Thud, thud.

I became a little bored resting on the Demon Chair, so I began wandering through the Sehee Research Institute.

'?!'

As I was walking around, I passed by the break room and witnessed an unusual sight.

The break room was filled with people.

The break room, which had always seemed spacious due to the large number of users, was now packed with researchers.

It seemed to be because of a small machine set up in the corner.

If I had to name it, it would probably be a mini bubble tea vending machine.

When a Mini Reaper approached and placed its tiny palm on it, a capsule-shaped bubble tea would pop out.

I wondered who made it, and amidst the murmurs, I overheard a conversation about it.

"It wasn’t here until yesterday, but suddenly it appeared. Who made it?"

"Someone said the Director installed it after seeing a Mini Reaper bubble tea machine."

Listening to the chatter in the break room, it seemed that Sehee had made this strange vending machine.

It was incredibly popular with the Mini Reapers.

Although I had seen Mini Reapers enviously watching humans drink bubble tea, I never imagined they would be this many.

The bubble tea was so popular that the break room floor was lined with Mini Reapers in a long, snaking line, almost like a domino.

It was such a neat domino that I felt like pushing it just to see them fall.

And around this line, researchers were gathering, watching the spectacle.

Thud, thud.

The Golden Reaper in the front row placed its tiny palm on the machine.

With a 'click' sound, a small but sizable capsule for the Mini Reaper popped out.

The Golden Reaper, with a joyful sparkle in its eyes, quickly grabbed the capsule and rushed over to its attachment human.

And, with a toast-like gesture, it clinked the bubble tea capsule against the large bubble tea cup held by the human.

"Cheers!"

The Golden Reaper, seemingly having learned from watching humans, followed their example and giggled.

And finally, as it sucked down the bubble tea, the Golden Reaper radiated a wave of happiness.

‘Suddenly, bubble tea looks delicious.’

Just as I was about to approach and try a sip, the Golden Reapers began to crowd around me from all sides.

At first, I thought they were warning me not to cut in line, but the intent in their voices was entirely different.

"Mom, something big happened!"

"A gigantic frog demon!"

"Frog!"

Listening to the children, I realized that something had appeared near the wall.

"No!"

I quickly turned the Golden Reaper who had said ‘Mom’s more important than frog, hehe’ into a frog and rushed toward the wall.

‘…’

When I reached the wall, the cold wind brushed past my face.

"It’s even colder now."

Looking north, the snowfield still appeared as if a pristine white rug had been laid out.

But there was one difference.

At the very edge of that white world, a giant ice throne had risen.

The shape seemed strangely familiar.

It was an ice throne of a size and shape I had seen before.

On the throne was a gigantic frog wearing a crown.

The moment I saw the frog, I understood why the Golden Reapers had been calling out ‘frog, frog.’

It was plump.

The frog’s appearance resembled a desert rain frog so closely.

Although the size was completely different.

And around it, mechanical soldiers wearing armor made of ice were gathering.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Their march felt like a massive wave rolling in.

There were so many of them that I could feel the heavy vibrations all the way to the top of the wall.

‘Ah, the Ice Throne of Dobong-gu!’

Looking at the mechanical giants, I suddenly realized where I had seen the ice throne before.

‘If it’s the superconducting frog’s relative, it’s no big deal.’

At that thought, I raised my right hand, clenched my fist tightly, and directed it toward the giant frog.

‘Crack.’

But, as expected, the space didn’t ripple.

It was as solid as frozen ice—there was no way to grasp it.

Startled, I looked back at the frog, and the crown on its head was emitting a blue light.

Was that strangely shaped crown a Halo?