James strutted into the sleek, impably organized international airport, fresh off his private jet. The airport staff greeted him with polite nods, and in return, he shed them a confident smile.


    “Hello, Korea! I have returned!”


    It was only his second visit, but James felt oddly familiar with the ce.


    Was it because I grew attached to this ce after oveing the danger that was threatening my life, or was there some residual mental corruption from the ‘Lake Object’?


    Walking behind James, there were four fidgety bodyguards. Since he had announced that he would bring another relic with him, which was relic no. 0, the association appointed those 4 to apany him.


    Well, it was a good thing for James.


    In order to prevent something like the previous crisis from happening to him again, he had thought he should bring some reliable personnel. But, before he could choose his own personnel, the association gave him some reliable personnel.


    As he entered the arrivals hall after passing through the automatic doors, James saw a familiar face.


    "Oh! “It’s really nice to see you after such a long time!”


    James expressed his happiness by hugging the interpreter who had ovee hardships together with him at the pudding factory."Ah yes. Nice to meet you too, James."


    However, the interpreter’s answer seemed to have no energy, as if he was not very pleased to meet James again.


    "Hmm? Is there something wrong?”


    “There really is no need for an interpreter this time, right?”


    The interpreter said with an ashen face.


    “Besides, probably because I’m having such scary nightmares, I feel anxious for some reason.”


    “Are you worried that an ident might ur again?”


    Jamesughed out loud and patted the interpreter on the back.


    “There is no need to worry. I brought a good security team this time around, so there won’t be any major problems.”


    When James turned around and looked at the four bodyguards, the bodyguards nodded and greeted the interpreter with emotionless expressions.


    The interpreter felt a little reassured by the professional appearance of the security guards who, despite their indifferent expressions, continued to pay attention to their surroundings.


    “Well, with them around, there’s no chance we will be caught up in a series of incidents, right? Haha."


    The interpreter guided James and his group with a more rxed expression.


    What James looked at as soon as he arrived in Korea was the current location of the Gray Reaper.


    It was only natural since the Gray Reaper was the main purpose of setting up a pudding factory in Korea as well as the reason why he brought Relic number 0 to Korea.


    The interpreter called the Sehee Research Institute to get some information before rallying it to James.


    “Currently, the Gray Reaper has been transported to ‘Trinity Research Institute.’ I heard it will take a week before it will return to the Sehee Research Institute. What should we do now?”


    “I heard that unlike in the U.S, Object research institutes in Korea allow people to view Objects simply by applying for it. Then, let’s go to Trinity Research Institute.”


    James'' bulletproof vehicle turned and began heading towards Gwanak-gu, the area where Trinity Research Institute was located.


    *******The headless corpse of the woman bubbled and transformed into a monster whose entire body was made of des.


    Both of her arms and legs elongated, sticking like des with no fingers or toes.


    She had be a monster that looked like it was a metal that had been melted and tempered.


    A space separated by a partition.


    Arge Object looked down at me.


    Its teeth, which clinked together randomly, created a scary atmosphere.


    If I looked like that, it would be easier to scare people!


    As I was thinking about such nonsense, the de attached to the monster’s arm flew at high speed towards me.


    Even though it''s a sharp de that flies at terrifying speed, in the end it''s merely a physical attack.


    There would be no point in avoiding it by tuning into my phantom form.


    But then, an unidentified noise interrupted me.


    <em>Beeeeeeeeeeeeep-!</em>


    “!!!!”


    When I tried to use my phantom form, I was startled by a very loud sound.


    Thanks to that, I was unable to slip into my phantom form and got hit by the de, sending me crashing into the wall.


    <em>Beeeeeeeeeeeeep-!</em>


    Every time I tried to slip into my phantom form, the annoying sound kept appearing. Are they emitting a sound that only ghostly beings could hear?


    That''s interesting.


    I was a bit surprised that this technology was created in Korea.


    I thought this technology was only avable in America!


    I think it could be quite annoying for Objects that just wandered around believing in the power of their phantom form.


    Perhaps the Golden Reapers would be a sturdy and cute punching bag when I yed this sound around them?


    Fortunately, I think I could use phantom form if I tried to force it, but there was no reason to really force it.


    After all, I have physical immunity. Meaning, such de attacks were no problem for me.


    After several desperate attacks by the de Object, the situation inside the barrier began to change little by little.


    <em>Bubble-! Bubble-!</em>


    Transparent bubbles began to pop out from all directions.


    Contrary to their appearance, they were very heavy and hard.


    Why did bubbles appear all of a sudden?


    *******Inside Trinity Research Institute facility control room. The chief of the security team was staring intently at the monitor with a very serious expression.


    When he saw the Gray Reaper on the monitor flying away after being struck by the deputy director, he raised one corner of his mouth and smiled.


    “As expected, it can’t turn into a ghost. With this, the possibility of hunting the Gray Reaper has increased significantly.”


    The monitoring staff also smiled brightly and said,


    “Looking at the current situation, it appears that the Gray Reaper has beenpletely neutralized. If things continue like this, won''t the Deputy Director be able to win?”


    “No, I don’t think that will happen.”


    If they looked at the video alone, the Gray Reaper was indeed being swept around like a leaf being shaken by a strong wind, but the chief still dered that.


    “Inject the foam right now.”


    It was a decision made after seeing the expression of the Gray Reaper, who looked not only calm but also bored.


    <em>Bubble-! Bubble-!</em>


    Bubbles began to form inside the barrier.


    The bubble was made of an Object, so it wouldn’t burst under any circumstances.


    The Gray Reaper was so amazed by the sturdy bubble that it even tried pounding it with its hands.


    The Gray Reaper was an Object with a high danger level like the Hungry Ghost, so the bubble was made as a defensive feature to prevent it from repeating acts of physical destruction.


    Perhaps that''s why this bubble worked more effectively on the Deputy Director than on the Gray Reaper.


    Eventually, the bubbles filled the inside of the barrier.


    The deputy director, who was in a state where she could not move, opened and closed her de-sharp teeth.


    It felt like she wanted to say something, she wanted to get angry, but she couldn''t.


    “It looks like the deputy director has even lost the ability to speak human speech.”


    The deputy director kept struggling, swinging her de-like hands and feet wildly, but it had no effect.


    On the contrary, the Gray Reaper seemed quite rxed.


    Unlike the Deputy Director, the Gray Reaper had a rxed expression and was enjoying the bubbles, shaking its arms and legs as if it had entered a ball pit.


    The Gray Reaper looked quite happy, but it was also true that its movement became difficult.


    The chief of the security team, who judged that the bubble had sufficiently restricted its movement, gave another instructions.


    “Let’s conduct a destruction test on Area D-15 where the Gray Reaper is contained.”


    “If we did that, the deputy director would get caught up too, though?”


    “It is an inevitable sacrifice.”


    The chief gave instructions with an expression that did not seem remorseful at all.


    “And send a strike force to attack the hostages. It’s guarded by Objects that appear to be rted to the Gray Reaper, so be as defensive as possible.”


    Inside the barrier shown on the monitor, high-temperature mes that could melt even the evolved Hungry Ghost were spewing out.


    The chief thought as he looked at the Gray Reaper who still had a rxed expression even inside the high-temperature mes.


    <em>If it is really guarding the hostages, it will react in some way if we attack them. How long can it stay rxed like that, I wonder?</em>


    *******I was watching a Blue Reaper ying with my daughter.


    Seeing my daughter smiling brightly made me feel that my worries were disappearing, so I couldn''t take my eyes off her.


    But In fact, I still felt it.


    After all, there was an old man with a broken neck in the corner, and we were still inside the dangerous Trinity Research Institute.


    Even if I tried to make a phone call, all electronic devices they had such as cell phones had been taken away, so I couldn’t do that.


    On top of that, I literally couldn''t go out, so I couldn''t help but feel anxious. But for some reason, I wasn''t anxious at all.


    Perhaps the reason was the Blue Reapers.


    I didn’t know how they made humans be happier and less anxious, but for now I just have to ept it.


    <em>Bang-!</em>


    At that time, a sudden gunshot rang out.


    And my daughter copsed.


    I was so startled and ran to my daughter, but luckily she was fine.


    But that wasn''t the case for the Blue Reaper who took the bullet instead of my daughter.


    "D-daddy. The Reaper is hurting!”


    The Blue Reaper, with one side of its torso roughly torn off, was lying helpless in my daughter''s palm.


    Fire was flowing like blood while an iprehensible character sitting in the air.


    < mom…="" it="" hurts="">


    Other Blue Reapers who were ying with the children flew around hurriedly and erected a barrier made of water droplets.


    < please="" protect="" everyone!="">


    < Water drop shield, please protect everyone! >


    As soon as the water barrier was erected, numerous bullets hit it.


    < please="" protect="" us!="" mother="" golem!="">


    Therge water Reaper that was used as a trampoline also got up from its slumbering ce and began to protect people by shielding them in its arms.


    <em>Boom-!</em>


    A loud noise that could not havee from a bullet rang out every time the bullet hit a water droplet.


    “Daddy, what should I do?”


    My daughter became restless and looked back at me.


    Meanwhile, the Blue Reaper closed its eyes helplessly and began to disperse like powder.


    < mom…="">


    The moment the Blue Reaper''s one remaining arm which was stretched towards somewhere, sags to the floor,


    The sky split open.


    No, the space was mixed together as if it was torn apart.