Seo-ah POV:

---

As the rock piece came right in front of my nose, I thought, 'Ah, I'm going to die now!' At that moment, a golden light flashed before my eyes.

The Golden Reaper that had disappeared suddenly popped out and knocked away the rock piece.

"Reaper!"

I shouted in delight, but the Golden Reaper was still looking at the chairman, who had become a complete mess, with a tense expression.

The scorching wind and swirling sand and rocks made it difficult to even stand properly.

Some researchers were killed, pierced by the rocks, while others were hiding behind tables, trembling.

The smell of sand scorched by the sunlight and the intense heat.

I could only grit my teeth and endure, crouching as low as possible to avoid the swirling rocks.

The Golden Reaper standing firmly in front deflected the occasionally incoming low-flying rocks.

I was aware of Golden Reaper's strength, but I didn't expect it to be so reliable.

It was terrifying to imagine what would have happened without the Golden Reaper.

A cracking sound like shattering glass began to ring out in the air.

I didn't know what was happening, but it certainly wasn't good.

The Golden Reaper quickly ran over and clung to my cheek.

Bang!

With a shattering sound, space was torn apart.

Beyond the torn space, a red moon appeared huge, as if looking down at us.

Along it, an enormous amount of sand and scorching wind rushed in.

I was swept away by the torrent of sand, tumbling around.

After a few minutes of this.

"Haah."

As the torrent stopped, I poked my head out from the sand and took a breath.

I was scratched and wounded here and there, but still alive.

Reaper looked at my wounds with a gloomy expression, unsure of what to do.

"It's okay. I won't die from this much."

Saying that, I patted Reaper's head.

Holding the Golden Reaper in my arms, I stood up, and the Kkachisan Research Institute was gone, replaced by a completely new sight.

A vast desert stretched endlessly in all directions.

Every single sand grain, uneven rock, and rippling sand dune glowed in a burning red color.

In the dark sky hung a red moon, far too bright for a moon.

It was as dark as night, yet any skin touched by the moonlight felt scorchingly hot, as if under the sun.

The intense heat in the air clung to the body like a heavy blanket.

"Ah, it's extremely hot."

Sweat poured down without any effort in this environment.

Should I call it a dark sauna without lights?

Or a studio apartment with a giant heater instead of lights?

It was an extraordinary environment, difficult to experience on Earth.

Reaper stood on my shoulder, waving its tiny hand like a fan with a worried look, but it was too small to have any effect.

"Reaper, what should we do now?"

Stroking Reaper, I sighed in frustration.

In this situation, which was clearly caused by an Object, how should we proceed?

***

3rd person POV :

---

"Miss, are you alright?"

Unlike the tattered black agent, the blonde girl was unharmed.

"I'm fine."

The blonde girl patted off the sand from her hair and clothes as she spoke.

Separated from the ten attendants who never left her side.

She should have been tense, but she seemed calm.

"Rather, it looks like you're badly injured, uncle?"

"No deep wounds that would hinder my actions."

After brushing off the sand and checking his attire, the black agent began moving.

"First, we need to quickly assess the situation. It seems safe for now, but swiftness is life in cases like this."

The black agent pointed a finger at the tallest sand dune and started moving towards it.

Minimizing speech and keeping a low stance, he moved slowly.

"Uncle, it seems to be night, but it's extremely hot," the girl said, wiping sweat from her hand.

Just that brief movement had drenched her in sweat.

"I'm concerned about that too. If it's this hot at night, I can't imagine how scorching it would be during the day. We may need to dig into the ground and take shelter soon."

Upon reaching the tall sand dune and looking around, the vast desert came into view.

Scattered people could be seen here and there.

And the Objects chasing them.

Among them, the most threatening Object seemed to be a cube made of red sandstone, twisting and rotating in all directions.

The size of the red rock cubes was almost that of an adult male, and an Object consisting of about 10 such rocks clumped together was threatening just by its physical force.

Moreover, that Object was extremely aggressive.

It roamed the desert, searching for people, then chasing and crushing them at high speed.

"Hieeek."

The blonde girl gasped as she witnessed someone being crushed.

Normally, the black agent would have shielded her eyes, but it was an emergency situation.

He judged that it would be better to see and experience the horrors that might occur while fleeing, to help them get through the situation.

Panting heavily, the girl spoke with a more composed expression.

"Let's move quickly. We can't end up like that, can we?"

The girl's brave words.

But her face was still pale, suggesting she was straining herself.

"First, it would be best to find a hiding place. It's absolutely impossible to move for long in this heat. And it would be wise to wait for a rescue team."

The black agent and the blonde girl set out cautiously, searching for a safe place.

***

Seo-ah POV:

---

Was it a mistake to wander around carelessly?

I was being chased by soldiers made of red sand.

If it weren't for Golden Reaper, I would have died long ago.

Golden Reaper charged at the sand soldier that had pursued me from behind.

The soldier who lost its head turned back into ordinary red sand with a puff.

But beyond that scattered sand, another sand soldier appeared.

No matter how many sand soldiers I killed, they kept appearing endlessly.

"Haah. Haah."

Ignoring the sand in my mouth, I panted heavily.

The scorching heat was already draining my stamina instantly, and running continuously made me dizzy.

Oh, no.

I felt like I was going to pass out.

Golden Reaper, who had climbed back onto my shoulder, still looked fine.

Just when I thought, 'Ah, this is my limit,' the seemingly endless pursuit suddenly ended.

"Huh?"

Turning around while panting, I saw the sand soldiers that had been persistently chasing me stop their pursuit and retreat.

"Waahhh, I survived! Right, Reaper?"

Sitting on the ground, I stroked Reaper but it was still tense.

hhhhggrrrr~

A low, rumbling sound.

As that sound rang out, Golden Reaper leapt forward, and the sand exploded outward.

I was helplessly blown away by the torrent of sand.

After tumbling and rolling, I stopped and looked up at the epicenter to see something floating up and down.

Red rock cubes were clumping and dispersing, an Object flowing in all directions.

In the center of that Object was a red glass bead that looked important to anyone.

Golden Reaper charged toward that human-head-sized red sphere.

But in that brief moment, the red rock cubes surrounded me and began to close in on me from all sides.

Slowly, but at an immense speed from my perspective.

The boulders were too big for Golden Reaper to block.

Just as I thought I was going to die, the sound of shattering glass rang out, and the red rocks stopped moving and began to fall.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Countless red rock cubes fell.

As the sand and dust cleared, I saw the red sphere split in half.

Ah, so that was the weak point.

And next to the cubes lay Golden Reaper.

"Reaper!"

I ran over to Golden Reaper in shock.

Golden Reaper had its eyes closed and was collapsed, with one arm missing.

Wh...Why?

Golden flames dripped like blood from its roughly torn shoulder. 

"What do I do, what do I do."

I desperately tried to cover the wound with my hands, but the flames weren't physical matter - they passed right through my fingers and flowed onto the ground.

***

3rd person POV?:

---

The first thing Golden Reaper saw when it came to was Park Seo-ah's tears.

Seeing the crying Park Seo-ah, it wanted to wipe away her tears, but Golden Reaper had no hands left.

Golden Reaper's remaining hand was being used to cover its wound.

Golden Reaper's flame was too small, so to keep from disappearing, it had to stop the flames leaking from the wound.

"Reaper, are you okay?"

Words Golden Reaper couldn't understand.

But words filled with concern.

And a gentle caressing touch.

Towards this caring human, Golden Reaper forced a pained smile.

But at that expression of smiling through the pain, Park Seo-ah could only look more sad.

Boom.

With a loud sound, another Object made of red rocks appeared.

At the Object's appearance, Seo-ah looked worried.

Golden Reaper met her worried eyes and smiled brightly. 

Then Golden Reaper turned its head and charged at the Object.

Don't worry! 

I still have one arm left!

***

Seo-ah POV:

---

It was a desperate situation.

Golden Reaper charged forward with a bright smile, but the enemies were numerous.

And the one-armed Golden Reaper was clearly weakened.

It looked like it could be snuffed out like a candle in the wind at any moment.

Just as it seemed we would be overwhelmed, our knees buckling as the sand threatened to swallow us whole, a silhouette suddenly appeared through the dust.

About 1 meter tall.

Long hair.

Its very presence seemed to change the air around it.

What word could describe this feeling of mixed hope and relief?

The Golden Reaper that had charged out smiling was now back in my arms.

The arm it had lost was restored, brimming with vitality.

At the feet of that small shadow, more Golden Reapers popped out one after another.

Golden Reaper's tense expression softened.

The highest threat-level Object of our Research Institute had appeared.

The Gray Reaper.

---

T/N: Ah... so our Gray Reaper's height has been about 1 meter from the beginning huh...? Or is she growing?