The Golden Reapers were laughing gleefully, arms raised in the air, as the mount raced along the rails at high speed.
Their expressions were as joyful as when they spun wildly in a washing machine.
Honestly, the speed and intensity of the ride seed just as chaotic.
It had started with a competitive racing vibe, but now it felt like we were in an amusent park.
The sensation was akin to being on a high-speed carousel spinning endlessly in one place.
Whoever designed this rail system had to be a madman.
Even though we did nothing, the mount was veering off the rails all on its own, as if it had a mind of its own.
The rail led us deeper underground, jumping from track to track, until we arrived at a small circular rail.
We found ourselves spinning continuously in circles, like we were inside a centrifuge, with no sign of stopping.
After a considerable amount of ti spent spinning, I started to understand how this rail system worked.
This mount wasn’t a simple cable car—it was a wild and spectacular ans of transport that jumped from one rail to the next.
Looking up, I saw countless rails tangled like a spider’s web in the air. Most of them ended in circular loops like donuts, confirming my suspicion.
To get anywhere, we’d have to jump across rails on this insane mount.
Glancing around, I noticed the Mini Reapers had completely forgotten about the race. They seed to be having the ti of their lives.
Looking at the end of the rail that led downward, it felt like a sign telling to jump.
Maybe, just maybe, I could win this ti?
Taking advantage of the distracted Mini Reapers, I jumped onto an upward rail.
As the mount shot upward at high speed, I sent my thoughts to the Mini Reapers.
"I’m in first place!"
When I glanced back, I saw the Mini Reapers frantically fiddling with the controls, trying to catch up.
It took a while to figure out the buttons, but starting now is too late!
Hehe.
This ti, I’m definitely going to win!
I zood up the rail at high speed, racing toward the distant destination.
The tattooed woman raised the potion bottle high in her hand, casting an ominous silhouette.
As the light from the bottle revealed her pale face, it reflected brightly in the darkness.
Whatever it was, it turned its head towards her and began to slowly approach.
Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed as a tall figure erged from the shadows.
Like a giant whale rising from the depths, the once-blurry silhouette beca clearer.
Long, gloved fingers.
Thin arms and legs, like chopsticks, connected to a slim body.
And a massive, perfectly round anglerfish head.
Despite their thin limbs, the anglerfish-headed figures were dressed neatly in black uniforms, reminiscent of a formal butler.
With a stern expression and lips tightly closed, it resembled a disciplined servant.
The anglerfish figure bowed with a deliberate and formal movent toward the sisters.
The woman frowned as she watched.
Its precise and polite gestures made it seem like the guardian was functioning correctly.
But hadn’t she seen those teeth in the darkness earlier?
Sothing was off.
Still, the woman’s suspicions were pushed aside by the butler anglerfish’s exaggerated actions.
It extended its hand in a courteous manner, as if beckoning them forward, and with that gesture, blue flas flared up around them, dispelling the darkness.
“Wow.”
Her younger sister marveled at the sight before them.
Towering bookshelves spread out around them, encircling the sisters, the books lavishly decorated with gold, giving the place an air of grandeur.
Lined up along the central aisle, a row of butler anglerfish bowed their heads in welco.
Even without speaking, their intentions were clear from the atmosphere.
As the woman followed the slowly walking butler anglerfish, her sister trailed behind with a delighted expression.
They arrived at the end of the path, blocked by a massive iron door and a large brazier.
The mont the woman saw the brazier and the door, she instantly understood their purpose.
“A well-constructed alchemist’s workshop, following all the classic designs.”
Surely, green flas would rise from the brazier, and a riddle would appear to unlock the door.
Then, the surrounding books would start to sing, while the butler guardians would press themselves against the walls, waiting for the solution.
When the sisters arrived at the brazier, green flas roared to life, painting the area in their eerie glow.
The flickering green.
Watching the flas, the woman waited for the riddle.
She was a decent alchemist, and she was confident in her abilities.
But no matter how long she waited, no riddle ca.
The green flas grew larger, almost reaching the ceiling, but nothing else changed.
“Sis, that green fla... is it barium?” her sister asked excitedly, recalling a recent lesson.
But the woman had no ti to answer.
Clatter. Clatter.
Books began vibrating on the shelves before tumbling to the floor one by one.
Simultaneously, the blue flas that had illuminated the room started to fade.
The green fire, the shaking shelves, and the darkening room created an increasingly ominous atmosphere.
Her sister clung to the woman’s arm with a fearful expression as the foreboding spread.
When the last of the blue flas died out, only the burning green fire remained.
But despite its size and brightness, the green fla did little to dispel the pervasive darkness, only emphasizing the unsettling mood.
The butler anglerfish figures had vanished into the shadows.
Then, from above, a white face ca crashing down toward her sister.
It was the anglerfish butler, baring its grotesque human-like teeth.
The woman quickly grabbed her sister and rolled them out of the way.
Click. Click.
The anglerfish butler raised its head from the ground, making a clicking noise as its teeth ground against each other.
With each click, fragnts of stone fell from its mouth, crushed to dust.
Its appearance was bizarre and utterly deranged.
“Oh... Sis, your arm!”
In their escape, the woman’s arm had been bitten clean off, severed from the elbow.
“Shut up. I’m an 'Object.' I won’t die from this.”
The woman gritted her teeth and grabbed a vial with her remaining hand.
‘A white flower that resembles the sun, a red stem soaked in blood, roots descending from the grimoire.’
She sprinkled the vial’s contents while muttering a strong incantation in her mind.
‘The Alchemist’s Shield!’
A white fla burst forth, forming a circular barrier around the sisters.
The anglerfish butler lunged, teeth first, at the white fla shield, but it couldn’t break through.
Instead, the flas spread into its mouth, burning its entire body. The butler thrashed on the ground in agony.
“Run!”
They sprinted toward the brazier, the woman scattering more vials as they went.
The other butler anglerfish hesitated, clearly wary of the vials, though nothing had happened to them yet.
Click. Click.
The sound of gnashing teeth echoed, like the butlers were smacking their lips in anticipation.
“Sis, what do we do?” her sister cried, desperately clutching the woman’s bleeding arm.
The woman, growing pale from blood loss, thrust her hand into the green fla, reciting another incantation.
‘The green fire that burns demons, the sacrifice of the grimoire, the whispering leaves. The serpent that opens the dawn!’
The green fla surged, transforming into a writhing snake-like form that coiled around the ceiling.
Both the butlers and her sister gazed up in awe.
The serpent, coiled above, glanced down—and then exploded.
A wave of green fire swept across the room, burning the butler anglerfish to nothing but ash.
Pale from the blood loss, the woman urged her sister, “Let’s go. I didn’t use the white flower in the alchemy, so they’ll regenerate soon.”
Her sister, startled, looked back to see the grotesque white masses already floating back together.
Like sothing out of a horror movie, the white, doughy blobs were squirming in the air, rging into new forms.
More hideous than when they first attacked, the sight made her sister shiver as she helped the woman hurry toward the iron door.
“What do we do now, Sis?” her sister asked, staring up at the door, seemingly locked.
The woman, half-leaning on her sister’s shoulder, whispered, “Just push. Judging by those butlers, I doubt this door is working properly.”
The door, which seed firmly shut, creaked open with a light push from her sister.
The two of them slowly stepped into the darkness beyond the door.
Behind them, the fully regenerated butler anglerfish crawled on all fours, trying to follow.
But the door slamd shut before they could catch up.
Clawing at the door, the anglerfish could only scrape it with their fingers in vain.
After a long and thrilling race, the Mini Reapers and I made it to the other side.
I collapsed onto the ground, looking as defeated as a sulking anglerfish.
‘Mom, you're weak!’
‘So weak!’
Ugh.
I had been so confident! But the Mini Reapers’ driving skills far exceeded my expectations.
It was like the difference between a rookie driver in training and an F1 racer.
While I missed jumps and fell into the abyss multiple tis, the Mini Reapers made perfect leaps, zooming ahead effortlessly.
‘Weak!’
The Black and Golden Reapers cheerfully mocked as they stabbed verbal knives into my already bruised heart.
Only the Blue Reaper approached, gently patting my face as I lay sprawled on the ground.
Blue Reaper, you're the only one I can count on!
But then the Blue Reaper leaned in shyly and conveyed a thought.
‘Mom... you're weak.’
With a hesitant expression mimicking the Golden Reaper’s mocking smile, the Blue Reaper laughed awkwardly before flying off.
No! Not you too, Blue Reaper!
As I wallowed in betrayal, a heavy sound approached.
Thud. Thud.
From the shadows erged the pale faces of anglerfish butlers.
Dressed neatly, with long limbs, they greeted us with polite bows.
The anglerfish at the front stepped closer, bowing deeply before us.
Hmm.
Polite, but I had a feeling this one was hiding so nasty teeth too.
And was that the sll of blood?
I summoned a small white anglerfish and gave it a command.
“Bite!”
The tiny anglerfish leapt from my arms and sank its teeth into the butler anglerfish’s neck.
The butler writhed in pain, opening its mouth wide.
Sure enough, inside was a grueso set of sharp teeth.
Ugh, disgusting.
Why do anglerfish have to have teeth like that?
I extended my hand toward the writhing anglerfish and carefully began plucking its teeth out one by one.
“Kraaaaagh!”
For the first ti, a hideous scream erupted from the butler anglerfish’s mouth.
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