Anomaly-36 (5): The Soccer Ball Surrenders
“Nyam…”
It’s been three whole hours since the soccer ball started rampaging again, and Baekgu began chasing it around.
At first, I watched their chase with fascination, but now I’m just munching on potato chips in a daze.
Tap-tap-tap.
Han A-young, sitting right next to me, was furiously typing on her laptop, glasses perched on her nose.
“Hmm…”
Out of curiosity, I sneaked a peek.
“You shouldn’t look, Angel.”
“Hing…”
For some reason, the laptop screen was just blurry noise to me—like some kind of tech was blocking it.
I smacked my lips in disappointment, and right then, the revived soccer ball started bouncing and rolling again with a boing-boing.
But there was a difference this time: the ball’s momentum had died down a lot.
Before, it had been rampaging with pure destructive malice, hell-bent on wrecking everything. Now? It seemed kinda wary, like it was playing it safe…
“Oh…”
Han A-young must have noticed it too. She stopped typing mid-keystroke, eyes widening as she focused on the rolling soccer ball.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Baekgu took off after the revived ball again, tongue lolling out, face beaming with pure joy.
The soccer ball, on the other hand, looked terrified of the dog, scrambling away in panic.
Boing-boing-boing!
It was an epic showdown: the bouncing, fleeing soccer ball versus the determined pup in pursuit.
The ball pulled out all the stops, launching itself high into the air with insane elasticity to dodge the dog.
“Whoa… incredible…”
If I had to classify the soccer ball, it was an enemy—full of malice toward humanity.
But that trick it just pulled? Even as the bad guy, it deserved applause. It was perfect. So cool.
But soaring high wasn’t a trick exclusive to the soccer ball.
Awoooo!
Spotting the ball airborne, Baekgu let out a wolfish howl, kicked off the ground, and leaped with all his might.
“Oh…”
“Waaang…”
Han A-young and I gasped in unison as we watched.
And the winner of this matchup was…
Snap!
Baekgu.
He finally caught the airborne soccer ball, jaws wide open, clamping down hard.
Then thud.
Woof! Woof!
Baekgu pinned it under his paws again, proving once and for all that no soccer ball could beat a healthy pup.
“Whoa… Baekgu, you’re amazing!”
It felt like watching a fierce duel between martial arts masters.
I clapped enthusiastically, nothing but pure admiration for Baekgu.
“Baekgu… his physical abilities are exceeding our estimates… Maybe we need to recalibrate the system checks…”
Han A-young admired the spectacle too, but muttered worriedly under her breath.
Tremble tremble.
Pinned under Baekgu’s paws, the soccer ball shuddered.
I figured it’d resist again and respawn at the halfway line like before.
Poke poke.
“Huh…?”
But nope. The soccer ball didn’t respawn.
Instead, it trembled while staring right at me.
It didn’t have eyes or a nose or mouth, so maybe it was just my imagination.
But that’s how it felt to me.
“Wh-what…”
I tilted my head, closed my eyes, and sensed the soccer ball’s dark energy.
Unlike before, when it brimmed with destructive cravings, now it felt exhausted and worn out.
The energy seemed to recognize me, staring straight at me…
Pat pat.
Instead of fleeing, it started inching toward me.
“Eek…!”
I jumped in surprise. This dark energy was actively approaching me—nothing like the usual ones that ran from my touch or glared warily.
Approaching me? For real? My heart was pounding.
“Angel? Everything okay?”
Han A-young noticed something was off and asked worriedly.
“I-it’s fine… just the dark energy coming toward me…”
“The dark energy?”
She knew the basics from my explanations before, so she nodded in understanding.
“Why? Is it acting aggressive?”
“Uuu… not aggressive…”
“Then what?”
I fidgeted with my fingers, hesitating before mumbling,
“It’s coming over like it’s surrendering or something…”
“Huh?”
Uh… how do I even explain this…
I twirled my hair, pondering, then said,
“It doesn’t seem like it wants to attack anymore… It just looks totally wiped out.”
“Hmm…”
Han A-young thought for a moment, then started typing on her laptop again.
“Just in case, I’ll grab the black hole trash can.”
“Okay…”
“Wanna try talking to it first?”
Talking…?
Could I even communicate with something like that?
Skeptical but figuring it couldn’t hurt to try, I closed my eyes.
Squish… squish…
The dark energy’s presence sharpened again.
I could feel it clearly now: sticky, writhing, battered and exhausted inside the soccer ball.
I spoke to it cautiously.
“Um… hey, energy?”
“…”
It didn’t speak, of course. But it stared right at me, showing it understood.
“Do you… want me to get rid of you…?”
A dark energy volunteering to be erased? Unbelievable.
But it looked so beat and defeated…
That’s how it came across to me.
Flop.
The dark energy gazed at me, then collapsed flat on the ground.
‘Ti… tired?’
I wasn’t sure if that was intentional, but the message was clear: surrender.
I swallowed hard and asked,
“Is it… ’cause playing with Baekgu is too exhausting?”
The core that drove the ball’s mischief surrendering because fetch was too much? Hard to buy.
But given the situation, it was the only reason that fit.
Nod nod.
The dark energy nodded in response.
“Uh…”
Should I just accept it like it wants…?
It came to me asking to be erased, so maybe it’s fine…?
As I wavered,
“Angel. Trash can’s here.”
Han A-young tapped my shoulder, snapping me out of it.
I opened my eyes. Sure enough, the same mini black hole trash can from Baekgu’s purification was there.
The agent who’d brought it last time was hauling it again.
“Normally we’d hold back since we don’t know the fallout from erasing an anomaly, but your power isn’t destruction—it’s purification. Do whatever feels right.”
With her final go-ahead, tossing this dark energy into the trash can would solve everything.
‘But… why does it feel so off…?’
It should be a clean fix, but the unease wouldn’t budge.
“Uuu…”
As I mulled over why, munching my lip,
Woof! Woof!
Baekgu, still pinning the ball with his front paws, barked at me.
Kkiing…
He stared with pleading, watery eyes.
Baekgu seemed to sense what was happening—and he didn’t want me removing this energy.
“Ah… he’d lose his toy…”
Seeing those desperate eyes made me realize what I’d overlooked.
If I purified the dark energy now?
The soccer ball would revert to a beat-up, ordinary ball rolling around some playground.
Baekgu stayed super-powered even after purification—heck, he got stronger.
But this ball only went berserk if kicked outside the track. Without the energy, it’d just be normal.
‘Gotta protect Baekgu’s toy…’
Torn, I closed my eyes again. The dark energy crept right up to my nose, standing meekly like it was begging for release.
“Uuu…”
After agonizing, I made up my mind and grabbed the dark energy.
It was more solid than expected.
But with no resistance, it peeled off easily.
“Yup…”
Riiiip…
I yanked it free with a grunt, leaving the core intact—like with Baekgu’s.
“Ugh… feels gross.”
The squishy, slimy nasty thing in my hand.
I chucked it straight into the black hole trash can and turned to the leftover core.
…
The core stood there awkwardly, like it didn’t get what happened.
Hands on hips, I stared it down and declared,
“You’re gonna keep being Baekgu’s toy from now on.”
…
“You tormented people? Pay it off as a puppy toy!”