Durian Chewy Cookie's Outstanding Effect!

The effect of the Durian Chewy Cookie was outstanding! …………… Nom. ……Sweet. Chocolate and marshmallow melt on my tongue, while the mysterious durian aroma spreads from within. Chewy and soft on the outside, crispy inside. This is good food. Potato chips can't even compare. The energy boost is minimal, but it's packed with happiness instead.

While savoring the flavor, a racket erupted from deep in my mental world. My thoughts were chattering noisily.

[Sweet.]

[So sweet.]

[What is this?]

[Is it good?]

These little ones are talking like babies tasting chocolate for the first time. My face is full of happy smiles too. Ah, come to think of it, this is the first time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I've eaten chocolate since becoming this body. The childlike thoughts—miniature versions of me with long purple hair—gathered around, eyes sparkling. Not just the smart ones like the glasses-wearing guy or the doctor-coated one. Actually, there are way more pure, innocent ones like kids.

[More.]

[Want more.]

[Over there.]

[There's more there too.]

[Looks tasty.]

As a few pointed with their fingers, all the other thoughts turned their gazes in unison. Toward the two people right in front of me.

[Is that tasty too?]

[Something red and warm inside.]

[Eat the arms, legs, and torso.]

[I'll take the head.]

Oh no, these guys. They're lumping those two humans into the "edible" category. I oughta just...

[Eeeeek!]

[Don't hit us!]

[Ruuuun!]

Raising my fist made them scatter in panic. Being so childlike, they try to devour anything and everything. Without someone keeping them in check, they'd try to eat anything in sight.

Anyway. What's up with these two in front of me? The relatively petite one is frozen mid-reach, palm empty but fingers still shaped like they were holding the cookie. The long-haired one clutches a paper cup, eyes locked on me.

Strange. Why are they frozen?

I rewound my memories. What was I doing originally? Walking down the hallway. I'd just broken through the multi-phase barrier and was out for a stroll. Then a sweet scent wafted from somewhere. Chocolate mixed with durian. Following the smell led to an open door to a small room with two people inside, one holding a round brown object on her palm.

And then I—tried to greet them.

But the cookie smelled too good. My legs moved first, mouth opened first, tongue snatched it first. My body acted before my mind. Oops. I stole their precious snack.

The petite one looks so pitiful, holding up her empty palm to the air. Should I apologize first? Sorry—wait. Talking to humans is bad, right? Even the soldiers just now were slamming their foreheads on the floor, foaming at the mouth, crying and laughing like mad. Better not use my voice.

So how to apologize? Can't speak, so express it with my body. Hmm. After some thought, I went with a universal human gesture. Raise my hand—and stick my thumb straight up.

Thumbs-up. 'Sorry for eating it by accident. But it was really tasty.' That should convey my sincerity.

……………

Thumbs-up.

The girl, Alpha Outer God, gave a thumbs-up. Her purple hair swayed gently, her large round eyes looking up at Han Min-seo. Maybe even smiling.

What Han Min-seo perceived right now was this:

One. Chocolate crumbs on the girl's lips. Remnants of the Durian Chewy Cookie that had been on his palm three seconds ago.

Two. No alarm sounded. Alpha Outer God escaped her isolation cell, but the Threat Isolation Facility's alarm system didn't trigger. Not a veteran agent, but still with the Threat Management Agency. Han Min-seo judged instantly: Run. Escape the break room, down the hall to the control room. From ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there, call for backup.

But.

The girl stood right next to him. Han Min-seo recalled Alpha Outer God's records. Her movement speed from the training video—Mach 0.95. Could he outrun something that fast, near the speed of sound? No way. Before he took two steps, his bones and flesh would be torn apart.

Running to the control room for backup? Impossible. Even if he miraculously got through, Masked Warrior Red or another S-rank Awakener would take minutes to arrive at best. Would Alpha Outer God wait? No chance. And even if backup came—they couldn't stop her. She'd already absorbed Masked Warrior Red's antimatter annihilation kick. Absorbed a tactical nuke. Ripped out and swallowed a micro fusion reactor with her bare hands. Just broke through the multi-phase reinforced barrier around her cell. No weapon in South Korea could handle her. Unless the Tower of Reason's doctors...

Conclusion: Han Min-seo dies. No matter what.

'Should've confessed to Gyu-rin sunbae before dying.'

Oddly, his first thought was regret over his crush. His gaze shifted to Yi Gyu-rin.

Yi Gyu-rin's mind was blank. No time for thoughts. Or rather, she couldn't think. Death stood before her.

Alpha Outer God, seen only in briefings and footage for half a year, now stared at her from less than a meter away. A life flashback played in Yi Gyu-rin's head. Training by the Han River at dawn. Panicking in a field interview against a Mega-grade threat. Calling her mom after passing the exam.

The flashback was short. Twenty-something years of life flashed by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in three seconds.

But.

After it ended, Yi Gyu-rin wasn't dead. Not yet.

Not that rational judgment returned with it. Her mind stayed blank. Sanity check failed—her reason snapped. All that remained was instinct.

And her instinct judged: Purple-haired girl. Small and cute. Chocolate dust on her lips. Just ate a snack happily. = Sweet-tooth girl.

Yi Gyu-rin sealed away facts like the girl's true form of tentacles, teeth, and eyes, or her 40+ Tera threat grade. Right now, she's a cute girl. And I like cute things. Yeah. That's enough.

Yi Gyu-rin's body moved. She ignored Han Min-seo's horrified look at the edge of her vision. On a break room shelf, a souvenir from her colleague's Jeonju trip last weekend: Emperor Choco Pie. Jeonju's famous specialty. Head-sized, meant to be sliced like cake for sharing. She plunked the whole box down in front of the girl. A massive round pie coated in chocolate and dusted with sugar powder.

Yi Gyu-rin didn't know why herself. Her hands just moved.

'No, don't!'

Watching her, Han Min-seo screamed silently. Sunbae's lost it. Offering Emperor Choco Pie to a presumed 40 Tera monster out of nowhere.

'G-Gyu-rin sunbae! What are you doing!?'

He had a mouth. But he couldn't scream. Provoking the purple-haired girl would shorten his life for sure.

But someone was more rattled: the girl. Alpha Outer God's eyes widened. The emotions in them were obvious, startling Han Min-seo. Clear curiosity, appetite, and joy.

Twinkle. Starlight rippled in her pupils.

She sniffed the Choco Pie. Lick. A small tongue tasted the chocolate coating.

"………!"

Her face lit up.

Then her mouth—

Han Min-seo's vision went black. The spot where the girl's face should be filled with crackling black noise, ears ringing with a piercing chiiiii— that blocked his hearing.

'Cognition filter!'

Basic implant every Threat Management agent gets. A safety device forcing the brain to reject visuals or mental contamination too much for human minds.

The filter activating meant seeing it raw could've driven him mad.

When vision returned, the head-sized King Choco Pie was gone without a trace. And the girl—was smacking her lips like after the Durian ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Chewy Cookie. Difference: more chocolate dust around her mouth.

Han Min-seo stared blankly.

'What... just happened? How'd she swallow an Emperor Choco Pie bigger than her head in one bite?'

He desperately tried recalling, but his brain refused specifics. Headache surged when he pushed. One thing stuck firm: Alpha Outer God likes sweets.

Does this info matter? Can it save him?

As Han Min-seo mulled, a siren wailed—weeeeeeng—bweeeeeep!!

White break room lights died, red emergency strobes flashing. A mechanical voice blared from wall speakers.

The girl tilted her head.

Han Min-seo and Yi Gyu-rin thought the same: This might be our last day alive.