Are you not having fun, Mister?
Are you not having fun, Mister?
An abandoned amusement park on the outskirts of Chuncheon.
Blockland.
Three Westerners in black suits entered the plaza, devoid of any human presence.
"Ha, tsk. Not a single ant in sight."
John scratched his scruffy hair and frowned.
"Isn't it an opportunity though? With it this quiet, it seems like no one would even notice if someone died."
Richard slicked back his blonde hair and gave a sly smile.
They were a notorious hunter organization from the underworld.
Members of 'Palette.'
A group of Awakened who had become fugitives after committing all kinds of crimes.
Their cruelty goes without saying.
The leader of the group.
A black man with a shiny bald head and sunglasses, Brown, opened an attaché case.
Chalkkak—
What Brown took out of the case was a Military Witch Detector.
"Stop the useless chatter and focus. Sergeant Kim—the witch he detected is nearby."
Richard shrugged.
"Heheh. You mean that Korean soldier? I'm not sure we can trust them. The bluffing of non-Awakened is hardly reliable..."
Brown snorted and operated the detector.
"Ridiculous. The GPS signals planted in their bodies went dead. Even under our surveillance. They may have been non-Awakened, but they were retired special forces soldiers. It doesn't make sense for them to have been taken down by an ordinary person."
"Well... that is a good point."
John loosened up his large frame and chuckled.
"Richard, the timing is perfect too. Thanks to the SSS-class disaster warning going off all over Korea, those bastards from the Korean Association are busy with urban recovery and perimeter defense. Do you think they have any manpower left to monitor outskirts like this? Heh heh."
Brown moved slowly, fixing the signal frequency of the detector.
"Stupid witch bitch. She probably thought she hid well, but a flea can only jump so far."
The place they stopped was in front of a secluded restroom.
As Brown jerked his chin, Richard and John searched the bushes behind the restroom.
"Hm? Chief, take a look at this."
Richard pushed aside the thick underbrush, revealing an unnatural structure.
A massive castle gate assembled from colorful blocks.
It was a deformed shape for a discarded attraction.
No fortress in sight, just a gate standing alone.
"Hmm..."
Brown brought the detector to the gate, and a sharp confirmation tone rang out.
Jjiing—
Bpiiii!
They opened another bag and began arming themselves in earnest.
"By the way, Chief, I heard witches are all pretty?"
Richard giggled while rolling the cylinder of his revolver.
John put on his knuckles and frowned.
"Richard, is this your first witch hunt? Anyway... it's not wrong. But you won't have time to roll around with one."
"Oh... that's a shame."
Brown sighed, slipping blood-red ruby rings onto the middle fingers of both hands.
"Enough nonsense. If you're ready for combat, we move in."
They confirmed each other's status with a glance.
And stepped without hesitation through the castle gate.
Thud—
Squeak—
The moment they crossed the gate.
A music box melody flowed out.
Ttiriring♪
Ttiririring♬
A cheerful yet eerie, dreamy melody, as if entering a toy castle above the clouds.
The scene that came into view was the opulent lobby of a mansion.
The floor, pillars, sofa, and lamps—
All assembled from Lego blocks in a deformed shape.
Richard glanced around warily.
"Hmm, did we come in wrong? It looks like just part of a Blockland attraction."
"No, impossible. It matches exactly with the witch's residual trace that Sergeant Kim detected."
Brown signaled to the two with his eyes and jerked his chin.
Richard and John moved in unison.
In case traps were hidden.
From under the furniture to the chandelier on the ceiling.
They scoured every inch, but—
"Clear."
"Clear here too."
The two shook their heads.
"Hmm. Still, she's got quite a skill."
John tapped the block wall in admiration.
"Maybe if this witch had built Blockland, she would have hit the jackpot? Hahaha."
As he expressed his honest opinion—
Creak—
The antique wooden door at the front of the lobby slowly opened.
And a small girl poked her head out.
"Huh... really...?"
A child with abundant platinum blonde hair tied in twin tails, and violet eyes like amethysts.
As if pleased by the compliment.
She smiled shyly.
Richard swallowed his saliva.
"What the—what's a brat doing in a place like this..."
Though her appearance was young.
Her beauty instantly captivated attention, making one lose their mind.
A cute, youthful look, yet a girl with promise.
'Whoa! This is totally my type?!'
A Witch's House is a lawless zone where human laws don't reach.
Whether an old man or a three-year-old child.
Even if you lick, chew, and taste them, not a trace remains.
If so—
"Hey, cutie. Calm down. You got lost and scared, right? Don't worry. This oppa will save you."
But John grabbed Richard's shoulder firmly.
Tap.
"..."
At the same time, Brown's eyes gleamed fiercely from behind his sunglasses.
"That brat is the witch! Grab her!!"
"...Huh?!"
Richard's confusion was brief.
The three men charged simultaneously toward the corridor.
"Eep?!"
The girl shrank back and ran.
But the moment they passed through the door and entered the corridor—
They stared blankly around.
"What?"
No one was there.
The platinum blonde girl who was right before their eyes had vanished without a trace.
"Looks like we lost her."
"Tch... that rat."
An infuriating situation.
But what could they do?
They would meet the witch again anyway.
No need to rush.
"...Proceed forward."
They delved deeper into the corridor.
Then, from the far end of the silent passage—
"Kyahahaha!"
A clear laughter rang out.
"Chase her!!"
They ran without hesitation toward the direction of the sound.
But at the end was a solid block wall.
A dead end.
"What? I'm sure the sound came from here."
Brown furrowed his brow.
He didn't understand, but decided to go back the way they came.
However, on the path they backtracked—
The door leading to the lobby was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, a colorful block wall greeted them.
Richard panicked and touched the wall.
"Th-that's impossible! There was definitely a door here! And it's weird that a fork appeared on both sides! It was a straight corridor just a moment ago!"
Brown glared at Richard.
"Move aside."
He rubbed the ruby rings on both hands together.
Ting!
Then thrust both fists forward.
Whoooosh!
A fierce flame cannon erupted from the rings.
It struck the block wall ahead with a roar.
Kwaaaang—!
The powerful destructive force of a C-class hunter made the two D-class hunters gasp in admiration.
"Wow."
"Truly lives up to its reputation."
With that explosive power, the wall should have been destroyed.
But when the flames died down—
They were speechless at the completely unexpected sight.
Not a single scratch on the blocks.
The surface was even smooth, without a trace of soot.
Brown gritted his teeth.
"Damn... we've been had."
Was this a special space where the terrain itself couldn't be destroyed?
But Brown didn't lose his composure.
"A Witch's House always has an exit. There must be a hidden path somewhere..."
They had no choice but to walk along the corridor.
Richard placed his hand on the left wall.
"Chief. If there's no other way, how about we follow the classic maze rule and keep to the left wall?"
John immediately snorted.
"Pff! The left-hand rule? You still believe in that?"
But Brown sighed and nodded.
"We have no clues yet, so let's move as Richard says for now."
He had heard of the left-hand rule.
Even if it took time.
If this was a maze, it would surely lead to an exit.
How long had they walked?
Just as the familiar scenery began to dizzy their minds—
Something blocked their path.
"Now what's that?"
A pink giant stood motionless.
A teddy bear over three meters tall.
"Kyawng?"
A stupid cry unbefitting its size.
Laughably, it even taunted them by wiggling its front paws.
"Kyawoooong!"
John stepped forward, flexing his knuckled fist.
"Ha! This isn't funny anymore."
He grit his teeth, pushed off the ground, and charged.
"This fucking bitch! Is she making fun of us?!"
The teddy bear slammed down its fluffy front paw.
But it was no match for the speed of John, a former boxer.
"Too slow! You idiot!!"
John ducked in nimbly and struck the teddy bear's abdomen with his knuckles.
Puhuek!
Cotton burst out, and the teddy bear toppled backward.
"Hahahahahahaha! Die! Die! Sun of a bitch!!"
John mounted it and smashed its face repeatedly.
The moment he was sure he had the upper hand—
Richard shouted urgently.
"John! Behind you, look behind!!"
As John turned his head—
Swoosh!
The teddy bear's front claws raked across John's back.
"Damn!"
Richard fired his revolver.
Bang!
Bang!
Amazingly, the bullets that hit the front paws exploded.
Puheong!
Pubeong!
The arms were shredded.
"This fucking bear bastard!"
Enraged, John grabbed the teddy bear's face with both hands and tore it apart, finishing it off.
"Tch, it was nothing."
He returned, breathing heavily.
But Brown's eyes, looking at John, shook violently.
"John... your back is..."
"Huh? What about my back?"
He reached behind and touched the wound.
And the moment he checked his palm, he let out a dumbfounded voice.
"...Uh?"
It wasn't blood.
What protruded from the torn wound was white, fluffy cloud cotton.
"What the fuck?! Why is this coming out of my body?!"
Richard stroked the wound with a worried gaze.
"John, are you okay? Doesn't it hurt?"
"...It doesn't hurt at all. Didn't even know I had it until the Chief told me."
John let out a long sigh.
"Damn. Let's just continue the mission."
Suppressing their fear, they moved on through the corridor.
Step.
Richard, walking ahead, stepped on something on the floor.
"Hm?"
Kugugugugung!
At the same time, their retreat was blocked by a massive block wall.
"Fuck! Now what?!"
"Th-the path is blocked."
"Richard, you son of a bitch! Are you walking with your eyes wide shut?!"
"No, what did I do?!"
Brown finally noticed the three colored pressure plates on the floor.
Green, yellow, and purple.
The one Richard had just stepped on was the purple plate.
"Goddammit. This was both a hint and a trap..."
As Brown muttered—
The side wall opened, and everyone froze.
Dreureureureureuk—
The teddy bear whose face had just been torn off reappeared, perfectly intact.
"Kyawng!"
The teddy bear charged on all fours at tremendous speed.
Ppyong ppyong ppyong ppyong ppyong ppyong!
Richard fired his revolver rapidly, causing explosions.
Pung!
Peobeong!
Cotton shreds flew off, but the beast didn't stop.
"Where do you think you're going!"
John stepped forward and threw an uppercut.
The teddy bear's head snapped back.
But even while reeling, it swung its hind legs.
The target wasn't John.
Its claws raked across Richard's arm beside him.
"Kkeueuk!"
"Richard!"
Brown immediately spewed flames from his rings, burning the teddy bear.
Hwareureureuk!
The battle seemed to be over, but—
This time, instead of red blood, white cotton flowed from Richard's arm.
"Hieek! M-my arm why... what the hell is this..."
As Richard panicked and muttered, John turned his head.
"Fuck! You're not a woman. Shut your mouth, Richard!"
Brown looked at John and his mouth fell open.
"John, you..."
"Hm? What is it, Chief?"
One of his pupils had turned into a round, black button.
No way.
Was he slowly turning into a doll when injured?
'Is this the witch's magic?!'
Seeing John's face, Richard finally lost his mind.
He dropped his revolver and screamed.
"Fuck! Fuckiiiiing! I'm getting out of here! I'm getting outtttt!!"
"Richard! Stop!!"
Ignoring Brown's restraint, Richard fled down the corridor.
John also staggered, clutching his head.
"I'm dizzy... Chief, my head is too..."
He looked down at his hand.
The boundaries between fingers were gone, replaced by a blunt doll hand.
The steel knuckles he had been holding had turned into a childish toy that went "ppyok ppyok" when pressed.
John pressed the knuckles and started laughing maniacally.
Ppyok ppyok ppyok ppyok!
"Puhahahahahaha! Chief, what the hell is this? It's making a ridiculous sound from my hand? This is a dream, right?"
Seeing his insane subordinate, Brown closed his eyes.
"John, your portrait will be recorded at the Palette."
In the end—
Hwareureuk!
A flame ignited from Brown's hand and consumed John's body in an instant.
When he, who had burned his own comrade, looked up—
At the far end of the corridor, the platinum blonde girl stood still.
Brown roared with bloodshot eyes.
"You fucking witch bitch... What the hell are you up to?!"
At his shout, the girl flinched, hugging a red squeaky hammer to her chest.
"Th-this is just a fun game of tag... Are you no fun, ajusshi?"
Brown bit his lip hard.
'Calm down. Don't get caught up in her pace.'
And he observed the girl.
The witch before him didn't act directly.
Why?
Because the main body had no power.
She was weak, so she put her familiars forward and hid behind the maze to run away.
'Yes. That's it.'
The corner of Brown's mouth twisted grotesquely.
If he just killed that witch bitch, everything would end.
He'd make her regret ever coming out on her own.
"Heh heh, tag, huh..."
Brown wrapped his fists in flames and dashed straight ahead.
"Fine! I'll play your little game!!"
"...Hieek!"
The girl yelped and scurried around the corner.
Just as expected!
'That brat has no power!'
Full of elation, Brown rounded the corner without hesitation.
But at that moment—
Right in front of him, the giant teddy bear stood firm.
"What?!"
"Kyawoooong!"
Startled, Brown crossed his arms to block the front paw.
At the same time, he backstepped and shot flames forward, burning the teddy bear.
Pasiseus—
Beyond the burnt ashes of the doll—
"Hing..."
The girl puffed out her cheeks in disappointment.
"Tag's already over... I wanted to play more with ajusshi..."
She sidestepped her small frame.
There stood the wooden door that led to the lobby, the one they had first entered through.
The girl opened the door and smiled as she went out.
"I'll make it more fun next time! Bye-bye!"
Brown let out a rage-filled roar and threw himself forward.
"...Bullshit! It's you who's over!!"
The exit that would let him escape this horrible place.
And a witch not even worth a handful right before his eyes.
The overwhelming hope of completing the mission and surviving dominated his entire body.
'I've got it! If I return to the Palette like this, I'll become an executive too!'
The door handle was within reach.
But—
Thud—!!
Suddenly, a giant block wall dropped from the ceiling, obliterating the wooden door before his eyes.
Brown froze with his hand stretched into empty air.
"...Eh?"
The wall didn't budge.
"W-why."
Brown looked down at his feet with trembling eyes.
He was stepping on a vivid orange pressure plate.
"Ah... no."
In instinctive fear, he looked down at his hands.
But the boundaries between his fingers were gone, replaced by a blunt doll hand.
Ppyok ppyok ppyok ppyok.
From beyond the dark corridors splitting left and right, playful footsteps approached.
Dolls with button eyes.
John and Richard staggered in.
Richard aimed his revolver at Brown.
"Richard, you... what are you..."
Click, bang!
"Hik!"
Bbangbarabam!
Along with a silly trumpet sound, a flag reading 'BANG!' popped out of the muzzle.
"N-no... this can't be..."
Brown felt his body growing heavier.
Moreover, his vision blurred and he grew dizzy.
"I, an executive of Palette... what have I worked so hard for..."
A bear-shaped shadow fell over Brown.
"..."
Soon, only the music box melody echoed playfully through the maze.
Tting♪
Ttiririring♬
Tting...