Kimji hesitated, his fingers fidgeting nervously before he finally spoke.

“Listen, Nimji,” he began, exhaling sharply. “I need to talk to Somji about it, but with everything going on—the chaos with the Hantens—I just can’t deal with this right now. Once it’s all over, I’ll talk to her. I promise.”

His eyes drifted toward Somji who lay unconscious on his back.

Nimji’s expression softened, a small, knowing smile forming. “I’m glad you admitted it,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of approval.

Kimji looked down, his cheeks warming as uncertainty washed over him. He wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or more burdened. The truth was out, but so was the weight of everything still unresolved. For now, all he could do was hope that when the chaos subsided, he’d find the right words to tell Somji how he truly felt.

They were about to reach the island. They walked up on shore, and there they saw their worst, worst, WORST ever nightmare.

A huge, HUGE, version of the red-horned creature stood, protecting a clam. A CLAM—the Pearl of Death has to be inside of the clam!!

But first, he had to figure out how to defeat the huge, ugly, leather-skinned creature.

He told Nimji to shield him while he tried to revive and wake Somji up.

Somji was a little conscious now, conscious enough to protect herself, but Kimji wasn’t going to risk it. He plopped her on his back and fought.

“We have to find its weak spot!!” said Nimji, dodging an attack.

Suddenly Somji noticed something out of the corner of her eye. At the feet of the huge creature, there were disassembled, spare body parts attached to its feet—a red leg, a demon hand, an eye, a foot, a face—they were morphing on his feet.

Somji, in her conscious state, whispered in Kimji’s ear, “Look at his feet.”

Kimji’s eyes immediately shot to the creature’s foot. He backflipped and landed on the demon’s knee, gripping it with his claws. He moved downward and started to cut down the demon’s feet. Then it became obvious why there were disassembled body parts at his feet—the giant was made up of normal-sized demons all merged together.

As soon as Kimji hit the foot, a demon plopped out. He immediately killed it off.

“ATTACK ITS FEET!!!!!” screamed Kimji to Nimji.

Nimji saw that Kimji had figured out the secret to killing the thing.

Cut by cut, slash by slash, the huge red parasite was finished, reaping only a few thousand little dead demons.

Kimji walked up to the treasure box, Nimji following, Somji half-conscious on his back.

Kimji kneeled next to the treasure box and opened it. It was filled with many pearls, but between them lay a large, dark pearl. Its surface was a rich, inky black, gleaming with an iridescent sheen that shifted subtly under the light, revealing whispers of deep purples, midnight blues, and stormy grays.

Kimji scooped up the pearl and slid it into Somji’s bag.

“WHOO HOOO! WE GOT THE PEARL!” Somji exclaimed, leaping off Kimji’s back and soaring through the air, her wings fluttering with pure joy.

Kimji couldn’t help but chuckle at her infectious excitement. “YES, WE DID!” he shouted back, his grin stretching wide.

Without a second thought, Somji swooped down and wrapped herself in Kimji’s arms. Her voice softened as she looked up at him. “Thank you… for saving my life,” her tone full of warmth and gratitude.

“You don’t need to thank me,” he said, his voice steady but gentle, the gleam in his eyes revealing how much he meant it.

Nimji smiled at Kimji, then Somji hugged Nimji too, and together they moved on to the next step of this crazy, mangled, messy adventure.

Nimji, Kimji, and Somji made their way back to their house and Mounchion, facing the same harsh struggles—but this time, with experience.

They burst into Mounchion’s house unannounced, the door swinging open with a bang. Mounchion, busy stirring a steaming pot in the kitchen, froze mid-action, his spoon hitting the floor in surprise.

As soon as he saw them, his fatherly instincts kicked in. With a wide grin spreading across his face, he rushed over, pulling the trio into a warm, welcoming embrace. “You’re back!” he exclaimed, his voice a mix of relief and joy.

Without missing a beat, he ushered them inside, offering bowls of irresistibly fragrant, juicy ramen, the broth glistening with spices. “Sit, sit!” he said, patting the fluffy cushions he had already fluffed up, making the space cozy and inviting. “You must be starving!”

“We have the pearls!” said Somji, stuffing her face with ramen.

“YES, and we know what to do with them!!” said Nimji.

Suddenly, Nimji glanced at Somji and erupted into uncontrollable laughter, clutching his stomach as tears brimmed in his eyes. Somji, puzzled at first, glanced down at herself and noticed the mess—bits of food smeared across her face and splattered on her clothes.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed before bursting into laughter herself, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.

Kimji, catching on to the situation, let out a soft chuckle. As he looked closer, he noticed a piece of nori clinging to the corner of her lips.

Without thinking, he leaned in and gently plucked it off. Somji froze for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. She stammered, “Oh—um, t-thanks.”