The office had become quiet again.
Too quiet.
Mark signed another document.
Scratch.
Another.
Scratch.
Another.
Scratch.
His soul had left his body sometime around form number two hundred.
Now he simply existed.
A machine that converted paper into signatures.
Kai leaned against the wall.
"…He's still going."
Leon adjusted his glasses.
"Remarkable endurance."
Darius calmly flipped through another folder.
"At this rate, he may finish within the week."
Mark whispered without looking up.
"…I heard that."
Joy stood nearby with her arms crossed.
Watching.
Waiting.
Like a prison guard monitoring a dangerous inmate.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Then—
BZZZZZT
A mechanical sound echoed from the corner of the room.
Everyone froze.
Slowly…
All heads turned toward the sound.
The printer.
It had turned on.
By itself.
Kai blinked.
"…Did anyone press something?"
Leon shook his head.
"No."
Darius looked at the machine.
"…That printer was empty."
Joy narrowed her eyes.
The printer hummed again.
WHRRRRRR
Then—
A piece of paper slowly slid out.
Mark's hand stopped moving.
He looked up slowly.
"…No."
The printer continued.
Another page.
Then another.
Then another.
WHRRRRRRRR
Papers began spilling out.
Stacking on the tray.
One after another.
Like a waterfall of suffering.
Kai slowly stepped backward.
"…That can't be good."
Leon checked the printer settings.
"It's printing something called… 'Supplementary Administrative Forms.'"
Mark stood up.
"…Supplementary."
The printer continued screaming.
WHRRRRRRRRRR
More pages.
More forms.
More misery.
Joy walked over and picked up one of the sheets.
She read it silently.
Then calmly placed it on the desk.
Right on top of the stack.
Mark stared at it.
"…What does it say."
Joy answered casually.
"Additional guild verification documents."
Mark's eye twitched.
"…How many."
Joy looked back at the printer.
"…Approximately two hundred."
The room went silent.
Kai whispered,
"…He's going to explode."
Leon nodded.
"This is beyond human tolerance."
Darius quietly moved behind a desk.
"Everyone take cover."
Mark slowly turned toward the printer.
It kept printing.
Relentlessly.
Mercilessly.
Paper after paper.
The machine did not care.
It had no emotions.
No mercy.
No fear.
Only one purpose.
Produce paperwork.
Mark walked toward it slowly.
Joy watched carefully.
"…Mark."
He didn't answer.
The printer continued.
WHRRRRRRRR
Another form appeared.
Mark picked it up.
Read the title.
"Extended Guild Administrative Compliance Form – Section A."
He looked at the next one.
Section B.
The next one.
Section C.
The next one.
Section D.
Mark slowly turned around.
His face looked completely empty.
Kai whispered,
"…That's the face of a man who has lost everything."
Leon nodded.
"I believe this is the breaking point."
Darius calmly stated,
"Catastrophe in three… two…"
Mark suddenly grabbed the printer.
Lifted it above his head.
Everyone froze.
Joy shouted,
"Don't—"
CRASH
Mark slammed the printer into the floor.
Plastic shattered.
Metal bent.
The machine died instantly.
Silence filled the office.
Paper drifted slowly through the air.
Mark stood there breathing slowly.
Then he looked down at the broken machine.
"…Problem solved."
Kai slowly stepped forward.
"…You destroyed government equipment."
Leon added,
"That printer belonged to the National Hunter Administration."
Darius folded his arms.
"They will not be happy."
Joy looked at the shattered printer.
Then at Mark.
Then at the papers still on the desk.
She slowly picked up the belt.
Mark sighed.
"…I knew that was coming."
SMACK.
The sound echoed across the office.
Kai winced.
Leon looked away.
Darius nodded respectfully.
"A fair punishment."
Mark rubbed the back of his head.
"…Worth it."
Joy pointed at the desk.
"Sit."
Mark sat.
She handed him the pen again.
"Continue."
Mark looked at the mountain of documents.
Then at the broken printer.
Then at the ceiling.
"…If another printer appears…"
Joy raised the belt slightly.
Mark immediately resumed signing.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
But somewhere far away…
In a government building across the city…
Another printer started warming up.