The once-empty plain transformed. The surroundings were now drenched in pitch-black darkness, and loud, flashy structures had appeared across the field.They were the kind of structures one might only expect to see in a theme park.A message appeared before everyone's eyes.
[Game 7: Theme Park of Revelry][This is a theme park filled with various amusement rides and uniquely themed special zones.][Each time you clear a ride or a special zone, you'll be awarded 'points'.][Special rewards will be given in order of who earns the most points.][※ If your points are too low, the 'mascot suit' will start tracking you down!][※ You can steal points by hunting other players!][※ Special notice! In this game, death is temporarily suspended!]
"Theme Park of Revelry."You could think of it as a massive dungeon containing many smaller dungeons.Clearing each one earns you points.The problem is...
"Are they craving blood this time?"[Looks like they want to see the players kill each other,]
Because hunting other players means you can steal their points.The master of revelry must be craving a new spectacle.They probably want to see players fighting… and killing each other.It's a form of twisted entertainment, you could say.
"I guess it's a relief we're not actually dying for real."[Sigh…]
Since death has been suspended, it means no one will actually die here.If you "die" inside, you'll simply be expelled alive to the outside world.That's one of the reasons the dilemmas created by the Master of Revelry are so popular.
Boom! Bang! Crackle!
There was a loud, noisy sound from above—It turned out to be fireworks going off.They were launched all across the theme park, randomly engraving mysterious symbols in the sky.Then, the theme park began to move.
Creak, creak…
"Come on in, to the Land of Nightmares, to earn your points…"
"The spinning teacups are waiting just for you…"
Rides moved on their own, without anyone operating them.Brightly lit special zones, each with their own unique themes, came to life.The summoned players in the theme park looked around, and one by one, began to move.Some headed for rides.Others into the special zones.Each was met with a different gimmick.
[Battle in the Teacups! A new enemy will keep appearing in the teacup you boarded! Try to defeat them all to the end!][Welcome to the Land of Nightmares! Face the nightmare you fear the most. Overcome it and earn your points!][Photo Studio of Total Chaos! Here, your stats, your skills—everything is shuffled. Survive until the end!]
In the teacup a player boarded, a powerful monster appeared.In another zone, the most terrifying nightmare emerged before a different player.And elsewhere, a player whose stats and skills had been scrambled was thrown into chaos, now fighting another fellow player.
"W-what the hell is this?! Why are my stats all messed up?!""Ugh… ugh… it's… it's all shaking! I feel sick…!""No, no way…! That's… that's my worst fear…!"
Battles were breaking out everywhere.And not just inside the rides or the special zones.As time passed, fierce combat began to erupt even outside them.
"That guy. He just cleared that ride.""How many did he clear? Two? Three? Whatever—""Let's kill him and take his points."
It was a fight to steal points.In effect, battles had spread throughout the entire theme park.The Lord of Revelry watched the chaos with a cold, indifferent gaze.
[Mmm… It was fun at first, but now it's just… meh.]
It was a scene they'd witnessed many times before.Watching it stirred no emotions. It was just tiresome now.So, the Lord of Revelry turned his attention elsewhere.He sought someone who could bring him that spark of anticipation and joy again—Han Yooseong.
But—
[Why isn't he moving?]
Han Yooseong hadn't moved an inch.He just stood there calmly, as if none of this had anything to do with him.Seeing this, the Lord of Revelry felt confused.
[Why? You know this will make me bored, don't you?]
Still, Han Yooseong didn't move.Just like the Lord of Revelry, the other players around him were equally confused.Until just before this game, he had been wildly active—monopolizing the Lord's attention.But now, he stood completely still?
What was even more puzzling—
[Revelry Gauge: 85%.]
'What? Why isn't that guy's revelry gauge dropping?'
The fact that the Revelry Gauge wasn't decreasing—It meant something very simple.The Lord was still entertained.Even though Han Yooseong was doing absolutely nothing, the Lord wasn't bored.
To the other players, it was beyond baffling—it was maddening.
'What the hell?! He used to get bored if we so much as took a break!'"Even when I was fighting until I coughed up blood, my gauge still dropped—and that guy's isn't dropping even when he's just standing there?!"'How… how is that even possible?!'
The players began to question something fundamental.Is that even possible?But the answer could be seen in the expression of the Lord of Revelry.
[There's no way this human could bore me. He's already shown me—he's someone who'll fulfill my expectations, no matter how.][And now he's standing still… Wait a second. Let me think this through.]
And then, shockingly—
The Lord of Revelry began to speculate on Han Yooseong's intentions.This was the human who had kept him entertained throughout the entire ordeal.He had uncovered hidden things, refused buffs offered by the Lord himself—Would someone like that suddenly stand still for no reason?
[If anything, I could believe he'd do something reckless just to amuse me—But that man? There's no way he's doing nothing without a reason.][Which means…]
The Lord of Revelry quickly reached a conclusion.And, shockingly, that conclusion was very close to the truth.
[You… you're waiting for something, aren't you?]
Han Yooseong was waiting for something.The Lord didn't know what that something was.But he could feel it—whatever it was, it was going to bring him great delight.A sense of anticipation naturally bloomed inside him.
[What are you waiting for? Are you going to show me something fun again?]
Han Yooseong, eyes closed, waited silently.His sharpened senses expanded, detecting the presence of beings within a certain radius.Among them were several presences that moved strangely.The entire theme park was currently in chaos—combat erupting everywhere.But these particular presences didn't seem concerned with the fighting.Instead, they were moving purposefully, spreading out, then gathering together as if preparing something.
076226
"So that's it. That's how you've set this up."
[Huh? What is it? What are you talking about?]
A smile slowly crept across Han Yooseong's lips.
Seeing this, the Lord of Revelry grew frantic—restless with anticipation."You found it? You're going to show me something?"He didn't have to wait long for the answer.
KUUUUUUUM—!!
"W-what the hell?! The ground…!""What is this—did the Lord of Revelry prepare something again?!"
The earth shook as if hit by an earthquake.The tremor began at the edges of the theme park and spread inward,And with it, a massive magic circle etched itself into the ground, glowing ominously.
[A magic circle? Wait… Don't tell me…]
The Lord of Revelry turned his gaze to the perimeter of the park.At each point, players stood firmly in place.They held artifacts imbued with the power of other Lords—and they were planting them into the ground.As the artifacts activated, the powers of the Lords began to seep into the earth—
FWOOOOOM!!
[W-what?!]
The completed magic circle formed a dome-like barrier that enveloped the entire theme park.Then, a system message appeared before all the players.
[The 'Union of Lords' is intervening in the trial.][The Lords have paid an appropriate price. In return, the 'Lord of Revelry' is prohibited from intervening in this trial for the next 20 minutes.][The trial is now sealed. No one may enter.]
A message that lords are intervening in the Trial.Normally, Lords are not allowed to intervene in Trials unless they are officially permitted. Especially, they cannot interfere with Trials opened by other Lords.However, that doesn't mean it's entirely impossible.If a 'price' is paid, it becomes possible—coins, and other forms of 'costs'.As everyone knows, Lords value their coins immensely.
[Ecstasy... …][Do you remember what you did to us during the last trial?][Oh, how long we've waited for this revenge!]
Put differently,To offer up coins and other cherished items as a price to forcibly intervene—That means they're harboring a tremendous grudge.From all directions, voices of the Lords filled with resentment could be heard.
[The time has come to pay the price… …][Open the
A red aura surged out from the magic circle.It quickly engulfed the surroundings.As the ground turned red and began to seethe, something suddenly shot up.It was a massive gate.
[The
A gate named "Gamit".It opened, revealing a space covered in red energy.Moments later—
[An unknown force begins to erode the Trial… …]
Huamamamamak!
A crimson energy burst forth from Gamit.It spread throughout the theme park as if trying to consume the Trial itself,and eventually formed smaller gates all around.Then, from beyond those gates—
"KIMAMAMAMAAH!"
"For the Lords…!"
"Destroy everything in sight!"
A flood of enemies charged out.They were soldiers commanded by the Alliance of Lords.Since various Lords had joined forces to intervene, the types of soldiers were equally diverse.Some were mere monsters, some were grotesquely mutated knights, others were winged abominations.But they all shared one trait:
"W-What the hell is that?!"
"KRRHUURGH…!"
They were trying to destroy everything in the theme park.And among the invading enemies were even "Vowers"—those who had sworn fealty.
"Damn it, I don't even know what I'm doing here…!""But Lord's orders are absolute! Kill anything that moves!""You, guard Gamit! Hold out until it's done!"
These were the Vowers of the Lord Alliance.Most of them didn't seem pleased about the situation.And understandably so—this was an extremely dangerous battlefield they'd been thrown into.Then, a message appeared in front of everyone's eyes:
[The 'Alliance of Lords' is destroying the Trial. As the Trial is damaged, the influence of the 'Lord of Ecstasy' weakens, while the influence of the Alliance grows. If destruction reaches a certain threshold…][The Trial will fall into the hands of the Alliance and be destroyed.]
[Destruction Level: 10%]
Gamit Gauge.A gauge that indicates the level of destruction.The stronger their influence grows, the more Gamit gates the Lords can summon,and the stronger the monsters they can call forth.
"Which means we have to make sure the destruction level doesn't rise any further."
There were two main ways to do that:Take down the enemies who are destroying the Trial.But that method takes time, effort—It's inefficient in many ways.
There was a cleaner, faster way to resolve the situation.Han Yuseong raised his head.
["Y-You… human… what are you…?"]
Just then, words appeared before him.They were from the Lord of Ecstasy.It might sound ridiculous, but there was a clear sense of shock and confusion in the distorted letters.
["Don't tell me… you knew this would happen?"]
A once-in-a-lifetime situation—the Lords' Alliance attacking a Trial.Yet the Lord of Ecstasy didn't care about any of that.
His attention was entirely focused on Han Yuseong.
["You didn't move a muscle… just waited. And then, almost as if in response to your waiting—'intervention' began."]["Is this what you were waiting for? But… how?"]["How could you have known this would happen?"]
Han Yuseong said nothing.
There was no time to wonder why or how.Right now, that didn't matter.What mattered was stopping the attack from the Lords' Alliance.
"Lord of Ecstasy."
Han Yuseong raised his head.He could feel the gaze of an overwhelming presence pressing down on him.
"I have a proposal for you."
The greatest and most valuable reward—This was a golden opportunity to extract a myth-grade item from the Lord himself.