Lightning Mana coursed through my body, following paths I'd perfected over years in Luminosa. The electricity concentrated in my sword arm, finding a natural conductor in the ornate metalwork of the hilt. Ancient runes blazed with crackling energy as I channeled power through them in a way we'd never attempted before.

"Wait, what are you—" the sword's indignant protest was cut off as the first surge of electricity transformed his usual aristocratic tone into an excited hum. "Oh. Oh my. This is... rather exhilarating!"

The gummy substance entrapping us turned out to be the perfect medium—just conductive enough to carry the charge, but with enough resistance to heat up rapidly. Sugar's eyes widened as the first few thousand volts raced through his sticky tendril straight into his massive form.

"Ooooh! Tingly!" he giggled, still unaware of the danger. "Sugar likes this new candy!"

I hesitated for a moment. His childlike innocence made what I had to do next feel wrong. I could have used other methods—powers I'd gained in Luminosa that could bypass even this kind of barrier. But revealing such abilities here, in what was clearly a monitored Tutorial zone, would be foolish. The Ringmaster, Mr. Chuckles, and whoever else pulled the strings in this place would learn my true capabilities. Sometimes, kindness to one means greater cruelty to others later. Besides... he already made his choice by trying to eat me.

"You might want to reconsider your diet," I said before doubling the voltage.

The reaction was immediate. Where the electricity contacted Sugar's gelatinous body, his pink surface began to bubble and caramelize. His eternal grin finally faltered as wisps of steam began to rise from his form, filling the air with the scent of burning sweetness.

"Wait... too hot! Too hot for Sugar!"

A part of me still hoped that if real humans could revive, so could a mere sapient golem. But even if I was really about to end Sugar for good—well, I had done worse things for wronger reasons.

The gummy substance coating my arm had already started to melt, turning into a superheated syrup that conducted electricity even better. I poured more power through the hilt, watching as electrical arcs danced across its surface. The sword's runes pulsed with barely contained energy, each acting as a focus to direct the devastating current.

"Master, help! Too spicy!" Sugar wailed as portions of his body began to blacken and char. "Sugar doesn't like this candy anymore!"

"Consider this a cooking lesson," the sword quipped, though I noticed he didn't sound quite as gleeful as usual.

Sugar's body, composed mainly of sugar and gelatin, underwent rapid chemical changes as millions of volts surged through him. The water content in his form flash-boiled, creating pockets of steam that burst through his surface. Where the current was strongest, his pink coloring turned brown, then black as the sugars caramelized and carbonized.

Even as parts of him melted and charred, he maintained his hold on me—whether out of stubbornness or simply because his form was locked in place by the electrical current. The liquefied portions of his body only improved conductivity, creating new pathways for the devastating current to flow through his massive form.

"The voltage..." I announced, more to distract myself from the disturbing sight than anything else, "it's over nine thousand!"

A note: that was just a reference. The real voltage... was much, much higher than this. In millions, if not billions. I couldn't be too sure.

Molten sugar began raining down around us as parts of Sugar's form literally vaporized. The electrical discharge created a spectacular light show, with sparks flying every time a new portion of his body charred. His features, which had previously flowed so freely across his surface, now fragmented and distorted as different sections of his form underwent various stages of melting, charring, and crystallization.

"SUGAR IS MELTING!" His voice rose in a mix of confusion and panic. "SUGAR IS BURNING! MASTER, SUGAR NEEDS—"

The rest was lost in a thunderous crack as a particularly powerful surge caused a massive section of his torso to explode, showering the area with partially caramelized chunks of gummy bear. The air filled with the sickly sweet smell of burnt sugar mixed with ozone.

As the remaining pieces of Sugar scattered across the ground, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could've found a less gruesome way to win. But in this Tutorial, I couldn’t afford to show mercy just because an enemy seemed innocent. After all, that innocence hadn’t stopped him from trying to make me his snack. As for worrying whether Sugar could still recover from his current condition—thanks to the System, that wasn’t a concern.

[You have earned EXP for killing a level 666 Supreme Gummy Golem]

[You receive bonus EXP for killing an opponent of a much higher level]

[Mr. Chuckles is entertained, but also sad]

[Ringmaster is pleasantly surprised with your power]

[Barry the Clown is... displeased]

"You... shouldn't have done this." I heard the familiar voice of the clown, transmitted from a distant location, as I assumed. "Not like this."

"Not like I had a choice," I muttered to myself, not knowing if he could hear me. I didn't feel his presence even as I focused on my Mana Sense and the fluctuations of Space Mana carrying his voice over hinted that he was busy somewhere else. "Was he your favorite mascot?"

There was no reply. Whatever the clown thought about my actions, he didn't want to continue the dialogue. I continued to read the messages.

[You have leveled up!]

[...]

[You have leveled up!]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 20!]

[Leftover EXP will be distributed after you advance to D Rank]

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

D Rank advancement conditions:

* Reach level twenty (+)

* Acquire two Skills (-)

* Pay the advancement fee: 2000 System Points (-)

* Choose your second Archetype (-)

It's not surprising that I received more EXP for killing a Tier 5 being than a Tier 4 one, but I also wonder how many more levels are still being withheld until I meet the D Rank requirements. Speaking of which...

Installation Progress: 89%

It seems the menu where I can receive Skills is still not available. Damn, and here I already decided which Archetype I choose next...

"Wow, you actually did it!"

The cheerful voice made me turn around. The girl with ever-shifting pastel hair was hopping between the scattered pieces of caramelized sugar, her oversized t-shirt fluttering with each bounce. She looked like any other kid excited to find candy on the ground.

"Look, look!" She picked up a piece of charred sugar and sniffed it curiously. "It's all crispy on the outside!" Without hesitation, she popped it into her mouth. "Mmm! Like burnt marshmallow! Want to try some?"

My Virtual Interface automatically displayed her status: [Just a Normal Human Girl, level 13]. Something felt off about that reading, but I couldn't quite place why. Maybe I was just being paranoid after everything that had happened.

"You really shouldn't eat things off the ground," I said, trying to sound responsible despite having just electrocuted a giant gummy bear.

She stuck her tongue out at me. "But it's candy! Besides, the ground here is super clean. They have cleaning robots and everything!" She gathered more pieces into her shirt, making an impromptu pouch. "I always wanted to try a piece of him, but he never let anyone get close enough."

"Step back from those remains," Mille ordered, though her usual stern tone seemed uncertain.

The girl blinked at her with wide, innocent eyes. "But I already claimed these pieces! Finder's keepers!" She paused mid-chew, then brightened. "Oh, but you probably need to take your bites too, right? Here!" She held out a particularly well-caramelized piece. "This one looks tasty!"

Well, of course. The Quest wasn't complete just yet. The goal wasn't defeating Sugar, but biting him three times. Too bad I couldn't achieve this without making him into candy first... But now there shouldn't be any problem with completion, and the bear had no way to resist.

"Let's see if the taste was worth it," I said, accepting the piece. It was still warm from the electrical current, and to my surprise, I could feel traces of Sugar's Mana pulsing within the crystallized fragment.

The first bite unleashed a burst of sweetness mixed with something else—a complex flavor that reminded me of Luminosa's enchanted confections. The residual Mana in the candy surged through me, unexpectedly invigorating.

[First bite registered! Two more to go!]

"Oh my, are we really sampling our fallen opponent?" the sword chimed in. "How delightfully barbaric! Though I suppose he is technically food now."

Even Mille, despite her earlier protests, found herself examining a particularly well-caramelized piece. Her stern expression softened slightly as she took a tentative bite. "It... actually tastes like divine ambrosia," she admitted reluctantly, looking almost guilty for enjoying it.

The vampire noble who had confronted me earlier approached with his entourage, his earlier arrogance replaced by scholarly interest. Selecting a piece that was nearly black from the electrical current, he studied it with centuries-practiced precision. "Fascinating," he mused after tasting it. "It's filled to the brim with such intense Mana, a mix of different types, completely distinct from the Mana our kin can manipulate... and yet, it's almost as digestible as the blood of the healthiest human..."

Other onlookers, seeing we hadn't dropped dead from eating the remains of a Tutorial guardian, began collecting their own pieces. Soon the area took on the bizarre atmosphere of an impromptu candy tasting party.

"See? Everything's better with candy!" The girl rummaged through her collection and pulled out two more pieces. "These ones got extra crispy!"

I took them both—one was perfectly caramelized, while the other had interesting patterns where the electricity had created branching burns through the sugar. Each bite sent a fresh wave of Mana through my system, like a sugar rush multiplied tenfold.

[Second bite registered!]

[Third bite registered!]

[Quest Complete: Sugar's Sweet Challenge]

[Reward: Access granted to the Ferris wheel zone]

[Calculating Total Reward...]

Congratulations! You've earned 500,000 System Points. You've unlocked new Archetypes:

Confectioner (Common)

Electric Menace (Rare)

Monstrosity Slayer (Ultra Rare)

Right on cue, the massive gates began to creak open, their mechanisms grinding into motion. The crowd that had scattered during the fight started cautiously returning, murmuring at the sight of the open entrance. Many were still munching on their pieces of Sugar, creating an oddly festive atmosphere for what had minutes ago been a battlefield.

"The path is open, mister!" The girl beamed at me. "Thank you for the show! And such a tasty reward! See ya later!" She popped another piece in her mouth and skipped away, humming cheerfully to herself.

I watched the girl disappear into the crowd before turning my attention to the now-open gates. The vampire noble approached with his entourage, maintaining a respectful distance. His earlier arrogance had been completely replaced by cautious reverence.

"If... if I may," he began, bowing slightly while holding up a particularly well-preserved piece, "this energy you wielded—I've never encountered anything like it. The way it altered the crystalline structure..." He hesitated, clearly weighing his curiosity against his survival instinct.

"This power is not your business, bloodsucker," Mille said, though her stern tone lost some impact with traces of candy still visible around her lips.

The vampire shuddered at her words, but I waved off her hostility. "It's not a big deal," I said. "Actually, I'm more curious about you vampires. Until a few days ago, I had no idea your kind existed, let alone that you could use magic. I'd like to learn more about your nature and the source of your power." I gave him an encouraging nod. "As for my Lightning Mana... let's just say it's a type of power that humans can develop under the right circumstances, though I doubt many around here have access to it."

The vampire—who had instinctively stepped back at Mille's presence—gathered his courage. "I am Constantin of the Moonlight Spire. My clan specializes in studying unique manifestations of power, though we've never..." He trailed off, realizing he might be talking too much.

His followers had already gathered near the gate, glancing nervously between me and Mille, as if uncertain which of us they should fear more.

"Planning to enter?" I asked.

Constantin's aristocratic composure cracked slightly as he spoke. "If... if you would permit us to follow in your wake," he said, unconsciously adjusting his perfectly tailored coat. "The System has not been kind to our kind. We have all been forced into Hard difficulty or higher, and now we need to gather three Golden Tickets just to leave this place." His pale fingers traced nervous patterns in the air as he continued. "For myself... I require a Platinum Ticket. The System seems to think centuries of existence warrant special challenges. Nightmarish ones."

He straightened, some of his noble bearing returning. "But with someone of your capabilities present, we might actually stand a chance at completing this attraction's normal objectives—much safer than attempting the bonus challenges of lesser venues." A calculated look entered his crimson eyes. "I assure you, the Moonlight Spire rewards its allies generously. Any assistance you provide would be... appropriately compensated."

"Okay, but I won't be waiting for you to catch up," I said. "I'll find the one I'm searching for, and then we'll discuss those questions I have about your kind. And if you can be useful to me. Deal?"

"Deal!" He shook my extended hand with practiced grace. Mille shot me a disapproving look, but I wasn't worried. I wasn't the one making a deal with the devil.

He was.