CHAPTER 62
"That cheeky brat."
Tedie couldn't help but express after hearing Hirayon's remark on the massive hologram screen. His statement gave the audience a reason to pressure him, and true to Hirayon's prediction, the game was losing its luster. Hirayon's group had already secured three crowns, and another group held two. Currently, they chose to remain stationary, conserving as much Aura as possible, bringing the game to a standstill.
Tedie hoped that the crownless groups would rally for a crown, but to his dismay, they all pathetically ran away and hid. Preserving their lives seemed to be their priority, overshadowing any inclination to risk it all for the game.
'This is precisely why I dislike team battles,' Tedie thought. The individual rankings and accompanying awards were powerful motivators for the children. However, in team-based games like this, they wouldn't be ranked individually; instead, they would share the rank with their group members and would not receive gifts from their benefactors, eroding the primary driver of their determination for the first rank.
With such an evident weak point, attempts were made in previous years to have team games maintain the usual individual rankings based on performance. However, this approach led to a massacre between players in a single group. Though far from a boring game, the consequence was a shortage of remaining players for the next round. Faced with no other viable option, the torneo management reluctantly proceeded with this lackluster game, leaving it to the hosts to determine how to make it entertaining.
Despite Hirayon's comment, Tedie laughed, trying not to show any signs of being affected. He shifted the screen's focus to another group with two crowns. "Let's hear this group's plans," he said as he settled into the plain white chair he had arranged earlier.
As he contemplated how to improve the game, a hologram screen suddenly materialized before him. The word "URGENT" in bold red letters at the top caught his attention, prompting him to hastily read the message. Before he could finish, his eyes widened, unable to conceal his emotions in response to the shocking order he had just received.
"Three years? What's happening in the facility?"
*****
In the meantime, Hirayon's group strategized for a potential attack. Hirang also helped them, a surprising act that was all thanks to Hirayon's water, calming his darkness element.
Hirang's extensive experience in battles proved invaluable to the group. He spearheaded the creation of backup plans and assumed the role of leading the group in case of an attack. Although he couldn't engage in combat, his clear perspective on the battlefield would allow him to effectively guide their groupmates, a role fittingly aligned with his current position as their king.
With less than an hour on the clock, everyone in the group prepared themselves for potential attacks. Even as Hirayon continually monitored the Auras closing in on them, they didn't dare let their guard down, especially with three crowns adorning their king's head.
Amidst the quiet tension before the imminent battles, Hirayon suddenly detected an unusual Aura formation. Following its trail, his gaze descended to the relatively clean ground beside him, focusing on a red ant. Sensing something off about the insect's presence, Hirayon activated his ability, confirming his suspicion—the ant's Aura was abnormal. From its tiny body, he observed a dense mass of white Aura rapidly growing, multiplying at an alarming pace.
Alarmed, Hirayon swiftly released his ability and urgently looked at his group mates. "Quick! Get away!"
Startled by Hirayon's abrupt shout, everyone watched in confusion as the child stood up and sprinted away from their circle. The rest of the group followed suit without questioning, distancing themselves from their initial position, unaware of the impending threat they were escaping.
"Why?! What's wrong?!" OAR48 asked, sprinting in the same direction as Hirayon. Not far behind them, the other children ran with all their might to catch up. They all believed they were under attack, but Hirayon's response caught them by surprise.
"The ant! It has so much Aura!" Hirayon answered while navigating the terrain with nimble leaps, jumping onto large tree roots, and concentrating on not tripping.
Not grasping the urgency, OFF134 focused on a different aspect. "Ants have Aura?!"
Hirayon's mouth hung open in disbelief, almost tripping due to the absurdity of the question. He couldn't fathom the kind of education OFF134 had received to be unaware that everything possesses Aura. Even he, isolated from civilization, was taught by his mother that everything has an Aura. It was simply common knowledge that children their age should know.
Still, Hirayon considered that the child might have had an upbringing that deprived him of such knowledge. That's why he wanted to provide OFF134 with an enlightening response, but Hirang intervened with his typical frankness and ego-bruising manner.
"Have you ever studied or used your brain?! Why aren't you aware that everything has an Aura?!"
Frustrated that his pride had once again been wounded by the same child, OFF134 glared angrily at Hirang, no longer bothering to conceal his irritation as he had done before. He was fed up with the situation, and observing how Hirayon easily pacified the child, OFF134 felt confident that Hirayon would prevent them from escalating into a fight.
"It was because I trained every single second, even during my sleep! I didn't have time to study!"
Hirang was tempted to mock OFF134 for offering such a seemingly ridiculous reason, but he got distracted when his darkness element sensed a threat. Though still relatively calm, his element, akin to Hirayon's intuition, urged him to focus on running away. This was an unusual act for his egoistic and pride-filled element, making Hirang feel wary of the looming danger they were running away from.
Simultaneously, Hirayon's instinct echoed the same urgency—to run as fast as possible. Even at a distance, he could sense the growing presence as more Aura concentrated. In fact, he already had an inkling of what might have been happening to the ant, and he knew the only person who could potentially wield such magic.
'That host!'
*****
With a straight back, shoulders open, and head held high, Tedie surveyed the audience with practiced glassy bear eyes. His beastly expression projected a sense of melancholy, a haunting contradiction to his confident posture as the host. Yet, the scene was undeniably dramatic with the colossal screen at his back, revealing Hirayon's group navigating the obstacle-filled forest, struggling to leap onto roots and duck under thick branches as if their lives depended on it.
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As he cleared his throat, Tedie seized every gaze in the room.
"A message reached me not long ago, and I've been entrusted with sharing it with all of you," he began, scanning the audience with a somber intensity.
"Today marks our last game of the year."
An audible gasp rippled through the audience. Bewilderment was etched across their faces, a collective confusion at the abrupt and unforeseen turn of events. Eager to know more, they listened intently for Tedie's following words.
"Although we are still far from the final game of this batch, the familia members have decided to suspend the games until further notice. There will be another announcement later, delivered to you through Odilens."
The audience buzzed with questions, speculating with each other. Such a scenario had never unfolded before. As a critical factor in determining the future governor, the Torneo held immense significance for everyone residing in the facility. It was a recurring event for years and was never halted, no matter what internal problems the facility had. But with such news, everyone was sure that there was a problem significant enough to postpone the competition—the election of their new governor.
Speculations swirled like a storm through the audience as they exchanged assumptions about the cause behind the announcement. Some hurriedly checked the facility's daily news page, searching for any indication of a Clan War, the only conceivable event that could bring the Torneo to a grinding halt. But there was no such news. Diwana remained peaceful.
Or so they believed.
Little did they know, the familia members manipulated the narrative. Residents were under the illusion that they were well-versed in the affairs of their world. In reality, their understanding was a curated facade. The seemingly reliable source selectively provides them news they can read, not the ones they need to know. That was why all of them were clueless about the looming war that the whole Diwana was trying to prevent. A war that could shake their world and a disaster that would break the peace every clan member was trying to uphold.
The sight of the audience was chaotic. Some looked calm, but the majority teetered on the edge of erratic panic with the sudden news. Well, who wouldn't?
For most residents, the facility had been their life for centuries. Some elderly ones even witnessed the facility's establishment, making the place home and their world. It was where they worked, forged friendships, cultivated relationships, and raised families.
This especially applies to those who were born in the facility. All of them shared the mindset that such a place was their world and there was no need for them to go outside. They don't have any reason to as they could experience everything with Odilens. That's why even if someone harbored any idea or wanted to see what lies outside the facility, they did so by being hunters, the only ones allowed to get out of the facility.
Anticipating such reactions, Tedie smirked and redirected the audience's attention.
"May I have everyone's attention, please?" he began, waiting for the crowd to hush. "It would be regrettable if our last game, at least for now, finished boringly with two groups effortlessly securing the crowns. Therefore, I want to make things more interesting and have decided to increase the challenge for our players."
Tedie scanned the audience with a sympathetic smile. "I know everyone is concerned about the facility, and so am I. But I trust the familia's decisions. They are our leaders, our protectors. As members of the facility, let's trust them. What more can we do at this moment? Let's enjoy the final show!"
Tedie scanned the audience with a sympathetic smile. "I understand everyone's concerns about the facility, and I share those concerns. However, we must trust the decisions of the familia. They are our leaders, our protectors. As members of the facility, let's put our trust in them. What more can we do at this moment? Let's savor the final show!"
Fountain fireworks burst forth on both sides of the stage, accompanied by the resounding thud of a drum that reverberated throughout the arena. The beat resonated within the bodies of every audience member, creating an intensity that mirrored their heartbeat. Gradually, the loud rhythm quickened, sparking excitement and establishing an exhilarating ambiance that assuaged people's anxieties, plunging them into a pool of dopamine.
With the perfect mood set, Tedie dramatically extended his arms to his sides and turned around to face the massive hologram screen.
'The atmosphere is great, music is playing, and the stage is set. Now, I just need the performers. It's about time.'
Abruptly, the drumbeats ceased, engulfing the arena in a loud explosion. On the screen, the aerial view of the insect forest unfolded, showcasing trees of varying heights surrounded by picturesque terrains and dense greenery, all enclosed by a somber swamp. However, what seized everyone's attention were the insects—not the usual tiny crawlies freely inhabiting the forest, but colossal ones that loomed over the trees.
*****
"That damn host!" Hirang bellowed in fury as several insects suddenly expanded and transformed into giants.
The situation evolved in an instant. With a thunderous explosion, the ant Hirayon had mentioned revealed itself to everyone, and his group had a front-row view of its surprisingly hairy and nightmarish appearance. With long antennae, elongated legs, large eyes, and monstrous mandibles, the insect before them was no different from the monsters they had encountered—worse, in fact.
The insect closest to Hirayon's group stood about ten meters tall and fifty meters long, dwarfing the usual sizes of monsters they had faced. Based on size alone, Hirayon couldn't conceive a strategy to confront the ant. Additionally, penetrating its body seemed nearly impossible due to the armor-like chitin, leaving them with the only viable plan of severing its limbs—an equally challenging feat.
Ironically, Hirang played with the insects earlier, squishing and flicking them away. But now, their positions had reversed. If the ants noticed them, they were sure to expect a cruel fate, similar to what Hirang had done to the insects.
"What do we do now?!" OSZ61 shouted, her face clearly displaying fear. Despite her exhaustion, she had managed to catch up to Hirayon, who was leading the escape, all thanks to the newfound fear. She had thought earlier that the forest was a worse environment where they could conduct the game, but she was wrong; it could worsen. Pale and scared, the little girl felt her neck stiffening, resisting the urge to take another glance at the creature.
"Let's try to find a place to hide!" OID76 suggested.
"But where?! There's no place to hide!" OAR48 anxiously inquired. Their opponent was a giant, and hiding behind large trees wouldn't give them enough time to strategize.
At that moment, the ground shook, causing the children to trip and drop to the ground due to the sudden tremor.
"What is it now?!" OSZ61 fumed while supporting her body with her arms. She avoided touching the insect-filled ground, using her hands to handle the impact, resulting in a sprain on her right hand. However, that didn't stop her from touching and squishing some insects on the soil. She bit her lower lip, resisting the disgust accompanied by the pain.
"Don't look up," OID76 advised.
Unfortunately, OSZ61 didn't hear him clearly and perked up her head. Such a move made her instantly regret it as a jumping green creature appeared five meters before them. It had extremely long legs, antennae, rounded eyes, and another mandible that horrified the little girl to the point of fainting.
"You!"
Startled by the little girl passing out, OID76 moved quickly, placing her body on his back before crawling to hide in a large tree where OFF134 was already using.
As the group realized the creature had jumped to their location, they immediately went into hiding, shielding themselves from the grasshopper. There was a chance they hadn't been seen, as it had been looking up earlier. Now, they only needed to wait quietly for it to leave.
"Why is she out?" OFF134 inquired in a whisper upon noticing the passed-out little girl.
"Too shocked."
"Can't blame her," OFF134 commented in a pant, attempting to calm his breathing. They had been running hard, and he also felt his heart almost burst with the sudden appearance of the grasshopper, which looked more like a monster than all the ones he had fought before.
Suddenly, the antennas moved, hitting a few branches, and ultimately fell on Group 1. One branch landed directly on Hirang, wounding him on his arm.
"So annoying!" he grumbled but refrained from moving, fearing the insect might notice him. When his gaze traveled to his right, he saw OAR48 looking wide-eyed at the top of his head.
Curious, Hirang raised an eyebrow and mouthed his question. "What?"
OAR48's mouth moved, and Hirang instantly read his lips. 'Black? What does he mean.'
Recalling where the kid's gaze was directed, the realization hit him. Without even looking, he knew the crown had turned black, and any group could steal it from him from then on.
Feeling worried, Hirang's eyes automatically sought Hirayon and found the child close to the grasshopper's head.
When their eyes met, both widened in surprise. Hirayon on the black crown, and Hirang on the fact that the grasshopper's antenna was close to the side of the tree as if sensing Hirayon.
R E H I L I Y A