An Empty Waterpark
Suhyun had prioritized safety above all when building the waterpark, with cleanliness a close second. The reformed gang trainees training now handled security, but hygiene was all on him. As Professor Girobo of the Sage's Cauldron had said, gather five people and one becomes trash. Even with showers urging folks to rinse before entering, plenty skipped it—those were the decent ones. There were tales of people peeing or even shitting in the pools. Suhyun had never witnessed it himself at a waterpark, but hearing about it left him so grossed out he avoided them for a while. For hygiene's sake, he worked tirelessly.
"Check this out."
Suhyun dissolved dye into the crystal-clear water, and it vanished in seconds, sucked into tiny holes dotting the lazy river pool. Those holes split into two types: ones drawing in water for filtration and others supplying fresh water. Contaminated liquid got pulled into the intake as clean water flowed steadily from beside it, restoring purity almost instantly.
Even without the demo, Daiyen was already marveling at the pristine water.
This fantasy world lacked pollution, but that didn't mean the water was pure. In a realm where most rivers ran murky with limestone and silt, dipping into water this immaculate was a rare treat.
Daiyen gingerly dipped a foot in, shivering slightly at the cool-but-comfortable temperature before stepping fully in.
"It's really clean."
She scooped some up, sniffed—no odor—and peered at the endless stream of crystal flow racing through the lazy river, eyes wide with wonder.
"Come on, let's go!"
Suhyun grabbed Daiyen's arm and swam off. She clung to his with one hand, moving along. The gentle current propelled her effortlessly with minimal effort. At the fork, she followed him to a vast expanse where a massive whale-head structure loomed alongside a holographic whale tail. This was the wave pool.
Magic churned the waves here, and at the far end, a gigantic holographic tail like a whale's flicked, ringing a bell. Suhyun yelled,
"Incoming!"
Guuuuoooong!
A booming whale cry echoed as the tail hologram whipped around, unleashing a massive wave. Towering over Daiyen's height, it barreled in. She shrieked instinctively.
"Kyaaak!"
Swept backward, she wiped water from her face, panting.
"Hah, hah... that startled me."
Heart racing from the sudden surge, Daiyen felt a sneaky giggle bubble up. The next wave hit; this time, she surrendered to it. Floating up its crest then crashing down was thrilling, but drifting far on the surge was pure joy. Eager for more, she nudged Suhyun closer to the source.
"Suhyun, let's go over there!"
Watching the tail hologram rise, she intuitively sensed a full upright meant a big one coming. Gripping his hand, she kicked toward it.
"Puha!"
Never much of a swimmer, Daiyen relied on Suhyun's pull, splashing as she surfaced. Tail fully erect, her face lit with anticipation as she eyed the spot.
"Here it comes, here it comes!"
Guuuuoooong!
The whale bellow roared again, and an even bigger wave engulfed her. Holding her breath, she reveled in the rush. Drifting far, she reached for Suhyun to splash more—only for him to pull a life vest from his inventory.
Unlike Earth's bulky ones, this magic version let him tweak buoyancy at will: float effortlessly or dive deep.
"Hmm, this'll sell, right?"
"Selling and renting 'em out."
"Gotta test the fun factor for pricing, then."
Strapping it on—mental note filed—Daiyen rode the next wave. Without it, waves crashed over her; vested, she bobbed up and down like surfing swells. Mastering adjustments, she dialed buoyancy just right, splashing and dodging. Spotting an incoming wall, she'd zero buoyancy, dive under, then swim back—repeating till she reached the generator.
A colossal magic device there erected a towering water wall, then collapsed it into waves.
"Wanna climb up?"
"Is that okay?"
The wall rose like battlements, stirring fear and thrill in Daiyen.
"Safe with me."
With his aid, she scaled it, clutching his hand as the surface receded. Cresting the top, she gasped at the panoramic view. From this wave-pool perch at the waterpark's edge, the whole layout sprawled below.
Guuuuoooong!
The hologram tail swung like it might brain her, magic released—and the wall crumbled.
"Kyaaak!"
Freefalling amid the deluge, maxed buoyancy kept Daiyen from bottom-smashing; she tumbled wildly atop the churning wave, swept out. Dazed from drop to chaos, she recovered and whooped.
"Whoa! Scary as hell, but so fun!"
"Yeah?"
"Gonna be a hit."
She craved repeats, but sights awaited. Drifting the channel linking lazy river to waves, Suhyun led to a pirate-ship playground for kids, brimming with magic toys: balance beams over water for foam-sword shoving matches, zones for hurling orb-shaped water balls.
Suhyun's fave: obstacle course to a button. Defenders pelted runners with water cannons and magic orbs; hit the button, and foes' platforms dropped them in.
"Try it?"
"Eh, no—I'm no athlete."
Daiyen eyed other gear: dumping skull buckets, mini slides, squirt guns. Frowning,
"These'll catch on?"
From piston-pumped basics to enchanted fighters—she mulled magic pricing. Suhyun snatched a squirt gun, blasted her face.
"Pffft!"
Suddenly soaked, Daiyen aimed hers back. He dodged; she pursued, firing till empty. Spotting his big one, she yelled,
"Hey! That's cheating!"
Gatling-style, hose-sucked water fueled mana-fed droplet barrages.
"Kyaaak!"
Stinging lightly, the pelting drew gleeful screams.
"Rent per charge—how much? Sell like hotcakes, yeah?"
Daiyen shielded her face amid his barrage.
"Sure, but stop shooting!"
Fleeing, she grabbed a play artifact: bubble wand. Swung, it birthed slow-floating giants. Gun hits trapped water inside, shielding her—for a breath.
Suhyun shredded them; internals burst in a splashy explosion.
"FYI, bursts on anything non-water. Power scales with trapped volume."
Undeterred, she tried more: wave-staff (knee-high ripples max), water-sword grip (deflects but harmless blade, too heavy for her), arrow-bow (high pressure, wild aim), mega cannon (slow load, devastating).
Revenge turned genuine fun. She unloaded the cannon at Suhyun; he hid, machine-gunning her.
"Kyaaak! Gimme that—it's busted!"
"Hahaha! Here."
Eyes blazing, she whirled on him. Trigger-pull: droplets flew fierce—but he parried with sword, then wave-staff'd a targeted tsunami over her.
Drenched rat-like, she glared. Suhyun laughed, hands up, approaching.
"Hold still."
She hosed him mercilessly till dry. Rage eased, he tugged her to the slide tower. Food court inside brimmed with stalls (empty now), stocked for future. Daiyen, menu-planner extraordinaire, had pre-picks but final say hers. Chilled from play, she mused low-ABV booze'd sell, then climbed after him.
At the slide mouth, she gulped at the looming drop through the window.
"Just... bare body?"
"Yep."
Dark pipe swallowing water looked ominous. She balked; Suhyun grinned.
"You insisted on testing first."
Toes in the trickle, eyes shut, she shoved off. Instant float-speed whoosh, curves slamming her sideways by inertia.
"Kyaaak!"
Steeper plunge, 360 spin—screams escaped. Upward surge, splashdown flail—rescued gently.
"Fun?"
"Hah, hah... yes!"
Uncharted thrill sparkled her eyes. Empty park let them conquer every slide: prone surfboard velocity, 90-degree power-slammer dunk-and-pop, mega-storm tube whirlpool frenzy-to-drop, naked water-bungee plunge.
Multiple reruns on faves, Daiyen emerged beaming.
"Pffft!"
Safe landing on alchemy-tuned low-tension pond. No more waterpark hate.
"Was fun, yeah."
"Told ya."
In the prime cabin, munching preps, flushed Daiyen gushed highlights. New rides hyped her; eyes locked mid-chat. He brushed wet red braids from her face. Smiling, she closed in. Lips cool from play, but inside? Scorching. Only possible in their private waterpark.