The Meaning of Tears
The Isekai Survival Gallery was buzzing more actively than ever right now.
With the four Padaks each streaming on their own channels, viewers were split up, and since they were exploring different routes through the park, the info everyone was seeing and hearing varied wildly. Naturally, that cranked up the gallery's post refresh rate.
The gallery users were live-sharing every crumb of lore they picked up from the streams they were watching.
Goseongji was strolling along the walking path, while the three judge Padaks were each broadcasting from different spots.
Dragon Mask was checking out the food street at viewer request, Tiger Mask was watching the experience team's performances in the cultural district.
So what the hell was the remaining one—Bear Mask—up to?
Splash splash—
"Wahaha!! Is that all you've got? It doesn't even touch the power of my Water Dragon Wave Heaven Strike!"
"That's just 70% of my power… Take this! Asura Tyrant Kick—!!!"
Splash—!!
"Kuhahaha!! Now that's more like it!!"
"…How the hell did I end up stuck here…."
Bear Mask was hitting peak sage mode watching these burly dudes splash around in the water.
Every worthwhile spot was already claimed by the other Padaks, leaving him to cover the water play area.
The lake itself was gorgeous, but the creatures splashing in it? Utterly hideous.
Still, somehow… even though it was gross, it had that mindless pull that kept you staring.
"At least it's more comfy than the shelter."
Bear Mask muttered while gazing at the sunset sky.
One of the experience team members called out to him after he'd zoned out for a while.
"Hey! Bear Mask! Tired of just watching? Wanna join in?"
"Heh heh… This seat's too old for kid games like that."
Sure, watching them play made his chest itch a bit, but he wasn't about to ruin his dignity over some splashing.
"Bet this guy's just scared he can't keep up with our battle level."
"Hahaha!! He's no spring chicken—pushing it might wreck his joints."
"What a shame. Would've been perfect to whip the Padaks into shape."
They snuck glances at Bear Mask and snickered.
Bear Mask stripped off his clothes and slowly approached the experience team.
"…Cheap provocation. But fine—if you insist, I'll play for a bit."
"Heh heh… That's the spirit. But don't underestimate us? You might be hot shit on land, but in the water, we're no pushovers."
"Ha—! You lot don't even know how to use your power right! Brute force ain't it! Without drawing out the flow, it's meaningless! Watch—this is how you splash!"
Bear Mask struck the water slowly but precisely, sending a massive wave crashing over the team.
"Gaaahhh!!"
"What… power…!"
"Once you're used to the flow, you can adapt like this…!"
Whoosh—
He whipped his hand fast across the surface, and water sprayed out like buckshot, pelting one team member.
"Agh! The water stings!!"
The hit skin swelled red instantly.
"Crazy… who the hell is this guy…"
"Thousands… thousands of them incoming!!!"
*
Nearly two hours had passed since the experience team started roaming the park.
The sky was turning red, and the sun was slowly setting.
"Sun's going down soon. The lake's huge, so the walking path's pretty long too."
"Got it. There's a cafe on that hill we passed earlier—let's head there."
By the time Goseongji reached the hilltop cafe, the sun had fully set, and it was pitch black around them.
"Dragon Mask's team is nearby too, so I can just park here."
Dragon Mask spotted him and came over.
"Goseongji, you made it? We're waiting for night view too."
"Yeah, I see… But we've still got over 1 hour 30 left on experience time, and nothing much to do now… Can't leave till the ticket expires…"
"Eh… Zoning out here for the rest ain't bad."
As the park went fully dark, the streetlights flicked on.
Not just them—the colorful lights lining the paths lit up too, giving the lake a dreamy vibe.
Granite Fist had floated boats with lights in the deeper, shadowed center ahead of time, so the whole lake sparkled like a night sky full of galaxies.
The overwhelming sight—worlds apart from daytime—left everyone speechless.
"Whoa…."
"To think it could be this beautiful…!!"
"What a spectacle…!!"
Unlike the day, the lake now felt like another world entirely—jaws dropped in awe all around.
Goseongji stared, dumbfounded, at the even more beautiful, ethereal scene.
"Haha… I never thought… I'd see a sight like this again…."
It reminded him of strolling the Spirit Lake with his mother as a child.
A single tear traced down his usually stoic face.
'Eldelurk, one day you'll become a fine man.'
His mother always said he'd be exceptional.
He wanted to make her proud.
But it didn't take long to realize he was just an average joe with mediocre talent.
Even so, she treated him like he was special, talent or no.
He lost her in the monster war, but those memories? He'd cherish them forever.
She believed in him till the end… but he couldn't face her now.
Because… he'd become a Padak.
'Sorry, Mother… I couldn't become that fine man… Now I'm just… the guy erasing gross pics from the gallery… the communal eraser….'
What would she say seeing him holed up, just gallery-ing away…?
He thought his emotions had dried up, but he was human after all.
Realizing he failed her dying wish, Goseongji couldn't stop the tears.
Probably stuck erasing gross pics as a Padak forever.
"Ha…."
Seeing the chat, even more tears poured from his eyes.
'Mother… I miss you so much today….'
His tears reflected the lake's lights, shimmering in every color—like the swirl of emotions inside him.