Chapter 8

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 8

Chapter Title: Clown's Amusement Park (2)

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"You must not provoke the beings inside the gate."

The man at the front.

Song Chan-su gave us a stern warning as he followed the clown toward the ticket booth.

For some reason, right next to the blood-soaked counter, there were neatly folded guidebooks stuck in a rack.

The leader-like tanks grabbed them first, and I followed suit, reaching for one as well.

It read:

Below that was a small drawing of the clown who had guided us to the ticket booth.

"Ugh...!"

"What the hell is this... It's creepy."

The female hunters recoiled in horror, dropping the guidebook.

Paying them no mind, I continued reading the content below.

The rules of the amusement park were listed there.

That was the last line in the booklet.

"...Rule Two doesn't even explain what happens if you break it."

"According to the records, one person who entered such a place never returned."

"Yeah... figures."

I brushed off the mage's words and slowly made my way toward the ticket booth.

"No fighting allowed... What happens if we fight?"

"All entities within the gate that recognize the situation turn hostile."

"...Hmm."

"I don't know the exact details either. It just says that."

Song Chan-su, having overheard our conversation, furrowed his brow and muttered.

"Don't do anything reckless. This is a spatial-type gate. Break the rules, and you won't be the only one dying."

"..."

Instead of replying, I walked past him toward the ticket counter.

Sitting there was another clown, identical to the one who had guided us.

"Welcome, customer. How may I assist you?"

"I'd like to buy a ticket."

"Ah... Admission tickets are one Clown Coin per person!"

"Clown Coin? What's that?"

In response to my question, the clown replied excitedly.

"With Clown Coins, you can buy... this!"

The clown's severed arm grotesquely regrew into the shape of a scale.

The pan for weighing items was crusted with hardened blood and flesh.

"Cut off pieces of your body and place them here, and we'll give you coins based on the weight!"

"...Heh."

As expected, nothing normal here.

Several solutions came to mind immediately.

The easiest was to sacrifice one of the people who came with us.

However...

That would just mean playing the gate's game.

"Interesting..."

In my original world, the martial realm...

Was a place where ghosts, demons, divine beasts, and monstrous powers ran rampant.

Even the heavens of that world could only exile me, unable to contain my existence.

So what of this little world?

Song Chan-su stepped past me to the scale.

"This scale determines weight based on the sacrifice's strength. So if I just offer a finger..."

"No need."

I cut him off.

Aselin, standing behind me, smirked and said,

"A monster that grows by feeding on people's fear. These are rare even in Esidrin."

"You know something about it, then."

"Don't underestimate a dragon's wisdom."

Her words made the group recoil in shock.

"D-D-Dragon?!"

"My God... Why is a dragon here...?"

"No way... You didn't kill that dragon back then... You tamed it?"

There was no time to answer their questions.

The rules in that guidebook—each one promised death or equivalent penalty if broken.

Thus, we who hadn't bought admission tickets yet were...

"Customer? Not buying a ticket? There are customers waiting behind you. Please hurry."

A red number appeared above the clown's hollow eyes.

A countdown.

When that time ran out...

It would try to kill everyone here.

Before we knew it, the people lined up behind us were staring at us with empty eyes.

And some of the group began to waver upon seeing them.

"...Kyung-jae! You're alive!"

"Jung-min!"

"Moon-soo! Thank God!"

Shouts directed at those behind us.

But Aselin and I knew better.

"...Time to clean up."

Koo-goo-goo-!

Tremendous power gathered in my fist.

As I clenched it, an immense force surged through my arm like it was about to explode.

"...Customer?"

The clown's head snapped 90 degrees to the side.

Its red-tinted eyes fixed on me.

The ones behind did the same.

Blood trickled from the mouths of those with broken necks.

"...Kyung-jae."

"Moon-soo... Moon-soo...?"

Judging by their reactions, they were probably association hunters.

Ones sent to explore this place.

Aselin muttered coldly with an expressionless face.

"Souls scattered after being consumed by the monster's fear. Pitiful."

"What the hell are you doing?! You can't do this!"

Song Chan-su and the other hunters convulsed, trying to block me.

"Please stop! I don't want to die in a place like this!"

"Follow the rules! No! Please!"

Regardless.

My fist, infused with space-warping attraction force, cleaved through the air.

With that, the entire ticket booth vaporized.

Kwaaaang-!

A massive explosion kicked up a cloud of dust.

When it cleared, nothing remained.

Not even the smallest trace.

"..."

The group was speechless.

"I broke those precious rules..."

Now, what would appear?

I hoped for something strong.

And...

An announcement blared across the entire amusement park.

The sky turned blood-red.

The massive building at the center of the amusement park.

The giant clock on it began spinning rapidly.

It pointed to 8 PM.

And then...

The guests' bodies began twisting grotesquely.

"Kyung-jae... Kyung-jae!!!"

"Moon-soo!! No!!!"

Udeuk- uudeuk-

Regardless of man, woman, or child, bones twisted and snapped, transforming them into something inhuman.

Clowns.

Wisdom Light Mind Speech hammered into everyone's minds here.

Some of the group couldn't withstand the force and staggered.

I swung my sword at the wave of oncoming clowns.

The opposite of attraction is repulsion.

If one can wield attraction, naturally repulsion follows.

That single sword strike, infused with repulsion enough to rend heaven and earth, flipped the ground literally upside down where it touched.

What happened to the ones standing there was obvious without looking.

The clowns vanished without a trace, just like before.

I had attempted ascension across the martial world seeking one who could trouble me.

Though the destination wasn't the immortal realm, I hoped to find such a being here.

But why...

He summoned darkness and cloaked his body in it.

It became a jet-black dragon robe fluttering in the wind.

Aselin's lips curled slightly at his words, while the others...

"He's insane..."

"Is that even human...?"

Even those who had been shocked and trying to stop him now fell silent.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠king in his jet-black dragon robe glanced at them and slowly rose into the air.

Baek Seon-woo seemed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to be waiting for something.

As if he knew there was more behind.

And his expectation was correct.

The clock on the clock tower spun rapidly... pointing to 9 PM.

With those words.

Koo-goo-goo-

A massive explosion, and the clock tower was uprooted from the ground.

What emerged took the form of a colossal clown.

A size rivaling Aselin's true form.

"Wh-what the hell is that?!"

"Grrr..."

The hunters who came with us went pale.

One even foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

I smirked at the sight.

"...This might be a bit fun."

The master of this space, grown immensely powerful by devouring countless people.

The space itself known as the 'Clown's Amusement Park' grinned eerily and swung its six arms wildly.

Kwang-! Kwang-!

Rides caught in its fists shattered pitifully.

"Aselin."

"...Don't touch the horns."

She tossed out a curt remark and transformed into her dragon form, taking to the skies.

I mounted her and drew the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.

"This is how you clear a gate."

Who has time to follow rules and search for a strategy?

Hunt the monsters.

That's why they're called hunters.

My sword cleaved through the air, exploding one of the clown's arms along with it, signaling the start of the battle.