Episode 153. I’d say you deserve to die (2)
It was as if a famous celebrity had shown up. The Clown grinned unpleasantly and walked among the people. The sound of clapping and shouting became louder and louder.
Watching him, I smiled and clapped like someone who had been waiting for him. I needed to blend in to avoid suspicion. I couldn’t stand out.
“Haha, what a welcome! I feel honored.”
He exaggeratedly twisted his body as he spoke. The Clown grabbed someone’s drink and gulped it down, laughing out loud. The crowd went wild.
It looked like everyone had gone mad. I let go and became swept up in the madness. I shouted like a kid cheering at a celebrity. I blended in.
“You’ve waited for a long time, haven’t you? I’ll cut right to the chase. Let’s start with a simple Game. Some of you might say such a small world is boring… But you know me, don’t you? I will bring you fun with any Game!”
And with that, the Clown lifted his hand, and the bar’s interior transformed. The shabby bar with tables strewn about and drinks spilled on the floor changed.
I blinked once, and the bar had become a fabulous casino. The Transcendents that had been wearing ordinary clothes were now wearing suits and ties.
A chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the cups on the tables changed into elegant wine glasses. The Clown, who had been wearing clothes that didn’t suit this place, was now formally dressed.
And before I could notice, my clothes had changed, as well. The massive transformation reminded me of something the Traveler said.
-Travelers that have reached a certain level can affect others as well as themselves with the images they possess.
-They can affect small things such as how their nearby environment looks to things such as other people in that environment.
-Transcendents call this a small world. It’s a sort of technique that turns their images into spaces.
-You won’t be able to defeat someone on that level yet.
-After all, you still struggle with immersing yourself into images. And the moment you are transformed by someone else’s image, you are sucked into their domain. This basically means that you start at a disadvantage.
-So, avoid Transcendents like that. Don’t try to fight them.
The Clown was more powerful than I thought. He danced around in his small world. Everything inside the bar became infused with his image.
A place full of the joy and pleasures of gambling. I looked at the space meant for enjoying entertainment and narrowed my eyes. When the Traveler told me to avoid Transcendents like him, I didn’t stay still and accept his words.
‘What if I can’t avoid them?’
There was always a way. But since I lacked experience and research, I asked the Traveler. Because asking about what you don’t know and deriving the best solution from the answer was the smart thing to do. Luckily, the Traveler replied matter-of-factly.
-Then you must break the world. It is very hard to defeat the owner from inside their small world. Why jump into the ocean when it’s full of sharks? It’ll be much easier to fight them after dragging them out of the water.
-Bait them. Entice them with a nice bait, then stab them as they flounder outside of the water so that they can’t return to the ocean. Then, they will slowly shrivel up.
Destroy their image and drag them out of their small worlds. That was the solution.
I brought the casino’s image to my mind. What were the key words that described a gambling house? And what was the Clown’s role within the image?
“Why don’t we take a look at the world? It’s small in scale but full of very exciting events. But first! Let’s make our bets. As always, you must make a bet if you want to watch. If you don’t like small Games or aren’t interested, you may leave now. After all, I don’t force joy.”
The Clown was playing the role of a dealer or host. His job was to smoothly lead the game in the right direction.
After my brief analysis, I observed the casino. At a glance, it was very glamorous. A place fit for entertainment. But that wasn’t the main factor that created the mood and image of this place.
The noisy atmosphere and constantly laughing people. The sound and fervor were what formed the casino. There were no quiet and empty casinos. Such a place could not exist.
‘I see.’
I tapped the table a few times. A vague plan came to my mind. I lifted my head again. The Clown was stopping by every table to collect betting money. No one had left yet.
My turn was coming up. I looked at the drink in my glass and drank it up. It tasted bad, but I needed the faint smell coming from it. People were bound to put down their guard and underestimate someone if that person smelled like alcohol. It would be no different with Transcendents.
He was using polite language as he looked at us, but he was probably looking down on us on the inside, thinking that we were dumb addicted gamblers. In his mind, the Clown was superior to his clients. And that would be the fundamental factor constructing this image.
I needed to take away his control.
“Hm, you’re an unfamiliar face. Did someone introduce you?”
The moment I finished thinking, the Clown walked up to my table. I spoke immediately without hesitation and began the conversation.
“I heard about your Games and came looking. I don’t know much since I’ve only just transcended… But I do enjoy entertainment. I especially like to watch other peoples’ stories. This is my first time, but I’m greatly looking forward to it. Hahaha!”
“Well, then we’ll be seeing each other quite often. Anyone who enjoys entertainment is always welcome. Good thing you learned of this so quickly. Living a slow life like other Transcendents can bore you to death. And I can’t stand boredom for a single second. Of course, I can’t stand my client being bored, either. I shall help you enjoy yourself every second!”
“Yes, yes. Thank you. Hahaha! This place is so intoxicating! If only there were some girls here.”
“Yes, a place like this needs girls… But unfortunately, we Transcendents cannot feel the joys of the flesh that keenly. You’ll understand with time. We feel more pleasure from mentally looking at others and talking with them. In that sense, my Game is more exciting and electrifying than any other type of entertainment. It is incomparable to women and drugs. Heeheehee.”
“You are driving me crazy! Oh, I want to see the world where the Game will happen at this moment. I… I’ll give you my betting money. Here, take this.”
I took out all of the money that the Traveler gave me from my pocket and handed it over at a pace that was neither too fast nor too slow.
“You have quite a lot of money for someone who just transcended.”
“Hahaha, I was famous for making money even when I was a mortal. I earned this by ripping off a few stupid Transcendents here, which is also why I was quick to find this place. Money like that is meant to be used up quickly; otherwise, it will cause trouble.”
“Haha, you’re right. Money well received! And now… I’ll show you the world.”
And with that, the Clown snapped his finger, and a small object appeared before my eyes. It was a round miniature that looked like a planet sculpture.
The moment I saw it, I could see the people living in it. It was a medieval-like world, with an underdeveloped civilization and people barely getting by day to day. The world next to it was similar. It was full of trees, and there were no buildings. But this one didn’t have any people. Monsters. There were only monsters searching for prey.
Pitting two worlds against each other. The moment I thought of it, I couldn’t help but feel rage. But I didn’t show my anger at all. Suppressing my burning fury, I smiled and opened my mouth.
“Excuse me… But could I have a word?”
“Yes?”
“Here… Come a little closer.”
The Clown grinned and approached me. And as soon as he entered my reach, I grabbed his collar and yanked him close.
He was very light, like a scarecrow. He wasn’t muscular at all. The Clown I forcibly yanked was still smiling without a hint of surprise. But his cold eyes were glaring at me. The disparity was chilling.
“What’s wrong?”
“I could get in trouble if anyone else hears me… I mean, you understand this much, don’t you?”
“Well, of course. You are my dear client. Now tell me.”
“Yes, yes.”
Unintimidated, I spoke. In a fight among Transcendents, the moment you shrink back, you are already losing.
I was already at a disadvantage for being inside the small world, so I couldn’t add another disadvantage.
“The thing is, I haven’t heard a lot about your Game. But I did hear a lot about things similar to this world. The Transcendent who brought me here is quite well known. So I had high expectations. About the scale of the worlds, I mean. But this… Isn’t this too boring? What is this, child’s play? Do you expect me to bet all of that money on such an insignificant world?”
“Oh… That was your complaint. I do know that this is a small-scale Game. But this is just a light appetizer. There are many more Games I have prepared. If you will wait for just a moment…….”
“Screw it. I didn’t come here just to play a small Game like that. And no matter what you have prepared, you won’t be able to satisfy me.”
The Clown tilted his head, wondering what I meant. I looked at him and spoke.
“I can’t prepare Games, but I’m pretty good at getting worlds. And… I have one that is on a way bigger scale than that. A world big enough to open a Big Game that will attract every single gambler in Utopia. What do you think? Would you like to hear more?”
This was the beginning of my plan.
Comments