The hide-and-seek round had descended into chaos. Each player chased another in the endless ground, where running to one edge only brought them back from the other. Tricks, confessions, shields, and sword whistles filled the air.
- Dransart dodged cracks in the ground with his Random Future Vision and Last-Minute Luck, narrowly escaping Terbol's pursuit.
- Protogonaist fled desperately, knowing touching Dew was suicide.
- Dew tried to lure Riden with his face, but Riden recoiled, phasing through obstacles.
- Shanmu ran from Riden, despising men, her voice twisted by Dew's trick.
- Vazor ignored Shanmu and chased Light.
- Light schemed, mocking Vazor and then chasing Blue.
- Blue ran, calculating every move, refusing to be caught.
- Terbol shouted openly, "Dransart, you are my target!"
The ground cracked and healed beneath them, adding danger to every step. The players were locked in pursuit when suddenly, the Sovereign's voice echoed:
"A player has been eliminated."
The Revelation
The players froze. Eyes darted across the field, searching for who had vanished.
The Sovereign's tone was cold yet amused. "One of you failed to entertain me. One of you ran without strategy, without spectacle. In this realm, boredom is death."
A shimmer of light revealed the truth:
Riden Player—eliminated.
The Aftermath
Gasps rippled across the ground. Dew smirked, "He ran from me, but in the end, he couldn't escape."
Shanmu muttered, "Good. I despise men anyway."
Dransart thought, So it isn't about who gets caught—it's about who fails to amuse the Sovereign. Every round is a performance, not a contest.
The Sovereign raised her hand. "Eight remain. Tomorrow, you face the ninth round. Prepare yourselves—the game will only grow crueler."
Thus, Riden is erased.
Eight players remain, each realizing that survival depends not only on skill but on spectacle. Dransart steels himself, knowing the Sovereign's whims are the true obstacle.