The road twisted unnaturally, no longer following logic or geography. Colors bled into one another—sky melting into the ground, laughter echoing from nowhere. A ferris wheel spun in the distance, not attached to anything.
Solgrave's third flame awaited… in a broken carnival cursed by forgotten joy.
---
[ Flame Site Detected – The Carnival of Collapsed Dreams ]
> Tier: 3 – Emotional Hazard Level: 9/10
World Modifier: "Joy that Breaks or Binds"
Warning: Prolonged exposure causes detachment from reality and purpose
Objective: Reignite the Flame of Wonder before your spirit forgets the fight
---
As they approached, Jayce squinted. "This looks like the inside of my brain when I eat ice cream too fast."
Elric was quiet for once, his smile faltering. "This place was once sacred… the last celebration before Solgrave fell. Everyone here died laughing, too far gone to cry."
---
First Attraction: House of Mirrors
The group entered together—and immediately split. Each was surrounded by dozens of versions of themselves—some triumphant, others broken.
Lian watched a version of himself riding a golden bike, surrounded by fans, children cheering.
Then—another version crawled on the floor, bleeding, coins slipping through his fingers, forgotten and bitter.
> "Which one are you?" the mirrors whispered.
But Lian clenched his fists. "I'm the one still pedaling forward."
His talent glowed—Coin Multiplier shimmering through each reflection. The mirrors shattered.
---
Jayce laughed in his section. "Nice try, reflections—I'm already my worst critic!"
He threw a joke into the air: "Why'd the ghost get a job at the carnival? Because he had boo-th experience!"
The system sparked.
> [ Comic Echo triggered: Reality Disruption Successful ]
[ Jayce's soul resisted spiritual bleed ]
---
Elric faced no mirrors—only a dark stage.
On it stood a young version of himself. Tears streamed down his face.
> "You made everyone smile… but never yourself."
Elric knelt. "I did. Once. I'll find it again."
He hugged the boy—and the entire stage turned into flame, reigniting a spark long lost.
---
Mini-Boss: The Forgotten Ringmaster
A towering figure emerged—smiling mouth stitched shut, clown paint cracked and bleeding. His laugh was silent. Around him floated ghostly balloons filled with regret, greed, and fear.
> "Let's put on a show," the system announced coldly.
The battle was chaotic:
The Ringmaster used Joy Drain, stealing buffs and turning them into debuffs.
Each balloon popped unleashed a hallucination.
At one point, Lian thought Demist had stabbed him—only to realize it was a phantom clone.
Jayce fought while telling rapid-fire jokes to keep the hallucinations weak.
> "What do you call a knight who's afraid of fighting? Sir Render!"
Demist managed to break the Ringmaster's mask with a perfectly-timed Reversal Shell strike, unleashing a shockwave of laughter—real laughter.
Elric drove his staff into the Ringmaster's heart.
> "Laugh with me, not at me."
The Ringmaster bowed. And vanished.
---
[ Third Flame Rekindled – Solgrave's Heart: 23% Awakened ]
> Modifier Enhanced:
"Despair Resistance" Upgraded to "Emotional Fortitude"
Party immune to fear-based illusions and joy-dependant debuffs
Coin rewards increased when protecting joy in others
---
The carnival quieted. No longer haunted. Just… quiet.
Lian looked at the broken carousel.
Jayce sat beside a stuffed bear. "We're not just fighting monsters… we're helping worlds remember."
Elric smiled—not just with duty. But with peace. "We're restoring the soul of the universe."
Demist sheathed his axe. "And we're not even halfway done."
---