Tiga hari memisahkan pertemuan tiga dunia dan Midnight Games. Banyak hal terjadi dalam empat hari itu, tidak hanya di ketiga planet dan Midnight Inn, tapi juga di antara berbagai kekuatan yang mendiami dunia ini.
Bermula dari tingkat terendah, suasana di Bumi tiba-tiba jadi sangat hidup. Beredar kabar bahwa berbagai perusahaan, keluarga, dan organisasi menerima undangan misterius. Hanya kepala organisasi yang mendapat undangan, tapi mengingat undangan dikirim ke seluruh dunia, jumlahnya mudah mencapai ribuan. Fakta yang kurang diketahui: pasukan elite dan kultivator setiap kekuatan dan organisasi dengan cepat ditarik mundur.
Fakta yang bahkan lebih jarang diketahui, dan yang menakutkan sedikit orang yang mendengarnya, kelima keluarga penguasa mengeluarkan pernyataan mengundang kepala 'pemberontak' ke pertemuan. Apa yang terjadi sebagai hasilnya, dan apakah pertemuan itu pernah diadakan, tidak diketahui.
Rahasia yang hanya beredar di keluarga Morrison adalah Alexander meninggalkan bunker keamanan keluarganya dan pindah ke bunker yang dibangunnya sendiri. Bahkan ayah atau kakeknya tidak mengetahui detail bunker ini, karena Alexander menggunakan kekuatan dan pasukan yang dia asah sendiri sejak muda untuk membangunnya. Harus diingat bahwa sejak Alexander mencapai alam Fondasi, keluarganya tidak bisa lagi memerintahkan dia. Niatnya untuk berpartisipasi dalam games sudah jelas. Yang bisa dilakukan orang lain hanyalah berdoa.
Sesuatu yang bukan rahasia, dan menjadi sumber banyak spekulasi dan gosip, adalah kembali singkat Marlo ke New York. Kunjungannya cepat, karena dia belum sembuh. Dia tidak bertemu ibunya, yang baru pulih dari rumah sakit, dan tidak menyapa murid-muridnya atau mengurus bisnisnya yang banyak. Dia pergi langsung ke istrinya.
Konfrontasi mereka sangat kekerasan dan menyebabkan desplin Blue Bird special forces segera. Meski kultivator level tinggi diberi banyak keringanan, itu hanya sampai batas tertentu. Ada garis yang tidak boleh dilanggar.
Waran tangkapan untuk suami istri diterbitkan, tapi keduanya menghilang begitu spontan seperti kemunculan Marlo. Apa kesimpulan pertarungan itu? Mengapa terjadi? Apa dampaknya? Semua pertanyaan itu saat ini belum terjawab.
Kabar angin menarik lain juga beredar di portal kultivator online. Keluarga Brown, yang dipimpin Sam Brown, salah satu dari lima Nascant, mengungkapkan régiment rahasia begitu kuat dan canggih secara teknologi, mengalahkan pasukan terkuat Morrison.
Kabar-kabar seperti itu beredar liar di maya, dan semua orang menunggu dalam antisipasi sesuatu yang akan terjadi. Rakyat biasa tidak tahu apa yang menyebabkan keributan ini, tapi mereka menunggu hasilnya.
Di Nibiru gerakan lebih sedikit, tapi bukan berarti tidak ada. Blood Fang mengumpulkan semua bawahan, tidak hanya di wilayahnya, tapi juga di wilayah sekitar.
Beast lain juga mempersiapkan pasukan, meskipun apakah untuk games atau tujuan lain, tidak ada yang tahu. Tapi Nibiru tidak terhubung via web seperti Bumi, jadi कमोबेश tidak ada perubahan bagi massa.
Di Vegus Minima, bagaimanapun, ketegangan terasa nyata. Semua kekuatan diletakkan dalam posisi siaga. Pasukan penuh dikerahkan di setiap kota. Semua perjalanan keluar planet dihentikan. Semua relawan dipanggil untuk dikerahkan dan semua sipil diletakkan di bawah tahanan rumah.
Ragnar tidak tahu bagaimana Innkeeper akan mencegah interferensi eksternal selama serangan pada node, tapi dia tidak akan ambil risiko. Semua pasukannya dikerahkan dengan pelacak lokasi. Begitu mereka masuk kembali ke planet selama games, lokasi mereka akan terungkap. Terlepas dari bagaimana games berlangsung, Ragnar akan punya lokasi node dan akan menyerang dengan kekuatan penuh – setelah games berakhir, tentu saja. Tidak ada gunanya memprovokasi Innkeeper. Apalagi, bagaimana Innkeeper bisa membuat kesalahan level rendah seperti itu? Dia yakin akan ada pencegahan untuk mencegah interferensi eksternal.
Iblis, sama halnya, membuat persiapan mereka sendiri, meski persiapannya sangat berbeda. Mereka hanya menarik kembali lima zombie terkuat di planet dan mengirim mereka kembali ke Garvitz. Sayang mereka tidak bisa dibesarkan lebih lama, tapi cuma soal mengirim mereka ke ladang lain. Kehilangan ladang sekecil Vegus Minima tidak berarti bagi mereka.
Tidak hanya itu, pertarungan mendatang tidak akan meninggalkan mereka tanpa keuntungan. Menggunakan formasi yang sudah ada, mereka akan otomatis menuai semua inti zombie untuk semua zombie yang mati di pertarungan mendatang. Realm-nya agak rendah, tapi bahkan Iblis punya anak muda level rendah yang butuh sumber daya jadi tidak akan sia-sia.
Faktanya, ini tragedi terbesar yang dihadapi Kekaisaran Jotun. Mereka menggunakan semua sumber daya dan pasukan dengan biaya pribadi besar untuk melawan iblis, tapi kehilangan iblis tidak akan pernah membuat Iblis lebih lemah. Itu hanya akan meningkatkan kekuatan pribadi mereka.
Di tempat lain di Garvitz, puncak hirarki mengeluarkan perintah mengenai Midnight Inn. Apa isi perintah itu, tidak ada yang bisa tahu. Demikian juga, detail Midnight Inn dihadapkan ke otoritas tertinggi Kekaisaran, selain keluarga kerajaan itu sendiri.
Faktanya, bahkan keluarga William diberi informasi diduga harta yang awalnya diterima Lex mungkin berkaitan dengan Inn. Tapi karena dia sudah menyerahkan hartanya, mereka tidak memperhatikannya lagi. Masing-masing dari mereka punya banyak urusan.
Perubahan di Inn paling drastis. Semakin banyak orang dan Beast masuk ke Inn, dan mulai menyewa kamar dan mempersiapkan Games. Menyedihkan banyak orang, Innkeeper tidak muncul lagi selama ini. Tapi ada beberapa anggota Inn yang jadi sangat terkenal.
Tidak perlu dikatakan Little Blue dinyatakan sebagai maskot tidak resmi Inn. Dia masih sangat muda dan mudah kaget, jadi hanya sedikit orang yang diizinkan kura-kura Galactic Sovereign untuk mendekatinya sekaligus.
Anggota menonjol kedua, tak terduga, adalah Gerard. Sering bisa dilihat memimpin armada golf cart di area Inn. Awalnya dia cuma nikmati naikannya. Tapi dengan pengalaman, kemampuan mengendarai kartnya meningkat, dan dengan itu, gaya mengemudinya berubah. Orang tua itu sekarang bisa dilihat mengantar tamu seolah dia drag racing, sering drift kart dengan cara yang seharusnya tidak mungkin – secara harfiah. Kecepatan dan momentum golf cart-nya tidak masuk akal atau taat pada hukum fisika. Banyak yang penasaran rahasia apa yang dimilikinya, tapi tidak ada yang berani memaksanya mengungkapkannya.
Anggota paling populer ketiga, sangat mengecewakan baginya, adalah Z. Tidak diketahui kapan tepatnya, tapi sekelompok wanita yang dikirim ke Midnight Inn untuk mempersiapkan culture show menemukannya, langsung mengaktifkan naluri maternal mereka. Anak 'malang', 'lemah' dan 'terlalu sibuk' itu terus dikepung kelompok itu. Popularitasnya karena dia sering terlihat berjalan di Inn, dikelilingi entourage ibu-ibu yang melindungi. Dia terus bilang dia tidak butuh keluar dan sudah 'menyentuh rumput' tapi kapan naluri seorang ibu pernah salah.
John juga cukup populer, tapi sangat sedikit orang yang benar-benar melihat dia karena dia tidak ambil istirahat satupun dan terus membuat teknik. Karena dia hanya bisa layani satu pelanggan sekaligus, dalam empat hari dia baru ketemu tujuh puluh pelanggan.
Harry melayani tamu lebih sedikit, karena dia sangat hati-hati soal rambut siapa yang dipotong sekarang. Insiden sebelumnya meninggalkan dia migraine yang tidak akan cepat dilupakan. Masih, semua yang beruntung mengalami keahliannya jadi penggemar total.
Akhirnya, di awal hari keempat, Innkeeper muncul kembali. Dia mengumumkan upacara pembukaan akan berlangsung pukul 1 siang, jadi masih beberapa jam tersisa. Dia menginstruksikan semua peserta untuk mulai bersiap.
Panggung di koloseum terlihat melebar, dan semakin banyak orang yang masuk semakin besar jadinya. Tapi dari luar, ukuran koloseum tetap sama.
Lex mengamati keramaian dengan senyum di wajahnya. Dia tidak duga akan merasa begitu bahagia melihat begitu banyak tamu di Inn-nya, tapi dia bahagia. Hanya ada beberapa tambahan minor yang dia butuhkan sebelum memulai upacara. Untungnya, selama 4 hari lalu, dia dapat 64.000 MP lagi – kebanyakan dari orang beli koin peringatan Midnight Game dan sisanya dari jasanya.
Bahkan setelah belanja 20.000 MP untuk prosedur ketiganya, dia punya 139.400 MP! Cukup untuk dibelanjakan. Lagipula, karena bagian pertama games soal berbagi budaya, bagaimana dia tidak bisa berbagi kapitalisme dengan jagat raya?
There were four days between the meeting of the three worlds and the Midnight Games. A lot happened during those four days, not only on the three planets and the Midnight Inn, but amongst the various forces inhabiting the world.
Starting at the lowest level, the atmosphere on Earth became very lively all of a sudden. Rumor had it that various companies, families and organizations received a mysterious invitation. Only the heads of those organizations got the invitation, but when considering that the invitations were sent worldwide, the number easily reached thousands. A lesser known fact was that the elite troops and cultivators for each power and organization were quickly recalled.
An even lesser known fact, and one that scared the few who even heard it, was that the five ruling families released a statement inviting the head of the ‘rebels’ to a meeting. What happened as a result of that, and if the meeting was ever held was unknown.
A secret that was spread only in the Morrison family was that Alexander left his family’s security bunker and relocated to one that he had had built himself. Even his father or grandfather were not privy to the details of this bunker, as Alexander has used his own power and forces nurtured by himself since youth to have it made. It must be remembered that since Alexander reached the Foundation realm, his family could no longer tell him what to do. His intention to participate in the games was clear. What the rest could only do was pray.
Something that wasn’t a secret, and was the source of much speculation and gossip, was Marlo’s brief return to New York. His visit was swift, as he was still not healed. He did not meet his mother, who had returned from the hospital, nor did he greet his students or address his many businesses. He went directly to his wife. .
Their confrontation was extremely violent and caused the immediate deployment of Blue Bird special forces. Even though higher leveled cultivators were given many allowances, it was only up until a certain point. Some lines could not be crossed.
An arrest warrant for both husband and wife was issued, but both of them disappeared just as spontaneously as Marlo appeared. What was the conclusion of the fight? Why did it happen? What was the fallout? All of these were questions that currently remained unanswered.
Another interesting rumor also spread on the online cultivator portals. The Brown family, the family led by Sam Brown, one of the five Nascants, revealed a secret regiment so powerful and technologically advanced, it outshone the strongest Morrison force.
Such rumors were flying rampantly on the web, and everyone was waiting in anticipation for something to happen. The common masses were unaware what caused all this commotion, but they were awaiting the outcome.
On Nibiru there were fewer movements, but that did not mean there were none. Blood Fang gathered all its subordinates, not only in its own territory, but in the surrounding territories as well.
Some other beasts were also preparing their forces, though whether it was for the games or other purposes, no one knew. Yet Nibiru was not connected via the web like Earth, so more or less there was no change for the masses.
On Vegus Minima, however, the tension was palpable. All forces were put on reserve. Full forces were deployed in each city. All travel off the planet was stopped. All volunteers were called for deployment and all civilians were put under house arrest.
Ragnar did not know how the Innkeeper would prevent external interference during the attack on nodes, but he would not take any risks. All his soldiers were deployed with location trackers. As soon as they reentered the planet during the games, their locations would be revealed. Regardless of how the games went, Ragnar would have the location of the nodes and would attack in full force – once the games were over, of course. There was no point in provoking the Innkeeper. Not to mention, how could the Innkeeper make such a low level mistake? He was sure that there would be some precautions to prevent external interference.
The Devils, likewise, made their own preparations, though their preparations were very different. They simply recalled the five strongest zombies on the planet and sent them back to Garvitz. It was a pity that they could not be nurtured longer, but it was simply a matter of sending them to a different farm. The loss of a farm as small as Vegus Minima mattered little to them.
Not to mention, it was not as if the upcoming battle would leave them without benefits. Using formations already in place, they would automatically harvest all the zombie cores for all the zombies that died in the upcoming battle. The realm was a little low, but even Devils had low leveled youths that needed resources so they would not go to waste.
In fact, this was the greatest tragedy that the Jotun Empire had to face. They utilized all their resources and forces at great personal cost to fight the demons, but the loss of demons would never make the Devils weaker. It would only enhance their personal strength.
Somewhere else in Garvitz, the upper echelon passed an order regarding the Midnight Inn. As to what the order was, no one could know. Similarly, the details of the Midnight Inn were presented in front of the highest authorities of the Empire, besides the royal family itself.
In fact, even the William family was presented with information that it was suspected that the treasure Lex originally received may have had something to do with the Inn. But since he had given the treasure up already, they did not pay it any more attention. Each and everyone of them had many matters to deal with.
The changes in the Inn were the most drastic. More and more people and Beasts entered the Inn, and started renting rooms and preparing for the Games. Disappointing many, the Innkeeper did not appear again during this time. Yet there were a few members of the Inn who became extremely well known.
It went without saying that Little Blue was declared the unofficial mascot of the Inn. It was still very young and easily startled, so only a few people were allowed by the Galactic Sovereign turtle to approach it at one time.
The second prominent member, unexpectedly, was Gerard. You could often see him leading a fleet of golf carts across the Inn premises. Initially, he just enjoyed the ride. However, with experience, his handling of the cart improved, and with that, his driving style changed. The old man could now be seen taking guests around as if he were drag racing, often drifting the cart in ways that should not have been possible – literally. The speed and momentum of his golf cart did not make sense or obey the laws of physics. Many wondered what secrets he had, but no one had the courage to make him reveal them.
The third most popular, to his great dismay, was Z. It was unknown when exactly, but a group of women that was sent to the Midnight Inn to prepare for the culture show discovered him, instantly activating their motherly instincts. The ‘poor’, ‘frail’ and ‘overworked’ child was constantly smothered by the group. His popularity was due to the fact that he could often be seen walking around the Inn, surrounded by a protective entourage of mothers. He kept telling them that he didn’t need to be outdoors and had already ‘touched grass’ but when has a mother ever felt her instincts were wrong.
John was also fairly popular, but very few people actually saw him because he had not taken a single moment’s break and was constantly making techniques. Since he could only see one customer at a time, in four days he had only met around seventy customers.
Harry had seen even fewer guests, as he was very careful about whose hair he cut now. His previous incident left him with a migraine that he would not soon forget. Still, everyone who had the privilege of experiencing his craft was a complete fan.
Finally, early on the fourth day, the Innkeeper reappeared. He announced the opening ceremony would take place at 1 pm, so there were a few hours left. He instructed all participants to start getting ready.
The stage in the coliseum seemed to expand, and the more people that entered it the bigger it became. Yet from the outside, the size of the coliseum remained the same.
Lex observed the crowds with a smile on his face. He did not expect to feel so happy seeing so many guests in his Inn, but he was. There were just a few minor additions that he needed to make before he could begin the ceremony. Fortunately, over the past 4 days, he’d earned another 64,000 MP – mostly from people buying the Midnight Game commemorative coin and the rest from his services.
Even after spending 20,000 MP on his third procedure, he had 139,400 MP! There was just enough for him to spend. After all, since the first portion of the games was about sharing one’s culture, how could he not share capitalism with the universe?
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