The cheers of the audience echoed once again throughout the arena. The amusement park lights sparkled brightly while the remaining participants stood on the stage, still catching their breath after the previous game.
The host stood at the center of the stage with a wide smile, raising the microphone high.
"Alright everyone! Now that the first stage has ended, we only have ten pairs who managed to survive and become the winners!"
Applause and cheers immediately filled the place.
"From Group A, we have Udin and Siti!"
Two people on the side of the stage raised their hands, greeted by small cheers from the crowd.
"From Group B… Steve and Pulchra!"
Pulchra, standing beside Steve, looked slightly startled when her name was called. She simply waved awkwardly.
"Shiro and Gampler!"
Gampler immediately grinned widely and raised both hands as if greeting his fans. Shiro beside him simply stood calmly without much reaction.
"And of course… Togil and Envy!"
On the other side of the stage, the two of them still seemed to be arguing, making some of the audience laugh at the sight.
The host lowered his microphone slightly before continuing.
"From Group C, we also have Gusdur and Jaid!"
Once again, applause echoed.
After the atmosphere calmed down a little, the host spoke again in a more dramatic tone.
"Thank you to Miss Shanon, who guided the first stage earlier!"
He gave a slight bow toward the side of the stage before continuing.
"And now… allow me to introduce myself! I'm Nelson, and I'll be guiding the next game!"
Several spotlights suddenly turned toward the arena in the distance.
A massive structure slowly became visible through the glowing fog of the amusement park lights.
Giant metal rails towered into the sky, twisting like a steel dragon coiling through the air. Small carts hung along the track, while colorful lights glowed along the entire path.
Nelson raised his hand excitedly.
"All remaining pairs, please prepare to head to the next arena!"
He paused for a moment before announcing loudly.
"The next game is… THE DRAGON ROLLERCOASTER!"
The audience's cheers exploded even louder than before.
Pulchra, who had just seen the track, immediately froze in place.
She looked up.
The track was not only high, but also filled with sharp turns, steep dives, and even sections that looked like complete free falls.
Pulchra slowly turned toward Steve.
Her face had already gone pale.
"…Steve."
Steve looked at the track for a moment, then slightly raised an eyebrow.
"Looks fun."
Pulchra swallowed.
She could feel that bad premonition rising again, but this time she steeled her resolve. She didn't want to become a burden to Steve.
The spotlight returned to Nelson standing at the center of the stage. He raised his hand, waiting for the audience to calm down slightly.
"Alright! Now I'll explain the rules for the second game!"
The giant screen behind him lit up, displaying the massive twisting track.
On the screen, small rollercoaster carts could be seen racing along the rails while glowing coins floated throughout the track.
"The objective of this game is simple," Nelson continued.
"Each pair must collect as many coins as possible during the ride."
"Silver coins are worth one point. Gold coins are worth five points."
He paused for a moment before pointing toward the center of the arena displayed on the screen.
There, a large coin shaped like a dragon's head shone brightly.
"However… the most valuable coin is the Dragon Coin. Its value is far higher than the others."
The audience immediately grew louder with excitement.
"The problem is… the Dragon Coin does not appear on the regular tracks."
The screen zoomed in on the center of the arena, where the tracks became far more complicated and dangerous.
"The Dragon Coin only appears in the central zone, where all tracks intersect."
He raised one finger.
"Each pair is free to use their abilities or skills to win this game."
Several participants began to look much more serious after hearing that rule.
"However, remember this! You only have thirty minutes. Once time runs out, all carts will automatically stop, and the points will be counted to determine the winner."
The screen changed again, showing three different environments.
"To make things more interesting, each group will compete in a different arena!"
The first image showed rails racing above massive ocean waves.
"Group A will play in the Sea Area!"
The second image showed rails winding around cliffs and mountain peaks.
"Group B will play in the Mountain Area!"
Then the final image appeared, a dark track twisting inside a gigantic cave filled with stalactites.
"And Group C will play inside the Cave Area!"
The audience cheered even louder.
Nelson raised the microphone again with excitement.
"Now then, all participants please head to your respective carts!"
Among the participants, Pulchra stared at the mountain track where Group B would compete.
The rails twisted sharply between towering cliffs, and some sections even looked like complete free falls.
Meanwhile, behind them, Gampler looked even more excited.
She grinned while staring at the towering track.
"Shiro," she said casually, "let's take that Dragon Coin."
"Togil, be serious this time!" Envy said to him, making Togil immediately straighten up.
All the participants were now ready in their starting positions.
Who will win the match this time?