The elevator floor carrying the three couples slowly rose and opened onto the main stage. However, the stage had now completely transformed! There was no longer any flat ground. Instead, they saw a vast aerial abyss.
In the middle of the void floated a giant island rich in glowing minerals. Surrounding that central island were three smaller islands placed far apart, each bearing a different colored flag: Red, Blue, and Yellow.
Above the artificial clouds, Nelson hovered using his hologram platform.
"Welcome to the FINAL STAGE: The War of the Sky!" Nelson shouted with a voice that thundered throughout the amusement park. "This is the ultimate arena where your tactics, speed, and survival skills will be tested!"
The giant screen above the arena displayed the visualization of the game rules.
"The rules are the same as before you must use your original powers!"
"The way to play is very simple. Each couple will be placed on one floating island. In the center of your island, there is a bed! Your task is to PROTECT THAT BED NO MATTER WHAT!"
Nelson pointed toward the back area of the small islands.
"In the back area of your base, there is a Currency Generator that will automatically and continuously produce bronze and silver coins.
Collect those coins, then use them to shop at the NPC Shop on your island! You can buy protective blocks, swords, armor, potions, and even explosive weapons!"
Nelson smiled enigmatically. "As long as your bed is intact, you can keep respawning if you fall or are defeated! But, if your bed is destroyed by the enemy... once you die, you are immediately ELIMINATED! The last couple standing will be the Grand Champion of this Hunter Festival!"
Hearing that lengthy explanation, the participants' expressions immediately shifted. Shiro frowned slightly. For someone like him who wasn't used to combat like this, the game felt very out of place.
The concept of collecting coins to buy protective blocks sounded incredibly tedious. However, Gampler beside him was jumping with joy. "Uwaaa! We can go weapon shopping?! Funnn!"
On another island, Togil just snorted softly while cracking his neck. A dangerous smirk appeared on his face. "Managing resources to buy killing items, then wiping out the targets to their very roots?"
Togil turned toward Envy with a look of extreme confidence. "This is my main expertise. You just attack from a distance, Envy. Let me slaughter them all."
Envy, who was still a bit flustered from their conversation in the VIP room, could only nod slowly. "D-don't be careless, you chatterbox..."
However, the most different reaction came from the third island. Steve, listening to Nelson's rules, actually let out a wide yawn. He leaned his body back casually while picking his ear. His eyes looked half-bored, but the corners of his lips curled up into a thin smirk.
Pulchra, seeing the abyss beneath them, began to look nervous. She gently tugged on the hem of Steve's shirt. "J-Junior... this seems very complicated. We have to build defenses, then attack... W-what should we do? I don't understand defensive building tactics."
Steve turned toward his senior and laughed softly. He gently patted the top of Pulchra's head to calm her down.
"Take it easy, Senior," Steve said, his eyes suddenly flashing sharp and full of confidence.
His relaxed aura evaporated, replaced by the aura of an expert who had spent thousands of hours in this game mode. "A game like this is my daily bread. Just do as I say, Senior."
Steve clenched his fist, staring straight at Shiro and Togil's islands across the way. (Time to show these ancient people how to actually play this game.)
"THREE... TWO... ONE... START!!!"
As soon as the base gates opened, every participant's fighting instincts were tested. However, unlike real-world combat, the Bed Wars mechanics completely confused Grandpa Shiro and Togil at the start.
"What block is this? Why are they all squares? How do you stack them?!" Shiro grumbled while holding a wool block with a flat but clearly confused face.
Beside him, Gampler was busy sitting on the edge of the island, cheering and swinging her legs happily. "Go, dear Grandpa Shiro~! Good luck building the bridge! Just take it slow so you don't fall into the abyss~!"
Meanwhile, Togil adapted a bit faster. His assassin brain quickly analyzed the situation.
"(I must secure the middle area to get diamonds and weapon upgrades,)" he thought. Swiftly, he covered his bed with some basic wool blocks and began building a bridge slowly toward the center island.
However, before he was even halfway there, Togil's eyes widened.
WUSSH! TAK! TAK! TAK!
On another path, Steve was already dashing at lightning speed.
The young man was performing a speedbridging technique walking backward while placing blocks under his feet with nonsensical accuracy and speed. Pulchra ran right behind him, amazed to see how agile her junior was.
Steve managed to reach the center island first and scooped up the valuable resources. However, when he turned around, he saw Togil had almost reached the center with a wooden sword in hand and a very thick killing aura.
Steve swallowed hard. (Whoops! If it's pure PvP against that monster, I'll definitely die a pathetic death!) he thought in a panic.
"Senior, we're retreating! Back to the base, now!" Steve shouted while running back, avoiding a direct confrontation with Togil.
Upon arriving at the base, Steve immediately went to the NPC Shop. His fingers moved quickly as he shopped, turning coins into Iron Armor, an Iron Sword, and an explosive fireball.
His eyes now glinted sharply as he looked at Shiro's island, where they were still busy placing blocks very slowly.
"First target locked," Steve muttered with a smirk.
Quickly, Steve resumed speedbridging toward Shiro's island. Shiro, only just realizing an enemy was approaching, didn't have time to react.
Their bed was completely unprotected! Steve leaped from the edge of his bridge, landed right in Shiro's base, and with a single slash, the overpowered shiro's bed was shattered into pieces
"SHIRO & GAMPLER'S BED DESTROYED!" the arena system announced.
Shiro's eyes widened. "What—"
Before Shiro could attack, Steve had already jumped backward while throwing the Meteor ball in his hand straight at the two of them. "Hehe, sorry Shiro, goodbye."
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion blasted Shiro and Gampler off the island, plunging them into the abyss of the void. Both were eliminated in an instant.
Across the arena, Envy saw what happened and immediately drew her bow. A barrage of arrows flew quickly toward Steve.
TANG! TANG! TANG!
Steve quickly raised his Shield, blocking every incoming arrow. While taking cover behind the shield, he turned to Pulchra. "Senior! Fire back at Envy now!"
Pulchra nodded firmly. Gracefully, she drew her bow and released a counter-shot. However, before the arrow could hit Envy, a row of wool blocks suddenly appeared to block it. Togil moved as fast as lightning, building a protective wall for Envy.
"Don't you dare touch her," Togil growled.
The large man charged forward. Although his bridging technique wasn't as fast as Steve's, his physicality and agility made up for everything.
Togil leaped high through the air, landed on Steve's bridge, and immediately swung his Iron Sword with brutal strength.
TRANGGG!!!
Steve blocked the attack. Their mechanical duel erupted. Initially, Steve could keep up with his sword techniques. However, Togil's fighting instincts were too terrifying stronger, faster, more brutal. Within seconds, Togil adapted to Steve's mechanical rhythm and began to corner Steve toward the edge of the bridge.
Meanwhile, back at Togil's base, Pulchra and Envy were engaged in a one-on-one long-range battle. Both were shooting and dodging each other. However, Pulchra's sharp eyes saw Steve in a critical position, cornered by Togil's sword swings.
Without a second thought, Pulchra ran and slipped through a side path, throwing a TNT bomb right in front of Envy's defenses.
DUAARRR!! Togil and Envy's bed was blown to bits.
Seeing his bed destroyed, Togil's focus broke for a moment. From the side, Pulchra drew her bow and fired an arrow straight at Togil's face.
Togil only clicked his tongue, easily parrying the arrow with his sword. However, that split second of distraction became a fatal mistake.
"ARGHHH!" Steve screamed.
Steve lunged forward, slamming his entire body into Togil's chest with full force. Togil's balance faltered, and both of them slipped off the edge of the bridge toward the bottomless abyss.
As they both fell freely through the air, Togil smirked thinly, prepared to accept a draw dying together.
However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Steve smiling triumphantly while throwing a golden-green pearl ball far up onto the island.
WUSSHHH! Right before Steve's body touched the death barrier, he teleported back safely onto the island, while Togil continued to fall and vanished into the abyss.
"(Tch... that kid is different now.)"
"Togil eliminated!"
Now, on the arena, only Envy remained, shocked to death at losing her partner and her bed. Without mercy, Steve and Pulchra immediately surrounded her.
The 2-on-1 fight didn't last long, and finally, Envy was also eliminated.
"THE MATCH IS OVER! AND THE GRAND CHAMPIONS OF THIS HUNTER FESTIVAL ARE... STEVE AND PULCHRA!!!" Nelson's voice thundered, greeted by an explosion of fireworks and the cheers of the audience that shook the entire amusement park.