"What the hell is going on with Magneto?!"
"Don't tell me their powers aren't working properly in there!"
"The stronger the ability, the worse the backlash, right?!"
"So can Magneto even still use his power or not?"
"I told you not to go in! You just had to go looking for death!"
"This is over… even Joker isn't laughing anymore."
Inside Miracle Nation's upper offices, no one truly cared whether the contestants lived or died.
What mattered was profit.
And as long as profit was on the line, Li Dapu wasn't about to stay quiet.
His voice cut through the private channel once more.
"Listen carefully, all of you. If you suffer any losses at a moment like this, I'll personally strip you of your Miracle Nation status!"
Instead of fear—
Joker burst out laughing.
"My dear President, do you really think you rule this world?" he said, grinning madly. "I'm already a piece of trash who's done every evil thing imaginable. So what if I die?"
"But if you keep talking to me in that smug, threatening tone…"
He tilted his head, his smile widening unnaturally.
"…then I really can't guarantee what kind of disaster my cheap little life might bring to Miracle Nation."
Then he threw his head back and laughed.
The sound echoed through the corridor—twisted, shrill, and utterly chilling.
Even Venom and Eddie felt a cold shiver crawl up their spines.
No one had ever truly understood what Joker was.
Human?
Monster?
Or something far worse?
If someone like him turned against Miracle Nation here—
the consequences would be unimaginable.
"You dare threaten me?!"
Back in the office, Li Dapu slammed the ashtray down so hard it shattered.
None of the officials behind him dared make a sound.
"For a president like you," Joker said lazily, "I doubt there are many people who truly respect you."
Each word landed like a blade.
Li Dapu's face darkened completely.
"You—! I'll have you die without a grave!"
Then he roared into the channel:
"Venom! Magneto! Kill Joker right now!"
At that point—
he had completely lost his mind.
He didn't care what killing Joker might cost.
He only wanted him silenced.
Naturally, Joker couldn't have cared less.
He had no family.
No attachments.
No loyalty.
Threats meant nothing to him.
At that moment, Venom spoke up instead.
"Mr. President," Venom said coldly, "can you shut up for once? Are we the ones fighting here, or are you?"
"We were doing just fine, and you're the one threatening this person and that person."
"Do you even realize that once we return from the Divine Domain… killing you would take seconds?"
That single sentence—
detonated across Miracle Nation.
"What?! So Li Dapu really has been threatening them?!"
"You could already tell from what Joker said earlier!"
"No wonder Magneto hasn't been cooperating!"
"They're risking their lives in the Divine Domain and still getting blackmailed from home?!"
"This is insane!"
"We got stuck with a president like this? We're finished!"
"President Li Dapu, just shut up already!"
Public anger exploded.
Magneto, however, remained calm.
"Enough," he said. "This place is an illusion."
That single sentence snapped everyone back to reality.
"Yes," Venom said, his tone turning serious. "Our powers aren't functioning properly here. Something's wrong."
By now, Venom had already retreated back into Eddie's body.
Clearly—
he didn't dare remain exposed.
The group moved forward.
But the corridor stretched endlessly.
No matter how long they walked—
there was no end.
"Ah… I have to admit," Joker said, looking around with eerie delight, "this place really suits my taste."
"If I could die here… that wouldn't be such a bad ending."
"Then go die alone and stop dragging us down!"
"That psycho never says anything useful!"
"How did someone like him even get selected?!"
"…Actually, if you think about it… which one of them isn't some kind of monster?"
"…That's true."
Miracle Nation's viewers watched in silence.
Every step forward felt like walking toward death.
Then—
Boom! Boom!
At last, the voice of the Will of Blue Star rang out.
[Welcome, Miracle Nation contestants, to the Illusion Palace of Medusa!]
[Medusa, the Serpent Beauty. Once she begins her attack, any living creature caught in her gaze will instantly turn to stone and become part of this palace.]
Medusa?!
The moment that name appeared—
the entire world exploded.
"No, no, no—this can't be happening!"
"That's Medusa! The legendary serpent witch!"
"The one whose gaze turns you to stone the instant you look at her!"
"And she's supposed to be unbelievably beautiful too!"
"At a time like this, who cares if she's beautiful?!"
"If they don't look, they're blind—and their powers aren't even working properly!"
"We're screwed… Miracle Nation is screwed!"
At that exact moment—
a sharp hiss echoed through the hall.
Ssssss—
Ssssss—
The sound of a serpent flicking its tongue.
She was close.
Then—
everything changed.
In the blink of an eye, the magnificent palace vanished—
as though it had never existed.
Darkness swallowed everything.
And in its place—
countless mirrors stretched in every direction.
"Damn it! Don't look!" Eddie shouted instantly.
From the deepest part of the abyss—
something moved.
It was enormous.
Its lower body was a massive serpent's tail, coiled layer upon layer.
Its upper body—
was that of a woman.
Beautiful.
Terrifyingly beautiful.
Her tongue flicked, scarlet against pale skin.
Her huge eyes glowed like twin emeralds—
brimming with killing intent.
The livestream went insane.
"AHHH! I saw her! I made eye contact with Medusa!"
"My God, she's huge!"
"I saw it too—are we turning to stone too?!"
"Relax! We're outside the screen!"
"This is literally the only time we can look her in the eye and not die!"
But before the chaos could settle—
the voice of the Will of Blue Star rang out again—
[Warning! Warning!]
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