Throughout the entire house, every Star receives the same notification.
「Final Objective Complete: Kill the Power」
Far away in the living room, the enormous checklist hanging on the wall glows brightly before the final remaining objective slowly crosses itself out.
At that exact moment, the thick cloud of illusionary smoke surrounding the House Owner's head suddenly dissipates, allowing her vision to return as she stumbles several steps across the living room, disoriented from everything that has just happened.
She slowly looks around.
The first thing she sees is her beloved cat lying motionless on the floor.
Standing above its defeated body is Crank's enormous spirit wolf, which slowly dissolves back into pure aura.
The House Owner's expression freezes in disbelief and then heartbreaks.
Her voice trembles.
"This... this is impossible..."
She slowly drops to one knee.
"...How could I possibly lose....to a bunch of bugs...?"
A brilliant pink glow suddenly spreads throughout her body.
Her skin gradually transforms into transparent crystal, becoming almost entirely glass-like as glowing cracks begin spreading across every part of her enormous body, each fracture widening further with every passing second.
Boa immediately recognizes what is happening.
Then he shouts across the entire house
"NOW!! EVERYONE ATTACK!!"
All of the Stars waste no time.
From every room of the giant house, hundreds of Stars burst from their hiding places and charge toward the now-vulnerable House Owner.
Warriors slash at her legs.
Mages unleash countless spells.
Archers fire endless volleys of arrows.
Every strike lands.
Every attack creates another fracture.
Glass begins shattering from her feet upward.
Boa glances toward Crank's direction.
The enormous spirit wolf and Chimera slowly dissolve into streams of colorful aura before flowing back together, reforming into Crank's exhausted body as he drops onto one knee, breathing heavily.
He slowly rises.
"We've done it..."
He clenches his fist.
"Now let our honor shine on this glorious day!"
Boa smiles back.
Without another word the two charge together side by side.
Toward the collapsing House Owner.
By now, cracks cover nearly every inch of her crystal body as countless Stars continue attacking relentlessly from every direction.
Boa and Crank leap into the air simultaneously.
Both drawing back their fists.
Then they strike together, their punches collide directly against the House Owner's forehead.
The impact echoes throughout the house and the crack spreads.
Until her entire body shatters, exploding into a beautiful cloud of glowing pink mist that slowly disperses throughout the room.
Then suddenly thousands upon thousands of glowing EXP orbs burst into existence, flooding every corner of the living room before rushing toward every surviving Star Party, their bodies glowing brightly as they absorbed the tremendous amount of experience earned from completing the trial.
Boa's team quickly regroups.
Hans immediately rushes over before wrapping both Ignis and Tobias in an enormous hug.
Crank, meanwhile, finally collapses onto the floor, laughing tiredly as his body gives out from complete exhaustion.
Not far away, Boa also drops onto one knee, breathing heavily after pushing himself far beyond his limits.
Voytek slowly walks over toward the two exhausted fighters.
"Looks like both of you went all out on this one."
Just then Boa's Imp suddenly reappears, happily flying circles around the group.
"Boss! You did it again!"
The little demon pumps both fists excitedly.
"And thank goodness Eyebally over there finally got to do something useful too!"
Nearby, the giant winged eyeball gently descends from the air before settling beside Boa like a loyal companion.
The Imp continues celebrating wildly, unable to contain his excitement.
Meanwhile, Hans continues squeezing Tobias and Ignis tightly.
Tobias finally speaks in a weak voice.
"...Hans..."
He struggles slightly.
"...Could you... let go now...?"
He forces an awkward smile.
"...I'm really not feeling so great..."
Hans immediately releases them.
The moment he does, Tobias curls into himself once again, hugging his knees as anxiety slowly begins creeping back into his thoughts.
Ignis watches him.
Then laughs warmly.
"There it is again."
He points toward Tobias with a smile.
"You'll probably going to see this all the time with us, a roller coaster of confidence!"
Hans kneels beside Tobias.
"It's okay, Tobias."
He pats him on the shoulder.
"From everything I heard... you did an amazing job."
Ignis nods enthusiastically.
"I agree."
He smiles proudly.
"You probably didn't even notice it yourself, but I've never seen you recover your confidence that quickly before."
He points at him.
"You're getting stronger, Tobias, our story is only going to get better from here."
Tobias slowly looks up.
His worried expression softens.
"...Really...?"
Both Hans and Ignis smile together.
"Really."
Before Tobias can say anything else—
Every surviving Star Party throughout the giant house suddenly receives their rewards.
Treasure chests materialize.
Equipment appears.
And finally a single glowing key forms before each party.
Boa slowly reaches forward, taking hold of the newly obtained key before standing back up on tired legs.
He looks toward every member of his team.
"We're almost there..."
He raises the key.
"Let's survive this together... all the way to the end."
As Voytek.
Hans.
Ignis.
Tobias.
Crank.
Even the Imp.
They all nod together.
Meanwhile, in another region of the Central Circle, where endless fields of vibrant pink grass stretch toward the horizon beneath a crimson sky, Jayden and his team continue advancing through the unfamiliar landscape until an enormous structure gradually comes into view.
A gigantic stadium.
Its towering walls rise far above the surrounding plains, casting a massive shadow across the region as ancient stone pillars circle its exterior, giving the arena an overwhelming sense of grandeur. Despite its immense size, the stadium is eerily silent, with no signs of movement or life, making it feel less like a battlefield and more like a place where countless legends had once begun... and countless others had come to an end.
The party eventually stops several hundred meters away from the entrance.
Pax reaches into his inventory before pulling out a thick monster encyclopedia, flipping through several pages with practiced precision until he locates the entry corresponding to the region before them.
He clears his throat before reading aloud.
"Boss Monster Number 72..."
His robotic eyes briefly scan the page again.
"...The Seeker. Level 70."
He continues reading.
"The Seeker resides within a giant stadium, where all who dare to enter its domain shall be tested. Those deemed worthy will survive... while those judged unworthy will perish."
Rudi instinctively hugs her staff a little tighter.
Her expression stiffens.
"...That's... actually kind of terrifying."
Ambros lowers himself to one knee, carefully inspecting the ground before him as he studies the countless footprints covering the pink earth.
After several moments, he slowly stands.
"The tracks are real..."
He points toward the stadium.
"Dozens of different Star Parties came through this area before us..."
His eyes narrow.
"...But every trail ends at the entrance."
A brief silence settles over the group.
Then Vesper smiles with curiosity rather than fear.
"Interesting..."
He folds his arms thoughtfully.
"This is nothing that I have never encounter before."
His eyes remain fixed on the stadium.
"Let's head inside."
Just as he begins walking but Jayden raises a hand.
"Hold on."
Everyone turns toward him.
"Let's hear the rest first."
Pax nods before continuing.
"Way to Victory..."
His voice becomes quieter as he reads the final lines.
"...Become an entertaining and worthy Star before the eyes of the Seeker."
He pauses briefly.
Then reads the final sentence.
"The desire of the Seeker..."
"...is to experience something it has never experienced before."
Vesper's eyes suddenly light up.
"...Now that's interesting."
He chuckles quietly.
"Perhaps....this Boss and I have more in common than I originally thought."
Without waiting he dashes straight toward the stadium entrance.
But just before reaching it—
His entire body suddenly bursts apart into thousands of glowing pink flower petals that scatter gently into the wind before disappearing completely.
The rest of the party freezes.
Rudi blinks repeatedly.
"...U-Uhm..."
She points awkwardly toward where Vesper had just been.
"...Was... was that... the correct way to enter?"
Pax calmly closes the monster book before opening the party status menu.
He turns the screen toward her.
"Don't worry."
Vesper's name remains clearly visible.
His HP.
His Mana.
His Stamina.
Everything remains completely normal.
"He's still alive."
Rudi finally lets out the breath she'd been holding.
"...That's... good..."
Jayden steps forward.
A bright smile returns to his face.
He raises a fist into the air.
"Come on, Hero Team!"
His heroic aura begins radiating proudly around him.
"We've conquered every challenge that's stood before us so far....So let's conquer this one too!"
The entire party then rushes in as one after another, their bodies dissolve into countless glowing pink flower petals.
Jayden and the rest of his party transported and they suddenly open their eyes to find themselves standing inside an endless realm of complete darkness, a place so empty that the only things visible are each other, as though every trace of light, color, and existence had been erased.
Ambros immediately activates his enhanced vision, his Eagle Eyes scanning every direction with incredible precision before he slowly lowers his gaze.
"There's nothing here..." he says quietly. "...Nothing except endless darkness."
Pax instinctively raises his mechanical arm, attempting to deploy one of his built-in weapons, but nothing happens.
"Our abilities have been sealed... My weapons won't activate."
Nearby, Vesper slowly opens and closes his hands before reaching toward the surrounding darkness.
Usually, shadows would respond to his will but this time it does not work.
He looks genuinely puzzled.
"This isn't normal..." he mutters. "I normally control darkness itself, but whatever this place is... it isn't darkness as I know it. I can't manipulate it at all."
Jayden calmly folds his arms.
"Don't panic," he says confidently. "According to the monster book, we're here to prove ourselves worthy. Let's hear what this Boss has to say first."
Suddenly—
A deep voice echoes throughout the void.
"Indeed."
Everyone instantly drops into battle stances.
Far ahead, a single pair of glowing white eyes slowly opens within the darkness.
The Seeker.
Its voice reverberates throughout the entire realm.
"You currently stand within the Waiting Room..."
A pause.
"...while other Star Parties are being judged."
The glowing eyes remain perfectly still.
"Listen carefully... for I shall explain the rules, and all you need do... is obey."
Another pause.
Then—
"This..."
"...is..."
"...a show of talent."
The surrounding darkness trembles.
"Impress me..."
"...Impress my judges..."
"...Impress my audience..."
"...however you wish."
The eyes brighten.
"Should even a single member of your Star Party prove worthy..."
"...then your entire party shall survive and earn the title of Great Stars."
The atmosphere suddenly becomes much heavier.
"But should every member fail..."
The Seeker's voice lowers.
"...you shall become nothing more..."
"...than darkness itself."
Then the glowing eyes slowly begin fading away.
"Gather your hidden talents..."
"...and impress the Seeker."
The eyes disappear completely.
A magical display suddenly materializes before the group.
「Waiting Party Queue: 12th Place」
Beneath it each party member's name appears in glowing letters.
Vesper gently rubs his chin.
"A talent show..."
A smile slowly appears.
"Now that's an experience I never expected. I'vr never participated in anything like this before."
Rudi tilts her head.
"...What's a talent show?"
Pax shrugs.
"Honestly..."
He scratches the back of his head.
"Never seen one but all the book really says is that we have to impress the Seeker however we can."
Jayden comes in with a confident look.
"A talent show is a competition where contestants perform something unique to entertain an audience and impress the judges. If your performance stands above the others.....you're rewarded greatly."
Ambros sighs quietly.
"Something unique enough to impress them..."
He shakes his head.
"...I'm afraid I don't have much to offer."
He smiles faintly.
"Looks like it'll be up to the rest of you."
Rudi nervously laughs.
"I'm... kind of in the same situation."
She lowers her eyes.
"I don't think I have any special talents either..."
Jayden looks around the group.
"Then while we're waiting..."
He smiles confidently.
"...everyone think carefully. Every person has something unique about them."
Time slowly passes.
The queue steadily advances.
Twelfth.
Ninth.
Sixth.
Fourth.
Second.
With every change, the tension inside the party grows heavier.
Vesper eventually breaks the silence.
"If only one person has to succeed for all of us to survive..."
He folds his arms.
"...then these judges must have incredibly high standards."
He smiles.
"Ordinary performances probably won't impress them."
He bows politely toward everyone.
"Good luck."
Pax immediately points at him.
"Hey! Don't start acting like we've already lost!"
He taps his own chest.
"I've got something that'll definitely surprise them."
Before anyone can respond the queue changes.
「Waiting Party Queue: 1st Place」
A glowing white orb appears beside their names.
It rapidly jumps between each party member.
Jayden.
Ambros.
Pax.
Vesper.
Back again faster and faster then it stops besides the name Rudi.
Everyone looks toward her as Rudi's body begins glowing with brilliant white light. She a panics for a bit as Ambros smiles reassuringly.
"You'll be alright."
Her body dissolves into countless glowing flower petals.
The next moment she finds herself standing beneath brilliant spotlights upon an enormous stage.
Rows upon rows of celestial spectators fill the gigantic stadium seats, stretching farther than she can see.
In front of her sits a long judging table.
Four judges.
Each completely silent.
Then the largest throne in the center suddenly blossoms with countless pink flower petals.
The Seeker appears.
His celestial body radiates white and pink light.
"I am the Seeker of Talent."
His voice echoes throughout the stadium.
"Show me your gift."
"Impress us..."
"...and your Star Party shall continue onward as Great Stars remembered within the Stadium of Legacy."
Rudi swallows nervously.
The Seeker notices.
"Introduce yourself."
It raises one hand.
"Whatever you wish to demonstrate.....shall manifest before you. You are not completely empty-handed here."
Rudi slowly takes a deep breath.
"My... my name is Rudi..."
As she begins speaking a magical screen appears behind her.
Showing her past.
"I don't have many talents..."
The vision shows her running alongside her family through a panicking city.
Explosions rain endlessly from the sky.
"...but..."
Her voice grows stronger.
"...I survived the destruction of my world..."
The audience watches silently.
"Not many Stars could survive...the wrath of the Angels."
The vision changes.
Rudi desperately trying to complete a giant teleportation circle.
Just before drawing the final line a pillar of divine light crashes down.
Her family turns to dust as tears begin flowing down her face.
Yet she keeps drawing.
"I won't let all of you die like this!"
The teleportation circle activates.
She appears alone upon a distant desert planet.
Falling to her knees and crying
"I'll enter the Star Games, become God and I'll bring all of you back."
The magical screen fades as Rudi wipes away her tears then looks directly at the Seeker.
"I'm here to become a Great Star..."
Her voice no longer trembles.
"...so I can become God..."
"...and create a universe where everyone I love can smile again. If everything you said is true..."
She stares directly into the Seeker's glowing eyes.
"...then manifest another world-ending disaster...and watch me survive it."
The audience murmurs.
The Seeker slowly smiles.
Then raises one finger.
"Very well."