First game II

As the timer struck zero, Leon found himself in a grand theater-like space. On stage, several participants were already present, and a charismatic MC soon stepped up, radiating confidence and energy.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters!" the MC announced with enthusiasm. "Welcome to the thrilling Escape Room Challenge!"

"The rules are straightforward. Each participant will be dropped into a unique room where they must search for clues. These clues will help them solve puzzles to escape and advance to the next room."

"The first participant to discover a clue earns a point. Additional points are awarded to those who are the first to exit their room, and the more rooms you escape, the more points you accumulate."

"Remember, the participant who exits first will be declared the winner!"

"Now, let's kick things off with some interviews!" The MC, with a single horn protruding from his forehead, held the microphone and twirled around, drawing the audience's attention with his distinctive appearance.

"So, Mr. Fantastic, what do you think are your chances of winning?" the MC asked, addressing a participant named Fantastic.

"Hmm, I can't say for sure, but I think I will win, considering my brilliant record in the last games," Fantastic responded confidently.

The MC nodded. "Of course, you've already had impressive victories, including some from puzzle challenges," he said, exaggerating for effect.

Leon observed the ongoing interviews with interest. Soon, the MC called out, "Here we have a new participant, Mr. Hero King!"

The MC paused, looking at Leon's name with curiosity. "Hmm, cool name," he remarked, setting his posture before asking, "So, what made you choose this name?"

Leon glanced around and replied simply, "I just want to be a hero who uplifts humanity's value in the SGA."

Hearing this, the crowd fell silent, with some looking at him with approving gazes while others showed mockery. Leon remained unfazed, thinking to himself, Now, for the Hero King system, I've already set the first steps in it, hoping for some positive responses.

The MC, still surprised, chuckled and said, "Great dream, Mr. King. But can I ask why you think this dream is achievable?"

"It's simple," Leon replied confidently. "Because I have the talent to make it happen."

The MC was momentarily stunned by Leon's bold response but quickly moved on to the next participant. What a crazy one, he thought to himself as he continued the interviews.

"Solomon, am I harvesting any hope energy?" Leon asked privately, keeping his thoughts to himself.

[Yes, master. Though it's only a small amount, it's better than nothing. Besides, you haven't done anything particularly significant yet,] Solomon replied. Leon nodded, glancing around at the game setup.

Soon, the MC finished with the interviews and asked, "Are there any more questions?"

A participant raised their hand and asked, "What if two people end up in the same room?"

"Then they'll have to work together—no backstabbing allowed," the MC responded.

Another participant inquired, "What if someone ends up in a room that's already been solved?"

"That's not possible," the MC explained. "After each participant leaves a room, it gets rearranged with a new puzzle."

"What about the MVP title?" a participant asked.

The MC smiled and pointed to a large screen in the middle of the stage. "Ah, that's a good question!" he said. The screen displayed the title: "Walk in the Park," set against a big green background with a golden sheen.

"The MVP title will go to the participant who spends the least amount of time in each room—just 10 seconds per room—and exits first," the MC explained.

Hearing the MC's challenge, the participants' enthusiasm waned as the reality of the time constraint sank in. No one seemed quite ready to tackle such a seemingly impossible task.

Leon, undeterred, asked Solomon, "How much time would it take you to solve a room?"

[Less than one second, Master.] Solomon replied.

Leon nodded, feeling reassured, and prepared himself as the MC started the game.

With a deep breath, Leon closed his eyes and focused. The next moment, he was teleported into the first room.

The room was designed to resemble a countryside scene. As Leon took in his surroundings, Solomon's voice echoed in his mind.

[Master, simply turn the clock hands to 6 o'clock, and the door to the next room will open.]

Leon nodded and adjusted the clock hands. Instantly, the night sky outside turned to day with the crowing of a rooster, and the door to the next room creaked open.

[First Room Complete: Awarded 10 GP]

"Hmmm, so it was a sound-based opening mechanism," Leon mused as he proceeded through the next door.

As Leon stepped through the door into the second room, he found himself in a dark, underground chamber. The room was filled with scattered objects and a faint glow emanating from a central pedestal. On the pedestal was a glowing orb encased in a puzzle-like mechanism of interlocking gears and levers.

Solomon's voice cut through the darkness. [Master, the solution is to align the gears by rotating the levers in the correct sequence. The pattern is based on the light's intensity.]

Leon's fingers moved with precision, turning the levers as indicated by Solomon's guidance. In a mere second, the gears clicked into place, and the orb's glow intensified. A hidden door slid open.

[Second Room Complete: Awarded 15 Game Points]

With the second room cleared, Leon was teleported into the third room. This one was a maze of mirrors, creating endless reflections and distortions. In the center of the room stood a single, locked chest.

[Master, the exit is revealed by finding the true reflection of the chest. The key to the chest is hidden in the reflection.]

Leon focused on the reflections, quickly identifying the true path by analyzing the light angles. He located the correct reflection and grabbed the key from its mirrored counterpart. With a swift motion, he unlocked the chest, and the door to the next room opened.

[Third Room Complete: Awarded 20 GP ]

The fourth room was a room filled with strange symbols and shifting floor panels. Each panel had to be stepped on in the correct sequence to reveal the exit.

[Master, step on the panels in the order of the symbols from left to right. The correct sequence is based on the symbols' color patterns.]

Leon deftly stepped on the panels as Solomon instructed. The correct sequence lit up the exit door, which opened immediately.

[Fourth Room Complete: Awarded 25 GP ]