The Dance of Ultimate Bliss!

The moment they stepped into the hall, nearly every player froze, dazzled by the sight.

Red candles burned high, and magnificent lamps shone brightly. On the stage, high-rolled silken curtains revealed exquisite dancers and songstresses filling the hall. Their movements were as graceful as startled swans, their voices as melodious as flowing warblers.

The sheer size of the room was incredible. It was hard to believe they were on a cruise ship and not at a lavish villa banquet on some private island. For the vast majority of players, a ballroom of this caliber was something they had only ever dreamed of seeing.

"Let's go. We need to secure an advantageous position."

Surprisingly, the first to recover wasn't Miss Rose, who seemed to frequent such high-end venues, but the quiet lady in the black cat-themed gown.

Walking at the very back, Wu Wang watched everyone carefully, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

He was the only one who had noticed. The lady in black hadn't just recovered the fastest.

She had never been surprised at all.

In fact, her eyes held a hint of annoyance, the kind of weary déjà vu one gets from eating the same meal every single day.

Holy crap! There's another expert here!

Could she really be the daughter of some tycoon in real life? A banquet of this level actually bored her?

Under the lady's guidance, the group moved to a rather good position. From there, they had a clear view of the stage's center and could also keep an eye on the entrances. Crucially, the spot wasn't so far forward that it would draw unwanted attention.

Wu Wang grew even more certain that her real-world background was anything but simple.

Even he couldn't have found such an advantageous spot so quickly. Only someone extremely familiar with balls, someone highly sensitive to the flow of people, could pull that off.

Before the others could appreciate the location's advantages, the lights in the hall suddenly dimmed.

Dong.

The familiar sound reminded Wu Wang of his Novice Instance.

Sure enough, all the spotlights went out.

Don't tell me they're going to make us start a ghost hunt now, he thought. The difficulty with over a thousand people is completely different from the previous fifty!

Pa.

Fortunately, the spotlights blazed to life again a second later. On the previously empty stage, a man had appeared.

He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with a full head of meticulously combed white hair. Although the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes and the age spots on his face betrayed his age, his posture was as straight as a pine tree.

That, combined with his freshly ironed captain's uniform and a sunny, cheerful smile, transformed his aura from that of an old man to a handsome uncle. The eyes of many young ladies flashed with adoration. The man possessed an almost incomprehensible charisma.

"Good evening, everyone!"

"It is my pleasure to have a few words with all our distinguished guests. I am the captain of the Mary, James Cook!"

"You may simply call me Captain Cook. On behalf of the ball's organizer, I would like to express my utmost respect to all our honored guests!"

"Now, please enjoy the ball to your heart's content!"

"Let bliss echo through this wonderful night!"

Captain Cook's opening remarks were brief. He seemed to have come out only to announce the start of the ball, but he had instantly ignited the hall's emotions. Waves of enthusiastic cheers vibrated against everyone's eardrums.

The moment his voice fell, the surrounding lights grew soft and ambiguous.

An unknown yet soul-soothing piano melody drifted through the air. The pianist was nowhere to be seen, nor was it clear how the sound managed to fill every corner of the vast venue without being overwhelming.

They only knew that the music met their enthusiasm perfectly.

Each person couldn't help but place a hand on their partner, slowly beginning to dance to the melody.

Zzz.

The Abyss God's Mark on the inside of Wu Wang's wrist began to spin rapidly, feeling as if it were about to scorch his skin. The stinging pain, combined with his own powerful Mental Strength, kept him from losing his sanity.

But for the mark to react like this…

This piano music is definitely not right!

Perhaps it wasn't just the music. The lights, Captain Cook's words, even the air and the entire layout of the hall were likely filled with some bizarre Mental Contamination.

【Mental Strength: 50-50】

"?"

He checked his panel, but his Mental Strength hadn't dropped at all. This meant the contamination wasn't causing any direct damage.

Then what in the world was it trying to do?

He turned to look at his teammates.

Every last trace of calm and reason had vanished from their eyes. Paired off, they held each other's waists, their gazes hazy as they stared at one another with deep affection, swaying to the music.

Since the man in the bat costume was already dead, there was one extra woman in their group. The person left out happened to be Miss Rose, who had cautiously been standing the farthest away.

Her seductive eyes, which could make a man submit almost instantly, landed on Decade. Twisting her body, she sidled up to him.

"Come now~ Give yourself to me~"

"Let's enjoy this together~"

"Your clothes seem a bit ill-fitting, don't they? Let's take them off~"

Miss Rose's almost moaning tone, combined with the hot figure accentuated by her sexy dress, was amplified by the effects of her charm-enhancing items. In an instant, even nearby male guests who already had partners began to slow their dance steps, looking as if they wanted to abandon their dates and throw themselves at her feet.

The moment her ample bosom pressed against the Decade suit, the person inside it visibly trembled.

Her charisma was infinitely amplified in this moment. Unfortunately for her, Wu Wang had encountered something far more terrifying.

The voice from the Crying Face Eccentric's walkie-talkie.

Compared to that, Miss Rose's seduction was like a silicone doll striking a pose.

"Honored guest, it seems that this handsome Kamen Rider's partner is me."

A crisp, calm voice sounded exceptionally clear under the ambiguous lighting.

Miss Rose dazedly turned her head. She was startled to find Waitress Number Five, dressed as a bunny girl, had walked over and seized the hand that had been reaching for the suit's zipper.

Beneath her professional smile was an icy chill.

Even with her mind muddled, Miss Rose sensed that something was wrong.

These waitresses… weren't they just standing by the wall when we came in?

She peered through the gaps in the crowd. All along the outer walls of the hall, female waitresses in identical uniforms stood, forming a wall of beauties.

So why had this one walked into the center of the ball?

Before she could figure it out, smack. Her wrist was flung away.

The waitress mercilessly grabbed Decade's wrist and started walking in another direction, leaving Miss Rose standing there in embarrassment.

"Heh~ Just a man."

"The one thing I don't lack is men."

She didn't pay it much mind and shifted her gaze toward a nearby man whose masked face was rather handsome. The man immediately shuddered as if he'd been electrocuted.

"Ma'am, are you inviting me?"

"Of course. If you don't mind, we shall have a very pleasant evening," Miss Rose replied with a smile.

The man immediately abandoned his partner and strode over to Miss Rose, wrapping an arm around her waist with a triumphant grin.

A new dance began.

The abandoned partner showed no anger. Instead, with the same dazed look in her eyes, she found another man who seemed interested in her. Twisting her body like a water snake, she batted her eyes, tempting him to leave his current partner.

Similar scenes played out continuously throughout the ball.

Not everyone had entered with a partner. Those who were alone at the start were now using every method at their disposal to display their charisma, to snatch someone else's partner in this dance of ultimate bliss.

The abandoned ones had no objections. They would only think themselves not attractive enough before immediately finding a new target, fanning their tail feathers like a peacock.

Right now, nothing was more meaningful than finding a partner to dance with.

"Sir, you cannot leave before the ball ends. Please understand. Number Five, take your guest back."

Over at the main door, however, someone was trying to leave. It was Decade and the Bunny Girl.

Unfortunately, they were intercepted by other waitresses. With chilling smiles, they blocked the path, gesturing for the two to return to the revelry.

Before Decade could speak, the Bunny Girl immediately responded.

"Alright, no problem. Sir, please follow me this way."

The two turned and walked away. A flash of surprise crossed the eyes of the waitress who had just spoken. She felt that something was off but couldn't pinpoint what.

Whatever, she thought. As long as the ball is still going, there's no problem.

Little did she know, the Decade who re-entered the hall did not immediately start dancing, nor did he pay any attention to the women now trying to approach him. He just silently looked at the waitress in front of him.

The Bunny Girl leaned in and whispered in Decade's ear.

"Are you alright? May I have this dance? If this violates your rules, you can let me know. When you hit me, don't do it so hard. A King Kong Barbie like you could smash me to bits with one punch."

The next second, a faint, crisp female voice came from the Decade Suit. It sounded a little annoyed.

"This request does not violate the rules. However, guest, while your disguise technique is admirable, my development in certain areas isn't quite so… pronounced."

A never-before-seen playful look appeared on the waitress's delicate face. Shrugging, she teased back.

"Hehe, it's a Bunny Girl costume. It doesn't look good if it's not filled out."

The voice from the suit and the waitress's teasing tone were completely identical.