The carnival atmosphere on Vista Island was incredibly infectious. The Straw Hat Pirates quickly dispersed, throwing themselves into their respective areas of interest.
Luffy charged straight to the "Super Giant Hot Dog" eating contest, and to everyone's astonishment, he devoured the mountain of food at an astonishing speed, easily winning a " Joy Medal " and the privilege of enjoying the stall for free for life (although he might eat his way out of business soon).
Usopp shone brightly in the "Precision Shooting" game, hitting his target every time with his sniper talent, winning a wall full of plush toys and another medal, and was very proud of himself.
Despite his fear, Chopper unexpectedly won several matches in the "Strength Arena" (a contest of arm wrestling, weightlifting, etc.) thanks to his Soft Power Enhancement and Guard Point, earning him a medal and a bunch of consolation candies.
Nami, on the other hand, won a small amount of Beli and a few medals in gambling games such as "Lucky Roulette" and "Price Guessing," thanks to her excellent mental arithmetic skills and luck, and was in a great mood.
Sanji participated in the "Fast Food Cooking Showdown" and used the cola brought by Franky (as a secret weapon) and fresh local ingredients to create an amazing "Cola-flavored Roast Meat". He won over the judges and onlookers, earning a medal and attracting screams from many ladies.
Zoro, who was initially uninterested in most games, was drawn to the "Thousand Slashes" challenge (cutting through continuously launched small wooden stakes with a special wooden sword), easily broke the record, and earned the medal.
Franky showcased his skill and strength in "Mechanical Racing" (a competition to assemble small mechanical cars) and "Super Weightlifting," earning two medals in total.
Brook won the "Improvisational Music Arena" with his unique performance that blended soul music with the Chill of the Underworld, eliciting the loudest cheers from the audience.
Jinbe easily won the "Water Balance" and "Fishing Master" competitions thanks to his Fish-Man's talent and understanding of water currents.
Robin, with his vast knowledge and photographic memory, quietly collects medals in the "historical puzzles" and "memory challenges."
Ace participated in a "Flame Drink" challenge (not drinking, but creating the coolest flame effects), had a blast, and even earned a symbolic medal.
Allen didn't participate in any of the competitions; he simply strolled leisurely through the celebration, like a quiet observer. He savored the various snacks, watched his companions display their enthusiasm in different arenas, and felt the pure, almost overflowing, joyful energy. However, the slight sense of unease in his heart didn't disappear; instead, it gradually became clearer as he gained a deeper understanding of the island.
This joy... is too evenly distributed.
Everyone's smiles were so radiant, their cheers so enthusiastic, as if meticulously calculated, maintaining an extremely high emotional peak, yet lacking subtle fluctuations. Even those who lost in the competition only briefly displayed formulaic frustration before quickly returning to their "standard" state of joy.
"Like... a pre-programmed program," Allen thought to himself. His senses, like fine threads, quietly probed the island's underground and the enormous power sources that kept the celebration running—the colorful windmills and the energy fluctuations emanating from the base of certain buildings.
As his perception deepened, at the top of the tallest building in the center of the island, which resembled a giant carousel, a figure was looking down at the entire island in revelry through one-way glass.
This is a man dressed in a flamboyant clown costume, his face painted with an eternal smile. He is Doma, the nominal manager of Vista, the " Lord of Laughter." However, behind the exaggerated smile on his face at this moment, his eyes are as cold as frost. In his hand, he is playing with a replica of the " Golden Carnival Horn," the prize awarded to the champion.
"What... perfect commotion," Doma murmured to himself, his voice a stark contrast to his comical public persona, carrying a metallic quality. " Emotional Energy collection efficiency reached 97.8%, a record high. Especially those who landed on the island today... the quality was exceptionally outstanding." His gaze swept across the screen: Luffy's carefree laughter, Usopp's smugness, Chopper's shyness and joy, Brook's rousing performance...
"Especially that skeleton and the Straw Hat Kid, and that Fire Fist... their 'joy' spectrum is so pure and intense, it's... top-quality 'fuel'." His fingertips swiped across the screen, finally settling on Allen, who was walking quietly. "Only this one... I can't sense much emotional fluctuation, like a black hole. A bit troublesome, but... it's not a big deal."
He turned and walked into the depths of the room. There stood an extremely complex, enormous machine made up of countless crystal tubes and gears. At the center of the machine, in a huge, heart-like, transparent container, was gathering visible, colorful " Emotional Energy " drawn from the entire island!
Beneath the machine, an even older stone platform covered with strange patterns looms in the distance. In the center of the platform, something hidden, seemingly out of place with the joyful atmosphere, is enshrined.
Doma watched the ever-increasing Emotional Energy, the fixed smile on his face grew increasingly eerie.
"Laugh and revel, my dear 'batteries'... Soon, all your joy will become the final sacrifice to awaken 'that one'!"
The golden horn sounds, heralding the glory of the champion. However, beneath this ultimate joy, a conspiracy targeting "happiness" itself is quietly unfolding.