The main tent was a whirlwind of activity. Clowns juggled flaming torches, acrobats performed dizzying feats on tightropes, and strange creatures paraded around, all under the flickering lights and the unsettling music. Ned moved deeper into the crowd, his eyes wide with a mix of wonder and unease. The system remained quiet, which he found odd. ''It's not giving me a mission? Maybe it's not a bad thing?''
He watched a group of clowns perform a slapstick routine, their painted smiles looking a bit too wide, their laughter a bit too loud. The crowd around him roared with amusement, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. 'There is something wrong here,' he thought, but brushed it aside. He was enjoying the show.
He saw a young girl crying, her face painted with tears that contrasted with the clown makeup. He wanted to help, but he felt awkward, not knowing what to say to a crying girl. A clown approached her, his smile wide and fake. The clown made a balloon animal, a dog, and gave it to the girl. Her crying stopped almost instantly, her face lighting up, as if she had completely forgotten her sorrow. Ned felt a sense of unease wash over him. It was too perfect. He just wanted to ignore it, go on and watch the show, and try to enjoy it, after all it was interesting, very interesting, a good distraction from everything he usually did.
He moved towards the center of the tent, where a large ring was set up. The music changed, becoming more dramatic, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the entrance. The announcer's voice boomed through the tent. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time for our main event! The one, the only, Zombozo!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Ned's gaze was fixed on the entrance, his heart pounding in his chest. The strange clown from the poster stepped into the spotlight. Zombozo was taller than he had imagined, his hair was a mess of bright red, standing straight up like flames, and his red eyes glowed with an unnatural light. His smile stretched impossibly wide, showing too many teeth. He wore a garish, oversized clown suit, with patterns that seemed to shift and move.
He started doing tricks, juggling dangerous-looking knives, making balloons animals that seemed to be alive, and walking on a tightrope like it was nothing, his movements unnaturally smooth. He was mesmerizing, captivating the audience with his talent, but for Ned, he looked dangerous, with a strange feeling that made him want to run away. He could feel a deep-rooted fear crawling in his back.
'There's something wrong with this guy,' he thought, watching him with suspicion. 'He looks like a villain from those comics.' He looked at the people around him, their eyes shining with joy, as if they couldn't see what he was seeing. He felt like he was the only one who wasn't under some kind of spell.
Zombozo finished his act with a flourish, bowing deeply to the applause. The lights brightened, and the music changed again, becoming more upbeat. Zombozo then walked down from the main ring and started to interact with the crowd.
He walked over to a couple and offered them flowers, they were normal flowers, but the couple received it with a huge amount of joy. Zombozo was a magnet, attracting every eye with his sinister charisma, it felt wrong.
He started moving closer to where Ned was, his unnatural smile never wavering, his eyes glowing even more. He felt like he had a target on his back. He started moving back slowly, trying to go unnoticed. He didn't want to be under the spotlight.
Zombozo stopped in front of him, his huge grin unnerving. "Well, hello there, young man," he said, his voice a strange mix of cheerfulness and menace. "You seem a bit… out of place. Not smiling, are you not enjoying the show?"
Ned swallowed hard, his throat dry. He didn't know what to say. He could feel his body shaking, a feeling he hadn't felt since he first was abandoned on the streets.
He managed to stammer, "I... I am." He could feel the eyes of people around them focusing on him.
Zombozo's smile widened, his red eyes seeming to pierce right through him. "That's good. That's very good." Zombozo slowly grabbed Ned's face with his big, clown hands, that felt cold like ice. "You're going to enjoy everything we have to offer, just like everyone else." Zombozo turned his back and walked away from him, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Ned's heart pounded, his hands trembling. He stared at Zombozo, his mind racing. He knew, deep down, that this was not just a normal circus. He had a feeling that he had just stepped into something he wasn't prepared for, and he needed to do something. He was a hero, he was getting stronger, he needed to help these people. But was he strong enough? He looked at his left arm and the orb that sat there, he was level 6 now, that must mean something, he knew he could do it. He started thinking of a plan.