Chapter 4: In The Arena

'Lord Grim has accepted your friend request.'

I can't believe what I'm seeing. That friend request was just out of whim. I thought that it would just get ignored. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think of being in direct contact with my idol.

I pull open the chat box.

"Master Ye Xiu, I want to become an Unspecialized like you. I'm level 35 and I don't plan to change classes at all." and I hit send.

A ping instantly catches my attention. A message from Lord Grim! Woah... I never thought he would reply.

"Let me see what you're made of, kid. Come meet me in the Arena."

The pillars of the Arena surround me. And on top of a dilapidated gazebo is Lord Grim. He perches high and looks down on me.

I meet is gaze, unflinching.

"Hit me with all you've got.", he said, firing Gatling Gun attack in my direction, a Launcher move. I get out of the blast, rocks flying in the air. I know he missed on purpose, there's no way I could've outrun the famous Ye Xiu.

Lord Grim runs around the map, I hurl magic from my left hand, my right rendered useless because the spear can't attack at that range. The magic doesn't deal much damage. Either that, or it doesn't hit him at all. My Spell's cooldown is still ongoing and I'm out of options.

I got to close our distance!

There's a broken pillar lying down on the ground. I take cover against it, peeking through the surroundings for Lord Grim. I spot him on the opposite distance, his back against the cliffside. He looks at my direction, not bothering to hide himself.

Arena time reads 20 seconds.

Twenty seconds. And I'm already out of commission. My fingers are starting to feel sore on the keyboard. Ye Xiu is quick!

Another wave of blasts hit the pillar. Stone debris ricochet through the air, the AOE attacks dealing damage to my HP. I have no choice but to go out of hiding.

I cover my face with my arms as I run to the cover of a nearby gazebo. Three seconds more and Flame Explosion finishes cooldown. I crouch and stay low to get ready.

As I was about to attack, Lord Grim appears in front of me and makes a move to pierce my side with his Myriad Manifestation Umbrella. I get away just in time, hearing his weapon swish away in the wind, dealing a minor amount of damage.

He's measuring my skill with melee attacks. And so I shall give him what I'm made of. My real fighting style mixes both melee and magic. We tangle in a barrage of steel and light. I attack without hesitation as Ye Xiu welcomes it.

My accuracy is usually on point. But with a Master before me, I just seem unable to deal damage properly. He avoids my spear and magic without effort. He whisks away, predicting my every move even before I execute it.

Then, Lord Grim makes a move. Turning around in the blink of an eye, I find the sharp tip of his Umbrella posing on my throat.