The moment the bell rang, the entire arena ignited, a symphony of roaring spectators, blaring sirens, and flashing neon holograms that pulsed in sync with the tournament’s electrified energy.

  A massive, open-air coliseum, the stadium stretched into the digital heavens, its towering walls shimmering with layers of augmented reality displays, relaying combat statistics, slow-motion replays, and live chat reactions from the millions watching across the Another Life VR network.

  The battlefield itself was a technological marvel—three floating combat platforms, each one crafted to mimic a different terrain, hovering in midair like digital islands of war. Beneath them, the arena’s abyssal void stretched endlessly, a swirling vortex of luminous code, shifting between shades of deep indigo, electric blue, and burning crimson.

  BOOM! A thunderous shockwave from Kaine Vega’s electric gauntlets sent Drevan Cole rocketing across Platform Three, his body slamming against the stone railing with enough force to crack the surface. The moment he hit, his cybernetic HUD flickered in warning. But Drevan was already moving. He flipped mid-air, boots skidding as his cybernetic combat augments recalibrated instantly.

  Drevan Cole (World Chat): "You hit like an overclocked toaster."

  Kaine smirked, his fists crackling with energy, lightning arcing between his knuckles.

  Kaine Vega (World Chat): "Then let’s turn up the voltage, huh?"

  With a sudden burst, Kaine dashed forward, his entire form surging with electricity. Drevan barely had time to react before a devastating uppercut launched him skyward, his body twisting as arcs of lightning danced across his frame. The crowd gasped, some avatars even jumping out of their seats.

  Meanwhile, on Platform One…Sickblade Dawson and Rei Nightfall were no longer figures—they were blurs of motion, twin streaks of shadow and steel. Their daggers flashed faster than the human eye could track, meeting in rapid succession—

  Clang! Clang! Clang! The sound was a continuous, metallic song of death, each impact sending brief sparks of code-light into the air. Rei Nightfall twisted left, vanishing in a flicker of shadow, only to reappear behind Sickblade, daggers flashing.

  Sickblade Dawson (World Chat): "Oh, cute. Guess we’re playing peekaboo now."

  Rei didn’t answer—he simply attacked. Three strikes in a blink—left kidney, ribs, throat. Sickblade barely dodged, twisting his torso in a way that shouldn’t have been physically possible, his body bending like liquid shadow. He countered in kind, driving his knee toward Rei’s midsection, only for Rei to vanish again, his laughter echoing in the digital wind.

  Rei Nightfall (World Chat): "Too slow."

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS AIN’T JUST A FIGHT—THIS IS A DAMN MAGIC TRICK! THEY’RE APPEARING AND DISAPPEARING FASTER THAN MY INTERNET BILL AFTER A PAYDAY!"

  The crowd exploded in laughter, but no one took their eyes off the battles. But it was Platform Two that had the crowd’s breath hitched—Because Aeris Voss and Dani Shaw weren’t just fighting.They were burning.

  Flame clashed against flame, the heat warping the air between them. Firewalls exploded as both combatants wove raw energy into their attacks, launching back-to-back assaults that sent waves of heat rolling through the arena.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO WATCH, PEOPLE! ROGUE WARFARE ON PLATFORM ONE, CYBER-FISTICUFFS ON PLATFORM THREE, AND PLATFORM TWO LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE LET TWO DRAGONS LOOSE IN A GAS STATION!"

  The crowd erupted, digital emotes and confetti flooding the stadium screens. Aeris Voss’s flames roared, waves of fire erupting from her tome, swallowing the entire battlefield in an unstoppable inferno. Dani ducked, dodged, and countered, her own flames twisting and curling to deflect Aeris’ attacks, but she was constantly on the defensive.

  Hexa (Private Chat): "Okay, but seriously—did someone hack the weather system? Because Platform Two looks like the apocalypse just got a fire-based DLC."

  Byte (Private Chat): "Bro, that’s not a fight, that’s an insurance claim waiting to happen. Look at that! Dani’s over there playing firefighter while Aeris is out here trying to burn down the whole arena!"

  Shiro (Private Chat): "Honestly? I’m getting second-degree burns just watching this."

  Vessa (Private Chat): "You’re not wrong. But focus—look at the way Dani’s moving. She’s not just reacting anymore. She’s adapting. See how she’s redirecting Aeris’ flames instead of just dodging?"

  Byte (Private Chat): "I mean, sure, but that doesn’t change the fact that Aeris looks like she just unlocked another boss form."

  Hexa (Private Chat): "For real, Aeris is throwing out fire like she’s got an unlimited mana cheat code. Meanwhile, Dani’s over here playing ‘How Not to Die in a House Fire: Competitive Edition.’"

  Shiro (Private Chat): "It’s actually kind of impressive. If this were a normal match, Dani would’ve been ash by now, but she’s holding her own."

  Byte (Private Chat): "Yeah, but for how long? That girl’s dodging like her rent’s due tomorrow, and Aeris is heating up like she just got dumped on prom night."

  Vessa (Private Chat): "That’s the real question. Can Dani find an opening before Aeris completely burns through her stamina?"

  Hexa (Private Chat): "Or before we all need to put on SPF 5000 just to keep watching?"

  Dani gritted her teeth, flipping backward as a fire whip lashed inches from her face. Her body reacted on instinct, but the heat was unbearable—her HUD flashing red with a cascade of system alerts.

  ALERT! ENVIRONMENTAL DANGER DETECTED!

  Temperature Spiking: 823° F (439° C) – Extreme Heat Detected

  Heat Resistance at 67% – Mitigating Damage

  Stamina Drain Increased by 18%

  Suggestion: Deploy Heat Shielding or Find Cover

  "Damn it!"

  Dani thought as she felt the burning fatigue creeping into her limbs.

  Aeris (World Chat): "You fight like a young whelp."

  Aeris stomped her foot, and the entire platform quaked. A massive fissure of molten energy cracked open, splitting the battlefield like a fault line during an earthquake. Waves of pure fire erupted from the crevices, the heat waves distorting the air around them.

  ALERT! STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY COMPROMISED!

  Terrain Hazard Detected: Volcanic Rift Forming

  Evasive Maneuver Required – 3.2s Before Full Eruption

  Projected Blast Radius: 10 meters

  Dani twisted mid-air, her muscles screaming in protest as she vaulted over the burning chasm. But the moment she reached her peak—

  WARNING! HIGH-PRESSURE IGNITION DETECTED!

  Explosion Imminent – Impact in 0.8s

  Brace for Shockwave!

  BOOM!

  Shit! Ouuuccchhh!

  The world erupted in fire. The shockwave detonated behind her, sending her body twisting uncontrollably in mid-air. Her arms flailed. Her vision blurred. Her health bar plummeted.

  DAMAGE RECEIVED: 22% HP LOST

  Burn Status Inflicted: -5 HP per second (Duration: 6s)

  Heat Resistance Holding at 51%

  STAMINA CRITICAL – 34% REMAINING

  Dani crashed down, rolling across the platform as the lingering flames licked at her armor, her HP still draining in the corner of her vision.

  RECOMMENDATION: USE HEALING ABILITY OR ITEM

  Bonus Perk Activated – "Survivor’s Flame"

  Healing from Fire Damage Increased by 12%

  Gritting her teeth, she forced herself upright, her HUD blaring with low-health warnings as the fire continued to burn at her stamina. She had seconds to act. And Aeris wasn't waiting but she had an idea. She remembered how Vesta would create multiple attacks at once.

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  Couldn’t I just do the same with my…

  Before she could finish her thought she spoke.

  Dani (World Chat): Execute Multiweave Self = Hearth Seed - Living Flame - Flame Step.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "WAIT—IS SHE TRYING TO STACK MOVES MID-COMBAT?! THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE—WAIT. WAIT. WAIT…”

  Dani began to multiweave the three skills into one cast. If she could do it, she would still have a chance. To her surprise, it worked as Dani narrowly escaped Aeris’s next attack. The crowd roared in amazement.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "DANI SHAW JUST PULLED OFF A MIRACLE EVADE! I DON’T KNOW WHAT SHE DID, BUT I’M PRETTY SURE SHE JUST INVENTED A WHOLE NEW WAY TO NOT DIE! THIS BREAKING NEWS UPDATE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NANITE EDGE ENERGY—BECAUSE IF YOU CAN’T DODGE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL TASTE LIGHTNING!"

  Byte (Private Chat): "Bro… she just hit us with some next-level ‘fake it till you make it.’"

  Shiro (Private Chat): "Nah, that wasn’t fake. That was ‘I have no idea what I’m doing, but let’s hope the system does.’"

  Hexa (Private Chat): "And somehow, it worked. You know what? I respect the struggle."

  Vessa (Private Chat): "Are you guys not seeing what just happened? She just multiweaved mid-combat! Do you know how insane that is?"

  Byte (Private Chat): "Yeah, yeah, it’s impressive, but can we also acknowledge the fact that she looked like she just rage-clicked three skills and hoped for the best?"

  Shiro (Private Chat): "She’s basically speedrunning survival at this point."

  Hexa (Private Chat): "Okay, but like… does she even know what she just did?"

  Byte (Private Chat): "Probably not. She’s got the same ‘what the hell just happened’ energy that I have when I land a perfect parry by accident."

  Vessa (Private Chat): "She’s adapting. And if Aeris isn’t careful… she might just turn this whole fight around."

  Meanwhile, back on Platform Three…Drevan Cole had finally had enough of Kaine Vega’s arrogance.

  Drevan (World Chat): "Alright. No more running."

  He slammed his fists together, and the ground rippled.

  Metallic spikes erupted from the platform, forming a jagged wall between him and Kaine, cutting off the distance. Kaine’s grin vanished. Drevan lunged, closing the gap instantly—And this time, Kaine didn’t have time to dodge. Drevan’s fist connected with Kaine’s jaw, sending a shockwave through the entire platform. The audience lost it.

  Byte (Private Chat): "YO, SOMEONE CALL CUSTOMER SUPPORT—KAINE JUST GOT A BUG REPORT FILED ON HIS FACE."

  Shiro (Private Chat): "Might wanna patch that before the next round."

  Hexa (Private Chat): "I dunno, Kaine’s still standing. Bet he’s got a counterplay incoming."

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "OH-HO! DREVAN JUST SENT KAINE ON A FIRST-CLASS TRIP TO PAIN CITY, BUT LET’S SEE IF THE ELECTRIC WONDERBOY’S GOT A RETURN TICKET!"

  Kaine wiped his mouth, his HUD flickering from the damage. And then—he smiled. Electricity coiled around his arms, the energy surging higher than before—And he charged forward. Kaine Vega lunged, electricity snapping off his body as he rocketed toward Drevan, his fist crackling with pure voltage.

  Drevan barely sidestepped, his cybernetic eye scanning and predicting Kaine’s next move in real-time. His foot slammed into the ground, and from the platform’s floor—jagged metal spikes erupted in a straight line, aiming straight for Kaine’s chest.

  CLANG! Kaine didn’t even flinch. He caught the spikes in his bare hands, blue lightning surging through them, melting the metal into slag.

  Kaine Vega (World Chat): "Gonna have to do better than that, Cole."

  Drevan didn’t respond—he acted.

  TSSSKKKT! A burst of nanite-enhanced speed sent him streaking past Kaine, his body moving like a blur of smoke and steel. His blades flashed out—one, two, three cuts—aiming for Kaine’s ribs. But Kaine twisted, barely dodging. One of Drevan’s knives grazed his shoulder, and his HUD flashed YELLOW.

  Drevan Cole (World Chat): "Guess you CAN be cut."

  Kaine’s smirk faltered. His eyes narrowed.

  Kaine Vega (World Chat): "You’re gonna regret that."

  CRACK-BOOM! The air around them detonated as Kaine’s entire body lit up, his fists forming twin gauntlets of pure lightning. The storm was here. Back on Platform One…The assassins were still locked in a deadly dance. Sickblade Dawson swept low, slicing toward Rei’s ankles, but Rei leapt over it, twisting mid-air to drive a blade downward. Sickblade caught it between his twin daggers—

  And for a single second, they were face-to-face, locked in place, staring at each other. Neither moved. Neither blinked. Then—The platform exploded. The battle resumed at full speed. The crowd screamed. The fight between Sickblade and Rei gradually turned into a nightmare of speed and deception.

  Everywhere Sickblade turned—Rei was there. Everywhere Rei struck—Sickblade countered. They moved so fast that most of the audience couldn’t keep up, their bodies flickering like glitches in the system, dashing between shadow and steel.

  Sickblade Dawson (World Chat): "You know, for a guy who doesn’t talk much, you sure are loud with that blade."

  CLANG! A dagger nearly took Sickblade’s ear off, but he tilted his head at the last second, letting the blade pass within an inch of his face.

  Rei Nightfall (World Chat): "Less talking. More dying."

  Then, Rei vanished. Sickblade’s instincts screamed. He pivoted—too slow.

  CRACK! An elbow slammed into his jaw, sending him stumbling back. Three shadow knives sank into his ribs. His HUD flashed RED.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "OH, REI NIGHTFALL AIN’T PLAYING AROUND! HE JUST TURNED DAWSON INTO A SHADOWY PIN CUSHION!"

  The stadium erupted with laughter, a mix of cheers and horrified gasps as the camera feeds flashed across different sections of the crowd. Fans spammed reactions in the live chat—fire emojis, skull icons, and dramatic RIP messages filled the sidebars.

  Hexa (Private Chat): "Man, Sickblade might need a hug after this. Dude’s out here catching all the L’s."

  Byte (Private Chat): "Nah, he don’t need a hug, he needs a whole respawn. My guy got turned into a limited-time event."

  Shiro (Private Chat): "Bro, he blinked once, and now he’s on life support."

  The camera panned across the roaring audience, flashing past screaming fans, flashing avatars, and a group of players cosplaying as past tournament champions—until it landed on something truly bizarre. A massive, muscled avatar in full plate armor sat hunched in his seat… knitting.

  Not just casually either—furiously. His massive, gauntleted hands were a blur, wielding comically tiny knitting needles as he knit what appeared to be a tiny, battle-damaged version of Sick Blade Dawson’s avatar.

  The screen zoomed in, catching the perfect detail of the little plushie—complete with three mini shadow daggers sticking out of its ribs. The entire stadium exploded.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "HOLD UP, CUT THE FIGHT CAMS! WHO IS THIS LEGEND?! THIS MAN IS OUT HERE SPEEDRUNNING A CROCHET MEMORIAL FOR SICK BLADE MID-FIGHT!"

  The knight barely reacted, adjusting his delicate reading glasses before continuing his blistering pace of stitching.

  Byte (Private Chat): "BRO IS OUT HERE STITCHING UP A WHOLE OBITUARY BEFORE THE BODY EVEN COLD."

  Hexa (Private Chat): "SOMEONE FIND HIS SHOP, I NEED ONE OF THESE IMMEDIATELY."

  Shiro (Private Chat): "This is the most disrespectful and yet most artistic thing I’ve ever witnessed."

  The camera cut back to the battle just in time for another CRACK as Sick Blade took another hit—and the knight nodded approvingly, knitting even faster.

  Vessa (Private Chat): "I think he’s adding more stab wounds to the plushie."

  The crowd was screaming. Emotes flooded the chat. #KnightKnitter started trending. And then—The battles raged on. On Platform Two, Aeris’ flames lashed out in searing lines, shaping them into jagged whips that snapped toward Dani with vicious intent.

  Dani barely dodged, twisting mid-air, her HUD flashing RED warnings. Then—

  DING!

  NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: ULTIONIRUS IGNITUSORA

  Dani froze, the alert flashing at the top of her screen. But Aeris wasn’t stopping.

  Aeris Voss (World Chat): "Come on whelp. Catch this flame!"

  A massive fireball roared toward Dani, crackling like a comet. She wasn’t thinking anymore. She felt the words forming in her throat before she even knew what she was saying. Her fingers moved on their own. And then—

  Dani Shaw (World Chat): "UL-TIONIRUS IGNITUSORA!"

  FWOOOSH! Two blazing whips of fire erupted from her hands. The crowd GASPED. For a moment, even Dani didn’t know what had just happened. She stared at her hands, the flaming whips stretching from her fingertips like living serpents. But then she remembered—

  Vesta. The fire whips.

  Ten days of training against them. Ten days of being burned, broken, beaten. And now? She knew exactly what to do. Her stance shifted. Her breathing slowed. Her mind cleared. She wasn’t scared. She wasn’t thinking about losing. She was fighting.

  Aeris Voss (World Chat): "…Oh?"

  The smirk was gone from Aeris’ face. She noticed the shift. Dani wasn’t hesitating. She was focused.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "UH-OH! HOLD ON, FOLKS—THE TIDES JUST TURNED! THIS IS ABOUT TO GET REAL INTERESTING!"

  WHAP-CRACK! Dani’s flaming whips lashed forward, the air splitting as they snapped toward Aeris with brutal speed. Aeris barely dodged, flipping backward. Her eyes narrowed. For the first time—she wasn’t mocking Dani anymore. She was taking her seriously.

  Aeris (World Chat): "Hmph. So the cub finally found her claws…"

  She rolled her shoulders, flames crackling at her fingertips, her smirk sharpening into something dangerous.

  Aeris (World Chat): "Let’s see if you can survive the firestorm."

  This is part of a series of stories that have lived solely in my head for many years, and I’ve finally started writing them as serialized fiction books. If you think the story sucks, feel free to tell me—it’s all part of the process. That said, I’m also looking for constructive criticism, so any suggestions are welcome and will be considered as I work to improve the series.