**Relaunched 1:45 to 2:00 PM PST - 25-03-01**

  The arena was electric. Not just figuratively—literally. The sky above the floating coliseum crackled with rolling thunder, flickering arcs of lightning surging between the massive holographic banners displaying the tournament’s semi-finalists. And at the center of it all? Mackiavelli stood still, his left arm raised. A deep, resonating hum filled the air, like the very fabric of the game world itself was vibrating.

  The crowd held its breath, thousands of avatars watching in silent awe as the bolt of divine energy spiraled downward, coalescing in his open palm. The moment his fingers closed around it—BOOM! A flash of golden light surged outward, sending a shockwave through the coliseum. And just as fast as it had come—the lightning dissipated.

  The energy crackled once more before vanishing into the digital heavens. For a long second, nobody spoke. Then—

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "OH, SO IT’S OFFICIAL—MACKIAVELLI IS ZEUS, HUH?! I KNEW I SHOULD’VE PLACED A BET ON THIS!"

  The crowd exploded. Dani nearly choked on air. Her mind spun, processing what she had just witnessed. This wasn’t some flashy one-time move. This wasn’t just game mechanics. Steve was Zeus. The pieces snapped together like a perfectly coded algorithm in her mind. Mackiavelli lowered his arm, sighing.

  MACKIAVELLI (World Chat): "No, I’m not Zeus."

  The announcer let out a loud, exaggerated gasp.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "EXCUSE ME—WHAT?! YOU GOT THUNDER, LIGHTNING, AND A COOL NAME, AND YOU’RE SAYING YOU’RE NOT ZEUS?!"

  A few avatars in the crowd started spamming “HUH?” emotes, their confusion plastered across the floating screens. Mackiavelli shook his head, rubbing his temple.

  MACKIAVELLI (World Chat): "You’re misinterpreting the situation. Zeus… is a product of Auracron Prime. It’s an integrated system that exists somewhere between NPC, AI, and player interaction."

  The announcer leaned forward, intrigued.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "Translation for the non-techy folks?"

  MACKIAVELLI (World Chat): "It means I’m just a player. This is my avatar. I play as Mackiavelli. When Zeus appears, I don’t control him."

  A murmur rippled through the audience. Dani narrowed her eyes, watching him carefully. That wasn’t entirely true. She had just seen him summon lightning from the sky like it was nothing.

  MACKIAVELLI (World Chat): "I was granted temporary access to Zeus’ functions to assist in the investigation of… well, you know who."

  The audience erupted with cheers, mixed with boos from the sore losers still salty over Welsby III’s removal from the tournament. The announcer chuckled, still processing.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "So what you’re saying is—Zeus is an independent entity, and you’re just a lucky bastard who got to borrow his powers?"

  MACKIAVELLI (World Chat): "That’s… one way to put it."

  A low rumble of thunder cracked above the arena. The announcer snapped his fingers dramatically.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "HEY, ZEUS—YOU LISTENING?"

  Silence. Then, a deep, omnipresent voice rumbled through the sky and throughout the colosseum.

  ZEUS (VOICE CHAT): "NO."

  The stadium lost it. Dani snorted. Byte, from the competitor’s booth, was practically wheezing before he typed in private chat.

  BYTE (Private Chat): "Yo, did the SYSTEM just hard reject the announcer?!"

  SHIRO (Private Chat): "LMAO, that was savage."

  Mackiavelli rolled his shoulders, exhaling.

  MACKIAVELLI (World Chat): "See? He’s not exactly here to play around."

  The announcer finally wiped his eyes, still laughing.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "Alright, alright—BACK TO BUSINESS. YOU HEARD IT, FOLKS! ZEUS ISN’T HERE FOR YOUR NONSENSE—BUT MACKIAVELLI IS. SO LET’S GET INTO THE SEMI-FINALS!"

  The interview platform descended, returning the finalists to the arena. Mackiavelli barely had time to process his own thoughts before the announcer’s voice boomed again.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "NOW, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE NEXT MATCH—WE HAVE ONE ORDER OF BUSINESS!"

  The screens flashed, revealing an image of Dreven Cole, standing at the edge of the arena, arms crossed. The crowd rumbled, murmuring. Mackiavelli’s brows furrowed.

  Wait… they’re bringing him back?

  The announcer grinned.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "DREVAN COLE! YOU GOT SWEPT IN THE SEMI-FINALS THANKS TO A CERTAIN ROYAL CHEATER! BUT THIS IS AURACRON PRIME—AND WE LIKE FAIRNESS!"

  The arena screens flickered. A new bracket formed.

  SPECIAL MATCH

  DANI SHAW VS. DREVAN COLE

  ?? Winner Advances to the Finals ??

  The crowd erupted. Dani’s eyes widened. Dreven smirked, rolling his shoulders.

  DREVAN COLE (World Chat): "Guess I’m getting another shot after all."

  Dani exhaled, shaking her head.

  DANI (World Chat): "Guess so."

  The announcer threw his arms up.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "ALRIGHT, FOLKS! WE’RE ABOUT TO SEE AN UNEXPECTED SHOWDOWN! CAN DANI SHAW HOLD ON TO HER SEMI-FINAL SPOT—OR WILL DREVAN COLE TAKE IT BACK?"

  The battlefield shifted, forming into an arena of floating platforms, lava rivers, and jagged terrain. Mackiavelli crossed his arms, stepping toward the competitor’s booth. His mind wasn’t on the fight. Instead—His HUD flickered. A notification pulsed.

  [OLYMPUS CODE SCANNER – SCAN RESULTS LOGGED]

  [ANOMALY DETECTED]

  Mackiavelli narrowed his eyes. His scan on Welsby III had flagged something. But before he could investigate— The battle bell rang. DING! Dani and Dreven rushed toward each other—And the semi-finals truly began.

  The moment the bell rang, the stadium held its breath. Dreven Cole wasn’t playing around. The second the fight started, he surged forward like a wrecking ball, the ground beneath him cracking from the sheer force of his charge. Dani barely had time to react.

  DREVAN COLE (World Chat): "Let’s see if you’re really supposed to be here, Shaw!"

  His greatsword swung in a brutal arc, the sheer weight of it howling through the air like a guillotine descending. BOOOOOM! Dani dodged at the last second, the massive blade shattering the platform behind her into molten debris. Heat rippled against her back as flames licked at the edges of the stone.

  DANI (World Chat): "Y’know, for a guy who lost the first time around, you’re really talkin’ a big game!"

  Dreven smirked.

  DREVAN COLE (World Chat): "And for a girl who barely made it here, you’re really wasting your breath!"

  Before she could counter, he kicked off the ground, the force sending chunks of stone flying into the lava below. His greatsword gleamed in the firelight, and then—He vanished. Dani’s stomach dropped.

  Where—?!

  CLANG! Her instincts screamed, and she barely managed to turn her whips in time to parry the incoming strike. Dreven had reappeared directly above her, his greatsword slamming down with the force of a meteor. Her arms buckled. The platform beneath her cracked. Her HUD flickered red—

  WARNING: DEFENSE BREACH.

  The impact sent her flying. Dani flipped mid-air, twisting her body to land on another platform just as Dreven lunged again. He was relentless. She barely had time to blink before he was already in front of her again, bringing his greatsword down in a sweeping arc. BOOOOOM! The entire platform exploded, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. The crowd roared.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "AND JUST LIKE THAT, WE HAVE A WAR ON OUR HANDS! COLE ISN’T HOLDING BACK, AND DANI SHAW IS GONNA HAVE TO PULL OFF SOMETHING SPECIAL IF SHE WANTS TO KEEP HER SEMI-FINAL SPOT!"

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Mackiavelli watched from the competitor’s booth, his eyes narrowing. His HUD pulsed.

  [OLYMPUS CODE SCANNER – ANOMALY DETECTED.]

  [SOURCE: WELSBY III – VOID ENERGY VARIATION.]

  His grip tightened. Dirk Welsby III appeared on the stage from a void portal, arms crossed, watching the fight with a smirk. And every time Dreven moved, something about the void energy surrounding him flickered.

  It wasn’t normal. Mackiavelli’s mind raced. Was Dreven being manipulated? No—this wasn’t hacking. This was something else. Something worse. Meanwhile, Dani hit the ground hard, rolling across the battlefield before slamming her boots down and skidding to a stop.

  Her breath was ragged. Her HUD pulsed red.

  WARNING: HP BELOW 30%

  BYTE (Private Chat): "DUDE, DREVAN CAME BACK ANGRY."

  SHIRO (Private Chat): "Yeah, but she’s still standing."

  Dani wiped a streak of sweat from her brow. Her hands burned, her stamina draining rapidly. Dreven stalked forward, rolling his shoulders like a predator about to strike.

  DREVAN COLE (World Chat): "You gonna stop holding back yet, Shaw?"

  Dani exhaled sharply. And then—She smiled.

  DANI (World Chat): "Who said I was holding back?"

  She snapped her fingers.

  DANI (World Chat): “FLAME IGNITION – LEVEL 3”

  WHOOOOOOOOM! A wave of searing fire erupted beneath her boots, launching her forward like a flaming bullet. Dreven’s eyes widened—Too slow. Dani’s flaming whip lashed out, wrapping around his wrist.

  And with one powerful yank—She flipped him over her shoulder, slamming him into the molten ground. The platform quaked. Dreven grunted, twisting free, but—Dani was already in the air. She raised both hands. Her HUD blared.

  WARNING: STAMINA LOW.

  DANI (World Chat): “EXECUTING—MULTIWEAVE: LIVING FLAME – BLAZE IMPACT.”

  FWOOOOOSH! A spiral of flames encased her form, swirling into one massive inferno. Dreven barely had time to react before—BOOOOOOOOOM!

  The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the battlefield. When the flames cleared—Dreven Cole was motionless. His health bar hit zero.

  SYSTEM MESSAGE: DANI SHAW WINS.

  The crowd went berserk.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "OH MY GOD! I HAVE SEEN SOME FIERY MATCHES IN THIS TOURNAMENT, BUT THAT? THAT WAS AN INFERNO! DANI SHAW TAKES THE WIN!"

  Dani staggered forward, panting. Her hands trembled. But she had won.

  Mackiavelli arrived on the platform with Welsby. He barely heard the cheers. His gaze locked onto Welsby. His HUD pulsed.

  [OLYMPUS CODE SCANNER – FINAL RESULT: ENERGY SIGNATURE MATCH CONFIRMED.]

  [WELSBY III LINKED TO VOID ENERGY DISTORTIONS.]

  Mackiavelli’s blood ran cold. Dirk Welsby III had been cheating this whole time. And now–Mack was gonna fight him, anyway. The announcer’s voice boomed again.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "Are you seeing this? WAIT! HOLD THE COMMERCIALS… LET’S NOT WASTE THIS MOMENT… AND NOW—THE SEMI-FINALS CONTINUE WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE OUR EXTRA SEMI-FINAL MATCH-UP OF THE NIGHT!"

  The crowd erupted. Dirk Welsby III smirked. Mackiavelli cracked his knuckles. Because this wasn’t just a fight anymore, it was justice. DING!

  The stadium pulsed with energy, the sound of thousands of voices roaring through the air like a living beast. The semi-finals had already delivered a spectacular show, but the tension had reached an all-time high.

  Mackiaveli stood tall on his platform, his gaze locked on Dirk Welsby III. Dani Shaw was breathing heavily, recovering from her last clash, while the announcer barely kept up with the sheer chaos that had unfolded. Then, Mack moved. His HUD flickered.

  ADMIN OVERRIDE ACCESS GRANTED.

  RESTRICTION COMMAND AVAILABLE.

  The crowd, the announcer, and the competitors had no idea what was about to happen. Mackiaveli’s fingers hovered over his command console, and he made his decision.

  EXECUTE COMMAND: ELEMENTAL RESTRICTION - DISABLE ALL ELEMENTAL ACCESS.

  Instantly, the air changed. The swirling fire around Dani vanished. The crackling electricity surrounding Kira snapped out of existence. The flickering shadows Dirk had manipulated dispersed into nothing. The battlefield stood silent. For the first time in the tournament, the game had fundamentally changed.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "WHOA WHOA WHOA—WHAT IN THE DIGITAL HELL JUST HAPPENED?! WHERE DID ALL THE ELEMENTS GO?! DID SOMEONE UNPLUG THE SERVER?! I SWEAR, IF THE TECH GUYS JUST DROPPED THE BALL MID-MATCH, I AM GONNA LOSE IT!"

  His voice carried through the entire arena, confusion spreading among the crowd. Thousands of spectators leaned forward in their seats, their HUDs flickering as they tried to make sense of what had just occurred. Then Mack responded in World Chat.

  MACKIAVELI (World Chat): "Looks like we’re gonna have to fight the old-fashioned way."

  Dani’s eyes widened as she flexed her fingers. No flame came forth. No fire answered her call.

  DANI (World Chat): "You gotta be kidding me."

  In the competitor's booth next to Dani and her friends, Kira Tempest looked down at her sword, tapping her fingers against the blade as if trying to spark something.

  KIRA TEMPEST (World Chat): "Well, that’s new."

  But the real reaction came from Dirk.

  DIRK WELSBY III (World Chat): "You cheating coward!"

  Mackiaveli tilted his head, smirking.

  MACKIAVELI (World Chat): "Cheating? Nah. Just leveling the playing field. Or do you need your little void tricks to win?"

  Dirk’s jaw clenched. His elegant demeanor cracked for the first time. He needed those abilities. His entire strategy revolved around using them. Without his elemental advantage, he was just another fencer.

  DIRK WELSBY III (World Chat): "You have no authority to—"

  Mack held up his hand, and his HUD flashed again.

  ADMIN RESTRICTION - CONFIRMED.

  MACKIAVELI (World Chat): "Actually, I do."

  The crowd lost their minds. In the competitor’s booth, Hexa practically threw her drink against the glass.

  HEXA (Private Chat): "WHAT THE HELL DID HE JUST DO?!"

  SHIRO (Private Chat): "I… I think he just admin-banned all elemental access. Like, all of it."

  BYTE (Private Chat): "Wait, wait, wait, hold up. You’re telling me Mack just—just hard-disabled an entire system feature of the game?! And nobody’s stopping him?! HOW?!"

  Vessa, standing slightly apart from the others, had her arms crossed, watching the chaos unfold with a neutral expression.

  VESSA (Private Chat): "He just forced Welsby into a real fight. No void hopping. No strange anomalies. Just skill. And Welsby knows he’s outmatched."

  Dani, still processing, leaned forward against the glass.

  DANI (Private Chat): "…I don’t know whether to be pissed or impressed."

  Shiro shook his head.

  SHIRO (Private Chat): "Knowing you? Probably both."

  Dani smirked.

  DANI (Private Chat): "Yeah. Probably."

  Dirk’s fury was evident. His perfect, polished control was slipping. He was grinding his teeth, gripping his rapier with white-knuckled intensity.

  DIRK WELSBY III (World Chat): "You think this changes anything? You think you’ve won by pulling some admin privilege nonsense?"

  Mack took a step forward.

  MACKIAVELI (World Chat): "Did you forget you were disqualified? Your privileges have been revoked by Auracron Prime. Not just me. Time to fight fair, Dirk."

  And then—The battle resumed. CLASH! Steel Against Steel With no elemental abilities to rely on, the fight became a brutal display of pure skill. Dirk lunged first, his rapier slicing through the air with practiced precision. Mack dodged, barely.

  The audience felt the shift. The match had slowed, but it had not become less intense. If anything, it had become something entirely different—something more visceral. No flashy abilities. No chaotic storms of fire, lightning, or shadows. Just two warriors. And the sound of steel on steel. CLANG! Dirk thrust—Mack parried. CLANG!

  Mack countered—Dirk sidestepped, blade whipping toward Mack’s ribs. Mack barely twisted out of the way, but Dirk’s follow-up came fast. A feint. A second thrust. A shallow cut against Mack’s shoulder. The HUD flashed:

  -5 HP

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "OOOOHHH, BABY, NOW WE’RE SEEING SOMETHING STRAIGHT OUT OF A HISTORICAL DUEL! NO MAGIC! NO CHEATING! JUST SWORD AGAINST SWORD! AND WELSBY III DRAWS FIRST BLOOD!"

  Mack exhaled. The hit was light, but Dirk’s speed was still formidable. Even without his void tricks, he was dangerous. But now? Mack could predict him. Dirk smirked, flicking his rapier to the side.

  DIRK WELSBY III (World Chat): "You made a mistake."

  Mack raised an eyebrow.

  MACKIAVELI (World Chat): "Enlighten me."

  Dirk lunged again, but this time, Mack didn’t dodge. He stepped into the attack, deflecting Dirk’s rapier with the flat of his blade. Dirk’s stance broke for just a moment—And Mack’s short sword found its mark. A deep, clean strike straight across Dirk’s chest.

  -25 HP

  Dirk stumbled. And the stadium erupted. Mack pressed forward, his attacks now relentless. Dirk tried to counter, but Mack was faster. Stronger. Dirk had always relied on his void manipulation to control the battlefield. Now? He was just another swordsman. CLANG! Mack knocked Dirk’s blade aside, stepping in close. One last strike. SLASH! Dirk’s health bar hit zero.

  SYSTEM MESSAGE: MACKIAVELI WINS.

  The crowd exploded.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "AND IT’S OVER! IT’S OVER! MACKIAVELI JUST DISMANTLED DIRK WELSBY III IN A STRAIGHT-UP SWORD DUEL! NO TRICKS, NO ELEMENTS—JUST SKILL! HOLY HELL, WHAT A FIGHT!"

  Dirk stood frozen. His avatar flickered, the defeat sinking in. And Mackiaveli? He simply sheathed his blade. Then, without another word, he logged out. Silence.

  Hexa, Byte, and Shiro all exchanged glances.

  BYTE (Private Chat): "…Did he just drop the mic on Welsby?"

  HEXA (Private Chat): "Yeah. Yeah, he did."

  Vessa chuckled.

  VESSA (Private Chat): "Smart move. Let Welsby stew in that loss."

  Dani, still watching the screen where Mack’s avatar had vanished, exhaled deeply.

  DANI (Private Chat): "He just made sure Dirk won’t ever forget that loss."

  Shiro smirked.

  SHIRO (Private Chat): "And he left before Welsby could try to talk his way out of it."

  The stadium was still buzzing.

  ANNOUNCER (Voice Chat): "WELL, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT I NEED A DRINK AFTER THAT. SO LET’S ALL TAKE A DEEP BREATH, SHAKE IT OFF, AND GET READY FOR THE FINALS!"

  The screen faded. And for the first time that night, Dirk Welsby III was truly silent.

  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.

  Oh yeah! I don't promote this as much but . Someone has my handle so it's different over there. Part of the reason I don't promote it as much and launch everything except the on Royal Road. Oh did I forget to mention that part. That's right! I am writing some over on Inkitt. Another test to see what readers like.

  Let me know what you think. TTFN! Ciao!