I stepped forward into the crowd. My wound from earlier was gone, and my HP on my Player Status was now full. I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. The other three people—who I didn't recognize—also walked forward to the center, their eyes scanning the arena just like mine.
"Malachi Paisley?" a gentle voice called.
I turned and saw a young lady with blue eyes and sky-blue hair. Around her neck hung a pendant with a small clam.
"I'm Dahlia Flamel," she said with a warm smile, holding out her hand.
I shook it firmly. "Good luck to both of us," I said, trying to sound confident even though my heart was racing.
"Attention, everyone!" Dr. Merlin's voice boomed across the arena. "Team 1 will take their position on the right side of the arena, and Team 2 will stand on the left side. Please go to your spot."
We quickly made our way to our assigned spot.
The ground beneath our feet was marked by a bold white line.
"Don't worry. When you take part in Matches, Battles, or Challenges in the Arena, your real HP won't go down, and you won't get hurt for real. Instead, you'll fight using a Safe Player Status that shows your health during the battle," Dr. Merlin explained, his voice firm but reassuring.
I listened closely, feeling a little more confident. But when I looked back at our opponents, my excitement returned along with the nerves. Their eyes were sharp, their stances ready, and I could tell they were already thinking about their first move.
"On the count of three!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the high stone walls of the arena.
I took a deep breath and gripped my spear tightly in my hand.
"What is your beast?" I asked.
"An Orca beast," she replied.
Our conversation was interrupted when Dr. Merlin began counting.
"1… 2… 3… GO!"
The NPCs roared to life, and the Challenge had begun.
[HP Restored to Full!]
Malachi Paisley [Lvl. 8]
HP: 500 / 500
Mana: 500 / 500
EXP: 0 / 100
I checked my Player Status again. My HP had returned to full.
Dahlia and I both started running toward the center of the arena, our footsteps pounding hard against the ground. On the opposite side, our opponents sprinted forward too, their eyes locked on the green flag waiting in the middle.
Suddenly, Dahlia raised her hand and called out, "Come to me, Orcarius!"
Tiny water droplets danced around her fingers, twisting and spinning in the air. They swirled together, forming a streak of bright blue light. In an instant, the light materialized into a trident, glowing softly as it hovered before landing in her hand.
I stared, wide-eyed. The trident looked majestic, elegant, and powerful.
Dahlia extended her other hand and called out, "Amplifying Pearl!"
A small clam, white with a faint pink glow, floated up and slowly opened its shell. Inside was a glowing pearl, hovering in the air as if it had a life of its own.
"Swallow this," Dahlia said, holding the pearl out to me. "It will give you a boost."
Without hesitation, I grabbed the pearl and swallowed it. Almost immediately, a strange warmth spread through my body. It felt like something powerful was waking up inside me, making me stronger and faster.
[Stats increased!]
Strength ↑
Speed ↑
Agility ↑
Flexibility ↑
I glanced at their Player Status and realized we were all at the same level.
At the same time, our opponents began to summon their weapons. Clifton flexed both his hands, and suddenly, his Green Serpent coiled tightly around his body. Its head fused with his hands, transforming into a pair of serpent-shaped gauntlets. The fanged maws gleamed sharply, ready to bite.
Beside him, Raven called out to her beast. A medium-sized Butterfly shimmered in the air, its wings sparkling. Suddenly, its body dissolved into a swirl of glowing particles, leaving only the wings. They twisted and spiraled around each other, spinning in perfect harmony before folding into two sharp-edged fans that hovered and danced in the air. They were decorated with purple and blue patterns resembling butterfly wings. The fans spun slowly in her hands, glowing faintly as if alive and waiting for her command.
We reached the center of the arena, facing each other. My heart pounded with anticipation.
Then, Raven leapt high into the air and hurled her spinning dual fans straight at me.
"Butterfly Dance!" she shouted.
I raised my spear and swung, but the fans whirled and curved away, dodging every strike as though they were dancing in midair. Their unpredictable movement forced me to stop, trapped in place. Meanwhile, Clifton crept closer to the flag, stretching his hand toward it.
"Aqua Sphere!" Dahlia's voice rang out.
She spun her trident, water trailing from its tip, and then conjured a ball of water before slamming it into the ground in front of Clifton. The water didn't strike him directly, but its force sent him stumbling backward.
Splash!
The water sphere exploded upward, bursting into a medium-sized wave that sent Clifton tumbling backward. He hit the ground, coughing and scrambling as water sprayed across the ground.
I was still locked in combat with the stubborn fans, dodging and striking, but they moved so quickly and gracefully that it was almost impossible to hit them.
Meanwhile, Dahlia rushed forward, her trident glowing, and managed to snatch the flag.
Dr. Merlin's voice rang out on the large screen across the arena, cutting through the noise of the crowd. It sounded as if he were enjoying watching us fight each other.
"Team 1 has captured the green flag!" he announced proudly.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, the excitement in the air growing even stronger.
That's when I looked back at our opponents.
Suddenly, the dual fans flew back toward Raven, spinning fast through the air. They landed in her hands, and she swung her body gracefully midair as the fans transformed into butterfly wings of iridescent purple and blue, spreading out in a shimmering display. Raven floated higher, her eyes glowing as she prepared to strike from above.
Now Raven was chasing Dahlia high in the air, her shimmering butterfly wings beating steadily as she hovered above the ground. I was ready to charge straight at Raven to stop her, but suddenly Clifton stepped in front of me, blocking my path with his serpent gauntlets, their fangs sharp and menacing.
We locked eyes, and the tension between us grew.
I raised my spear and swung it toward him, but Clifton was quick—his movements smooth and snake-like as he dodged the attack with ease.
Whoosh!
I swung again, hoping to catch him off guard. But just as I attacked, Clifton split his legs wide and dropped low, sliding beneath my strike with incredible speed.
"Viper Sting!" he shouted, seizing the moment.
His right arm stretched longer, twisting and snapping like a viper's fangs. The serpent-shaped gauntlet on his hand lunged toward me as he tried to bite my body. I barely managed to react in time. Spinning my spear in a spiral motion, I deflected his attack and stepped back to adjust the distance.
The strange warmth inside me—the boost from Dahlia's pearl—gave me the strength and speed I needed to hold him off.
"Nice move there," Clifton said with a grin, clearly impressed by my defense.
We were suddenly disturbed by a strong gust of wind. It was Raven, using her butterfly wings to conjure many fan-shaped winds to attack Dahlia.
Without thinking, I ran to Dahlia's side to help her.
But Clifton was right behind me, chasing fast. Thanks to the boost from Dahlia's Amplifying Pearl, I felt a rush of adrenaline that made me move even faster.
Clifton suddenly wrapped his long serpent arms around me.
I tried to swing my spear to break free, but his serpent arm squeezed tighter and tighter.
"Agghhh!" I groaned, struggling against his grip.
"You have nowhere to run. I am your opponent, remember?" Clifton said with a confident smirk.
Clifton's gauntlets allow him to stretch his serpent arms without consuming Mana. I thought it was part of his skill, but he can stretch his serpent arm freely whenever he wants.
I knew it was time to use some of my own skills.
"Phoenix Flare!" I shouted, releasing my power.
Suddenly, my entire body burst into flames. The fire blazed brightly and fiercely, burning with the force of a roaring inferno. Heat and light surged outward, pressing against Clifton's serpent arm until he hissed in pain and loosened his grip.
[-10]
The damage was small because I hadn't struck his body fully. Seizing the chance, I wrenched myself free. My spear, wreathed in fire, blazed hotter as I swung it upward. The flaming tip erupted, sending fire crashing into Clifton.
[-70]
Clifton Badger [Lvl. 8]
HP: 420 / 500
Mana: 420 / 500
EXP: 0 / 100
I could clearly see his HP drop in the Player Status—and that sight fueled me with determination.
The cheering of the crowd erupted all around us, filling the arena with loud applause and excited shouts.
"What a fiery display!" Dr. Merlin exclaimed again on the large screen, his voice booming over the noise.
"But don't worry," he added quickly, "your real HP wasn't affected in this battle."
With Clifton still lying on the ground, I didn't waste a second. I ran as fast as I could to Dahlia's side, ready to support her.
As I caught my breath, I glanced up at Raven floating gracefully in the air with her shimmering wings. A pang of envy hit me. How could she have wings like that when we're just low levels, and I don't? I thought to myself. I can unlock my Flame Wings at Level 40. This is unfair.
The thought made my heart pound harder—not with fear, but with determination. I wanted to get stronger, to catch up, and maybe one day, I'd have powers just as amazing.