Nina returned to the hall.
Her emotions were a mix of excitement and relief.
She had been worried about how to explain her origins and identity. After all, it could potentially bring trouble—or even danger—to Miracle City. What if… the Lord decided to expel her because of it?
Although, based on her understanding of him, Nina felt the chances were low, uncertainty still lingered. The fear of loss and rejection had weighed heavily on her heart.
Now, she finally felt at ease.
She was certain she had found a wise and benevolent Lord.
She would devote herself wholeheartedly to helping Miracle City become the strongest Underground City!
Just then, Miracle City's gates opened.
Like a zombie outbreak bursting loose, more than 1,700 Adventurers flooded into the hall.
"Ahhhh!"
"Tidal Secret Realm! Tidal Secret Realm!"
"I can't wait another second!"
The frenzy was familiar—like starving people charging into a buffet after seven days without food. Nina was an Adventurer herself, so she completely understood their excitement.
Not long after, she locked onto a Tidal Secret Realm crystal.
At that moment, she received invitations from Kitty Meow and the others.
Kitty Meow: "Nina, the new mode just opened. Want to try it together?"
Nina: "Sure!"
She activated the crystal.
She selected Doomsday Frenzy – Tidal Secret Realm, then chose the newly added Arena Mode.
She appeared inside a modern facility that matched the apocalyptic setting. There was a living area, a data room, and an armory. Since it was her first login, the large screen automatically displayed an introduction to Arena Mode.
Arena Mode, as the name suggested, focused on Adventurer-versus-Adventurer combat.
Deaths were instantly reset and did not consume stamina, but the system drained one stamina point every thirty minutes instead—meaning dying a hundred times didn't matter. Time spent was the real cost.
Just as Story Mode had chapters and Stage Mode had levels, Arena Mode also featured multiple competitive formats: Team, Bomb, Bio, Ghost, Survival, Battlefield, Battle Royale, and more.
Currently, only Team, Bomb, and Bio modes were available.
"Interesting," Nina murmured.
"As expected—completely different!"
She checked her Arena inventory.
Each Adventurer had separate assets within Arena Mode. These virtual items were permanently recorded by the Adventurers' Guild, allowing players to expand their arsenals and characters within the simulation.
She started with:
Primary weapons: M4A1 Rifle, MP5 Submachine Gun
Secondary weapon: M9 Pistol
Melee weapon: Combat Knife
Throwable items: grenades, smoke bombs, flashbangs
That was enough for basic gameplay, but the Arena Shop offered over a hundred weapons and more than a dozen characters. Some could be purchased with Arena Points, while others required Contribution Points.
Arena Points could only be earned through victories—and in limited amounts.
In other words, if someone wanted to quickly unlock a wide arsenal, they'd have to spend precious Miracle City Contribution Points.
Would people really do that?
Just to buy virtual weapons usable only in the Tidal Secret Realm?
Before she could think further—
[Adventurer "Kitty Meow" has sent you a friend request!]
[Adventurer "Moonlight Snow" has sent you a friend request!]
[Adventurer "White Fawn" has sent you a friend request!]
[…]
After adding them, voice chat activated.
Moonlight Snow: "Everyone ready?"
Nina: "Ready!"
Kitty Meow: "Same!"
White Fawn: "Perfect—five of us makes a team!"
Pear Blossom Rain: "Bomb, Team, or Bio?"
Moonlight Snow: "Bio is probably zombies again. Let's start with something simpler—Team mode!"
"Agreed!"
They randomly selected a map called Transport Ship.
Matching completed in one second.
Another five-person team loaded in.
They were: Rock Hammer, Piggy, Blaze Chicken, Lone Wolf, and Arno.
Rock Hammer: "Hahaha! A full 5v5!"
Piggy: "Even if the other side's all cute girls, we're not holding back!"
Kitty Meow: "Hmph. Worry about yourselves."
Arno: "Nina, you're here too?"
Nina: "Careful—bullets don't discriminate. I won't go easy either."
Blaze Chicken: "My gun's already thirsty. Today I'll show you the true Gun King of Miracle City!"
Lone Wolf: "Start already, start already!"
The countdown ended.
Both teams spawned.
Nina found herself in the cargo hold of a massive freighter.
The ship sailed alone across the open ocean, its vast deck filled with stacked containers and crates. Waves crashed outside, engines roared below—it felt isolated, tense, and perfect for close-quarters combat.
"It's starting!"
"Come watch!"
As the first group to experience Arena Mode, many curious Adventurers gathered near the Tidal Secret Realm crystals to spectate.
Team assignments:
Protectors: Kitty Meow, White Fawn, Pear Blossom Rain, Moonlight Snow, Nina
Stalkers: Rock Hammer, Piggy, Blaze Chicken, Lone Wolf, Arno
Perfect symmetry.
The ten players deployed onto the Transport Ship arena.
This map was legendary.
A classic FPS battlefield—minimalist, symmetrical, and brutally efficient. Containers and crates lined the deck, creating narrow firing lanes and tactical choke points. New players could jump in instantly, while veterans could master advanced positioning, angles, and timing.
Qi Ji had recreated the map almost perfectly, only scaling it slightly larger for realism and smoother movement.
Moonlight Snow: "Nina, Rain, Fawn—push the right lane. Kitty and I hold the left."
"Charge!"
Nina rushed out of the ship's cabin with her M4A1, advancing along the right side with Pear Blossom Rain and White Fawn, hoping to ambush the enemy near their cover.
Suddenly—gunfire erupted ahead.
White Fawn didn't even see the enemy.
Several bullets struck her, and her head snapped back as blood sprayed.
[Rock Hammer killed White Fawn!]
Nina's face changed. "Not good—take cover! They pushed forward faster than us!"
The two dove behind a cargo container. Bullets slammed into the steel, sparks flying everywhere, forcing them to keep their heads down.
"There are at least three enemies across from us!"
"This won't work!"
Nina pulled out a grenade, yanked the pin, and hurled it blindly toward the gunfire.
Boom!
[Nina killed Arno!]
"Huh?"
She'd only been trying her luck.
Before she could celebrate, two grenades flew back their way.
"Down!"
Boom!
Her ears rang.
The second grenade was smoke, flooding the area with thick white fog.
Nina felt stinging cuts across her face, hands, and thighs—shrapnel wounds—but she could still move. Pear Blossom Rain wasn't so lucky. Several fragments were embedded in her body, blood soaking through her clothes.
"Don't panic—I'll draw fire!"
Rain knew she wouldn't survive long in this condition. Instead of retreating, she rushed out from the side of the container with her MP5, firing wildly.
Before she could land more than a few shots, she was cut down by concentrated fire.
[Blaze Chicken killed Pear Blossom Rain!]
"Rain!"
Nina's grief turned instantly into fury.
She burst from the opposite side of the container and spotted Rock Hammer and Blaze Chicken reloading behind cover.
"Now!"
She squeezed the trigger.
Rock Hammer fell instantly.
Blaze Chicken reacted fast, dropping his rifle and pulling his pistol, firing back.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets whistled through the air.
Nina was hit in the shoulder and thigh—but neither wound was fatal.
Blaze Chicken wasn't as lucky.
Three bullets struck him, one square in the forehead.
[Nina killed Blaze Chicken!]
[Nina achieved a triple kill!]
Success!
Despite her injuries, Nina felt exhilarated.
So thrilling.
So intense.
So satisfying!
In Arena Mode, enemies weren't mindless zombies—they were real Adventurers who thought, planned, adapted, and fought back. The tension and excitement were on an entirely different level.
Fast-paced, tactical gunfights like this didn't exist in other Underground Cities. Only Miracle City could offer something so fresh and electrifying!
Just then, Piggy and Lone Wolf rushed in.
With her leg injured, Nina couldn't retreat in time. She was riddled with bullets and fell instantly.
But Piggy and Lone Wolf didn't have time to celebrate.
Moonlight Snow and Kitty Meow had flanked them.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Another firefight erupted.
Piggy and Lone Wolf fought desperately.
Kitty Meow killed Lone Wolf, was then killed by Piggy, and finally Piggy was taken down by Moonlight Snow.
Ten seconds later, Rock Hammer respawned.
Scoreboards lit up at both team bases.
Current Score: 4 – 5
The Kitty Fawn Rain Snow Squad led by one point.
Rock Hammer frowned. "We were careless."
Blaze Chicken grinned. "Those girls are sneaky. We need new tactics."
Lone Wolf said grimly, "They've already pushed into our zone. If this continues, we'll be pinned down."
"Stay calm," Rock Hammer said. "Blaze, Arno—you two hold the front. The rest of us flank through the pipes and hit them from behind."
"Got it!"
Over the next ten minutes, both teams clashed repeatedly across the narrow deck.
They adjusted tactics constantly—ambushes, grenade traps, coordinated pushes, sudden flanks. Every exchange was intense, competitive, and thrilling.
The watching Adventurers were captivated.
"This is insane!"
"So gunfights can be this fun?"
"I thought only swords and fists were real combat."
"Looks like I was wrong—this is the real romance: guns, fire, and explosions!"
"Marksmanship is also a path!"
"…."
With the fifteen-minute time limit approaching, the scores remained neck and neck.
Then, in the final moments—
Rock Hammer's coordination paid off.
The Hammer Pig Chicken Wolf Squad launched a flawless comeback, wiping out their opponents in a stunning final push.
Final Score: 50 – 48
Victory by just two points.
[Battle End!]
[You have won this competition!]
[You have gained 10 Arena Points and obtained the "M16 Assault Rifle"!]
"Yes!"
"Hahaha!"
"We won!"
Rock Hammer was stunned. "I actually got an M16!"
Other Adventurers were surprised. The M16 had already been unlocked in Miracle City, but its drop rate was still low. Getting one from the first Arena match was impressive.
Did conventional firearms have higher drop chances in Arena Mode?
If so, this mode would be extremely valuable—after all, firearms were Miracle City's signature weapons!
The Hammer Squad cheered wildly.
The Kitty Squad clenched their fists, unwilling to accept defeat.
Kitty Meow shouted, "I'm not convinced! We were about to win—just one mistake at the end! Dare to go again?"
Piggy laughed. "Of course!"
Blaze Chicken cracked his knuckles. "This time, we'll crush you."
One stamina point allowed for two Team Mode matches.
The two squads dove straight back into battle.
Gunfire erupted again on the transport ship, drawing cheers and applause from the surrounding Adventurers.
White Crane and Three Bamboo were also watching.
Three Bamboo asked, "What do you think of Arena Mode?"
White Crane sighed. "Another masterpiece. This gameplay's lifespan might even surpass dungeons and story modes."
"Really?"
"Story and dungeon content is pre-built," White Crane said. "But competitive modes let Adventurers create their own experiences. Every match is different. Every fight feels fresh."
He continued, "This is a true design breakthrough."
Wind in Sleep added, "But arena-type secret realms exist in other Underground Cities too. Why does Miracle City's feel so much better?"
"Because only Miracle City balances fairness and fun."
White Crane explained, "Other arenas can't maintain perfect balance—or they lose excitement. Using normal people makes combat dull. Using special characters breaks balance because materials are limited."
"It's an impossible problem."
He paused, then smiled.
"But Miracle City solved it."
"Lord Qi used well-trained ordinary people as templates."
"They aren't special individually—but with firearms, clever map design, and engaging mechanics, the gameplay becomes tactical, intense, and endlessly fun."
"That's why this competitive mode will succeed."
"I believe gunfighting will become one of Miracle City's defining features—and this gameplay will flourish for a very long time."
Everyone nodded in admiration.
There was nothing else to say.
Lord Qi truly was a genius.
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