Lyra logged out of the game to a flurry of notifications. The feedback from her live demonstration in the city square had spread like wildfire across the forums. Posts with titles like “Thunderfire Showcase - Genius or Overhyped?” and “Is Lyra the Future of Skill Merging?” popped up, some praising her innovation, others tearing her apart. The vitriol in some comments stunned her. "Who does she think she is?" one user wrote. "She probably just got lucky."

  Frustrated, she rubbed her temples and sighed. She hadn’t expected to be the center of attention, but here she was, caught in the middle of an online storm. Some players expressed admiration for her creativity and boldness, but others were accusing her of trying to dominate the game’s skill market for personal gain. This was the brutal part of fame she hadn’t anticipated.

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  Logging back into Eldoria, Lyra knew she had a choice: embrace the spotlight or retreat. Her decision was interrupted by a flashing message. A player named Zarek had challenged her to a duel. He had commented on one of the threads earlier, dismissing her demonstration as nothing more than “a parlor trick.” It seemed he was serious about putting her in her place.

  “Fine,” Lyra muttered. If she was going to be called out, she’d meet the challenge head-on.