Ethan Gray materialized in the Combat Arena alongside his four teammates. Across the misty town square stood their five opponents.

  “Ethan!” A stocky, middle-aged man grinned.

  “Master Dexter,” Ethan greeted respectfully. Dexter Blades—the Twin Blades Master—was a senior disciple of Vincent Hale’s lineage.

  “What a lineup!” Marcus Quinn (“Panda”) chuckled, his jovial demeanor contrasting his lethal reputation. “Dexter and Ethan, seasoned warriors. Kane, two-division boxing champ. And Eliza—” He gestured to the archer. “Our Marksman.”

  Eliza Sharpe nodded curtly.

  Kane, a hulking figure with twin shields, grinned. “Never fought in this style before. I’ll tank the frontlines.”

  Marcus twirled his three-pronged glaive. “I’ll handle crowd control. Ethan, you and Kane shield Eliza.”

  “Spear and shields,” Ethan confirmed.

  “Bow,” Eliza said.

  “Perfect.” Marcus rubbed his hands. “With two shield-bearers, we’ll counter Titan’s brute force.”

  The team tensed at the mention of Titan—a former World Combat Championship titlist.

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  “Select your weapons sequentially,” the system announced.

  Kane stepped forward. “Twin shields. Full armor.”

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  “Kane’s chosen heavy defense!” Host Lena Liu exclaimed. “Titan, meanwhile, opted for 300kg armor. His Bear Evolution physique is terrifying!”

  Coach Huang Yong added, “Titan’s raw power dominated the 22nd Championship. With the Miao blade expert Luna Dancer and the enigmatic Gale on their side, Team Left’s strategy hinges on overwhelming force.”

  Coach Qin Yiwen countered, “But Team Right has The Marksman. Ethan and Kane’s shields will let her unleash hell.”

  Ancient Town – Drizzling Rain

  Ethan crept through the alley behind a tavern, spear in hand, shields strapped to his back. Rain pattered against his crimson armor.

  “Regroup at the plaza,” Marcus ordered via comms. “Protect Eliza. Dexter, flank freely.”

  “Copy.” Dexter Blades vanished into the mist, twin blades glinting.

  Meanwhile, Team Left mobilized.

  “Raven, Victoria—form up with me,” Titan rumbled. “Luna, Gale—hunt the Marksman.”

  Luna Dancer scaled a rooftop, her Miao Dao (Chinese Long Saber) whispering against the tiles. Gale, the 97-year-old phantom, melted into the shadows.

  Livestream Commentary

  “Gale’s movements are unreal!” Huang Yong gasped as the old man darted through the alleys. “He’s closing in on Ethan!”

  Ethan froze, sensing danger. A creak echoed from a nearby inn.

  Gale peered through a window, spotting Ethan below.

  “Ethan’s exposed!” Lena shouted. “Gale’s about to strike!”

  Ethan’s Perspective

  Rain dripped from Ethan’s visor. His instincts screamed.

  Left!

  He spun, shields slamming together as Gale’s sword screeched against them. The impact rattled his bones.

  Gale flipped back, landing light as a cat. “Not bad, kid.”

  Ethan tightened his grip. This old man’s speed… it’s beyond human.