Fade closed his eyes. After three grueling rounds, his mind was still sharp, his spirit still resilient. But now he knew it was no joke. Each round was just getting deadlier. That’s why he carefully reviewed the new awards he received.
[Current Stat Score: 4]
[Current Skill Score: 4]
Fade exhaled slowly.
"Speed is my shield..." but now a bit more intelligence is needed."
2 Agility
2 Intelligence
[Current Stats]
• Strength: 18
• Agility: 24
• Intelligence: 11
• Skill Score: 4
• Health: 125
Then he reviewed the new skill:
[Unreflectable Move] – Ensures the first attack is irreflected (Passive)
1 Skill Point for Activation
Fade activated the skill.
[Passive Skill Acquired: Unreflectable Move]
Remaining Skill Points: 3
Fade lifted his head. The new symbols drawn on the stone floor of the arena began to glow. The door to the fourth round rose in the darkness. This ti, it wasn’t just one person entering the arena... it was a duo...!
Fade took a step back.
At the sa ti, two different energy fields entered the arena. One was short, fast, and agile; the other was heavily armored and silent. As they erged from the shadows, the system windows appeared:
[Opponents Determined]
Twin Executioners: Lir and Varn
Level: 7 (Shared)
Attack Type: Combined
Features:
• [Synchronized Attack] – They attack from two different angles at the sa ti.
• [Twin Bond] – When one takes damage, the other feels 50% of it
• [Bloodlust] – When their health drops below 50%, their attacks speed up by 20%
Fade went through it:
"This... teamwork." If I stay alone, I’ll lose.
The stones in the arena have ward up. The air trembled.
Lir made the first move — a strike with a short knife from below. Fade dodged but at that mont, Varn’s hamr ca down from above. He swung the Shadow Chain, creating a gap between the two of them.
ZINC—CRACK!
[Varn -9 HP]
[Lir -4 HP] (Twin Bond effect)
But the attack hadn’t disrupted their rhythm. They were spinning around Fade as if dancing. Lir was attacking, Varn was defending.
Fade gathered his thoughts. He needed to set priorities.
"Lir... the fast one." First, I need to slow him down, or I won’t find an opening.
Fade activated the "Unreflectable Move" passive and launched the Shadow Chain directly at Lir.
ZINC—ZAAAAP!
[Lir -14 HP]
[Varn -7 HP] (Twin Bond)
[Bloodlust activated: Enemies’ attack speed increased by 20%]
Suddenly, the pace of the attacks increased wildly. Fade jumped over Lir, wrapping the chain around Varn’s ankle.
THROWN TO THE GROUND!
Lir was pushed back. Fade gained a second, but his body was shaken.
[Health: -16 HP]
[Health: 109 / 125]
"If I use the chain well... I can control both at the sa ti."
Fade used the Quick Strike ability one last ti. Three hits:
• On Lir’s shoulder
• To Varn’s knee
• And the final blow, between two opponents with a chain
[Lir -12 HP] | [Varn -6 HP]
[Varn -11 HP] | [Lir -5 HP]
The twins’ eyes went blank. They beca unbalanced. The Shadow Chain danced in the air for the last ti.
ZINC—SHUNK.
Both of them fell to the ground... in sync.
[Opponents KILLED]
185 Experience Points
This ti, two different beams of light rose from the arena’s floor. Fade knelt down, and the sky seed to crack. A whisper was heard:
"You have already broken the dualities..." Now prepare to face the duality inside yourself.
[4. TOUR COMPLETED]
Award Won:
• 5 Stat Points
• 3 Skill Points
• [Qualified Shield Piece] (3/3 – Shadow Guardian Shield can be created)
• [Skill: Shadow Reflection] – Reflect a physical attack. (Active, 2 turn cooldown)
Fade closed his eyes. The silhouette of the shield took shape in his hands. He was no longer just an attacker... he was a warrior who could defend as well.
But before the next door opened... a voice echoed from within:
"Fifth round... it will put you against yourself."
When it was ready, the door to the fifth round would open. But now Fade was no longer just carrying the chains of shadows. He was holding his own destiny as well.
Fade, without even taking a breath, the arena lights turn off. The award screens pass away before your eyes without shining.
A shadow... followed by the sound of a second step.
A silhouette appears in front of him. Sa height. The sa outfit. The sa weapon... the sa look.
[Opponent Determined]
Fade (Shadow)
Level: 8
Stats: Exactly the sa as yours
Skill Set: The sa as yours
Style: Adaptive – learns the tactics you use and uses them against you.
Advantage: First move right
System ssage: "Who cannot conquer himself... will never conquer others."
Fade reflexively pulled back. But at the sa ti, Fade (Shadow) made the sa move. The Shadow Chain was swung:
ZINC—!
The Shadow Chain hit each other in the air. Both chains recoiled. Fade was surprised. The shadow smiled.
"I know every move you make." Because I am... you.
Fade launched an attack. Unreflectable Move Quick Strike combo! But...
The Shadow had also perford an Unreflectable Move Quick Strike at the sa ti.
CLASH—!
Two attacks canceled each other out.
Fade jumped back. He wrapped the chain around his left hand.
But what was going through him was not just a physical battle. He had to face his dark side:
What was my weakness? When did I co close to giving up? Which fear has chained ?
Fade closed his eyes... then opened them.
This ti, he didn’t throw the chain. He let go.
Fade (Shadow) didn’t understand. He lifted the chain, swung it... but missed. Fade had already moved.
Fade had already morized the rhythm of the Shadow. Because he had co up with that tactic himself in the past. And now he was changing it.
Fade made a fist with his right hand. For the first ti, he turned to martial arts instead of chains.
[Improvisation Skill Developed: Shadow Distortion]
You counter an enemy imitating your move by disrupting it with a new variation.
Fade crouched down, locking his opponent’s chain with his own ankle. At the sa ti, he kicked under his knee.
[Shadow -18 HP]
First clear damage. The shadow staggered. He mumbled with a single sentence:
"This... is new." This isn’t .
Fade replied:
"I’m not anymore." I ca to leave the old here.
The war got more intense. The Shadow’s chain was no longer working in perfect harmony. Fade activated the Shadow Reflection ability.
Shadow tried to make a Quick Shot...
He reflected a fade!
[Shadow -27 HP]
He delivered the final blow without chains. Only with bare hands... and willpower.
[Fade (Shadow) DEFEATED]
The shadows disperse. The voice echoes:
"You have conquered the darkness." The shadow no longer belongs to you... you belong to the shadow.
[FINAL TOUR COMPLETED]
Awards
• 10 Stat Points
• 5 Skill Points
• [Title Earned: Shadow Slayer]
• [Legendary Skill: Dark Form] – For 3 turns, your stats increase by 50%, and you can summon shadows (one-ti use)
As Fade left the arena, the sun had risen. He was no longer just a survivor; he was a transcended warrior.
Fade looked at the reward screen that followed the final battle. What he felt as he breathed was not tiredness — it was the feeling of satisfaction.
Stat Update:
• Strength 3
• Agility 2
• Intuition 2
• ntal Resilience 3
Skill Update:
• Unreflectable Move (II)
• Shadow Ruin (I)
• Dark Form (Single-use, legendary)
• Adaptive Reflex (Passive – opponent’s style recognition ti is reduced by 50%)
After Fade adjusted the reward screen and stats, his vision suddenly beca blurry, and his body pixelated into thin air...
He imdiately recognized this feeling he was already familiar with, its teleporting.
"Let’s see where we’re going this ti..."
Fade teleported to the first coliseum area, where Diablo was located.
But... there was sothing strange.
That place...
Normally a place filled with chaos, echoing with screams, overflowing with the buzz of humans and guides...
It was quiet.
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