Sora took a deep breath, steeling his nerves. "I accept your challenge," he said, his voice carrying across the gathered captains. "But let me make a request. If I lose today, I’ll want a rematch in three days, before the war resumes."
A murmur of surprise spread through the crowd. A level 62 challenging a level 95 player and claiming he could surpass them him in just three days? It sounded like arrogance, or maybe just ignorance. The captains exchanged glances, wondering whether Sora was bold or simply delusional.
But Richard wasn’t laughing. He had seen that look in Sora’s eyes before. It was the same look he had worn when he was 13 years old, telling his parents and friends he would be the strongest player in their city. He had been mocked, dismissed as a kid with impossible goals, but he had fought and clawed his way to the top of Europe. Now, as he stood before this man with that same fire in his eyes, Richard couldn’t bring himself to mock him.
He nodded slowly. "Alright," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "When I win, there’ll be a rematch in three days. And I’ll win again."
There was no doubt in Richard’s mind. He was a genius who had fought above his level many times, but the gap between him and Sora was immense. Level suppression was crushing, and the difference in their strength was too great for Sora to overcome in just three days. Still, Richard respected the ambition he saw in Sora.
The crowd parted, creating a circle around the two. Sora prepared himself mentally, knowing this would be one of the toughest battles he had ever faced.
[You have accepted the duel against Player Richard Dosse.
Win Reward : 1780 RP
Loss Penalty RP Deduction: - 15 RP.
Current RP : 500 RP (0 win, 0 loss)]
Sora had used the dueling system. With his identity change, all that history had been wiped clean.
He knew how the Ranking Points worked. Even players with a huge level gap could challenge each other, with the weaker one earning massive points if they managed to win. Makes sense, in theory... Sora mused. But it was also easy to abuse. Players cheated the system to rack up points. Not that it matters much. Everyone knows RP isn’t really worth anything, as it couldn’t be used to do anything but show off.
As Sora and Richard stepped into the arena, a magical barrier flickered to life around them, forming a sacred duel ring. The shining dome sealed them in, ensuring that no damage would fall on spectators. The rules of the New World applied here—once the fight was over, both participants would be restored to full health, as if the battle had never happened.
A flag appeared between them, hovering above the leveled ground of the arena, signaling the start of the duel. The circular space allowed them to move freely, no obstacles in sight, just the wide, flat battlefield. Above them, a countdown shimmered in the sky, each number ticking down as the tension mounted.
Sora’s heart raced as he fully buffed himself. His body was humming with power, muscles coiled like springs, ready to unleash everything he had. He knew this fight would be difficult. Richard was leagues ahead in level, strength, and experience. But Sora thought ’I have survived every challenge before... Well maybe not..’
[Duel is about to start]
Three... Two... One.
The flag shot upward, disappearing into the sky. The duel had begun.
Without wasting a second, Sora summoned his staff and infused it with mana. The legendary staff crackled with energy, glowing as it lengthened and hardened. He would have to strike from a distance first, testing the waters, looking for any opening he could exploit.
As Sora lay on the ground, his body slowly healing from the effects of the magical arena, a sharp chime echoed in his mind—a notification. His heart sank as the system message appeared in front of him, its cold, neutral tone mocking the depth of his failure.
[Duel Lost]
[You have lost the duel against Player Richard Dosse. RP Deduction: -15 RP.]
The words burned into his mind, each line a harsh reminder of what had just happened.
Sora stared at the notification, the weight of it pressing down on his chest. The fight had ended, but the defeat lingered. He had fought battles where the odds were against him before—he had often been the underdog, the one who had to fight harder, push further since his reset. But this time was different. This time, he hadn’t even come close.
Around him, the captains and vice-captains walked away, their voices drifting through the air as they spoke to one another.
"He didn’t stand a chance."
"He only lost 15 RP ? How low was his arena rank ? Probably didn’t duel much in the past."
"All that talking and 0 damage done to Richard. I didn’t expect much, but I’m still disappointed"
The comments cut deeper than any wound Richard had inflicted. The mockery, the disappointment—they hurt, but what hurt the most was how real they were. For once, they weren’t just doubting him; they were right. He had thought he could at least hold his own, but he hadn’t stood a chance.
Lying there, Sora felt a knot tightening in his chest. He had grown so used to winning lately, to defying expectations, that this loss—this crushing, undeniable defeat—felt like a blow to everything he had built. He had been considered a genius lately and he almost got used to people admiring his strength, to surprise everyone in assessments. But not today.
The healing magic of the arena continued to work, soothing the physical wounds. ’It is like that day... My death in the level 80 zone back when I was a Mana Amplifier..’ He thought back to that fateful day when he had died in his second life, crushed by the overwhelming power of a beast far beyond his level.
The gap in power between him and Richard was suffocating. His mana shield had shattered like glass, his attacks had been brushed aside, and his body had been battered with ease. Richard had toyed with him, pinching the mana shield like it was a child’s toy before smashing him into the ground.
Sora clenched his fists, for the first time in a long time, he felt small—insignificant in the face of power he couldn’t match.
As the captains’ footsteps faded and their remarks became a distant hum, Sora lay there, staring up at the sky. He had always been willing to push through before, but now... he didn’t know. He had been soaring through life ever since he gained his powers, but now it felt like he had crashed to the ground, and he wasn’t sure how—or if—he could pick himself back up.
He wanted to scream, to push the pain away, but instead, he lay there, letting the world continue around him, unmoved by his suffering. The magical healing was complete now. Physically, he was fine, but inside... inside, everything still felt broken.
’How can I face the other captains again ? This is ... humiliating. I don’t want to face them anymore’
His pride, his confidence. It felt like something inside him had cracked, and he wasn’t sure if it would heal as easily as his bones had.
For now, all he could do was lie there, staring at the sky, lost in the echo of defeat.