"The rules of this fight are simple," Pallas said. "You fight until you're dead. That's the fastest way to level up, and a word to the wise, play dirty. This world is a dirty place, so put aside any inhibitions and fight to kill in the fastest way possible, but try using your lowest-level skills as often as you can. This is the time to level them up. You never know when you might need them in the real world. Got it?"

Meera nodded along with Dirik.

"Okay, good. After the first dozen bouts, I'll change the game and dictate which skills you can or cannot use to spice things up. This way, we'll get you ready to fight with a handicap and focus on skills that you don't rely on much." He tapped his chin in contemplation. "Okay, what else…ah right, the goal here is to get Meera to at least level 200 by the end of the day and Dirik to 230."

"Why the low increase for me?" Dirik asked.

"Well, you're fighting a lower-level opponent. The experience you will get will be lower than what Meera will get."

That made sense to Meera, as Dirik was almost to level 200 already. It was a considerable feat since she had only ever seen him run from a fight or die a gruesome death.

Pallas clapped and rubbed his hands. "Who's ready to start leveling up?"

"You mean dying?" Dirik clarified.

"They're one and the same, aren't they?"

"Last time, it took us sixteen hours to return from the dead," Meera said. "Won't we be wasting a lot of time like that?"

"You leave that to me," Brison said, emerging from his hut. "I can shorten that time by speeding up your individual time." He smirked. "Didn't I say I can do just about anything in this world?"

Meera looked to Dirik. "Ready to kill each other repeatedly?"

"I've never been one for killing, but if we're coming back, then it won't be so bad, I guess," Dirik said.

"Exactly," Pallas cried. "More like putting the other to sleep than actual killing. One last rule, this world, rather room, is circular, just like this patch of grass. On the other side of these trees is a bottomless cavern. If you fall, you die. Oh, another last rule, no invisibility skills."

"Wait, what?" Meera said.

"But, how am I supposed to use my skills to the fullest if I can't go invisible," Dirik complained.

"That's the whole point, lad, and besides, if you two are wasting hours upon hours looking for each other, it's going to put Brison and me to sleep." Pallas yawned for effect. "Your fight starts now."

Meera exchanged a glance with Dirik.

"Yes, it's on."

Meera turned and shot Dirik with a Mirror Shard Barrage. He created a shadow shield and blocked the beam but was pushed back several feet. Her attack littered the ground with mirror shards, giving her several jump points.

She teleported to him, and when he peeked over his shield of shadows, she took the top of his head with a well-timed chakram throw.

"Wow," Pallas said, mouth agape.

"The girl's out for murder." Brison snorted and wrote something in his book.

The next moment, Dirik's head and brains that were lying in the grass got attached back to his head. Dirik screamed and cowered.

"Relax, kid," Brison said. "She killed you already."

"That fast?" Dirik's eyes widened.

Meera looked to the Guardian Warden. "Should I slow down—"

Pallas interjected. "If I want you to slow down, I'll tell you so." He looked to Dirik. "Does the Shadowsteel Warlord not train his Shades to fight? I had heard so much about the famed Shades, but if you're an example, then I'm far from impressed."

"I'm sorry, sir," Dirik said. "Like I said earlier, I'm more versed in reconnaissance and evasive maneuvers."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Did you say evasive manoeuvres?” Pallas crossed his arms and towered over him. “What evasive manoeuvres? She killed you in two attacks."

"I-I don't have any shadows to manipulate. Most of my skills stem from that."

"Then use your own blasted shadow. If that is not enough, you need to change one of your classes and not rely so heavily on shadows."

"I can make it night," Brison said.

"No," Pallas said. "He's going to have to learn how to fight in broad daylight if he wants to be a Warden."

"Uh…before we begin, can I check my notifications," Meera said, fully expecting to be shot down, given the mood Pallas was in.

Pallas' eyes lit up. "Of course, go for it."

*ding!*

[You have killed Shade – Level 198. For killing an enemy thirty levels higher than your own, you have gained bonus experience.]

*ding!*

[Congratulation. Mirror Image Hunter has gained 3 levels and has reached Level 164. You have been awarded 9 stat points]

*ding!*

[Congratulations. Mirror Shard Barrage has gained 3 levels and reached Level 32]

*ding!*

[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill general skill Courtly Etiquette. You know of various customs, manners, and traditions necessary for interacting with nobles, dignitaries, and royal guests. Would you like to acquire this skill?]

*ding!*

[Class Ability Activated. You have stolen the skill Shadow Coating. Shadow Coating – Type: Passive. You can coat your weapons with a thin layer of shadows that increases its cutting potential by two-fold. This is increased further when the coated weapon is used in dark or dim areas. Would you like to acquire this skill?]

Meera smiled as she knew which skill she was taking, but the only problem was which skill to give up. Despite what Pallas had said, Meera liked her two mist skills. One was essentially like a smoke bomb, and the other created illusions from that smoke. So, she was keeping them until she could find worthy replacements.

That only left her with Petrifying Surge or Inferno Storm. Pallas had said to think long-term about her class and what would work in synergy with her other skills. She wanted to keep Inferno Storm with every fiber of her being, but it was the only thing that didn't fit. She could use Petrifying Surge to immobilize and assassinate her foes, but Inferno Storm was too flashy and went against the whole assassin motif. With great reluctance, she got rid of Inferno Storm.

*ding!*

[You have acquired the skill Shadow Coating – Level 1]

With a start, she realized she never even got to use Inferno Storm. Some things are just not meant to be. She dumped all her stat points into Dexterity, as with increased Dexterity and Shadow Coating, her chakrams would become a devastating weapon.

"Okay, I'm ready," Meera said, trying her best not to sound miserable.

"Why are you so sad?" Dirik asked.

"I had to get rid of a very powerful skill that I never got the chance to use."

"Huh? How is that possible? Do you get new skills that often?" Dirik asked.

Pallas interjected before the thief asked more questions that would reveal her secrets. "Which one?"

"Inferno Storm," Meera said.

Pallas' eyes widened. "You gave that up?"

"Well, you told me to build synergy between my skills."

"Yes, but not at the cost of something like that. Do you have any idea how powerful that skill is?"

"Wait, Inferno Storm…only Blazers are supposed to have that." Dirik gasped. "You have a fire class!"

Meera's head fell. "Not anymore."

"You just did an entire class change? That fast! How? I'm so confused."

Pallas patted the lad's shoulder with his meaty hand. "Leave it, lad. Meera will tell you about her classes if she feels she can trust you. So, for now, get in positions."

Even though Meera couldn't see his face, she could tell many questions raced in the Shade's mind. She decided to hold off on using her newly acquired skill for the next few matches as it didn't seem she would need it, and second, she didn't want to raise more questions about her class in his mind.

"Fight!" Pallas roared.

Meera pulled off her chakram and threw it at Dirik, but he dropped into his shadow and didn't return. She recalled her chakram and waited with her eyes peeled. He jumped out of her shadow behind her with a shadow blade.

She turned just in time to deflect his blade with her chakram. His eyes widened, but he didn't lose focus. He threw a punch at her and shot her with a shadow beam in the face, which sent her flying.

Meera protected herself from being rag-dolled by activating Mirror Wing and taking to the air. By the time she took stock of where she was, her opponent was on her. He brought a shadow blade down on her. She raised a Mirror Shield, but the blade broke through her shield, and she only survived because of teleporting away to a mirror shard.

Meera had just landed when Dirik emerged from her shadow with a spinning ball of darkness and shadows in his hand. He thrust that ball into her back and sent her flying.

Meera groaned. It hurt, but it was manageable. She teleported away before her face was dragged on the ground. She huffed as her armor closed around her back while she activated Vitalize to heal herself.

"That was unexpected," she said.

"Sorry for the pain," Dirik replied.

"No need for apologies," Meera said. "I just have to take this seriously now."

Meera shot out small pieces of mirrors from her armor in all directions, pulled off four chakrams, and let them hang in the air around her. Then she drew two more.

"I guess I should too." Something changed in his stance. He seemed more confident as he reached down into his shadow and pulled out two dark steel swords. The metal looked exactly like the metal of Tearsfell Prison, Narikas' fortress. The swords emanated a dark energy.

Pallas gasped. "That's…my lad, is that Shadowsteel?"

Dirik nodded. "I was hoping to keep this secret."

Pallas squealed. "Oh, Meera, you're in trouble now."

"Now, that is a beautiful blade." Brison smiled.

Meera's chakram spun around her. "Well then, what are we waiting for."