The city of Hollowcrest sprawled before us, a vibrant maze of cobbled streets, glowing shop signs, and towering spires reaching toward a pixelated sky painted in twilight hues. NPCs bustled alongside players, their chatter blending with distant market calls and clinking swords.

Our group stood at the city’s central plaza, a circular open space marked by a grand fountain depicting a winged goddess pouring water from an overflowing chalice. The spray glittered in the warm city lights, and for the first time in days, I felt… relaxed.

“Well,” Devon said, stretching his arms over his head, his black coat flaring slightly behind him. “I think we all deserve a little break. Stock up on supplies, get some fresh air, and—if we’re lucky—not run into anything trying to kill us today.”

Fi grinned, hands on her hips. “Shopping and snacks? Say no more, fearless leader.”

Mason hefted his hammer onto his shoulder. “I’ll stick with Devon and Ethan. Too many glowy swords and sparkly armor pieces make my head spin.”

Ethan, standing slightly apart from the group, gave a small smile. “I’ll tag along with the guys. I could use some better gear anyway.”

Devon gave me a quick glance, his dark eyes softening. “You good, Kiera?”

I nodded with a small smile. He’d been trying hard not to smother me with overprotectiveness lately, and I appreciated it. “Yeah, I’m good. Go on, shoo.”

With a casual salute, Devon turned and walked off with Mason and Ethan in tow, disappearing into city traffic.

Selene stepped up beside me, her gloved hand slipping naturally into mine. My heart fluttered at the casual intimacy, but it felt… easy. Right.

Fi’s eyes narrowed immediately. “Oh-ho, what’s this? Holding hands in public now, are we?”

Selene raised an eyebrow, her expression calm and composed as always. “Is that a problem?”

Fi gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “A problem? Absolutely not! I fully endorse this. But you two better spill by the end of the day. I want details—juicy, steamy, maybe even scandalous details.”

I groaned, my face heating up. “Fi, can we not?”

“Nope,” Fi chirped, looping her arm through mine as she pulled me and Selene down the street. “Come on, my two lovebirds. There’s a magical candy shop somewhere in this district, and I am not leaving until I’ve had chocolate-covered mana crystals.”

Selene and I exchanged amused glances before letting Fi lead the way.

The marketplace district was a kaleidoscope of color and noise. Stalls were stacked with glowing crystals, enchanted trinkets, shimmering fabrics, and potion bottles of every hue imaginable.

Selene kept close to my side as we walked, her hand still comfortably in mine. Occasionally, she’d lean down and murmur something into my ear—usually a snarky observation about a flamboyant NPC merchant or Fi getting distracted by every glittering object we passed.

We stopped at a potion stall, where Fi enthusiastically haggled with a very exasperated NPC vendor.

Selene leaned against the counter, her sharp amber eyes watching Fi with mild amusement. I caught myself staring at her—the way her dark hair fell softly over her shoulders, the faint smile playing on her lips.

She noticed me looking and smirked. “Careful, Kiera. Staring like that might cost you extra.”

I blushed furiously and turned away, inspecting a nearby mana potion like it was the most fascinating thing in existence.

Fi finally returned, holding a glowing purple potion triumphantly. “Success! We are now the proud owners of… a very pretty bottle!”

Selene snorted softly. “Inspiring.”

As we continued down the marketplace path, we passed a large wooden bulletin board filled with parchment notices. One flyer caught my eye—a bold poster with golden lettering.

“ARENA TOURNAMENT: ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOME! PRIZES INCLUDE GOLD, RARE ITEMS, AND A MYSTERY LEGENDARY DROP!”

Fi whistled low. “Well, well. A tournament, huh? Could be fun.”

Selene crossed her arms, her sharp gaze reading over the details. “It might be worth checking out. Public events like this often attract all kinds of players—maybe even those with… questionable motives.”

I nodded slowly, feeling a thrill of excitement spark in my chest. A tournament? In an arena? That sounded… epic.

“Let’s sign up tomorrow with everyone else,” I said, grinning.

Selene gave me a rare smile. “Alright. But only if you promise not to charge into every fight headfirst.”

“No promises,” I said cheekily.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

I sat cross-legged on the bed in my rented room. The faint hum of activity downstairs—the clinking of glasses, the muffled laughter of players—created a cozy atmosphere, but my mind was entirely elsewhere.

I opened my HUD, and the translucent interface stretched before me, data flickering in faint light streams.

[LEVEL 22 REACHED: NEW ABILITY POINTS AVAILABLE]

[Class: Succubus Demon Lord]

I took a deep breath as I navigated to my Skill Tree. Every level-up so far had been… chaotic. Each new skill had either appeared during a near-death experience or been dumped into my lap by sheer accident. This time, I wanted to make a deliberate choice—to shape how I’d fight moving forward.

SKILL TREE OVERVIEW: SUCCUBUS ABILITIES

* Life Drain (Upgraded): Drain HP from a target enemy over time. Can now chain to up to three enemies if they are nearby.

* Crimson Kiss (Upgraded): Now inflicts a charm debuff that can temporarily cause weaker enemies to fight for you.

* Essence Feast (Upgraded): Restores increased HP and MP from drained targets but costs double mana to activate.

* Shadow Embrace (Upgraded): The shadows now constrict with increased strength, dealing damage over time and immobilizing enemies.

SKILL TREE OVERVIEW: DEMON LORD ABILITIES (CRIMSON BRANCH)

* Abyssal Maw (Upgraded): The maw can move slightly after summoning, dragging nearby enemies into its radius. HP Cost: 40%

* Infernal Command (Upgraded): Dominated enemies are now more resistant to breaking free. HP Cost: 25%

* Blood Pact (New Skill): sacrifices a smaller percentage of her health to enhance her Succubus abilities temporarily rather than just physical stats. HP Cost: 15%

* Umbral Veil (New Skill): Temporarily grants Kiera shadow-based stealth, reducing enemy detection and boosting her next attack. MP Cost: High

My finger hovering over the ‘Confirm’ button. “Alright,” I whispered, locking in my choices.

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[SKILLS UPDATED SUCCESSFULLY]

The interface shimmered briefly before fading away. My moveset had grown sharper, my toolkit more versatile, but each ability carried its own cost.

There was no room for recklessness—not anymore.

The Arena of Valor loomed ahead, an enormous stone coliseum carved into the side of a rocky hill. It was surrounded by vendor stalls, cheering crowds, and banners snapping in the breeze. Holographic boards displayed brackets and team rosters.

Players in all shapes and sizes bustled about—warriors with glowing swords, mages clutching ornate staves, archers testing their bowstrings, and even some players riding bizarre mounts.

Our group walked side-by-side, each of us taking in the spectacle.

Fi was practically vibrating with excitement, her daggers strapped across her back. “Okay, okay, look—over there! They’re selling enchanted snacks. And that guy has a floating shield! And wait—are those tournament mascots?!”

Mason shook his head with a small laugh, his hammer slung over his shoulder. “You’re like a kid in a candy store.”

Ethan walked a little behind the group, quiet as always, his sharp gaze flicking over the crowd. His expression gave nothing away, but I could tell he was observing—every player, every movement, every detail.

We approached the registration NPC—a stern-looking elf in polished silver armor.

“Welcome to the Arena of Valor. Please confirm your division.”

Options flickered in front of me:

* Solo Duelist

* Duo Pairing

* Full Party Division

“Party,” I said firmly.

The elf nodded, and the HUD displayed our names on a floating bracket screen:

[PARTY NAME: BARDSONG]

Round One Opponents: THE EMBER GUARD

A horn echoed through the air, signaling the start of the first matches.

ROUND ONE: THE EMBER GUARD

The arena floor was massive—a sprawling battleground dotted with stone pillars, trenches, and flickering torches. The stands above were packed with cheering players and NPC spectators.

Our opponents—The Ember Guard—were a party of heavily armored warriors, each wielding fire-based weapons. Their leader, a towering woman with flaming gauntlets, cracked her knuckles as she eyed us from across the field.

“Focus,” Selene said sharply, her daggers glinting in the light.

Devon drew his greatsword, his body tense with readiness. “Stick to the plan.”

The horn blared.

[BATTLE START]

The Ember Guard charged, their weapons blazing with fiery light.

I sprang into action. My blade struck true, slicing through their armor before I activated Crimson Kiss to weaken their resistance.

Fi darted between enemies with snake-like precision, her daggers leaving glowing trails as she struck exposed gaps in their armor.

Mason smashed his hammer with thunderous force, cracking the earth beneath his enemies.

Selene danced between attacks, her daggers flashing as she cut tendons and found vulnerable spots in the Ember Guard’s heavy armor.

Devon roared, his greatsword sweeping in wide arcs, forcing enemies back and creating space for us to maneuver.

When one Ember Guard member tried to charge Selene from behind, I activated Shadow Embrace, tendrils of darkness wrapping around him and pulling him into the ground.

The fight was intense, chaotic, and exhilarating.

The final opponent—a dual-wielding rogue—fell to Mason’s hammer strike, their health bar depleting completely.

[VICTORY: BARDSONG ADVANCES TO ROUND TWO!]

The crowd erupted into cheers as our HUDs flashed with victory notifications.

Fi punched the air. “YEAH! That was awesome!”

Mason chuckled deeply, and Ethan gave a quiet nod of approval. We walked back toward the waiting area, cheering fading behind us.

The victorious glow from our first-round win lingered in my chest as our team regrouped in the tournament’s staging area. The air was excited and tense as players and teams prepared for their next match. Somewhere distant, a horn blared, signaling another round starting.

Devon leaned against a nearby stone pillar. Selene was nearby, sharpening her daggers with focused precision. Mason and Ethan were chatting quietly, and Fi was pacing excitedly, practically vibrating with leftover energy from the fight.

I let out a slow breath, my HUD flickering faintly as I checked my status.

[HP: 85% |

[Abilities Cooldown: Shadow Embrace (Ready), Essence Feast (2 minutes cooldown)]

It's not terrible, but I’d need to play smarter in the next round.

“Alright,” Devon said, pushing off the wall and sheathing his sword. His sharp eyes scanned our group. “We fought well out there, but the next round isn’t going to get any easier. Stay focused.”

Fi threw her arms behind her head, grinning. “Come on, Devon! Can’t we bask in our victory for like… five minutes? We crushed them!”

Selene spoke without looking up from her blade. “Confidence is good. Overconfidence gets people killed.”

Fi pouted but didn’t argue.

Mason let out a deep chuckle, adjusting his hammer’s strap. “She’s right. This next team will have seen how we fight—they’ll adjust their tactics.”

Ethan added softly, “They’re watching us now, analyzing. We should do the same.”

I nodded in agreement, stepping forward. “We’ve got a good balance in our party—Devon and Mason in the front, Fi and Ethan in the middle for agility, and Selene and me flanking. If we keep to that formation, we’ll be fine.”

Devon smirked faintly. “You sound like a raid leader now.”

I flushed under his gaze, but he reached out and briefly squeezed my hand.

Round Two Opponents: The Iron Wolves

The announcement blared through the coliseum’s enchanted sound system.

[ROUND TWO: BARDSONG VS. THE IRON WOLVES]

The arena floor changed with a deep rumble, stone tiles shifting and rising. Large boulders jutted from the ground, creating uneven terrain, scattered cover, and narrow choke points.

Across the field, our next opponents appeared—a team of heavily armored players, their leader wearing a wolf-shaped helmet with glowing crimson eyes.

[PARTY LEADER: Fenrir]

[LEVEL: 25]

Devon exhaled slowly. “They’re tanks—this isn’t going to be fun.”

Selene’s lip curled faintly. “Their armor will slow them down, though. We’ll have to exploit that.”

The horn blared, and the match began.

The Iron Wolves charged forward like a battering ram, shields raised, weapons glinting in the light. Their steps were synchronized, their formation tight—a perfect defensive wall.

“Scatter!” Devon barked, and we moved as one.

I dashed forward, appearing behind one of the shield bearers and plunging my blade into the narrow gap between their armor plates. They roared in frustration, swinging their axe in a wide arc. I dodged, activating Umbral Veil to fade briefly into shadows before reappearing behind cover.

Selene's daggers found weak spots with surgical precision. Fi danced between opponents, her strikes sharp and relentless, while Mason’s hammer came down like a meteor, shaking the ground with each swing.

Devon was an immovable force, his greatsword clashing against Fenrir’s twin axes in a flurry of steel sparks.

Ethan stayed in the background, launching precision strikes with his daggers, aiming for eyes, joints, and exposed flesh.

But The Iron Wolves were good—no, they were really good.

Every time we pushed forward, they countered. Every weakness we exploited, they adapted.

“Devon!” I yelled, catching sight of Fenrir breaking away and charging at Mason.

Devon moved on instinct, intercepting the blow with a powerful parry. But it left him open, and another Wolf lunged at him from behind.

Without thinking, I activated Shadow Embrace, tendrils of black energy shooting up from the ground and locking the Wolf in place just inches from Devon’s back.

“Got your six!” I called out.

Devon glanced back, grinning. “Thanks, Kiera!”

As the battle raged on, it became clear we couldn’t outlast them in a battle of attrition.

“We need to break their formation!” Selene shouted, her voice sharp amidst the chaos.

I clenched my fists, an idea forming.

“Devon, Mason! Create an opening—now!”

Devon’s greatsword came down in a vertical arc while Mason swung his hammer in a devastating horizontal strike. The sheer force of their combined attack sent two Iron Wolves sprawling backward.

I didn’t waste the opportunity.

“Abyssal Maw!”

A massive void-like maw erupted from the ground, jagged teeth snapping as it pulled two of the Iron Wolves into its inky darkness.

Their formation shattered.

Selene, Fi, and Ethan surged forward, taking full advantage of the chaos.

Fenrir, the party leader, realized too late that they’d lost control of the fight. He roared in frustration, charging toward me in one final, desperate attempt to take me down.

I activated Umbral Veil, dodging his charge with shadowy grace, then lunged forward with my blade crackling with dark energy.

“Crimson Kiss!”

My strike landed cleanly, and his health bar plummeted to zero.

[VICTORY: BARDSONG ADVANCES TO ROUND THREE!]

The crowd erupted into cheers, the booming sound of the victory horn echoing through the arena.

We regrouped in the waiting zone, bruised, bloodied (metaphorically), but victorious.

Fi flopped onto a bench, her daggers clattering against the floor. “We did it… we actually did it.”

Mason let out a breathless laugh, his hammer resting against his shoulder. “They were tough, but we pulled through.”

Ethan offered me a faint smile and a nod of respect.

Selene sat beside me on the bench, her sharp eyes softening as she caught her breath. “You made the right call out there, Kiera.”

Devon approached, his greatsword sheathed, and firmly touched my shoulder. “You led us well. I’m proud of you.”

His words settled warmly in my chest, and I let myself relax for the first time since the match started.

But as the crowd cheered and the next set of players prepared to enter the arena, a faint notification flickered at the corner of my HUD.

[NEW OBJECTIVE MARKER DETECTED: FRAGMENTED BINARY CODE - LOCATION: UNDERGROUND ARENA VAULT]

My stomach tightened.