“I don’t feel like I improved at all,” Clarence murmured a complaint while taking a bite out of his plate.

“Trust me, your attacks were getting faster and more precise,” I reassured him.

We are currently eating in the dining hall for the hotel guests. There are currently only 5 people here, excluding the staff and us. At one table, a team of three individuals sat together, their animated conversation filling the air with laughter and excitement. I remember them to be the Chinese-sponsored team Dragon Dynasty Gaming from my research about the participants. Their table was adorned with empty plates and glasses, evidence of a satisfying meal shared among friends.

Across the dining hall, at a smaller table, sat a lone individual. She seemed content in her solitude, engrossed in a book. The table before her was neatly arranged, with a single plate and a glass of water placed in front of her. Despite being alone, there was a sense of tranquility surrounding this person.

"You say that, but I couldn't even land a scratch on you! How did you become so skilled at dodging? It's almost superhuman," my teammate's question snapped me back to the present.

"Perhaps it's just luck?" I shrugged, taking a bite of my steak. It was juicy and tender, practically melting in my mouth.

He looked at me with a serious expression. "No, I'm not letting you off the hook this time with your half-assed excuses. You have to tell me, or I won't be training with you anymore," he said with a hint of bitterness.

I pondered for a bit before giving up. I guess it doesn’t hurt to talk about my past a little.

I let out a sigh. "Fine. I think it's because I've been playing a lot of games that involve dodging for as long as I can remember. These are games where you have to analyze the enemy's attack patterns and dodge at the right moment, or else you'll be defeated almost instantly. I'm quite certain that it has greatly contributed to my reflexes and prediction skills when it comes to dodging."

“Oh, those types of games that became popular way back then? I tried one of those but when I died to the first boss more than twenty times. I never touched those games again.”

“It’s fun though. Sure, it might take you a couple of tries but all you need to do is analyze their attack patterns and you can eventually dodge all their attacks. It gives you a sense of accomplishment once all your hard work is rewarded”

“I think we have different definitions of fun. Feels like you’re a complete masochist, to be completely honest.”

I glared at him.

He immediately wilted under my glare. "T-that doesn't fully explain why you became so skilled in VR as well, though. I mean, there might be some similarities, but VR is a whole different ballgame," he quickly changed the subject.

I paused a bit, thinking of the cause. “Probably because my mother used to always take me to gymnast lessons back when I was young. It probably helped a lot in my flexibility. Also, I completely disagree that VR is completely different. It has a lot of similarities, especially with the attack patterns of most weapons in the games I used to play. Their swing time, reach, their strengths and weaknesses, and many other aspects. Also, I was one of the early testers of the VR before it even became public. My father has connections so it was easy for him to get the prototypes. So had had more than two years of advantage in playing VR games compared to the general public,” I explained.

I couldn't reveal to him that I had also played the beta test for CoA, which gave me a significant advantage in the game. Even though I had stopped playing CoA, I still engage in other challenging VR games that demand exceptional dodging abilities. So, my skills haven't completely deteriorated yet… probably.

“It sure as hell good to be rich, huh? But at least you don't come across as spoiled and mock me for being of humble origins," he said with a touch of bitterness.

“That’s just a false notion you get from watching too many movies, most rich people don’t act like that. And my family is not that well off either, just above average in income,” I deadpanned.

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, princess," he mocked but sensing my irritation, he quickly backed off.

“Still, I never thought you would be a hardcore gamer. You don’t look the type,” he quickly added.

"Well, I suppose I wouldn't be a gamer either if it weren't for my sister. Gaming was our only form of bonding since she could not do any strenuous activities due to her weak constitution,” I instinctively blurted out before I could even regret it.

"Oh, you have a sister?" he asked curiously, attempting to delve deeper into my personal life.

A wave of discomfort washed over me as the topic arose. This is why I didn’t like talking about my past.

"...Had," I managed to utter weakly.

It took a moment for him to grasp the meaning behind my words. His eyes widened in realization before uttering a response.

"Oh, I... sorry," he said apologetically.

I just shrugged, unable to make out any comprehensible thoughts as I tried to reign in emotions that began to well up inside me.

Sensing the shift in my mood, he quickly changed the subject, for which I was grateful. Despite his often rude and obnoxious demeanor, there seemed to be a hint of compassion within him. It made me wonder if his negative traits were intentionally exaggerated as if he were putting on an act to appear tough.

"Ahem. Still, I’m glad that they still serve dinner to guests this late. We almost missed dinner cause of your spartan training," he said in a cheerful tone, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The shift in conversation was a relief, as I didn't want to dwell on somber thoughts.

“Isn’t that a good thing? The place is less crowded now,” I responded, playing along with his attempt to change the subject. "And please don't try to shift the blame onto me for your own shortcomings," countered.

"What do you mean it's not your fault? Our practice session lasted for hours simply because you wouldn't let me land a single hit on you!" he bantered.

"If I were to let you win our bet, I'm certain you would never let me hear the end of it, so there's no chance of that happening. Besides, you won't improve if I take it easy on you during our training sessions," I replied.

“Hmph, you’re goddamn right, I will,” he responded with a smirk.

In the midst of our chat, a boisterous group of three individuals entered the dining hall. If my memory serves me right, these are the members of the Renegades team. The person in the center appears to be Draven. Liz mentioned that he is a renowned streamer who gained fame for his penchant for trash-talking his defeated opponents. Judging from the camera equipment he bought, he seems to be streaming right now.

"See? I told you it's still open," one of Draven's teammates remarked in a triumphant tone.

"Haha, you're absolutely right! It feels great to be treated like a VIP," Draven boasted.

Their loud laughter and boisterous conversations echoed through the hall, drawing the attention of the few guests who were present. As they took their seats at a nearby table, the waitstaff hurriedly attended to them, trying to maintain a sense of order amidst the chaos that the trio brought with them.

Looking at them, they seem… intoxicated. They probably had too much wine from the room service. While there may be no rules explicitly prohibiting drinking, especially for those of legal age, it does seem impolite and impractical for them to consume alcohol while participating in a tournament. I suppose the fact that they have no matches tomorrow may have influenced their decision to drink.

“Alright, folks! We've got a special treat for you today. For every donation I receive, my friends here will do something extra to entertain you guys!" he loudly exclaimed while holding up his phone.

"Let's first start with a simple one. If we reach a hundred-dollar donation in ten minutes, I'll make one of my friends eat a spoonful of hot sauce!" he continued.

The other two members of the rowdy trio exchanged nervous glances, clearly not expecting their friend's impromptu fundraising idea. But they reluctantly played along.

“They're making quite a ruckus,” Clarence ranted.

I nodded in agreement. "Indeed, they are quite rude. Let's just hope they don't cause any trouble."

It didn't take long for me to regret my previous words. Their leader, Draven, stood up from his seat and made his way towards us, seemingly after receiving a donation from his viewers. He stopped at our table and attempted to engage me in conversation.

"You're one of the participants in the tournament, aren't you?" he said, adopting a Casanova-like tone.

Knowing that engaging with him would likely lead to no good, I decided to completely ignore him and focused on enjoying my meal.

“One of those silent types, huh? Still, I have to ask, what’s a beautiful girl like you with a guy like him?" he said, his tone dripping with insincerity.

Just ignore him and he will eventually go away, Kat. One effective way to deal with attention seekers like him is just to ignore them completely.

“What the heck is your problem?!” Clarence exclaimed.

I sighed; I forgot my hotheaded teammate with anger management issues was with me.

"Don't let him get to you. He's just trying to provoke you for content for his videos. Consider this as a lesson in self-restraint, or else you'll always be baited into making mistakes in the game. Remember the breathing technique I taught you earlier? Now would be a good time to put it into practice," I advised, instinctively slipping into mentor mode.

Furthermore, if this situation were to escalate into a physical fight, I have serious doubts that Clarence would be able to handle all three of them by himself. Additionally, I really don't want to witness him getting involved in any kind of altercation.

"Whoa, both intelligent and attractive! I like you even more! How about leaving your boyfriend here and spending some time with a real man?" he proposed as he leaned in closer, his face inches away from mine.

Doesn't this guy understand the concept of personal boundaries?! It's clear that he's invading our personal space and making us uncomfortable.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Clarence clenching his fist while gritting his teeth. I could see that he was making an effort to control himself, which is good. However, I was still uncertain about how to handle the situation.

"Please leave us alone. Your cumbersome presence is spoiling our meal," I responded bluntly, hoping to deter him.

"Whoa, spicy! I like that attitude!" he grinned, resembling a predator eyeing its prey.

Tsk! This guy was incredibly persistent. Typically, ignoring individuals like him would eventually lead to them giving up when they don't get the desired reaction. However, it seemed that this guy was on a whole new level. Should I call the security staff to intervene?

Just as I was about to take action, a girl approached us, prompting me to adopt a wait-and-see tactic. Looking at her, she had strikingly handsome features with a face showing little to no emotions, making it hard for me to get a good read of her. She was also quite tall, approximately the same height as me, and had a strong and lean physique that was only partially concealed by her clothing and strawberry hair that caught my attention. If my memory serves me right from my research on the tournament participants, she must be Astrid, in-game name Meridia. She's a member of Arthur's team, Round Table. I mentally categorized her as a proficient combatant in close hand-to-hand combat, blending Aikido techniques with mid to close-range ice magic using an ice orb with her mixed intelligence-strength stats distribution.

5ff6f8b3-e92b-4953-b9eb-a2fa4ada04e1 [https://images-ng.pixai.art/images/orig/5ff6f8b3-e92b-4953-b9eb-a2fa4ada04e1]

“Are you incapable of basic human comprehension? She said to leave her alone,” Astrid uttered in a menacing yet barely audible tone.

Draven instinctively turned around and stared at her for a second before a hint of realization struck.

“Aren’t you from the team of hypocrites, the round something? Ah, the Round Table, right? Indulging in your false sense of justice once more by meddling in other’s affairs? Or perhaps you lot can only derive pleasure from feeling morally superior to others? How pathetic," he taunted.

“... You really are quite annoying,” Astrid said in a low tone that I almost didn’t hear.

Looking at her up closely, she shows little expression and change in body language. I can't seem to get a grasp on her emotions. Her tone of voice suggests she is really annoyed though.

“Wait, don’t tell me you’re jealous? Wanna have some fun too? Hmm, you're not half bad-looking yourself,” he said as he tried to touch her face.

As Draven reaches out with his hand, Astrid swiftly steps to the side, using his momentum against him. With a fluid motion, she grabs his arm and effortlessly redirects his energy, using her body's leverage to throw him off balance, a perfect execution of an Aikido technique. Draven is caught off guard as he is swiftly thrown to the ground, landing with a thud, causing his cell phone to fly into the air.

"ACK!" he exclaimed in a mixture of pain and shock, his face planted firmly in the ground.

I watched in awe as the phone he used in streaming our interaction soared through the air, its descent accompanied by a dramatic impact as it collided with the ground.

*Thump

Oof, not the phone. I couldn't help but cringe instinctively at the force of the impact, hoping deep in my heart for the phone to be unharmed since it didn’t do wrong to deserve such abuse. I also couldn't help but find it morbidly amusing that I was more concerned about the phone’s well-being than the actual owner himself. Nevertheless, I couldn't bring myself to feel any sympathy for him because of his actions thus far.

“This is why I hate men. especially trashy men like you,” Astrid expressed with a tone filled with intense disgust as if he saw Draven no more than a piece of garbage on the street.

A sudden shout caused us all to momentarily pause.

"Hey! What are you kids up to over there!" a loud, authoritative voice echoed.

What a bad timing. The disturbance probably drew the attention of one of the security staff members. He immediately rushed over to our small group. Upon noticing Draven on the ground, he attempted to help him up.

The guard halted as he got a clear view of Draven's face.

"You again? What have you done this time?" he asked apprehensively.

He came to a halt as he noticed Draven lying on the ground. "You again? What did you do this time?"

Seems like this is not his first offense. That is good to know since this would be a whole lot easier to explain if it comes to his words against ours.

"I'm the victim here!" Draven complained.

The security personnel let out a sigh. "I'm sure you instigated another participant, leading to this situation. Am I correct?" He glanced around, seeking confirmation from all of us, to which we all nodded in agreement.

"I've already warned you before. Your pranks may appear harmless to you, but they can have a negative impact on others," he scolded Draven.

Draven clicked his tongue, clearly irritated by the outcome.

"I'll accompany you back to your room. The well-being of our guests is our top priority, so I strongly advise against repeating such behavior, or there will be consequences," the security warned as he assisted Draven in standing up and walking.

“I can walk on my own!” he shrugged off the man’s attempt to help him.

“I’ll pay you back at the tournament for this tenfold,” Draven shouted at Astrid before taking his (unfortunately cracked) phone and storming out of the dining hall while his teammates followed suit, trying to catch up to him.

I turned to express my gratitude to the girl who had helped us, but to my surprise, she simply nodded in acknowledgment. Without uttering a single word, she returned to her table, picked up her book, and swiftly departed from the dining hall. I guess she is not much into social interactions or is just incredibly shy. All I know is that It seems like Chu now has a contender for his title.