<h4>Chapter 293 Chapter292-First Taste of Competitive Dueling</h4>


    "What nonsense are you spouting, Master? Mr. Galewind is already spoken for. You might just scare away our major patron like this!" Isabe said, her face flushed with embarrassment as she stamped her foot before covering her face and darting out of the room.


    Master Reo remained in his yful demeanor, all smiles.


    John, on the other hand, shook his head in amusement, yfully chiding, "You shouldn''t jest so, Master. Miss Isabe is still a youngdy. Tarnishing your student''s reputation isn''t quite the role model behavior, is it?"


    Master Reo burst into heartyughter at that.


    ...


    After leaving the Dawn Breeze Auction House, John found himself standing on the bustling streets of Silverglow, momentarily uncertain of his next move.


    He had juste from an intense battle with the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana and wasn''t in the mood to grind levels or tackle monsters.


    Indeed, given John''s current level, such endeavors hardly yielded enough experience for significant growth.


    Ever since he exited the Godyer Temple, he had in numerous creatures, including god-tier bosses like the Fallen Angel Leviathan.


    Yet, John''s level hadn''t budged an inch. To ordinary yers, the staggering amount of experience that would have elevated them by hundreds of levels barely made a ripple for John.


    As he aimlessly meandered through Silverglow''s streets, numerous yers of varying levels passed by him.


    Many would turn their heads curiously towards the figure with the menacing Asura mask.


    It couldn''t be helped.


    John''s appearance was rather striking.


    The mask on his face looked like a high-end piece of equipment.


    Yet, he wore in, undistinguished gear and a tattered cloak.


    The ensemble gave him an oddly incongruous look.


    John paid no mind to the stares, continuing his leisurely stroll until he reached the end of the street, where a new building stood.


    "Godyer Arena"


    These words illuminated prominently on the building''s facade.


    It was then that John recalled the recent game update, where thepetitive feature had been unlocked.


    Since he was already here, he figured he might as well dive into the yer-versus-yer duel, offering him an opportunity to gauge the collective strength of the current yers.


    Heading towards the Godyer Arena, he noticed a throng of yers already gathered, each eager to step inside and test their mettle.


    As per the update''s official announcement, the inauguration of the arena also introduced a range ofpetitive ranking rewards.


    Every month, the top ten yers in the arena rankings would receive generous rewards from the system, including high-end equipment, items, and even powerful skill scrolls.


    Furthermore, rumors circted about rare hidden ss change scrolls nestled within the rewards.


    Setting other incentives aside, the mere prospect of acquiring a hidden ss change scroll was enough to send the yermunity into a frenzy.


    Participating in the arena also granted yers the chance to hone their skills against others, elevating their gamey.


    As a result, any yer confident in their abilities would certainly not pass on such apetitive feature.


    Stepping inside the arena, a palpable fervor greeted him.


    The expansive hall was teeming with yers from various sses, congregating closely in one area.


    Before them stood dozens of screens, conjured from magic energy, disying intense duels unfolding within the arena.


    John momentarily furrowed his brow, only to rx momentster.


    While he wasn''t keen on having his own battles broadcasted for all to see, he reasoned that this kind of live-streamed setting could be beneficial for the average yer.


    Those without the courage to partake in duels could learn from watching expert yers sh, thereby enhancing theirbat prowess.


    John positioned himself at the edge of a queue, his gaze transfixed on an ongoing duel showcased on the screen ahead.


    Two magus yers, d in robes, stood on opposite ends of the virtual battleground, both raising their wands in anticipation.


    One wielded a fiery spell against the other, who countered with an icy defense, resulting in a burst of dazzling light.


    John''s eyebrows knitted together; the fire magus''s attacks were fierce and ruthless, while the ice magus, though defensively adept, seemedcking in offensive power.


    From the unfolding duel, John deduced the fire magus would emerge victorious.


    True to his prediction, after just a few exchanges, the ice magus found himself gradually overwhelmed.


    John shifted his gaze away, no longer engrossed in the scene on that screen.


    The head-to-head casting of spells between the two maguses, while visually captivating, was in practice a foolishbat approach.


    Powerful spells often required an extensive chanting duration.


    True adversaries wouldn''t just stand idle, allowing a magus toplete their incantation.


    It was evident that these two magus yers were greenhorns, likely wealthy ones with little in-game experience.


    On another screen that caught John''s attention, a yer stood at the heart of the virtual arena, dual swords in hand.


    Adorned in a ck hat and cloak, his every move radiated an iron-willed determination.


    Clearly a warrior, yet his attire and demeanor differed from the typical warriors who often unted mboyant skill sequences.


    Instead, he seemed reserved and unassuming.


    But John could discern at a nce that this yer was unmistakably a seasoned expert, perhaps even a professional.


    As expected, apanied by thrillingbat sound effects, the yer swiftly demonstrated his exceptionalbat prowess.


    Agile and fluid in his skillbinations, he crushed his opponent in just a few moves, effortlessly clinching victory.


    Onlookers pped in admiration. ncing to the side, John was surprised to see some spectators hastily setting up betting odds.


    Numerous yers rushed to ce their wagers.


    John had no inclination towards such gambling antics.


    Even with his keen insights, which allowed him to predict the oue of a PvP duel with great uracy, the small scale of these bets held no allure.


    A mere gain of a few thousand gold coins was hardly tempting for him.


    He approached the nearby registration counter and quicklypleted the procedures with the NPC for joining the PvPpetition.


    Soon after, John''s name appeared on one of the screens.


    "Holy shit, Galewind? Why does that name sound so familiar?"


    "Isn''t that the top-tier yer who defeated Dawn Guild''s guild leader, Kingserp, in one blow? What''s he doing here?"


    "With such an expert joining the PvP, won''t this be a cakewalk for him?"


    "Well, you can''t really say that. You know, there are hidden talents among themoners. With so many yers, some prefer staying under the radar. Galewind might not be invincible."


    "Anyway, so far, I haven''t heard of any yer capable of resisting the system''s lightning punishment."


    "Who''s Galewind''s opponent?"


    "Don''t know them, never seen them before."


    ...


    John''s name quickly drew the attention of other yers, especially since he hadn''t chosen to hide his ID.


    Consequently, a throng of gamers flocked towards him in droves.


    No other duel caught anyone''s attention anymore.


    All eyes were fixated on John.


    By then, John had already entered the virtual battleground crafted by the system: an expansive, unending desert.


    Opposite him stood a warrior garbed in ck armor, wielding a crimson de.


    The warrior gazed coldly at John, a smirk of disdain ying on his lips.


    "So, you''re Galewind? I''ve heard tales of you defeating Dawn Guild''s guild leader, Kingserp, with a single move and even enduring the system''s lightning punishment thrice. But I''m not one to believe in such rumors," the warrior scoffed, a trace of arrogance evident in his tone.


    It was clear that he was overly confident in his abilities, though from where such confidence stemmed remained a mystery.


    John shot him a cursory nce, sure he had never encountered this brash individual before.


    He calmly responded, "Sometimes, rumors bear truth. Perhaps you''ll experience it firsthand."


    The battle quickly ensued. John stood rxed, hands behind his back, nonchntly offering, "I''ll grant you three moves. Make them count."


    The warrior''s face turned crimson, his lips quivering in sheer indignation.


    Clearly, he''d never been insulted to such an extent.


    "How dare you be so presumptuous! I don''t need your charity of three moves. Try to withstand my first strike if you can!"


    With that, he advanced several steps, his intentions clear as his de sliced the air, aiming directly for John.


    Yet, John remained immovable, seemingly unthreatened as the gleaming de, radiating energy, swung heavily towards his head.


    But the expected oue of a devastating blow never came to fruition.


    Instead, the de halted just inches above John''s head, as though an invisible force shielded him from harm.


    Tilting his head slightly, John remarked with a chuckle, "If that''s all the strength you possess, you might as well spare me your next two moves. Even if I stood here and let you strike 300 times, you''d never breach my defenses."


    Flustered, the warrior, his face as crimson as his de from exertion, gritted out, "Just... what level are you?"