The air crackled between the two rivals, a silent standoff before Coach Zhang's cough cut through the room.  "We'll start with individual assessments," he announced, his tone as practical as his worn clipboard. "1v1, 2v2, and a full 5v5. You're here as Astral Maestro, so focus on supporting your teammates."

 

Mei Lin's lips curved into a familiar, slightly reckless smile. The pro team routine, drilling down to the fundamentals, was like muscle memory waking up. "Gotcha, Coach."

 

"We'll sync your gear in the arena."  His gaze flickered to her lowbie character sheet. Relief washed over her – no level disadvantage.

 

"Sounds good!" Mei Lin chirped, a burst of energy that cracked the serious atmosphere. All eyes were on her now, the sudden shift palpable.

 

Coach Zhang gestured at a corner where a wiry player with a messy grin bounced on his heels. 

 

"Teng Fei will be your first sparring partner."

 

"Yo! I’m Teng Fei, but everyone calls me Brother Fei." He winked, all friendly bravado. "May the best player win!"

 

Coach Zhang nodded, the ghost of a smile on his face. "Headsets are in the next room. Don't take too long, we have a tight schedule."

 

The transition from the sterile meeting room to the VR station was stark. These weren't mere gaming rigs but sleek, almost clinical-looking pods. Mei Lin's heart pounded with an unexpected mix of excitement and nerves.

 

The headset slid into place, and the world blinked out. Then, the sharp sting of sunlight and sand beneath her boots replaced a rush of disorientation. Coach Zhang's voice echoed, disembodied yet clear, "I've set up the arena. Join when you're ready." Mei Lin pressed accept on the room invitation, and the world shifted again.

 

The arena stretched out before her, a blinding expanse of sand. Across the field, Teng Fei was already there, hefting a massive longsword that seemed to dwarf him. He squinted, confusion giving way to a double-take. "Yo! Furyblade Teng Fei, at your service…" His eyes flickered to her newbie tunic. "…Bit late to be grinding levels, isn't it?"

 

Mei Lin glanced down at her mismatched beginner gear and laughed. 

 

Oh, right, I’m still a beginner.

 

Time to play her part. "Oi oi, don't judge a book by its cover, Brother Fei. Or is the mighty Furyblade afraid of a little challenge?" She said with a smug grin. 

 

His answering grin was pure mischief. "Don't come crying to me when you lose too badly, newbie!"

Before the tryouts, Mei Lin had advanced her class and replaced the wand with the unique magic rapier of the Astral Maestro. The magic rapier felt cool and surprisingly weighty in her grip. Each embedded stone pulsed with arcane energy, a constant reminder of her chosen path. This wasn't her familiar twin daggers but an extension of her resolve.

 

She knew the odds were stacked against her. Furyblades thrived in duels, their damage escalating with each blow she landed, plus they had a taunt skill that would trap their opponent in place.

 

Sigh… if I knew it would be like this, I would have started playing ages ago… 

 

Regret was a luxury she couldn't afford. The sting of missed shots from yesterday's VR fumble-fest still burned, the disconnect between muscle memory and this virtual body a jarring echo of failure. But years of game sense had to count for something. If the VR controls were different, the underlying balance of Astral Road remained, and the skills were burned into her mind.

 

A thought was all it took to activate a skill, but the aiming… her hands clenched on her rapier, the too-smooth hilt foreign in her grip.

 

The countdown pulsed on her display, a relentless metronome. Five… four… three…

 

She mirrored Teng Fei’s shift, his stance telegraphing intent. He'd close the distance the moment the barrier dropped, a whirlwind of reckless power. Her legs coiled, ready to counter, not dodge.

 

Two…

 

One… 

 

A breath hitched in her chest. The timer vanished.

 

Go!

 

Teng Fei blurred into motion, his <<Berserker Lunge>> propelling him across the sand. In response, Mei Lin didn't retreat – an ice wall bloomed from the ground, less a barrier than a distraction.

 

"That won't stop me! Oya!" His roar echoed as his longsword shattered the ice. Shards sprayed the air, obscuring his vision for a heartbeat  – a heartbeat Mei Lin had counted on.

 

Mei Lin already closed the distance, lightning crackling around her blade. The ice had masked her attunement shift, the sudden surge of speed catching him off-guard. His swing, meant to clear the debris, left him open for a split second. Her rapier flashed, the <<Astral Thrust>> pinning him in place, a flicker of frost along his armor.

 

Teng Fei roared in frustration, the stun breaking almost instantly, but it was a window of opportunity. Fire flared next, the <<Repulsive Surge>> slamming into him, not with finesse, but with a raw force that sent him sprawling backwards.

 

Back in reality, the team erupted. 

 

"Nice one!" Teng Fei grinned, his own fighting spirit ignited by the flashy play.

 

Qin Yue's lips thinned. "Hmph, risky," she muttered, less a critique than a strategist calculating odds.

 

Respect warred with rivalry in her eyes. Mei Lin wasn't just evading his taunt skill. She was turning it against him, maximizing her damage. Calculated boldness –  the mark of a true ace.

 

She’s baiting him in. As expected of her. 

 

Furyblades were walking death traps up close. Their wide area of effect taunt <<Taunting Shout>> trapped squishier enemies to attack uncontrollably. Most opponents kited, exploiting their weakness at range. But in a duel, that was a losing gamble.

 

Mei Lin moved in a whirlwind of spells and steel, a relentless rhythm that blurred the lines between attacks. Qin Yue's gaze sharpened –  this was muscle memory honed by countless battles...

 

Though her aim sucks. 

 

Spells whizzed harmlessly past Teng Fei. “Where are you aiming at? He roared, a frustrated bull, then slammed his blade into the sand for a leaping strike, finally closing the distance.

 

"Oof, I’m out of juice..." Mei Lin's sigh was barely audible. She'd gambled on those spells landing, a bid for a quick victory. Now... options were dwindling. 

 

Teng Fei brought his sword down in a blow that cracked the arena floor. Mei Lin’s crowd control immunity flared, a shield of gold light, but as it faded, he was already spinning into his <<Raging Whirlwind>>. His blade became a blur around him, a cyclone of deadly steel.

 

Desperation fueled her <<Phase Shift>> –  her form shattered into crackling lightning, a flicker of defiance... but not fast enough. The whirlwind collapsed, revealing him poised to strike. His <<Taunting Shout>> echoed as she reappeared, sealing her within range.

 

The duel was done. Mei Lin, a sliver of health left, watched him unleash his ultimate ability <<Final Stand>>. His sword glowed red as a blinding flurry of strikes hit her, and her screen faded into defeat.