The dungeon fell silent.
Only the faint glow of loot remained where the Shadow Wraith had vanished. Gold coins, a few items… and one glowing drop.
Kai stepped forward. "Rare item. Not bad."
But before anyone could celebrate—
Clap… clap… clap…
Slow, mocking applause echoed through the chamber.
Everyone turned.
At the entrance stood two players, their presence alone sending a chill through the air. One stepped forward, a confident smirk on his face.
"Well, well… I didn't expect a low-level team to clear this dungeon."
John's eyes narrowed. Who is this guy…?
A status window flickered in his vision:
[Player: Kai (Rival) | Level: 8 | Class: Swordsman | Rank: Silver]
Kai (John's teammate) tensed. "That's not good…"
The rival player chuckled. "Relax. I'm not here for you."
His gaze locked onto John.
"I'm here for him."
John felt his heartbeat rise. "Me?"
"Yeah," the rival said, stepping closer. "The one who copies skills. I saw everything."
The room went cold.
Bailey whispered, "How does he know that…?"
The rival grinned. "Because I've been watching longer than you think."
Kai stepped in front of John. "Back off. He's with us."
The rival sighed. "You don't get it, do you? This game isn't about friendship… it's about power."
Without warning—
WHOOSH!
He vanished.
A second later—he was right in front of John.
John barely reacted in time, raising his arm as a blade flashed past his face.
CLANG!
Steel met steel.
John had copied Kai's defensive stance just in time.
"Not bad," the rival smirked. "But let's see how long you last."
He attacked again—faster this time.
Slash after slash came at John, each one stronger than the last.
John's mind raced.
I need to copy him… but he's too fast!
Then it clicked.
Instead of copying his speed…
John focused on timing.
He watched. Waited. Learned.
And then—
He copied it.
A perfect counter.
Their blades collided mid-air, sparks flying.
The entire team froze.
Kai whispered, "He… copied a higher-level player's move…"
The rival stepped back, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Now THIS is interesting."
He laughed softly. "You're not just copying… you're adapting."
John stood firm, breathing heavily. "I'm not losing here."
For the first time, the rival's smile faded slightly.
"Good," he said. "Because weak players don't deserve power like yours."
Suddenly, a system warning flashed across the dungeon:
[Warning: PvP Combat Detected]
[High-Level Players Nearby]
More footsteps echoed.
The rival glanced toward the entrance, annoyed. "Tch. Looks like others are coming."
He turned back to John.
"This isn't over."
He pointed directly at him.
"Get stronger… John. Because next time—"
His voice dropped, cold and sharp.
"I won't hold back."
With that, he vanished into the shadows.
The tension broke instantly.
Bailey exhaled. "That guy… is insane."
Leo tightened his grip on his weapon. "And dangerous."
Kai looked at John seriously. "He chose you. That means trouble."
John stared at his hands.
They were shaking… but not from fear.
From excitement.
From determination.
"That's fine," John said quietly.
Next time…
"I'll beat him."
High above the dungeon, watching everything unfold—
Axel smiled.
"The real game… has finally begun."