Riley's hands wouldn't stop shaking.
He flexed his fingers inside the sleek VR gauntlets, watching calibration circles blink green along the edge of his visor. The prep room was cold and silent except for the soft hum of ventilation and the distant roar of a massive crowd above.
The Realmwalker Five-Year Anniversary World Championship.
The biggest event the game had ever held.
He had dreamed of this moment for half a decade.
And it felt like his lungs were filled with ice.
"Player Riley Grant, prepare for deployment," the system voice echoed calmly.
A glowing countdown materialized in his HUD.
1 minute 30seconds
Ninety seconds until his match.
Ninety seconds until he either proved he belonged… or confirmed what everyone whispered behind his back.
Riley closed his eyes and exhaled, letting the familiar stone-colored Bindstone resting on his belt glow faintly.
His Spirit's ghostly outline floated beside him—broad-shouldered, gorilla-like, heavy stone plating across muscle-bound arms and shoulders. Even in standby form it looked ready to tear open the floor.
"Alright, big guy," Riley muttered. "Let's get through this."
The Brute rumbled, amber eyes steady and dull. Unbothered. Unafraid.
Must be nice.
The prep-room door slid open with a soft hiss.
A tall avatar stepped in—dark cloak, angular armor, calm golden eyes beneath a simple steel circlet.
Andy Lendrim.
Top-ten ranked pro.
Regional champion.
Aetherfall's golden boy.
The man everyone said would win this entire tournament.
Andy gave Riley a polite nod. Not arrogant. Not mocking. Just… confident.
"First time on the main stage?" Andy asked, slipping his gauntlets back on.
Riley swallowed. "Yeah."
Andy adjusted the fit on his vambrace. "Relax. The first match is always the hardest. Just breathe."
The kindness made Riley more nervous, not less.
He didn't want pity from a legend.
Another chime.
The room dissolved, replaced by swirling white light. The ground slammed into place beneath Riley's feet as the arena loaded around him—rings of jagged stone pillars encircling a floating platform above a dark abyss.
The crowd's roar hit him like a physical wave.
Thousands of avatars filled the stands, cheering, chanting, waving banners. Massive holographic screens hung overhead replaying highlights of previous rounds.
"And now," boomed the announcer's voice, "the opening match for Bracket C!"
Lights swept across the arena.
"On the north side—making his first-ever tournament appearance—Riley Grant, representing the guild Iron Flock!"
Scattered applause. Nothing special.
"And on the south side—regional champion, tournament favorite, and top-ten pro—Andy Lendrim, of Aetherfall!'"
The arena EXPLODED with cheers.
Aetherfall banners lit up the stands.
Andy gave a calm wave.
Riley's throat tightened.
Riley lifted his hand.
"Stoneback—let's go."
The Bindstone shattered in a pulse of earthen light. Dust spiraled upward and solidified into the towering form of the Stoneback Brute. Its fists slammed the arena floor, cracks spreading beneath its weight. A deep, rumbling roar shook Riley's chest.
The crowd reacted with scattered murmurs.
"A classic tank pick," one commentator said. "Reliable, but outdated in this meta."
"True," the other replied. "Stoneback is strong early—but pros have learned to play around it."
Across the arena, Andy raised his hand calmly.
"Take flight—Skyrazor Wyvern."
His Bindstone burst into shards of brilliant azure. Light twisted in the air, coiling into a dragon like body. Wings shaped like blades, each feather razor-sharp and crackling with lightning.
A majestic Skyrazor Wyvern hovered above the ground, crackling with wind and electricity.
The crowd roared its approval.
Riley's stomach dropped.
This wasn't just a top-tier pick.
This was the pick dominating the pro scene.
A chime.
Riley moved instantly.
"Stoneback—forward! Boulder Rush!"
The Brute thundered forward, stone plates grinding, dust exploding beneath its fists.
Andy pointed upward.
"Altitude."
The Wyvern shot straight up, a streak of blue-silver, leaving spiraling currents in its wake. Stoneback's leap whiffed beneath it, claws scraping harmlessly at the air.
Of course.
Open with zoning.
Force him to waste his initiation.
"Anchor stance! Stone Guard!"
Stone surged over the Brute's body, thickening its armor. A shimmering barrier formed, runes glowing brilliant orange.
Andy didn't give him a second.
"Tempest Blades."
The Wyvern dove low, slicing the air with its wing edges. Dozens of wind crescents rained down on the Brute's barrier—thwip-thwip-thwip—each one shaking Riley's gear.
"Wait for it," Riley whispered.
The Wyvern circled again for another pass—
"Now—Faultline!"
Stoneback smashed the ground. A crack split the arena floor, jagged spikes erupting upward
One clipped the Wyvern's wing.
The crowd gasped.
Opportunity—
"Seismic Grip!"
A gravity well exploded beneath Stoneback. The Wyvern was yanked downward, wings flailing as it crashed onto the platform.
"Seismic Crush!"
Stoneback's fists glowed molten orange as it raised them high—
Andy's eyes narrowed.
"Skyvault."
A flash of white.
The Wyvern vanished.
Reappeared in a ring of floating sigils overhead.
Stoneback's ultimate slammed into nothing but stone, sending cracks rippling across the arena.
The counter was perfect.
Riley froze as dread climbed his spine.
"Recover! Stoneback, brace—"
Too late.
Andy lifted one hand.
"Razor Descent."
The Wyvern plummeted, spiral wrapped in lightning. It crashed into Stoneback's chest like a falling star.
Pain shuddered through Riley's haptics.
"Back! Earth Shove—"
Stoneback pushed the Wyvern back, buying inches—
"Circle hi," Andy commanded. "Tempest Ring."
The Wyvern shot around Stoneback in a tight spiral, unleashing a ring of slicing wind blades that carved into the Brute's armor.
Riley's heart hammered.
Think. Don't panic.
But Andy was already raising his hand again.
"Thunderfall."
The sky opened.
Lightning rained down in a concentrated storm, each bolt exploding across Stoneback's chest.
Riley slapped the ult command.
"Stoneback—Stonewall!—"
The cast bar barely reached halfway—
A final bolt struck.
Stoneback shattered into dust and light.
Silence.
Then the arena erupted.
Riley stared at the fading motes of his Spirit. His hands trembled. His heart felt carved out.
Andy landed lightly, Wyvern hovering behind him.
He looked at Riley—not smug, not arrogant—just calm.
He gave Riley a small nod.
That hurt more than humiliation.
Because Andy wasn't mocking him.
Andy was acknowledging him.
As if to say:
You tried. You fought. But you weren't ready.
The arena dissolved around Riley as the system pulled him back into the preparation chamber.
His HUD flickered with stats he didn't want to see.
A message popped up.
Riley closed his eyes.
He knew exactly what was coming next.
And somehow, the defeat in the arena hurt less than the words he knew he was about to hear from his team.