The arena loaded in three seconds.
Zeph had to play matches as part of his sponsorship deal.
His opponent's profile appeared on his display.
VALKYRIE_PRIME. Level 50. B-rank. Barrier Mage specialist. Win rate: 75%. The profile image showed a woman in full barrier-enhanced combat armor with the specific expression of someone who had decided how this match was going to go before it started.
"B-rank axe user," she said, reading his profile. "Interesting weapon choice."
"It works," he said.
"For chopping wood, sure." A pause. "Are you planning to chop wood today or actually fight?"
He didn't respond. The match timer counted down.
"Silent type," she said. "That's fine. Silence won't help with what's about to happen to you."
"Are you always this talkative before a match?" he asked.
"Only when I'm feeling generous. Consider it a warm-up gift." Another pause. "You're welcome."
The timer hit zero.
