[Player Akkar and Ezekiel’s duel resulted in a draw, now returning the 200 silver to each player] 

Shortly after the system announcement finished.

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Akkar dropped to the ground with a loud bang. The fight was tiring, very tiring. The game restores the player’s physical condition completely after the duel ended. But it has been mentally exhausting even for him, who can handle a 20 hours endurance stream with ease. 

“Darn it!!” Akkar covered his eyes with his arm as he felt like crying in frustration. If only he risked increasing his strength a little more, he could have won. 

At the same time, the dagger floating in Ezekiel’s face also dropped on the floor. He then put away his staff on the back strap that his instructor had given him earlier. Ezekiel understood his instructor’s advice of not storing the weapon in his inventory. That way, he can be more accustomed to using it in the future like he is using his limbs. 

Ezekiel then looked at his opponent lying on the ground. He never expected that a player could exert that much force in the early stage of the game. If only his opponent had chosen to stab his self one more time, then there’s no way Ezekiel could have survived. Or if he didn’t always make sure to face his back in Alex’s direction after he got knocked away for the first time. Then no one will reduce the impact and damage he’s supposed to receive.

Ezekiel then reached out his hand to Akkar. “Mister, good fight…” It may have been a draw, but still, it was a satisfying fight enough to please his curiosity. He learned a lot of things before the first event even started.

Akkar removed his arm and opened his eyes after hearing his opponent talking to him. Seeing the hand in front of him, Akkar grabbed it without hesitation, helping him get up. He doesn’t have the time to stay and grieve for this draw, remembering the almost three thousand viewers he has right now. He must grab this opportunity to keep going and fight more duels and further expand his channel. 

The crowd then started a round of applause as they cheered for the two fighters on the center of the ring for showing them an exceptional fight. 

The viewers on Akkar’s channel also showed their support as small donations flooded one after the other. 

“Wooohh!! Nice fight!!” 

“It was amazing!!” 

“Don’t mind, don’t mind!!”

“Nice fight, big bro!!” 

“Not bad, kid!! At least you have something to back your arrogance!! If only you haven’t been arrogant from the start, I could have supported you earlier.” An onlooker shouted at Ezekiel.

Ezekiel can’t help but scratch his head. After all, it’s necessary for him to act arrogantly to challenge Akkar. If he didn’t talk big, Akkar wouldn’t even accept a challenge from a kid. 

Watching Akkar for quite some time, he noticed that after every duel he wins, Akkar talks to the air like crazy. Then he remembered that there was also a streaming application, so he concluded that Akkar must be a streamer. A streamer needs good content, so he must have thought that fighting a kid is not good at all unless he triggers his viewers.

…

“You’re strong… Ezekiel, right?” Akkar called out his opponent’s name in respect. Regardless of age, he will always respect people that are stronger than him. In the end, having a connection with someone strong is beneficial for him in the future. 

“Not at all, not at all, I was just lucky.” In the end, luck also played with Ezekiel by leaving him 1 health point. 

“You can call me brother Akkar or Akkar is fine.” Akkar showed his friendly side to Ezekiel. “By the way, I was wondering how did you dodge my last attack when I’m supposed to be faster than you.” He was expecting his dagger to hit Ezekiel, but unexpectedly he managed to duck and evade.

“It was quite simple… I dodge in advance before I entered your range.” 

“Simple!? That was not simple at all…” Ducking in advance to dodge an unforeseeable speed is not something normal humans can do or think. “What if I have slashed diagonally, then you would have lost…” 

“I know you wouldn’t. That’s how great my trust in my instincts is.” Ezekiel lied half of his answer without telling him the real reason. The factor that helped him the most in this duel is still Alex. There’s no way he could have dodged or seen that last attack if Alex did not tell him to duck in advance in their voice chat. So Ezekiel is still telling the truth of trusting his instincts.

“You must have excellent instincts.” 

…

Akkar’s viewers have been listening to the conversations of the two fighters all this time. Hearing Ezekiel’s answer, the viewers then flooded the stream’s comment section with amazement. 

“What a monster…” 

“He’s still a teenager, yet he is this strong. He is probably going to become someone great in this game in the future.” 

“Watching this stream makes me want to fight my way through tomorrow just to get a 2nd generation capsule.” 

…

“Hurry up and leave there already. And let me have my turn.” 

“Anyway, I’m leaving now. Are you still going to continue to duel other people??” Ezekiel exclaimed, feeling the chills on his bones from Alex’s threatening glare in the distance. 

She must be dying to fight right now. 

  “Yes, there is still time before the event starts,” Akkar replied. 

If he stops doing the duel, his viewers will leave one after the other because of boredom. It is because there’s nothing to do in the village that is more interesting than the duel. And players are forced to stay in the village before the event starts.

“Then I can recommend you a fantastic opponent for your next fight.”

“Really? Who?” Akkar was glad that he didn’t need to find his next opponent now, and if it was Ezekiel’s recommendation, the guy must also be strong like him. 

“Her…” Ezekiel pointed at Alex’s direction.

“It’s my turn!!” Alex walked forward in unison. 

“Her???”