Les sat in his apartment, the dim glow of the city lights seeping through the windows. The cold silence of the night pressed against him, but inside, his mind was anything but still. His confrontation with Arin had stirred up more than just old memories—it had sparked something deeper. Something he had long buried beneath the weight of his failures and disappointments. For years, Les had allowed himself to drift, trapped in mediocrity, believing that his circumstances were all he deserved.
But no more.
The vivid recollections of his past failures with his father, the bitter disappointment in his voice, and the disdain that came with every interaction… Les had lived his whole life in the shadow of the De Lamar name, constantly reminded that he wasn't good enough. And maybe they were right. He had never been the prodigy they wanted. But now, Les understood something they never could. His path wasn't meant to follow in their footsteps. He didn't need their approval, and he didn't need to be extraordinary by their standards.
He just needed to be the best version of himself.
Les stood up from his bed, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. The past was a burden he could no longer afford to carry. He had a future to claim—a future he would build with his own hands, in his own way. And the first step was mastering the one thing he had that no one else did: his Life Mirror ability.
In Ancient Arena Online, Les had seen glimpses of what he could become. Every battle had sharpened him, every defeat taught him more than any victory ever could. He had potential—he just needed to dig deeper, push harder. He wasn't aiming to be good anymore. He was aiming to be the best. Not for his family. Not for anyone else.
For himself.
Les opened the holo-pad and scrolled through his previous notes. His training regimen, the exercises he planned to push his body through, the mental conditioning he would use to align his mind with the skills he had absorbed in the game. It wasn't much right now—just the basics. But every expert had started as a beginner. He knew he had the mental fortitude to improve. Now he just needed the physical discipline to match.
His eyes flicked toward the virtual reality rig set up in the corner of his apartment. The gateway into Ancient Arena Online. His digital battlefield. The one place where his weaknesses didn't matter because there, everything was a test of skill, strategy, and perseverance.
Les took a deep breath, his resolve solidifying.
"I will be the best," he whispered to himself. "I don't care how long it takes or what I have to do. I'll master this game and take control of my life. No more half-measures."
He glanced out of the window at the sprawling city below. Somewhere out there, people were living their lives, climbing the ladder of success. But they weren't him. They didn't know what it was like to face the constant pressure of failure, of never being enough. And when he reached the top—when he carved out his place, it would be because he earned it, not because it was handed to him.
No more mediocrity. No more doubts. Les would prove his worth not just in Ancient Arena Online, but in the real world too.
The VR rig hummed to life as he approached it, his headset resting in its cradle like a weapon waiting to be wielded. With one final deep breath, he stepped into the rig, placing the headset over his eyes and letting the world around him dissolve into the digital expanse of Ancient Arena Online.
The bright colors of the Ancient Arena Online world rushed into focus, filling his senses with the familiar adrenaline-pumping atmosphere. Les stood at the edge of the arena, the crowd roaring in the distance. Today's match would be a brutal one—he'd signed up for a higher-tier battle, knowing full well that he was up against players far more skilled than him. But that didn't matter. He had something more valuable than pure skill now. He had resolve.
The virtual sun blazed overhead as Les stepped onto the battlefield, the hard, stone ground under his feet reminding him of the reality he was about to face. He was going up against some of the top players in this bracket, players who had honed their abilities for years, while he was still struggling to make his mark. But this wasn't just about winning. This was about pushing himself beyond his limits, about testing the full extent of his newfound determination.
As he tightened his grip on his weapon, he activated his Life Mirror ability, the familiar surge of knowledge and experience flooding his mind. This time, it was different. He wasn't just relying on what he had borrowed from others. He was integrating it with his own growing understanding of combat, his reflexes sharper, his movements more calculated.
The countdown began.
"Ten… nine… eight…"
Les closed his eyes for a moment, letting the tension melt away. He pictured the faces of everyone who had ever doubted him. His father, his family, Arin—all those who saw him as nothing more than a failure. He wasn't fighting for their approval anymore. He was fighting for himself.
"Three… two… one…"
The battle commenced with a thunderous roar as his opponents charged toward him. Les sidestepped the first attack, his body moving with a fluidity that surprised even him. His training was paying off. He parried another strike, his movements faster, more precise. Every moment felt sharper, more intense. But the challenge was immense—his opponents were relentless, striking with brutal efficiency.
Blow after blow, Les found himself getting pushed to the edge of his endurance. His health bar was dangerously low, but he kept pushing, refusing to give up. Every time he was knocked down, he stood back up, learning from each mistake, each misstep.
He was on the verge of defeat when it happened—a moment of clarity, a split-second realization that changed everything. His opponent lunged, and instead of dodging, Les leaned into the attack, using his opponent's momentum against them. His blade found its mark, delivering a decisive blow.
But victory wasn't his.
In the final moments of the battle, Les was taken out by a surprise strike from behind. His health bar dropped to zero, and the match was over.
He lost.
The arena lights dimmed, and the victory screen appeared—but not for him. His opponent stood triumphant, the cheers of the virtual crowd deafening in Les's ears. But despite the loss, something unexpected stirred within him.
Satisfaction.
He hadn't won the match, but he had won something more important: progress. Every movement, every decision in that fight had been a step forward. He wasn't where he wanted to be yet, but he was getting closer. And for the first time in a long time, he knew without a doubt that he would reach his goal.
As the arena dissolved around him and the game returned him to the main hub, Les smiled to himself. This was just the beginning. He was no longer just surviving. He was growing, evolving.
And soon, he'd be unstoppable.
Back in his apartment, Les removed the VR headset, sweat dripping down his face. His body ached from hours of strain, but the pain felt good. It was a reminder that he was pushing his limits, becoming something more.
He glanced out the window again, his reflection staring back at him with a newfound confidence. This was his path now. He would conquer both the real world and the virtual one, step by step.
Les leaned back in his chair, determination burning in his eyes. He wasn't just playing the game anymore. He was preparing for a future no one could take from him.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but Les was ready. Both in the arena and in life, he had made his resolve clear: he would be the best.