Two days later in the morning, Linggis stood in a small kitchen, dressed in a white shirt and long black trousers. In his left hand, he held a cup of freshly brewed black coffee. His right hand gripped a walking cane he often used.
"I forgot to add sugar," he muttered, sighing. But before he could move to the table, the world around him suddenly changed. A blinding light filled the room, making him instinctively close his eyes.
When he opened them again, Linggis found himself standing in the middle of a vast Colosseum-like arena. The place was magnificent, with towering pillars and thousands of empty spectator seats. In front of him stood a figure he thought he recognized from the game: a woman with dark blue hair, wearing an elegant gown shimmering like water under the moonlight. It was Dewi.
"You've got to be kidding me," Linggis stared at her with half-asleep eyes, still holding his cane and coffee cup.
The goddess smiled faintly, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Good morning, Linggis. I hope you've had enough rest because I challenge you to a duel. But this time, not in the game. Here, in the real world."
Linggis looked at her blankly, then raised his cane slightly with his right hand. "You're serious? Challenging a crippled man? You really have a problem with competition, don't you?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Goddess looked surprised, then glanced at the cane in Linggis' hand. "I... I didn't know. I didn't expect..."
"Of course you didn't. You were too busy thinking of ways to beat me," Linggis replied, lifting his coffee cup with his left hand. "At least give me time to add sugar to this coffee before you try to kill me."
Goddess's face turned red, either from embarrassment or anger. "I didn't mean to belittle you. I just want to prove something—that I can defeat you, no matter where we are."
Linggis snorted, then walked slowly with his cane to a marble chair that somehow existed in the middle of the arena. He sat down casually, sipping his bitter black coffee. "Listen, I know now that you're Rana and apparently a goddess. If you want a duel, fine. But I need to tell you one thing: the real world is not a game. There's no respawn. If I kick you out of this arena, that's your problem."
Goddess was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "You're really good with words, Linggis. But I won't back down. You may have pushed me back in the game, but I doubt you can do the same here."
Linggis tilted his head. "Oh, so this isn't just about competition. It's about pride. Fine," he said, standing up slowly. "But one condition: if I win, you stop chasing me with this nonsense. I have a life, you know?"
Goddess lifted her chin, smiling confidently. "If you win, I'll stop. But if I win, you have to acknowledge me as your equal. Deal?"
Linggis shrugged, sipping his coffee again. "Deal. But don't cry if you lose. I don't have tissues."
With that, circles of light began to appear around the arena. The air grew heavy, and Linggis felt his body become lighter. He glanced at his cane, then looked at goddess. "Well, at least I don't need this to walk here."
Goddess held a massive sword that appeared out of nowhere and pointed it at Linggis. "Prepare yourself. This fight will determine everything."
Linggis rolled his eyes and placed his coffee cup on the ground. "Alright. But remember, I've never lost—not even in the real world."