A morning could pass in the blink of an eye, especially when immersed in a game. It’s a universal feeling, I believe.
Time spent playing games, reading novels, or watching videos, indeed any moment dedicated to enjoyment, seems to vanish impossibly fast.
I felt as though I’d only been playing for a short while when, suddenly, someone hugged me tightly from behind. Startled, my hand twitched, and my weapon discharged.
The person I was about to ambush discovered me, initiating a direct gunfight. Without a shred of suspense, the game ended.
Turning around, I was startled once more by Lavishly Karafar’s magnified, smiling face.
“Little Menghan, I truly believe you’re not behaving at all,” Lavishly Karafar said, her tone sharp as she pointed at the computer. “Running straight to this thing without eating breakfast? You know, breakfast is incredibly important!”
“Haha, well, actually, um… where I’m from, we don’t really have the custom of eating breakfast,” I stammered, attempting to bluff my way out. “Yes, we just don’t.”
Lavishly Karafar eyed me suspiciously. “Even if that’s the case, you’re in the God Realm now. Skipping breakfast is detrimental to your health here.”
“Regardless of your habits, you absolutely must eat breakfast now.” She finished, shaking her head.
“The principal initially told me to turn you into a proper young lady, citing your rather chaotic lifestyle. When I first saw you, I didn’t believe it—how could such a cute girl have messy habits?”
“But now, I truly feel it’s necessary for me to supervise you closely. Living like this, you’ll never find your ideal male god.”
‘I’m at my wit’s end,’ I thought. ‘Why must I become a ‘qualified girl’? And please, I absolutely *must not* find my ideal male god! Besides, isn’t the principal’s premise flawed?’
‘Now, I’m even more desperate to know why that unscrupulous agent insisted on turning me into a girl. If there isn’t a reasonable explanation, I will absolutely…’
‘However, I don’t think I can beat her…’
From outside, Mifeier’s voice rang out. “Sister Ye, Sister Lavishly, lunch is ready!”
Shutting down the computer, Lavishly Karafar and I exited the room. Lunch had been brought back by Xilinka from the cafeteria: four plates of stir-fried greens and a large bowl of vegetable soup.
I stared blankly at the dishes. As a devout carnivore, even a single meatless meal left me feeling intensely uneasy.
Normally, when I ate instant noodles, I’d at least add a hot dog sausage and an egg.
I gazed at the entirely vegetarian spread on the table, wanting to cry. Although it was undeniably healthy, all I longed for at that moment was some greasy junk food.
After finishing the meal, despite its decent taste, the profound sense of loss from the absence of meat clung to me persistently. ‘This won’t do,’ I thought. ‘I need meat! Give me meat!’
Upon arriving at the arena, the stands, which had seemed somewhat sparse yesterday, were now completely packed with people.
“Is there an important match today?” I asked, a touch of curiosity in my voice as I surveyed the massive crowd.
“Hmm… well, today, you’re probably the only one who’s truly special,” Lavishly Karafar replied, sounding slightly uncertain. Then, a sudden realization dawned on her.
“After all, you’re a rare Upper Deity. Everyone must be eager to witness your innate skills, and simply to see what kind of person you are.”
As I walked into the arena and approached the outer stands for my upcoming match, it was clear this was indeed the focal point of the crowd. The sheer number of spectators was making the students currently competing on the field incredibly nervous, causing them to make mistake after mistake.
This overwhelming display of attention made me feel a surge of stage fright. Observing the two competitors on the platform, their tension was palpable, and yet, this crowd wasn’t even here for them.
Moreover, I wasn’t some cold-hearted individual. This wasn’t a livestream; this was a face-to-face encounter!
Suddenly, I wanted to flee. ‘No, this won’t do,’ I thought. ‘If this continues, I’ll definitely give in to the urge to run away.’
Just then, Lavishly Karafar placed a hand on my shoulder from behind, offering gentle reassurance. “It’s alright. It’s just a small spar, and you’re a newcomer. Even if you don’t win, it’s fine.”
“I believe you’re not the one who should be panicking, but rather your opponent. Think about it: if your opponent looks like a formidable force, wouldn’t you be terrified?”
I calmed myself slightly. ‘She’s right,’ I realized. ‘I’m not the only one who’s afraid; my opponent must be terrified too.’
‘I must remain calm. At the very least, when I step onto the stage, I need to project an aura of complete control. That would likely unnerve my opponent even more, much like trash-talking in a game.’
‘Therefore, I need to stay calm. Calm.’
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to compose my nerves. “Alright, I’ll head to the waiting area first. I’m afraid if I stay here any longer, I’ll truly bolt.”
Lavishly Karafar gave me a supportive fist pump. “You can do it!”
Xilinka merely offered a faint remark. “Win, and there will be meat tonight.”
Upon hearing this, Mifeier looked at me with pitiful eyes. “Sister Ye, you absolutely cannot lose! If you do, we’ll probably be eating ‘green food’ for days…”
Xilinka’s words instantly clarified why there had been no meat at lunch today. However, I truly disliked this method of motivation.
“Hey, hey, please don’t do this!” I exclaimed, a laugh escaping me. “I *will* win!”
At least now I had a compelling reason to secure victory, as it concerned my meals for the next several days.
Though this reason was hardly convincing, going without meat for several days was genuinely difficult to bear.
After parting ways with them, I stepped through a black door. Inside was a vast, empty room, where only a screen-like object floated in mid-air, displaying the ongoing events in the arena.
This particular arena was designated for students ranked lower down, making it abundantly clear that there was a significant gap between them and individuals like Xilinka and Senior Desa.
Their battles seemed more drawn-out and evenly matched, as neither side possessed any truly formidable finishing moves. Consequently, the fights lacked a thrilling, unrestrained quality, instead feeling rather tedious.
I watched them exchange blows, repeating the same few tactics: a fire meteor here, a holy shield there; a divine judgment met with a divine blessing. Initially, it had been somewhat engaging, even exhilarating.
But after seeing it repeatedly, it quickly grew tiresome. What was the point of endlessly repeating the same moves? Ultimately, it boiled down to a contest of reserves and operational proficiency, utterly devoid of twists or dramatic turns.
Feeling quite bored, I began to examine the room around me.
The room itself appeared to be constructed from individual blocks, evident from the visible seams. Though I couldn’t discern the underlying mechanism, the air within was surprisingly fresh.
Typically, sealed environments like this suffered from poor air quality and lacked proper ventilation.
Just as I was meticulously examining the peculiar chamber, the match on the screen concluded.
In an instant, the black blocks gradually shifted to white, then erupted in a blinding burst of powerful white light. Caught completely off guard, my face was once again washed out by the glare.
I had to admit, habit truly was a terrifying thing. Gradually, I had come to terms with these holy light flashes to the face. Aside from a slight discomfort in my eyes, I had largely accepted the sensation.
How did other deities manage to endure such intense light?
In the blink of an eye, I found myself standing in the arena. The gleaming golden wall in the center must have been the one I’d observed from the stands.
Through the shimmering wall, I could faintly make out my opponent: a girl approximately 1.55 meters tall. I naturally had no idea about her divine lineage; even if she bore any identifying symbols, I wouldn’t recognize them.
And so, we faced each other, sensing the wondrous flow of divine power within our bodies. We watched each other silently, awaiting the precise moment the light wall would vanish, even as the divine arts in our hands began to coalesce.