Alora arrived just in time and swiftly cleared up the misunderstandings between Broken and the royal blacksmiths.
Next, she discovered a confrontation between the Ass Guild and the royal guards. She
commanded the royal guards to stand down, who had been surrounding the members of the guild. Unfortunately, she couldn’t stay longer to converse with the players and had to return to her palace.
Despite the challenges faced during the first round of the competition, Broken eventually reclaimed his hammer and even exchanged a few words with Alora.
Feeling drained from the day’s intense events, they all agreed to end their discussion. They decided to log out, planning to reconvene later after they had a chance to rest and recover. Leon stepped out of his game room, his eyes scanning the empty living area. He was alone. “Lily must have left for school already,” he said to himself.
The clock displayed nine o’clock, reminding him of his plans to visit the campus. He took a deep breath, exhaling with a mild groan.
“If only I didn’t have to worry about these studies anymore,” he thought.
As he undressed in the bathroom, his thoughts drifted to why he had gone to college in the first place. “Wasn’t college supposed to make me smarter, help me find a good job, and earn a living?” he pondered. “But now, making money isn’t really a problem, is it?”
After getting ready, Leon checked the contents of his wardrobe. His eyes fell on the array of expensive new clothes, causing him to frown.
“Is this all Freya’s doing?” he wondered. “This can’t be Lily, can it? Could this be part of the Golden Age Company’s service?”
He browsed through the clothes, finally picking out a T-shirt, jeans, a warm jacket, and shoes that fit him perfectly. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
“I really need to thank Freya more,” he mused. “She’s been such a great help.”
Leon settled into the passenger seat of the car as Alfred started driving. His thoughts were already consumed with the many tasks waiting for him in Immortal Legacy.
“Do you have any hobbies besides gaming, Leon?” Alfred asked, breaking the silence.
Leon blinked and pulled back from his reverie. “I used to love playing basketball,” he said. “But since college started, I just haven’t had the time. There’s always more work and never enough hours in the day to do everything I want.”
Alfred suggested eagerly, “If you miss playing basketball, I can take you to the nearest court. Your campus has its own court, too-perfect for practicing after classes or for a quick game to unwind.”
Leon took a deep, calming breath and relaxed, letting memories of his basketball days flood back. Despite his hectic schedule, he always found time to maintain a tough practice routine. He ran every chance he got, trained with a sword, and threw himself into Muay Thai. Driven by an unending desire to master more weapons, he also practiced archery and staff fighting. It didn’t matter if it was morning, afternoon, or night-he always carved out spare moments to train.
The idea of returning to basketball seemed like an easy choice at first. But then, reality set in -the sheer number of commitments already demanding his time.
“I think I’ll have to postpone that idea for now,” he finally responded.
As the sleek luxury car glided to a stop in the bustling parking lot of the university, Leon expelled a resigned sigh. He sprang from his seat, grabbed his bag with one hand, and slung it over his shoulder.
Taking another deep breath, he steeled himself for the day ahead and strode toward the entrance of the building. It was time to face another… monotonous day.
***
Freya stepped out of her Capsule Device, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the light of the room. Once the glare faded, she took in the familiar sights of her bedroom-a spacious, modernly designed sanctuary adorned with lavish decor.
Fatigue washed over her. She walked to the door, pushed it open, and stepped into the hallway. Entering the elevator, she descended to another floor. Making her way to the kitchen, she grabbed a refreshingly cold bottle of mineral water.
With the bottle in hand, she headed down the staircase and settled into a plush sofa in the living room. The house her parents left her was no mere home; it was practically a castle, brimming with luxurious furnishings and impeccably maintained, a true testament to the wealth of its occupants.
Freya reclined on the sofa, relaxing as the TV automatically flickered to life, displaying a weather forecast read by a crisp-voiced anchor. She reached for her phone from her shorts.
“Did Leon go to campus today?” she murmured to herself.
After dialing Alfred, she waited for his response. Upon confirming that Leon had indeed gone to the campus, she ended the call. She needed to discuss their next strategy for the final round of the competition with him. Clearly, Leon was determined to win-not just to compete, but to claim the grand prize if possible.
Leon was undeniably ambitious, a trait that Freya had recognized in him from the very beginning—even from the first time she had met him, so long ago.
Leaning back, Freya opened the photo gallery on her phone, her eyes settling on pictures of two children, about eight years old. One photo showed a girl with brown hair; the other, a boy with blond hair.
A knowing smile curled her lips as she gazed at the images. “You sure have grown up to be someone important now, you idiot!”
***
In the afternoon, Leon decided to take some time for himself and took Alfred’s suggestion, heading to the campus basketball court. When he arrived, the large room was almost completely deserted.
“It’s really rare for this place to be so quiet. Normally, there are always students playing
here.”
Leon stepped onto the court, his sneakers squeaking lightly against the wood floor. He grabbed a basketball and bounced it a few times. Smiling, he started to dribble.
He started slowly, familiarizing himself with the feel of the ball and the court. Gradually, he picked up the pace, the ball moving in perfect harmony with his movements, speed, and control. He was finding his groove again.
Leon ran, dribbling the ball with ease before coming to a graceful stop. With a swift motion, he sent the ball soaring toward the net.
“Yes!” he shouted in triumph. “I still got it!” he added, a wide smile spreading across his face.
He continued playing, his body moving fluidly and his breath steady-a testament to the rigorous training he put himself through every day. It didn’t take long for him to get back into the rhythm of the court.
Soon, he was dribbling confidently, and before he knew it, he was going for a dunk. He did it! His height had always been a challenge for such moves, requiring powerful footwork and a strong vertical leap to reach the rim. But with his past training and his now-improved physical condition, he managed to pull it off. He did it!
Leon was genuinely happy, grinning as he reveled in the joy of the game. He realized that sneaking in a basketball session now and then wouldn’t disrupt his demanding routine; in fact, it brought him a sense of balance and joy.
But his pleasure was abruptly cut short when he noticed several familiar faces from his class approaching. It was a group of students who often taunted Leon, especially after learning of his growing connection with the members of the Ass Guild.
He tossed the ball aside and thought about making a quick escape. But before he could move,
four of them had already surrounded him.
“Look who we have here,” one of them sneered. “Playing basketball, are we?”
“How about we have a quick game, huh?” another chimed in.