Roselle sat down at the gaming puter, she took in the vivid dispy of Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows on the rge monitor in front of her. The s was filled with a multitude of fantasy characters with unique abilities and appearances.

  Angie, who had settled beside Roselle, provided some guidance. "Alright, Roselle, first, you o select your character. You be a hero or a vilin. It's important to choose wisely, as your character's abilities will affect the oute of the duel."

  Roselle studied the character sele s, where a variety of fantastical beings were dispyed. Heroes, with their noble designs, were on one side, and vilins, often sp dark and menag looks, were oher.

  With determination in her eyes, Roselle used the mouse to hover over a hero character named "Sorin the Valiant." The character had a regal, knight-like appearance, with a gleaming sword at his side.

  Roselle clicked on the character, and Angie nodded in approval. "Good choice! Sorin is a strong hero with excellent bat skills."

  The step was to choose a side. The s prompted Roselle to decide whether she wao be a hero or a vilin. She took a moment to think. In games, she always liked to py the hero, but in most games she’s pyed, the vilns always had more stats than hero’s.

  After some ption, Roselle decided to py as a hero, aligning herself with the forces of good in the game. She clicked on the "Hero" option, and the s firmed her choice.

  The game loaded her character into the fantastical world of Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows, Roselle couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement and ay. She was stepping into a new realm.

  Alex smirked after seeing who Roselle chose.

  "Really, Sorin the Valiant?" he said while mog. "Pffftt hahahahaha!!!! Choosing a hero like that. Heroes are so predictable. You should've goh a vilin character. At least that would have given me a bit of a challenge."

  He ughed, fident in his gaming prowess. To him, Roselle's choice seemed like a rookie mistake, and he didn't hide his amusement. "But hey, it's your funeral. Get ready to bee another victim, newbie."

  While Alex tio taunt Roselle and ugh at her choice, he suddenly heard an ued female’s voiside his head.

  “Like, if you e across someone looking like me, don’t uimate her. Totes. Like Fr.”

  Alex's fident demeanor faltered for a moment. He knew all too well who it beloo. ‘That girl… she wouldn’t ever steer me in the wrong dire, but what am I missing about this girl,” he thought.

  Alex pted his options carefully. Each character had its own strengths, but he khat he couldn't afford to take any ces against Roselle. After a brief moment of thought, he selected the Dark Knight, his most powerful character.

  With a fident grin, he decred, "I'll go with the Dark Knight. Prepare to face the darkness, Hero."

  Roselle gulped nervously.

  Battlefield: Aquatic Sce

  The Aquatic Sce battlefield was a stunning uer realm filled with shimmering coral reefs and schools of colorful fish darting through the water. But there was an eerie ess about it, a sehat something mysterious and powerful lurked beh the surface.

  The battle music began to py, setting the tone for the epifrontatioween Roselle and Alex. Their avatars appeared on opposite sides of the battlefield, each standing before their respective bases. The clear water of the battlefield allowed them to see each other clearly.

  Roselle trolled her hero, the brave Sorin, who stood with her sword at the ready. She was determio prove herself in this new world, despite her inexperience.

  Oher side, Alex's Dark Knight emanated an aura of foreboding power. With a sinister grin, he khis was where he excelled, in the dark and unknown.

  The battle began with a fierce exge of spells and sword strikes. Roselle's Sorin used her agility to move gracefully ier, while Alex's Dark Knight utilized his brute strength.

  Roselle knew she had to use the water to her advantage. Sorin's attacks were faster and more precise in this aquatic realm. She summoned a water shield, creating a barrier to protect herself from Alex's ining spells.

  Alex realized he was at a disadvantage ier. His Dark Knight's movements were slower, and his attacks were less effective. But he had a pn. He ted a dark intation, summoning a shadowy mist that shrouded his character, making it difficult for Roselle to see his as.

  Roselle's resourcefulness began to shihough. She adapted to the uer enviro. She anded Sorin to use his water-based spells create an advantage. One of these was the ‘Call of the deep’, which allowed him to summon a powerful water elemental to aid in the fight.

  Alex, realizing the tide of battle was turning against him, decided to make a desperate move. He activated the Dark Knight's special ability: "Dark Knight."

  In an instant, the Dark Knight became invisible, cloaked in shadow. Roselle's avatar couldn't detect him, and she found herself fag an oppo she couldn't see. The eerie ess of the Aquatic Sce battlefield was disrupted by the uainty that now filled the water.

  Angie, who had been watg the battle closely, leaned over to Roselle and urgently whispered, "Roselle, this is not good. He's using the Dark Knight's invisibility move. You won't be able to see him food minute, and if you make one wrong move, you're finished."

  Roselle's heart raced. One misstep could cost her the battle. The water's beauty had given way to an intense, nerve-wrag frontation. With the invisible Dark Knight lurking in the depths, the battle had reached a critical point.

  Roselle had to rely on her instincts, anticipate Alex's moves, and hope that her quick thinking would see her through this dangerous enter.

  As Roselle focused all her attention on anticipating Alex's move, the ued happened. Sorin, her hero, was suddenly struck by a critical blow. The invisible Dark Knight had found an opening and exploited it with ruthless precision.

  A gasp of shod dismay escaped Roselle's lips when seeing her character's health bar plummet. The battle had taken a dire turn. Sorin was in critical dition, and Alex's Dark Knight still lurked in the shadows, invisible and ready to strike again.

  Realizing that Sorin was in critical dition and o retreat, Roselle swiftly gave the and. With a determined resolve, Sorin began to swim back towards Roselle's base, seeking refuge and a ce to recover.

  Alex, watg his invisible Dark Knight closely, realized that the tide of the battle had momentarily shifted in Roselle's favor. He knew he had to make a strategic decision quickly.

  Alex called forth his minions ahem charging toward Roselle's base, he had to end the invisibility of his Dark Knight. The Dark Knight reappeared, his presenown once more otlefield.

  Angie leaned in and pointed. "Roselle, this is your ce! He's exposed now, and with his minions gone, you make a move. But be careful, Sorin is injured. One wrong move could cost you the match."

  Roselle khe stakes were high, but even With Sorin injured, she o seize this opportunity while she had the ce. She had Sorin summon a water elemental to provide cover while approag the enemy base. The elemental shielded Sorin from the ining minion attacks, allowio get closer to Alex's base.

  The battlefield was tense as Sorin and Dark Knight cshed again, both pyers aware that this moment could determihe oute of the battle.

  With the fate of the match hanging in the bance, Roselle made her move, unleashing a flurry of attacks against Dark Knight. She aimed to take down her oppo and secure victory.

  Alex, now on the deferuggled to ter Sorin's relentless assault. The uer battlefield was a dazzling dispy of spells and sword strikes, with each pyer giving their all.

  The battle between Sorin and the Dark Knight reached its fih Sorin delivering the final blows. Alex’s eyes widened in shock.

  With a sly grin, Alex said, "Impressive, using Sorin as a one-man army. No minions, no traps, just a straightforward approach. But here's the thing, Roselle. In gaming, predictability be your downfall. I uand your strategy now, and that's a fatal fw. Variety and adaptability are key to winning. But, hey, you did well to st this long. I’ll give credit where credit is due."

  The Dark Knight fell before Sorin's might. Roselle began to celebrate. She had mao defeat Alex’s most powerful character, and victory seemed within reach. But Angie remained with a look of worry. She didn’t want to say anything since Roselle seemed to be adapting, but she couldn’t hold her tongue any longer.

  "Roselle, it's a fake out! Tell Sorin to retreat, quickly!"

  Panig, Roselle issued the and for Sorin to retreat, but it was too te. In the dark waters of the Aquatic Sce battlefield, a sudden, blinding explosioed from Alex's base.

  From the depths of the explosion emerged a hreat, the on Girl, a character capable of deliveriating le attacks. With impeccable aim, she fired the final, destructive bst at Sorin.

  The deadly energy sped towards Sorin, and Roselle watched in horror. There was no escape, no way to save her character in time.

  The deadly energy sped towards Sorin, slig through the. Roselle watched helplessly. Her s fshed red as Sorin's health bar drained rapidly. The game camera zoomed in on the impact, showing the devastating explosion that engulfed Sorin.

  The battlefield fell into silence, broken only by the cheers and ughter of the onlookers. Roselle had lost, and the bitter taste of defeat settled in her heart.

  Alex's triumphant grin was unmistakable. "Well pyed, Roselle, but this game goes to me. Sorin is only good in water fields so you obviously know how to choose battlefields well, but you fell for my diversion. You didn't really have much of a ce pying like that anyways. You are a Victim of not knowing the game."

  Aook a deep sigh. "I should have shown you how to use minions, Roselle. It could have made a difference."

  Roselle shook her head with her eyes downcast. “No, it’s my fault. I thought I could do this. I didn’t realize how good he was. I just... I wao find Tina so badly.”

  Alex wasted no time iing up with a grin. “Now, about that favor you owe me. I've got something ‘special’ in mind for the likes of you." He rubbed his hands together maliciously.

  Michigo stepped forward, her petitive spirit still burning. She shot a gre at Alex and said, "Hold on just a sed. I'll show you it's not over yet. I'll take you o, and you'll see a whole different level of gamepy."

  Alex raised an eyebrow. He finally reized Michigo from the Karate club. "Wait, hold the phone, you're Michight? What's a Karate club member doing here challenging me in a video game??"

  Michigo's eyes sparkled in reply, "You'd be surprised how much my karate training helps in gaming. Let's just say I'm more than ready to take you on. I'm not going to let Roselle go down like that!"

  Alex raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by Michigo’s fidence. “Oh? The Karate girl wants to have a go? Alright, I’m game. But let’s make it more iing. If you lose, Roselle will owe me two favors.”

  Michigo’s eyes narrowed. It looked like fire was ignited in her gaze. “Fine by me. But if I win, Roselle’s favor is null and void, and you’ll have to give us the information we need. Deal?”

  Roselle looked at Michigo anxiously. “Michigo, do you really think you win?”

  Michigo gave her friend a fident smile. “Trust me. I’ve got this. Do you believe in me?”

  Roselle met Michigo’s gaze. She momentarily paused and stared into her eyes. She then nodded firmly. “I trust you.”

  Michigo turned back to Alex and pced her hands on her hips. “Let’s do this, gamefreak.”