The Art Of Sword

*Sunz turn*

After walking into the Palace of 1v1 and walking through the Yellow line, Sunz's hands got equipped with a pair of gloves with the number 177-013 on each hand.

Sunz then steps out of the Yellow line and sees the Gloves disappear… Then he just steps back in and the Gloves reappear.

Sunz: The gloves feel real, comfortable and they come with funny numbers.

Sunz walks around for 5 minutes, scouting the whole section to see what is going on and what type of games they have.

Sunz (There are so many machines with so many different fighting games,… but why aren’t there any buttons on them and why are they all in arcade box?)

(Not to mention, there is a huge view party in the center of this place.)

The view party is packed with no more available seats, some have to stand to watch the ongoing match displayed on the big screen of the 2 players playing on the stage.

On the stage, the two players are, a buff shirtless Fox with human body named ‘LowtierFox’ and an ordinary guy.

Sunz just standing on the outside watching the Fox beating the Guy in 30 seconds with two perfect K.O.

After the Guy gets defeated, the arcade machine on the stage turns black and the Guy leaves the stage while another Player steps up to challenge LowtierFox. The Player stepping up was sitting in the front on the far right of the aisle.

After the new Player leaves his chair, the chair automatically folds to the floor then every seat is moved forward and a new chair appears in the far left of the last row.

This repeated for 9 more times with the same result, every opponent was easily defeated by LowtierFox within 30 seconds in two rounds, some were perfect K.O, some got a few hits in before losing.

But the thing that surprised Sunz the most after watching all of those matches was… 6 different fighting game franchises were played.

Sunz then wanders away while the next match is being played. Still watching the match on the screen while wandering around, Sunz accidentally bumps into someone with the same height as him and knocks both to the floor.

Sunz: Sorry about that! I didn’t pay any attention, Sorry!

The other person stands up first and then reaches their hand out to Sunz. Sunz grabs their hand and gets up. They both stare at each other for a moment without saying anything, which gives Sunz a bit of time to recognize their face.

Sunz (It’s the British Guy): I remember you have another person with you.

British Guy: And I remember you go in a group of five…

Sunz:…Well, this is strange… Sorry about what just happened, I’ll leave now.

British Guy: Are you going to wander around this place for a second time?

Sunz:…Maybe… If we going to talk can we have some topic…

British Guy: Let’s start with an introduction, the name is Lucas.

Sunz: My name is Sunz.

Lucas: Now that’s done. This is your first time watching a fighting game tournament?

Sunz: Yes…

Lucas: You played any fighting game before?

Sunz: I have and my skill is average at most.

Lucas: This tournament is getting pretty boring for me, want to do some rounds?

Sunz: Are you going to pull any of those infinite combo?

Lucas: It’s no fun for both of us if the other can’t do anything, but there is more to Fighting game than infinite combo.

Sunz: Oh no, that infinite combo stuff is just annoying. I don’t care that you’re going to destroy me, I just want to play the game.

Lucas: Is that a yes?

Sunz: Yeah it’s a yes, let’s duel.

Lucas then leads Sunz to a fully black machine with no game franchise art display around the machine.

*Sunz and Lucas standing side by side*

Sunz: So what games are we playing, Shadow Fight?

Lucas: No, but that is a good title for a fighting game. Different from other machines with artwork, these black machines don’t display their art until you choose the game. And they have all of the Fighting games in the world.

Lucas swiped two cards into the machine and it lit up with two option

*Opposite* ----- *Side by Side*

Lucas: So which one do you prefer?

Sunz: What’s the difference?

Lucas: One is you and I sandwich the machine. The other is like what we doing right now but sitting.

Sunz: Let’s go with the second one.

Lucas: Got it, also watch your knee.

Sunz: What?

Lucas chose the *Side by Side* option then two chairs from under the machine got shot out at both of them. Lucas catches one of the chairs with his leg. Sunz catches one of the chairs with his knee, which puts him in immense pain. Sunz uses the chair to help him stand and wait out the pain.

Lucas: I warn you…

After 30 seconds of enduring the worst pain in his life, Sunz was finally able to speak up and sit in the chair.

Sunz: ok let's play.

Lucas: Are you crying?

Sunz: yes… I didn’t expect that to happen… but now *deep breath* let's fight.

*A minute of silence*

Lucas: Fully recovered?

Sunz: Yes.

Lucas: So what type of controller do you use? Stick, Hit Box, Controller, or Keyboard.

Sunz: I use Keyboard.

Lucas: I’m old-school so Stick for me.

Lucas performs some action on the screen and another cabinet from the machine opens to deliver them their controller.

Lucas: We won’t have any place to put our controller so start getting used to it. Now for the game! What games have you played before?

Sunz: Well I had only played one game before and it's a fan game called Idol Showdown…but now…

Lucas: Now you want to try some of the mainstream games.

Sunz: Yeahh…

Lucas: Well lucky for you, with the advance of technology we can now play every character from all over the franchise including fan-made games too.

Sunz: I may be an amateur but don’t different games have different systems, character graphics… so on and so forth.

Lucas: To be honest, I don’t know what drug were they on while developing this system but I don’t really care. I just want to see 16-bit characters fighting their 3D counterpart.

Sunz: True.

Lucas directing Sunz: So first choose the company then the franchise then the version of that franchise then you pick your character.

Sunz: Ok got my character, before we fight another question. Aren’t some games allow you to have 3 characters at once, how do they balance the 1 v 3?

Lucas picking his character: They just 3x that character's health…Now warning I might throw slur if you are horrible at the game.

Sunz: Got it!

*The game starts*

Both Sunz and Lucas back into their corner to test out their button for 15sec.

Lucas: Ready? Start on 80.

Sunz *deep breath*: Ok!

*Result Lucas beat Sunz 2-0*

Lucas: First time experience what’s your review?

Sunz: Cool game, movement feels very different… One complaint! How does your character attack hit 70% of the screen?

Lucas: That is a Zoner character. They have really long move to hit the opponent at fullscreen. Your character is also a Zoner too!

Sunz: How is my Zoner the same as your Zoner? Only my basic is full screen while all of your attacks are full screen.

Lucas: I can change character if you hate It that much.

Sunz: Hmm…Can you continue using that character until I beat It?

Lucas: Sure. I can train you.

*Give Sunz his other Golden Card*

“Knowing that you’ll lose a lot, I’ll pay for your turn, and if that card runs out we’ll do a switch.”

Sunz: Isn’t that the card of your big guy friend? Doesn’t he need it?

Lucas: Just beat me first then you can know other details.

Sunz: Got it!

*Second Game Sunz lose again 2-0*

Lucas: Better, try to keep things simple. You are not capable of performing fancy button pressing yet. Again!

*Third Game Sunz lose again 2-0*

Lucas: This round is worse, I nearly got 2 Perfect K.O, ignore the grab button, also your character has an Ult button use that.

Sunz: Ok then, again!

*Fourth Game Sunz lose 2-1*

…

*Fifth Game start*

Sunz manages to win the first round with a sliver of health.

In the second round Lucas up his blocking game and only hit Sunz a few times, which resulted in Lucas winning at full health and Sunz losing at half health due to time out.

Final round, Sunz starts getting a better grip on his character. He manages to take Lucas down to half-health then lose to an endless combo loop.

*Fifth Game Sunz lose 2-1*

Lucas: Damn I went overboard…

Sunz: Another, if I can beat you in the first two rounds then I don’t have to fight your true self.

Lucas:…Good luck…

*Sixth Game start*

Sunz did better than all of his previous rounds and won First round with more than 50% of his health.

Second round was a bit harder but Sunz managed to break Lucas’s guard gauge and win the match.

*Sixth Game Sunz win 2-0*

Lucas: All it took was 6 games for you to beat me.

Sunz: If you didn’t go easy, I would’ve never won any round. By the way is this normal for my hand to feel tingly?

Lucas: We’ll take a five-minute break. So are you working as a Hero?

Sunz: Uh…No? Why are you asking that out of nowhere?

Lucas:…Let’s just say there is a familiar face…

Sunz (Fuck I think I know why!)

Lucas: But let's bury that topic. The big guys that you mentioned before, said that he got some business around here and will be back. It kinda annoys me that he didn’t even know about this place before but he still has work here.

Sunz: Well, I might have accidentally eavesdropped you two while we were in the lobby and I heard that… he is a Hero?

Lucas: Yeah he is… Are you a fan? You know that he might not be the Hero you thought of, due to his body is pretty common in that area.

Sunz: That area?

Lucas: You know the ‘Super Strength’ type, there are so many of them.

Sunz: So, what is your relationship with him?

Lucas: Acquaintance… I am currently under his training.

Sunz: You and him have the same ability?

Lucas: No, not even close. Which is hella confusing, shouldn’t a meathead train another meathead and not some kid he found at a soccer field?

Sunz: So you don’t like it? Just tell him that he is looking for the wrong person.

Lucas: Well…he told me “I see something special in you!”, combine with he has been attending a few of my school soccer matches… he is also a celebrity where I come from… he also came to my house and talked with my parents to tell them that he wants me to join him.

Sunz (So it is him): He is quite persistent. So what is the deal that led to this?

Lucas: I will become his student in exchange, I don’t need to care about my school grade anymore but I still have to attend school regularly.

Sunz: So just like Esport players?

Lucas: Yeah, the only difference is they have Tournament Rank to prove their worth, and I don’t even know what I have to show.

Then suddenly their machine turned off.

Sunz: What just happened?

Lucas: It’s time.