Chat group, become my wings!

Ding! Detecting host's current need. Initiating chat group upgrade...

Just as Kevin Cross was about to fight Esdeath, the chat group suddenly began upgrading again.

He blinked, momentarily stunned. This chat group... it really was something. Every time he needed a feature, it somehow sensed it and upgraded on its own.

It truly felt like the chat group belonged entirely to him like he was the one calling the shots, the ultimate VIP client. Whenever he needed something, the group responded with an update. Kevin had no idea what to even say anymore. A chat group this considerate? He just wanted to ask: who else could compare?

And the upgrade speed? Blazing fast.

In no time, the process finished. Kevin discovered that two major new functions had been added.

The first was the livestream feature. Group members could now start live broadcasts, and everyone else in the group could tune in and watch.

For example, whenever Kevin went on a mission, he could stream the process in real-time, allowing others to follow his progress and actions.

This was something Kumoko had once complained about. Kevin had agreed back then that the lack of visuals was inconvenient. Now, the livestream feature was finally available.

The second addition was the Virtual Battle Arena.

If members from different worlds wanted to spar, they could do so in the arena. The chat group would fully simulate each participant's combat abilities. And since the battles were virtual, even death wouldn't cause real harm once the match ended, everything would reset with no consequences.

Participants could also choose to enable a spectate mode, allowing others to watch the fight live just like an audience at a sports event.

These two features were made available to all members.

However, Kevin noticed that there was a third new feature, one available exclusively to him.

It was a special mode within the Virtual Battle Arena that allowed him to spar with replicas of any group member. These simulations would match the member's full combat prowess and behavior, giving Kevin the opportunity to learn their fighting styles, identify weaknesses, and develop counter-strategies.

Kevin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was the chat group implying that he wasn't strong enough yet? Or more precisely, that his combat experience was severely lacking?

That seemed to be the message.

But honestly, the group had a point. He possessed all of Izumi Uchiha's powers chakra, ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, physical attributes, even bloodline limits. And yet, in a real fight, he couldn't win against Izumi herself. Because he lacked one crucial thing: experience.

And against someone like Esdeath, a seasoned battle maniac? Forget it.

Even with matching skills and stats, Kevin was no match for her.

So this training function wasn't just a perk it was essential. Maybe the livestream and arena features were just a smokescreen to mask the fact that this entire update was tailored for him.

"This chat group really goes above and beyond..." Kevin muttered.

Still, he wasn't about to complain. If the group wanted to give him an exclusive power-up system, he'd gladly accept.

Since he was about to fight Esdeath for real, he decided to start practicing right away. First step: battle her replica and get a feel for her combat style. That way, when the real fight came, he wouldn't be completely overwhelmed or at least, not defeated too miserably.

Kevin opened the training menu and selected Esdeath's clone.

The replica looked exactly like her. Same uniform, same icy expression. No emotion at all she was like a walking glacier.

As the countdown ended, the battle began.

The moment it started, Esdeath's clone charged straight at him. Ice bloomed beneath her feet, rapidly spreading across the ground and racing toward him.

He felt a sudden chill at his feet. His movements stiffened and the next second, the clone reached him.

One hit. Instant knockout.

Kevin was floored literally and figuratively. He'd been completely wiped out in seconds.

That was embarrassing. Was his actual combat performance really this pathetic?

But deep down, he knew the problem. It wasn't that his abilities were weak it was that he wasn't mentally prepared. The fight had started before he even settled into a combat mindset. He hadn't activated the Sharingan. He hadn't formed any strategies. And Esdeath's clone hadn't wasted a single second. No taunting, no dialogue just a brutal, lightning-fast strike.

It was only a training simulation, and thankfully, no one had been watching. If there had been spectators... the humiliation would've been unbearable.

Kevin exhaled and started a second round.

This time, he was ready.

As the clone charged again, he activated the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Compared to the standard three-tomoe version, its dynamic vision was on a whole different level. He could see every detail every twitch of her muscles, every ripple of ice spreading from her feet.

When her kick came flying at his face, Kevin raised his arm and blocked it just in time. He stumbled back, narrowly avoiding a follow-up strike from a sword formed of ice.

The battle lasted over ten minutes.

In the end, Kevin still lost.

But it wasn't a complete defeat. Compared to getting wiped out instantly in the first round, this was a massive improvement.

He'd managed to hold his ground at least defensively.

Although he'd barely managed any counterattacks, he was no longer being instantly overwhelmed. Throughout the fight, he stayed in a purely defensive state, parrying and dodging blow after blow.

Progress was progress.