The electronic stands roared with excitement as the team rankings updated on the floating scoreboard. The screen glowed:
2nd Place: Team 31st Place: Team 2
In the VIP seats, Inavy Stormbreak sat with his daughter Saddie on his lap, eyes fixed on the screen. She played with his scarf while he watched with a grin.
— "Hmm... now this is getting interesting," he murmured.
Team 2 Locker Room
Ethan Stormbreak drank water silently, mentally preparing for the next phase. Then...
— "Yo, cousin!" said Flynn Eldara, slinging his arm over Ethan's shoulder.
Ethan sighed.
— "Flynn... what do you want now?"
— "Just a reminder: once the 1v1 phase starts, I'm taking you down. And the loser… pays for ice cream all year long."
Ethan froze.
Ice cream? For a whole year?
— "Deal," Ethan said, his eyes lighting up. "It's gonna be the sweetest strawberry victory of my life."
Preparation Zone – Team 3
Kane stared in silence at the tactical floor of the next challenge. The War Chess field was a holographic arena that simulated terrain, armies, and traps.Each player commanded illusion troops via mental control… but real attacks could only be used once per round, during critical moments.
— "Hey Kane," Ryan approached. — "...how exactly does your Crimson Reflex work?"
Kane raised a brow. For a moment, he looked ready to tell Ryan to shut up…but took a deep breath. He wanted to win.
— "It's like a psychic echo," he said quietly. — "I don't see what the enemy will do. I feel what they would've done. Fear, intent, hesitation. It's a preemptive defense... based on emotion."
Ryan, as always, scribbled notes in his crumpled notebook.
— "That's amazing. You're gonna be our trump card in this round."
Kane turned slightly.
— "Do what you want. But don't put too much faith in me."
Challenge 2: Start
"INITIATING: WAR CHESS — 3... 2... 1..."
The field formed. A ruined city. Energy towers. A central core at the top of a fortress protected by twelve illusionary defense lines.
— "Ryan, you handle troop movement," Annie said.— "Kane, you'll be our secret weapon on the flank. I'll distract the enemy with light drones."
— "Got it," Ryan answered.
And for the first time...
Kane nodded.
The battle began.
Ryan's illusion troops moved like living chess pieces. Annie created dazzling distractions with mirror-light illusions, scrambling the enemy strategy.But it was Kane... who flipped the game.
When the opposing team launched a precision attack — three real troops guarding the core carrier — Kane moved like a shadow.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Three counters. No hesitation.Every step the enemy took, it was like he already knew where they'd be.As if... their mistakes had been pre-recorded.
— "What the—? He's reading our minds?!" one opponent cried out, stunned.
Back at the base, Ryan smiled.
— "Now!"
Using the round's single real attack, he dashed between illusions and activated the seal on the core zone.Victory declared.
TEAM 3 — TOTAL VICTORY!
From above, Inavy whistled:
— "Hmm... interesting. That kid with no aura's got brains... and sharp instincts."
Saddie clapped her hands excitedly.
— "Daddy! That boy you watched yesterday won!"
Inavy smiled.
— "Yeah, sweetheart. He's going to surprise everyone."
Team 3 celebrated.
Ryan and Annie shared a high-five.Kane just gave a small nod...But the look in his eyes had changed.
It wasn't disdain anymore.It was something new.
Respect.
Ryu from Team 1 watched from afar.
— "Whoa... the nerd won." he said, grinning.— "Ryan, you owe me an explanation for that genius brain of yours."
The updated leaderboard flashed on the big screen:
🏆 1st Place Overall: Team 3 – 200 pts🥈 2nd Place: Team 2 – 175 pts🥉 3rd Place: Team 1 – 160 pts
Darius whistled as he saw the scoreboard.
— "Look at that. The boy the machine said had no aura... at the top."
Lorien simply folded his arms, his Seraphim Eyes glowing faintly.
— "This is only the beginning