The air was thick with the usual post-match chatter, and it took Tita a moment to pull herself out of her thoughts. Looking at the reactions around her, she knew Feynman was in for a rough time. The fall from grace would not be quiet.
Over at Tianjing Academy, Zane licked his lips, a satisfied, almost wicked grin spreading across his face. This was big. This was "break the internet" big. Seeing Puppet's icon dim as he logged off, Zane scrambled back to the forums. Within minutes, his thread had gone vertical. By now, everyone had realized exactly who the opponent was.
"Puppet Master executes Feynman in seconds! The legendary decapitation!"
"The Moon-dwellers aren't untouchable. Finally, a real USE expert shows up!"
"Who said the Virtual Zone doesn't have gods? Puppet just took the NUP to school."
"Serious question: is decapitation really that easy? I've played six thousand matches and haven't pulled it off once..."
The Virtual Zone was buzzing, drowning out the usual celebrity streamers. Virtual combat was often seen as flashy but hollow, yet deep down, everyone craved something real—especially a win against the other federations. While virtual skirmishes happened daily, they rarely felt significant. In the Realistic Zone, USE pilots were notoriously cautious; many disabled spectators because a public loss led to brutal online harassment. For military cadets, that pressure was immense, and their distinct combat styles were often dissected by rivals.
Puppet's victory was the catharsis everyone needed after the Solar System tournament. Beating a high-profile NUP player so decisively was like a shot of adrenaline for the USE fans. It wasn't just a match; in this climate, it was a phenomenon.
Meanwhile, Leo was feeling a bit overwhelmed. He'd barely stepped out of his training pod when a string of calls hit him—first Wyatt, then the Class Rep, then Zack and the others. The message was clear: the Class Rep was calling an emergency meeting to officially form the team.
Nina and Noctis didn't mess around. Principal Long was a man of action, and Nina had already secured a private training facility for the squad.
When Leo arrived, the whole crew was there. Nina, Noctis, Wyatt, and to Leo's surprise, Zack. There were two others from their year as well: Tanya Yu from Class 18 and Simon Xue from Class 16. It looked like Nina was building the team around their own freshman class.
In the center of the gym was a combat ring. Nina and Wyatt were already in the middle of a sparring session. Wyatt was a professional; once the timer started, gender didn't matter. Coming from the Cross family, his martial arts foundation was rock solid. Nina, however, was holding her own. While Wyatt had the raw power and discipline, Nina was fluid, her intuition razor-sharp. It was a high-level exchange—testing the waters rather than looking for a knockout. After a flurry of punches and a lightning-fast leg exchange, they broke apart.
Wyatt hadn't even broken a sweat. Nina's breathing was slightly heavier but well-controlled. This was Wyatt's home turf, and he'd been using about seventy percent of his strength. In a mecha, he knew he wasn't quite at Nina's all-around level yet. The fact that Nina chose to spar with him in his specialty was a show of respect, and she'd earned his in return. She was a leader he could follow.
"Leo, did you wander into the wrong room? This is a private session," Simon said, making no effort to hide his disdain.
Nina smiled. "Simon, Leo is part of the team. Direct appointment from the Principal. Former member of the Revelation Youth Class."
It had become the ultimate conversation starter. Since Leo didn't have much else to his name, it was the best way to keep the team from grumbling.
Leo rubbed his nose. "Class Rep, could you stop broadcasting that? I'm starting to feel like a zoo exhibit."
Simon blinked, staring at Leo in disbelief. "Oh, so you're that 'prodigy' who burned out? Look, Nina, that's not cool. A guy like him probably wants to bury that past. If word gets out, every fame-hungry cadet on campus will try to use him as a stepping stone. It'll be a nightmare for him." Simon couldn't resist a jab; plenty of Youth Class alumni had faded into obscurity. Sometimes the title was more of a target than a trophy.
"Only one way to find out if he's still got it," Nina said, her eyes fixed on Leo. Clad in tight-fitting athletic gear, she beckoned him into the ring. "Leo, your turn. Get up here."
"Class Rep... I'd prefer to just watch."
"Get in there, Leo. Everyone's fighting today. We all took our turns," Zack said, looking miserable. He had a faint bruise under his left eye. As a sniper, he still didn't understand why he was being forced into hand-to-hand combat.
Knowing Leo was a former Youth Class member—even a "washed up" one—had ignited Nina's competitive streak. She was genuinely curious. Principal Long was acting strange, and Noctis was even stranger. Was it really just the name of that old program?
Leo knew there was no way out. This was Nina's way of solidifying her authority. A captain doesn't lead just by decree; they lead by proving they are the strongest.
Leo climbed into the ring. "Class Rep, maybe you should take a breather first?"
Nina laughed. "I'm fine. Let's go."
Leo nodded and simply stood there. The atmosphere turned awkward. Nina looked at Leo's relaxed, almost lazy posture and felt a flash of irritation.
With a sudden burst of speed, she lunged, throwing a vicious whip-kick. Leo pivoted smoothly, slipping the strike and ending up at the far end of the ring. Nina didn't let up—her agility was her greatest asset. She closed the gap with a spin and a leap, her foot grazing Leo's shoulder. Leo rolled with the impact as Nina followed up with a sweeping kick. Leo hopped over it, and as Nina flipped into a diagonal strike, he circled away again.
Nina stood up and reset her stance, but she noticed the others were suddenly staring with wide eyes.
Leo pointed at her. "Uh, Class Rep... your, uh, seam."
The stitching under Nina's left arm had given way during the high-intensity movement, revealing a sliver of skin. The guys in the room were practically bulging out of their skulls. Nina flushed. "I'm changing. Wyatt, you take over. It seems our friend Leo has some moves after all."
Wyatt knew what he was looking at. Although Leo had been purely defensive, his ability to stay composed under Nina's pressure spoke volumes. If your distance management is off by an inch in that kind of sparring, you get knocked out.
"You got it, Captain. Leo, let's see what you've got." Wyatt didn't wait for an answer before charging in.
While Nina favored kicks, Wyatt was a balanced powerhouse. After a few opening probes, he realized Leo could handle the heat, so he stopped holding back, unleashing a barrage of heavy strikes.
Leo wanted to protest, but no one was giving him a chance to speak. What happened to human rights? What happened to basic decency?
The two of them were a blur on the stage. Wyatt held the clear offensive advantage, while Leo was stuck in a loop of parries and dodges. After a moment, Nina returned in a fresh top and stood next to Noctis, who hadn't looked away once.
"Is he what you expected?" Nina asked quietly.
They had talked about this before. Noctis kept her eyes locked on the fight. "He's even better. He hasn't let his skills go to waste over the years."
In the ring, Wyatt was starting to enjoy himself, ramping up the power. But no matter how hard he pushed, Leo's defense remained impenetrable.
BOOM—
Wyatt threw a heavy kick. Leo caught it with crossed forearms and gave a sharp shove, sending Wyatt back. The two created some distance.
"Seriously, Class Rep," Leo panted. "I'm just a sub. Why is this becoming a feature film?"
"Leo, that's not fair," Noctis suddenly spoke up. "You're holding out on your own roommate. Wyatt, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't let a friend keep secrets like that."
Wyatt blinked and looked at Leo. Leo felt like swearing. What is with this girl? Why is she always gunning for me?