Jaeden and Xander arrive at an XRcade in the city for a gaming tournament. The crowd is larger than usual, with many new players, which excites Jaeden as it means opportunities for side bets and potential easy wins. He reminds Xander to keep a low profile, but Xander’s charm has already attracted attention from a group of fangirls. Jaeden jokes with him before heading into the crowd to scope out potential competitors.

The brothers have a strategy for tournaments: they don’t take the games too seriously, using humor and mental tactics to keep themselves relaxed and throw opponents off balance. This approach has helped them win consistently, even though they lack the best cards. They begin the tournament by rolling dice to determine their position in the lineup, choosing to compete last.

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During the matches, Jaeden receives a message from Vee, saying she has to work late and won’t make it to their planned dinner. Disappointed but understanding, Jaeden wishes her luck with her project and refocuses on the tournament.

As the rounds progress, Jaeden and Xander expect to face their usual rivals, the X-Crew. However, X-Crew is unexpectedly defeated by a new team, Factor-9, in an upset that shocks the crowd. Jaeden and Xander observe that Factor-9 seems unusually well-prepared, executing precise counter-moves that seem suspiciously timed. Jaeden checks the game logs and notices discrepancies in Factor-9’s plays, suggesting the possibility of cheating. He reassures Xander and decides to investigate further before their final match against this mysterious new team.