The next day, the Virtual Nexus community gathered for a unique event, bringing together the competitors from all eleven teams. The venue, adorned with giant exotic plants and soft lighting, echoed with casual conversations between the game's organizers and competitors. Thirty-three individuals, representing the diversity of teams, mingled in an atmosphere of calm and quiet excitement.

The emcee, the charismatic voice of the Virtual Nexus games, took the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, organizers and designers, competitors and reporters, welcome to this extraordinary gathering! Tonight, we celebrate not only the victories in the virtual realm but the spirit of competition that unites us all."

He was soon joined by Headmaster Pricklypear, Chet Punnyman, a renowned TV commentator, and some of the designers of the game. Small speeches were delivered, emphasizing the uniqueness of the Virtual Nexus and the creativity behind its design. The students in the audience realized that the designers absolutely didn't give away any clues about the games, but talked generally about the communal aspect of this tournement. One of them said, "I always wanna work 24/7, but my mom thinks that's insane," which garnered laughs and sympathy from the adults in the audience, but the students exchanged confused glances.

"Well, that's really helpful for those of us actually in the games," said Cain.

"But no, he literally summarized the culmination of why I want to become a designer myself," said Max. Few people around him giggled and the Headmaster gave them a stern look.

As the speeches concluded, the atmosphere shifted to a relaxed networking session. Competitors from different teams engaged in conversations, sharing stories and strategies. However, the Quantum Unity team noticed a peculiar absence – no reporters approached them, which they thought was pretty weird.

Zoe, Alex, and Max exchanged puzzled glances. "This is strange," Alex remarked. "We've been declared winners three times, and now, it's like we're invisible."

Zoe nodded, her curiosity piqued. "Let's find out what's happening."

They approached the Lunar Shadows team, who seemed to be at the center of attention. Reporters and game designers swarmed around them, eager to capture their insights.

Quinn, from Lunar Shadows, greeted them with a nod. "Looks like the spotlight is on us today."

Max raised an eyebrow. "To be honest, it was never on us," he replied.

Quinn chuckled. "Maybe they're drawn to the mystery."

"What mystery?" Zoe asked.

Quinn didn't reply.

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As Quantum Unity observed from the sidelines, the Headmaster passed by. Zoe seized the opportunity to inquire, "Headmaster, any reason why we're not getting any attention from reporters tonight?"

The Headmaster, maintaining a composed demeanor, replied, "Not every victory needs to be celebrated publicly. Focus on the game itself; that's where the real challenges lie."

Zoe wasn't entirely convinced, but before she could press further, the Headmaster continued, "Besides, too much attention can be a distraction. Keep your eyes on the prize, Quantum Unity."

As the Headmaster moved away, the Lunar Shadows team received invitations from game designers for a private coders event. The Quantum Unity trio watched with a mixture of suspicion and discomfort.

"Why aren't we getting those invitations?" Alex mused aloud.

Zoe added, "If they go to this thing, they can very well learn a thing or two about the game. Shaun can extract it from them."

Before they could delve deeper into their suspicions, the Headmaster returned, dismissing the Lunar Shadows' invitations. "It wouldn't be fair to grant special invitations. We want an even playing field for all teams."

The Lunar Shadows team accepted the decision gracefully, but as they dispersed, a lingering doubt remained. Zoe, Alex, and Max couldn't shake the feeling that Shaun might find his way to those discussions, despite the Headmaster's statement.

The trio continued to navigate the event, engaging in conversations with members of other teams. Whispers and speculations circulated at the venue. The team grasped that some of the teams didn't experience anything extraordinary in the games, but spent their times mostly in combat or navigating the virtual landscapes, whereas a bunch of other teams were acting more suspicious and confused at the same time. They might have experienced an unexpected side of the games as they did, concluded Alex.

Chet Punnyman was talking to the emcee, and while the trio was passing by, the emcee slightly raised his voice and said, "Yes, it will be an electrifying round indeed," and briefly glanced at Alex before returning to the conversation.

The word "electrifying" hung in their ears, and Alex said,

"Did he just throw a hint at us?"

"He definitely did," said Zoe, she was quite excited.

The trio, now armed with this tidbit, retreated to a quiet corner to strategize.

Alex started brainstorming, "Electrifying could mean various things – electrical attacks, maybe a charged environment. Max, can you enhance our gear to withstand electrical assaults?"

Max nodded. "I can modify our protective shields to offer better insulation. We should also consider offensive capabilities. If our opponents are likely to use electrical attacks, we need weapons that can counter that."

As the trio delved into discussions about modifications and strategies, the atmosphere shifted from anticipation to focused determination.

As the event was coming to an end, the Quantum Unity team came across the Lunar Shadows near the exit door.

"Have a good one guys," said Quinn, "See you in the next round."

"Yeah, I heard it will be an electrifying round," replied Alex.

Zoe and Max were shocked. As soon as they were by themselves again, Max protested,

"Why did you reveal that clue to them?"

Zoe, equally puzzled, responded, "I don't understand."

"If I am not mistaken," said Alex, "Shaun has looked out for us on more than one occasion. We got to return the favor."

Zoe and Max remained somewhat perplexed.

"Besides," contiued Alex, "We need them as much as they need us. This is not just a game, remember?"

As the night progressed, the competitors in the game found themselves processing and piecing together the fragments of clues and insights gathered throughout the evening, while the next round loomed ahead in a few days.