Takeshi walks past Nora, sparing her only a brief glance as he makes his way down the long hallway toward the arena. His appearance leaves the group momentarily speechless, the weight of his presence—and disheveled state—hanging heavily in the air. Faith scans the crowd in the lobby, noticing the same look of unease reflected on many of the spectators’ faces.
“What the hell happened to him?” Maximillion mutters.
“Looks like he’s battling some serious demons,” Jin adds.
“Yeah… and it looks like the demons are winning,” Javier says grimly.
“Is he even fit to play? There’s no way he’s at his best in that condition,” Nora comments, her voice tinged with concern.
Maximillion shrugs. “Not my problem. If the defending champion isn’t at his peak, that just means the crown is up for grabs.”
“How can you be so heartless? He clearly needs help,” Faith snaps, turning to face him.
“And? What do you expect me to do about it?” Maximillion shoots back. “This might be your first tournament, but you’re responsible for your own mindset in competitive scenes. Everyone here’s got their own baggage. It’s not your opponent’s job to check in on you. VBL is a competitive game, and eventually, even your friends will be your opponents.”
“He’s not wrong,” Jin says with a shrug. “In any competitive scene, you take every advantage you can get.”
Faith lowered her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. She glanced at Nora, who stood silently, lost in thought as she continued watching Takeshi disappear into the arena.
“Come on. We need to find our seats—the tournament’s about to start,” Javier suggests.
“I hope we can sit together,” Faith says, her usual optimism returning.
“Of course! I’ve already thought ahead, as always,” Javier boasts, thumbing at his chest with a grin.
**
The group takes their seats— Javier, Nora, Rem, and Faith sit together in the middle-right section of the stands. Maximillion sits right behind Javier and Faith, which Javier clearly isn’t thrilled about. The arena buzzes with energy, filled with competitors of all ages chatting and sizing each other up. Jin stands at the top of the stands with others who couldn’t find seats, leaning casually against the railing. Desmond approaches quietly, standing beside him without a word. The two exchange a glance before Desmond leans against the same railing.
On stage, Akamai stepped up with a mic in hand. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she wore a jean jacket over a VBL-branded shirt, paired with black slacks and blue sneakers. Though she’d given countless directions to her development team, public speaking was not her forte. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before speaking.
“Good morning, competitors and viewers tuning in from the stream!” Akamai greets the crowd, her voice steady. “We’re all here to find out who’s the best in VBL! This year, we have the largest prize pool in the game’s history—and that’s no accident. Every one of you has played a crucial role in growing VBL to where it is today!”
The crowd listens intently. Nora and Javier clutch their fists tightly, while Faith leans forward, hanging on Akamai’s every word. Even the normally restless audience falls silent, mesmerized—except Takeshi, who stands offstage, lost in his own world. Omar’s words echo in his mind, blending with flashes of memories of his parents. He shakes his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
Nora and Javier clutch their fists tighter while Faith is enthralled with Akamai’s, in fact the entire audience was hanging on the VBL creator’s words. Except Takeshi, who was standing right off the stage. It’s not that Takeshi was being purposely disrespectful to Akamai, but more that Takeshi was in his own head and had been since he walked into the building. Omar’s words continue to ring on repeat in his head, along with flashes of Takeshi’s parents. He shakes his head, as if doing so would make the thought leave his head.
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“Back at the first VBL tournament, we had around twenty players,” Akamai continues, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “I was ecstatic that anyone even wanted to play my game, let alone compete in it. I’ve been so blessed to see more and more people take interest, and I owe everything to my incredible development team who work tirelessly to ensure the game is balanced and playable.”
“In fact, due to the overwhelming number of attendees we’ll be using our newly revealed second pod station so we can actually finish today!”
The audience erupted in cheers, causing the floor to vibrate beneath them. Akamai’s smile tightened at the sensation. Before her nerves could spike again, Derrick (one of the commentators) rushed over and smoothly took the mic from her.
“Thank you, Ms. Creator!” Derrick says, grinning. “If it weren’t for her and her incredible development team, none of us would be here today!” He gestures toward the crowd. “Now, are you all ready for some action?!”
The arena shakes with cheers. Derrick soaks in the energy, his smile widening.
“Then let’s get this tournament underway!”
“Our first match: defending champion Takeshi vs. Kenny Ounce!” Ray Ross, the co-host, announces.
“Competitors, please step on stage!”
Kenny Ounce—tall, muscular, with curly hair—struts confidently onto the stage, taking his place at the leftmost pod. Takeshi, moving far slower and slouching noticeably, heads for the right pod without fixing his posture. His face is blank, unreadable.
“Wow, our defending champion has definitely seen better days,” Derrick comments as he makes his way to the hosting booth.
“Right you are, Derrick. Takeshi might’ve stayed up too late practicing,” Ray adds.
Onstage, Kenny extends his hand for a handshake. Takeshi hesitates before finally shaking it.
“Kenny’s returning from a hiatus,” Derrick informs the crowd. “He was a strong and consistent competitor last year. His confidence today shows he’s ready to pick up right where he left off.”
“Takeshi, on the other hand, is going to need to wake up if he wants to come out on top,” Ray points out.
Takeshi climbs into his pod, adjusting his settings with minimal effort. As he glances at the audience, he spots an empty seat. For a fleeting moment, the reflections on the pod glass make it seem like Omar is sitting there, cheering for him. But when a little girl in a pink dress takes the seat, the illusion shatters. Takeshi’s vision blurs.
“The location is Rooftop! Let the first match of the spring tournament begin!” Ray announces.
**
Location: Rooftop
Takeshi build:
ATK:000 Dragon blade
DEF: Wall
SPD: Rage
Kenny build:
ATK:000 Gothic demon sword
DEF: Wall
SPD: Extra health
Takeshi blinks, suddenly finding himself on a virtual rooftop—a sleek, modern skyscraper with a blue sky stretching endlessly above. The distant sound of honking cars gives the impression of a living, breathing city below. Takeshi takes in the view, momentarily lost in thought.
Kenny notices the distraction and seizes the opportunity, launching a quick attack.
**
“I can’t believe it! Takeshi took that hit head-on!” Ray exclaims.
“Was he even trying to dodge?” Derrick asks, exchanging concerned glances with his co-host. “What’s going on with him?”
The two commentators exchange concerned glances while murmurs ripple through the crowd, questioned looks passing from one spectator to the next.
“Why isn’t the defending champion… well, defending?” Derrick asks, leaning toward his mic. “Could it be a technical issue with his pod?”
Ray taps his headset, checking for updates from the tech team. “There were thorough checks on every pod before the tournament began. Everything should be functioning perfectly.” He pauses, watching Takeshi remain eerily still on-screen. “And yet, it seems like our champion is deliberately refusing to defend himself.”
The tension in the arena thickens. Spectators whisper among themselves, and a few shake their heads in disbelief.
“What is the champion thinking?” Derrick’s voice rises in pitch, echoing the growing concern in the crowd. “This is not how a defending champion starts a match!”
**
Takeshi stands motionless, arms at his sides, as Kenny presses the attack.
“What is the champion thinking?!” Derrick shouts.