Chapter 73: Infighting
Nolan leaned against the console, arms crossed, eyes coolly scanning the game-over screens now lit in red across Calien, Selin, Ruvin, and Erik’s stations.
Their shoulders were slumped, jaws clenched, eyes stuck on the quiet failure flashing in front of them.
He cleared his throat and said, not unkindly, "Maybe it’s your movements. Defensive stances too. Don’t just defend yourself—defend your team, too. This is multiplayer and not a single player, so you all should play as a team."
His voice echoed gently in the whole classroom, even, calm, measured.
The kind of tone that held neither judgment nor comfort, but there was a subtle sting of disappointment tucked beneath the surface like a knife under silk.
The other students listened as well as they were defeated too in their game.
But the students didn’t respond.
They were too sure. Too certain that they’d done it right. That the strategy was correct. They’d seen it work. They knew it worked. Their minds clung to the victory they’d seen in the film just moments before like it was scripture.
Selin whispered, "We just didn’t execute properly..."
Ruvin’s face was tense, his voice sharp, "We had it. He faked the swing. It was just bad luck!"
Calien’s fists were clenched, eyes full of frustration. "No. No. We had the weakness. That was the right way. We just need to try again."