Villain Ch 1995. The Tournament Has Begun
Weeks passed.
The elimination rounds?
All online.
All sweat and grind and late-night caffeine. Pings. Lag. Clipped audio.
Fights that blurred into routine.
Players that pushed hard, knowing only a few would actually get the prize.
And the prize wasn't just gold anymore.
It was an invitation.
Only eight teams made it. Quarterfinals and beyond? That was a different world. That was the event.
Not just data.
But presence.
The devs had gone all out. No, seriously. If the online rounds felt like playing a ranked ladder from your kitchen, then this part felt like walking into a demon god's coliseum made by a million-dollar budget.
Hell's Gate Arena.
Real venue. Real cameras. Real stage.
And Elio?
He was here.
His team was here.
Gil.
Jacob.
Eren.
And Sachi, their stoic silent healer who only spoke in raid strategy and cat gifs.
Their jackets were thick, synthetic fiber with cooling channels under the armpits.
