Game on

Duke's eyes remained fixed on the screen, his mind racing with excitement and curiosity. The young man, who had witnessed his incredible jump earlier, was engrossed in a game—the same game Duke had been searching for, the one he had always wanted.

Without hesitation, Duke sat down beside him, his eyes glued to the screen. The young man didn't flinch, too focused on his gameplay. Duke's gaze followed the characters, his mind absorbing every detail.

"Go away, Ryker," the young man muttered, not looking up, assuming it was Ryker talking to him.

But when the person beside him didn't move, he paused his game and turned to look. His eyes widened in shock, and he jumped up from his seat, his face lighting up with excitement.

"It's you!" he exclaimed, his eyes fixed on Duke.

Tyler's eyes sparkled with excitement as he introduced himself. "Hey, I'm Tyler! We met briefly earlier, but I didn't think I'd see you again so soon. That jump you pulled off was incredible! How did you even do that?"

Duke nodded, his gaze still fixed on the screen. His eyes didn't even flicker towards Tyler, his attention completely absorbed in the game. Tyler's enthusiasm didn't seem to faze him.

Tyler didn't let that deter him. He continued, his curiosity getting the better of him. "I mean, I've seen some crazy things in this place, but that was on a whole other level. I've never seen anyone move like that before. And Nadia mentioned something about an injured guest... was that you? What happened? How did you end up here?" Tyler stepped back to take a look at Duke. "You don't look injured at all."

"I was," Duke's response was short, his focus remaining on the game. His fingers moved slowly toward the screen. He was too engrossed in the virtual world to acknowledge any more of Tyler's questions.

Tyler's gaze drifted to what Duke was so engrossed in, and his brows furrowed in slight confusion. Why was Duke looking at the game like it was the finest set he had laid his eyes on, Tyler wondered.

Tyler sat down and tossed him a pad. "Wanna play? I've been working on this level of story mode for ages, maybe you can help me beat it?"

And for the first time since Tyler started talking, Duke turned to look at him.

The first thing that caught Duke's attention was the scar above Tyler's eyebrow. Duke couldn't check it out fully because Tyler's messy brown hair was sticking out in every direction, partially covering the scar. He wondered how Tyler got the scar, but his curiosity was quickly overshadowed by the excitement of playing the game together. Duke nodded, and his focus returned to the screen, his fingers moving swiftly across the pad.

As they started the game together, Tyler's commentary flowed in like a stream at Duke's every move.

"Woah! I never thought to use the gravity shift like that! Did you just beat that guy in one go? Do you know how many times I got killed before I landed a punch? Oh man, your reflexes are insane! I'm actually making progress! Whoa, nice combo! I didn't know you could chain those attacks together! I'm getting close, I can feel it! Yes! I did it! I finally beat that level! I'm sorry—I meant WE!"

Tyler's excitement was contagious, and Duke found himself grinning from ear to ear as they celebrated their victory together.

Tyler was still pumped up from their victory, his excitement radiating like a beacon. "Yes! We did it! We finally beat that level!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with triumph.

Tyler grabbed his phone and started tweeting his latest win online with so much glee.

Duke was surprised at how happy Tyler was. The level didn't really seem to be a big deal to him. He usually played the game with his colleague before he joined the Tierany system, and that level was the least of their worries.

Tyler finished with his phone. As he turned to share the moment with Duke, his gaze landed on a figure standing at the corner of the room, observing them with a quiet intensity. Ryker, the usually stoic and reserved member of their group, was watching them with an unreadable expression.

Tyler's enthusiasm got the better of him, and he hollered at Ryker, "Hey, Ryker! Come check this out! We finally beat that level we were stuck on! And Duke here did it with ease!"

Ryker's expression didn't change, but he began to stroll over to their corner, his long strides eating up the distance. As he approached, Tyler gestured wildly. "Duke just annihilated that level! I mean, I've been trying for weeks, and he just comes in here and beats it like it's nothing!"

Ryker raised an eyebrow as he stopped beside them, his eyes fixed on the screen. "Impressive," he said, his deep voice low and even. "I didn't think anyone could beat that level without losing a few lives." Tyler grinned, still riding the high of their victory. "Yeah, Duke's a natural! We make a killer team!"

"We?" Ryker asked, his tone skeptical as he came to take a seat, Tyler separating him from Duke. "Now, buddy, just because he helped with one level doesn't mean he gets into the team. We all know the real deal is if he can survive combat mode."

Tyler chuckled, undeterred. "Hey, don't be too harsh, Ryker. Duke's got skills. And we could use a fresh perspective on our team."

Ryker snorted, his eyes never leaving Duke's face. "A fresh perspective? You mean like how he's been playing this game for five minutes and already beat a level that took us weeks to conquer?"

Duke's smile never wavered, but his eyes flickered with a hint of determination. "I'm up for the challenge," he said, his voice calm and even. If combat mode would get him to continue playing, he'd do it. "Ready when you are, Ryker."

Tyler grinned, tapping Duke on the back. "That's the spirit! We'll show Ryker here what we're made of."

Ryker raised his hands, palms up. "I'm just saying, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Combat mode is a whole different beast. But hey, I'm willing to be proven wrong. Let's see what you're made of, Duke."

Tyler jumped to the back of the couch and brought out his phone. He went live on social media and began another commentary, his voice booming through the room. "Welcome back, gamers! We've got a showdown brewing! Who's going to come out victorious between these two giants? Duke, the newcomer with a penchant for beating impossible levels, or Ryker, the veteran gamer with a reputation for crushing his opponents? The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable. Let's get ready to rumble!"

The room erupted with Tyler's cheers and chants of 'GAME ON,' his excitement infectious. Meanwhile, his livestream boomed with thousands of subscribers tuning in, all eager to witness the battle about to unfold.