The Shift in Command

The virtual meeting room was colder than usual, or at least that's how it felt to Rei as he stood in front of his team. Darren's eyes were locked on him, filled with the same fire that had been simmering for weeks. The rest of the team—Leo, Jenna, Alex—sat in tense silence, unsure of what was coming next. Everyone could feel the weight of the moment, as if the very foundation of Team Titan was about to shift.

Rei had been thinking about this decision for days now, replaying every match, every conversation, every failure. His confidence in his leadership had been eroded by Darren's constant challenges, and after their recent string of losses, it was clear the team was at a crossroads. Rei had always led with discipline and precision, but the game was changing, and so were the expectations of his teammates. Maybe Darren was right. Maybe it was time for a change.

He took a deep breath, the words heavy on his tongue. "I've been thinking..."

Everyone's eyes snapped to him, even Darren's smug expression faltering slightly.

Rei straightened, his gaze locking onto Darren. "I think it's time I step back. Darren, you've made it clear that you think the team needs to go in a different direction, and maybe you're right."

Alex's brows furrowed in concern, but he stayed quiet, while Jenna and Leo looked at each other, uncertainty flickering across their avatars' faces.

"I'm giving you leadership, Darren," Rei said, the words more painful than he expected. "You take the reins. Lead the team how you see fit."

For a moment, the room was silent. Even Darren seemed caught off guard, his eyes widening before the cocky smirk returned.

"You're serious?" Darren asked, folding his arms over his chest. "You're really stepping down?"

Rei nodded. "Yeah. I think we need a new approach, and you've been pushing for one. This is your chance to prove it works."

Jenna shifted in her seat, her voice uncertain. "Rei, are you sure about this?"

Rei didn't look at her, his eyes still on Darren. "It's what's best for the team."

Darren's smirk widened as he leaned back in his chair, clearly reveling in the victory. "Alright then. Let's shake things up. We've been playing it too safe, and now we're going to show everyone what Titan is really capable of."

Rei forced himself to keep his face neutral, though every instinct told him this was a mistake. But he couldn't keep fighting Darren's influence while also trying to lead. If Darren thought he could do better, now was his chance to prove it.

"Let's take a break for today," Darren announced, rising to his feet and turning to the rest of the team. "Tomorrow, we'll start fresh with a new game plan."

The meeting disbanded, the team logging off one by one until only Rei and Alex remained.

Alex didn't say anything at first, just staring at Rei through his avatar's unreadable face. Finally, he broke the silence. "You really think this is going to work?"

Rei sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't know, Alex. But I can't keep leading a team that doesn't trust me. Darren wants to lead? Let him. We'll see how long it lasts."

Alex nodded slowly, though the concern in his voice was clear. "I hope you're right, Rei. But I have a bad feeling about this."

Rei didn't respond. The truth was, he had a bad feeling too.

The next day, Team Titan gathered again in the virtual hub, ready for their first practice session under Darren's leadership. The mood was different—tense, uncertain, but with a new kind of energy that Darren had clearly injected into the group.

"Alright," Darren began, his voice brimming with confidence. "We've been playing too predictably. The same old strategies, the same cautious moves. That's why we've been losing. So, here's the plan—we're going to be aggressive. We're going to push harder, faster, and take more risks. Teams won't see us coming."

Jenna shifted in her seat, her voice hesitant. "But isn't that... risky? I mean, we could leave ourselves wide open if we're not careful."

"That's the point," Darren said with a grin. "They won't expect it. We're going to play unpredictably. Catch them off guard before they have a chance to react."

Leo, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up. "But what if they do react? We could be throwing away the match if we're too aggressive."

Darren waved off the concern. "We've been playing scared for too long. Trust me, this is what we need."

Rei watched from the sidelines, his mouth set in a thin line. Darren's plan sounded reckless, but this was Darren's moment. He had to let it play out.

As the practice session began, Darren's strategy was put to the test. He pushed the team to charge headfirst into skirmishes, taking risks that made Rei's stomach twist with anxiety. Every time a risky move paid off, Darren grinned wider, clearly loving the adrenaline rush of his aggressive playstyle. But for every success, there were missteps—moments where the team's overextension left them vulnerable, and they were picked off one by one by smarter, more cautious opponents.

By the end of the session, the results were mixed. They had won a few practice matches, but the losses stood out more. Darren, however, didn't seem phased.

"We'll get better," he insisted as the team gathered after the session. "This is just the beginning. We need to adjust to the new style, but once we do, we'll dominate."

Rei said nothing, but he could see the doubt starting to creep into Leo and Jenna's expressions. Alex, as always, remained neutral, but even he couldn't completely hide his skepticism.

Over the next few days, the team continued to follow Darren's aggressive tactics, and the results were anything but promising. In their first official match under Darren's leadership, Team Titan fell apart completely. Darren's risky maneuvers left them exposed, and their opponents—quick to adapt—took full advantage, outplaying them at every turn.

"We'll bounce back," Darren assured the team afterward, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. "We just need more time to get used to this style."

But the losses kept piling up. Match after match, Team Titan's reckless strategies backfired, leaving them in worse positions each time. Darren's leadership, which had initially inspired excitement, now felt like a liability.

Rei, still standing on the sidelines, watched it all unfold with a heavy heart. He had hoped that Darren's ideas might work, that giving him control would prove something—either that Darren was right, or that Rei's instincts had been correct all along. But now, it seemed like the team was spiraling out of control, and Rei wasn't sure if he should step in or let it continue to fall apart.

After their third consecutive loss, the team gathered in the virtual meeting room once again, but this time the atmosphere was different. Darren's cockiness had given way to frustration, and the rest of the team was visibly uneasy.

"We're not adapting fast enough," Darren said, pacing in front of the holographic map. "We need to be more unpredictable, more aggressive."

Jenna frowned, her voice finally breaking through the tension. "Darren, we've been more aggressive, and it's not working. Maybe we should... rethink the plan."

Darren's eyes flashed with irritation. "You're saying we go back to playing it safe? That's what got us stuck in the first place."

Leo spoke up next, his voice cautious. "We're saying maybe we need balance. We can't just throw ourselves at the enemy and hope for the best."

Darren's frustration boiled over. "I'm doing everything I can to get us out of this slump, and you guys just want to go back to the old ways? We'll get eaten alive out there if we play like that."

Rei, still sitting quietly at the edge of the room, watched as the team began to fracture before his eyes. Darren was losing control, and it was only a matter of time before things got worse.

But for now, he stayed silent. Darren had wanted the lead, and Rei wasn't going to take it back—not yet.