Chapter 8: Ready, Set, Tournament

The smell of fresh floor polish and aging circuit boards had become Ethan's new normal. Each morning, he unlocked the door to Level Up Arcade, flicked on the power, and stood still for a moment, letting the buzz and flicker of the machines wash over him like a ritual.

The arcade had found its rhythm.

Not booming, not packed shoulder-to-shoulder—but consistent.

The familiar sounds of button mashing, the light thump of footsteps across the old carpet, and the rising laughter of customers—young and old—made it clear: the arcade was no longer just a project.

It was a place people came to feel something.

But it needed more than that now.

Momentum was great. But Ethan couldn't rely on word-of-mouth forever. Not when the rent monster was still lurking in the background like a mini-boss waiting to attack.

It was time for something big.

Something that could draw in more people, create buzz, and maybe even start something ongoing.

And as he stood behind the counter one slow Tuesday afternoon, watching Trevor wipe the floor with James in Street Fighter Alpha 3, inspiration hit him like a critical combo.

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"Hey," Ethan called across the room, "what if I hosted a tournament?"

James paused mid-token drop. "For what game?"

"Not sure yet," Ethan said, walking toward them. "Maybe a couple games. Something popular. Maybe Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat… maybe even Time Crisis. I've been thinking of trying to bring in more people."

Trevor leaned on the cabinet. "That would actually be awesome. You'd get a bunch of old-school players to crawl out of the woodwork."

Amanda, who had been quietly playing Tetris in the corner, perked up. "You could even make it themed. Like, 'Retro Showdown' or something."

Ethan's mind started racing. A few machines had risen to the top in popularity over the last week:

Mortal Kombat IIStreet Fighter Alpha 3Time Crisis IIDance Dance Revolution MAX2

All still in great shape, thanks to his Maintenance Intuition perk, which had helped him nip several small issues before they became disasters.

He rubbed his chin. "Okay. That's not a bad lineup."

James raised a brow. "What would the prize be, though? Bragging rights are great and all, but…"

That stopped Ethan short. He hadn't thought that far ahead.

But later that night, the answer would literally fall into his hands.

Ethan was doing a late-night sweep of the storage room in the back, clearing old shelves, sorting through cables and parts he might salvage for future repairs. It was there, under a stack of cracked monitor frames and ticket rolls, that he found it:

A long-forgotten plastic storage tube, labeled in faded black marker:

"POSTERS – ORIGINAL PRINTS – DO NOT BEND"

He slid it open and unrolled the contents on the floor.

Gold.

Literal retro gaming gold.

An original Street Fighter II Turbo promotional poster, vibrant and crisp despite its age.A Time Crisis II arcade launch poster with Japanese logos and dynamic art.A Dance Dance Revolution flyer in near-mint condition, complete with flashy graphics and '90s flair.

Ethan gently laid them out, staring at the brilliant, vintage artwork. These weren't just decorations—these were prizes.

And he knew just how to make them shine.

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The next morning, Ethan took the posters to a small custom framing shop two blocks from the arcade. He chose simple black borders with non-glare glass, letting the art speak for itself.

It cost more than he would've liked, but when he saw the final results, he knew it was worth it. These weren't just prizes—they were collector-worthy pieces.

Back at the arcade, he laid them out behind the counter and pulled up his Business Basics system window, selecting the Marketing tab. With the skill almost at Level 2, it had started offering more refined tools.

[Marketing – Basic Promotions: Custom Event Campaign]

Design, schedule, and launch a targeted event campaign for up to 3 local audience categories.

He got to work.

He created a post titled:

"RETRO SHOWDOWN – Level Up Arcade's First Tournament Event!"

He added:

Dates: Two Saturdays from now.Games: Mortal Kombat II, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Time Crisis II, and DDR.Entry Fee: $5 per person per game (to keep things organized and build prize pools).Prizes: Vintage framed posters from the golden age of arcade gaming.Bonus: Top scorers in each game get their name immortalized on a custom leaderboard wall.

He attached images of the framed posters and tagged all the local community gaming groups, arcades, and nostalgia-focused socials the Business Basics system suggested.

[Campaign Scheduled and Distributed – Estimated Reach: 450 Users]

[Projected Turnout (Low Confidence): 15–30 participants]

It wasn't much—but it was a start.

And now, the countdown had begun.

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Over the next few days, the energy inside the arcade started to shift.

People began noticing the framed posters displayed behind the counter. James even made a joking attempt to bribe Ethan for early access to the Street Fighter one.

"Absolutely not," Ethan said, grinning. "You gotta earn it."

Amanda pointed at the DDR flyer. "That one? That one's mine. I will train. I will become the arrow queen."

Trevor nudged James. "She's gonna sweep you. Again."

Ethan set up small signs at each relevant cabinet announcing the upcoming tournament, and people actually paid attention. Customers started trying out machines they hadn't before. Players practiced. The competitive spark started to spread.

And more importantly—new faces began trickling in.

People who had seen the post. Curious onlookers who had heard from friends. Even a couple of older gamers who hadn't stepped into an arcade in years but wanted to "see what all the noise was about."

With just under a week to go, Ethan found himself working late again—polishing cabinet glass, double-checking coin slots, and inspecting wiring he already knew was fine.

His system chimed occasionally, noting Cleaning Skill progress, minor XP boosts, and even a new sub-quest to "Prepare Tournament Brackets."

Everything was coming together.

And yet…

He still couldn't shake the weight that lingered in the back of his mind.

The rent hadn't disappeared. The debt was still there, quietly looming in the shadows. Every dollar he earned now was either reinvested into supplies, spent on marketing, or saved to chip away at what he owed.

But the tournament?

It felt like a moment.

A chance to prove that Level Up Arcade wasn't just a nostalgic blip—it was something worth fighting for.

Ethan stepped onto the DDR pad, letting the attract music cycle through its upbeat tracks.

He smiled to himself.

Win or lose, he was playing the long game. And this next level?

It was gonna be epic.