Rival's Resolve

A disproportionate amount of darkness. Even though the sun had already risen, his room was still nearly pitch black. Anyone who entered this room right now would be hit with a gloomy atmosphere, and would also be completely thrown off by the sight they witnessed next.

An LED alarm clock went off at this moment. The flashing blue numbers indicated the current time: 07:00, an hour before school. A pale hand immediately slapped the alarm clock, shutting it off as abruptly as it had started. Unlike the supposedly gloomy mood of the room, its resident sat up energetically in bed with a savage smile on his face. Each day was a new opportunity to improve. It was a new chance to best his best friend in another game. Of course, he ran the risk of deteriorating and losing as well. But that's what made the improvement and wins so much more rewarding.

He was someone who would choose his battles wisely. He would only fight when he had an even chance of winning. An even chance... or a lower one. He choses his battles wisely, but most people would not call it smart. He chose his battles so that he was more likely to lose.

However, this didn't mean his determination to win was lacking. In fact, because he picked losing battles, his determination to win could be called extraordinary. If a battle was too easy, then he would most likely win. What was the point of trying to win when you know you could easily do so? Difficult battles, on the other hand, provided an opportunity to learn from someone better and fix your own mistakes. The excitement of being backed into a corner was something he lived for.

Obviously, though, winning a battle where you have a higher chance of losing is unlikely by default. Once you start losing multiple times in a row, it can be physically and mentally exhausting. And after said exhaustion kicks in, it begins to become more difficult to light up your passion. And when you have essentially given up, nothing becomes fun anymore. And then what's the point of even playing a game if not to have fun?

Of course, this was only a problem because of his existence in a physical realm. It was highly likely, if not certain, that he would pursue reckless battles as much as he could if he was unable to feel fatigue. However, such a fantasy was impossible.

Therefore, the battles he loved the most were the ones where he had an even chance of winning. The opponent would be worthy of your time and effort, so you must still try your hardest to win. Because if you give up or lose sight of what's ahead for even a moment, it's likely that your opponent can steal victory from right under your nose. And there's the fifty-fifty chance of winning, so unless you are truly unlucky, you are guaranteed at least a few victories to keep your fire burning. On the flip side, there's also a fifty-fifty chance of losing. A wonderful opportunity to learn from your mistakes or your opponent.

Sadly, his method of choosing battles brought forth an unintended consequence. The battles he preferred to choose were getting harder and harder to find.

Some may say he was insane. Some may say he was a genius. He pushed himself to his limit nearly every time, and tossed himself into a gauntlet of trials which eventually chew him up and spit him out like a piece of bad cake.

But it was this deranged personality that allowed him to improve at a rapid rate. The masochism of taking losses ironically led him to eventually take less losses.

Which is why he was so excited for another day with his best friend. His friend was also an anomaly, even if he didn't realize it. They would almost always be an even match where they could both improve each other. They would push each other to the limit each time, improving themselves for the next battle. Even if it moved them farther and farther away from the rest of the crowd, they would still have each other, which was why he was so excited for another day with his best friend.

As he got out of bed and prepared for the day, he looked into the mirror, smiled confidently, and firmly said...

"Are you ready to lose, Jon?"