Facing the Inevitable

The atmosphere was thick with tension as the instructors emerged from their room, having just secured a victory against Team 1. The break they announced—a brief five minutes—seemed to stretch the anticipation even further. Joon-ho could feel the weight of the moment settling on his shoulders as he watched the instructors, their expressions unreadable, move towards a corner of the room to regroup.

The reality of Team 1's defeat was sinking in for everyone. Team 1, considered the most balanced and skilled among the students, had fought valiantly but ultimately succumbed to the overwhelming expertise of the instructors. The defeat was a stark reminder of the level they were all aspiring to reach but hadn't quite attained yet.

Joon-ho's eyes drifted to Hana, who stood apart from her teammates, her head lowered slightly. The regret etched on her face was clear—she was the one who had been eliminated, sealing the fate of her team. Despite the encouragement from In-su, who was doing his best to keep spirits high, it was evident that Hana felt the sting of responsibility.

He could almost feel the weight of Hana's thoughts—how she replayed the moment over and over in her mind, wondering what she could have done differently. Joon-ho knew that feeling all too well, the gnawing doubt that crept in after a loss, especially when the stakes were this high. He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself, knowing that his trial was just minutes away.

As if sensing his thoughts, Soo-jin stepped closer, her voice cutting through the tension.

"We should get ready, Joon-ho," she said, her tone a mix of determination and calm. Her words snapped him out of his reverie, bringing him back to the present.

Joon-ho nodded, stealing one last glance at the defeated Team 1 before turning his attention to his team. Jin-kyong was already at the door, her face set in a determined expression, while Baek-hyeon and Min-jae were waiting, their nerves palpable but controlled. The pressure was on, but there was no time to dwell on doubts now.

As they entered their designated room, the familiar sight of the Realm devices greeted them. The sleek helmets, designed to immerse them fully into the NexaRealm, now felt heavier than before, carrying the weight of expectation and fear. Each of them took a deep breath, mentally preparing for the challenge ahead.

Joon-ho took his seat, fastening the Realm device over his head. The world around him faded as the device powered up, and within moments, he was transported into the NexaRealm. The vibrant colours and vast landscapes of the virtual world greeted him, but today, they felt almost ominous.

His teammates materialized beside him, their avatars perfectly replicating their real-world counterparts. The tension was still there, but there was also a resolve in their eyes—a determination to give this fight everything they had.

Joon-ho quickly activated the team's private voice channel.

"Alright, everyone, let's stay focused. We saw how the instructors play—they're aggressive, they're experienced, and they're not afraid to split up. We need to stick to our plan, but be ready to adapt on the fly. No matter what happens, we fight together."

"We've got this, Joon-ho. Just stay calm and do what we do best," Soo-jin's voice came through, steady and confident.

Jin-kyong and Baek-hyeon chimed in with affirmations, though there was an undeniable edge to Baek-hyeon's voice—he was still rattled from their last encounter with Min-jae. But Joon-ho knew they couldn't afford any distractions now.

Min-jae, surprisingly quiet, simply grunted his acknowledgement. Joon-ho wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. The countdown timer appeared in front of them, signalling the start of their match against the instructors.

As the seconds ticked down, Joon-ho's heart raced. This was their chance to prove themselves, to show that they could stand up to the very best. The fight ahead would be nothing short of gruelling, but they were ready—at least as ready as they could be.

"Here we go," Joon-ho whispered as the timer hit zero, and they were thrust into the battle of their lives.

As the match began, the instructors wasted no time in splitting up and taking aggressive positions across the map, just as they had done against Team 1. Joon-ho called for his team to stay together, focusing on defence and coordination. They moved cautiously, trying to anticipate the instructors' moves. But no matter how prepared they thought they were, nothing could truly brace them for what happened next.

Min-jae, the Tank of their team, suddenly broke formation. Without warning, he charged ahead, barreling towards the enemy with reckless abandon. Joon-ho's heart sank as he watched Min-jae's avatar plough through the terrain, his shield raised, but with no backup from his team.

"Min-jae, fall back!" Joon-ho's voice crackled through the team's voice channel, desperation evident in his tone. "We need to stick to the plan!"

But Min-jae ignored the call. Whether it was overconfidence or sheer stubbornness, he pressed on, engaging Seung-hyun, the best Fighter in Korea, head-on. For a moment, there was a flicker of hope—Min-jae's sudden aggression had taken the instructors by surprise. Seung-hyun stumbled back, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected onslaught.

But the surprise was short-lived. The instructors' skills and experience quickly turned the tide. They regrouped almost instantly, their coordination seamless as they turned their focus on Min-jae. The Tank's shield cracked under the relentless assault, and before his teammates could close the gap, Min-jae was taken down.

And just like that, within minutes, the game was over. The screen flashed with the inevitable result—another loss for the students. It is not just one person's loss in this one that makes it bitter. But because when the only Tank is down, the entire team can be easily wiped. The worst gameplay a team can ever do.

The team reappeared in their designated room, the silence thick and heavy. Joon-ho's mind was racing, replaying the match in his head. Every mistake, every missed opportunity, and most of all, Min-jae's reckless behaviour gnawed at him.

"Min-jae, what the hell was that?" Joon-ho finally snapped, unable to contain his frustration any longer. His voice was sharp, cutting through the oppressive silence. "We had a plan, and you just threw it out the window!"

Min-jae, his face already flushed with the remnants of the adrenaline rush, whipped around to face Joon-ho.

"Don't put this on me, Joon-ho! If you all had just followed up, we could've taken them down! You're the one who hesitated!"

"Hesitated? Min-jae, you went rogue! You didn't even give us a chance to react before you charged in like a maniac!" Jin-kyong, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward, her eyes blazing.

"We trusted you to lead the defence, Min-jae. You were supposed to be our shield, not a loose cannon. You can't just decide to play hero in a team game!" Soo-jin joined in, her voice cold with barely restrained anger.

"You all talk about teamwork, but maybe you're just too scared to take risks! You're too busy playing it safe to win!" Min-jae's fists clenched, his pride stung by the collective backlash.

The argument escalated quickly, voices overlapping in a chaotic mix of anger and frustration. Joon-ho, Jin-kyong, and Soo-jin were united in their criticism, each pointing out how Min-jae's impulsiveness had cost them the match. Min-jae, however, stood his ground, his ego refusing to accept any blame.

Baek-hyeon stood off to the side, his eyes darting between his teammates. His usual calm demeanour was overshadowed by uncertainty and discomfort. He had known the team was strained, but this was beyond anything he had anticipated. The team was falling apart right before his eyes, and he didn't know how to stop it.

Finally, the door to their room swung open, and the five instructors walked in, their expressions unreadable. Seung-hyun, the Fighter instructor who had just bested Min-jae, stepped forward, his voice commanding immediate attention.

"Enough. This isn't the way to solve anything."

The room fell silent, the instructors' presence immediately quelling the heated argument. Joon-ho, still fuming, looked down, biting back the rest of his retort. The weight of the instructors' words hung heavy in the air, a reminder of the discipline and focus that NexaRealm demanded from its players.

"We'll talk about this later," Ji-woo, the Marksman instructor, said firmly, her gaze moving from Joon-ho to Min-jae. "But for now, take a breath. Remember why you're here—to learn and grow, not tear each other apart."

With that, the instructors left the room, leaving Team 2 to their thoughts and the unresolved tension that still lingered in the air. The team was in shambles, and if they didn't find a way to come together soon, their chances of advancing in the tournament would be nothing more than a distant dream.

The silence after the instructors left was almost deafening, each team member lost in their thoughts. Joon-ho clenched his fists, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside him. He knew they had to pull it together, and fast. Min-jae's ego was a problem, but so was the team's inability to adapt to his style.

If they were going to stand a chance, they needed to find a balance—some way to harness Min-jae's aggression without letting it tear them apart. For now, though, all they could do was regroup, reflect, and hope that tomorrow would bring a clearer path forward.