Sean's face went rigid when Jason told him about the cable gaming show. He leaned forward, his voice dropping into the register he used when something felt fundamentally wrong. "A game broadcast? Her comeback is happening on a game show?"
"GGN. Small network. Specific audience." Jason stayed calm. "Her first public appearance since the rift."
"That's insane." Sean pulled up from his chair. "A three-year comeback needs a major platform. Needs to demonstrate hunter ability. Not something anyone can walk onto and play games on."
Jason smiled. "I spent my management company years at Grand Nova before I fell through the rift. I learned how to rebuild reputation there."
Sean deflated slightly. His body language shifted from angry to reluctantly accepting. He still looked unconvinced but the skepticism changed shape into something that resembled trust. If Jason had Grand Nova background, there was probably a plan underneath the apparent recklessness.
"Okay." Sean sat back down. "I'm going to trust you on this. But I'm watching how it plays out."
"Fair enough." Jason shifted topics smoothly. "What's the situation with Ryan Lee?"
"He's leaving. Issued an ultimatum when he found out Aria was being signed. Either we terminate her contract or he walks with all his B-rank connections." Sean's jaw tightened. "I refused. So he's gone."
Jason nodded like this was the best news he'd heard all week. "That's the best outcome. Ryan needed to be cut anyway. Dead weight holding us back from any real growth."
"Except we can't clear C-rank dungeons without a B-rank party leader." Sean's voice carried the weight of someone doing mental math and not liking the answer. "Without dungeon clears, we're hemorrhaging money. Our finances have maybe six months before things become critical."
Jason leaned back in his chair. "Six months is more than enough time to train a B-rank hunter."
Sean stared at him. He waited for the punchline. The smile that indicated Jason was joking about something that had seemed impossible seconds ago. Jason returned the stare without breaking. His expression stayed perfectly serious.
"You're serious," Sean said slowly.
"Completely."
Dylan Hart arrived at the GGN filming set with a headache already forming behind his eyes. His handle was SwordRiver. He played mid-lane for a mid-tier team called Tales and his popularity was modest enough that appearing on a cable gaming show had seemed like a reasonable opportunity to build some personal brand recognition. Nothing huge. Just exposure.
His expectation for working with Aria Reeves was simple: a bitter, prickly has-been with a superiority complex. That was the pattern every colleague reported who'd appeared alongside retired hunters. They came in resentful that they'd fallen so far and took it out on whoever ended up working with them.
Aria approached him with shining eyes before the crew even finished setting up. "You're SwordRiver? Oh my god, can I get your autograph?"
Dylan's internal world briefly stopped functioning. An ex-S-rank hunter, someone who had been called the Great Mage, a person whose name recognition dwarfed his own across three continents, was starstruck about meeting a mid-tier pro gamer whose own teammates barely recognized his name when he wasn't on stage.
"I, uh, yeah, sure, I can sign—" he started.
Owen interrupted before he could finish, snapping his fingers at the crew. "Filming prep. Everyone in position."
The moment broke and Dylan filed away the interaction as strange without understanding why.
Owen gathered them for the concept rundown. "Five consecutive wins. Challenger-tier ranked matches. Dylan carries as the primary damage, Aria provides support."
Dylan shifted his weight. "What if we use one of my lower-ranked alternate accounts? It would make the wins more feasible if the enemy team is closer to where she's playing."
"No." Owen's voice came flat. "It would be boring if you could simply carry alone. The drama comes from you having to perform while dealing with a less experienced partner."
Dylan glanced at Aria, who was standing quietly with her arms at her sides. She was hard to read. Her expression didn't shift. She didn't defend herself or respond to Owen's implication that she would be a handicap.
Jason stood to the side with his arms crossed, watching. He offered nothing.
Inside the filming booth, Aria reached under the desk and pulled out a keyboard and mouse from her personal bag. Both pieces were high-end equipment, clearly used extensively. She adjusted the mouse sensitivity with the practiced efficiency of someone who'd done it hundreds of times, muscle memory moving her fingers precisely through the settings without hesitation.
Dylan registered this as strange. Pro equipment suggested something beyond casual gaming.
Owen assumed Unique had gone all out preparing custom gear for the broadcast, investing in Aria's appearance. Jason corrected him quietly. "Those are her personal peripherals. She brings them everywhere."
Owen filed this away as a hunter who really liked games and moved on.
They logged in and formed a party. The shared screen displayed both account IDs as they entered the queue. Dylan saw Aria's account information and involuntarily gasped. The sound came out before he could stop it, sharp and entirely involuntary.
"Is this a prank show?" His voice went high on the last word. "Because the broadcast is going to end way too early."
Owen leaned forward to check the screen. His jaw dropped like someone had disconnected it from his skull. He stared at the display without blinking, without moving, without any indication that his brain had actually processed what he was seeing.
Next to Aria Reeves's ID, gleaming in perfect bronze clarity, the Challenger badge was shining.
Previous Chapter
