No longer a pushover

Chapter 18

Noelle's move in the game was devastating. She took out two opponents instantly, leaving a third critically injured. As she landed, her gaze flicked briefly to Lucas, who was sprawled on the ground with barely any health remaining. Lucas stared at the screen, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. He had always known Noelle was talented, but this? This was on another level.

He thought that something was off. Noelle hadn't been this skilled before. He wondered when she had gotten this skilled.

When Lucas had been caught earlier, he had already resigned himself to losing the match. But Noelle had stepped in with an unshakeable calm, her sharp positioning and tactical awareness pulling the team back from the brink. Not only had she stabilized the game, but she had also executed King's legendary 12-hit combo.

Lucas felt as though he didn't know Noelle at all. She seemed like a completely different person. A strange unease began to creep into his chest. It was irrational, but he couldn't shake the sinking feeling that he was losing her. After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth to speak. "You-"

But Noelle walked right past, her voice clear as she spoke into the headset. "Everyone else, report your positions and status. I'll be there in a second."

Lucas froze, left standing alone. All he could do was watch her character on the screen, moving with precision and confidence, her back turned to him.

Unable to help himself, he shifted his gaze toward Noelle in real life. She sat at her computer, her expression razor-sharp, her focus unbreakable. He found the scene captivating.

Frank's voice cut through the moment like a snap. "Lucas, what are you spacing out for?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Lucas scrambled to rejoin the team. When he reached the lower floor of the game, Noelle was leading the rest of the team in a relentless, perfectly coordinated offensive.

Her gunner class moved with fluid, calculated precision. Every maneuver screamed mastery. It was nothing like Xenia's clumsy, hesitant gameplay.

Lucas had always dreamed of having this kind of gunner on their team. Ultimately, Noelle made it happen.

Lucas' emotions were a tangled mess. He couldn't explain how he felt.

The competition he cared about the most had only been won because of Noelle the sister he had dismissed and underestimated for so long. The sense of dissonance was overwhelming. He had never felt this way before. The match ended shortly after with a stunning victory.

As the gunner, Noelle stood alone amidst the battlefield ruins. The in-game setting sun cast a golden glow over her character as she claimed victory for the team.

For a moment, the commentators seemed at a loss for words. "And it's over! Team Luminark wins! That substitute player was unbelievable. Could she be a student of the legendary King?"

Fans were

thought. In her past

about her relationship with King, but he never admitted it. She'd

always been an enigma. He never revealed his true identity, and no one knew what

her parents. Frank was the first to rush to her side, his face brimming with

looked elated. To him, this was proof that Noelle hadn't changed. Proof that they were still

began to fade, bit by bit. It felt... disappointing. She

complicated as he stared at her. "Who the hell are

in before

'sister' was that other girl-the one who played terribly. Since when

he quickly recovered. "That was our

then pull out your real sister as

stiffened at the jab, his discomfort apparent. He still hadn't

Really good." After all, not just anyone could pull off the 12-hit combo. Since King's retirement,

and calm. "You

out of line during the match, especially about your parents. That was wrong, and I was being a jerk. I shouldn't have said it. I'm

nodded. "Make sure it

Lucas spoke up. "That's

to him, her expression

what's it got to do with you? The only reason you even won was because of

tension between the two flared. Frank quickly grabbed Lucas and

that, the match officially ended, and the crowd began

as she walked in, she saw Xenia standing there, her face streaked with tears, her eyes red

grew heavy with

her a pitiful, helpless appearance.

exactly what Xenia was doing. She

and shaky. "Lucas, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have left the match