Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Recruitment Begins
The gaming café wasn't the right place for this conversation.
Alex knew it the moment he saw Sofia "Blitz" Martinez leaning against the counter, her arms crossed and her sharp gaze scanning the room like she already owned it. She didn't even bother looking up as he entered, too busy examining the dusty "team photos" pinned to the back wall.
The photos were a tradition from better days, showcasing players who had made it big after starting here. Most were from years ago, when Glory had exploded into the mainstream as the definitive esport of the decade. Competitive players were treated like rock stars, and every gaming café in the country had become a recruitment ground for hopefuls chasing glory literally and figuratively.
Alex's own team photo was still up there somewhere, though faded and curled at the edges. His face, younger and filled with ambition, stared back at him every time he visited. He had once thought of himself as someone destined for greatness. Now, that photo just felt like a relic of a person he barely recognized.
"So," Sofia said without turning around, her voice breaking through his thoughts, "this is where the magic happened?"
Her tone was laced with amusement, but there was an edge to it. Alex knew better than to mistake her casual stance for indifference. Sofia was testing him, sizing him up before they'd even exchanged a proper word.
"It was better back then," Alex replied, finally finding his voice. "Not as dead."
Sofia snorted and turned to face him. Up close, she was exactly as intimidating as he'd expected. Her short-cropped black hair framed her angular face, and her dark eyes glinted with a mix of challenge and boredom. She looked every bit the scrappy fighter he'd seen in her highlight reels fearless, confident, and dangerous.
"Better or not, this place still screams 'has-been,'" she said, gesturing to the peeling wallpaper and flickering lights. Her gaze drifted to the rows of empty PCs, once packed with players battling late into the night. "You sure this is the vibe you wanna start with, boss?"
Alex stiffened at the word "boss." The way she said it made it sound like a joke.
"It's not about the vibe," Alex said, forcing calm into his voice. "It's about the people. And if you're serious about this, you'd know that."
Her smirk widened. "Serious, huh? And what makes you think I'm gonna risk my time my reputation on your little redemption story?"
---
Glory: A Game That Changed Everything
To anyone else, Sofia's challenge might have stung, but Alex had expected this reaction. After all, Glory wasn't just a game. It was a phenomenon.
Released nearly a decade ago, Glory was the perfect mix of strategy, skill, and spectacle. It was a team-based competitive game where five players took on specific roles damage dealers, tanks, supports, tacticians working together to dominate the battlefield. But what made Glory unique wasn't just its mechanics. It was the way it demanded not just individual excellence, but synergy. A single mistake could unravel even the most carefully planned strategies.
For players like Alex, it had become more than a game it was a lifestyle, a dream, and sometimes, a curse. The esport scene had grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry, with professional players achieving celebrity status. But in that world, one bad season could end a career.
Alex knew that better than anyone.
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Sofia's Reluctance
Sofia's words brought Alex back to the present.
"You're good," Alex said simply. "The best tank I've seen in years."
"Flattery? Really?" She rolled her eyes. "That's your pitch?"
Alex shook his head. "No. My pitch is that you've been on three teams in two years, and none of them knew how to use you. They saw you as a liability, not an asset. But I've watched your games. You're not reckless. You're smart, and you play to win. You just need teammates who trust you."
The smirk faltered, just for a moment. Sofia's confidence, so carefully crafted, cracked just enough to show something underneath—doubt, or maybe hope.
"And you think you can trust me?" she asked, her voice quieter now.
"I think we can trust each other," Alex replied, meeting her gaze. "If you're willing to try."
The silence between them stretched. Sofia studied him like she was peeling back layers, searching for something hidden beneath his words. Finally, she let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair.
"Alright, Astra," she said, using his old in-game name with just a hint of mockery. "I'll bite. But don't think for a second that I'm here to make friends. You screw this up, and I'm gone."
Alex allowed himself a small smile. "Fair enough."
---
Reaching Out to Zenith
Recruiting Sofia was a win, but Alex barely had time to savor it. His next target was someone much harder to convince: Jae-Min "Zenith" Park.
Jae-Min was a legend in the Glory scene, known for his surgical precision and unparalleled ability to read the flow of a match. As a former team captain, he'd led his roster to a national championship three years ago. But his career had hit a wall recently. His team had collapsed under the pressure of his relentless standards, and Jae-Min had spent the last six months benched, stuck in esports purgatory.
Alex hesitated before dialing Jae-Min's number. The two of them had never been close, but there was a time when they'd respected each other as competitors. At least, Alex hoped that respect still existed.
The call connected, and Jae-Min's face appeared on the screen. He looked exactly as Alex remembered: sharp features, perfectly combed black hair, and an expression so neutral it bordered on intimidating.
"Alex," Jae-Min said without preamble. "What do you want?"
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Jae-Min's Skepticism
"I'm building a team for the World Invitational," Alex said. "I want you on it."
Jae-Min raised an eyebrow, the faintest flicker of surprise breaking through his mask. "You're joking."
"I'm serious," Alex replied.
"You're asking me to join a team led by someone whose last roster disbanded after a spectacular failure?"
The words hit harder than Alex wanted to admit, but he kept his voice steady. "I know my history. And I know yours. You've been sidelined because your old team couldn't keep up with you. You deserve better."
Jae-Min's eyes narrowed, his analytical mind clearly picking apart every word. "And you think you can offer me 'better'? After what happened to Vanguard?"
Alex nodded. "Yes. Because I've learned from my mistakes. And because I know what you bring to the table. You don't just follow strategies you create them. You think three steps ahead. I need that. And I think you need a team that values it."
Jae-Min studied him in silence, his gaze unrelenting. Finally, he leaned back in his chair.
"I'll be honest," Jae-Min said. "I don't trust you. Not yet. But I'll consider it… on one condition."
"Name it," Alex said.
"I'm not following blind orders," Jae-Min said. "If I see you making the same mistakes you made last time, I'm gone."
Alex hesitated, the weight of Jae-Min's condition settling over him. "Understood," he said at last.
Jae-Min's lips twitched into the faintest semblance of a smile. "Then I'm in. But don't expect me to make this easy for you."
---
Reflections
By the time the call ended, Alex felt drained. Convincing Sofia and Jae-Min had taken everything he had, and there were still three more players to find.
Sitting in the dim light of his apartment, Alex stared at the list of names on his screen. Each one represented a different challenge, a different piece of the puzzle he was trying to put together.
But beneath the exhaustion, there was something else, a flicker of hope.
For the first time in years, Alex allowed himself to imagine it: standing on the stage at the World Invitational, his team at his side, proving to the world and to himself that he still had what it took to compete.
"This time," he whispered to the empty room, "I won't fail."