by Devin Hunter
“This place,” he replied.
“Yeah, it has that effect,” Ben said.
Grey put his hand on Finn’s shoulder, knowing that Finn must finally be getting homesick. It took Finn longer to realize this place was more like a prison than a game, but Grey would help him get out soon. “We can do this together. Even if we have to get through Hazel and the rest of Lam’s squad to do it.”
Finn stared at his hands, looking sad. “Maybe …”
Battles begin in thirty seconds!
Grey waited for the teleport, even if it would only move him a few yards to the ranked line. Teleporting had gotten so normal that he might miss it once he got back to the real world. It didn’t make him feel sick like it first had, and it was super convenient.
“Welcome to Day Fifty-Two of Battles!” the Admin said when she appeared. “With ten days until the new season begins, we would like to encourage all of you to keep playing as best as you can. While many of you have determined correctly that going home will not be possible for you this season, playing your best in battles is another form of practice that will improve your play and prepare you for next season.”
Grey heard several people in the line snicker at this suggestion. It wasn’t as if the Admin could make them play well, but he did worry some would take her words to heart. While fighting the top players was difficult, it was nice to be able to pick off everyone else.
“Speaking of continuing to improve play,” the Admin continued, “many of you are not utilizing the practice area anymore. Please consider how valuable practice is. Many of the top players this season are dedicated to practicing, and they didn’t give up when things got difficult. This could be you next season.”
“Oh, come on! You already trapped us here, and now you’re telling us how to spend our free time?” someone yelled from the lower-ranked area of the line. “Quit lecturing us and get to the stupid battles.”
The Admin sighed. “The advice was well-intentioned. Good luck in today’s battles.”
Grey closed his eyes, waiting for the familiar sound of the battle bus chugging along through the sky. He told himself today would go well. It had to. There was no more room for bad ranks.
CHAPTER 9
Despite the alliance, the day did not go well for Grey’s squad. He’d hoped that, because Hazel did care about them, she would somehow convince Lam to go easy on Grey. That was not what happened.
“Do they all have tommy guns? This is ridiculous!” Finn yelled as he furiously put up walls to protect him from the unending bullet spam.
“I’m almost out of mats,” Kiri said. “We’re not healing our way out of this.”
Grey could only sigh. He was out of materials as well. The last battle had gone on for ten minutes. They had landed in Snobby Shores this time and had run into Lam’s squad in Pleasant Park as they tried to get to the next storm circle. Grey’s squad hadn’t farmed up enough yet … and somehow Lam’s squad was looted up with every SMG in the game. The rapid fire was impossible to survive when there were four players using it.
“I’m almost out of mats, too,” Finn said. “Get ready to shoot and pray.”
“Focus, Hazel,” Grey said as he pulled out his shotgun. Not because he was mad at her, but because she still wore her signature skin—the girl with the green pigtails. She’d be easy to see and aim for. He couldn’t guess which avatar was Lam’s, otherwise he’d pick her. “Maybe we can get her eliminated at least.”
Once Finn’s last wall fell, Grey aimed at Hazel. The shot hit, but it did hardly any damage. She must have been low after they all hit her, but Grey’s squad fell before Hazel did. Then it was over. Grey cursed the shotgun nerf once again. Sometimes the weapon would come through and do the damage it used to, but never when he needed it most.
“Ugh, they put us in the top fifteen again!” Kiri said.
“Yeah …” At the beginning of the season, he would have thought ranking in the top fifteen for a battle was amazing, but at this point it felt like he may as well have died first. Being in the top fifteen wouldn’t push up their average. It was one more battle with no progress, finishing a whole day of battles they didn’t win.
It didn’t matter if they had an alliance. They didn’t have Hazel, and that was what would come back to bite them in the end. Grey had told himself he wasn’t mad at her, but in that moment he was.
Lam’s squad won the last Victory Royale of the day, and when they all appeared in the battle warehouse again, Lam’s squad congratulated themselves on how they’d won every game of the day. Hazel had already jumped ahead of Grey in rank with those five victories. Grey didn’t even hear what the Admin had to say, he was so mad about it, and when he could move he charged right for his favorite spot in the forest.
When he got there, he kicked at the barrier and yelled, “Can’t I ever catch a break? Ugh!”
“Do you really want one?” Tae Min’s voice came from behind.
Grey wasn’t in the mood for Tae Min’s cryptic conversations. He turned and glared at him. “Of course I want one. I’m so freaking tired of this.”
“Are you?” Tae Min asked.
“Yes!” Grey yelled back. “Stop asking me dumb questions! You know everything anyway because you can read minds or something. What do you want, Tae Min? That’s a question no one knows the answer to!”
Somewhere in the back of Grey’s mind, he knew he shouldn’t be yelling at Tae Min. He felt bad, but he probably would have yelled at whoever came to see him. Tae Min just happened to be the one to show up.
“What I really want?” Tae Min said as he walked closer to Grey. “I want to know why, this entire time, you’ve never asked me to be on your squad. You’re the only person who has never asked even after all our talks.”
Grey glared at him. “How could I ask when you told me everyone just wants stuff from you? I didn’t want to be the same. Besides, I figured if you ever wanted to be on anyone’s squad you’d tell them you were joining. It’s not like anyone here would say no.”
Tae Min smiled. This time it was a real smile, big and wide enough to surprise Grey. Then Tae Min said, “Well then, I would like to join your squad.”
Grey blinked a few times. He couldn’t have heard right. “You would?”
“I’m still not going home,” Tae Min said. “But yes, I want to help you get there, as long as you can accept that I will eliminate myself before we hit the top ten each match. I will have to coach you from spectator mode after that.”
“Okay, you’re in.” Grey knew the rest of his squad wouldn’t protest. Having Tae Min play with them? It didn’t sound real. “What about practices?”
“I’ll teach you what you need to know. All of you, even Ben and Tristan,” Tae Min said. “Ideally, I’d like to get you, Kiri, Finn, Ben, and Tristan into the top five, but I’m afraid I can’t guarantee that with two separate squads.”
Grey felt a twist in his stomach. “Not Hazel?”
“If there were a top six, that would work, but there isn’t,” Tae Min said.
“Right.” Grey stared at his shoes, which still looked the same as the day he came, even though he’d traipsed through the virtual woods for nearly two months. “It’s just … Hazel doesn’t have anyone on the outside. She’s really scared she’ll end up like Robert.”
Grey had tried his best not to think about how Robert had died in real life. The Admin claimed it was of natural causes, but still. One day he was here playing, and the next he was gone. It was too scary. Grey didn’t want that to happen to anyone else.
“I see …” Tae Min rubbed his chin as he thought. “Well, if one of you wants to give up your spot, we can work that out.”
Grey gulped. How could Grey ask anyone to do that? Could he do it? He should do it … “Let’s think about that later. Are you sure we can still rank in the top five? It seems harder and harder to move up in rank with all the battles averaging out.”
“I don’t have complete control,” Tae Min said. “But I believe
it’s possible if your squad or Ben and Tristan take all the victories from here on out.”
“All?” Grey would have loved to win every game, but it didn’t seem possible even with Tae Min’s help.
Tae Min nodded. “Tomorrow will be the most difficult, since I only have tonight to help you practice. But after that, it should improve rapidly.”
Grey had to believe him, because so far everything Tae Min said had been right. And if he hadn’t been tanking his rank on purpose, he’d still be ranked first instead of in the top twenty. If anyone could help them win the rest of the games, it was Tae Min. “Okay, then let’s get to work.”
“Meet at the ghost town with everyone. I’ll be in the saloon. We’ll take care of squading then as well.” Tae Min walked away.
Grey waited for several minutes before he moved. For some reason, it felt like he still needed to keep his friendship with Tae Min secret. If people found out right now that Tae Min planned to join Grey’s squad, they would lose it. Their enemies would figure it out eventually, but they would underestimate Grey in the meantime. And being underestimated was the best place to be. Surprising an overly confident opponent almost always resulted in success.
After his wait, Grey headed out to find his friends. It was hard not to run and give away his excitement.
Grey spotted Kiri, Finn, Ben, and Tristan outside of the practice warehouse. Even though Grey had stomped off, they had grouped together to practice. From the looks of it, they were trying to survive SMG spam and find an opening to counterattack.
“Are you done sulking already?” Kiri asked.
“We thought you’d be gone all evening,” Finn said. “Sorry for practicing without you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Grey said as a big smile spread across his face.
They all gave him a strange look, but it was Ben who said, “What’s with the smile?”
“He’s lost it, mates,” Kiri said. “I worried this would happen.”
Grey shook his head. “No, I haven’t. Grab your best weapons and follow me.”
“Okay …” Tristan looked skeptical. They all did, but they still did as Grey asked. Then they headed out past the fields and forests to the ghost town. It looked just as abandoned as ever. Lam never practiced here, since she preferred to build her own structures rather than use what was around her. He’d seen the others in the top fifteen closer to the practice warehouse.
Grey went right for the saloon. It was the first place he’d practiced with Ben and Tristan, and it felt right to be back here with them for the most important practice of their lives.
“I don’t know if hide-and-seek will help us at this point,” Tristan said.
“Well, it might with the right coach.” Grey opened the saloon doors and stepped inside.
Tae Min sat on the bar, his feet planted on a chair. He gave them a clever grin. “Hey, everyone.”
“Meet our new squad member,” Grey said. “He’s gonna teach us how to win every game.”
Grey’s friends stood there shocked for at least ten seconds. Grey held in his laugh, though it was funny to see their wide eyes and dropped jaws.
Finally, Kiri was able to utter, “No. Way.”
“It’s true.” Tae Min hopped off the bar, and an AR appeared in his hands like magic, though Grey knew he’d just equipped it from his inventory. “Looks like Grey doesn’t go around bragging about our friendship even to his closest allies. That’s what I like about him.”
“F-Friends?” Ben managed to say. He looked at Grey. “Is that why you’re so good? How long have you been holding out on us?”
“He wasn’t holding out,” Tae Min said for Grey. “He is good because he is talented. I am his friend because he never saw me as a golden ticket to freedom. Funny how that makes me want to help, but it does.”
“Wow.” Finn punched Grey’s shoulder. “I don’t care how this happened. I’m so pumped to level up!”
“Good,” Tae Min said. “Let’s get started. We don’t have time to waste.”
CHAPTER 10
Grey and his friends were more than ready to learn from Tae Min. It seemed unreal, watching him pace in front of them. He sized them up one by one. Grey wondered if they looked as young and ragtag as he felt in that moment. Tae Min was older, cooler, and more skilled than them by miles.
Tae Min’s black hair partially hid his eyes, and he pushed it back before he said, “Today’s lesson: anticipating enemy movement. Most players focus their energy on what they would do, but it’s essential that you learn how the opponent moves. And more importantly, you must learn how to manipulate them into doing what you want. This will put them right where you want, and then …”
Tae Min equipped his sniper and aimed right at Grey. He didn’t shoot, but he didn’t have to for Grey to feel like he’d have been eliminated immediately.
“So you do read minds,” Finn said.
“Not exactly,” Tae Min replied. “But you can call it that if you’d like. Will you play victim, Finn, since you seem so eager?”
“Victim?” Finn shot a glare at Tae Min. “That confidence.”
“Finn,” Kiri said. “Stop acting like you can beat him and learn something.”
“Fine,” Finn grumbled. “I’ll play ‘victim.’”
“Good.” Tae Min stepped back, and Finn followed him to the open area of the saloon. Grey and the rest of his friends stayed near the door to watch. “Now, standing here, what is the easiest way to eliminate me?”
Finn gave him a confused look. “Is this a trick question?”
Tae Min shook his head.
“Shoot.” Finn said as he held up his weapon.
“Right. Go for it,” Tae Min instructed.
Finn didn’t hesitate, and he even aimed up in anticipation of Tae Min jumping to avoid the shot. But Tae Min did something Grey hadn’t seen anyone do. Tae Min crouched. Finn’s shot flew over Tae Min’s head and damaged the wall behind him. Meanwhile, Tae Min shot Finn in return.
“What the—?” Finn said.
“This game is a lot like the video game of Fortnite,” Tae Min said. “But it’s not exactly the same, is it?”
“No,” Grey said as it clicked. “You have to press a button to crouch or jump in the game … here, we don’t have buttons.”
“Exactly,” Tae Min said as he stood. “In the normal game, most people spend all their time jumping because it’s an easier button to press. They don’t crouch because the button is less convenient. Here, the movements take the same amount of effort, but people still favor jumping. Finn even aimed to compensate for the assumption that I would jump.”
“I never thought of that,” Ben said. “It’s such a small thing, but it could save you if you know your enemy is aiming high.”
“Yes,” Tae Min said. “Now, the next basic principle. Finn, you played a great victim. Kiri, would you like to join me for this one?”
Kiri gulped. “S-Sure.”
Finn stepped back next to Grey. “Crouching … I feel like an idiot.”
“Don’t,” Grey said. “We’re all here to learn. I didn’t think of that either.”
Tae Min placed a wooden wall between him and Kiri. “Now, Kiri, what is the easiest way to eliminate me with this wall in the way?”
“Uhh …” Kiri stood there for too long, unsure of the easiest way.
Grey wanted to jump in because he knew what he would do. He’d build his own ramp onto the wall and attack from above. He was sure that was what Tae Min would say, too, because going around the side would take longer. But he knew it was important for everyone here to learn.
Kiri backed up instead of building, and then she threw a C4 and exploded it. It destroyed everything around Tae Min, him included, and left a big hole in the ceiling of the saloon.
That was not what Grey expected.
Tae Min began to laugh. “Okay, okay, you got me. That is faster than what I had in mind. Smart move, though delayed.”
“Thanks.” Kiri beamed. “I k
now we won’t always have C4. What were you going to do?”
Tae Min looked at Grey. “Your turn. I think you know what I am looking for.”
Grey and Kiri switched spots. Tae Min put up another wall, and Grey didn’t hesitate to build the ramp and start moving up. But before he could take a shot, Tae Min placed a wall right in Grey’s face. The surprise flustered Grey, and he moved to his right in hopes to get a shot from that side.
Another wall went up.
Grey moved to the left, but Tae Min wasn’t there. The next thing Grey knew, he took a shot to the back. Tae Min had run around the right wall to attack. And it was only after the quick movement that Grey understood what had happened.
“You put me where you wanted,” Grey said. “How … ?”
“Most good players know the fastest, most efficient ways to eliminate players,” Tae Min said as he looked behind Grey. “How many of you would have built that ramp up?”
Ben and Tristan raised their hands, clearly gobsmacked by watching Tae Min work. Finn reluctantly added his own hand.
“You were surprised, right, Grey?” Tae Min asked.
Grey nodded.
“When people are caught off guard, they tend to act out of instinct,” Tae Min continued. “Since you are right-handed, I can assume you would move right without thinking of which direction would be better … They seem equally good in the moment. Once I blocked the right side, you’ll consider the left side the best choice. So you moved that way, but knowing that I came from the right. This will give me the best shot, even if you had the instinct to turn around, I would still have the advantage.”
“What if Grey had built up?” Tristan asked. “If he’d gained high ground, he might have a better spot.”
“I considered that,” Tae Min said. “If he had, I would have moved up the stairs to catch him on the second floor.”
“Riiiiight,” Ben said. “Smart.”
“It would be different if we were out in the open,” Tae Min said. “You are not completely wrong—it’s very situational. Today we’re focusing on tight quarters. I need to prepare you for Tilted Towers.”
