Audrey quickly pulled out her phone to record a video. "Grace, Chloe, look! Tony's on stage!"

  She then panned the camera around, capturing the sea of people and the electrifying atmosphere, before sending it directly to the family group chat.

  At that moment, Chloe was having her makeup done. A tablet propped up on her vanity was streaming the match live.

  She didn't know how to play the game, but Edward was an old hand. He sat nearby, eyes glued to the screen with keen interest. "Chloe, which one's your brother?"

  "In the middle of the wild team. I think you guys call it... 'jungler'?" Chloe ventured, trying to recall the term.

  Edward chuckled. "Not 'jungler'—the 'jungle' is the position. He's the 'jungler.'"

  Chloe nodded in understanding, watching her brother on screen. A tender smile naturally curved her lips. She hadn't seen him in a while—he'd lost a little weight, but he looked even more handsome.

  Meanwhile, Grace had also opened the livestream after seeing her mother's video. The camera happened to cut to Tony's face. He looked visibly excited, eyes shining with the thrill of his first official competition.

  He truly did love this feeling—just like last time.

  With their mother at the venue and both sisters watching intently via livestream, Tony seemed to play with supernatural focus. Their team of five, hastily formed less than six months ago, went toe-to-toe with a professional team in today's match.

  Tony pulled off several spectacular plays, controlling the early game pace masterfully. At one point, they actually surpassed the pro team's, giving his teammates a solid early advantage.

  But the biggest gap between wild teams and pros lay in overall game operative strategy. The pro team remained steady and unflustered. Even when behind economically, they had a mature response system, slowly and imperceptibly closing the gap until they finally overtook.

  Still, the later stages were fiercely contested. Tony's team, despite glaring weaknesses, nearly turned the tables on the pro squad.

  In the end, the pro team's synergy proved too strong. Even after Tony, playing as an assassin, dove in and eliminated a key damage dealer, they couldn't win the final team fight.

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  They lost the match. But they'd fought gloriously.

  Thunderous cheers and applause erupted in the venue. Some in the crowd even chanted "SYBF" in response to Tony's brilliant performance.

  Audrey and Aurelia joined in. They knew Tony's team had lost, but they could tell it had been an incredible match.

  A few girls nearby were practically squealing. "Oh, so close!"

  "That SYBF wild team is actually pretty good! They almost won!"

  "The jungler's so handsome! Those moves were amazing!"

  "And good-looking too! Close-ups on the big screen—flawless!"

  Audrey overheard them and couldn't hide her pride. She'd never understood why her son suddenly got into gaming. Maybe she still didn't fully understand. But seeing him shine on that stage, she felt genuinely proud.

  In the VIP seating area, nearly every major esports club's management and coaches were present. This was the country's top-tier tournament, and everyone took it seriously.

  The head coach of Magic Team Esports breathed a huge sigh of relief. SYBF had just faced his team.

  If they'd been eliminated in the first round by a wild team at such an important tournament, his club would become the laughingstock of the industry.

  The team owner, who'd been frowning all match, suddenly relaxed. He leaned in and asked quietly, "That wild team has potential. Do we have their info?"

  The coach shook his head. They hadn't bothered with wild teams at all—they only kept files on professional players.

  "Get their info from the organizers later. I saw two promising kids there, especially that jungler. His reactions and mechanics are strong."

  The coach nodded expressionlessly, though inwardly displeased. The team's current roster had been trained and developed under his watch. He didn't want newcomers stealing the spotlight. But an owner's order was an order.

  And Tony wasn't just on one owner's radar. Several other clubs were eyeing him too.

  The head coach of Aethelburg B-Star Esports was already reviewing Tony's profile.

  Seventeen years old. Prime gaming age.

  Backstage, Tony and his teammates came off the arena floor. The young men were all grins, not the least bit dejected by the loss. They knew they'd played exceptionally well.

  Losing to a seasoned pro team was nothing to be ashamed of. And hearing the crowd chant their team name? That alone felt like the highlight of their lives—pure exhilaration.

  The best possible feedback for a job well done.

  "Tony!"

  As they celebrated with hugs, someone called his name.

  Tony thought he'd misheard, but turned instinctively. A man in a suit with glasses was walking toward him, smiling.

  One of his teammates immediately recognized him and grabbed Tony's shoulder excitedly. "That's Coach Hestor from Aethelburg B-Star!"

  Anyone familiar with domestic teams and regular viewers knew each team's coach. Tony was no exception.

  He tensed up. "Coach Hestor... you're calling me?"

  Hestor smiled warmly and nodded. "Yeah. Did I get the name right? Tony?"

  "Yes, yes! I'm Tony." Tony quickly confirmed.

  Hestor got straight to the point. "Excellent match today. You lost, but you've earned respect. I'm very interested in you. Have you ever considered going pro?"

  The question caught Tony completely off guard. He'd never considered it.

  This tournament had been a spontaneous idea—five guys wanting to seize their youth and take a shot. They'd signed up on a whim.

  As for the future? He had no plans.

  Besides, he'd promised his sister: after the Autumn Tournament, he'd buckle down and prepare for next year's college entrance exams.

  So he answered honestly, "Sorry, Coach Hestor. I'm a senior this year. College entrance exams are coming up. I don't want to get distracted."

  The reason was unassailable. No responsible adult would tell him to ditch exams and go pro instead.

  His teammates looked disappointed. They all knew Tony was a top student—academics were his domain.

  Hestor nodded understandingly. "Of course. Exams come first. But let's add each other on LetsChat. If you're ever interested, feel free to reach out. You're young. I can wait two years."