Twenty minutester, the Shadow Titans were already at the gates of the base, their assault relentless. Neverfall Navigators fought back desperately, but they were clearly struggling. Finally, after half an hour, their main tower was destroyed.


    "Aww!" The Neverfall Navigators fans in the audience were stunned, groans of disappointment rippling through the crowd.


    It was a terrible start. Anyone who understood the game could see how much trouble the team was in. Shadow Titans had them on the ropes for the entire first match. If they didn''t adjust their strategy, the rest of the series looked bleak.


    The second game began quickly. Still reeling from the first round, Neverfall Navigators'' morale was shaken. Eager to win one back, they grew reckless, trying to force kills only to be counter-killed themselves.


    The second match was over even faster than the first. The final score was 3-8-7. It wasn''t just a loss; it was a massacre.


    "What''s wrong with Neverfall Navigators?" Having lost two out of five games, with one more loss meaning elimination, the fans no longer had the heart to cheer. “Their form ispletely off. It''s like they''re ying without any spirit."


    "Ever since Demon left, Neverfall Navigators just hasn''t been the same."


    "I miss the days when Demon was here. Every single one of their matches was a masterpiece."


    ...


    The two games concluded, and the teams took a short break.


    Having won so easily, the Shadow Titans were already celebrating, confident they could clinch the next game. They started discussing where to go for dinner after the match.


    Juniper sat with a grim expression, sipping her lemonade. The cold aura emanating from her was palpable.


    "Juniper, do you think we''re going to win?" Hattie asked cautiously.


    Juniper stretched her lips into something that couldn''t be called a smile. Whether they could win wasn''t up to her. It came down to skill.


    But..... she refused to believe this was the full extent of Neverfall Navigators'' strength.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Neverfall Navigators'' locker room, the five members were gathered together, the atmosphere heavy with tension.


    "What do we do now?" yer One asked. "Our strategy isn''t working. If we keep ying like this, it''s over."


    "It''s like they know our every move. They''repletely shutting us down," yer Two added.


    "We have to try that girl''s suggestion. Let''s use yer Three as bait.”


    Mysticat looked at yer Three, his expression grave. "If you act as bait, your loss rate will be high. Your fans will eat you alive."


    "Who the hell cares about that right now?" yer Three shot up from his seat. "The teames first Besides, if we lose this whole thing, do you think the fans are going to spare me anyway?" ''s


    He could only keep his fans if he won.


    "Stop overthinking it. Let''s do it," yer Three urged coldly. "Change of ns. be the bait." "Alright,"


    MystiCat said after a moment, et


    longer objecting. "I was too reckless


    the first two games. I''ll swap with Two and y more cautiously." Cóntent


    "Sounds good."


    "No objections here."


    The others nodded in agreement.


    Pe


    "Guys, this is ourst chance," MystiCat said, his throat tight as he swallowed hard. "Demon founded this team five years ago and led us all the way here. If we lose today, we''re not just letting down our country and the fans. We''re letting down Demon."


    At the mention of Demon, everyone fell silent. If Demon were here today, watching them y like this... Demon would probably cough up blood from sheer rage.