Team names flickered into existence on the result board in glowing letters, starting from the bottom.
Team after team appeared—but no Team Chaos.
Shen's jaw tightened beneath his mask as more names populated the board.
Rui's heart hammered against her ribs. Had their finish been too close to call?
Then, near the bottom, their name sparked to life: "Team Chaos—18th Place."
"Eighteenth?" Rui's voice cracked.
But the letters began shifting, climbing steadily upward through the rankings.
Higher and higher until they settled into seventh place.
Relief flooded through Rui as she realized they'd not only survived—they'd earned a solid position for the next round.
Back in the competitors' lounge, the scoreboard flickered with crystalline precision, displaying the top ten teams in glowing script.
Rui crossed her arms and huffed dramatically.
"Seventh place? Really? Top five would have been so much prettier on the board!"
Several nearby competitors turned to stare at her audacity.
