Elijah blinked against the morning light, his mind buzzing from last night's victory. Confetti still fluttered in the back of his eyelids. The system interface pulsed a new quest notification:
"Quest: Share Victory with Found Family."
He sat up and reached for his phone, scrolling through dozens of congratulatory messages—from sponsors, fellow competitors, and fans who'd watched the Grand Final live stream. None of it felt as real as the warmth in his chest when he remembered who he'd fought alongside.
He padded downstairs, where his parents sat by the breakfast table. Bright-eyed and beaming, they'd already printed a newspaper headline: "Local Teen Conquers Global Stage." His father passed him a copy. His mother's tears gleamed in the ink. Elijah felt a lump in his throat—this was one way to share his win. He placed the paper carefully on the kitchen counter, then hugged his parents in a slow embrace. The system chimed softly as the quest bar ticked toward completion.
By midday, social media feeds exploded. Clips of his triple headshot clutch and the final plant dominated esports highlights. Sponsors pinged him with brand deals—mousepads, gaming chairs, even a custom esports sneaker. He forwarded the links to Kayzen and Ghostkit in their squad chat.
Zero7: Y'all seeing this?
Voidpix: Unreal. I can't believe it.
Ghostkit: We did it together.
Elijah smiled. The quest prompt flared: "Victory Shared: +2 Confidence, +1 Teamwork."
That afternoon, the LAN venue reopened for an informal celebration. Competitors and spectators mingled around sponsor booths lined with energy drinks and merch tables. Nightfall Trio stepped onto the small stage, greeted by a roar that echoed off the concrete walls. The MC interviewed them under neon spotlights.
MC: Zero7, what was going through your mind in that final round?
Elijah drummed his fingers on the mic stand. "Trust—pure trust in my squad. We practiced, we fell, and we rose together."
A wave of applause washed over him, and Ghostkit's grin spread wide. Kayzen gave him a subtle nod. They were a family now.
Backstage, a small VIP lounge awaited them. Plush couches and bottled water carried sponsor logos. A local journalist, notebook in hand, approached Kayzen first. Elijah sipped a celebratory soda and reflected on everything that had happened: schoolyard taunts, lonely nights grinding solo, the interface's glowing quests, and the system's silent encouragement. None of that felt distant; it was a treasure map marking every scar and victory that led them here.
A press photographer snapped pictures as Nightfall Trio posed with their trophy. He caught a shot of Ghostkit towering behind the desk, Kayzen draping an arm around Elijah's shoulder, and Elijah raising the glittering cup high. The flashbulbs lit up the room, and in that moment, he saw the reflection of every quest icon dance across its polished surface. The system prompt pinged again:
"Quest Complete: Found Family United."
His heart swelled.
Later, they attended the winners' banquet. Long tables groaned under trays of pasta, bowls of salad, and decorative cakes molded in the shape of StrikeLine weapons. At a corner table, Tanner waited with a proud grin. He clapped Elijah on the back. "You showed everyone what teamwork looks like."
Elijah caught Kayzen's eye across the table and mouthed, "Thank you." She returned the gesture with a soft smile. Ghostkit gave a thumbs-up while reaching for another slice of cake. They laughed together, savoring not just the food, but the bond they'd forged through battles.
That evening, Elijah returned home to a hero's welcome—but he didn't feel like a hero alone. He set up his streaming rig and logged on. Notifications blared: "Eli, join our post-champ show?" "Zero7 interview?" "Live Q&A in 5 minutes." He accepted one invite: a casual streamer chat where fans could ask anything.
He adjusted his headset and greeted thousands of viewers.
Elijah: Hey everyone. This one's not about stats. This is about friends. Find yours, fight for them, and never stop leveling.
Chat erupted in heart emojis and cheers. He glanced at the interface tucked in the corner of the screen: the quest glowed complete, reward unclaimed. He clicked "Collect Reward"—and watched Teamwork surge one more tick.
Before logging off, he opened the private Nightfall Trio channel. He typed:
Zero7: We've rocked worlds. What's next?
Voidpix: Worlds not enough. I want more.
Ghostkit: Bigger stages, deeper quests.
Elijah sat back, mind already racing through possibilities: international tours, charity matches for underprivileged gamers, system quests that tested leadership beyond the screen. They'd unlocked flow and teamwork; next, he wondered if they could unlock something deeper—true Game Sense, the hidden stat calling from the late game.
In his room, the glow of monitors faded to darkness. On his desk lay the trophy, the newspaper article, and the sticky note from Tanner: "Trust the lagless link." Elijah picked up the note and smiled. The system's final message of the day appeared:
"New Quest Available: Mentor the Next Generation."
He leaned back, envisioning the kid who would log in as MiniZero7 tomorrow. Because the greatest quest wasn't winning championships—it was passing the torch.