Chapter 466

Chapter 466:

“You seemed off, losing early rounds and plummeting to the bottom of the leaderboard. That’s unusual for you,” Fernanda said, concern coloring her tone. “Is the pressure getting to you?”

Neal’s lips tightened, revealing his reluctance to admit his struggles.

Yes, he was under immense pressure. His father constantly demanded money from him, like an unyielding debt collector, creating a crushing weight on his shoulders.

His performance had been lackluster, and before he knew it, he found himself lagging at the bottom.

From the moment he realized the need to zone in and eliminate distractions for better performance, he was determined, yet…

His plans unraveled unexpectedly.

Despite giving it his all, he still lost.

He aimed to dedicate his focus entirely to mastering the competition, honing every detail and technique, yet achieving this seemed beyond reach.

Past his esports prime, he struggled to match the vigor of younger competitors in their peak.

In the end, he tied for third place, earning a five-thousand-dollar prize, which was far from the prestigious top award.

In an unexpected turn of events, Neal had resorted to measures he once judged harshly to settle a debt with his online girlfriend. For the first time, he engaged in boosting other players’ game rankings, a practice he had always scorned.

This act of boosting was criticized for undermining the fairness of the gaming community. As a streamer and a well-known figure, it was incumbent upon Neal to lead by example and foster positivity among his followers.

Yet, here he was, engaging in a practice he had condemned.

He was turning into the very type of person he had always criticized. Neal decided not to tell Fernanda about his new, questionable side job, worried she wouldn’t approve.

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Instead, he simply said, “Lately, I’ve been dedicating extra hours to hone my gaming skills, which has cut into my sleep.”

Their team’s training sessions had indeed grown more intensive since they decided to compete together.

Fernanda had once shared her excitement about launching a college league, which drew teams from different schools with the lure of substantial rewards. She had chosen not to compete herself to maintain fairness.

Neal and his dorm mates, along with Sloane, came together to form a team of five for competitive gaming.

Initially hesitant, Gifford found himself unable to say no after Levi and Alex repeatedly asked him to join.

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