Chapter 25: The Breaking Point
Nova Rivera arrived at the PC cafe on Thursday night like a hurricane with a human face. She was tall, with sharp features and eyes that had seen every competitive scenario imaginable twice over. Her presence commanded immediate respect—not through aggression, but through the quiet confidence of someone who'd won more tournaments than most players had competed in.
She wore all black. Her hair was pulled back severely. Her nails were short, practical, painted a deep crimson. Everything about her screamed precision and control.
"So you're the prodigy," Nova said, pulling up a chair next to Jaden's rig without asking permission. Her voice was clipped, efficient, carrying a slight accent April couldn't quite place. "Kai says you're brilliant but undisciplined. He also says you crack under pressure. We have two weeks to fix that."
