Neon lights reflected off the polished synthetic flooring of the Neon-Grid arcade.
Connor navigated past rows of glowing haptic pods while holding his canvas bag over his shoulder. The scent of spilled artificial energy drinks lingered in the walkways as groups of teenagers crowded around the leaderboards.
Leo walked beside him with a scowl, glancing at the digital aliases scrolling across the screens. Ophelia and Lucy trailed closely behind them to scan the VIP section for their targets.
Brad lounged in a premium leather gaming chair at the far end of the hall. He pulled a visor off his head and tossed it onto the glass table. Jax, Troy, and Hunter stood around him while laughing at a replay playing on a nearby monitor.
They ruled the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth continents in Project Civilization, utilizing their alliance to constantly harass Connor's borders long before the school exams took over their schedules.
