Lucian paused by the microwave, the soft hum filling the small apartment as the cup of ramen slowly rotated inside. The scent of artificial chicken and spices began to leak into the air, warm and familiar, grounding him for a second. His eyes, however, never truly left the tablet propped against the counter.
On the screen, the map pulsed with colored dots, each one a rider, a decision, a risk.
"So far Orange Team has sacrificed five bikers just to invade Blue…" he murmured under his breath, watching the replay clip roll again. Five icons had rushed the open terrain like a wave, only to disappear one after another. Wiped out. Clean. Efficient. Spike alone had taken down most of them, his bike weaving like a blade through cloth.
A notification popped up on the side: Purple Team – 3 Eliminated.
Lucian exhaled slowly.
