Alex stared at his communicator, Rowan's name flashing on the screen. Mira, noticing his frown, chuckled. "Rowan again?"
"Yeah," Alex sighed, answering the call. "Hey, Rowan. What's up?"
"Alex! You're first place!" Rowan's voice was a mix of excitement and disbelief. "I just saw the rankings. I can't believe it. When I met you in the Primordial Expanse, I didn't expect you to be this strong!"
Alex couldn't help but smile at Rowan's enthusiasm. "Thanks, Rowan. It was a tough journey, but I managed."
"Tough journey, huh? You make it sound so casual. I'm genuinely impressed. How did you manage to outshine everyone?"
Alex glanced at Mira, who was listening with a smile. "A lot of hard work and some help from good friends."
Mira blushed slightly at the compliment, nudging Alex playfully.
