Kieran raised an eyebrow. "And what about you, oh great leader? Where will you be?"
Visconti zoomed out, pointing to an area near the center of the map where a massive crater split the ground.
The edges were jagged, with rusted pipes sticking out, and parts of the surrounding area were submerged in murky water. "This is my domain. The crater acts as a natural trap. I'll be drawing the enemy toward me while using the uneven terrain to keep them off balance. If they want to chase me, they'll have to deal with the unstable ground and limited visibility."
"That's risky," Elijah said, his tone cautious. "You're putting yourself in the middle of everything. What if they gang up on you?"
Visconti shrugged. "That's the point. I'll be the distraction while you two take them out from a distance. If they're focused on me, they won't have time to notice the arrows or bullets coming their way."
Kieran tilted his head, studying the map. "Alright, but what's the advantage of this whole apocalyptic mess?"
Visconti crossed his arms. "The chaos. The debris, the broken buildings, the limited visibility—it all works in our favor if we stay coordinated. Opponents will get lost or separated if they don't know the terrain as well as we do. It's unpredictable, but that's what makes it the perfect battlefield for a team like ours."
"And the disadvantages?" Elijah asked.
"The unpredictability cuts both ways," Visconti admitted. "We can't account for everything—collapsing structures, hidden traps, or opponents who know how to use the terrain against us. If we're not careful, we could end up falling into our own traps."
There was a moment of silence as the three of them absorbed the information.
"Alright," Elijah finally said, his voice firm. "We've got a plan for each map. Now it's just a matter of execution."
"So," Visconti said, his eyes scanning the holographic map one last time, "Any questions?"
"Yeah," Kieran said, leaning forward with a sly grin. "Where do we go to celebrate after we crush everyone?"
Elijah rolled his eyes. "Focus, Kieran."
Visconti chuckled, swiping his hand to dismiss the map. "Let's worry about winning first. Then we'll talk celebrations."
The smell of eggs and toast wafted through the small dorm kitchen as Elijah moved around with quiet precision, his movements smooth and practiced.
Kieran, still half-asleep, sat at the dining table, his head resting in his hands.
The three of them woke up earlier than usual, even though their match isn't until 1 pm. The reason they woke early if to watch the other teams matches
"Why do you always insist on waking up so early?" "ieran mumbled, his voice muffled.
"Because unlike you, I value preparation," Elijah replied without looking up, flipping the eggs with a flick of his wrist. "Also, I'm not going to let you show up starving and complain the entire time."
Kieran raised his head slightly, a faint smirk on his face. "You say that like I'm not already going to complain."
Visconti strolled in, his hair slightly damp from his shower, looking far more awake than Kieran. "If you're complaining already, maybe skip breakfast and go back to bed," he said, sitting down across from him.
Kieran scoffed. "Yeah, no. If Elijah's cooking, I'm eating. Priorities, Visconti."
Elijah rolled his eyes as he brought the plates to the table. "Just eat and stop talking."
The three of them ate in relative silence, the light clinking of forks and knives the only sound in the room.
Elijah had prepared scrambled eggs, toast, and a small bowl of fruit for each of them—simple but filling.
"This is good," Visconti said, nodding in approval.
"Of course it is," Kieran added, already halfway through his plate. "Elijah's food is the only reason I haven't starved in this camp."
Elijah gave him a deadpan look. "You're dramatic for no reason."
By 7:40 AM, the trio had arrived at the venue.
The sight before them left them momentarily speechless—the arena was enormous, far bigger than the Colosseum in Rome.
The stands were packed with cadets from various teams, with rows upon rows of seats stretching far into the distance.
Kieran let out a low whistle. "Wow, this place is massive. This is seriously where we're fighting?"
"Seems like it," Elijah replied, his eyes scanning the impressive structure. "Hard to imagine anything happening here without the whole world watching."
Visconti nodded. "It's a lot of pressure, but that's the point. We're not just fighting for points. We're fighting to prove who we are."
As they approached the seating area, they spotted a familiar group already sitting a few rows ahead—Enu, Hanz, and Annis.
"Yow!" Enu called out as he caught sight of them, waving his hand enthusiastically.
"Hey," Kieran greeted, raising his hand in return.
The trio made their way over to join them, and as they sat down, Enu raised an eyebrow. "You're up early. Is your match scheduled for this morning?"
Visconti shook his head. "No, we're up around 1 PM."
Enu nodded, looking a bit relieved. "Ah, alright. Well, we're up at 9:30. We're the second match."
"Who's your opponent?" Visconti asked, leaning forward in interest.
Enu simply shrugged, a playful grin crossing his face. "I have no idea. The schedule's a mess. But I don't really mind. As long as we're not going up against Adelaide's team, we'll be fine."
Visconti raised an eyebrow. "Who's the first match?"
Enu chuckled. "Adelaide's team is the first match of the day. They'll probably steamroll their opponents."
Visconti let out a low "Oh," his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. He was already strategizing.
As much as he was confident in his team, Adelaide's team was a powerhouse, and they could throw a wrench in anyone's plans.
Enu glanced at Visconti with a smirk. "Yeah, I'm just happy we don't have to face them. I mean, Annis... well, you know her relationship with Adelaide."
Annis crossed her arms, clearly not interested in the topic. "I don't like anyone who thinks they can be cocky because they're from a good family," she muttered, a hint of distaste in her voice.
"Fair point," Kieran said, laughing lightly. "But hey, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll get knocked out early. If not, we just gotta be ready."
Visconti nodded, looking thoughtful. "I'm not underestimating anyone. It's good to know what we're up against. But there's a lot of factors to consider."
Enu sighed. "True. Anyway, let's focus on our own matches first. I'm not in the mood to be squashed by Adelaide's team... yet." He smirked again, clearly not too concerned.
The three of them exchanged glances before Elijah leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. "No matter who we face, it's all about how we handle the situation. We've trained for this. We'll adapt, just like always."
Visconti gave Elijah a small nod, a quiet confidence in his eyes. "Exactly. Let's see what the first match brings. We'll have time to analyze before we go."