Elijah woke on the charter jet bound for Cologne, the International Cup trophy nestled in his carry-on. His wristpad glowed with a new quest:
"Quest: Defend the Throne—Secure Your Legacy Beyond Geneva."
Stats read—Focus 80, Stamina 7, Confidence Legendary, Teamwork 92, Game Sense 1, Flow Mastery and Resonance Pulse unlocked—but the celebration had barely cooled. He now faced the unrelenting weight of expectation: global media, sponsor demands, community outreach, and one final test before burnout tightened its grip.
Sub-Quest 1: Champion's Panel at the Expo
Upon landing, Elijah and his Obsidian teammates were whisked to the Global Esports Expo hall, packed with booths, demo stations, and neon banners. On stage lay a line of ten chairs under "Champions' Forum." Forge nudged him: "You're our opening speaker."
Moments later, the lights dimmed. Elijah strode to the podium with Kayzen at his side. The crowd fell silent. He began:
"Thank you, Cologne. Yesterday, we made history in Geneva. Today, we share what real mastery means—commitment to craft, unity in adversity, and the code of Virtuous Victory."
He guided a 45-minute discussion with pro peers—Dev "Ghostkit" Patel on teamwork protocols, Mei "Radiant" Tan on sportsmanship metrics, Aiden "Zenith" Park on resilience drills. Questions poured in: "How do you balance Flow with fatigue?" Elijah answered, "Micro-resets and honest mentorship." The session ended with thunderous applause.
The Interface chimed:
"Sub-Quest Complete: Host Champion's Panel – +1 Confidence (still Legendary), +1 Teamwork (93)."
Sub-Quest 2: Global Training Highlight Reel
Backstage, Ghostkit and Luna assembled cameras for Elijah's "Flow Under Fire" mini-doc. Over six hours, he recorded:
Behind-the-scenes breathing drills at Obsidian HQ Commentary on key moments from Geneva's Grand Final A tutorial on the Resonance Pulse countdown technique
Elijah scripted voice-overs between takes: "Clarity Pulse slows perception—resonate unites the team." The footage captured candid laughter with Sparkline and solemn focus with Forge. By late evening, the 10-minute highlight reel was uploaded to Zero7 Academy's channel. Within minutes, comments flooded in praising the transparency and depth.
Interface update:
"Sub-Quest Complete: Release Training Reel – +1 Focus (81)."
Sub-Quest 3: Sponsor Endorsement Briefings
Morning found Elijah in a glass-walled suite high above Cologne. Two global brands—NovaTech peripherals and VoltFit hydration products—waited to negotiate endorsement deals. His role: articulate Obsidian's values and his own ethos.
First, NovaTech's marketing director asked: "Why partner with you?" Elijah spoke without notes: "Gaming is more than headshots. My journey shows that mental resilience, community building, and Virtuous Victory resonate beyond the screen." Slides of Zero7 Academy workshops and Hall of Champions metrics filled the screen. The director smiled and signed a one-year co-branding contract.
Next, VoltFit pressed for social-media deliverables. Elijah negotiated fair use of his likeness in two videos and three posts, committing 15% of proceeds to youth‐center scholarships. VoltFit's CEO nodded, and handshake sealed the deal.
Interface rewarded:
"Sub-Quest Complete: Secure Sponsor Contracts – +2 Confidence (Mythic)."
Sub-Quest 4: Charity Showmatch Organization
That afternoon, Elijah convened Kayzen, Sparkline, Ghostblade, and academy coaches to plan a Charity Showmatch benefiting underprivileged gamers. They'd host four mixed teams (pro and academy rookies) on Ravenfall, streaming live with donation overlays.
Elijah outlined the matches, assigned stream hosts, and coordinated charity partners. He tapped into his Virtue Manifesto network to secure matching funds from the Global Youth Fund. Over two hours, they finalized schedules, donation targets, and on-stream graphics.
Interface confirmed:
"Sub-Quest Complete: Organize Charity Showmatch – +1 Teamwork (94)."
The match, streamed that evening, raised €25,000—cheers rippled through chat as pro and rookie duos celebrated each round together.
Sub-Quest 5: Mentor an International Qualifier Team
With Expo events winding down, Elijah boarded a flight to Tokyo's qualifier arena to mentor Team Dynamo, a newly formed squad of overlooked Japanese rookies. The side-quest read:
"Guide Team Dynamo through their first live qualifier."
He stepped into their practice booth, greeted by five nervous faces. Over two hours, he led:
Mindset Drill: Breathing reset and micro-goal setting. Map Tactics: Quick overview of Citadel's Shadow mid-rotations. Live Scrim Coaching: Real-time callouts and Clarity Pulse avoidance.
Team Dynamo absorbed each lesson, clutching a 2–1 scrim win against a local contender. Their coach bowed deeply and thanked him. Elijah felt a warm glow as they shouted "ありがとう" ("Arigatō").
Interface recorded:
"Sub-Quest Complete: Mentor International Team – +1 Teamwork (95), +1 Focus (82)."
Quest Completion and Warning Signs
That night, Elijah collapsed on his hotel bed. He reviewed the quest log:
Champion's Panel – Complete Training Reel – Complete Sponsor Contracts – Complete Charity Showmatch – Complete Mentor Team Dynamo – Complete
"Quest Complete: Defend the Throne—Secure Your Legacy Beyond Geneva."
Rewards posted:
Focus +2 (82 → 84) Teamwork +2 (95 → 97) Confidence +1 (Legendary → Mythic) Stamina –2 (7 → 5)
His HUD pulsed with the next message:
"New Quest Unlocked: With Great Power – Confront the Breaking Point."
Elijah exhaled, body worn but heart full. He had cemented his champion status on global stages, uplifted rookies, and forged meaningful partnerships. Yet as Act II's "BURN" theme deepened, he sensed the next trial brewing: the breaking point where power demands come at a cost he might not reclaim. He closed his eyes, knowing that to rise further, he would soon need to face his own limits.