Chapter 56 - Motivation (1/2)
After the first match, everyone was still feeling excited and were coming down from their adrenaline highs so the fatigue started to set in after over an hour of mech combat. While most players would think of a little over an hour as nothing much, these players all commented that they felt surprisingly fatigued even though they are just playing a game. A few of them even approached some of the Diamond-Tier players and asked their opinions.
"Hey, is this normal to feel tired after having a simulated match in a simulated game?" asked a new player randomly to Geoff.
"Yeah, we were tired after one or two matches at first, but it got easier after only a day or so. I think the brain just needs to get used to this sorta thing." Geoff said.
While these kinds of questions were being asked to the Diamond-Tier players, Giacobbe approached Gray.
"Hey, can we talk?" Giacobbe asked.
"Uhhh, sure, what's up?" Gray replied.
"I entered the Military Academy a few years ago but never made a career out of it after graduating. Kelly Lagerty used to speak highly of a guy named Gray, is that you? She was 2 years ahead of me." Giacobbe asked
"Might be, but I dropped out after my second year, so not sure what there was to speak highly of." Gray said plainly.
"So it was you then! That explains why I felt I could trust you, why did you leave?" Giacobbe asked with some concern.
"I... I don't want to talk about it, nothing personal, I just don't know you enough yet."
"...I understand, still, you'll have to face your own demons eventually." Giacobbe said sagely.
Gray started to feel annoyed "...Are you trying to sound wise or just forcing character development?"
"Not working?"
"You need to try harder, now go back to your harem team Stronzo!" said Gray while shaking his head.
"I'll try harder next time then, I hope the Iron Stalkers and your team can cooperate again!"
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After his match, Gray ran into Jono before Jono was about to sign off. It seems he really did create a team called 'God Pilots Squad' and found 5 other guys to join him.
"No girls wanted to join us, but I'm sure once they see how awesome we are we'll have no trouble attracting new members, especially female members." Jono said to Gray.
"If the other 5 are like him, they probably couldn't fit another person on the team with all of those giant heads." Gray mused to himself.
"How did you get those girls on your team?" Jono asked.
"Dude, they came to me, I'm just that good!" Gray boasted. Part's of Jono did rub off on Gray after all.
"If you were that good, you'd be on my team, probably just because your team was available and they were desperate for a team!" Jono said smugly.
"They were desperate, desperate for me!" Gray said while laughing
At this moment Yurika, Stacia, and Xyra walked past Gray and Jono. From the looks they were giving Gray they had heard that last part of the conversation. Gray started to break out into a cold sweat when he noticed their stares.
"Hey, did you hear that? Gray thinks we're desperate for him..."
Gray's fight or flight instinct started to engage but he was frozen with fear. He expected this kind of blood lust from Yurika, but Stacia was surprisingly capable as well, even Xyra was finally noticeable.
"...Jono... save yourself..." Gray said
Yurika put her arm around Gray's shoulder and said "What for? We're just so desperate for you we can't stay away!"
"You're right Yurika, we just can't stay away from him!" Stacia said as she wrapped her arm around Gray's arm.
"Desperate to kick his ass right?" Yurika said evilly when she squeezed her arm around Gray's neck and put him in a headlock
"We'll bring him back in one, maybe two pieces! Xyra sweetie, this is how you deal with pigs like Gray!" Stacia said.
Yurika led Gray by the head away from Jono while Stacia kept one of Gray's arms. Once they got out of sight, the dumped Gray on the ground next to a building and stood on each side of him looking down.
"I'm I'm sorry! It was just a joke!" Gray said while on the ground, begging for mercy.