The room was silent.
The entire @15 team sat there—defeated. Disappointed.
Then—
Shubham stood up. Walked to the front.
"Don't stress."
A pause.
"We only lost one match. And anyway—we just needed to win 1 out of 3. Which we already did."
---
Vishal —
"But—what if we face a team that already lost their second match? If this is their last chance—and they win—then even if we've won once, it won't matter. We'll be the ones getting eliminated instead."
Roshan —
"Yeah… that's something to worry about."
Raj —
"Don't overthink it. Next match—we're winning."
---
Shubham looked at Viraj.
"What's your opinion?"
Viraj—
Lost in thought… something moving inside him—
Came back.
"Yeah."
Simple. Direct.
"We shouldn't accept defeat. We still have two chances left. We'll fight till our last breath."
Everyone—
Together—
"Yeah. We won't give up."
---
Vedant —
He had been watching. Silent.
Then he spoke—
"Nonsense."
Everyone looked at him.
"Next match—I'll finish it myself."
No argument. No explanation.
Just certainty.
---
Surya —
"Now this is getting interesting." 😄
---
Then—
Tane's voice.
He was there—no one knew since when.
He looked at each one of them.
Then said—
"When a person has two chances… they think—if I lose the first, I still have another."
A pause.
"That's why they don't give their all in the first chance. That's why 90% of losses happen."
And then—
He left.
---
No one spoke.
But this time—
Tane's words—
Hit deep.
---
~ Cut ~
---
On the TV—
Timer — 00:00
Today again—
5 teams eliminated.
Which means—
10 teams remain.
And @15's next match—
Is against—
@13.
---
In the room—
Everyone was feeling something within themselves.
Shubham —
"This time—I have to score points."
Raj —
"I'll shock everyone again. I'll prove—even someone short can rise ahead."
Vishal —
"I trust my mind too. I can take down the entire @13 team alone."
Roshan —
"Last time went wrong. This time—it won't."
Vedant —
Said nothing.
Not a single word.
Just—
Aura.
Wild. Dark. Like a bear ready to attack.
---
Surya —
Rolled his arm and smiled—
"Get ready."
"A storm is coming."
---
And Viraj—
Who was broken in the last chapter… who failed… who felt blank—
Stood up.
Eyes—
Sharp.
Aura—
Overflowing.
"Now… no one will survive."
A pause.
"I'll devour everyone."
Another pause.
"On this court—"
"—only I will remain the shining star."
---
— Chapter 22 End —