The room erupted. Conversations breaking out across every row. Guild kids turning to look at us. Blair's posture going even stiffer.
Vale let it ride for exactly ten seconds before snapping his fingers. Silence crashed down like a physical weight.
"Here's the fun part. I've reviewed both squads' combat footage. Obsidian Elite has better individual stats, cleaner form, and more experience. They should win. Easily."
He paused.
"But the Midnight Foxes have something Elite doesn't. You actually like each other. You coordinate. You adapt. You don't have Blair screaming at everyone when things go sideways."
Charles stood up. "Professor, that's—"
"Sit down, Leone."
Charles sat.
Vale's eyes swept across us again. "Tomorrow's gates are identical difficulty. Forest biome. Wolf packs. Standard Tier II parameters. Your clear time, core count, and coordination scores determine the winner. Not your family name. Not your daddy's IHC connections. Just performance."
