Chapter 45

Chapter 45:

Fernanda gave a simple nod in response to Neal’s challenge.

She didn’t feel the need to argue with him—it seemed pointless.

“Ready to get started?” the department head asked, his voice tinged with excitement. “Let’s dive into the hottest game right now, Apex Arena. It will also be an excellent opportunity to see what Miss Morgan is capable of p>

“Sure,” Neal said nonchalantly, hands shoved into his pockets. “By the way, I’m sitting pretty at number one in Apex Arena right now. What’s your rank p>

Fernanda glanced down, remaining silent.

Noticing her silence, Neal assumed she hadn’t made it onto the leaderboard and was too shy to admit it.

He ran a hand through his hair and, smiling, said,

“It’s okay if you’re not on the leaderboard. After all, only a hundred people are on it. You must have something special to even get a chance to take the exam at Esaham University. Here’s the deal—I won’t compete with you right away. I’ll let a few of my friends go first. If you beat them, then we’ll have our match p>

Neal snapped his fingers, and immediately, three guys rushed forward, eager to get started.

“Hey there, gorgeous. I’m Levi Ortega p>

The first to step forward was a lanky guy with black-rimmed glasses.

“Besides Neal, I’m the best here. How about a match p>

“That’s nonsense! The second-best here is me p>

A tall, muscular guy shoved Levi aside, sending him almost off-balance.

The big guy looked at Fernanda, offering a warm, sincere smile.

Fresh updates loaded gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․cøm

“I’m Alex Deleon, beautiful. You can compete with me,” he said, playfully placing two big fists beside his cheeks and making a cute expression.

Fernanda’s mouth twitched slightly.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, beauty,” Alex said, his voice sincere. “I might look tough, but I’m really a softie inside.” He gave her a hopeful look. “Come on, let’s have a match, okay p>

Neal had a good grasp on his dorm mates’ personalities.

Watching their enthusiasm made him roll his eyes.

Then he glanced at Fernanda’s masked face, hoping to make out her features, but he was unsuccessful.

The department head smacked Neal’s shoulder.

“What are you staring at p>

With wide eyes, Neal leaned in closer to Fernanda.

“Take off your mask, let me see your face p>

“I’ve got a cold,” Fernanda replied. “Maybe next time p>

“You p>

The department head smacked him on the shoulder once more.

“Quit wasting time and get ready for the match p>

“Stop hitting me!” Neal shouted, protecting his shoulder and glaring at him.

“If you keep doing that, I’m not going to win those big prizes for you in the next competitions p>

The department head chuckled, patting Neal’s head gently.

“Alright, no more slapping. I’m counting on you to bring the team to victory in the next intercollegiate tournament. There’s a hundred grand up for grabs, and we could really use that to upgrade our gear p>

Neal let out a frustrated sigh and crossed his arms with a petulant air. He turned toward Fernanda, lifting his chin with a challenge.

“Pick one—who do you want to face off against p>

Levi and Alex eagerly raised their hands, pointing to themselves.

The students in the room looked at Fernanda with eager anticipation, waiting for her decision.

It was no secret that the four guys in Neal’s dorm were the best players in the esports department when it came to Apex Arena. However, one of them had something else to do that day and wasn’t around.

The Esaham University entrance exam, aside from the standard test, was divided by each department to test specialized skills. Since Fernanda applied to the esports department, her gaming abilities were what mattered most.

The esports department also factored in market demand. Given that Apex Arena was currently the hottest game, it was an essential part of the assessment.

Just then, a notification pinged on Fernanda’s phone. She pulled it out and quickly skimmed the message:

“Boss, the man is captured, waiting for your orders p>

Fernanda locked her phone screen and pointed directly at Neal.

“You p>

Levi and Alex were disappointed, their chances to face off with Fernanda slipping away, while Neal raised an eyebrow, surprised.

“You want to compete with me? You’re sure p>

“Enough talk, let’s go,” Fernanda said, clearly focused. “I’ve got other things to do afterward p>

Without another word, she turned and sat down at a nearby table.

Out of nowhere, someone slammed their hand on a table and shouted,

“Whoa, she’s going straight for top-ranked Neal? That’s so bold. I love her energy just from this p>

“I’ve never seen anyone challenge Neal before. Sure, I might question his smarts sometimes, but his skill in Apex Arena? Never p>

Neal pointed at the student, glaring.

“Hey, watch what you say p>

“Go ahead, gorgeous p>

One person started cheering, and before long, the whole room was on their feet, rallying behind Fernanda.

Neal stood there, dumbfounded, watching as his classmates threw their loyalty aside for a pretty face. He was speechless.

It was frustrating to see his classmates turn their attention to a woman and ignore him.

“I’m not going easy on you,” Neal warned Fernanda. “Just don’t start crying if you lose p>

Levi and Alex both facepalmed, clearly embarrassed by Neal’s bluntness.

Fernanda looked so fragile; they thought she might get upset and cry if she lost.

“Don’t even think about going easy on me,” Fernanda said, opening her laptop and linking it to her phone to log into her account.

She logged into her alternate account, one that wasn’t on the leaderboard. It was mainly for helping her friends level up.

“The exam consists of two parts,” the department head explained to Fernanda. “First, a solo match, then a tough AI battle. If you can clear it in under fifteen minutes, you pass p>

Fernanda nodded.

“Got it p>

“But,” he added,

“If you win the solo match against Neal, you won’t need to do the AI battle. I’ll consider the exam passed p>

Neal simply shrugged, sneering with contempt.

“Not happening p>

In his mind, only the top five players on the leaderboard could stand up to him in this game, not some unknown girl.

“Your username is True Champion?” Fernanda asked, a knowing look in her eyes.

“Yep, so?” Neal responded, not seeing what was coming.

“Nothing, just find your name kind of annoying,” Fernanda replied, then added with a smirk,

“I have one more request p>

“What is it?” Neal asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fernanda’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she smiled slyly.

“If you lose, you have to change your name to True Loser p>