The air in the ValeTech Sim Arena was razor-sharp.
Whispers flowed like static as techs, interns, and executive staff gathered around the panoramic screen. Even Dr. Lena had paused her rounds to witness the challenge. Word had spread fast:
> A duel.
Lior Ahn vs. Kieran Yusef.
Two students—one born of brilliance, the other of something unquantifiable.
One forged by funding and legacy.
The other… chosen by a system no one could control.
Lior stood in the center, back straight, system screen flickering softly behind his eyes.
Kieran lounged in the opposite corner, twirling a surgical stylus in one gloved hand like a magician.
Renji stood high above in the glass control room. His expression unreadable.
But his gaze never left Lior.
---
> [Sim Protocol: Competitive Surgery Mode Activated]
[Case File: Ruptured AVM in the Left Temporal Lobe]
[Time Limit: 30 Minutes. Grading: Precision / Recovery Simulation / Damage Control]
[Bonus Multiplier: Emotional Stability under Pressure]
Lior's system lit up with a quiet pulse.
> [Bonus Condition Unlocked: Outperform Kieran Yusef = Reputation +40 | Rivalry -10 | Renji Affection +2]
He exhaled slowly.
"Let's begin."
---
Phase One: Mapping
The 3D brain hovered between them, glowing red where the arteriovenous malformation twisted like a demonic root system. Kieran's golden system sparkled with automated overlay paths and guided visual cues.
Lior's screen?
Manual.
He mapped the AVM from scratch.
Like tracing lightning veins by memory.
The crowd noticed. Gasps rippled through the seats.
> "He's doing it freehand?"
"That's… insane."
Renji leaned closer.
---
Phase Two: Operation
Kieran moved fast. Cold. Exact. Almost mechanical. His neural AI filtered risk in real time, letting him bypass key zones without pause.
But Lior?
He paused before every incision.
He felt the brain.
His tools didn't just slice—they glided. They respected.
When he cauterized, he accounted for peripheral heat damage.
When he resected, he visualized long-term recovery outcomes.
To the naked eye, he was slower.
But the board began to see—he was safer. More precise. More human.
> [Cognitive Overclock Lv.1 Activated]
[Emotion Management Subroutine Active]
[Neural Feedback Clean. No Stress Spikes Detected.]
> "10 minutes remaining."
Kieran smirked, glancing up. "Enjoying your art project, Ahn?"
Lior didn't flinch. "Enjoying your overconfidence, Yusef?"
---
Phase Three: Emergency Glitch
Suddenly, Kieran's sim faltered—
One of his cauterizations overfired. A minor thermal bloom disrupted nearby speech control clusters.
> [Warning: Risk of Post-Op Aphasia: 41%]
He gritted his teeth. "Override it."
His AI stuttered.
Across the field, Lior finished his final stitch.
> [Sim Complete – Patient Stable. Damage Margin: <0.4%]
[Bonus Achieved: Emotional Sync – Level Cleared]
> [Final Score: S+]
Kieran's score came seconds later.
> [Final Score: A]
---
Silence. Then, applause.
Not polite.
Not polite at all.
Genuine. Thunderous.
Lior stood frozen.
Then looked up—only to find Renji…
Smiling.
For the first time.
A real smile.
Not calculation. Not cold approval.
Something… proud.
---
Later
As the crowd thinned, Renji caught Lior's shoulder gently.
"You were brilliant," he said, voice low.
Lior flushed but held his composure. "I didn't do it for applause."
Renji leaned closer. "I know."
He stared at Lior a moment too long.
"You felt the brain like it was alive. That's rare. And dangerous."
Lior tilted his head. "Would you rather I be cold like Kieran?"
Renji didn't answer.
Instead, he said something softer.
"I think I'm starting to forget why I preferred cold things."
---
Across the room, Kieran stared at the two of them from the shadows.
Eyes glinting.
Jaw clenched.
And for the first time in his life, Kieran Yusef felt something new.
Jealousy.