Alright, maybe Zeno said it on a whim.
And yes—maybe his system wasn't finished integrating his gaming skill just yet (it said it was on its final stage), but something about the online comments lit a fire in him.
He didn't get triggered often—almost never.
But Zeno was going to win.
No, it wasn't because of his pride.
Zeno was going to win because he had his reasons.
One, he wanted to improve his acting.
It was true that this game made him feel more things than usual—rage, anger, even shock when towers killed him.
Two, Mimi needed that prize money. That reason alone had him booting up at midnight just to die less often. Kidneys are pretty important. Her mom needs a new one soon.
And three, Phoenix was smirking like he had already won. Zeno could have overlooked it, but there was a part of him that wanted to see Phoenix's dissatisfaction once they lost.
Unless it isn't obvious yet, Zeno is competitive. He just doesn't like to show it.
