CHAPTER FIVE

Wass brought Jason back into his room and pointed at the damaged pod.

"Get in. And don't forget to lose."

Jason nodded and re-entered the machine.

Before entering, he remembered to plug the pod back in again, something Wass himself had clearly forgotten. The game supervisor made a brief angry noise before nodding and pretending he'd noticed as well.

Part of Jason had strongly considered spiting Wass by standing inside, but the truth was that he wanted to battle the board member more than he wanted to prank his irritating supervisor.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the competitor inside Jason wanted to experience something new. He was almost certain that none of the other One Star Bosses had fought a board member before.

How would the other man play?

Before pointing at Jason to get inside, Wass had one last order.

"Make your loss convincing. The board member wants to show off for his kid."

Jason nodded and stepped inside the pod.

Clang.

The door closed behind him. Jason glanced at the side of his damaged pod, then chuckled. Wass's fists had done some serious work on the door. Half of the circular pod had crumpled inward.

For once, Jason was glad of his slender and slight build. He'd always been very short and thin, even while growing up, and it'd always felt a little annoying. The world was usually just built for bigger people. But today, he fit into the damaged pod without any concerns even though Wass's fists had taken up half the space inside. A normal-sized person would have had to play with the door open and allowing in outside noises always hampered Jason's concentration.

Jason reached out, strapped on his virtual reality headset again, and returned his hands to the familiar control board.

Although the pod was allegedly a full virtual reality experience, the pods used by One Star Bosses like Jason were very different from the ones used by pro esports competitors at the World Championships. The World Championship pods didn't require a virtual reality headset to accentuate the experience - it was almost as if the whole pod was the cockpit of a Mech.

Jason's pod was just a regular PC built into a circular cockpit - he still had to use his own peripherals like goggles and a control board.

In truth, Jason preferred the cheaper method.

He disliked using new equipment.

He was familiar with his goggles and the board, and he'd carefully customized them to his specifications. The very slight press of the helmet against his forehead was like a physical indicator that it was time to enter a different world.

Simply sitting inside the cockpit without that familiar weight would have felt somewhat strange.

Jason's fingers deftly entered his log-in information, and he re-entered the virtual reality world of Overdrive. Funnily enough, Jason had actually forgotten his actual account email and password.

By now, it was just an instinctual response. He simply saw the Overdrive logo on his screen, and his fingers got to work. He supposed that if he sat down and thought about it, he'd remember his actual log-in information, but there was never any need to bother.

The invitation to battle was already waiting for him when he logged on.

To his surprise, he saw that the invite was for a one-on-one individual battle rather than a challenge to Jason's map.

Jason was not surprised to learn that board members knew about the hidden boss system. However, this was still a comically careless mistake by the board member. An AI could not participate in a PvP match.

If word got out about this fight, the board member's treasured investment would take a serious hit.

However, Jason didn't say anything.

In fact, a flicker of excitement built in his heart.

He hadn't played a battle that wasn't on the Towering Crag for over two years. A fight elsewhere would certainly challenge him, but that only added to the fun of it.

Wass wouldn't be happy about it, but Jason just couldn't accept the thought of losing on purpose. Part of him felt ill just thinking about it.

Besides, intentionally losing wouldn't stop here. The financial concerns Wass mentioned would certainly come up again and again.

Jason loved Overdrive, and he was willing to put up with most of the indignities that came with working under Wass's intrusive control. Based on news articles he'd read, this sort of bullying was common in the video game industry. Executives knew that their workers saw their position as a dream job. As a result, they felt comfortable bullying or underpaying them.

However, becoming a professional loser was more than Jason could stomach. Jason had willingly accepted the strict limitations of being a One Star Boss, but throwing matches on purpose was unacceptable.

Jason would go all out in this match, just like he always did.

Bzzzt...

After Jason accepted the invite, his screen buzzed loudly as both players' Mechs were revealed.

The Red Minerva roared proudly as she stepped onto Jason's screen.

As always, the high-tech screen rendered Jason's partner of the last two years in crystal-clear resolution. He could see every single one of the Red Minerva's interlinked scales beneath its crimson armor. The polished steel of its cyborg modifications gleamed bright as the sun.

The Red Minerva was far more slender than the typical dragon, and its long tail ended in a heavy club, just like the ankylosaurs dinosaur. Like all Hemoborn, the Red Minerva had several cyborg-like enhancements. Its thin but powerful arms had been modified with mechanical bracers and a pair of internal generators. The creature was covered with a thin layer of protective armor grafted directly onto the Red Minerva's frame.

When playing on his own map, Jason had the choice between various common-grade items, including his scissors and anti-Giga Mech One Star Sword.

However, he had to use his default equipment for PvP battles.

The Red Minerva's most prominent weapons were the pair of beam sabers it could generate from its hands. Unlike most dragons, the speedy and nimble cave dragon relied on close combat rather than raw and explosive firepower.

The Mech's only other weapon was the ropes built into its wrists. Although usually used for climbing, they could also ensnare opponents. Other than that, Jason was reliant on his Mech's innate biological traits, particularly its acid fire breath.

On the surface, Jason seemed like he was at a significant disadvantage. In addition to the innate low level of the Red Minerva frame, Jason also was using an unmodified machine without any buffs or powerful weapons.

The Red Minerva was one of the first bosses that players encountered when they started playing Overdrive.

The Red Minerva was an extremely common frame - almost every player found one at the very start of the game. As a low-leveled Mech available to new players, the Red Minerva only had half of the mighty dragon species's two signature attributes - although it could breathe fire, it was incapable of flight.

Jason looked over at his opponent's Mech.

If he weren't mentally preparing himself for battle, he would have burst into laughter.

His opponent clearly had just made his account a few moments ago. His username was AngryBoardMember!

However, unlike his name, the AngryBoardMember's machine was no joke.

Just like his son, the board member was using a hulking Giga Mech.

Jason had no doubt that company board members had special account privileges. Using banned machines or breaking the Credit cap wouldn't be an issue.

In fact, Jason recognized his opponent's Mech perfectly.

The board member must have paid for the biggest and meanest machine he could find. Considering the wealth required to get on the board of a multimillion-dollar company like the Overdrive Corporation, even a machine like this must have been pocket change to them.

The hulking beast was the Smoulderhulk, a machine that'd been once used by the infamous Spike Saunders.

The handsome man was a former pro who'd faded out of the competitive scene many years ago. There were many such players who'd risen to fame during Overdrive's infancy before falling off as new and more talented players entered the scene.

On top of that, many players in the Giga Mech meta hadn't been all that talented. When the dominant strategy was simply strapping as many parts to your machine as possible, the game very quickly became about paying to win rather than honing piloting skills.

As Overdrive evolved over time, players had to adjust to the metagame. Some players were always good. Others lagged behind and struggled when the dominant strategy shifted. Only the best of the best - players like vermillionangel and Vile - were able to define the meta time and time again.

Unlike the Red Minerva, the Smoulderhulk was a wholly customized frame. Most players won frames from various missions before upgrading them with their own parts. Spike, like most professionals, had crafted his machine's base entirely by himself, carefully fitting it to the competitive standard of his time.

Both machines looked like dragons, but Jason knew not to think too much of the enemy Mech's shape. Unlike the Red Minerva, the Smoulderhulk was a fully mechanical machine just like the Vermillion Draco. It had none of the innate buffs and abilities of a true dragon.

In fact, other than the draconic head, the Mech looked more like a combination of a tank and a UFO than anything else.

The massive machine used a combination of UFO-like thrusters to fly and thick and durable tank treads to move across the ground. The machine was covered in triple-reinforced steel-plated armor. The shining gray plates were an absurd five feet thick.

Jason was almost certain this replica had the same properties as the original. Unlike the cheaper Sicko, the custom-built Smoulderhulk had customized armor that fit perfectly onto the base frame.

The replica Mech was wearing over 200,000 Credits of parts. The massive treasure machine wasn't able to move quickly, but it didn't matter. It simply killed opponents with sheer tankiness and firepower.

It was more or less the perfect option for Jason's opponent, who seemed like they'd just started playing Overdrive. With a Mech like the Smoulderhulk, skill wasn't particularly important. Raw firepower and the Mech's enormous base stats would carry the day.

The match would be difficult, but Jason had a reprieve.

As soon as the Mech selection countdown finished, a kaleidoscope of different stages appeared on Jason's screen. The countless Overdrive maps swirled back and forth, waiting for Jason to pick his option. The challenged player got to pick the stage, which was an enormous boon to Jason.

The AngryBoardMember, who was a new player, probably didn't realize how important home-field advantage was.

A Smoulderhulk player should always pick a stage without much cover. Maps like Void - simply empty space with no obstacles - or The Last Arena - a flat stage inspired by Super Smash Brother's Final Destination - were the perfect option for a heavy artillery machine.

Jason would be sure to drive his one advantage home.

He needed to pick a stage where he could dart around and hide.

When comparing the raw strength of the two machines, Jason knew that his Red Minerva was at a severe disadvantage. He loved his loyal partner, but it was important to be realistic. In a head-on match, the red cave dragon would simply snap like a twig.

He slowly scrolled through the available stages, keeping his eyes peeled for a map that would benefit the Red Minerva.

Unfortunately, the Towering Crag wasn't one of the available stages. The maps for PvE (player vs. environment) and PvP (player vs. player) were completely separate. Jason had to pick a stage that pros used, and he hadn't played a conventional match for the last two years, ever since getting hired as a Discreet Player Killer.

As the maps continued scrolling across his screen, Jason saw the pitch black of space, a glowing and bustling city, a lush forest, and the bottom of the ocean.

Of course, there were also plenty of bizarre options, including a stage covered with acid inside of a massive Hemoborn's stomach.

Since Jason was unfamiliar with the different stages, he was careful to diligently study all the options that scrolled across his screen.

Eventually, Jason found the stage he wanted - a map called Sky Paradise.

Skyward Paradise was an exceptionally bizarre stage.

Per the descriptions, Skyward Paradise consisted of a set of magically floating islands. It was a Spell Titan stage, and it had been created by the same magic which powered the wizard-inspired Mechs' powerful spells.

There were countless triangular islands covered with lush forests, and each of them floated at various heights.

Jason closed his eyes, stilling his excitement and anxiety. He let his emotions seep out of him until his mind cleared and his thoughts became crystal sharp.

He let out a long breath, then opened his eyes again and locked in the stage.

It was time to fight.

Beep.

Huh?

Jason frowned.

GAME MODE: TREASURE MAP

What was this notification?

He'd been expecting a head-on fight.

He clicked for details, but the additional information only deepened his confusion.

Treasure Hunt

Players will compete to find a treasure chest hidden on the map! If neither player finds the Treasure after an hour, the match will end in a draw.

What?

Jason quickly brought up the Overdrive server's built-in web browser. A few quick keystrokes immediately answered his question.

In the last few months, there'd been a significant rules change.

The Mechanical King, who'd apparently been replaced as CEO, had doggedly insisted on direct battles. However, the new CEO, a woman named Lily Gay, was trying to expand the esports and competitive battle scene to all Overdrive fans.

While there were plenty of 4v4 battle fans, most players preferred Overdrive's mapping and adventure mode. They'd rather battle bosses like Jason and acquire parts for their machines.

As a result, Lily had decided to mix things up by adding new challenges to head-on battles, including events like races or obstacle courses. The new game modes had won many new fans to the competitive esports

Everything about the decision made sense, but Jason hadn't known about it because it wasn't part of his job.

While Jason frequently researched professional Overdrive for ideas, he'd ignored everything that didn't directly help him. He'd been single-mindedly focused on news that could help him win battles. As a result, he hadn't noticed this massive change.

Now he'd wished he'd known about this dramatic adjustment.

On the surface, this situation seemed to help Jason.

After all, killing his opponent did not matter - he just had to find the item.

This favored the pilot with the weaker Mech.

However, Jason had never played this game mode before.

On top of that, the treasure hunt game mode didn't prohibit the board member from attacking Jason. The online explanation made it clear that players were allowed to violently and aggressively keep their foes from completing the objectives.

On the surface, it seemed like Jason didn't have a chance.

Despite his opponent's lack of experience, the Smoulderhulk was simply too powerful.

The massive Mech could effectively pilot itself!

Jason was up against an obscenely overpowered Mech and playing a game mode he'd never encountered before.

But he felt no fear.

Jason took another look at the Skyward Paradise map and grinned.

He had an ace up his sleeve.

His opponent's Mech was no true dragon, and that was why Jason would win.