Chapter 8: The First Offline Match

First map: the classic Desert Black.

The familiar loading screen flickered to life. My teammates exchanged nervous glances, but I just cracked my knuckles and adjusted my headset.

This one’s all about aim.

Everyone in the scene knew: no tricks, no smokes—just raw mechanical skill. My favorite kind of fight.

Once we loaded in, I was on offense first.

The pressure hit like a freight train. I steeled myself, scanning the minimap, reminding myself of every angle and timing.

I asked my teammates to buy me a P250 and picked up half armor to reduce body damage.

I called out my request, voice steady. The A-rank guy tossed me a pistol, nodding nervously. I gave him a quick thumbs-up in real life.

Then, using my movement advantage, I rushed A short.

I darted up the ramp, dancing side to side. My footsteps echoed in the cavernous venue, every sense dialed to eleven.

At the corner, I strafed and stopped on a dime.

My boots skidded to a halt, crosshair perfectly aligned. Muscle memory took over, everything felt right.

The defender holding the angle didn’t even react—I headshotted him instantly.

A sharp crack, a spray of digital blood, and he dropped before his crosshair even twitched. My chat went wild.

My teammates shouted in my headset:

"Dang, dude, you’re cracked!"

"I’ve never seen anyone counter-strafe that fast!"

"Bro, I’ll draw fire, you go frag!"

Their voices were electric, the tension breaking for just a moment. I grinned, the pressure melting into adrenaline.

Coming out of short, my two teammates rushed forward, drawing attention. I peeked and spotted the enemy on A long platform.

I heard gunfire ring out as my teammates baited shots, letting me swing wide. The enemy didn’t stand a chance.

A couple of taps—two more headshots.

It was almost surgical, each shot landing like a drumbeat. My confidence soared.

We took A site.

Bomb planted. I called out rotations, hands steady. My teammates covered flanks, eyes wide with hope.

After planting, I went to watch mid.

Sure enough, I ran into the last two rotating over. I...