Chapter 397 Father And Son [Part 1]
Shea, concerned for Emma, turned to Jordan with a furrowed brow. "Is she okay?" she asked, her worry evident in her voice.
Jordan took a deep breath, his expression serious, and replied, "I\'m not sure. Excuse me for a moment." He walked purposefully over to Emma\'s pod, his footsteps echoing in the room, and clicked the button to open it.
The pod hissed as it opened, revealing Emma within. Her hands were no longer inside the pod\'s controllers, and the VR helmet that had enveloped her head during the duel had been removed. She sat there, her expression a mix of frustration and exhaustion, her pout evident. Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, reflecting her disappointment. As the pod opened fully, she turned to face her father, her eyes locking onto his with a mixture of defiance and vulnerability.
"I lost..." Emma admitted, her voice tinged with sadness. Losing was something she truly despised, even though she had anticipated that Allen might emerge victorious in their duel. The bitterness of defeat still weighed on her.
"It\'s okay, Emma," Jordan reassured her, though he couldn\'t help but acknowledge that his daughter had been a tad spoiled, given that she was his only child. He saw this as an opportunity for Emma to grow, and having Allen as an older brother could potentially be beneficial, as he appeared much more mature and independent.
Emma let out a long sigh, a mixture of resignation and frustration evident in her demeanor. "I know, but I still hate it," she muttered as she exited the pod, her competitive spirit refusing to be easily quelled.
"He\'s the devil emperor for a reason, Emma," Jordan gently reminded her, acknowledging the formidable opponent Allen was in the game.
Emma replied with a pout, clearly frustrated by her loss. But her frustration seemed to go deeper than just the game. She didn\'t want to be defeated, especially by someone like Allen.
Allen noticed something was amiss with Emma. Her sudden change in demeanor was hard to miss. Concerned, he asked, "Are you okay, Emma?" He wondered if perhaps the intensity of the game had affected her more than she let on.
Emma just glanced at Allen, her usual confidence now replaced by a sense of defeat. "I\'m fine," she replied, but her tone didn\'t carry the conviction of her words.
Jordan turned to Allen, offering some words of reassurance. "Don\'t worry about her, Allen," he said, trying to alleviate any concerns Allen might have had.
But Emma, still reeling from her loss and clearly not in the best of moods, chimed in with an annoyed tone. "Yeah, don\'t worry about me. Just be prepared to get kicked by my dad!" She directed her frustration at Jordan, giving him a determined look. "You have to beat him, Dad!" she added, sounding like a child throwing a tantrum.
Allen couldn\'t help but cringe inwardly. He couldn\'t help but think, \'Is she really an adult?\' But then again, Emma was the sole successor to her father\'s immense wealth, and her pampered attitude wasn\'t entirely unexpected.
Jordan, on the other hand, took a deep breath and shot a disapproving frown in her direction. He couldn\'t help but remind her to behave. "Emma, behave," he said, his tone a mix of authority and fatherly concern, hoping to temper her outbursts.
Emma, having cooled down a bit, looked down and turned to Allen with a more composed demeanor. "Good game, Allen. Thank you for the match," she finally said, offering a gesture of sportsmanship.
Allen nodded, appreciating the sentiment. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity," he replied with a polite smile.
Emma then made her way over to where the others were standing, her earlier frustration now replaced by a more subdued attitude.
Meanwhile, Jordan, feeling a need to apologize for Emma\'s earlier behavior, turned to Allen once again. "Sorry for her rudeness. She\'s my only child," he admitted, hinting at how much he had pampered her along with his late wife.
Allen, understanding the dynamics at play, reassured Jordan with a friendly tone. "It\'s okay. I understand," he said, trying to put Jordan at ease.
"Let\'s continue the match," said Jordan, displaying his competitive spirit. With that, he stepped into the pod, which swiftly sealed shut. Within the virtual arena, he selected a character, and in an instant, another assassin materialized, poised for battle.
At the same time, an announcement appeared in front of Allen.
[You got a new challenger!]
[Resetting Allen\'s character\'s HP and MP… 100% completed!]
Allen\'s character\'s HP and MP bars were fully restored, ready for the next round.
"Oh, you\'re into assassins too?" Allen asked with a raised virtual eyebrow.
Jordan\'s character nodded in agreement. "Indeed, I\'ve always been drawn to characters who rely on speed and agility. They provide a thrilling challenge," he said as he maneuvered his character with a series of fluid movements. His character weaved in and out, demonstrating remarkable agility. He wasn\'t just randomly testing his character\'s abilities; it was clear he had a strategy in mind. Each step was deliberate, showcasing his keen sense of timing and precision. It was as if he and his character were one, moving with grace and purpose through the virtual arena
"Are you ready?" asked Allen, making sure.
"Yes. I just need a bit of warm-up. I rarely play games and mostly just check the games as a beta player now. I don\'t know whether my abilities are still the same or not," Jordan remarked as he tested his character\'s movements once more, displaying a hint of uncertainty.
"This is just a friendly match, right? So, we could just take it easy," Allen suggested, trying to ease the tension.
Jordan cast a scrutinizing look at Allen in response to his statement. "Take it easy?" he repeated with a faint frown. "There\'s no such thing as \'take it easy\' in my dictionary," he declared with determination, ready to give it his all in the friendly duel.
[Are you ready?]
[Yes / No]
Both of them selected \'yes.\'
Allen and Jordan positioned their characters into attack stances. Their virtual avatars mirrored their real-world focus and determination, blades and skills at the ready, poised for another intense round of combat.
[Prepare for the battle! In 3… 2… 1…]