Jayden stood frozen in his lobby, staring blankly at the glowing words floating in the air.
[Match Concluded. Winner: Nebula]
He dismissed the notification and reached up to his upper body, his hand pressing against his chest. There was no wound, no physical damage, but his mind's neural link to the pod had simulated the phantom sensation perfectly. It felt like an icy void had been violently carved into his ribcage.
He didn't stick around to check his rank or read his messages. He logged out immediately.
The digital world dissolved, and the real world rushed back in with the hiss of pneumatics. The heavy glass door of his VR pod slid open in the dimly lit Emerald City Pod Den.
Jayden stepped out, his boots hitting the scuffed linoleum floor. He leaned against the side of the machine, taking a deep, shuddering breath of recycled air.
