(Rodova Team Room – Post-Match)
The door to the Rodova warm-up area hissed open with a soft pneumatic whoosh as Leo stepped inside lazily after his win.
But before he could take a single step forward, he was swarmed.
Du Plessis, eyes red and nose running, barreled toward him like a toddler spotting his parent after a nightmare. "BRO!" he wailed, throwing his arms around Leo with a half-laugh, half-sob. "You saved us! You actually saved us! I can't even imagine the backlash I'd have faced if you hadn't won that— I-I would've had to change my name to something different from shame!"
Kohli joined in, gripping Leo's arm as if it were a lifeline. "Forget going back into the academy halls… I wouldn't be able to show my face in the entire star system. My own father would've disowned me, man."
Drake followed, nodding fervently. "They'd have written songs mocking us— 'The Rodova Clowns', performed galaxy-wide! But you... You shut them up."
