By Level 9, he was at 51 minutes. The chasm was wide. The jumps were cruel. A single misstep meant watching the Prince fall in slow motion, arms flailing, before the spike pit claimed him. He restarted the level. 53 minutes. He made the jump. 55 minutes. He fought the final red guard—a beast who parried three times before striking.
His palms were sweating on the keyboard.
One minute left.
He clicked “Buy.” The transaction felt like a secret handshake.
Double-click.