Chapter 2: Regular Boy, New Reality

Before all this, I just be regular university guy.

Na OAU I dey, no big boy, just one guy wey like game pass as e like indomie. Most days after lecture, my life na between buka rice, hostel gist, and shooting pixel enemies till day break.

Most times, na to play "Perfect Gunfight" with my roommates dey sweet me.

We no dey go club, no dey chase girls too much—just gather for one corner with bread and sardine, dey run squad, dey yarn. If light no dey, na to carry gen plug PS4, dey wait till NEPA show mercy.

That day after class, I return hostel as usual, drag some of my guys online make we run squad games.

I waka into the room, drop bag, shout, "Oya, who dey? Make we kill time small." My roommate, Femi, already dey setup. Dem rush join lobby; you no go believe say na normal day.

But after just one round, I notice say wahala dey.

That first round, e get as e be. My guy, Musa, wey dey always talk big, just dey die anyhow. Even Femi, wey sabi map like the back of him hand, no fit hold angle. I dey wonder if dem dey use new mouse or dem never chop.

How my guys just turn noob overnight like this?

For my mind, I dey reason, "Abi dem drink ogogoro before match? Or na hangover?" The way dem dey play, e no resemble my guys at all.

We dey play for Desert Black map.

That Desert Black, everybody sabi e. Na map wey require sense, no be anyhow rush-rush. Normally, Femi dey always call strat, Musa dey anchor.

Enemy, as dem start, just rush B straight, no even throw any utility.

The thing weak me. Wetin be all this? Who dey teach dem how to rush like this? No molotov, no smoke—just dey run as if dem dey late for last bus to Ojota.

Dem just dey run dey spray AK like say na carnival, no coordination at all.

I just dey shake head. Na so dem dey spray anyhow, bullets flying everywhere like sallah ram for market.

Me, I hold B tunnels, pre-throw one molotov, then mow all of dem down with one five-man spray transfer.

As I hear the footsteps, I already cook my molly, bounce am for tunnel entrance. Dem no even wait—na so the five of them run inside fire. Before dem fit say "oya", I move left, drag mouse for one straight line—gba gba gba, all drop. My hand just steady, like say I dey slice yam for mama shop.

Some of my roommates wey dey my side just shout:

"Mad o, Brother Jide!"

"That one choke, nice one!"

"Ah ah, when you learn to throw grenade like that?"

Dem dey hail me like say I be local champion for owanbe. Even Musa stand up, dey clap small, mouth open like say he see miracle.

At first, I think say na just cruise, dem dey mock me for my usual nonsense utility skills.

Normally, na me dem dey call 'flash master' because my grenade dey blind pass NEPA blackout. I laugh, say, "Una no go see anything. Next round go madder."

I just laugh, reply dem back, no too reason am.

I reply, "Oya na, una dey whine me. Make una calm down, na luck." Inside me, I dey happy small, but I no want make dem think say I dey feel myself too much.

But next round, I set up to hold A doors.

As we switch, I adjust my mousepad, clean sweat for hand, ready to show say no be fluke.

I ask room captain to help me throw pop-flash from back.

"Baba, abeg pop flash from base," I yarn am.

But the guy just look me, face strong:

"Eh? How person go throw pop-flash from behind? I no even sabi am."

He serious, no be play.

The guy talk am with straight face, like say I dey speak Greek. I look am, eye wide. Na this guy dey teach us flash meta before?

Now na me come shock.

My heart skip one beat. "Wait first," I reason for my mind, "dem don collect my guy memory overnight?" E shock me.

Just hug A long wall, jump-throw flash behind me—no be basic level again?

I face wall, bounce flash, jump small—muscle memory just dey guide me. I dey pray make e no bounce hit me for back.

How this guy forget something wey him dey do steady just yesterday?

I dey remember how last week, na this same guy flash me for eyes by mistake. E be like say everybody dey start from year one for this game.

But game dey hot, so I no fit teach am that moment.

No time to waste, I just dey improvise. E be like when you dey write exam, you forget formula, you just dey try anyhow. For here, na only me dey get sense.

I improvise, jump throw flash off the wall myself.

The flash loud, white screen everywhere. I quick check minimap, enemy blind.

As the flash burst, I turn back, peek.

I no even need try. Their eyes dey red, body dey shake as dem waka anyhow.

The four attackers for the other side just dey cover eye, dey waka like say dem no get direction.

Dem dey move as if small pikin pour soap for their eye. I dey pity them small, but game na game.

I just flick my mouse—four clean headshots.

Hand no dey shake. Each headshot sweet me. Na so I dey rack up multi-kill. Na my reflex just dey work overtime.

Only one enemy remain.

I check radar, see am dey crawl. Baba think say e fit sneak me.

I hold angle, shoulder peek, spot am dey hide behind A doors.

I tap small—pop! Guy fall. Game set.

One tap, another headshot, round don end.

The round finish, dead silence for Discord. Then laughter burst.

Enemy call timeout sharp sharp.

People dey drop "LMAO" and "cheat spotted" for all chat. I just dey wait make dem reset, dey sip pure water. Me sef dey reason, "This thing dey sweet but e dey somehow."

But as I dey flex, I quick whisper, "God abeg, no let dem carry my own skill too."