“Round two.”

But the game changed. When Jin landed a punch, his actual knuckles throbbed. When he blocked, he felt the vibration in his ribs. On the third match, his opponent landed a Drive Impact. In real life, Jin’s chair skidded back a foot, as if shoved.

He cracked his neck, raised his fists, and whispered to the silent network:

When the bar hit 100%, Jin didn’t hear Capcom’s jingle. He heard a low, sub-bass hum, like a subway train passing too close.