The news of Bloody Lily's WO victory over Kaizen spread like gunpowder through the world of Rise Online.
The news was met with astonishment, confusion, and even some malicious satisfaction from those who felt threatened by the power of the most talked about player in the world that day.
The kings of Vrikhodour, Mibothen, and Tretidian were outraged by the news. This was a true disgrace to the alliance between the three kingdoms, and an indelible stain on the history of the Three Great Nations Tournament.
Steveren Spelloyal, King of Tretidian, considered Kaizen a great ally, especially since he had saved his life and his kingdom. However, the defeat of his champion was a direct affront to his prestige and power, even though Bloody Lily was a citizen of his kingdom.
The young king of Vrikhodour, in particular, was so enraged that he ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding Bloody Lily's WO victory, hoping to find evidence of cheating or fraud. After all, the two great champions of his kingdom, Teshi and Ryeis, had been defeated by Kaizen in the playoffs, so it was a shame for him that Kaizen was not present and did not become champion.
On the other hand, the warm-hearted King of Mibothen, King Oloneiros, laughed like never before as he partied at the celebration and closing party of this year's tournament.
Some of the leaders of the most powerful undeveloped guilds in Rise Online couldn't believe what was happening. At stake in the grand finale of the tournament was a legendary ranked item, a priceless item with powers greater than any other rarity item.
Taznaar, leader of the former most influential guild in the Tretidian Kingdom, was one of the first to react, using the networks to provoke Kaizen, saying that Bloody Lily was the one who most deserved the title of champion, while trying to praise himself for being the one who defeated him in the quarterfinals. Korgrak, the leader of the Metallic Dragons guild, remained silent, but he couldn't hide the frustration on his face in front of his guildmates.
Obviously, everyone on the webnet was expressing outrage and surprise, wondering how it was possible for Kaizen to give up without even putting up a fight. It was certainly not something that was common for someone who seemed to be afraid of nothing and no one.
Meanwhile, Klaus Park was already far away from the virtual world, sitting in his chair in one of the cafes in the NIST campus city. He stared unblinkingly at the table, his face closed and his thoughts focused elsewhere. It was Sunday night, almost eleven o'clock at night, but the city was bustling because it was the weekend. He knew that his decision not to attend the grand finale of the Three Great Human Nations Tournament would cause controversy and outrage, but he didn't care. Being bragged about was good, but he had a bigger goal in mind, something more important than any legendary item or championship title.
Klaus looked out the window and saw people walking in the streets, talking to each other and laughing, not caring what was happening in the virtual world. That made him a little more relaxed. Klaus took another sip of coffee, which warmed his hands, and picked up his cell phone.
There were several messages, most of them from Klank, Bloody Lily's guildmate and a friend of his. Klank was asking where he was and why he was out of the finals, only this time Klaus decided not to answer him for the time being. Instead, he paid more attention to the other messages.
Between the messages from the Archery Department group and the group in his room, there were three important messages. The first message was from his mother, as usual, asking how his weekend was and if he was taking care of himself. Klaus smiled as he read her message and replied quickly, assuring her that he was fine and would visit her as soon as possible. The second message was from the Coordinator of the Archery Department, Professor Isabella Nairn, asking the reason for Klaus not showing up for practice on Saturday and if Klaus was free on Tuesday for an important meeting. Klaus was curious and answered yes and asked what the meeting was about. The coordinator replied after a few minutes that it was about something they had talked about earlier.
Klaus was a bit confused. He remembered that he had talked to Mrs. Nairn about a competition and only that.
Last but not least, there was a message from Ashley Cox on Sunday morning asking if he would be free in the afternoon. He felt guilty for not answering earlier, so he replied immediately.
[Klaus P.: Good evening! Sorry, I was sorting out some things I couldn't do on my day off. (23:01)
Ashley ^^: Is everything okay? (23:04)
Klaus P.: Yeah, just some business that needed my attention. (23:05)
Klaus P.: Are you still awake? I thought you were the kind of model student who sleeps too early. (23:05)
Ashley ^^: Hahaha (23:05)
Ashley ^^: Would it be too weird if I said I didn't sleep because I was worried? (23:06)
Klaus P.: Worried? (23:06)
Ashley ^^: Sure, who else would I be worried about? You're the only person who takes hours to answer even on a day off. (23:07)
Klaus P.: And how can I make up for that? (23:08)
Klaus P.: Hello? (23:12)
Ashley ^^: How do you feel about coming here to redeem yourself? (23:13)
Klaus P.: Is that a question or an invitation? (23:13)
Ashley ^^: LOL Aren't those basically the same thing? (23:14)
Klaus P.: Obviously not (23:14)
Klaus P.: If this is a question, I won't go, because this could be a test from you to me (23:14)
Klaus P.: But if it is an invitation I will go without hesitation (23:14)
Ashley ^^: This is an invitation (23:16).]
...
Edited by: DrHitsuji
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