Chapter 52 - CAUGHT THE SILLY RABBIT

A beautiful palace was sitting at the top of a certain mountain.  Its design was similar to those palaces built during ancient dynasties of this country.  This palace was the headquarters of Yunyue - the champion of the first season of Arcadia Cup.

Every registered team could buy a plot of land in Arcadia and build their own headquarters.  If a team was rich with crystal coins, then they could buy a plot of land with good location.  The design of the building would totally depend on them.  It could be simple or as ridiculous and eccentric as they wanted.

When Yunyue won the first season, many players wanted to join the team.  After all, they're the first champion of the Arcadia Cup, they would only be more and more famous in the future.  Besides, there were only five original members.  Integrating in such a team would be much easier.  But during the first recruitment of Yunyue, a lot of problems arose and it just ended in a complete disaster.  Because of that, they never ensued another recruitment notice again.

The following year, they didn't participate at the second Arcadia Cup.  Soon, their popularity began to dwindle until players started calling the the 'fallen champions'.  It didn't help that the original five members were now only three.  Probably making them the team with the least member in Arcadia.

Bai Ze - who was currently walking towards the main hall of the palace - didn't mind that, what he didn't like was being called 'fallen champions'.  He, Ji Yun, and Yuqi were only freshmen in high school and the other two were seniors when Yunyue was founded.  Ji Yun wanted to form a team to show his support to his uncle.  But because he's a big iceberg who didn't like to interact with people, the task of gathering team mates was left to him.

At that time, he accidentally heard that one of their classmate, Su Yuqi, was playing Arcadia.  So he asked if she wanted to form a team with them.  Knowing her indifferent character, he thought she would refuse.  But miraculously, she agreed.  And then he found the two seniors next.  

Ji Yun was the only one of them who played seriously, the rest of them were only playing for fun.  So the title of the captain was directly given to him.  Bai Ze was a bit nervous at first when the tournament started.  Who knew that with Ji Yun's leadership, they would win the championship.  

The five of them really bonded during that period.  Even if Ji Yun didn't look like it, he knew that he also considered the other three as friends.  That's why Bai Ze was always annoyed when other players referred to them as 'fallen champions'.  Because they're not only mocking him but his friends as well.  Too bad the other four didn't really care that much.  

When he entered the main hall, Bai Ze was a bit startled when he saw Ji Yun sitting inside.  He was still using his human race alt account.  Bai Ze continued walking and sat down on the seat opposite.

"Ji Yun, why are you still using your alt account?" he asked.  

"It's incovenient to use my real one," Shen Ji Yun answered with that usual cold voice.

Hearing that answer, he suddenly remembered that Ji Yun went to Olkdale Town yesterday.  "Does it have something to do with your trip to Olkdale Town?"  Ji Yun nodded.  "What are you doing there anyway?"

"I'm looking for someone."  

Now Bai Ze understood why Ji Yun had to use his alt account.  If he walked on the streets of Olkdale Town using his real game account, even if no one recognized him as the team captain of the first champions of Arcadia Cup, his race was still too eyecatching.  He would surely be the center of attention.  One of the things that Ji Yun was most annoyed about.

"Who are you looking for?" 

[A silly rabbit], Shen Ji Yun automatically answered in his mind.  He saw that it was almost four o'clock, so he stood up.  "I'm leaving."

"Are you going back to Olkdale Town?  Then let me come with you.  I have nothing to do anyway."

"No," Shen Ji Yun refused without hesitation.

"Why?"

"Some players might recognize you, then it would be too noisy.  So, no."

They might be referred to as 'fallen champions' but Bai Ze was still one of the top rank players in the Berserker class.  So there's really a possibility of that happening.

Bai Ze pouted.  "Fine.  But you have to seriously think about recruiting new members for our team.  Like, right now."

Shen Ji Yun's brows wrinkled a bit.  As if the thought of having new team members made him disgusted.  Well, who could blame him?  That last recruitment was truly a big disaster after all.  But he didn't immediately refuse.  He knew Bai Ze wanted to join the tournament next year.  Maybe he should just indulge him.  

Bai Ze organized a team for him when he found out that Shen Ji Yun wanted to join the first Arcadia Cup.  He did it with no questions asked.  Then the Shen Ji Yun no longer bothered with the following tournament seasons.  He just didn't like all the fanfare.  But if Bai Ze really wanted to join in this upcoming season, then he didn't mind agreeing.  He's his closest friend after all.

"Okay," he said.

Bai Ze let out a big grin.  "You can't take that back now."

He nodded before walking out of the main hall and towards the teleportation portal located at the entrance hall of the palace.  He entered and a map appeared in front of him, showing the land of Arcadia.  He picked Olkdale Town.  After the feeling of being sucked into a vacuum passed, he walked out of the portal and arrived at Olkdale Town.

Shen Ji Yun waited for this particular time before coming here.  Because according to Brother Zhao, this was the usual time that that Noctis logged in the game.  Well, at least that was his consistent time when he was still at his Origin Village.  And if Shen Ji Yun remembered it correctly, it was also around this time when he saw him yesterday. 

He walked towards the Class Bureau.  Since this Noctis still didn't have a class and considering that he's already eligible to apply for one, there's a very high probability that he would directly go there.  

When he was just a few more steps from the building of the Class Bureau, his gaze was suddenly attracted to a familiar figure.  A long ponytailed white hair, big blue eyes with specks of gold, that slender body clad in purple costume, it was definitely that player - Noctis.

Before he could think, his body already moved on its own.  He walked towards him and reached for his arm.  The white-haired elf turned around, his pretty face showed a slightly surprised expression when he saw him.  But Shen Ji Yun didn't seem to notice that.  Because the only thing he could think of at that moment was; [I finally caught you.]

"Ahm, do you need something?" the white haired elf asked, his tone a bit confused.

He was about to answer when he suddenly felt an intense pain from his shin.  He looked down and saw a male gnome with his little face crumpled in anger.

"Let go of Yan!" 

Shen Ji Yun frowned.  Not because this gnome apparently just kicked him on the shin but because of the name he called the white-haired elf.  Why did it feel like this scene was so familiar?

Then he remembered that day when he met the silly rabbit.  He was talking to him when his younger brother, who looked much older than him, suddenly appeared.  If he's not mistaken, he also called the silly rabbit 'Yan'.  Shen Ji Yun tried hard to remember the face of that younger brother and then overlapped it with the face of this gnome.

His blue eyes suddenly widened for a second.  Because the face of that younger brother looked exactly like this gnome if he turned back into a child.  If he was calling this white haired elf 'Yan', then that could only mean...

"Silly rabbit?"