Dark Knight.

  Yes, Dark Knight. That was Stratus’ first pick. A pick that came out instantly, without aation.

  “H-Ha, haha. Hahaha!” Cato held his face as he ughed. “It seems like they’ve lost their minds.”

  “Yes, it does.” Sonya nodded. “Either they’ve decided to throw the game and go full meme mode, or they... actually believe this work? For their sakes, I hope it’s the former because otherwise, I’d have to question their intelligence.”

  “Damn, girl!” Ronald excimed. “You just BURhese puys alive, haha! But yeah, this is a crazy pick alright, not gonna lie. I love it!”

  The bizarre pick caused a shockwave of whispers and ughs across the audience as well. Nobody expected Stratus to have the gall to pick Dark Knight on the petitive stage, especially not against the Leopards.

  However, a select few found this par for the course.

  “My, are they throwing the game?” Ellen tilted her head.

  “Heh.” Howard chuckled. “Do you really think they’re throwing? These guys?”

  “Naaaah, of course not. This gotta be one of Yuyu’s crazy ideas, right?”

  “Yeah, no doubt about it.” Howard nodded. “Frankly, I’m really gd.”

  “Gd? How so?”

  “Well, it looks like he’s back to his usual crazy nonsense. His tactics were a little mellow against Taurus, so I thought he might’ve lost his edge.”

  “My, you were that worried about him?”

  “Worried? Heh, yes, you could say so.” Howard smiled meaningfully. His sharp eyes were locked oage like those of a hawk eying his prey. “I was a little worried he’ll switch up his pystyle and won’t be su easy target the ime we py.”

  “My, you’re such a vilin, Wardy! That’s why I love you~” Ellen threw herself at her husband, but the guy dodged the advance as if his life depended on it.

  “Would you mind not ging to me in public?”

  “Oh , what’s the problem? Nobody is looking~” Ellen rubbed her head against Howard’s shoulder like a kitten seeking attention.

  “Please, woman.” Howard sighed and lightly pushed away the needy pet. “The eeam is watg.”

  “Oh?” Ellen blinked and examihe other rows.

  Most of the club came here today to watch this iing match, so there were many familiar faces around. And, right now, they were all direg their gazes in the couple’s dire.

  “hew!” Taison whistled. “Things are getting hot over there, yo!”

  “Seriously.” Gregory made a face. “Did you e here to watch a match or to flirt?

  “Get a room you two, lol!” Roi ughed.

  “I had no idea this was actually a group date!” Dan snickered. “Where are all the girls at, tho?”

  “Oh, shut up, you all.” Julia scowled. “I’m trying to watch the match.”

  “Of course, of course.” Gregory rolled his eyes. “You ’t miss your boyfriend in a, you? Kek.”

  “Khaha!” Taison ughed. “Lars gon his ass whooped real bad again, I already see it!”

  “Ugh...” Julia made a face. What did I do to deserve being stu the same club as these idiots? And, to think that I’ll have to bear with their stupid faces for another year… God help me.

  Julia shook her head and focused o front of her. It was far more important than listening to the nonsehat Taison and Gregory were spouting right now.

  Lars’s team was fag the regional champiooday. The Leopards were StormBlitz’s greatest rivals, currently the only team that posed a real threat in the regionals.

  So, how was Lars’s eam going to measure up to the region's best? Did they stand a ce at all?

  You better win this time. Julia thought. You’re not allowed to lose before you py against me again. And you too, Yuel. You better have a good pn for that Dark Knight you pulled outta your ass.

  Truly, this ued pick caused an uproar everywhere. Whispers and giggles could be heard at every er of the stadium.

  And, some people are seriously discussing it. Julia couldn’t help but eavesdrop on the loud versation a few rows behihese were likely scouts from another school.

  “Damn, these guys are crazy as ever!” Nash excimed. “I love it!”

  “A questionable pick,” Rio ented. “I hope they aren't giving up.”

  “Whoa, you think they’re throwing the game!?”

  “Maybe...”

  “Nah, no way,” Jaiden said. “You saw how hard they fought st round, right? That game must’ve felt like hell, but they still almost made a eback. So, I don’t know anybody who’d be disappointed by a result like that, especially against the champions.”

  “Yeah, true dat.”

  “It doesn’t ge the fact that DK is a suicidal pick against the Leopards,” Rio droned on, maintaining a positive outlook as ever.

  “Yeah, I get what you’re saying, but give them some credit,” Jaiden said. “They made Dark Knight wainst Taurus before, right?”

  “Yes, against Zeph, back when he pyed with terrible teammates.”

  “Heh, ’t argue with that.” Jaiden chuckled. “Still, let’s trust these guys. I mean, Chess isn’t the type of guy to make dumb decisions, right?”

  “That’s true,” Rio agreed on that ohout any of his usual icism.

  Heh. Jaiden smiled meaningfully. Despite what he says, he does actually believe in them. Pretty sure he became a fan of Chess after the st scrimmage. And, I think Nash is a Gunz fanboy now. Good, good.

  Slowly but surely, these two were starting to see the light. As the OG fan of Chessmaster and Gunz, this brought a smile to Jaiden’s face.

  With this duo pying on the frontline of the petitive stage this year, more and more people were bound the impressive skill of Chessmaster and Gunz. These previously unknown pyers were about to make big waves in this year’s regionals, no doubt about it.

  In fact, they had already made the first big wave a month ago. Thanks to their strong performance against Taurus, everybody has already fotten that Stratus used to be the “weakest team” of the region.

  Until a month ago, nobody would have batted an eye if a bottom-tier team like Stratus picked Dark Knight in a petitive game. Nobody took the team seriously or expected anything from it, so there was no point in analyzing any decisions they made.

  In fact, the eadium would have likely beey for a Stratus vs. Leopards scrim in the past. After all, what was the point of watg the regional champions stomp a helpless team?

  Yet, today, the stadium was filled with many scouts. And, everybody discussed and analyzed this ued Dark Knight pick from Stratus.

  Even the people who immediately ughed about the pick were heless curious to see how the game will py out. They khat Dark Knight was a terrible pi paper, but they also hoped that Stratus will surprise them somehow, just as it surprised everybody during the Taurus scrimmage.

  This is amazing. Jaiden almost got teary over this. He felt like a day 1 fan of an unknown band that finally skyrocketed in popurity. I was here before all of you! Hehe.

  This was a cool development. It was o see how the crazy duo that Jaiden actally stumbled upon was indeed as amazing as he thought them to be. These two deserved to get into StormBlitz over Jaiden, no doubt about it.

  I still dunno why they left Storm and I really don’t like the fact they just quit like that, but this is fioo. Jaiden thought. As long as they make it big in the petitive se, then I won’t feel too bad about losing to these legends.

  As the ones who beat Jaiden during StormBlitz’s entrance exam and took his spot, Chessmaster and Gunz had the responsibility of w hard in StormBlitz instead of Jaiden who couldn’t make it in. But, for some reason, the duo chose to abandon their posts.

  It was shog and disappointing at first, but by now, Jaide like it didn’t matter anymore. Even outside of StormBlitz, these mad ds were putting on a strong show that made it crystal clear why they passed the exam over Jaiden.

  They probably have their reasons. Jaiden thought. As far as I’m ed, their reasons are justified as long as they keep winning. So yeah, they better keep climbing to the very top of the region, so that my buddies and I dethrohem year!

  His pals shared his enthusiasm oter.

  “Damn, I wish I was oage right now!” Nash excimed. “I wanna go up there and chase down all these strong guys. Especially, I gotta get a rematch with dat crazy boi Gunz, and also with that lucky bastard Memer.”

  “I’d like to py them again too,” Rio agreed.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll get our ce at the regionals,” Jaiden promised. “We just gotta keep on winning, then we’ll get our rematd that sweet revenge!”

  “Heck yeah!”

  That’s provided we’ll actually get to py on the first-string this year. Rio kept that to himself, to not put a damper ohers’ excitement. Now that Raymond finally took the reins over the club like a proper captain, the seniors have been ing bae by o this rate, I have a feeling we might not make the cut this year...

  Regardless, the trio was vihey’ll eventually get their rematch against Chessmaster and Gunz. Perhaps it’ll happen this year, or perhaps year. Either way, they’ll tiraining hard in preparation for that eventual rematch! They’ll get that sweet revenge for sure!

  And, they weren’t the only ones in the crowd waiting for that match. There was StormBlitz of course, but also many other teams have been carefully sizing up Stratus today.

  Especially, a certain newly formed team was already gunning for Stratus before the team even had a ce to officially pete against anybody else...

  DarkestCymore