Be The Champion All You Want

Ethan’s face was pale as he forced out a smile.

“I’m not that fragile,” he said.

After they finished their small talk, they finally remembered my existence.

“Dominic, I know you always give it your all just for the prize money.

“But this time, it’s different. This might be my last chance to participate in this competition. So, to express my apology, I’ll give you double the prize money.

“I’ll offer you 600,000 dollars. Think of it as your living expenses for the year you’re banned. You can use the money to prepare for your wedding with Clara. For someone like you, a poor guy with no background or status, it should be enough.”

Ethan smiled hypocritically as he held up his bank card between his fingers.

It felt like he was tossing a coin to a beggar.

I stared at the PIN on the card. It was a combination of his and Clara’s birthdays.

How ironic!

“Go on, take it! Stop being childish and acting all righteous. It won’t pay your bills.

“Ethan’s already done enough. The fact that your form has dropped is obvious. If it were you out there today, you might not even win the championship!”

Clara took the card and slapped it against my chest. It was thin, but it felt like it could pierce my heart.

Ethan smiled modestly. “I understand that the Parker team has its own way of doing things. After all, two dominant figures can’t coexist in the same space. Anyone would find it hard to accept an equally strong competitor on their team.”

Hearing that, the anger I had felt earlier dissipated.

Instead, confusion began to take over.

With his skills, I could easily pick any trainee from the academy and crush him. How could he possibly claim to be my equal?

Moreover, the other reason I returned was to give the team an explanation.

This was the national finals. It was my decision to make Ethan a substitute.

I owed everyone an explanation for losing the finals.

But what Clara said next left me stunned.

She looked at Ethan in admiration. “I had no idea you were this amazing! If your family hadn’t stopped you back then, and you had insisted on entering the E-sports industry, you’d be the talented young prodigy everyone would be chasing!”

She shot me a contemptuous look, then warmly linked her arm with Ethan’s.

“Let’s go for the interview. Everyone’s waiting to hear your victory speech.”

I grabbed Clara’s arm. “Impossible! He could never win the championship!”

Clara glared at me. “Clearly, you’re just not good enough.”

A thought flashed through my mind. I could not help but ask, “Did you two bribe someone to throw the match?”

Both of their faces stiffened for a moment.

Clara slapped me. She looked furious and embarrassed as she retorted, “Dominic, are you still not done? Are you seriously trying to make such a huge accusation?”

“If you’re so confident, go ahead and tell everyone I put the stimulants in the water or that I bribed people to throw the match. Who’s going to believe you?

“Or are you just doing this to get my attention? I’ve told you, we’re just good friends. He has brain cancer. Can’t you stop being so jealous and unreasonable?”

Looking at her sharp, sarcastic face, I could not help but remember when we first met.

She was only sixteen back then and had just started high school.

I had not yet entered the E-sports industry. I was just a student who loved watching E-sports.

After one match, I happened to see her crying uncontrollably. She was upset because someone from the team she supported had been caught match-fixing.

I was only a few years older than her. I silently watched her cry for three hours.

I sat next to her as she angrily criticized everything that went against the spirit of E-sports. I stayed with her as she let go of the past.

That afternoon, she looked at me and said, “I’ll stay with you until the day you become a world champion.”

I only nodded at the time. But every time I pushed myself to the extreme, those words would pop into my mind.

She had forgotten all of it.

But it did not matter anymore.

As I watched the two of them walk side by side toward the podium, I took out my phone and sent a message.

I asked the team manager to announce my retirement on the official Twitter account.