The King's Avatar

Happy lost.

The result of the first match of the finals was like a bucket of cold water, instantly splashing many people awake.

Just before this match had begun, when the poll had finally closed, Happy had actually obtained a 51.1% support rate. They had actually surpassed the defending champions Samsara.

Because of this, Happy's supporters were very excited. They forgot that this poll only represented people's hopes. Happy had more support only because people were curious and excited to see the black horse, the underdogs, overturn the giants.

Votes didn't determine the teams' strengths.

Votes certainly couldn't determine this match's outcome.

Happy didn't lose faith from their two losses to Samsara in the regular season. And Samsara? They weren't scared of how Happy had consecutively defeated Blue Rain and Tyranny in the playoffs.

In comparison, it was clearly Samsara, having eliminated both of their opponents 2-0, who was more at ease in the playoffs.

Because they were more at ease, Samsara obtained more sufficient time to rest. While Happy was bitterly fighting their third match against Tyranny, Samsara had rested for a full six days.

This battle had been very exhausting for Happy, especially the last half-hour of the team round. Tyranny, with only four players left and no healer, had stubbornly and fiercely fought against Happy for half an hour. They had still lost, but Happy had paid a large price for this victory.

After that bitter battle, Happy returned to City H that night. After rushing about, they really only had two full days of rest. And then they met Samsara, who had calmly adjusted their condition for six days.

Six days without battle wouldn't cause any deterioration in condition, because the span of six days was just about the length of time between matches in the regular season. Pro teams and players had more experience using six days to adjust their condition than they did using three days.

From the contents of the first match, it could be seen that although Happy still carried that fierce excitement from their battle with Tyranny, this excitement soon turned into their burden. Their spirits, not having relaxed enough from that battle, were once again tightened, and they quickly lost the tension that they needed.

Happy lost.

This shouldn't have been too surprising of an outcome.

But because of their earlier excellent performance, because it was their home game, people placed high hopes on Happy. In the face of this outcome, these people were helpless.

There were many analyses searching for reasons for Happy's loss, and practically every article pointed to their exhaustion from Tyranny's match.

The reason was there, but now, could Happy solve it?

After this, there was still only three days of rest time. Samsara had won at their away game, and their spirits were high. And Happy? Could they stabilize when they were one game down?

That night at midnight, voting for the second match opened, and Samsara's support rate surged…

Sometimes gamers would vote for the team they hoped would win, but usually they voted for the team they expected to win.

Hope was a type of aspiration, while expectation came from a type of trust.

Happy was still a black horse, and people still could only put their hopes of a revolution on them. But now, their hopes weren't as energetic as they'd been at the start. Because of the first round's loss, these hopes had wavered, had been shaken.

Happy's support rate trembled in the balance.

Three days passed, and they returned to City S, Samsara's home stadium. When the poll closed before the match, Happy's support rate had fallen to 39.1%.

There were still a number of people who hoped for a miracle. But a greater number people now followed logic in their prediction, giving their vote to Samsara.

61.9%.

With this kind of support rate, Samsara was about to turn this support into reality. They were about to win the Season 10 championship, their third consecutive championship, and build the second dynasty in Glory history – the Samsara dynasty.

This kind of slogan was already being proclaimed in the stadium. Samsara's fans couldn't wait to welcome this day. And Samsara's stadium had already prepared a magnificent celebratory ceremony, celebrating the establishment of the Samsara dynasty.

The stadium's atmosphere was joyous. It felt nothing like the tense excitement of a playoffs match, it felt like an award ceremony.

"How irritating!"

Pro players had a very sharp sense of the atmosphere of a stadium. That crowd of Glory stars who watched the first match in Xiaoshan Stadium now gathered in City S to watch the showdown of this second round. This atmosphere in Samsara's stadium of a dynasty being born, as though they'd already won the championship, was very irritating to these competitive players, exceptionally irritating.

"Ye Xiu, that guy, can't he show some promise? Where's the spirit he had when he fought us!" Huang Shaotian shouted indignantly. To be honest, for these people, watching from the audience as two teams fought for the championship was quite painful. No one wanted to see Samsara establish their dynasty, but they also weren't happy at all at the prospect of Happy winning the championship. So even as they were upset at Samsara, they had to criticize Happy as well. And they definitely had to criticize Ye Xiu. Criticize and criticize again.

"Say, all of us running here together to see this finals match, are we looking for pain or looking for pain?" said Void's Li Xuan, deeply understanding this uncomfortable feeling.

"We will witness history!" said Zhang Xinjie.

If Samsara won the championship, a new dynasty would be born, and history would be made. If Happy won the championship, they were a black horse, a new team that won the championship just after joining the Alliance. That, too, would enter Glory's history books.

"So we're standing in a historical moment!" Tang Hao said sarcastically, even mocking himself along with everyone.

These people didn't want to witness any history. They came here, came to Glory's battlefield, in order to create their own history. Each of them wanted to be a participant. But now, they had become bystanders.

Pop!

Next to Li Xuan, Wu Yuce cracked open a drink, the sound crisp. Everyone else was silent. To explain in relation to the fans in the rest of the audience, these players here were all fans, far more dedicated and loyal than any other fan. They were fans of themselves, their own teams, and this would never change at any moment. So, when they watched this match, they didn't particularly wish for either side's victory. What they wished most of all was to go onstage themselves and destroy both of those teams, and of course, if they could destroy all these people around them right now, that would be nice too.

The atmosphere was oppressive.

"Captain do you want to drink anything, I'll go buy!" Tiny Herb's Liu Xiaobie jumped up. He didn't like this kind of pressure, and so he found an excuse to temporarily escape.

"A Coke, thanks," Wang Jiexi said.

"Get two bottles for me too," Royal Style's Tian Sen said.

"I'd like a mineral water," Li Xuan said, nodding.

"Get me a bottle of milk tea," Chu Yunxiu also requested of Liu Xiaobie.

"I want a green tea."

"I want a black tea."

With everyone talking at the same time, Liu Xiaobie instantly collapsed. "I can't remember that many!"

"Write it down on your phone," Xiao Shiqin suggested, very kind-heartedly.

Liu Xiaobie sighed and pulled out his phone.

"Come on, faster, get that hand speed up!" Misty Rain's Li Hua said, pushing forward to watch Liu Xiaobie type.

On his phone, a long list of requests quickly stretched out. Practically no one was polite with him. Liu Xiaobie felt like crying. He suddenly felt like that oppressive atmosphere earlier was quite good, a great time to examine his own strengths and faults!

"This many, I can't hold them all…" Liu Xiaobie said weakly, after writing down everyone's requests.

"Just make a few extra trips," said Xiao Shiqin. As expected of the most detail-oriented Master Tactician, the king of ideas.

"With such fast hands, your legs should be pretty quick too, no?" Dai Yanqi supported her captain.

Liu Xiaobie was already despairing. He slowly began to trudge away, but when he felt at his pocket, his spirits suddenly lifted. He flipped his pockets inside-out and then laughed loudly. "Ahahaha, I forgot to bring my wallet today."

"We're already giving you so much trouble, how could we let you pay out of pocket too!" Yu Wenzhou, calm as always, pulled out his own wallet. "I'll treat everyone."

"Alright!!" Yu Feng led the applause, boosting his former captain.

"Captain, save me!!" Liu Xiaobie was about to kneel down in front of Wang Jiexi.

"A few others go with him, the match is about to start." Wang Jiexi spoke justice.

And so the younger players of the various teams here all voluntarily stood up, teaming up to carry out this task.

Everyone began to quietly wait for the match to begin.

These pro players didn't care too much about who would win, and there was no need to come to watch the match live if they just wanted to analyze their opponents. Yet even so, they had all gathered here.

In the end, their heart's longing still haunted them. Everyone here wished that they were the ones standing on that stage.

They couldn't participate in the finals. Then, it was still nice to come here and experience the atmosphere live…