The mood in London was a bittersweet one after the conclusion of the Warstar champions league final game.
On one hand, a club from the city won the league trophy for the 3rd consecutive time, completing a 3-peat but at the same time, OG Warstar fans felt melancholic as they witnessed the end of an era.
They witnessed the end of the Noah era.
That game felt like a change of guard, a transition between eras, discarding the era of Noah's reign and welcoming a new reign, Gabriel's reign.
In the Western part of London where the club building of team Phoenix Rising was, the celebrations continued to the next day as ecstatic fans jubilated, but then that was when a bombshell news dropped from the other side of town.
Club Cyber Squad organized a sudden press conference and since it aligned so much with yesterday's game, a lot of people tuned into the broadcast.
That was where Club Cyber Squad's manager dropped the bombshell news.
Of the 7 pro players of team Cyber Squad, after the loss yesterday against Phoenix Rising, 6 of them finally decided to retire.
They must have accepted their decline due to age. Considering that they've ruled the Warstar pro scene for so long, it must have been really difficult to accept.
The fans felt bad for them.
And then, the camera focused on a holographic projection that displayed the best moments of the Noah dynasty in Club Cyber Squad.
(Character: Sprinkling Brooks)
(Class: Blademaster)
(1-time league MVP)
(4-times best Blademaster)
The display started with Aria's Sprinkling Brooks.
It showed the indomitable Blademaster arrogantly charging into chaotic combat situations where she was outnumbered, showing her unrivaled PKing skills as she fought her way out of trouble through sheer skill and talent.
Watching her in motion, it felt like watching an ancient Greek warrior who knew no retreat.
During the 6th season of the Warstar Pro Alliance when Cyber Squad finally lost their dominance to team Scarlet Rose, in that legendary season, Aria's character was at its peak as her dominating performances eclipsed even that of Noah's, helping her to her first and only league MVP award.
As her highlights were played, in cyber cafes around London, a few Warstar players could not help but break down in tears.
To many of them, mostly those who played the Blademaster class, Aria was their hero.
Knowing that she retired was too heartbreaking to take with a tearless eye.
(Character: Changing Spring)
(Class: Cleric)
(2-times best Cleric)
...
(Character: Black Phantom)
(Class: Mechanic)
(5-times best Mechanic)
...
(Character: Fatal Einstein)
(Class: Summoner)
(2-times best Summoner)
(1-time 1 hit, 1 kill)
...
(Character: Pestilent Jest)
(Class: Elementalist)
(Most yellow card record for foul play and offensive trash-talking since the inception of the Pro Alliance)
...
(Character: Stinger of War)
(Class: Combat Mage)
(5-times league MVP)
(8-times best Combat Mage)
(1-time 1 hit, 1 kill)
(5-times King of PK award)
They deliberately placed Noah's highlights for last and when it started, it invoked the most emotion among all the fans watching.
Noah's Stinger of War was simply the most decorated character in the pro scene. His dominance at the top was long and oppressive.
Rival fans hated him, but they could not help but respect his strength. During his purple reign, he was the face of England's pro scene.
The King of PK award was a new award that was introduced only from season 5 of the Pro Alliance. It was an award given to a character that through the course of a full season never loses once in the individual battles.
And since its inception, Noah won it all 5 times; he shared the award with other God-level pro players in the Pro Alliance 3 times.
He was the true MVP.
While the emotions cascaded, that was when the emotional manager of Cyber Squad stood up, stealing the attention again.
With a white handkerchief, he wiped his tears. "For 10 years, these legends gave their all for the club, pushing it to unprecedent heights but like everything else in the universe, good things don't last forever. They do come to an end".
"We should not be sad that it ended, we should be glad it happened".
"Our legends wish the best for Cyber Squad, and this is why with their retirement, Cyber Squad is announcing our list of new signings".
"Our number 1 signing is the Rising Star of the past 2 seasons, Caster, who will inherit Noah's Stinger of War..."
The manager continued, introducing all the new signings that Cyber Squad made. It was a total revamp of the pro team.
The fans felt mixed feelings as they watched the broadcast.
At the end of the press conference, internet cafes across London became quiet, Warstar fans felt too emotionally drained to continue playing the game.
Most went home, drowning their sorrows with family and friends, leaving only few behind in internet cafes who were either not a fan of Club Cyber Café or who decided to drown their sorrows by playing even more Warstar.
The sorrow didn't last for too long though.
Coincidentally, having announced it long before the champions league final, tonight was the launch date of Warstar's new server, the 11th server of the game.
This was why after taking most of the morning and afternoon to mourn, at night, internet cafes across London were filled to the brim with Warstar gamers again. It was clear though that the enthusiasm tonight was unlike in previous server launches, it was more subdued.
Despite that though, the excitement of a new server could not be fully curbed even with a legend like Noah and his friends retiring.
When the time came, the countdown started, building the excitement and at 12:00 on the dot, the new server opened.
Excited players entered the game with their new 11th server game cards.
...
BZZZ!
Noah saw himself appear inside a realm filled with white light as a wall of game-like text appeared before his face the next moment.
{Welcome Reincarnated Avatar!}
{You completed the requirements to become a true Warstar, the true game starts now!}
{You have received a Special Mission: Complete the game!}
{Mission Reward: Transportation}
>Description: If you want to return to your normal life, complete the game in the 11th server, create a team, join the Pro Alliance, win the Warstar RPG champions league final, and win the Warstar RPG World Championship<...
{You have received 2 SSS-Rank Unique Skills...}
***
[NOTE: PK means player kill.]