Result

"Eh, what just happened?"

The computer suddenly shut down in the middle of the match. Akira tried checking the other computers, but they all had the same issue. He thought something was broken, but when he tried flipping the switch, the room lights wouldn't turn on either.

"What's going on? I'm sure the electric bill is already paid," Akira muttered. "Daiki, did we get any notice or something?"

Daiki didn't seem to hear Akira's question. He was still caught up in the match and looked upset that it ended so abruptly. On the other hand, Haruki let out a sigh of relief. Thanks to the power outage, he'd narrowly avoided a loss.

"Phew, I thought I was gonna lose," he mumbled.

"Hey, don't get too happy. You were definitely losing in those last moments," Daiki retorted.

"But I didn't!"

Haruki gave Daiki a smug grin, which only served to annoy the lanky guy even more. Their antics made Akira shake his head.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door and someone called out from outside. Akira quickly went downstairs to see who it was. When he opened the door, a maintenance worker in black clothing and a white helmet greeted him with a polite smile.

"Sorry for the inconvenience. We're having some issues with the underground power lines here, and we're doing some repairs. There might be some noise for the next couple of hours," the worker explained.

"Ah, I see," Akira replied.

"Once again, we apologize for the sudden notice. It's an urgent."

After that, the maintenance worker left, and Akira closed the door with a long sigh. Instead of heading back upstairs, he stood still before the door.

Looking down at the floor, he began to reflect on the match between Haruki and Daiki earlier. Anyone could tell that Daiki was going to come out as the winner. Haruki had just gotten lucky with the power outage cutting the match short in those final moments.

However, Akira couldn't shake the feeling that failing Haruki in the test would be the wrong decision. He didn't know why, but his gut told him so. And he couldn't lie to himself.

Sure, Haruki had shown some surprises and proved he had skill. But from a professional standpoint, the kid was still far from being ready.

That didn't mean Haruki didn't have a chance to become a pro player. He had potential, and Akira could see it. Haruki was like a rough diamond that needed polishing before it could truly shine. But it would take a long time to achieve that, and there was no guarantee he would succeed.

Quantum Esports didn't have the luxury of time to wait for Haruki to become that polished diamond. The team couldn't afford to wait, given their current financial situation. The only logical decision was to reject him and find someone else. Or secure more funding to keep the team afloat.

Still, something about Haruki intrigued Akira. Something that reminded him of when he first entered the competitive scene. Something he had when he founded Quantum Esports with his best friend, Haruto.

It was mental toughness.

Many talented players chose to hang up their keyboards and mouses early because their teams never won. Some quit because of depression, the pressure from fans, and the internet. Others decided to step back due to personal reasons.

In his heart, Akira felt that giving Haruki a second chance was the right thing to do.

"Am I starting to lose my mind?"

Taking a deep breath, Akira decided to head back upstairs. He found Daiki and Haruki bickering like siblings.

"Just admit you lost. You're only lucky the power went out," Daiki said.

"Why? Scared you'll lose in a rematch, boner?"

"What did you say?"

Akira had only been gone for a few seconds, but the two were already making a scene. He worried that the neighbors might hear them and call the police.

"You two seem pretty close, huh?" Akira teased.

"No way!" Daiki and Haruki snapped in unison.

Akira raised an eyebrow as they started to get on his nerves.

"Seems like you don't need me anymore," he said coldly.

Instantly, Daiki and Haruki straightened up, sitting on the floor in the traditional seiza position. His words sent a chill down their spines.

"Glad you still know your place."

They fell to silence, swallowing hard.

Akira sighed, his attention turning to Haruki. Seriousness was written all over his face.

"Haruki, do you really want to join our team?" Akira asked. "If so, why?"

No words came from the kid right away. He was silent for a long time, his eyes were glued to the floor, either because he didn't dare meet Akira's gaze or because it was something difficult to put into words.

It wasn't just Akira waiting for Haruki's answer, Daiki was curious too. They both wondered why Haruki was so stubborn to join Quantum Esports, a team on the brink of collapse that had already rejected him once. After all, there were better teams out there, and he came from a wealthy family. With enough money, he could easily buy his way onto an empty slot or at least a spot on the bench.

After what felt like a long silence, Haruki finally lifted his head, his eyes filled with determination as he looked at Akira.

"I really want to join Quantum Esports. There's no other team. This is the only team that's right for me."

Akira narrowed his eyes. "You mean this team's the easiest for someone like you to get into?"

"No, no, no! You've got it all wrong. What I mean is…" Haruki took a deep breath, "The Singapore Major League. I saw you and the team win that championship."

Akira raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised that Haruki knew about a tournament from four years ago. It was the first tournament held by Rex Regum Online when they announced their entry into the esports scene. It was a trial tournament in Singapore before being renamed the RRO Regional Championships.

"At that time," Haruki continued, "I remember Quantum Esports was the underdog. No one predicted your team would win because you weren't a big-name team. You even suffered some losses in the group stage and were almost eliminated if it weren't for another team getting disqualified."

"Yeah, I remember. One of the players who beat us was caught using an aimbot."

Akira was flooded with memories he'd long forgotten. Back then, he hadn't even considered turning Quantum Esports into a legitimate business, seeing the team as just a stepping stone before joining a bigger organization. But Haruto had convinced him to keep Quantum Esports going, even though, ironically, it was Haruto who eventually left the team.

"But you kept trying," Haruki went on. "You kept pushing, winning match after match. I remember you saying 'fuck it' in an interview because a journalist called your team the weakest."

"I remember that," Akira chuckled.

"Everyone thought Monster Eaters Esports would win. I saw thousands of comments saying your team was just lucky, and even the commentators said the same thing. But you proved them wrong. Quantum Esports won, and you were the player with the highest stats. No one could believe it."

Without realizing it, Akira began to smile. "Yeah, I couldn't believe we won either."

"But I believed it."

Hearing that, Akira's eyes widened, as if he'd just heard something that touched his heart deeply.

"I believed Quantum Esports would win. I believed in you, Maxfit-61, that you would lift the trophy with your teammates. I believed all that from the start. You and this team gave me that belief."

Akira clenched his hands. He couldn't believe someone would say that to him. The kid's words stirred up all kinds of emotions inside him. Joy. Gratitude. Nostalgia. They all blended into a feeling that was hard to describe. A feeling he hadn't experienced since winning his first championship.

"That's why I want to join Quantum Esports. I want this team to be champions again, but with me as part of it."

Nodding his head, that was all Akira could do in response. He didn't know what to say, lowering his head in deep thought. Daiki seemed to be lost in thought too.

"I'm ready to do a rematch to prove myself," Haruki added.

But Akira shook his head. "There won't be a rematch or a test. We don't have the luxury of time. There's a championship we need to catch and a team that needs rebuilding. Go home and get some rest."

Hearing that, Haruki felt a tightness in his chest. The hope he had held onto began to slip away. He could only bite his lip, holding back the frustration and anger churning inside him.

Then, Haruki slowly walked towards the door. As he opened it, Akira called out to him.

"Come back tomorrow at 8. We'll start our first practice. There's a lot we need to work on if you want to be a pro player."

Instantly, a wide smile spread across Haruki's face. He quickly bowed and said, "Thank you! I'll do my best!"

Akira smiled, and so did Daiki. 

A new member had joined, bringing a spark of hope to the team that was on the verge of falling apart. What would Quantum Esports' journey be like from here? Would Haruki become an important player on the team? Who knows.

But one thing was certain. Quantum Esports would never be the same again. It would be stronger than ever before.