Chapter 1- Retirement

Flip, Flip, Read, Read… …

A pair of nimble fingers fluttered across the pages as he was flipping the pages of the book as he was reading. The rhythm of the flipping of pages produced a sound like a symphony of bees passing by.

"Ha, Ha, Ha" Silver Buster laughed as he lifted his hand to take the cigarette out of his mouth. The grayish white smoke had already formed into a long thick cloud on the ceiling, nut Silver continued reading his book, flipping the pages, not in the tiniest bit shaken. The removed cigarette was quickly extinguished in an eccentrically-shaped ashtray on the table beside his bed. Silver's hand quickly flew back to the bed, hiding his book. Right when he was about to get up, the door of his room suddenly opened with a "loud bang".

Silver didn't even turn his head as if he was waiting for this loud moment, merely asking: "Your Here?". 

"I'm Here". Irene Scarlet replied with a bang.

"Then let's go!" Silver bossingly said to Irene. Then headed to the door and grabbed a jacket from the cloth's rack on his way out.

The sky had already darkened considerably, but the Club Brilliant Build's lights were still so bright. Silver and Irene walked out of the room and walked all the way to the end of the corridor. Located there was a spacious conference room, at the entrance, digital display screens almost covered the walls. They showed the rankings of all "Fairy Trails Professional Alliance" and some skill statistics.

Ranking: Brilliant Build Battle Team ranked number 19- second to the bottom.

Once a trump card team with five consecutive titles as Champions in the League, there former achievements exceptionally brilliant and dazzling. Now it was heartlessly mocking them and reminded them of their past glories and failures. But it reminded them mostly of all the failures these past few years.

The atmosphere in the room wasn't heavy. On the contrary, it was somewhat friendly. The members of Brilliant Build were all gathered around one person as if they were the moons surrounding a planet. They ignored Silver's arrival and the ones that did, quickly shrugged at him with expressions of ice-cold mockery. 

"Silver, the club decided that the new transfer member Gajeel Blackfox will take over your position of team captain. From now on Gajeel will be in control of your account, One Spring Leaf". The Club Manager saw the arrival of Silver and immediately turned his head to speak. Without saying a word in advance or even conveying the words tactfully, he heartlessly told him in an ice-cold manner as if he were throwing him out in the rain.

Irene opened her mouth wanting to speak, but Silver lightly tugged her sleeve. And smiled and nodded his head at her indicating that he wasn't surprised about this.

"Brother Sil, I'm really sorry, on arriving, I just took your position as team captain". On the left side of the conference table--- the exclusive seat for the Brilliant Builds Team Captain should have been saved for Silver. But Gajeel sat there casually as he said these few words. However, his eyes didn't even glance a bit at Silver. This was no longer ignorance, rather it was a type of disrespect. His gaze fell upon Irene's body instead, who had arrived with Silver.

To be fair, Irene was indeed more attractive to the eye than Silver was. She was known as Fairy Trail Professional Alliance's number 1 beauty. Even if she was thrown into modeling or show business, she would still be considered a rare beauty.

Even for those Brilliant Build members who could see her everyday, they were still somewhat stunned when they saw Irene enter the room. Only they quickly recovered because there was another important person that deserved their attention.

"Ha, ha, ha, Brother Black, with those words, that position suits you". Everyone that had recovered promptly scrambled for their lines after he said this.

"Right you are, some people are just old and so out of date!"

"One Spring Leaf should really be under Gajeel's command, so that our true abilities can be truly displayed as battle strength!".

This was the focus that everyone payed attention to at the moment – Gajeel, Fairy Trail Professional Alliance's generation of genius level player's. In the league's last season, Gajeel won the most outstanding rookie award with his MVP-like stats and led the mediocre Over the Skies Team to the eight place. And his advance to the play-off's was so hopeful, but midway, he transferred to the collapsing Brilliant Build Club. Although Brilliant Build's accomplishments were terrible, they possessed a player who was regarded as the Battle God in Fairy Trail: One Spring Leaf.

These Brilliant Build members actually shamelessly approached Gajeel, who hadn't even been a part of the Alliance for at least two years. It was so clear that Gajeel would be the future leader of the team. Gajeel comfortably accepted their compliments and flattery and was so unwilling to part with it so much so that he wouldn't even glance at Silver: feeling that such action would be beneath him.

"Silver, hand over the account card for One Spring Leaf to Gajeel!" the manager said in a cold manner.

Even if Silver was unfazed by this before, at this very moment, his heart couldn't help but feel somewhat very hurt. Silver, One Spring Leaf, the relationship between these two names was very obvious. This was the name he had created when he entered the online game world of Fairy Trail. This very account had accompanied Silver for these past ten full years. Originally, the newbie became known as the teacher level expert. The insignificant battle also turned into the famed "Battle God" in Fairy Trail. But seven year's ago when he finally entered the professional circle, he signed a contract with the club and all the rights to the card of One Spring Leaf was transferred to the club. Silver had known that there would be a day that they would finally separate and the day finally arrived.

Silver's fingers were slightly shaking. To a pro-player, steady hands were a must. This inner quality could not be ingrained any further into an old veteran gamer's body but right now, Silver's hands were shaking. Irene turned her head. She didn't want to see this scene, but was powerless to help and stop it.

Everyone took delight his misfortune as One Spring Leaf, that silver white account card, was handed over to the snobby Gajeel.

Gajeel's eyes lit up with greed and happiness. He had willingly transferred and joined the inferior Brilliant Build Club in order to finally get One Spring Leaf's account card. One Spring Leaf's former owner Silver's achievements were not great in the last few years and often broke out arguments with the club. And Gajeel had a 100% of confidence in replacing Silver as the team captain.

"Mine, finally mine!" In the instant he received the card, Gajeel suddenly felt a burst of excitement but felt a bit of resistance from Silver.

Gajeel felt Silver's reluctance and proudly said: "Let go already Brother Sil. Your hands are unexpectedly trembling to this degree. With these shaky hands, how are you going to display your immense power as a Battle God? Better let me do it! I'll make sure that the title of Battle God will once more echo throughout Fairy Trail. You should just retire! Just retire!".

After saying that, Gajeel saw the silent Silver, who only just handed over the One Spring Leaf account card, which had a hint of pain and sadness flash across his eyes. He discovered in shock that Silver's trembling hand suddenly became steady.

"Do you love this game?" Silver suddenly asked Gajeel, looking straight at him.

"What?" Gajeel said so startled.

"If you love it, then treat everything as Fairy Trail and not as just boasting".

"What did you say? What does this even have to do with you?" Gajeel suddenly became angry and lost control. At this very moment, he didn't even know why he felt that he was so much lower than Silver by a head. He didn't even think that he would ever lose to his opponent in loftiness. He just came here in order to replace Silver. He just came in order to take the Battle God: One Spring Leaf Life.

"Put it away". Just when Gajeel wanted to summon all of his loftiness, Silver had already let go of the account card faintly saying the phrase. And turned around ready to leave.

"Silver!" At that very moment, the manager suddenly called out his name.

Silver stopped and slightly tilted his head to the side hearing the voice of the manager but suddenly the manager was already behind him saying: "The club currently doesn't have a single suitable competitive card to give you. First find a suitable team member to serve as a training partner!".

Training partner... As one of the first people who built a great dynasty in the Alliance and an expert known to all in Fairy Trail as the Battle God had actually fallen and became a training partner.

Gajeel was very interested in this arrangement and immediately laughed out loud: "With Brother Sil's level, training together won't be a problem. Only you deserve to be Fairy Trail's Professional Alliance's number one training partner!"

"Ha, ha, ha". Accepting the insult, Silver unexpectedly laughed. And he turned his body towards the manager and said: "Training partner? I think not, it looks like I don't have to. I'll cancel the contract! I cancel it right here right now!"

"Cancel the contract? Are you actively seeking to cancel the contract?" The manager's expression looked as if she were in deep thought after what he just said.

"That's right, I request to cancel the contract".

"Don't be so rash!" Irene immediately came charging over to stop Silver. An alliance had rules. Terminating a contract during the contract period required a special reason. Actively seeking to cancel the contract required a penalty fee. Silver and Brilliant Build still had half a year in the contract. If he were to forcefully request a termination of the contract, then the loss would be so huge. As for Irene she feared for Silver's departure from the team.

"The boss isn't here yet, wait for him to arrive before you continue speaking!" Irene hoped that Silver would at least calm down a little.

Silver had noticed some traces of ridicule and greed at the corners of the manager's mouth while speaking not to long ago. He turned his head towards Irene and started to laugh bitterly: "Irene, don't you understand? My departure from the team is the boss's goal from the start. And since I no longer have any value to this club. I'm only a waste of money and space to them".

"No way. How could you even be a waste in money and space? Your strength and abilities wouldn't lose to anyone". Irene said with sadness in her eyes.

"Strength and abilities aren't the issue. This is a business. And me? I've never had any business value to them and the company". Silver said.

"You originally did have some value, but you chose to give it up all by yourself". The manager coldly interjected and said at this moment.

"Your right, this is all my choice". Silver said. The current Fairy Trail Professional Alliance was flourishing, the sponsors flocked left and right sponsoring blooming teams and players. Celebrity players in Fairy Trail were naturally advertisers and spokespeople for popular goods. But even though Silver was viewed as one of the top-tier level players, he rejected any and all offers to be in advertisements. He even rejected to take parts in interviews or news conferences. He was like an ancient netizen, carefully concealing his true identity in virtual reality.

The club was seriously dissatisfied with this matter. They even looked at him as if he was a gold mountain at first, unable to dig for any amount of gold. They were only able to put up with him because his strength was so tyrannical, helping the club gain some fame and glory. But as their achievements were declining, everything had already started to become their past fame.

"The Alliance's commercialization allowed us to survive, but now..." Silver couldn't even say anything further. He also didn't whether this development was good or bad. The current Alliance was so full of pride and greed. Every Alliance boss's first consideration was how to exploit the team to gain fame and earn money to make a profit from it. Harboring a love for the game and struggling tirelessly in Fairy Trail, Silver cherished all his memories for the Alliance when it first started. But now, the Alliance only strived for fame and money.

Irene did not say another word. She had originally come here with Silver here and witnessed everything about this old veteran gamer. Her eyes were filled with sadness and tears. She knew from the start that Silver truly wanted to leave. Blocking him would only make it even more painful for him.

"Since it's like this, I..."

"No need". Silver smiled interrupting Irene. He knew what she wanted to say: "Don't worry, I haven't given up all hope. I'll be back!"

"Right. This is the ambitious Silver that I recognize. Then first, let's talk about the penalty fee! Honestly speaking, you've been with us for so many years and your achievements have been so high so we won't push it. If you want to leave, then let's all sit down and talk about the details of cancelling the contract. How about it?"

"Tell it to me straight. What are the conditions?" Silver asked.

"Okay. The conditions for cancelling the contract are simple: just announce your retirement". The manager said snobbishly.

"Retirement! This condition can't be avoided?" Irene was very angry. Silver just turned 25 this year. With regards to pro-gamers in electronic gaming tournaments, that age was already considered old. Retiring at this age was not strange at all. But Silver already stated clearly that he didn't want to retire yet. The Brilliant Build's team manager's condition of retirement was directly planned against him.

Retired pro-players did not have the qualifications to participate in a tournament again. Although retired pro-players could come back, Fairy Trail Professional Alliance had a rule stating that a retired pro-player could only return after a year announcing their retirement. This was to prevent people from transferring teams and returning the next day. Silver was already in the declining years of this profession. Every day was so precious, but now they wanted him to waste a whole year. After one year, even if he wanted to return again, for the elderly, without a year of intense training and competition to maintain his skills and even by relying on his former fame, whether the team would still want him would be an issue. In addition to this, Silver had one fatal flaw: he refused to do anything related to business.

It looked as if it were an impossible condition, but Silver simply nodded his head: "I accept".

"Are you mad?" Irene said shockingly.

"I've worked so hard for these past few years can't I just rest for a year?" Silver smiled.

"What... what are you thinking of doing?" Irene couldn't understand.

"Nothing much". Silver just turned his head. The manager had already handed over all the documents. Silver took a glance at them and laughed a bit. The other party really had prepared for this long ago! Thinking of this, Silver put the pen to the papers and quickly signed his name.

Just as he was about to leave... Silver slightly glanced back at the place he had stayed for seven long years. He didn't even say any farewells and silently turned his body ready to leave.

"I'll send you off". Irene was the only one to follow behind him