Everyone looked over to see Joanna Monroe walking in, carrying a paper takeout bag.
She was more mature and composed than she had been three years ago. Upon seeing them, her face showed none of the excitent Faye Hughes had displayed; instead, she was exceedingly rational.
"Master Rory, Divine Whitlock, welco back to the team!"
Joanna Monroe was wearing a DAF team uniform and looked quite dashing.
When the other team mbers saw her, they were like mice before a cat, imdiately lining up in perfect formation.
They chorused, "Hello, Captain!"
Joanna Monroe remained stone-faced, her gaze sweeping over them as she said coolly, "No mber participating in this competition is allowed to be absent without cause. Otherwise, it’s a one-year ban!"
These words were clearly directed at Aurora Sinclair, making Arthur Lockwood’s heart leap into his throat.
He imdiately started, "About White and Master Rory, they..."
But Joanna Monroe cut him off, stating coldly, "I don’t care who it is. Once you’re on my team, a repeat of what happened three years ago will not be tolerated! Unless, of course, you replace as captain..."
Arthur Lockwood’s expression shifted slightly. He cautiously glanced at Aurora Sinclair and Alvin Morgan, but neither showed any sign of displeasure.
Next, Joanna Monroe produced two participation commitnt forms for Aurora Sinclair and Alvin Morgan to sign.
Arthur Lockwood’s heart was in his throat again, afraid she would anger Aurora Sinclair. "Surely they don’t need to sign this?"
"Are you the captain, or am I?" Joanna Monroe shot him down again.
Arthur Lockwood couldn’t bear to watch.
But Aurora Sinclair obediently took the pen, signed her na, and even added, "I’ll be in your care, Captain."
"Just compete well."
’Huh? She’s not mad?’
Arthur Lockwood watched in shock as the man and woman actually signed the commitnt forms and followed Joanna Monroe to the training room.
’Why do I feel a sense of vindication?’
’Our Joanna has finally grown up.’
***
DAF’s current point total had them at the bottom of the playoff rankings. If they didn’t win their next match, DAF’s journey would end in the Top 8 of the playoffs.
However, when Joanna Monroe was arranging the strategy this ti, she surprisingly did not have Master Rory and White as starting players. She only scheduled Master Rory as the sixth man for the team match, and White wasn’t even given a chance to play.
And shockingly, the two of them agreed completely, without any objection.
DAF released no information about Master Rory and White’s return, even strictly forbidding team mbers from leaking it to the public.
It wasn’t until the participant roster was submitted on match day that the event organizers realized Master Rory was also competing.
They hurriedly sent soone to check the eligibility of DAF’s contestants and were left dumbfounded.
The last two nas on the DAF Team’s roster were none other than Master Rory and the Summoner, White.
’White is coming back?’
The head of the organizing committee lost his cool and imdiately called Gideon Lockwood to confirm the news.
Although he received confirmation of White’s return, he also learned he wouldn’t be playing this ti.
The reason given was that the team’s match roster was full, so he and Master Rory could only play on a rotating basis.
The head organizer was so angry he nearly marched over to DAF to argue with them.
’A god-tier player returns, and you don’t even let him play?’
It was a colossal waste of talent!
***
In the prep area, Joanna Monroe spoke with utmost seriousness to the players who were about to go on stage:
"This match is do-or-die. I want every one of you to give it 120 percent. Winning is the only option; losing is not allowed!"
For so reason, the team was suddenly brimming with fighting spirit. Seeing Aurora Sinclair’s calm face, in particular, solidified their confidence.
"Next, please welco the players from the DAF Team: Poison Master Joanna, Mage Scrappy’s Tail, Summoner Void, Healer Healing Blade, Swordsman Skysunder, and Boxer Master Rory."
The announcer’s introduction stunned the DAF fans in the audience, and a mont later, they erupted in thunderous screams.
For the past three years, DAF’s fans had cursed the team and cursed Master Rory, but the mont she appeared, she was like a brilliant beacon, bringing an imnse sense of security to them all.
"DAF, LET’S GO—!"
Even though it wasn’t their ho turf, the DAF fans’ cheers created a ho-field advantage. The na "Master Rory" once again exploded in popularity throughout the gaming world.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Master Rory discreetly entered the stage at the end of the line.
She was dressed the sa as three years ago, her face obscured from view.
When the host saw her, his eyes lit up, and he imdiately thrust the microphone toward her. "Could the DAF mbers please greet the audience, one by one."
Normally, the host’s interactions would start with the team captain, but with DAF, he actually skipped Joanna Monroe and passed the microphone to the end of the line first.
The crowd held its breath, eager to hear Master Rory’s voice.
Instead, they heard a very brief introduction: "Master Rory. Boxer."
The host was stunned. ’That’s it?’
He quickly followed up, "On behalf of all the DAF fans, could I ask Master Rory a question?"
Aurora Sinclair gave a soft "Mm."
"May I ask the reason for your three-year departure from the gaming scene?"
Aurora Sinclair thought for a mont before replying, "I was busy."
The host pressed, "Can I ask what you were busy with?"
"No."
The host was left speechless and a little awkward.
Faye Hughes imdiately jumped in to liven up the mood. "Didn’t you say you were just going to ask one question? That was your second one..."
Having dealt with the dia for years, she knew how murky these waters could get. Aurora Sinclair’s behavior would surely give haters ammunition to attack her again.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before defamatory material about Master Rory surfaced.
But it was scrubbed clean from the internet within three seconds. Even worse, the people who posted it all received a ssage. It listed their respective identities and addresses, along with a single sentence: [Fabricating falsehoods and publicly insulting a special national talent is punishable by a sentence of ten years or more in prison...]
From that day on, every troll in the gaming community kept one rule etched in their minds: you can offend anyone, but you don’t offend Master Rory.
Other people play gas to beco gods; she is a god who descended to the mortal world to play gas.
***
DAF’s strategy this ti infuriated the fans, who shouted from the audience. A solo queen, and they weren’t letting her compete in the individual matches to score points?
Was DAF’s upper managent a bunch of idiots?
Fortunately, the other DAF mbers played as if they were using cheat codes and won three matches, securing a narrow victory at the start.
Next up was the team match. The mont the five starting players entered, the entire DAF fanbase got so angry they flad the team manager and owner until they were a trending topic.
But as the battle unfolded, the DAF players perford exceptionally well, even securing first blood before Master Rory had entered the ga.
Gradually, the fans stopped focusing on whether Master Rory was playing and instead turned their attention to the overall state of the match.
Finally, halfway through the match, Master Rory subbed in for Scrappy’s Tail and entered the arena.
Her attacks were as clean and decisive as ever, getting everyone’s blood pumping. In the end, DAF won the match with an overwhelming victory, successfully advancing into the Top 8.
In the following matches, DAF’s lineup remained the sa. Master Rory only participated in the team matches, and always as the sixth man. This led fans to speculate that there was sothing wrong with Master Rory’s health, that she couldn’t play a full ga, and that this was the real reason for her sudden disappearance three years ago.
This also led other teams to develop strategies specifically targeting Master Rory.
"There’s definitely sothing wrong with Master Rory’s health. So, in the next match, our main focus will be to tie her down..."
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