Chapter 177: Chapter 171: This is the Sixth Member, the Summoner

Luna Jennings had never imagined that, simply by being Aurora Sinclair’s best friend, she would get to meet so many big shots today.

The “Butterfly” who had just burst into their private room was none other than the owner of the DAF Team, a professional team in Valoria Veridia.

What’s more, they were invited to tour the DAF Headquarters. In other words, she was about to meet the pro-gaming gods of Valoria Veridia.

Luna Jennings felt like she had reached the peak of her life. The feeling was like a roller coaster, making her heart flutter with thrilling excitement.

The DAF Headquarters was just as flashy as Arthur Lockwood’s car, with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows that glittered blindingly in the sun. A huge, ostentatious logo hung over the main entrance.

It was fitted with numerous colored lights, the full effect of which would only be visible at night.

Inside the doors was a reception desk with two pretty young women. The moment they saw him, they stood up, bowed, and greeted him before adding a warning, “Mr. Lockwood, Monroe is furious in the training room.”

On the way over, Luna had specifically looked up information about the DAF Team’s members. The two most prominent were a pair of female players: one was Joanna, the number one Poison Master in the country, and the other was the explosive Mage, Scrappy’s Tail.

For two consecutive years, the pair had won the award for Best Duo in the professional league. Although both played ranged classes, their synergy was extraordinary, and they often trapped their opponents on the battlefield.

Even Julian Lawson, the captain of Team PL, had been taken down by their tricks. Their strength was not to be underestimated.

However, they had one fatal flaw: their rhythm was easy to lose control of. The other DAF members sometimes couldn’t keep up with their pace, often causing the team to become disjointed mid-fight and ultimately get wiped out by the enemy.

This was why, despite having the strength to make it to the final four, DAF often got knocked out in the quarterfinals.

***

Training Room.

Joanna Monroe slammed her hand on the table, glaring at the man across from her. “Jonas Lawson, don’t you go too far! You’re here to play professionally, not to act like you own the place!”

Jonas Lawson nonchalantly cleaned his ear and replied, “Then go tell the manager to let me transfer!”

“Your contract isn’t up for another six months, and you’re already this desperate to leave?”

“Captain Monroe, people always aim higher in life. You’ve already recruited new players; I’m sure they’re a better fit for the team than we are. We’ll just be getting out of your and Faye’s way.”

Jonas Lawson was a veteran of DAF, having competed for three or four years. He was intimately familiar with the team’s tactics and each player’s technical strengths.

With the new professional league about to start, he had actually ganged up with several other veterans to collectively jump ship.

The crucial part was that they had already gone through detailed tactical training. How could DAF possibly let them go at such a critical juncture?

So, Jonas had brought these veterans into the training room to cause trouble, making it impossible for anyone else to practice. His behavior was utterly despicable.

“How much did West Peak offer you to sell out the team like this?” Faye Hughes’s face was flushed with anger, and she looked like she wanted to grab a keyboard and smash it over his head.

“Faye, we signed a cooperation agreement with the team, not an indenture contract. This isn’t a matter of ’selling out.’ Besides, we’ve already agreed to pay the breach of contract penalty. It’s unreasonable for you to keep trying to stop us.”

A cigarette dangled from Jonas Lawson’s lips as he leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed casually over the other, looking for all the world like a lord about to take his leave.

Several other players—both new and old—stood behind him. Though not as arrogant as him, they were silently supporting him.

“You’re doing this on purpose! You could have left anytime, but you wait until right after the new tactics were announced. Isn’t this just a deliberate attempt to steal our strategies and sell them out?”

“Listen to yourself. West Peak has already figured out your garbage tactics. How else do you think you got wiped out by them last year?”

“You…”

The West Peak Team had always been DAF’s formidable rival. The two teams were evenly matched, with wins and losses split down the middle. But last year, West Peak had recruited the former number three player from Team PL.

As a result, DAF was steamrolled by them last year in a humiliating defeat, while West Peak advanced to the national top four, securing third place.

This victory had greatly inflated their egos. They were aiming for the championship this year and had been spending huge sums of money poaching players for months. Jonas Lawson and his group were among those they had poached.

This was because his skill as a Summoner was very high.

A sneer played on Jonas Lawson’s lips as he shook his head. “Ever since White retired, DAF has gotten worse year after year. You didn’t even make it to the playoffs last year. So, I’m done playing with you all…”

“Jonas, can you even face Boss Lockwood? He’s treated you well. Your Summoner skills were all…”

Just as she was speaking, the door to the training room was suddenly thrown open.

Both groups turned to look and saw Arthur Lockwood walking in with several people in tow.

Jonas Lawson immediately stood up and greeted Arthur Lockwood. His attitude was reasonably respectful; after all, the man had been his boss for three or four years. He had earned a lot of money from him, so showing some basic courtesy was necessary.

There was no anger on Arthur Lockwood’s face. He asked with a grin, “So you’re really leaving? Not going to reconsider?”

“Boss Lockwood, I’m already twenty-five this year. I don’t have even two years left in my e-sports career. I just want to achieve something, even just to qualify for the main tournament and make a name for myself nationally so my parents know their son is successful. But I really can’t afford to waste any more time here… So, I’m sorry…”

Jonas Lawson’s tone was no longer as sharp as before. Now, he sounded like a veteran on the verge of retirement, desperate for one last moment of glory.

Arthur Lockwood nodded in understanding. “Alright, you can go. I’ve already spoken with HR. Once you complete the paperwork, you’re free to leave. I wish you all a bright future.”

“Mr. Lockwood—” Joanna Monroe and Faye Hughes cried out anxiously.

Arthur Lockwood made a gesture, signaling for them to be patient.

Jonas Lawson couldn’t believe Arthur Lockwood would let them go so easily. A sense of unease settled in his heart instead.

’Never mind our results, we dedicated our entire youth to this team. Isn’t there even a hint of reluctance or an attempt to keep us?’

’Could there be a trick?’

The group exchanged glances, then bid Arthur Lockwood a “see you around” and headed straight for the team’s HR department to handle the procedures.

Watching their retreating figures, Joanna Monroe turned her fury on Arthur Lockwood. “You let them all go! Who’s going to compete now?”

“How many people are you short?” Arthur Lockwood pulled out a chair, a punchable grin on his face.

Joanna Monroe shot him a glare, wishing she could grab a keyboard and smash it over his head.

’This unreliable man!’

’All he knows is how to be rich and enjoy life. He doesn’t understand a thing!’

Seeing her captain about to explode with rage at their boss, Faye Hughes quickly chimed in, “A team needs six people for a match. Right now, the only official members left are me and Joanna. We’re short four official members.”

Arthur Lockwood glanced around the room at the people he’d brought, then nodded. “That’s enough.”

“Enough? Are you kidding me?” Joanna Monroe slammed the table again, her gaze sweeping over Aurora Sinclair and the others.

When her eyes landed on Alvin Morgan and Benjamin Morgan, she even paused for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly in apparent dissatisfaction.

’Although those two are handsome enough to defy the heavens and can make anyone blush just by looking at them for too long, you can’t win matches with a pretty face, can you?’

’Besides, they’re too old. Compared to the current average player age of around eighteen, their e-sports careers should have been over long ago.’

Arthur Lockwood pointed to Aurora Sinclair and said, “This is Master Rory, the champion of the open qualifiers. There’s also a Divine Archer arriving tonight who’s on the same level as her.”

When Joanna Monroe heard the two words “Master Rory,” her expression finally softened a little.

She had watched Master Rory’s matches. Her skills were definitely up to the team’s standards.

But she still didn’t give Arthur Lockwood a pleasant look. “That’s only four people. What about the other two?”

Then, Arthur Lockwood glanced at Luna Jennings and asked with a smile, “What class do you play?”

Luna Jennings answered reflexively, “Healer.”

“Excellent. From now on, you’re the team’s Healer.” Arthur Lockwood’s casual attitude completely infuriated Joanna Monroe. She smashed a keyboard on the desk. “What did you say?”

“Hehehe… Just kidding… We’ll promote a Healer from the team’s rookies.” Arthur Lockwood replied with an appeasing smile, then pointed to Alvin Morgan. “This is the sixth person. A Summoner.”

“A Summoner?”

This time, Joanna Monroe finally looked at Alvin Morgan properly. The Summoner was DAF’s signature class, and Arthur Lockwood was extremely cautious about it. He would never let a trainee of this class compete unless their skill level met his expectations.

Therefore, while DAF had many Summoners, very few were able to compete. For the past two years, Jonas Lawson had been the only Summoner on the team who could play in official matches, but now he was gone.

This was a huge blow to DAF, as the Summoner was the pillar of support in the hearts of DAF’s fans.

Faye Hughes pointed at Alvin Morgan in astonishment. “Boss, you’re not joking, are you? At his age, he’s still playing e-sports?”

“Nonsense. What’s wrong with being older? As long as his skills are good, that’s all that matters.” Arthur Lockwood quickly shot her a look, signaling her to stop talking nonsense.

But Alvin Morgan, standing beside him, said faintly, “I never said I was coming back to compete.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep