1 Retirement

"One more checkpoint and we win. We can do it guys!", Raela yelled as her hands pressed quickly on every button of the keyboard. 5 minutes more and the checkpoint of the Torus will close and they will lose the game if they won't reach it. There were enemies on their tails. One Cryo Assassin, one Nano-shielder, and one Nano-gunner.

It was a 3 versus 3 fight since 2 of the team's members had already fallen. The beginning was a 5v5 match but Raela and her team eliminated the Tech Berserker and Chronomancer on the enemy team. Unfortunately, two of Raela's teammates have also fallen and all that was left was Chester and Chloe.

"Go inside the Torus, I'll cover you all.", Chloe calmly said over the wired headseat positioning herself on top of a rock 5 meters away from the Torus.

"Get inside Chloe! Don't die!", Raela is now fuming in anger. She didn't want Chloe to take the sacrifice for the team.

"There is a 5-second countdown when you reach the Torus. If the enemy reaches you both during the 5 seconds, we'll never win."

Raela was stunned. Chloe was right.

"Alright, but make sure that you'll reach the Torus alive." , with a sigh, Raela followed Chester inside the Torus.

"Understood, Captain."

Chloe then pressed her keys and her character then disappeared out of nowhere. The audience outside and inside the stadium yelled in excitement. It was Chloe Sinclair's signature move. UNSEEN BULLET.

Chloe began to count...

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

As of now, Raela and Chester had already entered the five second countdown. 1 meter is all it takes for Chloe to make 1 versus 3.

With a quick combo of unseen bullet and agility boost with quick cast of auto attacks, Chloe wiped out three of the enemies gaining the win for Team Royal Lions.

The crowd outside the competition venue applaud and cheered shouting "Chloe" in the midst of the game's highlights.

"I thought you'll die back there. Stop giving me more heart attacks, Chloe!"

Raela slapped Chloe's back.

Taking off the wired headset, Chloe then spoke in a serious tone.

"I need to talk to you privately..."

But it seemed like Raela didn't give much thought to it, she just cheerfully smiled at Chloe. "Sure.", she replied.

As Chloe exited the gaming venue, she pulled out her phone from her pocket and dialed a number from her phonebook with a name "Boss" writted on it.

"I am going to retire, I'll sign my papers tomorrow.", she spoke over the phone then dropped the line.

Four years she had been playing HIVE Online and now she had grown tired. Tired of fake faces, fake advertising, and most of all... Toxic communities. HIVE wasn't the same as it was first released. Everything went smoothly until lots of players that spread toxicity spoiled it. Chloe never wanted to stop playing the game but she is now becoming a veteran with a little sense of how she'd do if she would ever retire of E-sports.

Time ran fast and it was then evening. The city streetlights began to lit as darkness enveloped the sky. Chloe sat inside a seafood restaurant with a glass of wine on her hand. She took few sips while scrolling through her phone looking at the forum of HIVE but as she expected, toxic posts were already there targetting her name and In-game name on today's victory against Thunder Knights.

DON'T YOU THINK IT'S UNFAIR FOR "BLACKSCORPION" TO USE SUCH TACTICS? IT'S CHEATING!

NOBODY CAN COUNTER UNSEEN BULLET HOW COME SHE CAN COMBO WITHOUT COOLDOWN?

BLACKSCORPION AKA. CHLOE IS A CHEATER, ELITEGAMES SHOULD BAN HER!

CHLOE SINCLAIR THE CHEAT OF THE YEAR!

Those comments just got Chloe sipping wine. She had gotten used to the toxic community but as she had grown used-to, she felt tired dealing with those people creating dummy accounts on the forum while slandering her. 'It isn't fun to fight with dummy accounts, if they want to slander me, then they should do it with their own accounts.', this was her motto.

A while more and Raela barged inside the restaurant holding a phone on her hand. Her eyes were filled with tears as she rushed towards Chloe and gave her a loud slap on the face. The costumers inside the restaurant started looking at both of them. Chloe was expecting that Raela had already knew about her retirement. How else would she react if she hadn't knew about it.

"Sit down.", calmly, Chloe let Raela sit on the chair to face her. The other side of her face became red due to Raela's slap.

"Why did you do it!? What wrong did our team do to you?! Why did you decide to give up?", now Raela's eyes were wet with tears. Chloe averted her eyes then took a handkerchief from her bag.

"It has been four years and I have grown tired.", handing the handkerchief, Raela then received it in an angry manner.

"It's okay if you rest, but why retire?", Raela said as she sniffed on the handkerchief.

"It's not just the game, Raela... It's all of it... The lies, the advertisement and the communities... I beared it all for four damn years!" , sliding her phone on the table up to Raela's side, she then pointed on the screen.

"Four years of these bastards that keep pestering me, I have never grew tired of them but seriously!? I can't fight them because those people used dummy accounts! And one more..." , sliding down on the next article on the phone's screen, Raela's eyes grew big after seeing the game's advertising promotion.

"It's not BLACKSCORPION... It's my character... Why??!!! I told them to feature you! I'm calling our Boss!", reaching out for her phone, Raela angrily grabbed her bag but Chloe stopped her.

"No... It didn't happen once only... Twice, thrice, quadruple times... For four years the team management featured only the captain of the team not the MVP and carry. Because of the forums, the advertising had been affected since it will give bad image for the team if they will feature BLACKSCORPION.", the explanation of Chloe made a point. Raela was stunned. It was the fault of the toxic community. Chloe had been fighting for the team but for four years she had failed to attain the recognition that she wanted even just once.

Raela held Chloe's hand. "I'm sorry." , she said as she slowly let go of both of her hands.

"If you want to retire, I won't stop you. I didn't consider what you felt and now, I feel so much guilt inside me." , wiping her tears, Raela then reached inside her bag bringing out a blueberry flavored lollipop.

"I can't do anything to ease the pain but, please accept this."

Raela's phone began to rang with a ringtone of a metal band's screamo. Chloe laughed softly after hearing Raela's ringtone. Covering her face with shame, Raela slid the answer button and then quickly responded to the call.

"Okay... I'll be right there."

Raela dropped the line. Chloe knew that was the boss calling judging from Raela's reaction.

"The boss says that there's an after-party for our team, do you want to come with me?"

Chloe just shook her head and then smiled.

"No... I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll better get going.", standing up her seat, Raela took her bag and then walked outside the restaurant. Chloe walked her outside and waited for a while until the taxi arrived.

"Take care on your way home.", waving her hand Raela then bade her goodbye to Chloe.

The lollipop was still on Chloe's hand. She wanted to put it inside her bag but she decided to hold it a little longer. While waiting for the bus on the bus stop's shed, she opened the wrapper and then ate the lollipop. It then started to rain. Chloe can't hold her feelings inside. Along with the rain, her tears started to pour.

"Today, I end my contract but today, I start my new journey."