Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Chapter 643 Why Return?

The crowd of journalists was momentarily silent as Klaus took the blame for his failure in the grand final of the Myth2 World Championship, a confession that few expected to hear from a player as renowned today as he is. It practically made it clear that it wasn't a personal issue that got in the way, but just him.

Social media instantly began buzzing with debates and discussions about Klaus' courage in admitting his fears and weaknesses in front of such a wide audience, especially when thousands of organizations are looking to hire him to represent them in future Rise Online championships.

However, one persistent journalist decided to dig even deeper:

"Klaus, are you saying that this is the only reason you abandoned Myth2? There's nothing else behind it?"

Klaus hesitated for a moment. He had a duty to his former teammates, even if they were largely responsible for leaking this information, after all, they had waited a long time for it. So he raised his head, looked at the huddle of cameras, microphones and journalists in front of him and replied:

"It's obvious that in a situation like this there's always more than meets the eye, but there's nothing and no one more to blame than me. As you know, even after the incident in the final I could have carried on playing, whether for FirePunch or not, but I chose not to..."

Klaus' eyes met those of the journalists and they could feel the firmness in his gaze, as could the people on the other side of the screens who were watching the live broadcast.

"So why did you choose to dedicate yourself to Rise Online after so many years of retirement?" Another reporter asked.

Klaus took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "The truth is that I needed a change. I needed to rediscover myself as a person and I took those years to do that, and when I thought I would never play any kind of game again, I met Rise Online and that game gave me an opportunity to start again, to find the passion I had lost and to help my family."

The cameras continued to click and the microphones moved closer as Klaus explained his perspective on when he started playing Rise Online.

The interview continued, with Klaus answering questions, and the crowd of journalists seemed increasingly hungry for more. So Klaus had to be patient. They continued to bombard Klaus with questions, but he remained calm and composed, answering each one. His face showed a mixture of determination and vulnerability.

As Klaus explained his transition to Rise Online and how the game helped him regain his passion for gaming, a tall, imposing figure began to approach the crowd. It was Isabella Nairn, the coordinator of the New York Archery Department, who knew when it was time to end an interview just by looking at Klaus's tired countenance, which was even blinking slowly with fatigue.

"Sorry to interrupt, everyone." said Isabella with a tense smile. "As you can imagine, all Klaus needs to do now is go back to the hotel and rest."

"Please, one last question!" A random journalist asked.

Isabella sighed and nodded.

"Klaus, do you intend to accept an invitation from an e-sports organization or a Rise Online guild to compete professionally again in the future?" asked a journalist.

Klaus stared at the reporter for a moment, then looked around and knew that this was the question that everyone wanted to ask, but no one had the courage to do so. So he offered a closed smile and decided to be honest about his plans:

"I haven't made a definite decision about my future yet." He answered sincerely. "But one thing's for sure: Rise Online is where my heart is at the moment, and as you may know I'm very involved with the Midgard story, so I'm going to focus on that for now. However, that doesn't mean I'll never compete professionally again, not least because this tournament has reminded me how good it feels. However, this decision won't be mine alone. I'll discuss it with my family before taking any action. And about a guild, no, I won't accept any invitations, because I'm going to create my own."

Klaus' answer about creating his own guild took the crowd of journalists and online spectators by surprise.

The euphoria immediately spread, surprising even him, who hadn't expected it to be such big news, but the reaction of the journalists made it clear that it was.

The viewers watching the live interview were also very surprised.

"Eh? Klaus is going to create his own guild? Is that serious?"

"Klaus is back and wants to lead his own team in Rise Online?! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"The one who beat Bloody Lily and Taznaar in the Tretidian Kingdom is going to create a guild? He already owns the strongest guild and we don't even know who the other members are."

"Will the legend become a guild leader as well as he was as a captain in Myth2?"

Klaus' fans were excited about the possibility of seeing Kaizen lead a guild, and Rise Online players began to speculate about what this would mean for them, because Kaizen would most likely open up positions for his guild and millions would want to be hired as well.

Before the reporters could ask another question, Isabella Nairn intervened. She approached Klaus with a professional smile and slipped an arm around his neck.

"I think that's enough for today," she said, looking out at the crowd of journalists. "Klaus has shared his story, his thoughts and plans, but he needs some time for himself and his family now."

The journalists murmured, but slowly began to disperse, acknowledging the decision to end the interview.

With the interview over, Klaus and Isabella walked away from the crowd of reporters and cameras, heading for the van that would take them to the hotel.

...

Edited by: DrHitsuji

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