The King's Avatar Chapter 1727 - The Strongest Opponent, The Greatest Friend

Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi

“The Season 10 Championship goes to... Team Happy!!”

Surrounded by deafening cheers, Alliance Chairman Feng Xianjun handed over the championship trophy—symbolizing supreme glory, inscribed with “Season 10, Team Happy,” and rightfully theirs—to Team Happy. The one chosen to accept it on behalf of Happy from the chairman was, without doubt, their captain, Ye Xiu!

It marked his fourth championship trophy, but the very first occasion he'd claimed it straight from the Alliance itself. All eyes locked onto this historic moment, witnessing his fourth triumph and inaugural personal crowning as champion.

The trophy.

At last, the shining golden trophy, emblem of Glory's pinnacle honor, landed in Happy's possession.

Ye Xiu grasped it firmly with both hands. Yet right after, it slid from his grip.

“Ah!!”

Gasps erupted from the audience as Su Mucheng and Fang Rui on Ye Xiu’s sides lunged forward to catch the trophy. Soon, more hands stretched out, securing it tightly. No longer lined up across the stage, Happy clustered around Ye Xiu in a tight formation.

“Hey, even if you already have plenty of these, don’t throw this one away! I haven’t had one yet!” Fang Rui warned him solemnly.

“Exactly!” Everyone else chimed in agreement.

Ye Xiu grinned.

Clearly, tossing the trophy wasn't his intent. His hands, utterly drained, simply lacked the power to lift it high.

Fortunately, dependable teammates flanked him closely.

They'd likely spotted his fatigue beforehand, prompting their swift support. United, they hoisted the trophy skyward together with Ye Xiu.

We are the champions!

Though not the home team here, waves of applause still washed over them in that instant. Once the formal ceremony wrapped up, Chen Guo joined the Happy crew onstage, amid tears and joyous outbursts—none of it mattered.

This glorious instant was Happy's alone, yet away from their home turf, celebrations stayed brief. Post-ceremony, they quickly withdrew backstage.

Despite being the grand finals' decisive clash, the post-match press conference proceeded as scheduled.

Samsara's players arrived next for their session. The match brimmed with jaw-dropping highlights—from Zhou Zekai’s initial 1v3 in the group arena, Tang Rou’s stunning comeback 1v3, to every standout effort in the team battle—but nothing eclipsed Ye Xiu’s blistering 6.5-second triple kill.

That grueling, match-sealing strike demanded utmost praise. Unsurprisingly, when sharing match reflections, Samsara’s players faced queries about Ye Xiu’s dazzling display.

“He’s an extraordinary player.” Samsara Captain Zhou Zekai offered this verdict. Never verbose, his “extraordinary” label drew nods from his teammates. Defeat stung, yet they embraced it—Ye Xiu and Happy had pulled off countless wonders, earning every bit of admiration through sweat and feats.

“We look forward to the next time we face them!” Samsara’s eager vow stood as the ultimate nod to a rival’s prowess.

Samsara finished; now the evening’s heroes stepped up. Reporters clutched ready questions. Shockingly, Ye Xiu was absent from Happy’s press lineup.

Stunned silence fell, then post-congrats, the top query flew: “Why isn’t Ye Xiu here to attend the press conference?”

“He’s exhausted. He needs rest.” Su Mucheng fielded the inquiry. Belief varied, but options were nil. Still, a Ye Xiu-less Happy conference felt protagonist-free, soulless—abruptly dull.

Future championship coverage on Happy notably skipped Ye Xiu interviews. Not one quote emerged from him. Even longtime ally Chang Xian of Esports Home got turned down for chats by Team Happy.

Championship MVP dodging all media? New Glory scribes deemed it absurd. But seasoned pros with a decade in the scene sensed a familiar echo.

Zero star coverage—didn’t this mirror Excellent Era’s three-year reign? Back then, Ye Xiu skipped interviews and hid his face entirely.

Had this legend circled back to old habits?

Theories abounded for quite some time, with no one willing to abandon their quest for an interview with Ye Xiu. Yet, no one anticipated that the sight of him hoisting the Glory Season 10 championship trophy alongside his Happy teammates would become the lasting image Ye Xiu etched into Glory.

Four days following the conclusion of the finals, Team Happy conducted a press conference. At first, everyone assumed Ye Xiu had finally arrived to grant interviews, but astonishingly, only the team's boss Chen Guo and Su Mucheng made an appearance. Then, right there at the event, they revealed Ye Xiu’s retirement.

Retirement?

Ye Xiu was retiring?

Indeed, it had occurred before, and his age was plain for all to see. However, the unbeatable record he set in individual matches, along with that stunning 6.5-second triple kill against Samsara’s top three players, had made everyone overlook those realities. All believed that, given Ye Xiu’s peak condition and prowess, he could compete for another decade without issue!

But retirement?

Such an abrupt and firm choice, without him even showing up to announce it personally. He was simply departing like that?

Why?

Everyone yearned to uncover the cause, yet Happy’s boss Chen Guo appeared unwilling to elaborate. Her smile came across as strained too. Evidently, she was the least eager to witness Ye Xiu’s exit. She desired above all for him to remain.

However….

“It’s time to go home.” That was Ye Xiu’s explanation when he decided. He didn’t conceal his attachment to Glory or his fervor for championships. He merely informed them of another obligation he held.

“You’ll always be welcome if you decide to return.” Chen Guo opposed Ye Xiu’s departure but couldn’t prevent it. She merely wished and awaited the chance that Ye Xiu might gain family consent, avoiding future sacrifices and balancing both worlds.

She hoped so.

Chen Guo quietly yearned for that day. Her hope never wavered.

“He’s going home,” she informed the reporters. This served as both the motive behind Ye Xiu’s retirement and his path forward. The response puzzled the journalists, but Chen Guo offered no more details.

“As for Team Happy, Su Mucheng will assume the captain’s role.” Chen Guo embraced Ye Xiu’s choice. She refused to crumble from it, nor would she allow Happy to falter. Regarding Su Mucheng, after Ye Xiu’s announcement, she didn’t display any alarming reactions. She understood it as his private, grown-up resolution. She wouldn’t become a source of concern for him. Instead, she would keep backing Ye Xiu fully, clearing away the burdens he couldn’t release.

In this way, she stepped beyond her minor supporting part. She aimed to shoulder everything Ye Xiu had handled, emerging as Team Happy’s pillar in the future, mirroring him right up to her own retirement.

“Keep in touch, I’ll wait for you to retire.” Such was the vow exchanged between her and Ye Xiu at their farewell.

The announcement of Ye Xiu’s retirement ignited a frenzy, rippling across the whole Glory community. Just like previously, he vanished without a peep, and the public learned of his retirement via headlines.

Disappointment, sorrow, blessings, bewilderment…

A torrent of feelings and reactions. Two and a half years prior, they had endured this once already. But now, sentiments ran far deeper and more tangled, for over those two and a half years—from in-game servers to the Challenger League to the Pro League—this man had carved a profound presence, raging like a whirlwind and reshaping the landscape.

Yet ultimately, once more in quiet abruptness, he slipped away just like that?

Was he scheming to lurk in the shadows and strike unexpectedly again?

These playful speculations from some quickly gained broad support. Still, after bantering about Ye Xiu’s audacity, a hush fell over everyone once more.

In the end, all they could muster were heartfelt blessings.

To their fiercest rival.

To their truest ally.