The King's Avatar Chapter 1730 - Side Story: The Expectations of the Mediocre (1)

In S City.

Winter was only just starting, yet the temperatures had already dived sharply. Snow typically waited until around January in the past, but with winter freshly arrived, it now blanketed S City. The locals greeted this unusual early snowfall with delight, while Team Samsara, treating S City as their home turf, shared the season's biting cold with their fans.

The Fourth Glory Alliance Competition's sixth round wrapped up just yesterday. Team Samsara's dismal run persisted into this match. Earning too few points, they drew mocking terms like “consecutive defeats” from ESports Weekly in their coverage. Humiliating as it was, Samsara barely claimed space in the reports. After pages crammed with thrilling, in-depth stories, Samsara's captain Zhang Yiwei, mid-breakfast, finally spotted his team's name tucked in the slim “other competition news” corner. There, the “consecutive defeats” label jumped out, sparking his fury as he flung the paper aside.

Fang Minghua, breakfasting beside him, couldn't resist peeking at the tossed newspaper. The front-page headlines swiftly grabbed his focus.

“With 57 points in six matches, Tyranny has ushered in the best start in history. Zhang Xinjie, the rookie who seems the least like a rookie, is still playing steadily and efficiently. In the match, he demonstrated effective healing that was double that of his opponent… Double! Oh my god!” Fang Minghua recited this season's headlines, swiftly stunned by the scant details unpacked. Glancing at captain Zhang Yiwei, he noted zero response. Assuming Zhang Yiwei missed it, he stressed once more, “It’s an effective healing!”

This “effective healing” meant the actual health restoration that mattered. Sure, healers could spam skills on full-health targets for effects, but excess or wasted heals didn't count toward this key stat. It stood as a vital gauge of any healer's prowess. Fang Minghua obsessed over it as a fellow healer.

“What are you screaming for!” Zhang Yiwei crumpled the paper and tapped Fang Minghua's head lightly.

“That’s our opponent. The two of you are in the same batch and are in the same position. You…do your best!” Zhang Yiwei first aimed to pit Fang Minghua against Zhang Xinjie for a pointed lesson, but the words faltered on his tongue. Ultimately, the rebuke morphed into simple encouragement. Fang Minghua might lack flash, yet Zhang Yiwei found no real flaws in him.

That media tag of “the rookie who seems the least like a rookie” fit Fang Minghua perfectly in Zhang Yiwei's eyes. Newbies often fumbled with nerves, mismatched match tempo, or overzealous hype. Fang Minghua never showed such green traits. He slotted straight into Samsara's main healer role upon joining. Lacking Zhang Xinjie's dominant heal numbers, he still pulled his weight without dragging the team. He fully earned his spot as Team Samsara's healer.

Zhang Yiwei couldn't chide his teammate over lacking standout flair or brilliance. Even he himself paled as just average next to the front-page stars. Glory fans' beloved Sharpshooter had lost its shine under his hands. That stemmed from a debut-era rival whose gaudy shooting eclipsed all, making even his Spitfire outshine the in-game Sharpshooter in popularity.

Was this… the fate of Samsara’s players?

This realization hit Zhang Yiwei, stirring a twinge of pity as he eyed Fang Minghua.

Plopped into Glory's vast continent, they'd rank as top-tier masters. Yet the Pro Alliance demoted them to averageness. Their plays averaged out, their wins averaged out, and so did their team's standings.

Yet this season, it looked like mediocrity was slipping from their grasp too. This year, the Alliance appeared to have planned ahead. Numerous talented young players emerged out of nowhere. Once they integrated into their teams, those squads surged forward in power. And Samsara? Zhang Yiwei eyed Fang Minghua before him. He spotted no flaws in this newcomer. Initially, both he and the team felt thrilled. But following these six rounds, against the backdrop of same-batch rookies storming the ESports Weekly headlines, their contentment felt somewhat lacking.

“Captain.” Fang Minghua held a perfectly upright posture. Upon sensing his captain's impending talk, he straightened up right away.

“We need to push harder this season.” Zhang Yiwei lumped himself in too. After all, their fates intertwined. Both ranked as average performers in the Professional Alliance.

“Yes.” Fang Minghua took the directive.

“Afternoon meeting to hash out this season's plans.” Zhang Yiwei refused mere words. Even diligence required guidance. As captain, leading the search for that path fell to him.

“Should I notify the team now?” Fang Minghua offered promptly.

“No need. Wait till after lunch,” Zhang Yiwei replied.

“Yes.” Fang Minghua acknowledged once more.

“You rose early today.” Zhang Yiwei eyed Fang Minghua approvingly. Post-match days typically meant rest. Samsara players often lounged in bed then. That's why Zhang Yiwei held off on the immediate call. Still, Fang Minghua's morning eagerness warmed him. Folks like them demanded self-discipline. Rest days felt like an unaffordable indulgence.

This realization sparked ideas for the afternoon talk. Meanwhile, Fang Minghua rose post-meal. “Captain, finished eating.” He bid Zhang Yiwei farewell. “Go.” Zhang Yiwei observed Fang Minghua head to the training room, his spirits igniting. He wolfed down the rest of breakfast, got up, and followed suit. He resolved to emulate this rookie with some early practice.

Come afternoon, why not spotlight Xiao Fang as inspiration for all? After all, seizing a rest day took effort. True change hinged on personal drive! Zhang Yiwei mulled concrete steps to steer his mates. Reaching the training room, he found Fang Minghua fired up at his machine, gaze intense and eager.

Maybe rouse the others now to behold this firsthand.

Fang Minghua's fervor stirred Zhang Yiwei deeply. He regretted overlooking this chap's off-day training habit. Had he known sooner, such zeal might have infected all of Team Samsara. This thought shamed him anew. Why the oversight? Because he joined the sleep-ins himself! Yesterday's dismal play ruined his rest, prompting this rare early rise.

“Eh, Captain, why are you up so early?”

Zhang Yiwei gazed at Fang Minghua like a priceless masterpiece when someone strolled past. Spotting Zhang Yiwei, the guy exclaimed in astonishment.

Zhang Yiwei glanced over. Tong Lin, Samsara's lone holdover from season one. More seasoned than even Zhang Yiwei, this veteran. They'd battled together two seasons, forging Samsara's middling record and this season's six straight losses.

“Time for changes,” Zhang Yiwei told the old-timer.

“Oh?” Tong Lin blinked, caught flat-footed.

“Look at this rookie's hustle. We can't squander ours!” Zhang Yiwei burst out passionately.

“Squander ours? Hustling rookie?” Tong Lin echoed backward, still baffled. At last, tracing Zhang Yiwei's fervent stare, he spied Fang Minghua at his training room station.

Just then, Fang Minghua caught the duo at the doorway from his peripheral vision. He tried leaping up fast but snagged on his headphones, yanking himself down like table-bound.

Using the cover of that bow, Fang Minghua hurriedly murmured into his earpiece, “Wait for me.” Afterward, he removed his earpiece, yet he faintly caught a response from the other end. “What did you say? Me?”

“I said, wait for me!” Fang Minghua roared inwardly, but spotting his captain Zhang Yiwei and team senior Tong Linqi heading his way, he couldn’t snatch up his headphones to clarify. Helplessly, he gazed at the Heavenly Domain in Glory Continent on the screen. The newest update had introduced a Level-60 wild boss, the Night Returner on the Sea, which no team had managed to defeat yet. At this moment, a 10-player team—with its healer standing still—boldly surged toward the Night Returner on the Sea.

This time… Fang Minghua could only silently convey his regrets to his teammates through his thoughts. The two figures from the doorway had already reached him. Leading the way, Zhang Yiwei brimmed with energy, striding forward with powerful steps. All along, his sharp eyes locked onto Fang Minghua. His demeanor had transformed completely from the laid-back one at breakfast earlier. Trailing behind, Tong Lin wore a subtle grin, as though eager for an entertaining display.

This... He’d seize the initiative! Fang Minghua clenched his teeth and stepped ahead to face Zhang Yiwei.

“Captain, I’m sorry!” Fang Minghua uttered, bowing his head.