*After more than 3 years*
"Who is this RedBaoFan? I can't beat him!"
A voice echoed in the midst of the loud cheer going around. Keyboard noises and mouse tapping created a melodious sound in the background of people shouting and loudly talking to each other.
The dim lights inside created a cozy and relaxing atmosphere for people who were in the internet cafe to play and enjoy games.
"This RedBaoFan is unbelievably quick! I can barely keep up with his moves!" An irritated voice erupted from one corner, accompanied by frustrated gestures towards the screen.
He moved his face closer to the computer screen. The movement of his hand became faster, but alas, it wasn't enough to catch up with their enemy's movement, RedBaoFan.
RedBaoFan wasn't just fast. He was skilled at the game, too.
"Woahhhhh!"
"Did you see that move?"
The people loudly cheered. It wasn't even 7 minutes before the game started, and yet, it was coming to an end already.
Despite the liveliness and the loud cheering of the crowd, a man at the end side of the Internet cafe, silently chuckled. He leaned back in his chair and calmly clicked on his keyboard.
The man was alone since the people were all gathered in the middle to watch the game that was being broadcast live.
Red chugged in the can of coke on the side of his table. His right hand was playing with the tips of his black hair. He was waiting for his enemies to resurrect for the 2nd time in the span of just 6 minutes.
Mind you that each resurrection ranges within 40-50 seconds.
'This is getting boring,' Red sighed. He raised his hand to get the attention of the staff who passed by him.
"Give me 1 more Coke," he quickly uttered when he saw that the death time on the screen was about to end.
"3… 2… 1…" Red held onto the mouse with his right hand. His moves were swift. It was in rhythm with the movement of his fingers that were repeatedly pressing the keyboard's key caps.
"Sir, is that all?" Amazed by the movements on the screen, the staff asked after a few seconds of silence. He realized that he had been watching the screen for so long.
"Yes," Red answered without looking. His attention was solely focused on his screen.
He was currently fighting two players on a battlefield.
"How dare they trick me into playing 2v1?" Red grinned. He made a few more movements on his mouse and keyboard before his enemies died again.
His in-game character, RedBaoFan, stood still in the middle of the battle arena.
Surrounded by other players who were watching, Red typed "GG".
He swayed his black stave to the side for the last time before raising it up multiple times to claim his victory.
"F*UCK IT!"
"WHAT THE–"
The game changed its scene, and a "K.O." word appeared in front.
"D*amn! This guy has a future!"
"Woah! I wonder who is this RedBaoFan? His name sounds familiar!"
"This guy is so good!"
Despite the irritation and annoyance of the two men who lost, the crowd loudly cheered. They haven't watched a good game like this in an internet cafe for so long.
Red chuckled as his eyes stared at the exp points and gold coins he earned after the battle.
'20 exp and 200 coins? Not bad. I didn't know this game was still the same as back then,' Red thought. He waited patiently until the screen went back to the lobby.
'Rise of Dawn'
A smile stretched out on Red's face. It has been so long since he last saw this name.
Rise of Dawn wasn't just any typical game; it was the most popular MMORPG to ever exist.
With over 400 million downloads worldwide, this game was considered the most successful game ever created in history.
From children to seasoned adults, the game knew no age limit as it was enjoyed by all ages.
"Hmm, I wonder if something has changed here."
Red clicked the
It was a beautiful, serene landscape, On the right side was a fall, with water continuously falling down on a green-colored lake surrounded by colorful flowers.
The sound of the wind blowing and the water falling together, followed by a tune of melodious instruments, greeted him back.
It was the famous background music of the game that hasn't been changed since it was first released 8 years ago.
Somehow, Red felt a sense of sadness and nostalgia. This was his home for 5 years.
'This hasn't changed either,' Red chuckled as he read the list of game modes available.
Rise of Dawn currently has three game modes available called InterDawn, Team Match, and Duel.
The "InterDawn" is where players can freely interact with each other.
In this game mode, players could form a party to accomplish tasks, clear out dungeons, fight a boss, or simply go around to have an adventure.
It's for people who just want a cozy game with only a little competitiveness on the side.
The second mode was "Team Match," involving a battle between two teams, each composed of 5 members. In this mode, players strive to kill each other and destroy the main base of the opposite team called the "Revival Pond."
The game will immediately end once a team's Revival Pond gets destroyed.
Most people who play this mode aren't just in for fun but for competitiveness.
This mode was connected to Interdawn, as your character and your skills will depend on what you have in there.
This mode was essential in leveling up faster and climbing the leaderboards.
And the third and last one, "Duel". This was what Red did just a minute ago.
In this mode, players have the option of inviting someone to join them on the battlefield. They engage in combat, and the participant who suffers three deaths will be declared as the loser.
However, a player could also have a teammate, known as a backup. A maximum of 2 players per side was set in the duel mode—One main fighter and one backup.
Usually, this needs to be agreed upon before the start of the match to avoid unfairness.
'For them to lose in a 2v1, I am quite surprised. It seems like after three years of not playing, I can still feel it in me.' Red glanced at his hands.
The two players who fought against him earlier did not inform him that it would be a 2v1 fight.
He accepted the sudden invitation, assuming it would be a fair, one-on-one duel. However, they had the guts to cheat on him.
'It's either I'm still good at this, or they're just real trash," Red sighed.
He did not if it was because of his knowledge in the game or if the players had gotten worse over the time.
Red's forehead creased in confusion when he realized that the cola he had ordered a while ago still hadn't arrived.
He looked around, almost raising his hand to follow up on his order, when his eyes landed on the person behind him.
The staff had been there the entire time, observing Red's intense gameplay up to now, where he was just exploring the game's lobby.
When the staff realized the gaze that darted upon him, he couldn't help but utter his pure excitement.
"YOU'RE REDBAOFAN?"