LADIES AND DEGENERATES, I WELCOME YOU TO OUR SIXTH AZARETH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
And for our opening match, we've got AIM HIGH Esports going up against DREAM EATERS, our reigning! DEFENDING! WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!
EVERYONE, ARE YOU READY!!!
On the computer screen, two eSports teams faced each other for the opening match of the yearly world championship of Azareth: The Original Sin.
A VR MMORPG that's been titled as the best modern game, its popularity stems from its beautiful graphics and out-of-body experience.
The scene shifted from the host to a bird's-eye view showing the players spawning in different locations.
Narelle, a young man, rested comfortably on his chair, eating chips and watching the stream with an unreadable expression.
O' warriors of light, I bless thee with strength to relinquish the dark.
A mysterious female voice spoke, signaling the start of the match. The players started running right from the start, each picking up the white, glowing orbs containing one low-tier skill.
*Pop*
With a satisfying pop, Narelle opened his soda and took a sip. The cold, carbonated liquid filled his insides. He let out a small burp and placed the can on his desk.
Lark, I agree with you. This player "Cannon" has been phenomenal since last year, and so far this year he's playing even better. Honestly, I don't think anyone here could stop this guy or his team from winning the championship back-to-back.
The camera panned to a spacious room with nine stone pillars, with hanging blue flames lighting up the place. The said player had decimated eleven gargoyles, turning them into pixels that faded away.
The monsters left behind two glowing purple orbs containing buffs. After absorbing them, the player continued where he left off.
"Woah, look at this!" one of the commentators exclaimed as Cannon's status window popped up, displaying his two recently received buffs.
+5.5% Strength for every monster or champion you kill. (stackable up to 30)
[11/30] slain"
+20% movement speed when out of combat for thirty seconds.
*whew*
Narelle whistled upon seeing the player's luck, a literal one-in-a-thousand find. With the skills and buffs being completely randomized, this pull was a game-changer.
"How come when I play, I don't get that buff?" He grumbled, shoving another chip into his mouth.
As the match continued, both teams started to group around the "Corrupted Tree," a humongous monster with a mean temper, its roots infected with a deadly plague that slowly decayed your body.
The monster roared, releasing a deafening cry and casting an AoE that lowered both magical and physical defense by 30% for all those within range. It also applied an effect called "Fear," lowering casting speed and movement speed by 15%.
The screen split, showing thousands of people shouting and cheering for their respective teams.
"Cannon is the first to move! Running full speed towards AIM HIGH's support, Vice!" Lark, the caster, shouted with great anticipation.
Cannon, the super rookie of DREAM EATERS, charged with blinding speed, his spear aimed at the chest of his prey.
*BOOM*
With a loud metallic clang, Cannon's spear met a shield—a move DREAM EATERS knew was coming. AIM HIGH's Tank, Moby, had successfully defended their support, but unbeknownst to all of them, it was a trap set to force the Tank out of formation, leaving a gaping hole in their team's defense.
As if on cue, the Mage of DREAM EATERS unleashed a barrage of assault. Kel, DREAM EATERS' Mage, blasted AIM HIGH's Assassin with multiple Crimson Red Fireballs, each with a size comparable to a full-grown elephant,killing her instantly.
The audience erupted, as the two casters went crazy, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
Narelle had the same reaction, standing up abruptly. He accidentally hit his desk, causing the carbonated liquid to spill all over his setup. He immediately removed his top, using it to soak up as much liquid as possible.
"Ah, shit! FUCK!" Panicking, Narelle hadn't noticed that the liquid had started to creep along some of his cables and was dripping straight down to his extension cord, the one he was unknowingly stepping on.
bzzt
Narelle felt a jolt of electricity surge through his left foot. Luckily, he managed to react quickly, yanking his foot away and avoiding electrocution.
But the trouble was far from over. Narelle smelled burning plastic as smoke began to billow from his extension cord and PC.
With a loud pop, his power shut off, plunging him into darkness, alone in his room.
Narelle texted the community's electrician to fix it. Thankfully, despite it being late at night, the guy was up for the job. Narelle went to his front yard and waited for the electrician's arrival.
He leaned against the wall just below his room's window, scrolling through the internet to kill time, when suddenly everything went dark again.
Sirens blared as police cars and an ambulance parked in front of a house. A man wearing an electrician's uniform was being questioned.
"Do you know the person that lives here?" the police officer asked, holding a pen and a small notebook, writing down the details.
"No, sir, I don't. He called me here to check on his electricity. He said it went down after accidentally spilling water on his computer setup," the man explained why he was there.
"I see. Thank you for your cooperation, sir. We'll call you if there's anything else we need to ask." The police officer went back to his car and left, followed by the ambulance.
Narelle had died...
When he felt that jolt of electricity in his foot, he instinctively backed off and accidentally bumped into a flower pot by his window. Occupied with the problem on his desk, he hadn't noticed that the pot had been moved at the very edge of the window.
And when he leaned against that wall, a strong gust of wind knocked the flower pot, causing it to fall.
Ending his life.