The Fencing Championship was just the start of the NIST Tournament, part of the first day. The team from California ended up as the champions in the early evening. However, only a few other people were more talked about on the webnet and television than Klaus Park.
Obviously, the victory of the California team in the Team Fencing Championships brought great excitement and celebration to the competitors and their supporters. They had demonstrated exceptional performance and flawless teamwork, which earned them the title of tournament champions. However, even with California's achievement, Klaus Park remained the highlight and sensation of the sports news, for his startling performance, which opened the eyes of the world to this new discipline of fencing.
For most viewers, the sensation of watching Klaus defeat four people in a row was akin to watching a basketball game for the first time and, within a few minutes, seeing one of the players score four straight baskets from midcourt when all seemed lost. Or, four goals from the same person in a soccer match, thus tying the game.
The truth is that Klaus had delighted the public and captivated the attention of the spectators.
The press and the webnet were full of praise for his skill and passion for the sport. Social media exploded with messages of support and admiration, turning Klaus into a true icon of the competition.
In addition, his words about love and dedication in sport became motivational phrases shared in many posts and hashtags.
Klaus became an example of how sport can be much more than just competition, but a journey of self-discovery, discipline and personal growth.
However, as the spotlight continued to fall on him, he was basically exposed to anything, and in the wee hours of the morning, a forum post appeared highlighting Klaus' smile during the battle, comparing it to a smile that became known a few months ago, the smile under a mask, Kaizen's smile. The smiles of both were very similar, not to say identical, because they were wide and had the same chin structure.
The comment from the person who made the post was that:
[Gacama: I knew I remembered that smile from somewhere. Who thinks it looks similar too?"]
The comments in response to the post were only a few dozen in the first few hours, but quickly became hundreds.
[Tuha1n: Wow, now that you mention it, it really does look a lot like Kaizen's smile!
GOklc: Are these two lost twins or something? HAHAHAH: Awesome!
HammondBall: It's definitely the same person. It can't just be a coincidence.
Wegoal: That's so weird...
Duhoin: Klaus must be inspired by Kaizen, or something.
Moypuere: They look the same!
Dragon777: I loved seeing his smile during the fight. He was clearly enjoying himself and it was so inspiring!"].
As the post went viral, more and more people expressed their surprise and theories about the similarity between Klaus and Kaizen's smiles. Speculation grew quickly, and fans of both became increasingly curious to know if there was indeed any connection between them, if only a clear inspiration from Klaus in Kaizen. Meanwhile, on social media and forums, people started creating photo montages of the two, comparing their smiles and highlighting their facial similarities. Some also joked about the possibility that Klaus and Kaizen were the same person.
The repercussions were such that even an early morning newspaper explored the topic. However, there was no official information or statement about it.
The next morning, Klaus woke up and realized that Ashley was no longer in his arms. So, he took a quick shower and quickly went downstairs to get the hotel breakfast.
The hotel cafeteria was bustling with several competitors and their teams preparing for the second day of the NIST Tournament.
Klaus was greeted with smiles and compliments by other fencers who were at the venue. The feeling of being recognized and admired still made him a little uncomfortable, but he also knew that it was part of the package of trying to stand out so that at the end of the Special Program he could get a scholarship to some great college.
However, while eating, Klaus noticed some people looking too much in his direction and whispering among themselves. He knew they were probably talking about the team fencing competition, but it was clearly uncomfortable. Despite this, Klaus tried to remain calm and finish his coffee.
Andrew joined him at the table, looking excited for the second day of competition.
"Hey, man, did you see that story going around the internet?" Andrew asked, whispering and concerned.
"Good morning... Wait, what are you talking about?" Klaus was curious about Andrew's question and asked.
Andrew sighed. "It seems there was a post on a forum comparing your smile during the fencing battle to Kaizen's smile in Rise Online.... People are starting to think you two are the same person."
Klaus swallowed, feeling a tightness in his chest. He hadn't expected this speculation to arise from something as futile as a smile.
Andrew was a close friend and someone Klaus trusted, but this situation took him by surprise, because he had never told Andrew about the truth either.
"Andrew, you who... this is just a coincidence. I'm not Kaizen, we have no relation." Klaus replied, trying to remain calm.
Andrew looked at him with understanding. "I know you're him, man. In fact, I already suspected it since the first time I saw your smile during animation during some archery practices, but since I didn't know you played RO, I just let it go. Imagine my surprise when we played together. I even accidentally called you 'Kaizen' and luckily you didn't hear me."
Paying attention to the expression on his friend's face, Klaus scratched his head and messed up a few strands. "Damn... sorry for lying to you. It's just that, you know, Rise Online is more than a game to most people and I've already caused a lot of trouble for several people, so I thought it best to keep my identity secret. I should have just created a decent avatar and not let NeuroGear copy my face."
Andrew nodded, understandingly. "I know, I regret the same thing too. Besides, the internet can be relentless with speculation and rumors. You'd better be prepared to deal with it, and maybe talk to your family. They can help you deal with this situation, because you're going to need to talk about it, there's no getting away from these rumors that only get stronger."
"I know... If I keep quiet, it will only increase suspicion and have the same effect I don't want."