The air in Excellent Era's training base was tense and heavier than usual. The announcement had been made earlier that morning—an internal competition to select a new team member would be held in the coming days. With one of their main players, Zhou Zekai, temporarily sidelined due to a serious wrist injury, the team needed someone to fill the spot. And this wasn't just a temporary role. Whoever won the election would have a chance to become a core part of the team.
For Ye Xiu, this was the opportunity he had been waiting for. A chance to prove, once and for all, that he belonged. He had been fighting an uphill battle ever since he joined Excellent Era, constantly trying to prove himself to his teammates, but now, his skills could speak louder than their judgment.
He stood in front of his computer in the quiet training room, his heart pounding as he looked at the notification for the upcoming inter-team competition. It wasn't just any battle—it was his chance to show them all what he was capable of. But the stakes were high. If he failed, it could solidify their doubts, and the whispers that he was nothing more than a charity case might become permanent.
As he sat down, Ye Xiu's hands moved instinctively over the keyboard, setting up his character for the upcoming matches. He had trained for this. Every night spent practising alone in the base, every strategy he had studied, and every battle he had fought online, had led to this moment.
But it wasn't going to be easy. The other players were already established within the Excellent Era, and they were some of the best in the league. Each of them had the confidence and experience to back up their skills, and Ye Xiu knew he was walking into a warzone. The competition would be fierce.
The base buzzed with activity over the next few days as the players prepared for the internal competition. Conversations buzzed with speculation about who would rise to the top. Ye Xiu was, unsurprisingly, not mentioned in those conversations.
"That kid?" Chang Wenxian scoffed when someone brought up Ye Xiu's name. "He's decent, but there's no way he's beating the rest of us. He's too new to understand how this team works."
Zhang Jiale nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I don't see it. He's a loner. Glory isn't just about skill; it's about teamwork. He doesn't have that."
Ye Xiu heard the remarks but ignored them. He had learned to tune out the negativity, focusing instead on what mattered—the game. While the others doubted him, he was focused on perfecting his strategies and fine-tuning his gameplay. This was more than just a match for him. It was a battle for survival.
Finally, the day of the competition arrived.
The entire Excellent Era team gathered in the main training room, eyes fixed on the massive screens as the inter-team tournament kicked off. The matches would be brutal, designed to test each player's skill, adaptability, and ability to handle pressure. The goal wasn't just to show off raw talent, but to prove who could step up when the stakes were high.
As Ye Xiu sat down at his station, his fingers hovered over the keys, steady and calm. He could feel the eyes of his teammates on him, some watching with amusement, others with indifference. To them, he was still the outsider who didn't belong.
But that was about to change.
The first match began, and Ye Xiu immediately found himself in a head-on battle with one of the team's veteran players, Wang Jiexi. Known for his unpredictable playstyle and quick reflexes, Wang was one of the most respected players in the team, and Ye Xiu knew he couldn't afford to hold back.
The game opened with a barrage of fast-paced moves, both players trading blows with lightning speed. The sound of rapid keystrokes filled the room as the battle unfolded on the screen. Ye Xiu's character, One Autumn Leaf, moved with the precision of a seasoned player, dodging attacks and countering with brutal efficiency. His movements were fluid, almost instinctual, as he predicted Wang's next move before it even happened.
The other players, who had been watching casually at first, began to sit up straighter, their eyes glued to the screen. They had expected Wang to overpower Ye Xiu easily, but what they were witnessing was something else entirely.
"He's keeping up with Wang Jiexi?" Wenxian muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.
But Ye Xiu wasn't just keeping up. He was pushing Wang to his limits. As the battle dragged on, the audience could feel the intensity building. Ye Xiu's calm demeanour and calculated strategies were beginning to frustrate Wang, whose unorthodox playstyle wasn't enough to throw Ye Xiu off balance.
Then, in a sudden turn of events, Ye Xiu made his move. With a combination of perfectly timed dodges and attacks, he managed to trap Wang's character in a corner, delivering a series of devastating strikes that left the veteran player reeling. Within moments, Wang's health bar dropped to zero, and the words Victory flashed across Ye Xiu's screen.
The room fell silent briefly, stunned by what they had just witnessed.
Wang Jiexi had lost. And not just lost—he had been outplayed.
"Holy… Did you see that?" one of the younger players whispered, his eyes wide with shock.
Wenxian, who had been watching with a smirk, now looked visibly uncomfortable. Zhang Jiale sat back in his chair, his expression unreadable.
But Ye Xiu wasn't done.
The competition continued, and match after match, he systematically dismantled his opponents. His gameplay was flawless, his strategies sharp and unpredictable. No one had expected him to be this good. With each victory, the room grew more and more tense, the other players beginning to realize that the quiet, reserved newcomer was a force to be reckoned with.
By the time the final match arrived, Ye Xiu had taken down nearly everyone who had doubted him. He stood on the brink of securing his place in Excellent Era—not as the charity case or the know-it-all, but as a true contender.
His final opponent was Chang Wenxian.
The tension in the room was palpable as the two sat across from each other, their eyes locked in silent determination. Wenxian had been one of Ye Xiu's biggest critics, constantly belittling him and questioning his place on the team. Now, they were about to settle the score.
The match began, and the battle was fierce from the start. Wenxian was a skilled player, aggressive and relentless, but Ye Xiu remained calm and focused, anticipating his every move. The two traded blow after blow, their characters moving at breakneck speed across the screen.
But as the match wore on, it became clear that Ye Xiu was in control. His movements were precise, and his strategies flawless. Every time Wenxian tried to gain the upper hand, Ye Xiu countered with a move that left him vulnerable.
In the final moments of the match, Ye Xiu delivered the finishing blow, ending the fight in a decisive victory.
Cheers erupted from the players who had been watching in stunned silence. Even the ones who had doubted him couldn't help but acknowledge the skill they had just witnessed.
Wenxian sat back in his chair, defeated, his face a mixture of frustration and disbelief.
Ye Xiu stood up, his heart racing with adrenaline. He had done it. He had proven them all wrong. The whispers, the bullying, the doubt—it all faded away as the reality of his victory settled in.
He had earned his place in the Excellent Era.