The morning sun gleamed brightly over the arena as fans from all over gathered to witness one of the most anticipated matches of the national championship: Excellent Era versus Blue Rain. Banners waved, fans chanted, and the energy in the air was electric.
Inside the arena, the atmosphere was a mix of excitement and tension as both teams prepared for battle. Cheerleaders for both teams stood ready, adding to the vibrant spectacle. Cameras flashed, and the lights shone brilliantly on the stage where the final match would be played.
The host, voice booming through the speakers, announced the players individually. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the national championship finals! First up, Excellent Era!"
As the spotlight shifted, Ye Xiu, the renowned captain of Excellent Era, stepped onto the stage, calm yet exuding confidence. His avatar, One Autumn Leaf, a Battle Mage, was one of the most feared characters in Glory. Following him was Liu Hao, who played the formidable Knight, Swoksaar, known for his calculated defensive strategies. Su Mucheng, their brilliant Launcher player, entered with a smile, controlling her iconic character Dancing Rain. Next came Qiu Fei, controlling Combat Form, a skilled Brawler, and lastly, Su Xiang, their Assassin, controlling the agile Shadow Dancer.
"And now, their rivals! Please welcome the lightning-fast Blue Rain!"
Blue Rain's leader, Huang Shaotian, entered with his usual charismatic flair, his fingers tapping an invisible keyboard as if already preparing for the match. He was known for his incredible speed, controlling the Blade Master, Troubling Rain. Behind him followed Yu Wenzhou, controlling the Tactician, Swoksaar—a mirror matchup against Liu Hao. Mo Fan, the elusive Assassin, Deception, and Lu Xiaobei, their aggressive Striker, known as Lunar Burst, completed the team. The crowd roared in anticipation, cheering wildly for both sides.
Once both teams were assembled, the host explained the rules. "This is a best-of-three match! However, if we reach two draws, the leaders of both teams will face off in a final round to decide the winner. May the best team prevail!"
As the players settled into their seats and readied their setups, Ye Xiu felt a familiar pulse of adrenaline. But something gnawed at him—a feeling he couldn't quite shake. His eyes drifted toward Su Xiang. The young Assassin had been making small, uncharacteristic mistakes during practice, and Ye Xiu was worried it would carry over into today's match. He leaned into his headset, his voice calm but firm. "Su Xiang, focus up. No mistakes."
The countdown began. 5…4…3…2…1…
Round One: Start!
Excellent Era moved swiftly into position, their strategy clear from the beginning—tight formation, carefully planned attacks, and quick responses. Ye Xiu led his team with precision, calling out instructions in rapid succession. But despite their strong start, Su Xiang faltered. A misstep here, a mistimed attack there. His Shadow Dancer moved out of sync with the rest of the team, leaving a gap in their defence.
"Su Xiang, tighten up," Ye Xiu commanded, sensing the growing imbalance.
But before Su Xiang could recover, he made another critical mistake, leaving himself exposed. Huang Shaotian's Troubling Rain darted in with lightning speed, landing a devastating combo that killed Shadow Dancer.
Ye Xiu grimaced. Losing Su Xiang this early was a huge blow. Now down a key player, Excellent Era was forced to go on the defensive. But they were far from beaten. Liu Hao's Swoksaar erected a solid defence, while Su Mucheng's Dancing Rain unleashed a barrage of heavy artillery from the backline, taking out one of Blue Rain's key players, Lunar Burst.
The game was neck and neck, but as the match progressed, Ye Xiu couldn't shake the feeling that Blue Rain was anticipating their every move. It was as if they could predict exactly what Excellent Era was planning. Despite their best efforts, Blue Rain managed to secure the win in the final moments, pushing Excellent Era into a corner and taking the first round.
Round One: Blue Rain Victory!
During the break, Ye Xiu gathered his team in a huddle. He was concerned about Su Xiang's performance. "Su Xiang, is something going on? You're making mistakes you shouldn't be making."
Su Xiang shook his head, looking down. "No, I'm just nervous, that's all."
Liu Hao, more outspoken, muttered under his breath. "Well, you better get over it fast, or we're losing this whole thing."
The second round started with even more intensity. The teams clashed once more, but it quickly became apparent that Blue Rain was again predicting Excellent Era's every move. Ye Xiu's commands seemed to fall short as Blue Rain danced around their attacks, capitalizing on every mistake. Once again, Su Xiang found himself out of position, leaving Su Mucheng vulnerable to an attack from Troubling Rain. Her lifeline was dangerously low, but Liu Hao swooped in just in time to save her.
The game was brutal and unforgiving, with both sides pushing their limits. But against all odds, Excellent Era managed to pull off a narrow victory, equalizing the score.
Round Two: Excellent Era Victory!
As they regrouped, Ye Xiu's eyes flickered toward Huang Shaotian, who exchanged a glance with Su Xiang. A small smirk played on Huang's face. Something wasn't right. But Ye Xiu couldn't afford to let that distract him now. Not with everything on the line.
For the final round, Ye Xiu made a drastic decision. He assigned Su Xiang to play in the outer frame, limiting his role to ensure that his mistakes wouldn't affect the core team's performance. The match began, and this time Ye Xiu decided to change his playstyle entirely. His usual calculated, methodical approach was replaced with unpredictable, aggressive tactics. One Autumn Leaf unleashed a barrage of unfamiliar skills, including Dragon Rises, Skystrike, and Cloud Piercer, skills that even his team hadn't seen in practice.
Blue Rain struggled to keep up. Huang Shaotian's predictions were failing him. Every move he anticipated was met with something new, something unexpected. Ye Xiu's adaptability and creativity shone through as he led his team with precision and finesse.
Mo Fan's Deception tried to counter Ye Xiu's advance, but One Autumn Leaf dodged with lightning speed, countering with a series of combos that left Mo Fan struggling to recover. Liu Hao's Swoksaar and Su Mucheng's Dancing Rain worked in perfect tandem, pressuring Blue Rain's backline while controlling the pace of the match.
The final moments were intense, both teams pushing their limits, but Excellent Era's coordinated attacks and Ye Xiu's brilliant leadership brought the match to a dramatic end.
Final Round: Excellent Era Victory!
The arena erupted in cheers as the screen flashed the final result. Excellent Era Victory!
Ye Xiu sat back, exhaling deeply. He glanced over at Su Xiang, who looked away, guilt evident in his expression. Something was definitely off, and Ye Xiu would get to the bottom of it. But for now, they had done it. They had won.