The energy in the air was palpable as teams and spectators gathered at the Starlight Arena, a vast venue that was buzzing with excitement. The lights shone brightly on the expansive stage, where massive screens were set up to broadcast the matches in real time. This was no ordinary event, and the stakes were higher than anyone had anticipated.
Blue Rain and Tiny Herb were the first to face off, and as their teams prepared to enter the arena, the tension built. Fans from both teams waved banners, cheering loudly for their favourites. Tiny Herb's coach, Bao Rongxing, stood at the back, a small, satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his lips. His team was ready.
On the opposite side, Huang Shaotian and his team were gathered, finalizing their strategy. Huang had never looked more focused, his usually playful demeanour now replaced with a laser-sharp determination. Yu Wenzhou gave a glance at his team, reading the anticipation on their faces. They were up against a new Tiny Herb—different, stronger, faster. But Blue Rain wouldn't back down.
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena. "Welcome, everyone, to the first match of the event! On one side, we have the skilled and strategic Tiny Herb, led by the formidable Wang Jiexi! And on the other side, the unpredictable and powerful Blue Rain, led by none other than Huang Shaotian!"
The teams entered the stage, greeted by the roar of the crowd. Blue Rain's players exchanged glances with Tiny Herb, each side studying the other's demeanour. Tiny Herb was unusually calm, and Blue Rain couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
The host took the stage, his voice cutting through the excitement. "Now, before we begin, let's go over the rules of the match! Each match will have three rounds, and each round will be a team battle. However, there's a special rule in place for this event. If any team loses a player—meaning if a character dies in the game—the entire team will lose that round!"
Gasps echoed through the audience. The rule was unforgiving. Losing even a single player would mean an automatic loss for the round. It wasn't just about strategy and skill anymore—it was about protecting every member of the team.
Ye Xiu, Su Mucheng, and the rest of Excellent Era were seated in the audience, watching the screen intently. Ye Xiu frowned slightly, his mind already racing through the implications of this new rule. "That's going to make things tough," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "They have to protect their weakest link at all costs."
Su Mucheng nodded in agreement. "No room for error. This isn't just about attacking anymore—it's survival."
The arena was buzzing with excitement, but the tension among the teams was undeniable. Both Tiny Herb and Blue Rain listened carefully to the new rule, understanding the weight it carried. One wrong move could mean losing the entire match.
The announcer's voice rang out again. "Alright! Let's get this match started!"
The countdown began, and the crowd roared as the screens showed the virtual world of Glory loading up. Tiny Herb and Blue Rain took their positions, their characters spawning in opposite corners of the map.
"Three… two… one… FIGHT!"
The first round began with a flash, and the audience erupted in cheers. Both teams moved swiftly, but from the very beginning, it was clear that Tiny Herb was not the same team that Blue Rain had faced before. Their movements were sharper, faster, and more coordinated than ever.
Huang Shaotian's character, Troubling Rain, dashed through the battlefield, his dual swords flashing as he weaved through Tiny Herb's attacks. But something was off. Wang Jiexi, known for his unpredictable and erratic playstyle, was unusually calm. His character, Vaccaria, stayed at the back, orchestrating the movements of his team with eerie precision.
Within the first few minutes of the game, the unexpected happened. Gao Yingjie, Tiny Herb's rising star, took advantage of a momentary opening and launched a devastating attack on Blue Rain's Mo Fan. His character, Flying Sword, was caught off guard, and before anyone could react, his health bar dropped to zero.
The screen flashed red. Blue Rain has lost a player. Tiny Herb wins the first round.
The crowd gasped in shock, unable to believe how quickly the tables had turned. Blue Rain had just lost their youngest player, and with it, the first round of the match. Even Huang Shaotian, who usually had something to say about everything, was momentarily stunned.
In the audience, Ye Xiu watched closely. He saw Wang Jiexi's smirk—just for a second—but it was enough. "Tiny Herb's playing a dangerous game," Ye Xiu said quietly, his eyes narrowing. "They're not just relying on skill. There's something else going on."
The second round began, and this time, Blue Rain was determined not to let Tiny Herb catch them off guard. Huang Shaotian led the charge, his character darting through the battlefield with renewed aggression. He wasn't going to let Gao Yingjie or Wang Jiexi get the upper hand again.
The crowd roared as Yu Wenzhou's Swoksaar unleashed a flurry of dark magic attacks, keeping Tiny Herb's frontline players at bay. Huang Shaotian followed up with a series of rapid strikes, using his signature skill, Flowing Light Slash, to pressure Tiny Herb's backline. But Tiny Herb was ready. Liu Xiaobie countered with his skill, Blade Storm, creating a whirlwind of attacks that forced Blue Rain to fall back.
The match was fast-paced, with both teams launching and countering attacks in a dazzling display of skill. Tiny Herb's movements were precise, their teamwork seamless. Wang Jiexi used his control over the battlefield to guide his team's attacks, while Gao Yingjie played the role of assassin, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
But Blue Rain wasn't backing down. Huang Shaotian's relentless aggression, paired with Yu Wenzhou's strategic brilliance, kept Tiny Herb on their toes. As the minutes passed, it became clear that this round was different. Both teams were playing defensively, aware that one mistake could cost them the game.
Fifteen minutes into the round, the tension was unbearable. Both teams were still intact, and no one had managed to land a killing blow. Tiny Herb launched another attack, but Blue Rain countered perfectly, using a combination of skills—Binding Curse from Yu Wenzhou and Water Arrow from Mo Fan—to hold off their opponents.
The match ended in a draw. Both teams had all their players alive, and neither had been able to secure a kill.
The arena was electric, the crowd on the edge of their seats. This event was turning out to be more intense than anyone had expected, and the third round promised to be even more explosive.
But as Ye Xiu watched from the stands, a strange feeling lingered in the back of his mind. Something wasn't right. Tiny Herb was playing too perfectly, too methodically. And that smirk from Wang Jiexi—it still bothered him.
The arena was filled with anticipation as both Tiny Herb and Blue Rain returned to their seats for the final round. Fans cheered, the tension mounting with every passing second. As the players settled into their usual positions, the host walked onto the stage with a smile that hinted at something unexpected.
"Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin the final round, there's one more twist," the host said, his voice booming through the speakers. The players, especially those from Blue Rain, exchanged nervous glances. "Our generous sponsor has requested an additional challenge for these incredibly talented teams. For this final round, you will not be using your usual characters. Instead, you must switch to characters you've never used before in this event!"
The announcement hit like a bombshell.
The Blue Rain team was visibly caught off guard. Huang Shaotian, typically brimming with confidence, leaned forward, eyes wide in disbelief. "Switch characters?" he muttered under his breath. "This is insane!"
Yu Wenzhou frowned, already trying to think of alternatives. Huang leaned over to him, his voice barely above a whisper, "We need time to regroup. This changes everything!"
On the other side, however, Tiny Herb sat unnervingly calm. Wang Jiexi's composed demeanour gave nothing away. There was no shock, no scrambling for a plan—only cold, calculated readiness. It was almost as if they had known about this rule all along. Gao Yingjie sat confidently, his eyes betraying no signs of discomfort. The team's collective calmness was chilling as if they had practised under these exact circumstances.
Huang Shaotian quickly asked for time to reorganize with his team. "Ten minutes. We need ten minutes to sort this out."
The host obliged, and Blue Rain huddled together. "This isn't good," Mo Fan said, his face tight with worry. "We're being forced to play out of our comfort zone."
Yu Wenzhou nodded, his brain running at full speed. "We'll have to adapt fast. They want us to panic. We can't let them see us unravel."
Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and the players were back at their stations, faces set in determination. The crowd erupted as the screens lit up, displaying the selection of new characters for the teams. This was a rare sight—players being forced to step into unfamiliar roles.
Blue Rain had to choose quickly:
Huang Shaotian selected Warlock, a caster class known for its trickery and control, a far cry from his usual swordsman role. Yu Wenzhou chose Striker, a melee-focused fighter. Mo Fan picked Launcher, a high-damage ranged character that would be tricky to master on short notice.
On the other side, Tiny Herb made their choices effortlessly:
Wang Jiexi chose Sharpshooter, a precise and deadly ranged character. Gao Yingjie picked Cleric, focusing on support, which would give Tiny Herb more sustainability in battle. Liu Xiaobie selected Berserker, a high-damage but risky melee class.
The match began, and the tension in the air was palpable. From the start, it was clear that Tiny Herb had the upper hand. Their movements were too smooth, too practiced, even with unfamiliar characters. It was as if they had prepared for this exact scenario.
Huang Shaotian struggled to adapt to his new role as a Warlock. His usual aggressive, in-your-face playstyle was restrained by the Warlock's need for patience and control. Tiny Herb exploited this, forcing him into awkward situations where he couldn't make full use of his abilities.
Meanwhile, Wang Jiexi was commanding the battlefield with precise shots from his Sharpshooter, constantly applying pressure to Blue Rain's backline. Gao Yingjie's Cleric provided critical heals at the perfect moments, ensuring that no Tiny Herb player was ever in danger of being eliminated.
Despite Blue Rain's initial struggles, they weren't backing down. Yu Wenzhou's tactical mind shone through as he started to make calculated decisions, using his Striker's mobility to disrupt Tiny Herb's flow. Mo Fan, though unfamiliar with the Launcher class, unleashed a barrage of high-damage attacks, forcing Tiny Herb to retreat momentarily.
The match was an intense back-and-forth. Blue Rain's strategies were remarkable, especially considering how unfamiliar they were with their new characters. But Tiny Herb… they were too perfect. It was as if they had been playing with these characters for months.
As the match progressed, Huang Shaotian began to grow more frustrated. His attempts to trap Tiny Herb with Warlock's control skills were countered flawlessly by Gao Yingjie's healing, and his usual unpredictable style was being stifled.
Then, in a moment of chaos, Tiny Herb found their opening.
Wang Jiexi's Sharpshooter targeted Blue Rain's weakest link, Lu Hanwen. The young player, still struggling to control the Launcher, made a critical error—overextending during an attack. Wang Jiexi's shots hit their mark, and before Blue Rain could react, Mo Fan's health bar plummeted to zero.
The screen flashed. Blue Rain has lost a player. Tiny Herb wins the final round.
The arena erupted into deafening cheers from Tiny Herb's supporters. Their victory was decisive, and the crowd couldn't get enough of their near-flawless performance. The tension broke as fans jumped from their seats, roaring with excitement for the winning team.
But in the midst of all the celebration, Ye Xiu sat in the stands, his eyes narrowing. Something wasn't right.
He glanced toward Tiny Herb's coach, Bao Rongxing. The man's cold expression didn't match the triumph of his team. His arms were crossed, his face unreadable, but then—just for a moment—Ye Xiu caught a glimpse of something unsettling.
A smirk. Small, but unmistakable. Bao Rongxing was looking directly at him, his lips curling into a grin that sent a chill down Ye Xiu's spine.
For a brief second, their eyes met, and the smirk widened.
Ye Xiu felt a wave of unease wash over him. Something dark was lurking beneath the surface of Tiny Herb's newfound power, and Ye Xiu knew this victory was only the beginning of something far more dangerous.