Volume One, Chapter One: The Alliance of Heroes and the Fate of the Nation!

“Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable…”

“The nationally favored champion team, Emberlight, has ultimately lost to Hanwha, the seventh-ranked team from the Rod Nation, thus failing to advance to the top 48 of the Divine Arena.”

“With this, nine of the ten teams representing Huaxia have been eliminated, leaving only the Qilin team still in contention.”

“But the situation for the Qilin team is bleak as well. Although they currently hold 10 points, if they lose one more match, the 20-point deduction will knock them out due to insufficient points.”

“We can only hope that Qilin’s next opponent isn’t too strong. If they manage to win just one more match, Huaxia still has a faint chance of breaking into the top 48 again!”

...

Across all streaming platforms, when the official commentators sorrowfully announced the elimination of Emberlight and the looming crisis facing Huaxia, the collective expression of the people darkened profoundly.

Some fragile souls broke down in tears, overwhelmed by despair.

“It’s over, it’s truly over. Huaxia is finished.”

“Our strongest team, Emberlight, couldn’t even beat the Rod Nation’s seventh-ranked Hanwha. How could our weakest team, Qilin, possibly stand against other nations?”

“Why? Why are Huaxia’s teams getting weaker? If I recall correctly, in the second and third Divine Arena tournaments, our teams still made it into the top 48.”

“But in the following fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh tournaments, the best Huaxia could do was 53rd place. We haven’t made the top 48 since then!”

“Is there no hope left for Huaxia? If we continue to pour resources into this year’s competition, will Huaxia be on the verge of annihilation?”

Despair engulfed every Huaxia citizen’s heart, and beyond despair, they had no recourse.

Since the Divine Arena appeared on Blue Star eight years ago, the fate of every nation on the planet has been tied to this arena.

Two hundred countries from around the world each select ten teams annually to compete. The top 48 ranked nations earn the right to send an additional team, forming the 2,048 competing squads in each Divine Arena tournament.

Though numerous teams participate, only 48 advance to the knockout stage.

Once qualified, the teams’ countries share in the resources forfeited by the eliminated nations and gain exclusive Divine Arena rewards!

This battle for national destiny lasts three months.

After the competition, teams that make the top 48 can claim any resources they desire based on their knockout stage rankings:

Cutting-edge scientific knowledge beyond Blue Star’s limits!

Cultivation techniques not native to Blue Star!

Essential commodities like oil, minerals, fresh water, and electricity!

Even rare alien technologies and space weaponry!

But the prerequisite is clear: teams must break into the top 48.

Otherwise, their countries must pay resource penalties corresponding to their elimination rank.

Refusal to pay invites divine retribution: natural disasters and calamities will befall the nation!

This grim reality is why Huaxia’s people, including the official commentators, are engulfed in hopelessness.

All nine of Huaxia’s top teams, ranked first through ninth, have been knocked out. Only the tenth-ranked Qilin team remains.

How could they possibly save Huaxia from ruin?

At the same time, in the Imperial Capital, Huaxia’s National Combat Center.

Though the vast center was filled with 50 competing players and over a hundred support staff, a heavy silence prevailed—silent enough to hear a pin drop.

Every face was grave, eyes clouded with confusion and despair.

“Sorry... we have let everyone down.”

Only when Liu Jinyang, captain of Emberlight, bowed deeply and apologized did the stifling atmosphere ease somewhat.

“Jinyang, this loss isn’t your fault. It’s the entire coaching team’s failure.”

“None of us expected that Hanwha, a team already almost guaranteed a spot in the top 48, would suddenly pull out a mid-lane Galio against us!”

“Galio... I thought only Lee Yucheng, the champion player from the Rod Nation’s top team, ever used that hero. Yet Hanwha’s mid laner mastered it just as well!”

Chang Guangming, the head coach of Huaxia’s ten teams, spoke with regret. If it weren’t for that mid-lane Galio’s ultimate, ‘Hero’s Entrance,’ providing relentless support, Emberlight wouldn’t have fallen irreparably behind before the 20-minute mark.

“Now, it’s up to you.”

“Wang Yaozu, I hope you can lead the Qilin team to withstand the pressure and win this crucial match!”

Chang Guangming turned toward a corner of the combat center where Wang Yaozu, captain of Qilin, and his four teammates sat.

...

At the Qilin team’s bench, Wang Yaozu’s name being called made him slowly open his eyes—only to be utterly bewildered.

“Didn’t I just rank first on the Korean server at the internet cafe? How did I suddenly end up in this strange place?”

“Emberlight? Qilin? Divine Arena?”

“What are all these? Can someone please send me back? I was planning to try out for the RNG team tomorrow!”

Wang Yaozu shouted inwardly. But the next moment, a sharp pain surged through him, flooding his mind with memories.

He had traveled through time and space!

He had arrived in a parallel world called Blue Star!

But unlike Earth, eight years ago, a Divine Arena named ‘League of Legends’ descended upon Blue Star. Nations that win matches gain coveted resources.

Conversely, losing means losing national resources!

Once, Huaxia was strong, breaking into the global top 48 in the second and third Divine Arena tournaments.

But repeated defeats in the subsequent four tournaments caused their rankings to plummet, pushing Huaxia’s resources to the brink of exhaustion.

If they fail to break into the top 48 again this year, Huaxia could face extinction!

“No way... I just transmigrated here, and Huaxia is already on the brink of annihilation?”

“And really, using League of Legends as the Divine Arena contest feels a bit frivolous, doesn’t it?”

Wang Yaozu stared dumbfounded, struggling to accept the truth.

What troubled him more was that nine out of ten Huaxia teams had already been eliminated!

“How is it possible? Back on Earth, Huaxia’s teams at least made the top eight in the World Championship. Why can’t they even break into the top 48 here on Blue Star?”

“The number one Emberlight lost to the Rod Nation’s seventh-ranked Hanwha? That’s almost as shocking as Top Esports losing to Vietnam’s team!”

Wang Yaozu ranted silently.

But then, a wave of joy surged within him.

Though he had no idea what this so-called Divine Arena truly entailed, he was the Korean server’s number one and on the cusp of turning pro.

If he could use his skills to help Huaxia win the Divine Arena...

Then this inexplicable transmigration would not have been in vain!