NOVEL NEXT Chapter 244: Match 1, Day 1
Time moved fast.
Fans created hype for their team.
Pro players locked themselves in isolation, locking in to train.
For some reason, it felt like the stakes of this World Cup were even greater than the weight and stake of the first World Cup.
English, Japanese, and Chinese fans especially went at loggerheads with each other, as all 3 nation teams promoted the face of their team.
For England, it was God Noah, the Godfather of Warstar, Lord Doom.
For China, it was Meng Wu Ya, the Sword God, Autumn Rain.
As for Japan, it was Takeshi Mizuno, Ghost of Tsushima. After the first World Cup 2 years ago, this captain decided to edit and change his Avatar's name.
To him, he was the Ghost of Japan's past… the Samurai that will lead Japan to the very first Warstar World Cup trophy of the nation's history.
With all these creating an atmosphere of anticipation and speculation in China, time moved even faster and before anyone could tell, D-day was here.
…
[Location: Zhonghua Zenith Stadium, Shanghai, China]
[Match 1 - Day 1]
[Fixture: Japan vs France]
Like the first Warstar World Cup tournament in USA 2 years ago, the Warstar World Cup starts with the opening ceremony… the symphony of Realms.
The moment the world had been waiting for…
The stadium lights dimmed suddenly, plunging the Zhonghua Zenith into a sea of darkness. Then…
BOOM!
A single spotlight pierced the sky, and the stadium erupted in a cascade of color as thousands of drones swirled in harmony, forming the emblem of the Warstar World Cup high above the arena.
The ground trembled as Kairos X, a global music phenomenon and known Warstar fanatic rose from the center stage, his outfit a cross between futuristic armor and a shimmering royal cape.
His voice soared as he sang "Symphony of Realms", an anthem composed specifically for this World Cup.
Behind him, holographic dragons, warships, and legendary Avatars danced in the sky, each representing the eight competing nations. The LED panels across the stadium rippled with fantasy battle scenes and blazing spellwork, invoking the essence of Warstar.
As Kairos X closed the anthem, golden phoenixes (pyrotechnic drones) burst from the main archway, drawing roars from a global audience.
The stage pulsed one final time.
"LET THE WARSTAR WORLD CUP… BEGIN!!!"
At the same time that the commentator announced, Team Japan and Team France walked out from the tunnel into the stadium, climbing the stage where their respective player booths were already arranged for the game.
As they walked in, the stadium exploded, as excited fans in the black of Japan and blue of France roared, creating a cacophony of noise in the stadium.
And then, it started.
[LOADING…]
[FIRST ROUND: INDIVIDUAL BATTLES]
[Battle 1: Takeshi "Ghost of Tsushima – Paladin" vs Claude "La Tempete – Blademaster".]
Like expected, Japan's fiery captain, Takeshi Mizuno stepped out first to represent his team for the first individual battle round. He was the anchor.
He controlled his gleaming white-gold Paladin Avatar, Ghost of Tsushima, whose armor radiated with sakura-pink light, proudly wielding 2 SS-Rank weapons, his shield and long sword.
Claude's La Tempete didn't look totally weak in front of this fearsome Paladin though. With his twin katanas, he was a force to behold too.
And when the battle started, it was an instant classic.
Claude was relentless with his twin katanas, dashing in a whirlwind of slashes. But Takeshi played with methodical grace, using shield bashes and parries that mirrored samurai duels.
When Claude tried a final desperate assault, Takeshi activated "Sanctum's Reversal", reflecting the killing blow and stunning the crowd with a divine counter.
That did it.
---<VICTORY>---
[Japan: 1 point]
[France: 0 point]
"VICTORY for Japan!" The commentator screamed at the end of the epic clash. "And the Ghost rises with honor!"
The second individual battle loaded. This time, it was between Yumi, one of the Japanese players who controlled a Mechanic – Snowgear, and Juliette for Franc who controlled an Elementalist – Aether Flame.
The battlefield became a mechanical jungle, turrets spinning and drones darting, until Juliette vaporized half the map with an elemental burst.
An Awakened level skill was not enough to vaporize half a map.
What Juliette did was similar to what Caleb once did in the game long ago, taking advantage of the characteristics of the arena terrain, and collapsing the terrain with precise calculations and well-timed skill activations.
Yumi countered with an EMP, but it was too late. Juliette's firestorm overwhelmed his defenses.
---<VICTORY>---
[Japan: 1 point]
[France: 1 point]
That win was a statement from France.
Japan thought they were going to claim a clean sweep, win flawlessly, and France just sent them a message that they were dreaming.
They would make the first clash of the tournament a nightmare for the fearsome Japanese team.
The 3rd individual battle was between Ryuu, who controlled an Assassin Avatar – Shadow Lotus, and France's Pascal who controlled a Paladin – Titan's Chain.
It was a heavy clash of defense vs speed.
Pascal's iron defense seemed unbeatable, but Ryuu exploited his blind spots with surgical teleportation.
The final blow was brutal, Ryuu teleporting behind the Paladin mid-charge, delivering a neck strike that froze the arena.
---<VICTORY>---
[Japan: 2 points]
[France: 1 point]
Japan won the individual battle round 2-1, and there was no rest in between. They moved straight to the 3 vs 3 battle rush.
[LOADING…]
[SECOND ROUND: 3 VS 3 BATTLE RUSH]
[Japan's Team:]
>Ghost of Tsushima [Paladin].
>CryoDance [Elementalists].
>Iron Tusk [Berserker].
[France's Team:]
>Pulse [Combat Mage].
>La Tempete [Blademaster].
>Whisperlock [Thief].
After losing against Takeshi convincingly in the Individual battle round, France's captain did not make the mistake of stubbornly deciding to anchor the 3 vs 3 battle rush to get his rematch against Takeshi immediately.
Rather, he made a tactically sound decision, deciding to go last. That was France's best hope of winning the 3 vs 3 battle rush.
And it started.
It started with Ghost of Tsushima vs Pulse.
Pulse opened with relentless spell barrages; lightning and kinetic force hammering Takeshi's shield. But Ghost of Tsushima weathered the storm.
Takeshi bided his time, then dashed forward with "Heavenfall Judgement", stunning Pulse and striking him down with a devastating combo at 32% HP.
The second battle was Ghost of Tsushima vs Whisperlock.
The Thief entered from the shadows; silent, lethal. But unlike what he expected, he failed to catch Takeshi offguard. Takeshi was ready.
He activated Spectral Sense from the onset, a high level Paladin skill that countered all stealth attacks, ignoring its rapid MP drain.
Once he found the Thief, it was easy.
In a poetic finish, he cast "Last Rite", shielding himself and finishing Whisperlock mid-lunge. The crowd went insane.
Takeshi now stood at just 11% HP, but he just completed a 2v1!
The third battle of the 3 vs 3 battle rush was Ghost of Tsushima vs La Tempete. Claude's tactical decisions were not exactly going according to plan. And here it was, a rematch from the first duel.
But Claude came in hot. He pressed Takeshi relentlessly. Eventually, the Ghost fell with honor, having taking a crazy chunk of his opponent's HP.
Takeshi was in the zone state already.
He lost, but the 2 for 1 trade was massive.
The final 3 vs 3 battle was between CryoDance and La Tempete, the French captain already at 15% HP.
It didn't last long.
CryoDance opened with an ice nova and finished Claude with a frozen blade mid-spin, ending it within less than a minute after the clash started.
---<VICTORY>---
And with that, Japan won a second round of this epic battle, putting them in prime position to win it all.
[Japan: 5 points]
[France: 1 point]
"One man, two victories, countless chills," the commentator started, his voice filled with excitement. "The Ghost of Tsushima is very real!"
And then, the team battle.
[LOADING…]
[THIRD ROUND: TEAM BATTLE]
[Japan's Squad:]
>Ghost of Tsushima [Paladin] – Captain.
>Shadow Lotus [Assassin].
>Snowgear [Mechanic].
>CryoDance [Elementalist].
>Iron Tusk [Berserker].
[France's Squad:]
>Titan's Chain [Paladin].
>Aether Flame [Elementalist].
>Pulse [Combat Mage].
>Whisperlock [Thief].
>La Tempete [Blademaster] – Captain.
The final clash was here.
The map was Twin Peaks Monastery, a symmetrical field with divine altars and fog-covered bridges.
As soon as the battle started, both teams exploded.
Snowgear's drones lit up flankers.
CryoDance blanketed one bridge in frost. And on another side, Iron Tusk surged forward like a wrecking ball.
France tried to pick off CryoDance, but Ghost of Tsushima leapt across terrain with "Divine Interception", shielding her mid-spell.
La Tempete flanked and nearly killed Snowgear, until Shadow Lotus blinked behind him and ended it with a devastating combo.
The team battle was intense, ever-changing across minutes, but in the final moment, Takeshi gathered his team under an altar.
He raised his sword.
["Shatter the storm!"] He typed, and then…
KABOOM!
They combined ultimates; Awakened level skills, frost, shadow, steel, dronefire, and holy light into a divine explosion.
It was inescapable, and it engulfed the last of France's survivors.
The battlefield went white, and then…
---<VICTORY>---
[Japan: 10 points]
[France: 1 point]
The post-match reactions in the stadium in China was crazy.
Japan's fans were in tears. Fireworks exploded as Takeshi, the Ghost of Tsushima, knelt and tapped his sword to the ground in a traditional bow.
A gesture of humility… and victory.
"A samurai led a squad of misfits and made believers of us all," one commentator said in a shrill voice. "Once again, Japan are favorites this World Cup!"
France's players exited the stadium with heavy hearts but heads held high. They were eliminated by a tournament favorite.