League of Legends: League of Unknowns

Yu Luocheng watched Zhao Tinghua with a frown. He hadn’t expected him to bring a personal grudge into this event.

He had to admit, though: It was a brilliant move.

The title of world champion was one you had to fight for. Whenever the current champion was challenged, the duel ought to be carried out in public view. If the challenger proved victorious, he could approach the International E-Sports Federation to register himself as the new world champion of gaming.¹

Naturally, this registration process was very complicated. You couldn’t lose the title just because of one game. However, the Federation had made the option available in order to keep the reigning champion under tremendous pressure, while at the same time providing a goal for everyone else to strive towards.

There were many who coveted Yu Luocheng’s vaunted throne, among them Asmodai himself. Sadly, Asmodai lacked the right to challenge Luocheng.

From Tinghua’s point of view, since Luocheng had withdrawn from the competitive e-sports scene, he was no longer worthy of such a prized title. Someone ought to take it from him!

One way to do this was to defeat him in a solo duel!

It wasn’t just Tinghua—countless elite gamers around the world had their sights set on usurping Luocheng’s throne. Any one of them would leap at such a chance.

The MC, commentators, and the people in the audience were unfamiliar with the rules and specifics governing such international e-sports matters. There was still so little awareness across the nation regarding this field—nothing like how other countries fought tooth-and-nail for glory.

Su Mei and Qi Qiao were unaware of the true stakes behind this duel. They just wanted to see Blood Eagle and the Team Skycrown coach go at it.

But everyone on Team Skycrown—Xiao Bei included—knew what Blood Eagle was really after. He was seeking to dethrone Luocheng, and rise to that most exalted position among gamers!

“Zhao Tinghua, it’s been two years since our captain left the professional scene. Even the Federation has quietly acknowledged that in spite of his departure, he remains a legend. Your challenge is dishonorable, the act of an opportunist!” Da Luo snarled vehemently.

There was only one world champion, and it was Yu Luocheng.

In that arena, against an assembly of the world’s greatest gamers, he’d competed in Starcraft, Warcraft 3, and DOTA. He’d gotten second place in Starcraft, but first place in the other two!

For one person to have taken part in all three events, and then to have trampled over the best in the world, ultimately becoming world champion… it was an unprecedented achievement at the time.

Neither in China nor anywhere else across the globe had anyone ever duplicated such a feat.

The International E-Sports Federation had bequeathed this highest of honors upon Yu Luocheng precisely because there was no one else who could get two golds and one silver, as he had done!

In those days, the only people who were even aware of the tournament’s existence were industry insiders. There was zero media coverage of the event, and it was virtually impossible to find recordings of the games that took place there—certainly, they weren’t available anywhere on the internet.

Abroad, Yu Luocheng’s triumph against established pro gamers across the world had brought him untold fame; within China, there was hardly anyone who had ever even heard about it. It may be amusing to know that this exact topic once came up during a game show, and neither the contestants nor anyone in the audience had half a clue.

This clearly demonstrated how little prestige the world of gaming commanded in China.

Yet, despite all the neglect and contempt that surrounded it, it was a glorious achievement nevertheless. It wasn’t something just anybody could lay claim to!

For Zhao Tinghua to imagine that he could simply challenge Yu Luocheng, win one solo duel against him, and then immediately snatch the title away for himself—it was the height of incredulity!

For starters, Luocheng had clearly announced his withdrawal from professional gaming. Even foreign players knew better than to seek him out in hopes of a chance to win his title for themselves. It was a matter of respect for a living legend who had stepped down.¹

Anyway, even if Tinghua won a single duel against him, would that really grant him the right, the audacity, to claim the same honor for himself? In that tournament, Luocheng defeated the premier gamers of his generation. Across thirty-seven separate rounds, he’d only lost two games of Starcraft, and one game of Warcraft—he’d been completely undefeated in DOTA!

During that World Cyber Games Solo Championship, the other elite contestants from China could only manage a 30% winning rate. A 50% winning rate would already have placed one head and shoulders above the rest. Luocheng’s 90% winning rate was a clear statement, an unshakable claim to his throne.

That title represented an ideal which many aspired to, but few could ever hope to surpass. It was the legacy of a contest of might with no parallel, a reminder of the height of Yu Luocheng’s pro gaming career!

Zhao Tinghua’s challenge was a show of utter disrespect. He was spitting upon what should be sacred!

He’d gone mad.

In the past, anyone who thought to challenge Luocheng for his crown would first have to get past Tinghua’s own considerable might. With such a formidable warrior defending his honor, few were they who dared to step forward.

Now, he himself was planning to clamber over Luocheng’s head? Was he really going to tear up the last tattered shred of friendship between them, and blow it in Luocheng’s face?

***

“Captain, pay no heed to this lunatic.” Da Luo was at the limit of his patience.

No matter what, they were former comrades. Luocheng’s retirement had caused misery for everyone, but life was a mess like that. Luocheng was only doing what he thought was best—there was no crime in that.

Moreover, he’d recently been giving his all for Team Skycrown.

He’d withdrawn from the battlefield, but his loyalty endured. Zhou Yan, Da Luo, and Lin Dong all knew this!

Now, they’d each gone their separate ways. Tinghua wanted to bring down Team Skycrown, crush them beneath his heel once and for all. The members of Team Skycrown themselves wouldn’t breathe a word in protest. If he wanted to take a shot at them, he could come right over and try it.

But if he was trying to take away the most precious moment in Luocheng’s life… that could not be allowed!

The day Luocheng had led them to victory over the rest of the world, Lin Dong, Zhou Yan, and Da Luo had taken it upon themselves to stand as defenders of his throne.

In his retirement, Luocheng’s skills might no longer be comparable to that of an elite professional gamer.

No matter. It changed nothing about their duty to him!

It wasn’t for the sake of some petty scrap of glory. It was because Yu Luocheng had always been, and would always be, the person they looked up to the most in the whole world. No one was allowed to trespass upon his pride!

“First, you’ll have to get past the three of us!” Da Luo snapped at Tinghua. Lin Dong and Zhou Yan nodded in unison.

Anyone who sought to challenge Yu Luocheng would first have to make it through this gauntlet. The crown of the world champion was not some mere trifle. Lin Dong, Zhao Tinghua, Zhou Yan, and Da Luo were all world-class players, the original honor guard.

In the face of Tinghua’s treachery, the other three refused to back down!

If he wanted to face F-Hawk, the world champion of gaming, it would have to be over their cold, dead bodies!