Legacy of the Stars

The cheers from the audience still echoed in the background, but the atmosphere in the locker room was anything but celebratory. The team sat in silence, sweat dripping from their brows, the adrenaline of the match wearing off. Liu Cheng leaned against the table, his arms crossed, staring at the tactical screen replaying highlights of their recent battle against Starborn Legacy.

"They were good," Lin Mei said, breaking the silence. "But something felt... wrong."

"Wrong doesn't even begin to cover it," Zhang Wei muttered, throwing his gloves onto the bench. "That wasn't just Starborn we were fighting. That fog—those anomalies—they weren't natural."

Jiang Yan nodded, his face pale. "I checked the system logs while the match was still live. There were irregularities everywhere. This wasn't just lag or a glitch. Someone was tampering with the arena in real-time."

Liu Cheng's eyes narrowed. "Phantom."

The room fell silent again. The name carried weight now, more than just a whisper in the digital corridors of the tournament. Phantom was no longer just a rumor; they were a threat.

---

A New Challenge

The next morning, the team gathered in their designated strategy room. A large holographic map of the tournament's standings hovered in the air. Teams were dropping out one by one, citing technical issues, unexplained disqualifications, and even alleged sabotage.

"This is bigger than just us," Lin Mei said, scrolling through reports. "Phantom's reach is spreading. If they're not stopped, this tournament could collapse."

"But why target us specifically?" Jiang Yan asked, his voice tinged with frustration. "We're not even the top seed."

"They're not targeting just us," Liu Cheng replied, his tone measured. "They're testing something. Every team they interfere with provides data. Strategies, weaknesses, reactions under pressure—they're gathering it all."

"Testing for what?" Zhang Wei asked, arms crossed.

Liu Cheng shook his head. "I don't know. But I intend to find out."

---

The Phantom's Warning

Later that night, Liu Cheng sat alone in the dimly lit strategy room, poring over match footage and system logs. His eyes were red from lack of sleep, but his mind was sharp. Suddenly, the screen flickered.

"Hello, Strategist."

The words appeared in bold white letters against a black background. Liu Cheng froze.

"Phantom," he whispered.

"Impressive performance today. But you're digging where you shouldn't. Stop now, or there will be consequences."

Liu Cheng's jaw tightened. "What do you want?"

The reply came instantly.

"The same thing you do: control. But unlike you, I know how to wield it."

"What are you trying to achieve?" Liu Cheng demanded, his voice rising.

The screen flickered again, and an image replaced the text—a distorted map of the tournament arena. Several areas glowed red.

"This is your next match. Consider it a... preview."

Before Liu Cheng could respond, the screen went dark, and the room fell silent.

---

Preparations

The next day, Liu Cheng called an emergency meeting. "Phantom's making their move. Our next match will be tampered with, just like the last one. But this time, they've warned us."

Lin Mei frowned. "Why would they warn us? That doesn't make sense."

"They want to see how we react," Liu Cheng explained. "It's another test. They're confident we'll fail."

Zhang Wei smirked. "Then let's prove them wrong."

The team spent hours crafting contingency plans. Liu Cheng analyzed every possible scenario Phantom could throw at them, preparing counter-strategies for fog manipulation, system glitches, and even simulated enemy reinforcements.

"Remember," Liu Cheng said, addressing the team. "They'll try to divide us, confuse us. But our strength lies in our coordination. Trust the plan, and trust each other."

---

The Match

The arena for their next match was unlike anything they'd faced before—a sprawling desert with towering sand dunes and unpredictable windstorms. As the countdown began, Liu Cheng's pulse quickened.

10... 9... 8...

"Stay sharp," he reminded the team. "This is going to be unlike anything we've faced."

The match began, and almost immediately, the sandstorm intensified, reducing visibility to near zero. Communications became distorted, and the terrain shifted beneath their feet, as if the system itself was alive.

"Lin Mei, report!" Liu Cheng called out, his voice crackling through static.

"I'm pinned down!" Lin Mei's voice was faint but urgent. "Two opponents in the north quadrant!"

"Hold on, I'm on my way!" Zhang Wei replied.

Liu Cheng pulled up his tactical map, only to find it glitching. Enemy markers flickered in and out of existence, making it impossible to track movements.

"They're scrambling our systems," Jiang Yan reported. "We're flying blind."

"Then we'll do this the old-fashioned way," Liu Cheng said, determination in his voice.

---

Phantom's Trap

As the match progressed, it became clear that Phantom had manipulated the arena to create an impossible situation. Opponents appeared out of nowhere, the terrain shifted unpredictably, and even their own weapons malfunctioned.

But Liu Cheng refused to back down. "Stick to the plan!" he ordered. "Lin Mei, regroup with Zhang Wei. Jiang Yan, focus on defense. I'll handle the interference."

Using his deep understanding of the game mechanics, Liu Cheng began to identify patterns in the chaos. Phantom's manipulations weren't random—they followed a logic, a rhythm.

"I've got it!" Liu Cheng exclaimed. "They're using a looped algorithm to disrupt the terrain. If we time our movements right, we can exploit the gaps."

The team followed his lead, executing maneuvers with precision. Slowly but surely, they turned the tide, dismantling the opposing team's strategy piece by piece.

---

Victory and a Warning

As the match timer ticked down, Glory International secured their victory. The crowd erupted, but Liu Cheng's focus remained on the screen.

Another message appeared:

"Well played, Strategist. But the game is far from over."

Liu Cheng stared at the words, his resolve hardening. "Bring it on," he muttered.