After months of fierce competition, spanning hundreds of cities across the nation, and carrying the dreams and sweat of over six hundred thousand players, this moment has finally arrived.
The Capital Gymnasium, a magnificent structure that has hosted countless sports and cultural galas, is destined to glow with unprecedented brilliance for e-sports tonight. In the early evening, as the last rays of the setting sun had not yet fully faded, the area around the stadium was already bustling with people and brightly lit. Countless young people, holding various cheering items and with team logos or national flag stickers on their faces, gathered from all directions like pilgrims, their faces brimming with excitement and anticipation. Long queues formed at the ticket gates, orderly and disciplined, and the air was filled with a festive joy and agitation.
Inside the venue, the final preparations were in full swing. Technical staff conducted the last signal tests before broadcasting, security personnel were in position, and event staff made final communications. In the backstage player lounge, the atmosphere was much more solemn. Players from thirty-two teams had all arrived, dressed in neat team uniforms. Some closed their eyes to rest, some conversed in low voices, and some repeatedly checked their peripherals. The air was thick with the tension of an impending battle.
Yan Han of the Magical and Beautiful Place - Dai Language team took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Through the monitor screen in the lounge, he could see the gradually filling seats in the stands, the swaying glow sticks and light boards like a vast sea of stars, making him feel both awestruck and somewhat suffocated.
At exactly seven o'clock in the evening, the tens of thousands of seats in the venue were almost full. The massive circular main screen suddenly went dark, and the venue lights slowly extinguished, leaving only the faint green glow of the emergency exits. The previously noisy venue instantly fell silent; everyone knew the feast was about to begin.
"Buzz—"
A low, penetrating chime, as if summoned from ancient times, echoed throughout the venue, reverberating in everyone's ears. Immediately after, the main screen suddenly lit up, displaying a magnificent dynamic panorama—the Runeterra map meticulously constructed for league of legends! The grand cities of Demacia, the fortresses of Noxus, the fairylands of Ionia, the ice fields of Freljord… The main city-states on the map lit up one by one, and finally, all the lights converged towards the center of the map, transforming into the ultimate stage for this tournament!
"Welcome to—league of legends!"
The familiar female voice from the game's login screen, amplified by the top-tier sound system, carried a solemn sense of ceremony, igniting the first wave of cheers from the entire audience!
Lights suddenly shone on the center of the stage, accompanied by the passionate and surging orchestral BGM specially composed for this Grand Final, officially kicking off the opening ceremony!
The music transitioned into a majestic march. Amidst the host's impassioned introduction, the first to enter were not the players, but the flags representing the thirty-two qualifying teams!
"First to enter, from the Eastern Division, the king of the Magic City—the Tiangong Team!"
A flag embroidered with a magnificent palace pattern, waved by the flag bearer, was the first to enter from one side of the stage, parading halfway around the arena. The Tiangong Team fan section below erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
"Following closely, also from the Eastern Division, the pride of the Jiangnan water towns—the Jiangnan Misty Rain Team!"
A flag with an ink-wash style, depicting misty rain, slowly floated past.
"Now approaching us, the overlord of the Southern Division, from Yangcheng—the Pojun Team!"
The black and gold Pojun Team battle flag, exuding an unparalleled sharp aura, drew continuous screams from the crowd.
"And, the biggest dark horse of this tournament, who created countless miracles—the Xinghuo Team!"
The flag with the'spark igniting a prairie fire' pattern, symbolizing resilience and hope, garnered extensive applause from neutral spectators.
Flags appeared one after another. When the Snowfield Wolf and Shu Road Mountain from the west, and the Bronze Wine Goblet and Forbidden City Peak from the north were introduced, enthusiastic applause also rang out. Especially when the uniquely ethnic Magical and Beautiful Place - Dai Language flag appeared, its distinctive pattern and story from the distant frontier elicited particularly kind and encouraging cheers from the entire audience.
Yan Han watched his team's flag wave under the gaze of thousands backstage, his nose tinged with emotion, and he clenched his fists tightly. At this moment, they represented not just themselves, but also the small frontier town that nurtured them.
Thirty-two flags, like thirty-two burning sparks of dreams, converged in the center of the stage, encircling the yet-to-be-unveiled championship trophy, forming a magnificent tableau. This was not only a tribute to the thirty-two strong teams but also to all participating cities and players nationwide!
After the flag parade concluded, the venue lights dimmed once more. The main screen, stage floor, and surrounding lighting installations synchronized to present a stunning holographic projection light show.
A giant Summoners Rift map was projected across the entire stage area, with the blue and red Nexus crystals shining brightly. Heroes' skill effects exploded across the venue in incredibly cool ways—Garen's "Demacian Justice" greatsword descended from the sky, Ashe's "Enchanted Crystal Arrow" streaked across the sky, Lee Sin's "Dragon's Rage" unleashed a shocking sound wave… Familiar skills were presented with epic effects, eliciting gasps of amazement from the audience.
Light and shadow intertwined, music soared, as if the entire stadium was pulled into that fantasy world full of magic and combat. Finally, all the light and shadow converged, forming the giant theme logo of this Grand Final in the center of the stage—"Heroes, Compete for the Peak!"
The lights came back on. On one side of the stage, a collaboration between a top domestic symphony orchestra and a renowned electronic music producer performed the theme song of this National City Hero Championship, "Fearless Journey"! Grand orchestral music and passionate electronic music perfectly blended, with powerful and resounding vocals singing of the hardships of climbing, the strength of teamwork, and the glory of ultimate coronation.
Accompanied by the song, the big screen rapidly flashed back classic moments from the qualifiers to the National City Hero Championship: the players' tense and focused expressions, the ecstatic hugs after victory, the regrettable tears after defeat, and countless ordinary players fighting in internet cafes and dorms… This was a shared memory belonging to all Summoners, bringing tears to the eyes of many in the audience.
As the theme song's echo lingered, the host returned to the stage, his voice soaring: "Now, let us together witness the birth of the ultimate showdown among the nation's top thirty-two teams!"
No sooner had he spoken than the logos of the thirty-two teams appeared on the main screen, beginning to scroll rapidly and randomly! The entire audience held their breath; this was the moment of destiny!
"Stop!"
The first team locked in—Pojun Team!
"Their opponent is—"
The team logos scrolled rapidly again, finally settling!
—Changan Prefecture!
"Next up, Tiangong Team, facing—Jinmen Tiger!"
"Xinghuo Team, facing—Lingyun Pavilion!"
...Pairings were revealed in real-time on the venue and live broadcast screens, with each match drawing gasps or sighs. Strong teams facing off, dark horses meeting—all the suspense and highlights were fully maximized at this moment! The players backstage were even more intently watching the screen, analyzing their upcoming opponents.
When all the groupings were settled, the host, with all his might, shouted out the final slogan:
"The journey is not over, the beacon fires reignite! Heroes, compete for the peak!"
"I declare—the first National City Hero Championship Grand Final of league of legends—officially open!"
"Oh—!!!"
In an instant, the entire Capital Gymnasium seemed about to be overturned by deafening cheers! Confetti cannons erupted from the ceiling, lights flashed wildly, and the music swelled to its climax!
The opening ceremony was over, but the real battle had just begun. Yan Han and his teammates exchanged glances, nodded to each other, their eyes filled only with pure fighting spirit and determination.
They followed the staff, walking towards the brightly lit passage leading to the main stage. At the end of the passage lay a roaring crowd, the battlefield of dreams.