In 2147, Mythic Mech Arena rules the globe. Mythical templates are assigned at random in every match, but the top-tier drop rates have long been rigged by the corporate elite. Gu Changchu, a former pro player forced to retire by an injury, now takes over “Kindling,” a team on the verge of disbanding. Every member is D-rank: the Achilles template can only run two steps before cramping, and the Hou Yi template's arrows hit their mark only by sheer luck. Their opponents always get Hercules and Thor, riding them from the start. Worse still is the “Manly Men’s Pact”: no psychological warfare, no controlling the pace, just charge headlong into a fight like an idiot? Gu Changchu bursts out laughing. That night, the System activates [Coach's Eye], allowing him to analyze opponents' weaknesses and unlock legendary training templates. In their first match against a powerhouse team, the opposing coach sneers, “Garbage coach leading garbage players. Just disband already.” Gu Changchu counters with an all-out “goofball” strategy: Achilles focuses on stepping on opponents' toes, Hou Yi aims for their knees, and Thor pretends to throw his hammer as a feint. The audience roars with laughter, and the other team completely loses it. After the match, the temporary data constructs of the summoned heroes gaze pleadingly at him. “Coach, we don't want to be formatted…” Gu Changchu looks up, his expression shifting from despair to determination. “Then let's take down this lousy System.”
In 2147, three hours after registration opened for the National Hall of Heroes qualifiers, Lin Yue was picking his feet at an internet cafe.
More precisely, he was randomly tapping the F key with his left hand while digging his right hand into his slipper to scratch his heel. The tutorial pop-up on the screen had flashed seventeen times already, and he'd clicked “Remind me later” every single time.
It wasn't that he didn't want to sign up.
The registration fee was 380 yuan, enough to pay for twenty overnight sessions at the internet cafe.
“Lin Yue! Number eighteen, ”
