In a one-on-one match, the only lane was mid. A straight, narrow path from your base to your opponent's.

I marched out with my golems, down the only lane I could go. I soon arrived at my outer tower, and came face-to-face with my opponent. It was a robot that carried a flanged iron mace and a rimmed wooden shield. The Mace-bot, as it was known. What a sight for sore eyes. I had fought it before, back in Bronze, back before we had to duel other humans to the death. It felt good to face off against wood and metal once more. No bloodshed or cunning. Just an unfeeling, lifeless machine to pulverize.

I still remembered. Its level 1 ability was Staggering Blow, a heavy strike that stunned its target. Its level 2 ability was Shield Charge, which provided it a great burst of movement speed and defense. Until it leveled up to 2, it had no way of reaching me.

Our golems clashed in the battleground between our towers. I wasted no effort in driving the Mace-bot back with my railgun. As much as it wanted to last-hit my golems to collect the gold bounty, my attacks forced it back to the safety of its tower.

Not bad. It recognized it couldn't win right now, and rather than rushing headlong into a guaranteed loss, it decided to cut its losses and wait. But even then, it ate several Frost Missiles from me; those had barely enough range to reach it via ricochet, even as the Mace-bot stayed under its tower.

Soon, its HP fell dangerously low. It retreated farther away from the tower and began channeling a Recall back to base. Presumably to heal up. But I wouldn't let it. I held up my hand and pointed a finger at it, triggering my Ring of Pursuit.

[RING OF PURSUIT:

Special ability: Riftchase – You open a portal leading to a target you've damaged within the last minute. 10 minute cooldown.]

The air at my outstretched fingertip warped and collapsed into a singular, bright spark. I reached out to touch it. When I made contact, my body suddenly turned immaterial, as though it had dissolved into light, and I shot forward towards the Mace-bot. The world around me whizzed past, blurred and glowing golden and frozen in time.

I veered slightly to the side, and chose a landing spot near the Mace-bot, in the grass to the side of the middle lane. The robot jerked to face me, only to be greeted by an onslaught of magic and artillery.

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「Green team has slain an enemy.」

The Mace-bot's battered remains faded away, leaving only a shattered Death Ward behind. Taking the opportunity, I led my golems to demolish the first enemy tower.

「Green team has destroyed a tower.」

The Mace-bot soon respawned, but fared not much better. I had already accumulated advantages in gold, levels, and map control. Despite its desperate efforts at playing defense, it soon had to relinquish its inner tower and its golem fabricator. I pushed my troops into its base, to its last line of defense at the Base Core and the sole remaining tower that guarded it. As I laid siege to the tower, the Mace-bot charged at me in a desperate attempt at salvaging the match.

I could've backed off and played it safe. But really, against a mere bot, did I need to be that cautious?

Instead, as it swung its mace at me, I returned fire. The tower registered my aggression and fired a laser bolt at me.

The little golden sword that hung from my necklace released a pulse of warm, blazing light. It seeped through me and enveloped every inch of my being. I raised my hand to meet the tower's laser. Brightness and heat burst out upon impact, but I felt no pain.

[DEFENSE OF THE ANCIENTS MK. II

You gain 50% movement speed and take 100% reduced damage. 10 second duration. 15 minute cooldown.]

The Mace-bot assailed me with heavy blows that merely bounced off. It soon realized that I was taking no damage, but it was too late. With no options left, the bot began to flee. I launched upon it every spell in my arsenal. Water and ice surged forth, ravaging everything in their path, reducing the robot to smithereens.

「Green team has slain an enemy.」

The robot had no Death Wards left, and I no longer had any enemies left standing against me. In other words, I had won by elimination.

The Base-Core broke open down the center. A white flash burst out, engulfing everything. Then the light faded as quickly as it came.

This was it. I had beaten the last match of Gold. I had finally made it out of that dreaded, edgeless suburb.

Before my eyes could recover from the flash, I felt wind. A strong, cool breeze.

When I finally looked around, there was darkness, studded with countless specks of light.

The night sky, starry and vast, hung above me. Beneath me was sturdy cement.

And all around, as far as the horizon stretched, was a breathtaking cityscape. I stood atop the roof of a massive skyscraper overlooking it all. I saw bridges and roads, multicolored lights of yellow and white and red, and countless high-rise buildings, some taller than the one I stood upon, each splendid and sparkling.

So this was Platinum.