I Am Not God's first match in Battlefield: Warhammer 40k felt like a dream come true.
He loaded into the Tival map on the Imperial offensive side. Whether from beginner's luck, instincts honed from watching expert players, or natural FPS talent, the battle went surprisingly well.
Unlike many newbies who charged blindly to their deaths, he instinctively chose the Assault class and followed the Imperial AI soldiers' offensive waves, advancing carefully from cover to cover.
His aim wasn't perfect, but his positioning was solid. He consistently found good angles to shoot at weak points in the rebel defenses.
More importantly, he understood the point system and battlefield support mechanics. After earning his first wave of points, he didn't spend them right away. Instead, he watched the battle unfold.
When the rebels started a counter-push and began gathering forces, he called in a small artillery barrage. The strike broke their offensive and cleared the path for his team's Leman Russ tank to advance.
When the Leman Russ Demolisher rolled onto the field, Daniel felt a thrill of power. Like other Imperial players, he stayed close to the tank, protecting it from enemy anti-tank teams. He felt connected to the war machine as they crushed all resistance together.
The Imperial side captured the rebel core at relatively low cost. Victory. On the results screen, Daniel stared in disbelief—he'd topped the scoreboard! His combined kills, assists, capture contributions, and support scores exceeded everyone else on his team, including several veteran players.
"Holy shit! First place?!"
Daniel shouted in the game pod, his face flushing with excitement. This felt incredible. Earning recognition in such a hardcore game beat getting MVP in any other shooter! He could already picture his future: becoming the next Scorchwind, dominating battlefields, admired by countless players.
He exited the match and returned to his personal space. The adrenaline still pumped through his veins, his heart racing.
He replayed his best moments with satisfaction, planning to try Medic or Engineer in the next match. He even started fantasizing about triggering some hidden divine mission someday.
Then the mailbox icon in the corner of his vision flashed with bright golden light. That usually meant an important system announcement or reward.
"Hmm? First victory reward? Or high-ranking bonus?" Daniel opened it curiously.
A letter appeared with an unusually formal format. Its border was decorated with an Imperial Aquila relief. Sender: [Official].
His heart skipped a beat. He sensed something important and quickly opened the email:
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[Sender: Battlefield: Warhammer 40k Tournament Committee (Official)]
[Subject: Sincere Invitation to Participate in the 'Battle for Alacaster' Exhibition Match]
[Dear 'I Am Not God']
[We are honored to have noted your outstanding performance and determination on the battlefield.
Based on the tactical skill you have displayed and your contribution to the Imperial cause, we cordially invite you to participate in the upcoming Battlefield: Warhammer 40k 'Battle for Alacaster' large-scale exhibition match.]
[You will step onto an unprecedented new battlefield—'Planet Alacaster.' Here you will find ample opportunity to prove yourself, unlock unreleased weapons and vehicles, and experience the latest war machines the Imperium will deploy.]
[This is not only an arena of skill, but also your chance to win supreme glory for the God-Emperor and Imperium of Man.]
[Please consider carefully. If you confirm participation, please respond through the link attached to this email within 24 hours. We look forward to seeing your presence on the final defense line safeguarding human civilization.]
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Daniel was stunned. His mind went blank.
Battle for Alacaster? Inviting me?
Of course he knew about the "Battle for Alacaster!" He'd watched Medici announce it on stream, his blood boiling with excitement. Exclusive skins! Direct requests to the developers! A new map featuring top players! Every detail made his heart race.
But he never imagined this "battle of the gods" tournament would involve him—a newbie who'd just played one match.
Medici had clearly stated on stream that invitations were for "the strongest streamers in skill and fame" and "ordinary players publicly recognized as elite or who had unique achievements in exploring the Faith System."
What was he? A pure newcomer who'd just finished one lucky match. Where was his "fame"? Where was his "elite status"?
Could the officials be sending everyone an invitation? Maybe the actual participant list was already set, and this was just a formality. Or was it a system error? A mistaken send?
Confusion mixed with cautious hope. He needed to verify this.
He immediately closed the mailbox and opened the built-in player forum, where information was usually freshest and discussion most active.
Sure enough, the hottest post on the homepage was one Scorchwind had just published: [Showing Off, Got It. Brothers, See You at Alacaster!]
He clicked in. Scorchwind had posted a screenshot of an official invitation with similar formatting, but addressed to "Eternal Chosen of Khorne." The comment section was already flooded with messages like "Congrats Bro Wind!" and "Blood God Chosen!"
Daniel scrolled quickly, searching for useful information. Soon, in another post discussing Battle for Alacaster qualifications, he found a reply from Scorchwind himself.
A player had asked: "Bro Wind, is it only big streamers and top experts like you who can receive invitations? Do ordinary players like us have a chance?"
Scorchwind's reply was direct:
"From what I know, yes. Old Devil Medici's being pretty serious about this. The list is carefully selected based on two factors: community influence (streaming data and forum reputation) and combat performance (hidden ladder ratings and specific achievements).
Ordinary players might receive one if they're outstanding in some area, like being first to trigger certain faith missions. But casting a wide net to everyone? Unlikely. That would be impossible to filter."
The reply had high upvotes, and many viewed it as authoritative.
Daniel looked at Scorchwind's reply, then at the fresh invitation in his own mailbox. The doubts in his heart grew heavier.
Community influence? He had none.
Combat performance? He'd only played one match!
Faith missions? He hadn't even started them.
So what was this invitation about?
Was it a system bug that mistakenly sent it to him? Or had his first-place performance been flagged by some algorithm as showing "unlimited potential," earning him exceptional selection?
He stared at the invitation and the [Confirm Participation] link glowing faintly below it. His finger hovered over the virtual button. His heart beat wildly in his chest.
Should he click it?