Dragon Nation in Eleventh Place? Hope Shattered

Dragon Nation's National Destiny Livestream fell silent. It was as if someone had muted everyone at once.

As they stared at that name, despair filled their eyes. Several seconds passed before comments began scrolling through the livestream again.

"Eleventh place? How could it be eleventh!?"

"Impossible! Zhao Xuan is a Soul Ancestor! Twenty years ago, a Soul Ancestor could easily take first place in the National Destiny Training. How could he fail to make the top ten this time!?"

"Is Dragon Nation doomed?"

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

This year, Zhao Xuan had been born with excellent Talent in Soul Land World. He had even reached the Soul Ancestor realm on his first day!

Every viewer in Dragon Nation had thought this year's National Destiny Training was in the bag!

After all, twenty years ago, that Super Genius had also been a Soul Ancestor on his first day. He had then led Dragon Nation straight to first place.

Even if the other nations had improved too much for Dragon Nation to take first, everyone had thought third place would be no problem.

But Zhao Xuan hadn't even made the top ten!? They wouldn't receive any national destiny rewards at all?

In a matter of seconds, everyone in Dragon Nation had fallen from heaven into hell!

In the mentors' private room beneath the Training Plaza, Wang Gang stared at the ranking on the screen and rose from his seat. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the floor, disbelief written across his face.

"Only eleventh?"

Before the rankings were revealed, he had felt on top of the world, the most celebrated of all the mentors.

In mere seconds, he had come crashing down!

The other mentors had no desire to mock Wang Gang. The outcome of the National Destiny Training affected every person in Dragon Nation.

This was the Centennial Trial, and the nation's fate hung in the balance! If Dragon Nation gained no boost to its national destiny this time, it might not even last until the next Trial.

Several mentors stepped forward to help Wang Gang up, sighing as they tried to console him.

"There's still hope. Some students entered new worlds. Maybe those worlds are even more powerful than Soul Land World!"

But despite their words, none of them seemed to hold out much hope. Their faces were pale, and their spirits had crumbled.

While Dragon Nation sank into despair, viewers from Cherry Blossom Nation, Kimchi Nation, and other countries were ecstatic. They flooded the National Destiny Livestream with taunts.

"Haha, Dragon Nation really had me worried. I thought their contestant this year was actually strong, but he only came eleventh?"

"No surprise. Their so-called pinnacle, Soul Land World, is outdated!"

"With our national destiny rewards, Cherry Blossom Nation has been able to seek out stronger worlds for the Trial. Dragon Nation can't do that. They've gone nine straight Trials without a reward. Entering a higher-level world would be suicide for them!"

"Our Naruto World completely outclasses Dragon Nation's Soul Land World!"

"This is the best Trial world Dragon Nation has? What a joke..."

"Haha, it's only the first day, and Dragon Nation can't even get a national destiny reward. They're finished!"

"Just watch. Lord Kaito will make the top five at least!"

"Lord Piao Duan Yao, Kimchi Nation's top contestant, hasn't appeared yet either. He's guaranteed a spot in the top ten..."

As comments raced across the National Destiny Livestream, the overall Trial rankings revealed the information for tenth place.

[10th Place]

[Trial Contestant: Piao Duan Yao]

[Nation: Kimchi Nation]

[Trial World: Hero Hunter World]

[Realm: Ace Hunter]

[Trial Reward: Kimchi Nation's national destiny +3%! Comprehension of all Kimchi Nation citizens +3%! Initial Identity Talent of all Kimchi Nation citizens in the Trial +3%!]

As the ranking appeared, a golden light descended from the sky and bathed every citizen of Kimchi Nation!

Delight spread across their faces.

"My comprehension has improved. I feel like I could break through as soon as I go into seclusion!"

"National destiny +3%, comprehension +3%, Initial Identity +3%! The rewards are incredible this year!"

"It is the Centennial Trial, after all!"

"It's not just because of the Centennial Trial. The Trial rewards also depend on the contestant's own strength. Piao Duan Yao could have competed for a top-three spot in any previous Trial!"

National Destiny Training rewards depended not only on rank, but also on the contestant's strength!

Sometimes, two contestants were only one place apart, yet their national destiny rewards differed greatly. That was because the gap between their strengths was far wider than their rankings suggested.

Seeing Kimchi Nation's rewards, viewers from other Blue Star nations with no chance of reaching the top ten looked on enviously.

"Initial Identity +3%! With that reward, Sky Bird Nation could finally try exploring a new world!"

"Sigh. Only the powerful nations can make the top ten in the National Destiny Battlefield these days. Their earlier rewards gave them better Initial Identities, which let them explore new worlds!"

"Dragon Nation used to be a powerful nation too. But counting this year, they've missed the top ten for ten straight Trials. If they explored a new world, their Initial Identities would be so low they'd almost certainly die!"

"Dragon Nation was so confident earlier that I thought they might actually make the top ten this year!"

"Their Soul Land World just can't keep up anymore!"

"At this rate, Dragon Nation will soon fall behind even Aussie Dragon Nation..."

Some celebrated while others grieved in the National Destiny Livestream, and the National Destiny Training rankings continued to appear.

[9th Place]

[Trial Contestant: Tafeir]

[Nation: Gaul Nation]

[Trial World: Demon Hunter World]

[Realm: High-tier Demon Hunter]

[Trial Reward: Gaul Nation's national destiny +4%! Comprehension of all Gaul Nation citizens +4%! Initial Identity Talent of all Gaul Nation citizens in the Trial +5%!]

As the ranking appeared, another beam of light descended from the sky and washed over the people of Gaul Nation. Satisfied smiles appeared on their faces.

"Those twenty years we spent exploring Demon Hunter World paid off!"

"Dragon Nation has stood still for too long. The rest of us have been exploring new worlds!"

"Haha, they went nine straight National Destiny Training rounds without a reward. Even if they explored a new world, their Initial Identities would be so low they'd probably die on the spot!"

The rankings continued to appear: eighth place went to India, seventh to Iron Blood Nation, sixth to Flame Sand Nation...

As they watched the other nations take their places, the people of Dragon Nation fell silent. The once-bustling livestream had only a handful of comments left.

Only when viewers from other nations dropped in to taunt them did Dragon Nation's viewers fire back. Meanwhile, the National Fortune Rankings kept unfolding.

[3rd Place]

[Trial Contestant: Kato Kaito]

[Nation: Cherry Blossom Nation]

[Trial World: Naruto World]

[Realm: Peak Jonin]

[Trial Reward: Cherry Blossom Nation's national destiny +10%! Comprehension of all Cherry Blossom Nation citizens +10%! Initial Identity Talent of all Cherry Blossom Nation citizens in the Trial +15%!]