Chapter 11: Proof

The content was made up of GIFs and descriptions related to them.

(A scene from the first invade that blows up.GIF)

(Rexxar dying from greed over red.GIF)

(Feigning a jungle entry and then turning around for a gank.GIF)

(Rexxar suffering.GIF)

(The joy of top laners.GIF)

(Rexxar opening up after a mental breakdown.GIF)

“Mm.”

I had a feeling, and sure enough, the GIFs were from the game I had just played.

It hadn’t been long since the game ended, but seeing these GIFs circulating made it seem like someone had been spectating in real time.

I wondered if this game was really receiving this much attention, but then I quickly accepted it.

‘Well, I guess.’

Although still unverified, according to the title, it claimed to be a duo with a 35-game win streak.

And that too in the Challenger tier.

If that were the case, any Challenger duo of a certain level could achieve that.

But the problem was their identity.

‘Red Cup runner-up duo.’

I know the team that was the Red Cup runner-up.

Actually, it’s impossible not to know.

GRS.

A team that won their domestic league in China after a fierce battle and nearly took down the Red Cup champion, SY.

Although people say that GRS reached the Red Cup finals because of their bot lane, that’s a mistaken assessment.

Simply having one strong lane doesn’t get you to the Red Cup finals where all sorts of monsters are competing.

In fact, GRS’s mid-jungle duo proved their strength with a 35-game win streak.

Which means, globally speaking, there are only a handful of mid-jungle duos that can compete with them.

‘Although I did open up to them just a moment ago.’

As I read more comments, the queue popped up.

[Game Found!]

[Accept/Decline]

Of course, I accept.

MAX WooChan has joined the lobby.

Prisoner has joined the lobby.

JungleSlave has joined the lobby.

SCV BlackDog has joined the lobby.

BangBangBangBang has joined the lobby.

Hmm.

This isn’t good.

The problem is that the positions overlap.

Two top laners, two ADCs.

Of course, this is still a better situation.

If it were something like two junglers and two supports, it would have been an automatic dodge.

[JungleSlave: Can you give up top?]

[MAX WooChan: ᄌ]

Even so, it’s not completely without issues, as a subtle tension between the two top laners who I met in the previous match began.

[JungleSlave: Can you give up top?]

[MAX WooChan: ᄌ]

[JungleSlave: Can you give up top?]

[MAX WooChan: ᄌ]

[JungleSlave: Can you give up top?]

[MAX WooChan:]

The result was a draw.

Ban picks were in progress.

[Ban List]
Lee Sin / Sylas
Shaco / Thresh
Syndra / Lee
Talon / Kindred
Kai’Sa / Kai’Sa

‘Kindred ban?’

For some reason, it feels a bit odd.

Of course, Kindred isn’t a bad pick.

But out of all the OP champions, is it really worth banning?

That’s a different story.

‘Is it that duo from earlier?’

Since we queued immediately without a break, the probability of it being them was high.

‘Guess I’ll find out once we start.’

Our team’s side was blue team.

That means we’re first pick.

Given the situation, the unluckiest person to be the first pick top laner on blue team, which is considered the hardest, pleaded.

[MAX WooChan: Is there anyone who can first pick?]

There was no response.

In the end, maybe they thought it was unavoidable, as the pick was completed with 3 seconds remaining.

[Shyvana]

As expected, there’s nothing better than a sturdy tank for a first pick.

When the blue team’s picks finished, the familiar portraits from the enemy team appeared, as if they had been waiting.

Nasus, Renekton.

They were the top jungle champions in League of Legends capable of snowballing the hardest.

Especially in Renekton’s case, he could even swap to mid lane, making it a pretty fierce ban-pick for the opponent.

‘It seems like that’s the case.’

It might just be a feeling, but for some reason, the ban-pick phase felt emotionally charged.

As the enemy team’s picks ended, it was now my turn for the second pick.

‘Hmm.’

Our top champion was Sion.

Even though Sion is a tank, if Renekton and Nasus focus him, it won’t be easy for him to survive.

This means I need to pick a champion that can cover that.

‘And I need to consider the possibility of Renekton going to mid.’

If that happens, it might be a good idea to pick a champion with a favorable matchup against Renekton for our mid lane.

[Prisoner: Mid AD? AP?]

[JungleSlave: Hmm…]

Lalala seemed to think for a moment before picking Sett.

‘Not bad.’

Since Sett is also used in the top lane, his proficiency is probably not bad, and even if Renekton goes mid, Sett would likely have a relative advantage.

Overall, it seemed like a solid choice.

‘Now, the remaining option is AP.’

Since both our top and mid laners had picked AD champions, my already limited options for champions were even more restricted.

‘The ones that come to mind are… Ellison and Ecker.’

Both are viable AP jungle champions in the current meta, but there’s a significant difference between them.

Ellison is a pick that empowers the team’s laners, while Ecker grows based on the sacrifice of the team’s laners.

‘Alright, I’ll go with this.’

[Ecker]

If it were any other time, I would have picked Ellison without hesitation.

With Ecker, there’s a bit more risk, especially against Nasus.

The decision might have been influenced by a comment I saw earlier in the community.

“But isn’t Prisoner just an invade one-trick? All the games he wins seem to be because of invades.”

It’s an amusing thought.

In the past, unless I had a massively favorable situation, I would always avoid fights and play more cautiously.

In high-tier games, my fighting skills were, at best, average.

To think that now I’m being called an invade-focused one-trick…

It’s strange how much the world has changed.

‘There’s no need to prove anything, though.’

I’ve already made my decision.

Over the next three months, I will end up at the highest point as Prisoner.

And so, I will prove it.

I’ll show how far I can climb from here.