LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 435
“Ha……”
“How did it come to this?”
“I really don’t think we should have fought there earlier…”
The mood in MAX’s camp after losing the first set of the opening match was so complex it was beyond words.
They had already experienced OLZ being a strong team many times during practice sessions.
But, to be honest, I also had a lingering thought that they might be nothing more than scrim warriors.
It’s different in the actual match. They wouldn’t stand up to us, seasoned veterans. A newly promoted team?
Yet, OLZ squarely shattered all those perceptions, and MAX faced a crushing defeat in the first set of the opening match.
It wasn’t a case of underestimating them.
I admit we maybe looked down on them a little, but we definitely focused our ban/pick strategy heavily on OLZ’s key jungler, and it had some effect.
However, all of that became meaningless due to the fact that we lost the game.
“Why did you die in mid earlier? The game got really tough from that point on.”
“…Sorry. That was really my mistake.”
“Anyway, Aurelion Sol seems pretty hard to play. I told you I wouldn’t be able to do it.”
“You said you’d carry with him.”
“When did I say that?”
Even though some sharp words were exchanged, if this little banter was enough to cause a problem with team morale, we wouldn’t have even made it to the finals in the first place.
No, it was rather that the players of MAX were close enough to each other that such words could be exchanged without hesitation.
All the MAX players knew one thing.
The game wasn’t over yet.
Just as the match ended, their coach and former professional gamer, Park Gu-hyeon, rushed in.
“Guys, from what I see, focusing our jungle bans on OLZ doesn’t seem meaningful. Rather than trying to prevent what the opponent does well, let’s focus on what we do best.”
“I think that’s better too. Outlaw can’t be stopped with bans.”
“I agree. Lee Sin was seriously insane.”
“While it’s good to acknowledge the opponent, remember they are our enemy now. Got it?”
“Yep. We’re going to win. No, we can win.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Park Gu-hyeon smiled lightly.
“I saw the last match, the bot lane did well, but trying to force plays elsewhere caused us to lose overall. If we just focus on what we do, we can definitely win.”
The players agreed.
In fact, in the previous game, the bot lane was very favored, and even Outlaw barely made an impact down there.
If there hadn’t been a super play at top or a careless play in mid, it could’ve been a smooth game where MAX’s bot took control and shook the game overall.
“First, let’s give up on trying to peg their jungler with bans. Their champion pool is too wide to limit.”
“But won’t we get carried by a big champion like Viego? We got wrecked by that last scrim.”
“Regardless, we can’t stop them with bans. We’ll have to concentrate on countering elsewhere.”
Objectively speaking, OLZ has many weaknesses.
Their mid and bot, the most crucial damage dealer positions in Legends of League, are relatively weak.
Yet, despite this, even when games go late, their jungler carries it, which is how OLZ has remained strong so far. But what if the game depends heavily on mid and bot?
No, what if mid and bot just crush their lanes outright?
Even Outlaw, the king of storm, won’t have many options.
“Okay, everyone, gather around.”
MAX decided to change their game plan.
Not focusing on jungler picks or late-game value fights but rather sticking to basics and emphasizing what they do well.
“First, let’s plan our bans/picks around bot. For the top side, let’s prioritize picks that can support while also keeping a strong lane presence if the situation allows it.”
It wasn’t a sudden strategy change.
From the beginning, they had planned to go standard if the first method didn’t work.
“Alright, let’s do it that way.”
“Yes.”
“One, two, three, fighting!”
“Fighting!”
The atmosphere in the MAX players’ booth surged with energy.
*
SY waiting room.
Perhaps due to the earlier match between OLZ and MAX, the SY waiting room was unusually heated.
“OLZ is really strong, huh?”
“We’ll need to see more to really know, but yeah, they play well.”
“But MAX did kind of take the ban/pick lightly. Aurelion Sol was a bit reckless.”
“That part is true.”
MAX’s pick of Aurelion Sol definitely crossed a line, and they paid severely for that arrogance.
By the time the game ended, Aurelion Sol’s damage had shown some promise, but by then, all he could do was farm the incoming minions.
Ryu Jin-hyuk, who had been quietly listening to all this, quietly remarked.
“We’ll have to keep watching now. MAX won’t be picking champions like that from the second set on.”
It wasn’t an unreasonable assumption.
In fact, one of the biggest reasons MAX lost the first set was indeed the pick of Aurelion Sol.
Aurelion Sol is certainly a great pick, but it needs specific conditions to work or great teamwork, which wasn’t displayed at all in the first set.
“Seems like they’ll go with something standard? MAX usually likes that kind of comp.”
“Seems likely.”
Just as said, MAX is known for building solid comps centered around bot lane, along with SCV among teams in LCKR.
The evidence lay in their strong late-game bot, but they hadn’t shown that strength in the previous game since they tried too hard to assist the mid.
Nevertheless, it’s true they had shown great performance in the bot lane in the first set.
If in the second game MAX focuses on a solid top composition while the bot leads the game, no matter how legendary the storm lord OLZ is, it won’t be easy.
“But for some reason, I feel like OLZ is going to win. Am I the only one?”
“We haven’t even done the bans/picks yet.”
“I just have that feeling.”
GuineaPig Yoo Sang-hyun’s remark was countered by Longbow, but in reality, Longbow subconsciously felt it too.
He sensed that OLZ was likely to take this match.
The impact they showed in the first set was massive, and more importantly, through their scrim matches against OLZ, they could feel their authenticity many times over.
“Still, you have to play the game to know.”
“That’s true.”
Yoo Sang-hyun’s gaze shifted to the streaming chat.
“Wow, the chat is going crazy.”
“True.”
As he said, the chat was ablaze, matching the OLZ debut match that was also the LCKR opening ceremony.
-Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw!
-Where are the idiots who said MAX would win?
-OLZ is doing well.
-They were saying the promoted team would get wrecked, but OLZ is demolishing them, huh? LOL
-I’m dying here@@@@@@@
-King Huangro
-Outlaw! Outlaw! Outlaw!
-This time is different, this time is different, this time is different, this time is different…
-Wow.
-This is hella fun, LOL.
-MAX go cut! MAX go cut! MAX go cut! MAX go cut! MAX go cut! MAX go cut! MAX go cut!
-OLZ is a perfect team.
-Where are the moderators? Clear this spam!
If there is indeed a hell of comments, this is where it would be.
Despite this chaotic scene, Yoo Sang-hyun remained unmoved.
“OLZ is definitely popular.”
“They also went to the All-Star this time. It’s almost the first time a newly promoted player has participated globally, right?”
“Probably? I didn’t even know that was possible.”
“Maybe the rules changed because of Outlaw?”
“Maybe? Who knows.”
Although there were questionable aspects regarding this All-Star voting, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Anyway, the All-Star event wrapped up successfully with Outlaw’s participation.
Now, Outlaw had become a global star along with Rainbow.
As if to prove that fact, English was frequently appearing in the chat, and the viewer count was off the charts.
Even though today was the LCKR opening ceremony, the viewership was abnormal.
“At this rate, the jungler will be guaranteed a spot in the All-Star too.”
Until now, only the mid laner Rainbow had consistently attended the All-Star in LCKR history, but it felt like the jungler would join that list from now on.
That’s how overwhelming Outlaw’s popularity was.
Perhaps even surpassing Rainbow.
“Ah, they’re starting bans/picks now.”
As the SY players chatted among themselves, the 2nd set ban/pick phase approached.
[“Alright, the 2nd set bans/picks begin.”]
The 2nd set ban/pick between OLZ and MAX officially kicked off.