[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 271

Our second-round match day has arrived.

Today's opponent is FFF.

Although we've defeated them once before, we couldn't let our guard down.

This patch had brought about many changes.

"As you all know, from now on, the bot lane will be more important than ever."

"Don't worry, no worries. We're the best bot lane anyway."

"Showing off again."

Kim Ji-hoon said.

"By the way, since FFF is a team that mainly creates variables, they seem to be greatly affected by this Teleport patch."

"I think so too, but..."

As Kim Ji-hoon said, FFF, as the former second-place team in Challengers Korea, is a team that enjoys aggressive plays, bordering on throwing.

Even though they maintained their second-place position despite such plays, it's remarkable, but the important thing is that FFF's bot lane isn't that strong.

"The play FFF used to do was for their ADC, Velotia, to hold on as much as possible, buying time for their support to roam. But now... we can't let that happen."

There was a time when the meta where the ADC alone would hold the bot lane and the support would intervene in the top side was the answer.

Of course, the current meta is also good enough if the support roams, but the problem is that you have to win the bot lane in order to do that.

Roaming with the support without winning the bot lane is the same as abandoning the bot lane.

"Alright, let's go."

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Go go."

We headed to the arena.

For today's match.

-Waaaah!

-OLZ! OLZ! OLZ!

-Outlaw, fighting!

-Honor, fighting!

The thunderous cheers greeted us.

* * *

『"Alright, it's the day many of you have been waiting for, right? Finally, that team has arrived! OLZ vs. FFF, FFF vs. OLZ! Who will be the winner today?!"』

『"Since both teams are playing their first match in the second round, the key points will be which team found the so-called 'sweet pick' first and which team interpreted the meta faster."』

『"Yes! Since the second round has just started, I think there might be unexpected results depending on each team's interpretation."』

『"That's right. What kind of team is FFF? They're not a team that will just be defeated like this! They should show the rookie a thing or two!"』

-A thing or two?

-Madman is crossing the line.

-That's a bit...

-Fr fr

Since OLZ has a large fan base, there were sharp reactions towards the commentators.

Of course, where there are fans, there are also haters.

Especially in the case of OLZ, a team that has formed a huge fandom in a short period of time, the opposing side was also fierce.

-Can't commentators even say that much?

-Fr fr, OLZ fans, take it easy.

-Honestly, I was an Outlaw fan, but I don't like OLZ because of those guys.

-Fr fr

-Seriously, if OLZ goes to the first division, it'll be the worst fandom in history, lol.

While a war was erupting in the chat window, the ban-pick phase began in earnest.

OLZ's side was blue.

FFF's side was red.

-Oh

-Ban-pick started

-Get rid of all the fighting bastards, ㅅㅂ

Of course, since the main public sentiment in the chat window were fans who simply wanted to watch the game, both the extreme supporters and opponents of OLZ were soon banned from chatting.

『"Alright, the ban-pick has started!"』

[Trundle]

OLZ's first ban was Trundle.

『"Oh, they're going this way."』

『"Yes. Since Trundle is frequently picked in recent times, what with the Lethal Tempo rune patch. Hard to stop in the side lane? There's also that."』

Then it was FFF's turn to ban.

[Rek'Sai]

『"Uh... It looks like they're trying to cut off the jungle? But the general consensus among insiders was that Outlaw's champion pool doesn't make sense to target... Still, FFF seems to think differently?"』

『"Yes. Thinking differently, they might see it as they absolutely don't want to give Rek'Sai to even that Outlaw."』

『"That's right! Outlaw's Rek'Sai is currently undefeated. Undefeated! Of course they would want to ban it."』

『"To be honest, it's true for any champion..."』

『"Isn't it a sign that they're that good? Hahaha!"』

While the commentators were chattering, both teams' bans were completed.

+

[Ban List]

Trundle / Rek'Sai

Viktor / Diana

Renekton / Twisted Fate

+

『"It seems FFF has been very wary of the picks that Outlaw can carry with, right? In the case of Twisted Fate, they probably banned it, judging that he could support the jungle with ganks and roaming from the mid lane."』

『"Yes, that's right. And I'm a little surprised that OLZ banned Renekton. Considering the top-centric game they've shown so far, it might not have been bad to leave the current Renekton open and bring him as a first pick. Or maybe to remove the opponent's ban card with it."』

『"Alright, now what choice will OLZ make for their first pick..."』

With everyone's attention focused, the card that OLZ revealed was none other than this.

[Karma]

『"Ah, as expected! Come to think of it, rumors have been circulating that Karma's tier has risen a lot recently!"』

『"That's right! After the Teleport patch, the bot lane has become more important than ever, so there's no pick as versatile as Karma, who can even lane swap. Lane, roam... she's a champion who can do anything!"』

『"That's right. Currently, there are combinations like Caitlyn-Lux, Jhin-Yuumi, but the combination with Karma is the most powerful!"』

-Good good

-The god of ban-pick, Outlaw,ㄷㄷ

-But can Protein play Karma? Seems like he hardly plays her in solo queue.

-They probably practiced it in scrims separately.

-In the first place, Karma is an old pick, so if Protein is a veteran, the proficiency wouldn't be much of a concern, right?

-Agreed Agreed

OLZ's Karma first pick.

It was a situation where the advantage of the blue side's first pick shone.

Or, maybe FFF hasn't finished organizing the tier for Karma yet.

[Caitlyn]

[Lux]

『"Ah, they're going this way."』

『"We'll give you Karma. Instead, we'll take Caitlyn? It seems that's roughly what we should think."』

『"Come to think of it, Yuumi is open now... I think OLZ might show a ban-pick where they put Karma in the mid lane and pick Yuumi. Of course, Karma has recently been used as a support more often than in the mid lane..."』

『"We'll have to see what happens, right?"』

『"That's right!"』

-Hmm...

-Not bad

-Isn't it better to just pick something like Jhin-Yuumi? FFF's bot lane is so bad.

-Agreed lol

-They must have thought about it.

-They're pros, they'll figure it out.

And...

Finally, the ban-pick was complete.

+

[OLZ / FFF]

Top: Gragas / Gwen

Jungle: Xin Zhao / Jarvan IV

Mid: Corki / Ahri

ADC: Jinx / Caitlyn

Support: Karma / Lux

+

『"The bot lane composition looks... quite brutal, doesn't it?"』

『"Yes. In the top lane, even with Honor's Gragas, it doesn't seem easy to break through Ogi's Gwen, and since neither Corki nor Ahri are strong champions early on, the bot lane will be more important than ever!"』

『"Actually, the evaluation of FFF's bot lane hasn't been very good so far. But in this meta, especially against OLZ's bot lane, they have to prove themselves, right?"』

『"That's right! Even if OLZ is a hot rookie, isn't FFF the mainstay of Challengers Korea? They have to show it!"』

『"Alright, let's start the game now!"』

* * *

The game began in earnest.

-Welcome to the Summoner's Rift!

"Everyone, fighting."

["Let's do well."]

["Fighting."]

["I'll carry!"]

"Please do."

Meaningless conversations were exchanged.

The early invade situation passed without anything happening.

That was because of the picks, such as Lux on the opposing side, and Gragas or Karma on our side, which made them feel burdened.

"Don't do the leash."

["I'm going to."]

"Just gonna do it?"

["Sorry."]

As the laning phase started smoothly, I focused on the bot lane.

Because my movements also had to change completely depending on the early bot lane situation.

Just as the minions were about to arrive.

*Flash!*

Lux, hiding in the bush, threw her Q with a daring forward flash.

FFF's bot lane made their move.

However, with Kim Jae-min's swift reaction and using his flash, Kim Jae-min dodged Lux's Q, which was flying right in front of him.

["Didn't work."]

["Lux first."]

With Kim Ji-hoon's calm response, Lux, who had used her forward flash, was isolated in an instant.

Kim Ji-hoon's Karma quickly cast her W and connected a tether to Lux, whose flash was gone.

Caitlyn used Heal, but there was no way for Lux to survive after Ignite was applied.

-First Blood!

-An enemy has been slain!

The 1-level kill before the minions arrived.

What this means was clear.

"Nice!"

["Wow, what a kid!"]

Our bot lane crushed FFF's bot lane.