Chapter 105: Coach, I’m Really Not That Strong At Unreal
The April night in Magic City carried a hint of coolness in the spring breeze, but inside Grand Plaza, the crowd was already roaring, with the heatwave nearly lifting the roof.
In the first round of the League of Legends Spring Split Playoffs, the Match between OMG and IM had reached a white-hot stage.
Mainly because both sides had fought to 2:2!
And every previous Game was a bladder Game! Average duration of forty-four minutes, which showed that the strength of both sides was not much different.
And the most painful part was that OMG started 0:2! IM performed extremely well, taking the first two Games, holding three Match points, pushing the dark power OMG to the cliff’s edge.
The cheers from OMG Fans on site were a bit feeble, and online, comments like “OMG falls” and “smlz can’t do it” were already flooding the screens.
Everyone thought it would be a suspense-free 3:0.
Starting from the Third Game, icon stepped up.
In the Third Game, his Trickster LeBlanc turned into a deadly assassin in Team Fights, with precise chain locks and W active delivering explosive AOE damage, shattering IM’s backline and winning back one Game.
In the Fourth Game, his Rune Mage Ryze activated Thunder Lord mode, driving the Teammates to flank, delivering a perfect Team Fight, and tying the score!
And now in the Fifth Game, both sides were extremely cautious; forty-seven minutes meant it all came down to one Team Fight.
Whoever made a fatal drop would be the Class A war criminal of this Match!
Everyone watching the Match didn’t dare to breathe.
The moment was extremely tense.
Fifty minutes, Elder Dragon Team Fight.
icon controlled Taliyah hiding in their own blue zone.
He didn’t rush to act…
But upon seeing IM’s formation split while Dragon fighting, he directly used his Ultimate Skill to cut them off!
Then rode the Ultimate Skill into the Dragon pit with an Unstoppable Force lifting the Jarvan IV!
Sima Laozei’s Kog’Maw activated W and started spraying wildly!
The terrifying late-game damage, with Teammate cooperation, instantly killed the Jarvan IV.
“Elder Dragon taken by OMG! icon! icon is going to kill this Match!” Wa Wa shouted excitedly at this moment.
“Comeback from 0:2, OMG completed a shocking reversal.” Miller was also very excited at this moment.
This was the first comeback from 0:2 since the Playoffs started.
Moreover, both sides’ strength was evenly matched, with both Teams highly focused mentally.
“This bo5 was truly amazing!”
The Audience on site was equally boiling with excitement; they thought it would be weak teams pecking each other, but it turned into a clash of powerhouses.
Just wondering if OMG’s intensity would be exposed in the semifinals against RNG.
At least this Match left everyone with a good impression.
Under the spotlight, Icon calmly removed his Headphones, his face showing not much ecstasy, only a resolute relief.
At this moment, everyone suddenly remembered that besides the endlessly controversial Unreal, LPL had another equally gifted rookie Mid Laner icon.
His performance in the regular season was also very eye-catching.
He was the big leg in the Team…
It was just overshadowed by powerhouse Team EDG and not having as much rhythm from Li Fan.
But today’s bo5 performance made everyone remember him.
Li Fan watching OMG’s celebration Screen backstage also thought of his laugh flow electrocute ice woman.
The worst Mid Laner in the group; any Mid Laner could step on his head.
After that World Championship ended, it was eternally etched on the pillar of shame; later everyone forgot he was once a genius Mid Laner, OMG’s big leg…
In the Live Stream Room, Bullet Comments scrolled wildly.
【Holy crap! Icon is the real rookie king, right? Calm under pressure, big heart!】
【Comeback from 0:2, such a morale boost! Compare to that Mid Laner still playing for chicken dinner, the difference is clear.】
【To be fair, this is more qualified for best rookie, right? Unreal’s few Games can’t even touch it.】
【It will be announced in the semifinals; see if Official wants traffic or reputation.】
OMG’s shocking reversal was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, the ripples quickly spreading across the entire public opinion field.
Especially with EDG vs NB at seven o’clock next.
In NB Team’s Backstage Lounge, the atmosphere was slightly heavy, yet carried a restlessness fueled by inspiration.
The Coach forcefully slapped the Tactical Board, staring at the Mid Laner Player CoCo sitting in the middle.
“CoCo! In the last Match against iG, everyone saw your performance; you didn’t fall behind against Rookie, your Azir, your Viktor, which one wasn’t carry-level? Are you really weaker than Unreal? No, absolutely not.” The Coach’s voice was high-pitched, unquestionable.
“Now everyone outside is saying how great EDG’s rookie Mid Laner Unreal is, eleven MVPs in six Games? Heh…”
“Do you think he, Unreal, can compare to Rookie? How many do-or-die Games has he played? Has he endured pressure like yours? No! He’s just lucky, plus protected by Clearlove!”
“You? You stood up when the Team was most difficult, you personally eliminated iG! What you’re facing today is just a rookie who gets crushed in Training Matches by WE, addicted to other Games, heart not in League of Legends! I guarantee his State is terrible right now.”
“You have the strength, you’re stronger than him! Just believe in yourself, follow our Tactics, and today, we’ll step on EDG to advance to the next round!”
CoCo’s originally wandering eyes, under the Coach’s passionate pep talk, gradually became firm and sharp.
Right, I am absolutely stronger than Unreal!
A rookie who doesn’t even take Training seriously, what right does he have to ride over me?
icon carried today, I CoCo can do the same!
Otherwise, what were these years of daily hard Training for?
Wouldn’t it just be a joke!
He nodded forcefully, took a deep breath: “Coach, I’ll crush him!”
Wu Zhuang Tai sat in the corner with a dark face, listening to the Coach here feeding poison chicken soup to others.
He sneered inwardly…
Even he couldn’t beat trash like CoCo, how could it be a rival.
Damn Unreal, what a beast.
Actually ambushed him!
The fines were secondary, but the six-month ban meant no Appearance opportunities, fame dropping sharply.
Unknowingly, his fist clenched tight again.
And at this time, the staff had knocked on the doors of both lounges.
Both sides’ Players arrived at the seats.
CoCo appeared very confident at his seat; it had to be said this confidence made NB’s Players feel this Game had a chance!
Good Team atmosphere created a mysterious sense that they could win today’s Match!
100,000 Volts also picked Elise in this Match.
He wanted to team up with CoCo for ultimate jungle-mid cooperation, thoroughly beat Clearlove and Unreal back to their original form, then take the Match victory.
And CoCo confidently picked Syndra.
They wanted to rely on ultimate laning and super strong Tower Dive ability to completely crush mid lane.
EDG picked the classic Sejuani and Jayce jungle-mid combo.
And Jayce was the one he picked up Learning Points to practice after streaming chicken dinner the day before yesterday.
As the Game loaded, the NB Coach’s pre-Match “Unreal State is poor” and “he’s not as good as you” chicken soup seemed to still echo in CoCo’s ears.
He took a deep breath, controlled the Dark Sovereign Syndra, and firmly headed to Mid Lane.
Level 1, both sides’ Minion Waves met.
CoCo wanted to Poke with Q skill, but at the instant he acted, Li Fan’s Jayce with a small position shift easily dodged the impact of dark energy.
“Hm?” CoCo frowned; the opponent’s positioning was good, as everyone knew, he shouldn’t be too affected, still need to keep finding opportunities.
However, the following laning gradually made him feel suffocated.
Li Fan’s Jayce seemed to predict all his ideas.
Every time he just raised his hand to Q, Jayce either retreated half a step in advance or did a clever side twist.
Yet that deadly electric ball always hit Syndra’s body precisely, as if it had eyes.
Trading was completely one-sided.
CoCo’s Syndra not only failed to push and suppress as planned, but her Health was repeatedly lowered, and Last Hits started falling behind.
“CoCo is having a tough time laning here; Jayce’s cannon is too accurate, Syndra’s Q almost all dodged!” Wa Wa said watching Mid Lane.
“Yes, Unreal’s hand feel is very hot today; not good news for NB.”
“Elise wants to come Mid Lane for opportunity, but Minion Wave always controlled by Jayce near EDG’s Turret, and with Syndra’s Health, no way to cooperate on Tower Dive!”
Li Fan seized the opportunity with a combo dropping Syndra’s Health to bottom.
Though pushed back later, looking at the low-Health Syndra still twisting non-stop under the Turret.
Want to run? Not that easy.
Pressed Q skill, at the instant of going out pulled the Mouse down and pressed E, acceleration wall forming an angle, Q skill instantly accelerated towards Syndra.
Boom!
Precisely hit the twisting Syndra under the Turret, remaining Health Bar instantly cleared!
CoCo’s eyes widened; he couldn’t figure out why this Q skill was so fast?
He really had no time to react.
Even if he reacted, no way; Flash back under Turret, no skills to dodge.
Solo kill!
A solo kill in Mid Lane under 5 minutes!
“Wow, what’s up with this E skill?” Miller immediately noticed the acceleration field wasn’t parallel to the body, but at about 65 degrees tilt, looking completely different.
Q speed much faster?
This Operation was extremely rare even in s8.
A year earlier, everyone watched in shock.
The Director quickly made a replay.
Jayce’s cannon indeed exited the acceleration field at extreme speed, then bombed towards Syndra under the Turret.
Li Fan getting this solo kill, these top-tier Operations relied entirely on his relentless effort.
As for sweat?
On the opponent’s Player’s head.
CoCo’s forehead started beading with fine sweat.
Too much pressure!
He no longer believed the Coach’s chicken soup.
Is Unreal’s State really poor?
That rookie criticized for not Training gave more oppressive laning pressure than Rookie from the previous round!
“Nice Fan Ge!” Clearlove’s voice rang in the Headphones.
With such huge advantage in Mid Lane, his tactical ideas instantly clear: protect the Mid Lane daddy and play!
“I’m coming Mid right away, he has no Flash; once we move, he’s dead.” Clearlove marked the Mid Lane Syndra.
Revived and back to lane, CoCo was extremely cautious, but facing a Jayce already with Serrated Dirk, so-called caution seemed pale before absolute strength gap.
Li Fan had no intention of goofing off with Tear of the Goddess.
Direct violent Item Build to collapse him in lane!
Of course, this Item Build meant no late game, must end the Match quickly.
When Clearlove arrived in Mid Lane, Syndra’s Health was only half.
This Tower Dive was too easy.
Though 100,000 Volts was prepared nearby for counter-gank.
But could only watch Syndra get instantly killed.
Blind Monk had been tanking Turret with Health under half for a while.
100,000 Volts just wanted to force trade the Blind Monk.
And it actually traded…
But the Jayce beside knocked the Elise back to Spring.
Rampage sound effect played!
Six-minute three-kill Jayce, nothing more to say!
From this moment, it was garbage time.
But for Fans supporting on site, it was already climax!
Jayce followed Team Fights and Push, one cannon half Health.
NB couldn’t defend at all; at eighteen minutes, only Mid Lane Tower 2 left as outer Turret.
Twenty-one minutes, easily took Baron Nashor just by cannoning.
With Baron buff…
Twenty-three minutes, easily took the First Game!
After the First Game, in NB Team’s lounge, the atmosphere dropped to freezing.
Coach looked at CoCo slumped in the Chair, beaten without spirit, opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Originally wanted to break through by motivating CoCo, but didn’t expect Mid Lane to be crushed so badly.
Where was Unreal’s poor State?
Clearly EDG’s smoke bomb!
Meanwhile, Bullet Comments in the Live Stream Room kept brushing question marks.
【WTF? Unreal even fooled Fans saying Training Matches got crushed, with State this good what crush.】
【Heh heh heh, I knew Matches and Training Matches are totally different; whoever believed is truly dumb.】
【Then I’m screwed, I really believed Unreal’s nonsense.】
【I already saw through his routine earlier; likes making everyone look down on him, then slaps faces hard in Match, I’ve figured out exactly what he’s thinking, Unreal is too evil!】
Second Game, CoCo’s heart already shattered, could say zero State, in this situation couldn’t even lane.
While Li Fan picked Galio, directly turning into the Team engine.
Twenty-four minutes leading Teammates to victory again.
Even put up horrifying 17:1 stats, and that one Kill was gifted by Clearlove, because zero seal seemed too cruel, no need, after all everyone Professional Players see each other often.
On the field not just killing, still need to mind worldly affairs.
Third Game didn’t end in over twenty minutes.
Both sides fought to thirty-three minutes.
Don’t look at the long time, score already 21:3, EDG Economy leading 14k…
After taking Baron Nashor, no more dragging.
One wave to end the Match.
3:0 easily took NB!
CoCo sat in position, hands shaking a bit…
“Coach… I’m really not stronger than Unreal!”
