Lin Feng took a deep breath. The buzz in the inte cafe disappeared. High School 7’s Miner sitting across from him disappeared. His teammates sitting around him and talking in the voice chat disappeared. All that remained was Zed. The Master of Shadows. His eighth grader syndrome reared its head. “A shadow hidden in the darkness, a traitor to Kinkou doctrine of bnce.


    “Turning to the darkness and mastering the forbidden techniques, he is the leader of the Order of Shadow, the ruler of the unseen. The cold, ruthless gaze beneath his mask strikes fear into the hearts of all those who see him.


    “Embrace the shadow… or die in darkness!”


    Minion for minion. The Zed and Yasuo stayed on even footing. Both looked for openings, but neither were giving anything away. Thissted until the sixth minute of the game. Then it all changed. The Zed reached Level 6. Level 6 was an important level, because a Champion could then learn their ultimate skill. For Zed, this was Death Mark. He’d disappear into the shadows, after which three of his shadows would dash onto the target and mark them. This mark would trigger three secondster and deal a portion of the damage Zed dealt while the mark was active.


    Lin Feng changed his ystyle. He pushed the Yasuo away from the minions and deep underneath Red team’s outer tower. The Yasuo tried to walk back intone tost hit a minion, but there was Zed. The Zed was stalking around the minion wave, using it as bait. High School 7’s Miner felt the pressure. He knew he couldn’t get close to the minions. He’d just get abused if he did. But the minions were also right there, almost begging to best hit. It took him all his restraint to stay back. He was almost Level 6. When he had his ultimate, he could be a little more aggressive again.


    Damnit! What is this? The Yasuo could only watch Blue team’s minions die in the middle of thene. He couldn’t get to them. I need to do something… He looked down at his experience bar. It was almost full. A few more minions, that was all. Then he could learn Last Breath. This skill let him blink to an airborne Champion, keeping them in the air before mming them down to the ground. If he hit the Zed with it, he could at least get his footing in thene back. One more minion should do it.


    High School 7’s Miner hit Level 6. He learned his ultimate skill and pushed forward intone. But the Zed was waiting for him. Yasuo’s ultimate wasn’t enough of a deterrent. Or not at all, it felt like. He got two minions before he ran back to his tower, having lost a good bit of health. “Dammit… Who the heck is this guy?” he cursed under his breath. Then he looked at his minimap. The Jarvan IV was at the Wraith Camp, right next to midne. I need a gank! Then I’ll win.


    The Jarvan IV moved to midne, sweeping the area for wards. He didn’t find any, not even in the river brush right above thene. The Zed was still pushing over the halfway line. The Jarvan IV had yed so many games together with his Miner that they didn’t need to talk. They both knew the n. He pinged on the Zed and jumped in with a g-tossbo. If he could hit it and knock the Zed up, they would get the kill. Yasuo’s Last Breath would take care of that.


    The Yasuo ran forward, dashing through the minions–Sweeping de!–while charging up Steel Tempest. If this Zed dodged Jarvan IV’s knock up, he would be ready to use his whirlwind. It didn’t matter that his health was low, or that Jarvan IV’s health was low. This Zed would be dead before he knew what hit him! Time to say goodnight! He grinned.


    Lin Feng knew the Jarvan IV wasing. High School 7’s Jungler had missed a ward. It was ced just a little further up river, but close enough to reveal him as he walked into the brush above midne. Hehe. Let’s do this. Lin Feng smiled. The Yasuo suddenly got a little more aggressive. It wasn’t a lot, but enough to warn Lin Feng something was up. He knew what would happen next. His finger hovered over his R key. Death Mark would make Zed untargetable while dashing to the target. That also meant he couldn’t be knocked up. Hehe, watch this.


    High School 7’s Miner timed his whirlwind from Steel Tempest perfectly with Jarvan IV’s g-tossbo. The Zed would be toast! Got you! And then the Zed was gone. His eyes went wide. It felt as if time came to a stop as he mumbled, “Crap.” Both knock up skills had missed. Three blood red shadows jumped on him and put a mark above his head.


    The Zed appeared behind the Yasuo. His w des swept in a circle, cutting through the Yasuo–Shadow sh! He followed up with Razor Shuriken. Then the Yasuo finally reacted. He dashed to a nearby minion, and then another. But Lin Feng wasn’t about to let him get away. His Shadow dashed forward and he directly switched positions with it–Living Shadow! He was on top of the Yasuo again and hit him with an auto attack. That should do it. Lin Feng pressed on his R key again, and his Zed switched positions with the Shadow he’d ced when activating his ultimate skill.


    The Jarvan IV ran after the Yasuo and Zed, but couldn’t keep up. By the time he caught up, Zed had disappeared and the red mark above the Yasuo was about to explode. There was nothing he could do about it. His Miner would die. He turned around to chase the Zed, but he was toote for that too. The Zed was already halfway to his own outer tower. Then the sound of the red mark exploding rang out beside him. This gank was aplete and utter failure.


    《You have in an enemy!》


    Lin Feng breathed out. He’d held his breath during the fight, and only now rxed. The kill was his. His KDA went up to 2/0/0. The sound of the crowd around him entered his ears again. He could hear them gasp, while his teammates were cheering. He grinned and pumped his fist in the air, “Let’s go!” Then he looked back at the screen, a little nervous. Fatty’s game should’ve started. I hope he’s doing ok.


    ?


    In the Wembley Arena, KG and sh were in the middle of Champion Select. Below the stage, the yers from Fate had found their ces in the VIP viewing area. They’d just won their game and were now going to unwind by watching the next game at Worlds. Moon leaned back in his chair and looked at the picks, especially those in topne. sh had chosen Riven. She was a really strongner who had a lot of potential to outy herne opponent and get solo kills in the early game. On KG’s side, God Roundy picked Hecarim. What is he thinking…?


    Hecarim was a decent pick in the current meta. This spectral fusion of man and beast could single-handedly win teamfights with his ultimate skill. But he was a rtively weakner, and he needed a little extra to get rolling. When taking KG’s recent form in consideration, this pick seemed downright suicidal. What are they doing? Did they give up already? But why… This is Worl–


    “Excuse me, passing through! Excuse me!”


    Moon needed an extra second. The man trying to walk by was speaking in English, and he wasn’t great at thenguage. “Sorry, sorry,” he mumbled. He moved his legs to let the man through and looked up at him. Late twenties to early thirties. Casual expression. Nor did he spare Moon a nce. Thisst part was strange. Most people would take a minute to greet him or even ask for an autograph. He was an Emperor, after all. But it didn’t bother Moon that this man didn’t stop to say a word or two. He didn’t even really notice it, because that man looked really familiar for some reason. He looked at the man and mumbled, “Where do I know him from?"


    “Wait!” His eyes went wide. He knew who that was! This was a legend of the scene! He looked towards the man, who’d found a seat and reclined back, his feet up on the balustrade in front of him. It really is you! Before making the switch to League of Legends, Moon had yed a different esport. That was where he knew this man from. This man was one of the biggest names in that esport. A true legend! A real OG!


    Moon kept looking at the man, fighting back the urge to go up to him and ask for an autograph. Then he scrunched his nose. Why is he here? He retired from the scene years ago… Has he ever even yed League? Before he could think more of it, the crowd in the Wembley Arena started cheering and singing. The game had started. It was KG versus sh!


    ?


    《Wee to Summoner’s Rift!》


    sh was on the Red team. They decided to start the game with an odd set-up. Their bottomne duo went up to topne. They took the Golem Camp on the way there for some early experience, and then started pushing out thene from the first moment that the minions arrived inne. Down in bottomne, KG mirrored this tactic. They also first took Golem Camp before pushing out thene.


    As for the Toners of both teams, they didn’t go to ane. They wouldn’t get anyst hits on the minions inne against the bottomne duos, and the constant pressure they would be under could easily have them slip up and give away an early First Blood. So they went into the jungle and helped their Jungler clear their camps faster.


    KG’s botne duo was a Kennen ad-carry and Thresh support. After pushing out the first two waves into sh’s outer tower, they recalled back to base. They wanted a standardning match-up, so they rushed up to topne. Their Jungler had started on the Blue camp in the top half of the Jungle and had made his way down to the bottom half of the jungle together with Tian Tian’s Hecarim. When the Kennen and Thresh recalled, Tian Tian split from his Jungler and had his Hecarim charge down the jungle towards botne. The minions were fighting in the middle of thene when he arrived. He quickly pushed them back into Red team’s outer tower.


    sh didn’t push for anotherneswap. They were confident that Chris’ Riven would beat the Hecarim inne. That was an advantage they had to abuse. So they left their bottomne duo up in topne, while Chris recalled back to base to buy a few potions. Then he teleported to the outer tower in botne.


    The Chinese fans watching streams, and the odd few in the Wembley Arena, let out a shared breath of relief. They’d been worrying all week that KG would give away an early advantage to sh and lose from there. But right now, the game was still even. And KG had even made a good y! Instead of recalling back to base and buying an extra health potion, Roundy Round had rushed to botne and pushed out the wave. If he hadn’t done this, sh’s Chris would’ve arrived in time inne to freeze the minion wave halfway down thene and force Roundy Round to sit under his outer tower and miss gold and experience. That would’ve lost KG the game then and there. This was a great y by God Roundy!


    The Riven arrived at the outer tower in botne. Chris versus Roundy Round. The real fight between the two Toners was finally beginning! Chris looked at the Hecarim trying to get somest hits in. Hehe! Just you wait, fatso. I’ma make you wish you were never born!


    ?


    The second round of games in the first qualification round of the Shanghai 16 School Tournament was in full swing. After Lin Feng’s second kill on High School 7’s Miner, his team started to pull ahead. Liu Yue began to show that the weeks of training weren’t for nothing. He finally started putting pressure on thenes, even helping Rumble pick up a kill on Gragas in the topne.


    Tang Bingyao and Wei Dong also found an opening in botne. Jinx pushed out a little too far and they jumped on her. The Kalista dashed forward, throwing a spear with every jump. Tang Bingyao chased after the Jinx until the Jinx shed away to tower safety, then shifted targets to the Leona. Caught out in the middle of thene, the Leona was also forced to sh away, while the Jinx used her Heal to keep them both alive. High School 7’s botne survived this fight, but they paid a high price. They were forced back to base and lost a full wave and a half of minions.


    Topne came back after giving away an early kill, botne seized a small advantage, and the Jungler was applying pressure all over the map. Lin Feng’s teammates seemed to have shaken off their nerves. They weren’t worrying about making misys, but rather focusing on making ys! Lin Feng smiled. He was proud of his teammates. They’d finally fought back their fears and were really performing now! Fatty, do you see me? I’m trying my best here! I hope you are too!


    ?


    It was quiet in the Wembley Arena. The crowd had forgotten about their phones. All eyes were on the giant LCD screens above the stage, which showed the battle of the Toners down in botne. Unlike everyone had expected, this game wasn’t a stomp. Chris was ying hyper-aggressively on his Riven, pushing out the minions and harassing the Hecarim. But Tian Tian wasn’t taking the abuse lying down. He fought back, blow for blow, and was evening out on top! His Hecarim that should be losing to a Riven inne was actually pulling ahead!


    No one had any expectations for KG going in this game. Not the fans in the crowd. Not the fans at home. Not even the coaches of KG. But what they were seeing right now was a strong team that was going toe-to-toe with sh! Most impressive of all was Roundy. The fans felt that spark of excitement again as they watched him y. Maybe he would live up to his reputation today! Hopefully, he would show the world why his fans called him the Uncrowned Eighth!


    The cameras in the arena got no good shot of Tian Tian’s face, it was hidden behind his monitor. But they got a great shot of Chris’. His casual expression from before the game was gone. In its ce was anger and frustration. He squinted his eyes and leaned closer to the monitor. His Riven and the Hecarim both had about a third of their health remaining. Thene was pretty much dead even. Fucking fatso… I don’t care how good you are. Let me show you how good a real professional Toner is!


    Tian Tian looked like he was going even with Chris. Hecarim and Riven were both at the same health and thene was stuck in the middle. But appearances were deceptive. Chris made sure to leave KG’s minions alive for a little longer. The wave pushed slightly to his side, but not so far that it got near his tower. A second minion wave arrived inne while the first was still mostly alive. Hehe. Finally. He started killing Blue minions again, timing it so that the next blue minion wave would stop his minion wave outside the reach of the outer tower.


    Hehehe. He’s got no clue what’sing for him. Chris killed this minion wave fast. There was a short window here until the next minion wave would arrive. The Blue minions quickly died to therge Red minion wave and Riven. The Hecarim was forced underneath his tower. Hehe. Now. Gotcha, idiot. The minion wave reached under KG’s outer tower. He had to act fast. If he got the kill on the Hecarim, he would win the game right there and then. As he saw it, this was a win-win situation for him! Force Hecarim back to base or kill him. Either way, he’d get the experience and gold lead. He chuckled and then dashed towards the Hecarim–Valor!


    The Rivenshed out with herrge sword–Broken Wings!–and linked that up with an auto attack. She was in range of the outer tower. An energy shot charged up and shot at her. It did far more damage than Chris expected. So much so that he started to worry. Fuck. Too much damage. He’d gotten greedy. The tower would kill him before he could kill the Hecarim. But he’d already gotten so far. He didn’t want to turn back now. Screw it. Onebo and I’m out. He pressed down on the W key–Ki Burst!


    Tian Tian had shaken off his worries and was ying with confidence. When the Riven dashed at him, he spotted the mistake right away. His finger moved over the D key. The only thing Riven could do was try and stun him with her Ki Burst. That was her only possible y here! Or she could walk away, but that just wasn’t Chris’ style. So he let her hit him with the first charge of her Broken Wings and waited for the animation of Ki Burst. It came a momentter. The green Ki bursted out around the Riven and he pressed down on his D key. His Hecarim shed past the Riven, dodging the stun. He followed up by activating Devastating Charge and charged into the Riven, knocking her backwards.


    FUCK! Chris cursed. He never expected Roundy to sh, or that he’d make a y like that at all. This was nothing like the Roundy fromst week! He smashed down on his F key and shed away, but not before taking another energy shot from the tower. His health was already down to 10%!


    Tian Tian knew what was in front of him. First Blood. He wouldn’t let this chance go to waste. When Riven shed, he was ready for it. He charged after the Riven and hit her with an auto attack. Then he cleaved the Riven with his polearm–Rampage!–and finished her off with onest auto attack.


    《First blood!》


    The Wembley Arena that was predominantly European erupted into cheers! What a phenomenal outy! This was a true solo kill at the World stage! They almost never got to see this! They forgot that it wasn’t a European team who’d got the kill as they jumped up and down and screamed as loudly as they could, “GOD ROUNDY! GOD ROUNDY!”


    The online tforms, where most Chinese fans were following the game from, went even wilder. This was exactly what they’d been dreaming of! Aeback from KG! The turn around in week two of Worlds! And God Roundy!


    「AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!1!!!! OMG DID YOU SEE THATTTTT」


    「fiiiiiiiiiiirst bloooooooooood!!!!!!!!」


    「GOD ROUNDY!!!! DAMN THAT WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!!」


    「Lez fucking goooooooo we got thizz boys ez win gg」


    「FUCK THE HATERS!!! GOD ROUNDY IS THE BEST」


    「I’m not Chinese, but that was such an impressive y! Roundy Round is really deserving of the title God Roundy. I think he should be one of the Seven Kings. He really deserves it. What do you guys think?」


    「LOL ^ Who''s that idiot? ALSO GOD ROUNDYY WOOOO!!!!!!! WAAAA!!!!!!」


    On the caster desk of the Chinese official broadcast of Worlds, Qinghe lost control over his emotions. His eyes were wet and he had to wipe the tears away. He couldn’t find the words, much like Lolo who was just staring at the screen, shocked. Only Stone didn’t forget how to talk. He shouted his voice hoarse, “OH MY GOD THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL! THAT WAS GOD ROUNDY! EVERYONE! THAT WAS GOD ROUNDY! HE’S COME TO PLAY AND GETS FIRST BLOOD!”