《LoL - I Will Become the GOAT》 Chapter 1 - I Will Become the LoL Goat! The neon sign above the internet caf¨¦ buzzed faintly, casting flickering light onto the damp pavement below. Alan Zhong stood outside, clutching his headset in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. His heart raced¡ªnot from nerves, but from the adrenaline coursing through him as the weight of his reality set in. It was March 6th, 2011. He stepped inside, the familiar clatter of keyboards and muffled shouts washing over him like a wave. The air smelled of energy drinks and faintly of desperation, a breeding ground for gamers chasing fleeting glory. Alan adjusted his headset over his neck as he scanned the room. His height¡ªsix feet seven¡ªmade him impossible to miss. Heads turned almost instantly. ¡°Yo, is that AlanZhong?¡± ¡°The guy who hit 2000 LP in solo queue? No way.¡± ¡°He went 20-1 on Kassadin last week. I watched his stream. Dude¡¯s a monster.¡± Alan ignored the whispers, his focus razor-sharp. He wasn¡¯t here to bask in admiration or prove himself to casuals. He was here for one reason: to rewrite his history. In 2025, Alan Zhong had been a washed-up ex-pro, his career long buried beneath regrets and missed opportunities. He¡¯d watched from the sidelines as legends rose, players like Faker becoming icons while Alan remained a forgotten relic. It had gnawed at him for years, the thought that he had the talent but never the mindset to be the best. Then, like a miracle¡ªor a cruel joke¡ªhe¡¯d woken up here, in 2011. The year League of Legends began its meteoric rise. The chance was surreal. Impossible. But it was real. Alan clenched his fists. The game hadn¡¯t changed, but he had. He wasn¡¯t just a mid-laner anymore; he was a mid-laner who knew the future. The champions, the metas, the playstyles, the stars waiting to rise¡ªhe knew it all. And he knew what it would take to surpass them. Including Faker.
He found an empty station and sat down. The chair creaked under his weight as he powered on the computer. As the League of Legends client hummed to life, Alan stared at the screen. He hadn¡¯t played on the old client in years, and the simple interface felt like a relic compared to the sleek versions of his past life. Still, it had everything he needed. Summoner: AlanZhong Rank: Challenger Role: Mid Lane Mains: Kassadin Elo Rating: 2050 Win/Loss: 73/19 The numbers spoke for themselves. Alan¡¯s dominance in solo queue had carried him to the top of the ladder, but this wasn¡¯t about grinding LP. As a player from the future, ranked was easy to climb in. Alan needed to prove he could dominate in competition, where the stakes were higher and the pressure unrelenting. As he reviewed his stats, a notification blinked to life in the corner of the screen. System initializing¡­ ¡°Congratulations, Alan Zhong. Prove your worth in this match to unlock your potential.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. His breath caught. A translucent interface materialized in front of his eyes, faintly glowing and almost ethereal.
Quest: Claim Your Destiny Objective: Win your first match in Go4LoL to unlock the Rookie Pack. Reward: System activation and Rookie Pack. Failure: System functionality will remain locked.
Alan¡¯s pulse quickened. His hands hovered over the keyboard, trembling slightly. This was new. This wasn¡¯t part of the timeline he remembered. ¡°A literal system?¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°This is insane.¡± The screen pulsed faintly, almost teasing him. The words ¡°Rookie Pack¡± glowed with an aura of potential, a promise of power waiting to be unlocked. Whatever this was, it wasn¡¯t just a cheat¡ªit was an advantage, one he¡¯d need to rewrite history. A Discord notification broke his trance. Balls: Yo, get in Discord. We¡¯re in the lobby. This is Go4LoL, man¡ªwe gotta show up big. Team Green Tipped Bananas is taking it all! Alan smirked. Balls was the top laner for their team, a player Alan had befriended through solo queue. Their team name was a joke, but they were serious about competing. This was Go4LoL¡ªone of the earliest amateur tournaments in the game¡¯s history¡ªand Alan knew its significance. This was where players first made their mark. A strong performance here could open doors. He joined the Discord call, greeted by a mix of familiar and fresh voices. ¡°Alan¡¯s here!¡± Balls announced. ¡°We¡¯ve got our mid-lane god. How¡¯s it feel to hit 2000 LP again?¡± ¡°Feels good,¡± Alan replied, his voice steady. ¡°But ranked doesn¡¯t mean much. Let¡¯s see how tonight goes.¡± Their AD carry, a sharp-tongued player named Travis, chimed in. ¡°Just don¡¯t int, Alan. I heard unRestricted¡¯s bot lane is cracked.¡± Alan smiled faintly. ¡°Focus on your own lane. I¡¯ll handle mine.¡± The banter lightened the mood, but the tension was palpable as the game lobby loaded. Their first opponents, unRestricted eSports, were no slouches. Well-practiced and coordinated, they had a reputation for punishing overconfidence. A win against them would be a statement.
The draft began, and Alan hovered over Kassadin. It was a bold choice, given Kassadin¡¯s weak early game, but Alan didn¡¯t hesitate. This was his comfort pick, his ace in the hole. In return, his opponent selected Annie. Alan narrowed his eyes. Annie was a dangerous counter, built to punish Kassadin¡¯s scaling playstyle. The matchup would be brutal early, but Alan knew if he could survive, he¡¯d dominate. The game began, and the tension was immediate. Annie shoved the wave relentlessly, forcing Alan under turret. Every time he stepped forward to last-hit, her Disintegrate chipped away at his health. To make matters worse, the enemy jungler camped mid, lurking in the fog of war, ready to pounce. ¡°Play it slow,¡± Alan muttered to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t give them any openings.¡± Balls¡¯s voice crackled through Discord. ¡°Need help mid?¡± ¡°No. Just stall. I¡¯ll scale.¡± The game dragged on, with unRestricted pressuring every lane. At 18 minutes, their Annie roamed bot with a Flash-Tibbers engage, securing a devastating double kill. Alan gritted his teeth as unRestricted turned their attention to Baron. ¡°They¡¯re moving topside,¡± Alan said, his voice steady despite the pressure. ¡°We need vision around Baron.¡± Balls chimed in. ¡°I can TP, but I¡¯m slow as hell on Cho¡¯Gath.¡± Alan¡¯s fingers hovered over his R key. One mistake would be the end of the game. But he¡¯d seen this scenario before, in countless scrims and solo queue games. The enemy team would overcommit. He knew they would. ¡°Stay back,¡± Alan said. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± The enemy team started Baron. Alan flanked from the jungle, his Kassadin blinking into the pit with Riftwalk. The chaos was immediate. He unleashed a devastating combo, melting their backline. A double kill turned into a triple as his teammates cleaned up the stragglers. ¡°Quadra kill!¡± the announcer¡¯s voice blared through the caf¨¦ speakers. The crowd erupted in cheers, spectators crowding around Alan¡¯s station. His team secured Baron and snowballed to victory. ¡°GG!¡± Balls shouted. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Alan leaned back, adrenaline coursing through him. Travis chimed in, ¡°Alright, Alan, I admit it¡ªyou¡¯re cracked. But don¡¯t let it go to your head.¡± As the victory screen appeared, a soft ding echoed in Alan¡¯s mind.
Ding!! ¡°Conditions met. Rookie Gift Pack unlocked. Please check your system.¡±
Alan¡¯s heart raced. This was it¡ªthe first step toward rewriting his legacy. ¡°Faker,¡± he whispered under his breath, staring at the system¡¯s interface. ¡°I¡¯m coming for your throne.¡± Chapter 2 - A Choice of Legends The caf¨¦ hummed with activity, but Alan barely noticed the noise around him. His mind buzzed with the energy of the match he¡¯d just won. The adrenaline still coursed through his veins, yet his focus was singular. His victory had triggered something¡ªa ripple that extended beyond the game. A faint glow flickered in his peripheral vision. The system was back. A holographic pack materialized in the air before him, shimmering in hues of red, gold, and purple. It rotated slowly, like a prize waiting to be claimed. The sight was mesmerizing, the kind of visual that made his heart pound with anticipation. System Notification: "Congratulations! You¡¯ve unlocked the Rookie Gift Pack.¡± Alan leaned forward, his hands tightening into fists. His chest heaved as excitement flooded him. This was the next step¡ªsomething more than just skill and knowledge. This was a tool, a key to unlocking his true potential. ¡°A gift pack?¡± Alan muttered under his breath. The glowing object reminded him of loot boxes from games he used to grind endlessly. The thought brought a smirk to his face. ¡°Alright, system. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡±
The interface pulsed, responding to his intention. With a flick of his finger, the pack began to open. Light spilled out in cascading beams, and with it came three large, gold-framed cards. They hovered in mid-air, their surfaces gleaming with brilliance. Caps (Legendary) - Overall Rating: 97 Showmaker (Legendary) - Overall Rating: 97 Zeka (Legendary) - Overall Rating: 97 Alan stared, his breath catching in his throat. These weren¡¯t just names. They were legendary players who would go on to define mid-lane greatness. He felt the gravity of the moment settle over him like a heavy mantle. The system chimed softly. System Notification: ¡°Select your growth template. This will form the foundation of your potential. Further customization is available through other rewards.¡± Alan blinked at the prompt. His mind raced. Caps, Showmaker, and Zeka. Each name carried its own legacy that shaped the competitive scene in ways that would be remembered for decades. The question wasn¡¯t just which template he wanted. It was who he wanted to be. ¡°This system,¡± Alan whispered, his voice trembling. ¡°It¡¯s not just giving me tools. It¡¯s giving me a legacy.¡± The cards hovered before him, shimmering with faint auras of their own. He began to evaluate them, his thoughts spiraling through memories of future matches, moments that hadn¡¯t even happened yet.
Zeka was the first to catch his attention. The young prodigy¡¯s raw mechanical skill practically radiated from the card. Alan remembered Zeka¡¯s meteoric rise, his fearless playstyle, and the unforgettable performance in the 2022 World Championship finals. He¡¯d clutched out a victory against Faker himself, solidifying his name in history.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. But Zeka¡¯s career, while dazzling, lacked longevity. His creativity and flair came with inconsistency, and with Alan''s future knowledge only reaching 2025 he couldn''t be sure about Zeka''s overall ability. Alan shook his head, muttering under his breath. ¡°Too risky. I need more than raw mechanics.¡± With a swipe, he dismissed Zeka¡¯s card. That left two titans. Alan turned his attention to Caps. The face of Western League of Legends. Caps was a player who refused to be boxed in¡ªsomeone who could carry on any champion, adapt to any meta, and inspire his team to rally around him. Alan had watched countless highlight reels of Caps¡¯ daring outplays, his resilience in the face of pressure, and his boundless energy that lifted entire squads to victory. Then there was Showmaker, the tactical genius. Alan admired his cerebral approach to the game. Showmaker didn¡¯t just play mid-lane¡ªhe controlled the map, dictating the flow of every match. His dominance with Damwon Gaming had crushed some of the strongest teams in the world. Alan knew Showmaker¡¯s mastery wasn¡¯t just mechanics. It was decision-making, strategy, and an unshakable calm under pressure. Alan frowned, torn between the two. Showmaker¡¯s precision was unmatched, but something about his legacy felt distant, almost clinical. Alan needed to be more than just a perfect player. He needed to inspire. He needed to lead. Caps¡¯ card glowed faintly, as if responding to his thoughts. Alan felt a flicker of excitement as his decision crystallized. "Choosing a template is only the beginning,¡± the system prompted, as if reading his mind. ¡°You will grow stronger than the template¡¯s limits as your mastery increases." Alan exhaled slowly, his fingers hovering over the interface. The answer was clear. Caps wasn¡¯t just a player¡ªhe was a force of nature. A player who could adapt, inspire, and dominate. Caps¡¯ fearless style matched Alan¡¯s vision for himself: a mid-laner who could do it all. Alan grinned as he made his selection. ¡°Choose the growth template: Caps.¡±
The system pulsed with approval. ¡°Ding: Growth template selected. Caps has been integrated as your foundation.¡± Alan felt a rush of energy course through him. His system¡¯s interface shimmered, revealing new stats and abilities. He scrolled through the glowing numbers, trying to absorb the information. Name: Alan Zhong Age: 18 Role: Mid Lane Overall Rating: 39 Template: Caps Below that, a detailed breakdown of his skills and attributes appeared. Hard skills, soft skills, potential badges¡ªit was like peering into a blueprint of his future self. Alan¡¯s fingers twitched as he read through the descriptions, the possibilities lighting a fire inside him. A second prompt appeared. ¡°Would you like to accelerate the integration of the Caps template for 1,000 points?¡± Alan raised an eyebrow. The system had just handed him those points, and now it wanted them back? He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. Trust the process, he thought. Every step so far had been worth it. ¡°Accelerate integration,¡± Alan said aloud. The screen shimmered, and Alan¡¯s points dropped to zero. The system¡¯s interface surged with energy, and a sharp clarity washed over him. His reaction time quickened, his instincts sharpened. He looked to his updated system panel. Overall Rating: 45 Alan felt ready to win.
As the glow faded, Alan leaned back in his chair, letting the weight of the moment sink in. The faint buzz of the system lingered in his mind like a promise. ¡°Yo, Alan, you still with us?¡± Balls¡¯ voice snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet.¡± Alan smirked, his fingers brushing the keyboard. ¡°I¡¯m better than good.¡± He glanced at the interface one last time, feeling the pulse of possibility. ¡°Let¡¯s win this whole thing.¡± Chapter 3 - A New Level of Skill The Go4LoL tournament was relentless¡ªa single-elimination, 32 team gauntlet with no room for error. The bracket only became best of three starting in top 8. That meant for the coming match, one loss, and their journey would end. Every match felt like walking a tightrope, the stakes impossibly high. For Alan, this wasn¡¯t just about winning a bracket; it was about proving that his second chance was more than a fluke. As the lobby loaded, Team Liquid¡¯s names lit up on the screen. Alan scanned their roster. None of the names were familiar¡ªnot yet. This wasn¡¯t the Team Liquid that would become synonymous with dominance in future years. This was the 2011 version, raw and untested. But they had potential, and their aggression in earlier rounds had proven they weren¡¯t amateurs. Balls: ¡°Alan, these guys are solid. Keep it clean.¡± Alan leaned back, his confidence unwavering. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got this.¡± The ban phase passed quickly. Alan hovered over Kassadin. The champion had carried him through the previous game, but repeating the same pick could be risky. Still, Alan trusted himself. With the system¡¯s guidance sharpening his edge, Kassadin wasn¡¯t just a scaling pick; it was his signature. Locked In: Kassadin Opponent: Ezreal Alan¡¯s expression flickered with a mix of surprise and respect. Ezreal mid. It was an unconventional pick but not unheard of in 2011. A champion with high mobility and the potential to punish Kassadin¡¯s weak early game. Ezreal would poke relentlessly, forcing Alan to play defensively. Alan adjusted his headset and cracked his knuckles. ¡°Smart pick,¡± Alan thought. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen better.¡±
Quest: A New Level of Skill Objective: Win your first series in Go4LoL to unlock the Rookie Badge. Reward: Rookie Badge. Failure: No Reward.
The game began, and Alan¡¯s focus narrowed to the screen in front of him. The caf¨¦ seemed to fade, its bustling noise replaced by the quiet hum of the game. Everything else¡ªtime, pressure, the crowd¡ªdisappeared. Only Kassadin and Ezreal remained. From the first wave, Ezreal¡¯s aggression was clear. Every auto-attack chipped at Alan¡¯s health pool, and Mystic Shot bolts zipped past the minions, finding their mark more often than not. Alan stayed just outside range, relying on his system-enhanced instincts to secure farm while avoiding unnecessary damage. ¡°Farming first,¡± Alan muttered to himself. His system pulsed faintly, syncing with his movements. Each minion kill delivered a subtle rush, like hitting the sweet spot on a well-timed skillshot. The numbers on his gold counter climbed steadily. At five minutes, the pressure intensified. Ezreal landed a precise Arcane Shift into a Mystic Shot combo, forcing Alan to burn Flash. Moments later, the enemy jungler appeared¡ªa ganking Warwick. Alan¡¯s system flickered a warning, and he barely escaped under turret with a sliver of health.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Balls: ¡°Mid needs a gank?¡± Alan exhaled sharply. ¡°Not yet. Just focus bot side. I¡¯ll scale.¡± Patience was Kassadin¡¯s mantra. He didn¡¯t dominate early; he endured. Ezreal had the advantage now, but Alan knew the tides would shift. He just needed to survive until level six, when Riftwalk would tilt the balance. By 12 minutes, Alan hit his first power spike. Ezreal¡¯s relentless poking had slowed, and Warwick¡¯s jungle pressure waned as Liquid¡¯s focus shifted to Dragon. Alan took the opportunity to reset, returning to lane with a Catalyst the Protector. His gold count lagged behind Ezreal¡¯s slightly, but the gap was manageable. More importantly, Alan was alive¡ªand Kassadin with items was inevitable. The minimap lit up as Liquid¡¯s bot lane shoved their wave under turret. Travis and their support scrambled to clear it, but the enemy duo lingered dangerously close. Alan¡¯s system nudged him with a faint pulse. ¡°They¡¯re overextended,¡± Alan muttered, pinging twice. On My Way. He Riftwalked into Liquid¡¯s jungle, moving deliberately to avoid common ward spots. His instincts and the system worked in tandem, each movement precise. As Alan approached bot lane, he spotted his targets¡ªLiquid¡¯s bot lane, obliviously farming just outside turret range. The moment was perfect. Kassadin blinked into the lane, unleashing a Force Pulse that slowed both players. A quick Nether Blade followed, and the enemy ADC fell in seconds. Their support tried to escape, but Alan Riftwalked again, the cooldown barely a blip in his mind. Another Void Pulse sealed the deal. ¡°Double kill!¡± the announcer¡¯s voice boomed. The caf¨¦ erupted with cheers, spectators gathering behind Alan¡¯s screen to watch the unfolding carnage. Alan barely acknowledged them, his focus shifting back to the map. Alan: ¡°Bot¡¯s even now. Rotate for Dragon.¡± By the mid-game, Alan¡¯s Kassadin had transformed. Every Riftwalk was cleaner, his roams more efficient. The system didn¡¯t just enhance his skills¡ªit amplified his decision-making. He could feel the Caps template subtly shaping his playstyle, nudging him toward the fearless aggression that defined the legendary mid-laner. At 20 minutes, Alan spotted his opening. Liquid¡¯s Ezreal grouped mid with his team, pressuring the outer turret. Alan noted the absence of Ezreal¡¯s Arcane Shift in the previous skirmish. Alan: ¡°Engage now. Ezreal¡¯s E is on cooldown.¡± Balls¡¯s Cho¡¯Gath surged forward, landing a perfect Rupture on Ezreal and the enemy support. Alan Riftwalked in, unloading a devastating combo that shredded the backline. Ezreal fell instantly, followed by Warwick moments later. ¡°Triple kill!¡± Alan¡¯s system pulsed faintly: Clutch +1. By the 30-minute mark, Alan¡¯s Kassadin was an unstoppable force. With Zhonya¡¯s Ring in his inventory, his damage was absurd. Every Riftwalk was a surgical strike, dismantling Liquid¡¯s strategy one blink at a time. Liquid made a desperate attempt to contest Baron, but Alan flanked from the jungle, landing a perfect Force Pulse that slowed their entire team. The ensuing fight was a rout. Green Tipped Bananas secured Baron and stormed Liquid¡¯s base. The Nexus exploded moments later. Victory. Alan leaned back in his chair, his pulse pounding with adrenaline. The scoreboard gleamed on the monitor: 13/1/3. A stat line that screamed dominance, a glimpse of what Alan could become. Balls: ¡°Dude, you¡¯re insane. That Kassadin is illegal.¡± Travis: ¡°If they don¡¯t ban you next match, they¡¯re trolling.¡± Alan chuckled softly but said nothing. His focus wasn¡¯t on bans or trash talk¡ªit was on the faint notification blinking in his mind.
Quest conditions met "Rookie Badge unlocked. Please check your system.¡±
Alan stared at the glowing notification for a moment, his lips curling into a faint smile. This was just the beginning. Chapter 4 - System Details Alan sat in the dim glow of his monitor, the rhythmic hum of his computer, the quiet clicks of players in games¡ªit all felt distant. His focus was locked on the system¡¯s interface, the glowing text reflecting in his determined eyes.
System Dashboard: Name: Alan Zhong Age: 18 Role: Mid Lane Overall Rating: 46 (+1) Template: Caps Hard Skills: - Farming: 40 - Lane Pressure: 42 - Roaming: 52 - Split Push: 55 - Team Fights: 50 - Situational Awareness: 54 - Picks: 54 - Micro Mechanics: 43 (+1) Soft Skills: - Communication: 50 - Macro Play: 52 - Leadership: 49 (+1) - Mental Resilience: 47 - Aggression: 54 - Creativity: 49 - Adaptation: 54 - Clutch: 57 (+1) Badges: Kassa-win (Bronze): Upon reaching level 16 on Kassadin, improves clutch by 5 points.
The stats stared back at him, an unyielding mirror of his potential and his flaws. Alan leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. For all his triumphs in the past two games, the numbers told a story he didn¡¯t want to read. ¡°Mental Resilience: 47,¡± he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing. The number felt personal, like an insult buried in cold data. He clicked on the stat, and a brief description appeared: Mental Resilience: Your ability to remain composed under pressure, recover from setbacks, and maintain focus in high-stakes scenarios. Alan exhaled sharply. He didn¡¯t need the explanation to tell him what he already knew. The memories came rushing back¡ªrage-quitting scrims, throwing games after a single mistake, letting frustration spiral into apathy. In his first life, he¡¯d been crushed by the weight of his own expectations. He¡¯d built a wall around himself, isolating his talent from the team around him. And in the end, that wall had crumbled. ¡°If I want to surpass Faker, this can¡¯t stay my Achilles¡¯ heel,¡± he whispered. His gaze shifted to another stat: Leadership. At 49, it was slightly above average, but nothing remarkable. Yet the word carried a gravity that Alan couldn¡¯t ignore. He clicked on it, and another description appeared: Leadership: Your ability to inspire teammates, make decisive calls, and maintain team cohesion during adversity. Alan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Caps¡¯ influence,¡± he murmured. ¡°That guy could rally a team out of nowhere.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Caps¡¯ legendary moments flashed in his mind: daring Baron calls when the team was behind, pushing unconventional picks that no one else would have dared to try, and lifting the spirits of teammates after brutal losses. Caps wasn¡¯t just a player¡ªhe was a force of nature, someone who made the people around him believe in the impossible. ¡°Is that what I need to be?¡± Alan wondered aloud. ¡°Not just the best, but the one everyone else can lean on?¡± For so long, Alan had been laser-focused on his own performance. In 2025, he¡¯d carried games solo when he could, silently blaming his teammates when he couldn¡¯t. But now, the path to becoming the GOAT felt clearer. It wasn¡¯t just about skill; it was about legacy. And legacy was built with more than solo kills. The interface pulsed faintly as Alan navigated deeper into the system. A new menu glowed, its text crisp and inviting:
Potential Features Unlocked: - Dynamic Skill Growth: Skills improve with practice, critical moments, and consistent performance. - Badge System: Special conditions unlock badges that amplify specific traits or skills.
Alan¡¯s eyes landed on Dynamic Skill Growth. He clicked it, reading the brief explanation: Dynamic Skill Growth: Skills are not static. They will evolve as you rise to challenges, demonstrate mastery, and overcome adversity. Alan felt a strange thrill course through him. It wasn¡¯t just about numbers ticking up after wins. It was about proving himself, growing through every critical play and every mistake. He recalled the Liquid match, when he¡¯d called the mid-game engage after noticing Ezreal¡¯s Arcane Shift was down. That decision hadn¡¯t felt like luck, it had been something sharper, clearer. The system had nudged him, honing his situational awareness, and when the play succeeded, his Clutch and Leadership stats had ticked upward. ¡°This system isn¡¯t here to carry me,¡± Alan realized. ¡°It¡¯s here to push me.¡±
His gaze shifted to the Kassa-win badge. Kassa-win (Bronze): Upon reaching level 16 on Kassadin, improves clutch by 5 points. It seemed so simple, but Alan couldn¡¯t help but smile. Kassadin was the perfect metaphor for his journey: weak early, nearly unplayable if left unsupported. But if nurtured, Kassadin became an unstoppable force, a late-game terror. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Alan whispered, his voice resolute. ¡°Weak early, scaling late.¡± His confidence swelled as he stared at the interface. For all its cryptic messages and glowing numbers, the system was giving him something no one else in this timeline had¡ªa roadmap to greatness. The rest was up to him. Alan leaned forward, his voice low but steady. ¡°System,¡± he said aloud, as if speaking directly to the glowing dashboard, ¡°You¡¯ve shown me the path, but I¡¯m not stopping at Caps. You better be ready for me to break this game.¡± The system flickered faintly, almost like it was acknowledging the challenge.
Alan closed the interface, letting the weight of the stats fade from his mind. He shifted his focus back to the Discord call, where the voices of his teammates filled the air. ¡°Yo, Alan, you good?¡± Balls asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet.¡± Alan smirked, his confidence bleeding through his tone. ¡°I¡¯m great. Let¡¯s keep this win streak going.¡± Balls laughed, his voice light. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. Next match in ten.¡± Alan muted his mic, letting the buzz of the caf¨¦ settle around him. The glow of his monitor reflected his calm but burning resolve. The system, the stats, the badges¡ªthey were tools. The real journey was still ahead. Alan clenched his fists, his thoughts razor-sharp. ¡°Faker,¡± he whispered, his voice carrying a promise, ¡°You¡¯ve dominated this game long enough. It¡¯s my turn now.¡± As the caf¨¦ lights flickered, signaling closing time, Alan didn¡¯t move. His focus was absolute. This wasn¡¯t just about numbers on a screen. It was about becoming the kind of player the game had never seen. Chapter 5 - First Best of Three The Go4LoL bracket ticked forward, narrowing the field with each match. Alan sat at his station, reviewing Team Liquid¡¯s draft history from their previous games. Though the organization resonated as a powerhouse in his memories, this iteration was a far cry from the polished rosters of the future. The players were unknowns to Alan. Three of their players: RiseUp, FrostFire, and Noctis were top 100 on the North American server, but none triggered any memories. Balls: ¡°Their mid-jungle crushed the last few teams they faced. We can''t let them snowball too hard early.¡± Travis: ¡°I''ve played against their ADC in ranked. Decent laning but overextends in fights. If I can get my items, I''ll definitely carry this.¡± Alan leaned into his microphone. ¡°Focus on stability. Let¡¯s play around objectives and let bot lane scale. We¡¯ll punish their mistakes.¡±
As the draft began, Alan hovered over his choice. Kassadin was tempting, but he needed a change of pace. His cursor lingered on Veigar. A calculated scaling champion with a devastating late-game presence, perfect for keeping the game stable. Locked In: Veigar Opponent: Ryze The enemy Ryze signaled early aggression. A dangerous pick, but predictable if Alan played carefully. The game loaded in, and Alan found himself focused on the glowing quest marker. The laning phase began, and Ryze immediately exerted pressure. His opponent spammed spells to shove the wave, forcing Alan to play under turret. Veigar¡¯s short range made early farming a challenge, but Alan anticipated this. He focused on securing minions with precise autos and a well-timed Baleful Strike, racking up his passive stacks for late-game power. By the 10-minute mark, Ryze¡¯s aggression was met with diminishing returns. The enemy jungler camped mid twice, but Alan¡¯s careful warding and conservative play kept him safe. Meanwhile, his bot lane was thriving, as Travis¡¯s Sivir picked up a double kill with the help of their support¡¯s Janna. Balls: ¡°They¡¯re setting up for Dragon. You coming?¡± Alan checked his cooldowns. His Event Horizon, Veigar¡¯s iconic stun, was ready. ¡°On my way.¡± The first major fight unfolded at the Dragon pit. Ryze teleported in, firing bursts of damage, but Alan positioned perfectly. He dropped his Event Horizon, caging two opponents while his ADC cleaned up. A perfectly timed Primordial Burst obliterated Ryze, earning Alan his first kill. Travis''s Siver was fed and primed to carry this game. With the Dragon secured, Green Tipped Bananas began to dictate the pace. Alan continued scaling, farming safely, and landing clutch stuns in key fights. By the 29-minute mark, Sivir''s Ricochet was pumping out damage. Fights became impossible for the enemy, they were simply outscaled.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The game ended in a methodical victory. Alan¡¯s final score wasn¡¯t flashy at 3/1/9, but his kill participation was over 80%. More importantly, he had stabilized the mid lane, allowing his team to thrive. Balls: ¡°Clean. Let¡¯s keep that energy.¡± Alan¡¯s system chimed faintly in his mind: Leadership +1. Macro Play +1.
The second draft posed a challenge. The enemy mid-laner locked in Veigar, hoping to pick away one of Alan¡¯s champions. Alan smirked and countered with Morgana in response, a pick that could nullify Veigar¡¯s oppressive crowd control with her Black Shield. Locked In: Morgana Opponent: Veigar The game opened with a different tempo. Morgana¡¯s wave-clear with Tormented Shadow allowed Alan to shove early and roam. While Veigar struggled to farm under turret, Alan made it his mission to enable his bot lane. With precise Dark Bindings, he orchestrated two pivotal kills for Travis¡¯s Miss Fortune, whose Double Up made quick work of the enemy duo. Travis¡¯s confidence began to shine, setting the tone for the game. By mid-game, Alan¡¯s Morgana was a defensive powerhouse. In every team fight, his Black Shield shut down Veigar¡¯s Event Horizon and the enemy Gragas¡¯s Body Slam engages. Alan wasn¡¯t chasing kills, but his impact was undeniable: timely shields, game-changing bindings, and well-placed Soul Shackles that locked down multiple enemies in critical fights. The game¡¯s turning point came at the 22-minute mark. Team Liquid, desperate to regain control, attempted a risky Baron rush. Alan¡¯s Dark Binding landed on their jungler, catching him out of position. The opening was all Green Tipped Bananas needed. ¡°Engage!¡± Alan called out. Balls¡¯s Malphite responded with a Unstoppable Force that crashed into three members of Team Liquid. The follow-up was seamless. Travis¡¯s Miss Fortune unleashed Bullet Time, shredding through their disorganized formation. Alan flashed into the fray with Soul Shackles, splitting their ranks and ensuring the backline couldn¡¯t recover. The result was a clean ace. Ace! With Baron secured, Green Tipped Bananas pushed down the mid-lane and ended the game decisively. Alan¡¯s final score read 1/0/11¡ªa quiet but impressive performance.
Alan leaned back, satisfied. He hadn¡¯t put on a flashy performance, but he¡¯d done exactly what the team needed: staying steady, making smart decisions, and delivering when it counted. The skill boosts from the system felt earned, proof of his impact on the game. Balls: ¡°That¡¯s 2-0, boys! Top four, here we come!¡± Travis: ¡°We didn¡¯t even need your Kassadin. We played great.¡± Alan allowed himself to savor the moment, the team¡¯s excitement infectious. Their clean, decisive win felt like a step closer to something bigger. Up until now, winning the entire tournament had felt like a distant goal, but this last series? It made the dream feel real. Achievable. As the team laughed and dissected the game highlights, Alan opened the tournament bracket. His eyes scanned their potential matchups. Then a name jumped out at him, freezing him mid-scroll. Team SoloMid. Alan¡¯s confidence wavered for the first time all day. He¡¯d almost forgotten TSM was in the bracket. Even in 2011, they were a formidable force¡ªan early juggernaut in the LoL competitive scene. Reginald, the aggressive and fearless mid-laner. TheOddOne, the cerebral jungler. Chaox, the precise and mechanically gifted ADC. Their roster was packed with talent that had already begun shaping the North American scene. Alan knew their strengths all too well. ¡°They¡¯re the real threat,¡± Alan muttered, more to himself than anyone else. Balls: ¡°What was that?¡± Alan snapped out of it, shaking his head as he closed the bracket. ¡°Nothing to worry about,¡± he said, his voice calm but resolute. Then, leaning into his mic, he added with quiet determination: ¡°Top four¡¯s just the start. Let¡¯s win this thing.¡± Chapter 6 - Against All Odds (Top 4) The caf¨¦ buzzed with excitement as the top four matches were announced. Alan¡¯s team, Green Tipped Bananas, would face Against All Odds (AAO), an aggressive, unpredictable team known for chaotic, fast-paced games. Their mid-laner, Reckoner, was a standout player who was a beast on Twisted Fate, creating havoc with calculated map pressure. Balls: ¡°Reckoner¡¯s Twisted Fate is no joke. Watch for his roams.¡± Travis: ¡°Yeah, and their jungler¡¯s nuts too. He¡¯ll camp mid if they smell blood.¡± Alan nodded. ¡°Let them come. We¡¯ll play tight. I¡¯ll bait them into overcommitting.¡±
Game One Alan hovered over his options, considering a safe pick. Morgana felt solid against Twisted Fate¡¯s crowd control and roaming playstyle. Locked In: Morgana Opponent: Twisted Fate The game began, and Reckoner immediately asserted dominance. Twisted Fate shoved the wave early, forcing Alan to farm under turret. Every time Alan stepped forward, a Wild Card zipped past him, chipping away at his health. Worse, the enemy jungler hovered mid, applying unrelenting pressure. ¡°Play it safe,¡± Alan muttered, warding diligently and focusing on last-hitting with Tormented Shadow. At 8 minutes, Twisted Fate disappeared from lane. Alan pinged bot, but it was too late. A well-timed Destiny ultimate placed Twisted Fate behind Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ bot lane, securing a double kill. Balls: ¡°We need push in mid. This TF¡¯s everywhere.¡± Alan exhaled sharply, trying to focus. By mid-game, the gap widened. AAO¡¯s map control was suffocating, with Twisted Fate roaming freely and setting up picks. Even when Alan landed clutch Dark Bindings, AAO¡¯s superior coordination kept them ahead. The final blow came during a Baron fight at 24 minutes. AAO baited Green Tipped Bananas into a chokepoint, and Twisted Fate¡¯s Gold Card locked Alan down before he could react. The ensuing fight was a disaster, and AAO ended the game with a decisive push. Defeat. Alan leaned back, staring at the defeat screen. His score¡ª2/4/5¡ªwas mediocre at best. He glanced at his system interface, where no rewards or progress appeared. Travis: ¡°Tough game. They¡¯re good, but we can beat them.¡± Alan tightened his grip on the mouse. ¡°We¡¯ll adapt.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Game Two Alan entered the draft for Game Two, determined to shift the momentum. When Reckoner locked in Morgana, Alan countered with Kassadin. It was a risky pick, but he trusted his late-game scaling. Locked In: Kassadin Opponent: Morgana The laning phase started painfully, as expected. Morgana¡¯s long range and wave-clear forced Alan to play defensively. He focused on farming with Null Sphere and avoided unnecessary trades. By 10 minutes, the tide began to turn. AAO¡¯s aggressive jungler overcommitted to a dive, and Alan¡¯s precise Riftwalk punished the misstep. Securing his first kill, he began stacking his items. Balls: ¡°Kassadin¡¯s scaling. Let¡¯s stall for late.¡± Alan smiled faintly. ¡°Give me five more minutes.¡± At 27 minutes, Alan hit his level 16 power spike. Kassa-win (Bronze) Activated: Clutch +5 With Rod of Ages and Archangel¡¯s Staff complete, he became a force to be reckoned with. In a pivotal team fight near Dragon, he Riftwalked onto Morgana, dodging her Dark Binding and unleashing a devastating combo. Triple Kill! Clutch +1. Mental Resilience +1. The caf¨¦ erupted as Kassadin wiped AAO¡¯s backline. From that point on, Alan dictated the game. Every Riftwalk felt calculated, dismantling AAO¡¯s formation and punishing their over aggression. By 33 minutes, Green Tipped Bananas secured Baron and closed out the game. Victory! Alan¡¯s system chimed softly in his mind: Balls: ¡°That¡¯s the Kassadin we know! Let¡¯s go!¡±
Game Three The deciding game of the series. The draft mirrored Game One, with Reckoner returning to Twisted Fate. However, this time he banned Alan''s Kassadin. Alan hovered Morgana, hesitating. ¡°You¡¯ve got this,¡± Travis said in Discord. ¡°Let¡¯s show them what we¡¯re made of.¡± Alan locked in Morgana. This time, he wouldn¡¯t play passively. Locked In: Morgana Opponent: Twisted Fate The early game was intense. Reckoner once again shoved the wave, but Alan anticipated his roams, placing deep wards and pinging relentlessly. At 6 minutes, when Twisted Fate used Destiny, Alan followed with a teleport bot lane, landing a perfect Dark Binding to counter the play. Balls: ¡°Sick TP! Let¡¯s turn this.¡± The fight ended 2-for-1 in Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ favor, giving their bot lane much-needed momentum. Alan returned to mid with a renewed sense of control. By mid-game, the teams were evenly matched. Twisted Fate and Morgana danced around objectives, trading picks and vision. At 22 minutes, the game¡¯s defining moment arrived. AAO attempted to rush Baron, but Alan caught Twisted Fate with a surprise Soul Shackles from the side. The stun locked him in place, and Balls¡¯s Malphite followed with an Unstoppable Force. Ace! Leadership +1. Adaptation +1. Green Tipped Bananas claimed Baron and began their final push. Alan played methodically, shielding his ADC with Black Shield and landing crucial bindings on retreating enemies. With one last team fight, they broke AAO¡¯s nexus. Victory! Alan leaned back, adrenaline coursing through him. His system chimed again: Balls: ¡°Finals, baby! Let¡¯s go!¡± Travis: ¡°That Morgana redemption arc hit different.¡± Alan smirked but stayed focused. The finals were next, a chance to prove himself and cement Green Tipped Bananas as champions. He glanced at his system interface, where a new notification awaited.
Quest Unlocked: Claim the Crown Objective: Win the Go4LoL Finals. Reward: 2000 points Failure: No Reward
Alan tightened his headset. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this.¡± The caf¨¦ erupted in cheers as Green Tipped Bananas prepared for their final challenge. Chapter 7 - The Finals Begin (vs TSM) The finals of Go4LoL. Alan¡¯s team, Green Tipped Bananas, was about to face the most intimidating squad in the tournament: Team SoloMid. Even in 2011, before their dominance on the professional stage, TSM¡¯s roster was legendary in the making. Alan sat at his station, staring at the player list in the lobby. Balls: ¡°Dude, it¡¯s Reginald mid. Freaking Reginald.¡± Travis: ¡°And Chaox in bot lane. Locodoco¡¯s his support. We¡¯re about to get dumpstered, aren¡¯t we?¡± Alan smirked but said nothing. He knew these names well. In his original timeline, these players would become pillars of North American League of Legends, shaping the competitive scene for years to come. Reginald, the fiery mid-laner who would go on to own TSM, was known for his relentless aggression and sharp shot-calling. His playstyle demanded attention, forcing teams to respond to his constant pressure. TheOddOne, TSM¡¯s jungler, was a cerebral tactician. Nicknamed ¡°The General¡± in the future, he orchestrated his team with calm precision, always a step ahead of his opponents. In the bot lane, Chaox and Locodoco were a deadly duo. Chaox¡¯s mechanics were exceptional, and Locodoco¡¯s creativity and unpredictability often set up game-winning plays. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy,¡± Alan muttered. His system pulsed faintly, almost in agreement.
Game One Alan hovered over Kassadin in the draft, his cursor lingering. It was his comfort pick, the champion that had carried him through the semifinals. He locked it in, confident he could scale into the late game. But TSM wasn¡¯t going to make it easy. Reginald responded with Ezreal mid, an unconventional but aggressive pick. Paired with TheOddOne¡¯s Cho¡¯Gath jungler, it was clear TSM¡¯s strategy was to dominate the solo lanes through relentless pressure. Locked In: Kassadin Opponent: Ezreal The game began, and Reginald wasted no time asserting his presence. Ezreal¡¯s high mobility and poke made laning a nightmare for Kassadin. Every Mystic Shot whittled Alan¡¯s health, and Cho¡¯Gath¡¯s early jungle presence added constant pressure. At 6 minutes, the first big play unfolded. Cho¡¯Gath appeared mid, flashing forward with Rupture to knock Alan into the air. Ezreal followed up, firing a Mystic Shot into Kassadin¡¯s retreating form. Alan barely escaped under his turret, forced to burn both Flash and Teleport to stay in the game. Balls: ¡°Mid¡¯s getting camped hard. Need help?¡± Alan: ¡°No, just give me time. Play around bot.¡± But TSM had other plans. At 10 minutes, Reginald rotated to bot lane, catching Travis and their support trying to recall too far up in the lane with a perfectly timed Trueshot Barrage. Chaox¡¯s Ashe followed up with an Enchanted Crystal Arrow. Alan''s bot laners were mowed down granting a kill for each of TSM''s carries.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Travis: ¡°They¡¯re everywhere! How¡¯s he even mid AND bot?¡± By mid-game, TSM¡¯s momentum was suffocating. TheOddOne used Cho¡¯Gath¡¯s crowd control to control objectives, while Reginald kept Alan pinned in mid. Even when Alan hit level 11 and gained some mobility, Ezreal¡¯s poke and mobility continued to outmatch him. Every fight felt like a scramble, TSM dictating the pace. At 23 minutes, TSM baited a fight at Dragon. Cho¡¯Gath¡¯s Feast secured the objective, and Reginald unleashed a Trueshot Barrage that decimated Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ backline. Chaox followed up with another Enchanted Crystal Arrow, sniping Alan before he could Riftwalk away. Ace. TSM marched down mid and took the Nexus in dominant fashion. Defeat. Alan leaned back, frustrated but composed. His score¡ª2/5/3¡ªwas below his standards, but the problem wasn¡¯t just him. Reginald¡¯s aggressive Ezreal and TheOddOne¡¯s coordinated ganks had dismantled them. Balls: ¡°They¡¯re playing like a machine. We need to shake them up.¡± Travis: ¡°Regi¡¯s Ezreal is disgusting. What do we do next?¡± Alan stared at the screen, his mind racing. Reginald wasn¡¯t just a great player¡ªhe was everywhere. Alan had to adapt, or the series would end in the next game.
Game Two Alan hovered over Kassadin again but hesitated. Reginald¡¯s Ezreal had proven too oppressive. He needed something to shut down TSM¡¯s roaming and punish their aggression. His cursor shifted to Morgana. With her Black Shield to protect against crowd control and Dark Binding to lock down mobile targets, Morgana could control fights and provide utility. Alan locked her in. Locked In: Morgana Opponent: Annie Reginald¡¯s pick of Annie signaled a shift in strategy. Annie¡¯s burst damage and crowd control made her a high-risk, high-reward champion, perfect for TSM¡¯s aggressive style. With Nunu in the jungle, TSM clearly planned to buff up Chaox¡¯s Ashe and protect him in fights. The game began, and the tension was immediate. Reginald shoved the wave relentlessly, forcing Alan to farm under turret. But Alan matched his aggression, using Tormented Shadow to clear waves and prevent Annie from roaming. Immediately the matchup felt much better for Alan. At 8 minutes, Reginald and TheOddOne set their sights on top lane. Annie flashed forward, landing a devastating Summon: Tibbers on Balls under turret. But Alan was ready. He teleported to top lane, landing a clutch Dark Binding on Annie. Balls followed up with Unstoppable Force, and the play turned into a 2-for-1 in Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ favor. Balls: ¡°Huge TP, Alan! Let¡¯s go!¡± The mid-game was a back-and-forth brawl. Nunu¡¯s Blood Boil empowered Chaox¡¯s Ashe, who landed pinpoint Enchanted Crystal Arrows to initiate fights. Alan countered by shielding key targets with Black Shield, neutralizing Annie¡¯s stuns. At 22 minutes, the game reached a boiling point. Both teams danced around Baron, posturing for an opening. Locodoco overstepped while warding, and Alan seized the moment, landing a Dark Binding that secured the pick. Balls¡¯s Malphite followed up with a devastating ultimate, and Green Tipped Bananas wiped three members of TSM. Travis: ¡°We¡¯ve got Baron! Push mid!¡± Alan kept his voice steady. ¡°Play it slow. Don¡¯t overextend.¡± With Baron buff, Green Tipped Bananas methodically dismantled TSM¡¯s base, taking two inhibitors. The final fight erupted in TSM¡¯s Nexus turrets, and Alan¡¯s Soul Shackles zoned Chaox and TheOddOne, leaving TSM vulnerable. Victory. Alan exhaled deeply, his score¡ª3/2/11¡ªreflecting his role as a stabilizing force. This wasn¡¯t the flashiest game, but his utility had been invaluable in shutting down TSM¡¯s momentum. Balls: ¡°We¡¯re back, boys! One more!¡± Alan smirked, but his mind was already on the next game. TSM wasn¡¯t going to take this loss lightly, and Reginald would come back even stronger. His system pulsed faintly, delivering a familiar message:
Quest Progress: Claim the Crown. Finals Record: 1-1.
Alan leaned forward, his hands hovering over the keyboard. ¡°One more,¡± he whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s make it count.¡± The caf¨¦ buzzed with anticipation as the final game of the series approached. Chapter 8 - The Final Game (vs TSM) The tension in the internet caf¨¦ was electric as the final draft began. Players gathered around Alan''s PC to watch. Alan felt the weight of the moment bearing down on him, but he pushed it aside. Focus was everything. TSM entered the draft with calculated precision. They immediately banned Morgana, ensuring Alan couldn¡¯t repeat his success from Game Two. Reginald hovered over Annie, locking her in with a quick, decisive click. Balls: ¡°They know you¡¯re the playmaker, Alan. They¡¯re scared of you.¡± Alan¡¯s lips twitched into a faint smirk. If they thought taking Morgana away would stop him, they didn¡¯t know him at all. His hand hovered over Kassadin, his signature pick. It was risky, especially against Reginald¡¯s aggressive Annie, but it was also the champion that had carried him to this point. Locked In: Kassadin Opponent: Annie TheOddOne selected Nunu, a pick that would protect TSM¡¯s carries while boosting their damage output. Meanwhile, Chaox locked in Ashe for the third time in the series. Her Enchanted Crystal Arrows had been deadly all series, and Alan knew she would be the linchpin of TSM¡¯s late-game strategy. On Alan''s team, Balls took his reliable Malphite and Travis was on Sivir. The comfort picks gave them some extra confidence heading into the final game. ¡°Alright, Kassadin,¡± Alan muttered, fingers tightening on his mouse. ¡°Let¡¯s make it count.¡± From the first wave, Reginald brought the aggression. Annie¡¯s Disintegrate and auto-attacks peppered Alan every time he stepped up to farm. Reginald¡¯s positioning was flawless, keeping Alan zoned out while TheOddOne¡¯s Nunu lurked just out of sight in the river. At 6 minutes, disaster struck. TheOddOne emerged from the jungle, slowing Alan with Ice Blast before Annie flashed forward, landing a devastating Summon: Tibbers. Alan burned both Flash and Riftwalk, but the damage was too much. First Blood went to TSM. Balls: ¡°Mid¡¯s under fire. I¡¯ll try to help next time.¡± Alan gritted his teeth, his voice calm despite the frustration. ¡°No, stay top. I¡¯ll recover.¡± But TSM didn¡¯t let up. At 8 minutes, Reginald used Annie¡¯s burst to force Alan under turret, then roamed bot lane with TheOddOne. A perfectly timed Enchanted Crystal Arrow from Chaox secured another double kill for TSM¡¯s bot lane. Travis: ¡°They¡¯re everywhere! What do we do?¡± Alan¡¯s mind raced. He couldn¡¯t afford to tilt. Kassadin was a late-game monster, but only if he made it there intact. By 15 minutes, TSM had a commanding lead. The scoreboard showed 7-2 in their favor, and the gold difference felt insurmountable. But Alan¡¯s Kassadin was inching closer to level 11, where his mobility would give him the chance to turn the tide.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The opportunity came at 18 minutes. TSM grouped for Dragon, their confidence palpable. Alan pinged furiously, signaling for his team to contest. Alan: ¡°We need this fight. Balls, you engage. I¡¯ll clean up.¡± TSM started Dragon uncontested, but Balls teleported into the fray. His Malphite slammed into Chaox and Reginald with Unstoppable Force, scattering TSM¡¯s formation. Alan blinked in a second later, landing a perfectly timed Force Pulse that slowed the entire enemy team. Reginald tried to retaliate, but Alan danced around Annie¡¯s abilities, Riftwalking onto Chaox and cutting down the Ashe with a final Nether Blade. TheOddOne attempted to channel Absolute Zero, but a Null Sphere silence from Kassadin interrupted him, securing the team fight for Green Tipped Bananas. ¡°Triple kill!¡± the announcer blared, the caf¨¦ erupting in cheers. Balls: ¡°That¡¯s how we do it, baby! Let¡¯s go!¡± The fight closed the gold gap, giving Alan the breathing room he needed to scale. His system pulsed faintly in his mind: Clutch +1. Micro Mechanics +1. By 30 minutes, Alan¡¯s Kassadin was fully online. With his ultimate fully leveled, Zhonya¡¯s Ring, and Archangel¡¯s Staff completed, he was a nightmare for TSM¡¯s backline. Not to mention his badge. Kassa-win (Bronze) Activated: Clutch +5 Alan: ¡°They¡¯ll look for a pick with Chaox¡¯s arrow. Stay spread.¡± TSM reached the inhibitor turret, their formation tight. Reginald moved forward, zoning with Annie¡¯s Molten Shield while Chaox poked with Volley. TheOddOne hovered nearby, ready to peel with Ice Blast or unleash Absolute Zero. Alan¡¯s eyes scanned the battlefield. Reginald was slightly out of position. If Alan could take him down, TSM¡¯s fight would fall apart. Alan: ¡°I¡¯m going in. Balls, follow up on me.¡± Alan Riftwalked forward, chaining Force Pulse and Nether Blade onto Reginald. Annie staggered, her health bar melting. For a moment, it seemed like the play might work. But TheOddOne reacted instantly. His Nunu turned, channeling Absolute Zero in the middle of the chaos. The explosion slowed Alan, leaving him vulnerable as Chaox fired a devastating Enchanted Crystal Arrow into Kassadin. Reginald flashed backward, surviving with a sliver of health, while Chaox cleaned up with pinpoint auto-attacks. Balls charged in with a desperate Unstoppable Force, knocking up three members of TSM. The caf¨¦ roared as Green Tipped Bananas tried to rally, but TSM¡¯s coordination was flawless. TheOddOne peeled for Chaox, who kited expertly, whittling down the remaining players. Ace. Defeat. TSM marched into Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ base, their victory all but assured. Alan stared at his gray screen, the word Defeat seared into his vision. They had come so close, but in the end, TSM¡¯s precision had won out. Balls: ¡°We almost had it, man. You set it up, but you just didn''t have the damage.¡± Travis: ¡°So close man. Maybe if we played things just a little different... Ugh nice try guys.¡± Alan didn¡¯t respond. His mind replayed the final fight in excruciating detail. He had been a second too slow, a step too ambitious. TheOddOne and Chaox had read him perfectly, punishing every mistake. His system pulsed softly, delivering a familiar notification:
Quest Failed: Claim the Crown. Reward Locked.
Alan leaned back, exhaling slowly. The caf¨¦ buzzed with murmurs as spectators filtered out, the excitement giving way to quiet reflection. He had lost, but this wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°Reginald,¡± Alan whispered, his voice steady. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll win.¡± Resilience +2 As the lights dimmed, Alan stood, his determination burning brighter than ever. This loss was just the beginning of his climb to the top. Chapter 9 - Titan Rises Alan sat at the kitchen table, staring at his parents across from him. His mom¡¯s arms were crossed, her expression skeptical, while his dad flipped through a stack of bills, barely glancing up. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling us,¡± his dad began, setting the papers down, ¡°that you want to skip college¡ªdefer for a year¡ªto play video games?¡± Alan nodded, trying to keep his voice steady. ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s not just playing games. It¡¯s professional gaming. Esports is growing, and there¡¯s real potential for a career.¡± His mom sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Alan, that¡¯s not a job. That¡¯s a hobby. How much money are you even making right now? Zero?¡± ¡°I get it, but¡ª¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it,¡± she interrupted, her voice tinged with frustration. ¡°You have 5 admissions to choose from. You worked hard for that. You were talking about studying computer science since sophomore year, and now you want to throw it away to¡­ what, play computer games all day? How is that a future?¡± Alan clenched his fists under the table. ¡°It¡¯s not throwing it away. It¡¯s delaying it. Just one year. I want to see if I can make this work.¡± His dad shook his head, leaning back in his chair. ¡°And what happens when it doesn¡¯t? When this esports thing fizzles out and you¡¯re a year behind your peers? What will you have to show for it?¡± Alan opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss. They weren¡¯t wrong, but they weren¡¯t seeing the bigger picture either. After an awkward silence, his mom spoke again, her voice softer this time. ¡°Alan, we just don¡¯t want you to regret this. College is a sure thing. This? It¡¯s not.¡± Alan stood abruptly, pushing his chair back. ¡°Thanks for the vote of confidence,¡± he muttered, retreating to his room before they could say anything else.
He shut the door behind him, flopping onto his bed with a sigh. His parents didn¡¯t understand. How could they? Gaming wasn¡¯t a career to them¡ªit was a distraction, a waste of time. He stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. How could he convince them otherwise? How could he show them that gaming wasn¡¯t just a fleeting obsession but a legitimate path? His eyes drifted to his computer across the room. The National ESL Premier League. He remembered watching the matches in his past life. That had been the first official Riot League in North America, a milestone that legitimized the scene for a lot of doubters. If he could play something that big¡­ ¡°No,¡± Alan thought. ¡°When I win something that big, they¡¯ll have to take it seriously.¡± Another idea struck him. Live-streaming. He¡¯d seen how Twitch would explode in popularity in just a few years. It wasn¡¯t just about playing games; it was about building a brand, creating a presence that sponsors and fans couldn¡¯t ignore. But he couldn¡¯t do this alone. He needed his team. He needed to know they were as committed as he was.
Later that night, Alan messaged the group. ¡°We need to talk. Can we meet at the caf¨¦ tomorrow?¡± The next evening, only Balls and Travis showed up, both settling into their usual seats with their drinks in hand. ¡°So,¡± Balls began, leaning back in his chair, ¡°what¡¯s the big meeting about? We planning our victory parade?¡± Alan shook his head, leaning forward. ¡°I¡¯m serious about this. I want to know¡ªhow far are you willing to go for this team? Would you pause your college or work plans to pursue gaming full-time?¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The question hung in the air for a moment. Balls scratched the back of his neck, glancing at Travis. ¡°I mean,¡± Balls said slowly, ¡°college isn¡¯t going anywhere. I can take a gap year if this really takes off. It¡¯s a risk, sure, but it¡¯s one I¡¯m willing to take.¡± Travis nodded, his expression thoughtful. ¡°Same here. I¡¯ve been working part-time, but it¡¯s not like I love my job. If we¡¯re serious about this, I¡¯m in.¡± Alan exhaled, relief washing over him. ¡°Good. That¡¯s what I needed to hear. Now, I¡¯ve got another idea. It¡¯s a little out there but hear me out: we should start streaming.¡± Balls raised an eyebrow, pausing mid-sip from his energy drink. ¡°Streaming on Twitch?¡± ¡°Yeah like as soon as possible,¡± Alan doubled-down. ¡°We¡¯re grinding in solo queue and playing tournaments. It¡¯s good content. Building a brand now will pay off later. Sponsors, fans, opportunities¡ªthey all come from exposure.¡± Travis smirked, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Look at Mr. Visionary over here. What, you planning our merch line next?¡± Alan rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m serious. In a few years, streaming is going to be huge. If we get a head start, we¡¯ll be ahead of the curve. It¡¯s not just about playing well, it¡¯s about being visible.¡± Balls nodded thoughtfully, setting his drink down. ¡°He¡¯s not wrong. Even now, people are following big names, watching their solo queue games. But¡­ we¡¯re not exactly big names yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we start now,¡± Alan said. ¡°We¡¯ve got the skills. All we need is consistency and some personality.¡± Travis grinned, nudging Balls. ¡°You hear that? Personality. Better stop being such a bore, man.¡± Balls shot him a mock glare. ¡°Says the guy with the most boring name on the team. Travis? Really? What are we, a basketball team?¡± Travis laughed. ¡°Hey, at least it¡¯s not ¡®Balls.¡¯ What are you, a middle school joke?¡± Balls shrugged, completely unbothered. ¡°It gets people¡¯s attention. That¡¯s more than I can say for ¡®AlanZhong.¡¯¡± Alan smirked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my name?¡± Balls leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. ¡°Everything. It¡¯s just your name. No flair, no punch. If you¡¯re serious about building a brand, you need a tag that makes people remember you. Something with weight.¡± Travis snorted. ¡°Yeah, like ¡®BigTree¡¯ or ¡®TallGuy.¡¯¡± Alan shook his head, laughing despite himself. ¡°I¡¯m not picking something that dumb.¡± ¡°Then pick something better,¡± Balls said, crossing his arms. ¡°C¡¯mon, man. You¡¯re the scaling king. You¡¯re playing Kassadin and Veigar, champs that turn into monsters late game. Your name should match that energy.¡± Alan fell quiet, the teasing fading into a more serious line of thought. Balls had a point. His tag had always been just his name¡ªa placeholder, a default. It worked for him in the past, but now? He wanted more. He needed more. He thought about his life. About standing out for all the wrong reasons. Growing up tall but feeling small inside. Being noticed but never truly remembered. His height had always made him visible, but his lack of presence had kept him forgettable. That wasn¡¯t who he wanted to be anymore. He wanted to dominate. To tower over the competition, not just physically but in skill, in legacy. He wanted to be the kind of player people talked about long after the match was over. ¡°Titan,¡± Alan said softly. Balls raised an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my name,¡± Alan said, his voice firming up. ¡°Titan.¡± The word settled in the air, heavy and deliberate. It felt right. Bigger than life, unshakable. A name that captured everything he wanted to be. Balls grinned. ¡°Now that¡¯s a sick name. Fits you perfectly.¡± Travis nodded approvingly. ¡°Alright, Titan. You¡¯re leveling up.¡± Travis leaned back, spinning his chair lazily. ¡°Guess I should change mine too. Something cool, something stylish. Like¡­¡± He paused, smirking. ¡°BladeSong.¡± Alan raised an eyebrow. ¡°BladeSong?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Travis said, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s sharp, precise, elegant. You hear that name, you¡¯re thinking, ¡®This guy¡¯s a freaking legend.¡¯¡± Balls groaned. ¡°You¡¯re such a try-hard.¡± ¡°Hey, it beats ¡®Balls,¡¯¡± Travis shot back. ¡°Whatever,¡± Balls said, rolling his eyes. ¡°At least mine¡¯s iconic.¡± Alan chuckled, watching the exchange. For all their teasing, he felt a renewed sense of camaraderie. They weren¡¯t just teammates¡ªthey were building something bigger, something that would last. ¡°Alright,¡± Alan said, standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s make it official. New names, new start. We¡¯re streaming tomorrow.¡± Travis grinned, punching in his new tag. BladeSong appeared on the screen, sleek and stylish. Alan typed his name in next. Titan. The bold letters gleamed on the screen, and for the first time, Alan felt like his tag matched his ambition. Balls shook his head, laughing. ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t blame me when everyone¡¯s asking for autographs after one stream.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alan said, smirking. ¡°We¡¯re just getting started.¡± As they queued up for a match, their new names glowing in the lobby, Alan felt a sense of purpose settle over him. This wasn¡¯t just a name change¡ªit was the beginning of something bigger. ¡°Let¡¯s make it count,¡± he muttered, his resolve hardening. Titan was ready to rise. Chapter 10 - Raising our Ceiling The next day at the internet cafe was quieter than usual. Everyone noticed Alan, now regarded as the best player of cafe regulars. However, his new guest was a mystery. Alan sat across from Balls at a corner table, a notepad between them filled with scribbles of champion names, strategies, and match notes. Balls tapped his pen against the table, waiting as Alan organized his thoughts. Alan leaned forward, his tone steady and deliberate. ¡°Balls, you¡¯re a beast on Malphite and Cho¡¯Gath. You¡¯re holding lanes, setting up plays, and carrying teamfights. No one can argue with how effective you are.¡± Balls grinned, joking back. ¡°I know I''m the best. Tell me more.¡± Alan returned the smile but quickly sobered. ¡°But let¡¯s talk about what happens if that¡¯s all you play.¡± Balls raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean those champs are great, but they¡¯re simple¡ªmechanically, anyway. You know what to do: hold your lane, crowd control in fights, and tank damage. It works, but what happens to your mechanics long-term if you never practice anything harder?¡± Balls frowned, spinning his pen between his fingers. ¡°I see where you¡¯re going. You¡¯re saying I¡¯m gonna stagnate.¡± Alan nodded. ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re good now, but if we¡¯re aiming higher¡ªpro-level, even¡ªthen you need to keep your mechanics sharp. Tank champs won¡¯t push you enough. You should use solo queue as a training ground, not just a grind for Elo.¡± Balls scratched the back of his head. ¡°Alright, coach. What do you have in mind?¡± Alan flipped to a fresh page in the notepad, jotting down two names: Gangplank and Nidalee. ¡°These.¡± Balls leaned forward, reading the names. ¡°Gangplank I get¡ªbarrels, kiting, mechanics. But Nidalee top? Isn¡¯t that a troll pick?¡± ¡°Right up your alley then,¡± Alan said, smirking. ¡°But seriously, her mobility, poke, and split-push potential are insane if you know how to use her. Both champs are tough to play but rewarding. You¡¯ll improve your mechanics way faster playing them and you''ll learn how to carry without just being a tank.¡± Balls whistled, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve convinced me. Time to break out the barrels and spears. But what about you, Mr. Scaling Monster? What¡¯s your plan?¡± Alan exhaled, leaning on the table. ¡°TSM exploited me in the finals. They banned Morgana, and I had no backup. Sure, I can Kassadin or Veigar my way through most games, but when those get banned, I¡¯m toast.¡± "Not to mention, Kassadin is not really a blind-pick champion against good midlaners. You saw how Regi kept me under tower with Annie and TF. Honestly, he could have done the same on Ezreal and Tristana too." Balls nodded. ¡°True. We need to expand your pool. What are you thinking?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Alan grinned, flipping the notepad to a page already marked with two names: Zilean and Anivia. ¡°Zilean and Anivia?¡± Balls said, tilting his head. ¡°You want to go even more scaling?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not just scaling,¡± Alan explained. ¡°Zilean has map utility with his speed and revive, and his Double Bomb stuns are clutch if timed right. And Anivia? She¡¯s the queen of zone control. A well-placed wall or ultimate can shut down entire teamfights.¡± Balls crossed his arms. ¡°Yeah, but Zilean¡¯s bombs are tough to hit, and Anivia¡¯s early game is rough. You¡¯re already a slow starter, and now you¡¯re making it worse.¡± Alan shrugged, smirking. ¡°I¡¯m a slow starter who wins late. Might as well lean into it. Besides, every tough game I grind out on these champs makes me better.¡± Balls grinned. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s both dive into solo queue. We can even stream while we are at it. You on Zilean, me on GP. I just feel sorry for our teammates.¡±
The hours flew by as the two grinded solo queue. Alan focused on Zilean, struggling at first to hit clean Double Bomb stuns. His early mistakes led to more deaths than he¡¯d like, and his Chronoshifts were often a second too late to save a teammate. By the third game, though, things began to click. Alan chained a Double Bomb onto the enemy mid and jungler, securing a crucial Dragon. In another game, he predicted a gank and baited it, only to Chronoshift himself at the last second, turning the fight in their favor. The faint pulse of his system confirmed his progress. Micro Mechanics +1 ¡°Not bad,¡± Balls said as they loaded into their next game. ¡°But Zilean¡¯s still kinda cringe. Ready to bust out your bird?¡± Alan rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±
Switching to Anivia proved even more challenging. Her deliberate pace demanded precision, and her fragile early game punished every mistake. Alan missed several Crystallize walls early on, letting enemies escape or failing to block crucial paths. But as the night progressed, his confidence grew. In one match, he walled off an enemy jungler from his team, turning a bad skirmish into an easy Baron. In another, he used her ultimate, Glacial Storm, to zone the enemy ADC out of a fight entirely. Balls laughed as an enemy mid-laner typed ¡°nice wall bro¡± in chat after being funneled into a turret. ¡°Dude, you¡¯re evil.¡± Alan smirked. ¡°Scaling late.¡±
As the clock ticked past midnight, the duo finally logged off. Balls leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head. ¡°Alright, coach. GP and Nid are a blast, but I¡¯m still better on tanks.¡± Alan chuckled, packing up his things. ¡°You¡¯ve got time. The point is to keep sharpening your mechanics. The tanks will always be there.¡± Balls nodded. ¡°And your bird and bombs? You sticking with those?¡± ¡°For now,¡± Alan said, his voice firm. ¡°I¡¯m not just aiming to win. I¡¯m aiming to be unbannable. No team¡¯s gonna know how to draft against me.¡± Balls grinned, clapping Alan on the shoulder. ¡°Keep that attitude. Next time, we¡¯re taking it all.¡± As they stepped into the cool night air, Alan glanced at Balls. Watching him embrace the challenge of expanding his pool, even joking about it, made Alan reflect. Balls wasn¡¯t just a strong player. He was a great teammate. He listened, adapted, and never let ego get in the way of improvement. Those were qualities that could elevate not just himself, but their entire team. Alan smiled faintly. ¡°You know,¡± he said, breaking the silence, ¡°I¡¯m excited to see what you do with your new champs. If your Malphite¡¯s terrifying, I can¡¯t imagine what your GP barrels will look like once you¡¯ve mastered them.¡± Balls smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t gas me up too much, or I¡¯ll start carrying harder than you.¡± Alan laughed, shaking his head. ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll gladly let you. That¡¯s what a team¡¯s for.¡± For all the teasing and banter, Alan felt a sense of camaraderie settle over him. Balls wasn¡¯t just improving for himself. He was improving for the team. Alan felt truly lucky to share a team with a player like him. ¡°Next time,¡± Alan said, more to himself than anyone else, ¡°we won¡¯t just show up. We¡¯ll dominate.¡± Balls nodded, his grin matching Alan¡¯s determination. Together, they walked into the night, the climb ahead of them feeling less like a burden and more like an opportunity. Chapter 11 - Enter Hai The Discord call felt heavier than usual, like a storm cloud hovering over the trio. Travis was pacing, his camera shaking slightly with each step, while Balls sat silent, sipping his energy drink with a grim expression. Alan waited for the noise to die down, letting the news settle before speaking. ¡°They¡¯re really gone,¡± Travis finally said, his voice a mix of disbelief and anger. ¡°Support and jungle. Just like that. After everything.¡± Balls sighed. ¡°We hit finals together, and they bail now? It¡¯s like they never believed we could do it.¡± Alan glanced at the messages still glowing on his screen. Their support¡¯s departure had been abrupt but polite, citing burnout. The jungler¡¯s exit was even more sudden, a curt, no-nonsense goodbye: ¡°Can¡¯t keep up. Wish you guys the best.¡± ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Alan said simply. ¡°That¡¯s it. No use wasting energy on what we can¡¯t change.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say!¡± Travis snapped. ¡°You¡¯re always so calm, but we¡¯re down two players! How the hell are we supposed to practice for Go4LoL now? You think some solo queue rando¡¯s just gonna carry us?¡± Alan held his tongue, recognizing the frustration behind Travis¡¯s words. ¡°We adapt. There¡¯s talent out there. We just need to find it.¡± ¡°And what if we don¡¯t?¡± Travis countered, throwing his hands up. ¡°What if we fall apart before we even get started?¡± Balls spoke up, his voice calm but firm. ¡°You¡¯re tilted, Travis. Take a breath. We¡¯re still here. We¡¯ve done more with less.¡± Travis muttered something under his breath but sat down, clearly still stewing. Alan gave him a moment before queuing up. ¡°We keep grinding,¡± Alan said. ¡°Solo queue¡¯s a great place to find talent. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s out there.¡±
The game loaded, and Alan scanned the names of his opponents. One caught his attention immediately: Hai. He froze for a split second, memories flooding back from his original timeline. The name wasn¡¯t well-known now, but in a few years, Hai would be a cornerstone of competitive League, known for his leadership, creativity, and unmatched vision. ¡°Guys,¡± Alan said, his voice low. ¡°Pay attention to their jungler. Hai¡¯s special.¡± Balls raised an eyebrow. ¡°Special how?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Alan replied, a faint edge of excitement in his tone.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The match began, and Hai locked in Nidalee, an aggressive and mechanically demanding pick that relied on high-pressure play and precision. From the first minute, it was clear Hai wasn¡¯t just good¡ªhe was commanding the game. At four minutes, Hai landed a perfectly aimed spear onto their bot lane¡¯s support from the fog of war. Moments later, he pounced into the lane, weaving around skillshots and securing a clean first blood for his ADC. The plays didn¡¯t stop there. By eight minutes, Hai had camped bot lane relentlessly, setting up kills with pinpoint spear throws and flawless zoning. Their bot lane was crumbling under the pressure. Travis groaned. ¡°What is this? A personal vendetta against me? He¡¯s been here three times already!¡± Balls chimed in, ¡°He¡¯s reading us like a book. Every time we try to reset, he¡¯s there.¡± Alan watched Hai¡¯s movements carefully. The way he placed wards, the precision of his rotations¡ªit was like watching an artist at work. He wasn¡¯t just reacting to their plays; he was shaping the entire game, forcing Alan¡¯s team to play on his terms. ¡°This guy¡¯s not just a jungler,¡± Alan muttered. ¡°He¡¯s a tactician.¡± At twenty minutes, Hai secured a clean Baron, using it to shove down bot lane and take two turrets. The gold lead was insurmountable, and the game ended shortly after with Hai leading the charge. Alan exhaled, leaning back in his chair. Despite the loss, he felt exhilarated.
Alan typed into the post-game chat: ¡°GG, Hai. You¡¯re insane.¡± The reply came quickly: ¡°GG. You guys played well.¡± Alan smirked. Humble, even after dominating. That checked out with the Hai he remembered. ¡°Listen, we¡¯re rebuilding our roster. Want to queue with us? Just a few games to see how it goes.¡± The pause before Hai¡¯s reply felt like an eternity. ¡°Sure. Invite me.¡±
Hai joined their Discord moments later. His voice was calm, measured. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m Hai. I jungle, mostly off-meta stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah, we noticed,¡± Travis muttered. ¡°That Nidalee game was illegal.¡± Hai chuckled softly. ¡°Thanks. Let¡¯s see how we do as a team.¡± They queued up, and the transformation was immediate. Hai¡¯s presence elevated every aspect of their play. His shot-calling was concise but effective, turning chaotic fights into clean victories. In one game, Hai locked in Master Yi, chasing down enemies and shredding their backline with unrelenting speed. In another, he played Amumu in the jungle, his ultimates entangling teams and engaging winning team fights. ¡°Okay, this guy¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Balls said after Hai stole a Baron with a perfectly timed Smite. ¡°Where has he been hiding?¡± Travis, now noticeably less tilted, chimed in, ¡°He¡¯s making me look like a genius down here. I didn¡¯t even have to bait that last gank¡ªhe was already there.¡± Hai was humble but focused. ¡°You guys are solid. You listen, which is rare.¡± Alan leaned into his mic. ¡°We¡¯re serious about winning. With you, we can take it further. Join us.¡± There was a brief silence before Hai answered. ¡°I want to win too,¡± he said. ¡°If you¡¯re as serious as you seem, I¡¯m in.¡±
The session ended on a high note, the team logging off with renewed energy. Alan sat back, in slight disbelief over the player they just recruited. With Hai on board, their roster wasn¡¯t just recovering¡ªit was becoming something greater. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far we can take this,¡± Alan muttered, his resolve sharpening as the night stretched on. Chapter 12: Mystery Player Nior The caf¨¦ had thinned out for the night, only a few diehard grinders left at their stations. Alan glanced at the clock on his monitor: 11:52 p.m. Practice had wrapped up hours ago, but something gnawed at him. Travis had slipped out early again. At first, Alan chalked it up to exhaustion or burnout¡ªperfectly understandable given their roster shake-up¡ªbut now? He wasn¡¯t so sure. Beside him, Balls sipped on a nearly empty soda, scrolling through highlight clips on his phone. ¡°What¡¯s with the face?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Travis,¡± Alan replied simply. ¡°He¡¯s been ducking out early all week.¡± Balls shrugged, setting his drink down. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s off chasing a date or something. The guy¡¯s got a life.¡± Alan shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s not out. I caught him on solo queue last night, playing late. Same tonight. But here¡¯s the weird part¡ªhe¡¯s not solo.¡± Balls smirked. ¡°Oh, the plot thickens. Who¡¯s the lucky duo partner?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± Alan admitted. ¡°But I¡¯m about to find out.¡±
Alan logged into League, scanning his friends list. Sure enough, BladeSong was online, mid-game. Without hesitation, Alan clicked the spectate button, and the loading screen materialized. His eyes immediately caught the name Nior on the support role. ¡°Gotcha,¡± Alan muttered. Balls leaned over, squinting at the screen. ¡°Nior? That¡¯s gotta be a smurf. Who names themselves something that edgy unironically?¡± Alan shrugged, launching into the game. ¡°Let¡¯s see if they¡¯re worth all this sneaking around.¡± The match began, and Alan couldn¡¯t look away. Nior was on Janna, a champion that normally thrived on playing safe and reactive. But this wasn¡¯t any ordinary Janna. Nior danced through team fights like a ghost, weaving shields, disengages, and perfectly timed tornadoes that cut off enemy advances. Every Monsoon wasn¡¯t just a heal; it was a tactical nuke, scattering the enemy team at the worst possible moment. Alan leaned closer. ¡°They¡¯re insane.¡± Balls, now engrossed, let out a low whistle. ¡°You see that last play? They baited the enemy support into blowing flash just to land a double knock-up. That¡¯s next-level mind games.¡± As the game ended in a decisive win for Travis and Nior, Alan pulled up the post-game stats. Sure enough, Nior had a 1/1/20 score line with an 80% kill participation. ¡°Alright, this Nior person¡¯s solid,¡± Balls admitted. ¡°But why¡¯s Travis keeping them under wraps?¡± Alan thought for a moment, then grinned. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a secret romance. He¡¯s been ditching us to play with his soulmate.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Balls snorted. ¡°Yeah, because nothing says romance like spamming shields in bot lane. Maybe Nior¡¯s a big streamer and Travis is trying to ride their clout.¡± ¡°Haha. Could be,¡± Alan said, though he didn¡¯t sound convinced. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s something else...¡±
Later that night, Alan cornered Travis in Discord. ¡°Alright, spill it,¡± Alan said, his tone firm. ¡°Who¡¯s Nior, and why haven¡¯t we heard about them until now?¡± Travis sighed audibly. ¡°Relax, man. Nior¡¯s just someone I¡¯ve been queuing with. They¡¯re good. Really good.¡± ¡°That much I¡¯ve seen,¡± Alan replied. ¡°But what¡¯s the deal? Are they a smurf? A pro? Why haven¡¯t they joined us for practice?¡± ¡°They¡¯re¡­ different,¡± Travis said carefully. ¡°You¡¯ll see. Just invite them to a lobby.¡± Alan raised an eyebrow but relented. Moments later, Balls joined the call, and Nior¡¯s name popped into their game lobby. ¡°Alright,¡± Balls said, leaning into his mic. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this mystery carry¡¯s all about. Nior, hop on voice so we can strategize.¡± No response. ¡°Nior?¡± Alan prompted. A single message appeared in the game chat: ¡°I don¡¯t use voice comms. Pings and text are enough.¡± Balls let out an exaggerated groan. ¡°Oh, come on. We¡¯re trying to play tournaments, not start a reading club.¡± Alan hesitated, glancing at the chat. ¡°No voice comms? Why not?¡± The reply was as succinct as it was cryptic: ¡°It¡¯s not my style. I let my play speak.¡±
They queued up, and the game began. Once again, Nior locked in Janna. Alan and Balls exchanged a doubtful look as the match loaded, but within minutes, those doubts were gone. At six minutes, the enemy jungler ganked bot, only to be baited into an overextended dive. Nior¡¯s Tornado interrupted the tower dive perfectly, and Monsoon healed Travis enough to survive. Seconds later, Hai swooped in for a counter-gank, securing two kills and a Dragon. ¡°Alright, that was clean,¡± Balls admitted begrudgingly. ¡°But I still don¡¯t trust someone who won¡¯t talk.¡± The game snowballed from there. Nior¡¯s vision control turned the map into a minefield for the enemy team, while their shields and knock-ups nullified every attempt at an engage. By the end, the enemy team typed ¡°FF @ 20¡± in all chat, and Balls couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°Okay, fine,¡± Balls said, leaning back in his chair. ¡°They¡¯re cracked. But I need answers. Why won¡¯t they talk? Are they some kind of mute gaming prodigy?¡± Alan smirked. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re a streamer trying to stay anonymous. Or some pro player practicing on a smurf.¡± Balls tapped his chin dramatically. ¡°What if they¡¯re not even real? Like, what if Nior is just a really sweaty duo pretending to be one person?¡± Alan laughed, but the mystery lingered in his mind. Who was Nior? And why did they insist on staying silent?
After another dominant match, Alan typed into the post-game chat: ¡°Join us full-time. We¡¯re building a roster for Go4LoL.¡± The reply was simple and direct: ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Balls raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s it? Just like that?¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Alan replied, leaning back in his chair. ¡°They¡¯re on board.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Balls said dryly. ¡°A mute Janna main with godlike mechanics. What could possibly go wrong?¡± Alan chuckled, but as the team disbanded for the night, he couldn¡¯t shake the mystery surrounding Nior. Their skill was undeniable, their awareness and mechanics on another level¡ªbut who were they, really? A streamer? A pro? Or someone else entirely? Staring at the glowing screen, Alan thought about all the early supports in LoL. He couldn''t remember a player that stood out on Janna specifically. Alan muttered to himself, ¡°I have no idea.¡± But one thing was clear: with Nior on the team, they were stronger than ever. A five-man roster including: Balls top, Hai jungle, Titan mid lane, BladeSong bottom, and Nior support. All Alan could think about was how sweet it would be to win a tournament with these guys. Chapter 13 - Go4LoL 4 The weeks of practice had paid off. Green Tipped Bananas entered Go4LoL 4 with renewed confidence and an updated playstyle. Alan¡¯s expanded champion pool, Balls¡¯s mechanical improvements, and the seamless integration of Hai and Nior into the team had elevated their game. They stormed through the early rounds with clean sweeps, their synergy improving with every match. By the time they reached the top 4, their momentum felt higher than ever. Their opponent? Counter Logic Gaming (CLG), a roster of players Alan knew would become legends. HotshotGG, Saintvicious, bigfatlp, Chauster, these were all players who dominated the early seasons of Lol. But even on this stacked lineup a single name stood out to Alan above the others: Doublelift. The future ADC icon and arguably future GOAT of North America, currently playing in the support role. Draft pase began and Alan watched as CLG¡¯s mid-laner, bigfatlp, locked in Kayle mid. A bold choice. Kayle¡¯s ability to shred tanks and render an ally temporarily invulnerable with Intervention made her an incredible late-game threat. Alan clicked through his champion pool, considering his options. Kayle¡¯s scaling and survivability countered Morgana too effectively to rely on her here. It was a deliberate strategy by CLG to deny him comfort picks and funnel control to Kayle. But Alan wasn¡¯t limited to Morgana anymore. Those two weeks of grinding had paid off. His cursor hovered over Anivia, and he locked her in. Her zoning capabilities and burst potential would keep Kayle from freely scaling, and her Crystallize wall could split CLG¡¯s team in skirmishes. Against an immobile champion like Kayle, Anivia was an effective counter. Alan, Hai, and Balls intensely discussed each of their team''s picks, with BladeSong and Nior content to take a backseat. For now, Alan was content to let the bot laners focus entirely on their in-game performance. However, he was insistent that his top and jungler join him in draft discussions often. Over the last few weeks, he successfully convinced them of the important of draft phase and he was confident it could be a source of significant advantages for his team. Balls had chosen Cho¡¯Gath, a reliable frontline that could disrupt fights with ruptures and silences. Hai locked in Nunu, a pick designed to bring early map control and utility. BladeSong hovered Sivir briefly before settling on Ashe, a champion whose utility and slows complemented their composition perfectly. Finally, Nior selected Janna, the silent support¡¯s signature champion. Together, they formed a cohesive plan: control zones, slow the game down, and scale safely into an unbeatable late-game. Alan¡¯s gaze shifted to CLG¡¯s side. HotshotGG locked in Nasus, aiming to stack his Siphoning Strike for unstoppable damage in the late game. Saintvicious selected Nidalee, a poke-heavy jungler that would harass from a distance. Chauster took Ezreal, while Doublelift, surprisingly, rounded out their draft with Annie support. Alan chuckled under his breath. ¡°Classic early LoL,¡± he mused. ¡°Pick the champions with the best kits and hope they synergize later.¡± He knew this era lacked the refined drafting strategies of the future. Instead of composing teams around cohesive win conditions, players often picked champions that excelled individually. Their champions didn''t have synergy. How could Ezreal help Nasus walk all over the enemy team comp? How could Nidalee help Kayle pump out damage? ¡°They¡¯re betting on poke and attrition,¡± Alan said to his team over Discord. ¡°We¡¯ve got the better comp. Just stay disciplined, and we¡¯ll break them.¡±
Game 1 The match began, and the lanes settled into a rhythm. Alan¡¯s Anivia faced Kayle mid, a matchup where patience was key. Kayle¡¯s Righteous Fury harassed Alan whenever he stepped forward but both players knew there would be no solo-kills in this lane. Neither champion aimed to dominate early. Their focus was on surviving and scaling into the late game.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. At six minutes, Saintvicious¡¯s Nidalee prowled into mid-lane, landing a spear that brought Alan dangerously low. Bigfatlp¡¯s Kayle seized the opportunity, flashing forward with Reckoning and Righteous Fury, forcing Alan to retreat under turret. Alan barely survived, relying on his Rebirth passive to dissuade further aggression. ¡°No Flash Kayle,¡± Alan smirked. ¡°I am totally fine mid don''t worry guys.¡± Meanwhile, bot lane was thriving. Nior¡¯s Janna neutralized Ezreal¡¯s poke, and BladeSong¡¯s Ashe secured an early kill with a well-timed Enchanted Crystal Arrow, punishing Doublelift¡¯s overextension as Annie. By 15 minutes, CLG struggled to get vision around Dragon. Ashe was simply too threatening with Crystal Arrow and her team''s follow up CC. CLG was forced to contest Dragon blind, allowing Alan to land a perfect Flash Frost, stunning Kayle and Nidalee as they positioned to contest. A follow-up Glacial Storm slowed their retreat, and Balls¡¯s Cho¡¯Gath roared into the fray, landing a Rupture on Nasus. CLG had no choice but to retreat, conceding the Dragon. Micro Mechanics +1 ¡°They can¡¯t teamfight us,¡± Alan called out. ¡°Stick to objectives. They¡¯ll fold.¡± From there, Green Tipped Bananas dictated the pace. Anivia¡¯s zoning and Ashe¡¯s slows made it impossible for CLG to engage, and every failed poke attempt left them vulnerable to counterattacks. By 25 minutes, the gold lead was insurmountable. In a decisive fight at Baron, Alan baited CLG into overcommitting. He walled off bigfatlp¡¯s Kayle with Crystallize, isolating her from the rest of the team. Balls and Hai collapsed, bursting her down before Intervention could save her. With Kayle dead, CLG crumbled under the onslaught of Anivia¡¯s sustained damage and Cho¡¯Gath¡¯s disruption. The Nexus fell shortly after, and the victory screen lit up Alan¡¯s monitor. ¡°GG,¡± BladeSong said. ¡°One down.¡± Alan smirked, already anticipating the next draft. ¡°Let¡¯s see what they¡¯ve got left.¡±
Game 2 The draft for Game 2 began, and CLG pivoted hard. They banned Kassadin and Veigar again, but this time locked in an Annie mid for bigfatlp. HotshotGG surprised everyone by taking Anivia top, a strategy Alan hadn¡¯t seen in years. Meanwhile, Saintvicious selected Amumu, a tanky jungler with high crowd control. Their bot lane, Ashe and Blitzcrank, rounded out the team. Alan leaned back, analyzing their composition. ¡°They¡¯re all-in on picks. Blitz hook, Amumu ult, Annie stun¡ªthey want to blow someone up every time.¡± Balls frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of CC and magic damage. We could just draft tanks itemize against them. As long as we don''t get picked early they will fall off a cliff late game.¡± Alan shook his head. ¡°We could do that. Or we could crush them early. We are up 1-0 I say we flex our skills. Balls, let''s try your new Nidalee. Hai, take Master Yi. I¡¯ll handle mid with Morgana.¡± His plan was clear: push mid wave, dive top lane, and snowball. As a bonus with Morgana¡¯s Black Shield, Alan could neutralize Blitzcrank hooks and Annie stuns, freeing his team to play aggressively. The match started explosively. Alan shoved mid relentlessly with Morgana, getting level 3 and leaving lane to join Hai and invade the enemy red side top jungle. They leashed the red buff, keeping Saintvicious¡¯s Amumu zoned away. Frustrated, Sainvicious attempted to smite the buff away, only to get hit by Dark Binding and give first blood to Hai''s Master Yi. Next, they roamed top, catching HotshotGG¡¯s Anivia with a wave crashed under his tower. Another well-placed Dark Binding set up the kill, and Balls¡¯s Nidalee secured it with a spear. Macro Play +1 ¡°Nice,¡± Balls said. ¡°Let¡¯s keep snowballing.¡± CLG¡¯s composition began to crumble. Bot lane played safe giving Blitzcrank few opportunities for hooks. Meanwhile, Master Yi¡¯s top lane dives drew pressure away from teamfights, forcing CLG to respond. At 15 minutes, a skirmish erupted around the dragon pit. Blitzcrank hooked Hai¡¯s Master Yi, but Alan¡¯s Black Shield absorbed the follow-up CC. Hai capitalized on the chaos, diving into the backline and securing a triple kill. ¡°Too easy,¡± Hai said, laughing. ¡°They¡¯ve got no answer.¡± By 20 minutes, Green Tipped Bananas had complete control. Master Yi shredded through turrets, while Morgana¡¯s zoning and Nidalee¡¯s spears kept CLG on the defensive. A final fight near Baron sealed the deal, with Hai cutting down the enemy team for a Quadra Kill. The Nexus exploded moments later. Victory.
Alan leaned back, satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s how you crush a series.¡± As the team celebrated, Alan checked the bracket, searching for their next opponent. His smile faded as he saw the result. ¡°TSM¡¯s out,¡± he muttered. ¡°Rock Solid beat them.¡± The name sent a chill down his spine. He remembered Rock Solid from his past life¡ªanother titan of early League and the precursor of Team Dignitas. But Alan¡¯s smirk returned. The tougher the opponent, the sweeter the victory. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this,¡± he said. Chapter 14 - All on BladeSong Alan sat at his station, reviewing Rock Solid¡¯s games against TSM. Their win was no fluke. Even with TSM subbing out Chaox and slotting Locodoco into mid for this tournament, the series had been a slugfest. Rock Solid¡¯s roster showcased a blend of raw mechanics and intelligent plays. Every player on their team had made clutch decisions, capitalizing on TSM¡¯s mistakes to pull out a 2-1 victory. Voyboy in top, Scarra in the mid lane, and imaqtpie as their bot laner were players Alan remembered from the future. All three players dominated early LoL and formed the core of the future Team Dignitas. Their jungler Nayrt and their support Rambo also played competitively but didn''t achieve the same greatness as their teammates. Alan looked at his status comparing himself to the opposition. Name: Alan Zhong Age: 18 Role: Mid Lane Overall Rating: 52 Template: Caps In his time preparing for the tournament he progressed his overall rating by 6 points. However, he is already noticing his rate of progression slow slightly. Fortunately, a notification showed Alan a new quest. A chance to redeem their 2nd place finish at Go4LoL 1. Not to mention get more points.
Quest: Claim the Crown Objective: Win the Go4LoL 4 Finals. Reward: 2000 points Failure: No Reward
¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy,¡± Alan muttered under his breath, staring at the draft screen. Balls leaned closer, his voice low but steady. ¡°What¡¯s the plan? Voyboy and scarra have been tearing through everyone this tournament.¡± Alan didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Corki and Ezreal are priority bans. They can flex those champs between bottom, mid, and top, which makes their drafts too versatile if we leave them open. For the third ban, we go with Katarina. scarra¡¯s a monster on her, and we can¡¯t let him get a comfort pick.¡± As the Game 1 draft began, Rock Solid wasted no time targeting Alan. Their bans were direct and brutal: Kassadin, Veigar, and Anivia¡ªchampions he¡¯d dominated with in earlier matches. Alan smirked as his cursor hovered over Zilean. If they thought taking away his signature champs would throw him off, they were in for a surprise. Locking in Zilean, Alan¡¯s confidence set the tone for the rest of the draft. Green Tipped Bananas built their comp around a clear goal: empowering BladeSong¡¯s Sivir to carry. Balls picked Malphite for engage, Hai secured Nunu for utility, and Nior rounded things out with Janna for peel and shields. Every piece of their setup worked to make Sivir an unstoppable force in team fights. Rock Solid countered with their own well-rounded comp. Voyboy locked in Singed to disrupt fights, Naryt took Udyr for early jungle pressure, scarra grabbed Ryze for scaling, and their bot lane went with Tristana and Taric for late-game team fights. Their approach mirrored Green Tipped Bananas in many ways, aiming for a front-to-back fight style with strong scaling and a durable frontline.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The weight of the game would fall squarely on BladeSong¡¯s shoulders. If Sivir could perform, Green Tipped Bananas had a clear path to victory. Alan glanced at his teammates, the tension palpable but matched by a quiet confidence. ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± he said.
Game 1 The laning phase was a game of patience. Alan used Zilean¡¯s Time Bombs to safely clear waves, avoiding overextensions that could give Naryt¡¯s Udyr an opening to gank. Across the map, Balls¡¯s Malphite traded cautiously with Voyboy¡¯s Singed, both players biding their time for the mid-game where they¡¯d shine in team fights. Meanwhile, bot lane remained even, with Nior¡¯s Janna neutralizing Tristana and Taric with poke with her own harass and shields. At 8 minutes, the first major skirmish broke out in the river. Naryt¡¯s Udyr caught Hai¡¯s Nunu at Scuttle, forcing Hai to retreat toward mid-lane. Scarra rotated first, rooting Hai with Rune Prison, but Alan was ready. He dropped a Double Time Bomb on Naryt, stunning him just as he lunged forward. Hai survived with a sliver of health, and Alan chuckled as he pinged the jungle. Micro Mechanics +1 ¡°Not today.¡± By the 12-minute mark, the map began to shift. Rock Solid had built a small gold lead through better wave management and a few turret plates, but they struggled to secure objectives. Every time they attempted to move toward Dragon, Alan¡¯s zoning with Time Bombs and Hai¡¯s Absolute Zero dissuaded their engage. The first big fight came at the Dragon pit. Both teams grouped, their compositions clashing for the first time. Alan positioned on the edge of the fight, lobbing Time Bombs onto Naryt¡¯s Udyr, who charged forward. Balls seized the opportunity, landing a perfect Unstoppable Force that knocked up Voyboy and Tristana. BladeSong¡¯s Sivir activated On the Hunt, darting forward to shred through Rock Solid¡¯s backline. Scarra¡¯s Ryze flashed forwards landing a spell rotation on Sivir, but Nior¡¯s Eye of the Storm shield absorbed the damage, allowing BladeSong to kite safely. ¡°Double kill!¡± the announcer boomed as Tristana and Taric fell. Voyboy, though, wasn¡¯t done. He activated Insanity Potion, diving deep into Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ formation. He ran right up to BladeSong, baiting Sivir''s spell shield with an auto attack before allowing his poison trail to remove the spell immunity. He then Flinged Sivir towards Ryze allowing for another spell rotation. However, Alan calmly dropped a Chronoshift onto Sivir, preempting her death. Hai channeled his Absolute Zero and when Sivir revived seconds later, the fight was over. Team Fights +1 ¡°Nice ult,¡± BladeSong said, breathing heavily. ¡°We¡¯ve got Dragon.¡± The mid-game was methodical. Green Tipped Bananas controlled the pace, leveraging Sivir¡¯s wave clear and Zilean¡¯s speed boosts to rotate efficiently. Every time Rock Solid tried to engage, Nior¡¯s Monsoon reset the fight. At 24 minutes, Rock Solid made a desperate Baron call. Alan saw it coming and immediately pinged for his team to collapse. The fight erupted in the pit, with Naryt¡¯s Udyr tanking the Baron¡¯s damage while Voyboy and Scarra zoned. Alan weaved in and out of the skirmish, dropping Time Bombs onto Voyboy and forcing him to retreat. Balls¡¯s Malphite struck again, landing a Flash Unstoppable Force onto Tristana, instantly deleting her from the fight. Without their primary carry, Rock Solid crumbled. Hai¡¯s Nunu secured Baron with Consume, and BladeSong¡¯s Sivir chased down the remnants of Rock Solid, picking up a triple kill. With Baron buff, Green Tipped Bananas turned their lead into an unrelenting siege. Zilean¡¯s speed boosts allowed Sivir to safely kite and poke under turrets, while Nunu¡¯s Ice Blast slowed any attempts at counterplay. Rock Solid¡¯s base fell piece by piece, their defenses unable to hold against the scaling power of Sivir and Zilean. The final fight erupted at the Nexus turrets. Balls¡¯s Malphite dove deep once again, locking down Scarra¡¯s Ryze before he could unleash his combo. BladeSong shredded the remaining defenders, and the Nexus exploded moments later. ¡°GG,¡± Hai said, leaning back in his chair. Alan smirked, his hands still hovering over the keyboard. ¡°That¡¯s one.¡± As the victory screen lit up, Alan glanced at the draft screen for Game 2. ¡°Let¡¯s see what they change.¡± Chapter 15 - Spicy Picks The draft for Game 2 began, and the internet cafe buzzed with quiet tension. Rock Solid had clearly done their homework. Their bans shifted dramatically, removing Sivir, Janna, and Ezreal¡ªa clear attempt to dismantle the synergy Green Tipped Bananas had built around BladeSong in the previous game. Alan leaned back, tapping his finger on the edge of his desk. ¡°They¡¯re targeting our bot lane hard,¡± he muttered into comms. ¡°It¡¯s smart. They know how much Blade carried last game.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll adjust,¡± Hai replied calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s not overthink it. What¡¯s the call for mid?¡± Alan grinned as he hovered over Kassadin, finally free to pick his signature champion. The team erupted in a mix of cheers and laughter as he locked it in. ¡°Alright, time to remind them who they¡¯re up against,¡± Alan said, his confidence brimming. As Rock Solid revealed their picks, Alan¡¯s excitement turned into curiosity. Their bot lane draft was bold: Twitch and Karthus, a high-damage, high-risk duo with the potential to obliterate team fights. Twitch¡¯s stealth and Karthus¡¯s global ultimate made them a terrifying late-game threat. To complement this aggression, Rock Solid selected Evelynn in the jungle, adding relentless pressure across the map. These were some spicy, and threatening, picks. When the timer hit Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ support pick, Nior hesitated. ¡°Soraka,¡± she typed. ¡°It¡¯s my second-best champion.¡± BladeSong¡¯s frustration was audible. ¡°No way. Soraka can¡¯t contest lane against Twitch and Karthus. We need something tanky, something that can engage or peel.¡± The timer ticked down, and Nior locked in Soraka anyway. A heavy silence hung in the call. BladeSong sighed deeply. ¡°This lane is going to be a nightmare.¡± The rest of their team composition filled out, with Balls taking Malphite again and Hai opting for Xin Zhao, aiming to bring some early power to their comp. BladeSong reluctantly locked in Ashe, though his discontent was clear. Rock Solid finalized their draft with Voyboy¡¯s Singed in the top lane and Scarra¡¯s Ryze once again anchoring mid.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
The game began, and BladeSong¡¯s fears quickly became reality. Twitch and Karthus asserted dominance from level one, their combined poke and all-in potential overwhelming Ashe and Soraka. Every time Nior stepped forward to heal, Evelynn appeared from stealth, turning trades into kills. A first blood at minute 3, followed by a double kill minute 5 and another kill minute 8. Bot laned looked disastrous. Alan tried to shift momentum. ¡°I¡¯m pushing mid and roaming bot. We¡¯ll swing this back.¡± At 9 minutes, Alan teleported bot for a counter-gank. His Kassadin Riftwalked into the fray, landing a Force Pulse that slowed both Twitch and Karthus. For a moment, it looked like they¡¯d turn the fight. But Twitch activated Spray and Pray, melting through Ashe and Soraka. Scarra¡¯s Wall of Pain slowed them as they attempted to retreat. Alan was just barely able to escape using Riftwalk. ¡°Double kill!¡± the announcer boomed, and Rock Solid¡¯s lead widened. Imaqtpie''s Twitch was now 5/0/1 with enough damage to delete anyone in seconds. By 15 minutes, the game felt hopeless. Twitch roamed freely, his stealth catching Green Tipped Bananas off-guard time and again. Evelynn¡¯s pressure prevented Hai from establishing vision control, and Karthus¡¯s Requiem assisted every attempted pick. The pivotal moment came at 18 minutes. Rock Solid initiated a team fight near Dragon, baiting Green Tipped Bananas into a choke point. Twitch opened with Spray and Pray, tearing through their formation, while Karthus dealt massive damage from the backline. Even Balls¡¯s Malphite couldn¡¯t disrupt the chaos, as he was just out of range to follow up on the snap engage. ¡°Quadra kill!¡± the announcer shouted as Twitch secured his fourth kill of the fight. Green Tipped Bananas were wiped, and Rock Solid claimed Dragon uncontested. The game ended swiftly after that. At 21 minutes, Rock Solid marched down mid, their gold lead and team synergy too overwhelming to counter. Their Nexus cracked and crumbled, and the defeat screen burned on Alan¡¯s monitor. Alan leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. ¡°Alright,¡± he said evenly. ¡°Let¡¯s figure this out.¡±
The post-game lobby was quiet. BladeSong broke the silence, his tone sharp but not hostile. ¡°Nior, we can¡¯t do that again. Soraka¡¯s great in certain matchups, but not against a comp like that. We had no lane control.¡± Nior remained silent, the weight of the team¡¯s disappointment pressing down on them. Alan stepped in, his voice steady but firm. ¡°Blame doesn¡¯t help us here. We didn¡¯t lose because of one pick¡ªwe lost because of execution. They played their comp well, and we didn¡¯t adapt. Let¡¯s focus on Game 3.¡± Hai nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve got this. We just need to shut them down early. No more free scaling for Twitch and Karthus.¡± Leadership +1 Alan pulled up the draft tool, his mind racing through potential strategies. He could sense the tension easing slightly as the team began brainstorming. They had one game left to prove themselves. ¡°Let¡¯s make it count,¡± Alan said, determination hardening his voice. The finals were down to a single game, and Green Tipped Bananas weren¡¯t going down without a fight. Chapter 16 - Winner Takes All Quest Progress: Claim the Crown. Finals Record: 1-1.
The team huddled over the draft screen, tension thick in the air. Alan leaned forward, his mind racing. They couldn¡¯t let Rock Solid¡¯s aggressive, snowballing style dictate the pace again. They were so close to victory, but the enemy had momentum in this series. He needed something to shake things up. Alan decided to suggest something risky. A lane swap¡ªa high-risk, high-reward strategy that could neutralize Rock Solid¡¯s strong bot lane and allow Green Tipped Bananas to play to their strengths. ¡°We haven¡¯t practiced lane swaps,¡± Balls said, frowning. ¡°We don¡¯t need to practice,¡± Alan replied confidently. ¡°You¡¯ve got the mechanics to handle this. If you can hold 1v2 as Malphite or Cho¡¯Gath, we can dodge the Twitch and Karthus lane entirely. Nior and BladeSong will scale top lane, and Hai can pick away Evelynn to break up their combo.¡± Balls hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s do it.¡± Creativity +1 Adaptability +1
The draft began, and Rock Solid stuck to their strategy, banning Kassadin, Sivir, and Janna. Voyboy took Malphite top attempting to pick away one of Ball''s known comfort picks. Balls was fine to respond with his Cho''Gath. While Hai took away Evelynn, denying Naryt the pick that had devastated them in Game 2. Rock Solid picked Twitch and Karthus again for their bot lane. As prepared, Nior and BladeSong secured Soraka and Tristana, a duo designed to survive and scale. Naryt locked in Master Yi, a high-damage jungle threat. And scarra finished their draft with his Ryze. With the last pick of the draft, Alan locked in Morgana, a perfect counter to Rock Solid¡¯s magic-damage-heavy team of Ryze, Karthus, and Malphite. The final matchups were: Green Tipped Bananas: Soraka, Tristana, Morgana, Evelynn, Cho''Gath Rock Solid: Malphite, Master Yi, Ryze, Twitch, Karthus Alan grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s flip the script.¡±
As the lanes settled, the lane swap took Rock Solid completely by surprise. Before the minions reached their destinations, Alan pinged his teammates, reaffirming the plan. ¡°Stick to the swap,¡± he said over comms. ¡°Balls, you¡¯re on survival mode. Nior, BladeSong¡ªplay to scale top. We dodge their bot lane, and Hai will keep Yi in check.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Balls replied. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the pressure.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hold top,¡± BladeSong added. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it clean.¡± Hai, meanwhile, used Evelynn¡¯s stealth to invade Rock Solid¡¯s jungle. He slipped into the wraith camp unnoticed, stealing the small minions with Hate Spike before claiming the large one with Smite. As he moved toward the red buff, he spotted Naryt¡¯s Master Yi heading toward the bot side jungle. ¡°Yi¡¯s pathing bot,¡± Hai said. ¡°He¡¯ll be there soon. Balls, get ready¡ªthey might dive.¡± At 5 minutes, Rock Solid set up a dive on Balls under the bot turret. Twitch and Karthus shoved the wave aggressively, aiming to crash it into the tower just as Naryt¡¯s Master Yi approached from the jungle. Twitch opened with Ambush, his extended-range shots targeting Balls while Karthus followed up with Lay Waste. However, Balls anticipated the attack. As Twitch positioned to deal more damage, Balls landed a perfectly timed Rupture, knocking him up under the turret. The tower shot connected, chunking Twitch¡¯s health and forcing him to retreat. Seeing Twitch fall back, Karthus committed to the dive, flashing forward to land a Wall of Pain and Lay Waste combination. Balls responded immediately, flashing backward to avoid the damage and following up with Feral Scream, silencing Karthus and stopping him mid-combo. With Twitch already out of the fight, Karthus had no choice but to retreat as the turret chipped away at his health. Moments later, Naryt¡¯s Master Yi arrived, determined to salvage the dive. He activated Alpha Strike, teleporting onto Balls to initiate the play. But Balls was ready. Another precisely placed Rupture halted Yi in his tracks, lifting him into the air and giving the turret enough time to fire a second shot. Yi tried to auto-attack his way to victory, but Balls had conserved just enough health from the earlier skirmish to hold his ground. As the final turret shot landed, Yi fell.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°An enemy has been slain!¡± the announcer declared. Balls exhaled sharply, his voice calm but elated. ¡°Karthus no Flash.¡± ¡°All that solo queue practice really paid off,¡± Hai said, laughing. ¡°That was brilliant, Balls.¡± Balls grinned. ¡°Thanks. Bot¡¯s handled.¡± Meanwhile, in the top lane, the swap paid dividends. With Soraka¡¯s heals and Tristana¡¯s range, BladeSong and Nior steadily whittled down Voyboy¡¯s Malphite. At 7 minutes, Hai joined them for a dive. Evelynn¡¯s Hate Spike and Tristana¡¯s Rocket Jump forced Voyboy to flash under turret. Alan¡¯s Dark Binding enabled Tristana to finish the kill onto Malphite. ¡°Nice dive, Alan,¡± BladeSong said. ¡°We¡¯re snowballing now.¡± By 15 minutes, the map was firmly in Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ control. Hai¡¯s Evelynn roamed freely, creating pressure in all three lanes. Alan¡¯s Morgana became a pivotal figure, landing Dark Bindings that set up picks and Black Shields that nullified key abilities. At Dragon, Rock Solid tried to force a fight. Twitch opened with Spray and Pray, shredding through the front line, while Karthus¡¯s Requiem rained down. Alan, anticipating the play, shielded BladeSong¡¯s Tristana just as Karthus¡¯s ultimate hit, saving her from certain death. Hai capitalized, flanking with Evelynn and deleting Karthus before he could do more damage. Balls¡¯s Cho¡¯Gath silenced Ryze mid-combo, and Tristana cleaned up the fight with a triple kill. ¡°Dragon¡¯s ours,¡± Hai said, securing the objective with Smite. Rock Solid clung to hope, relying on Voyboy¡¯s Malphite for engages and Twitch¡¯s damage to turn fights. At 27 minutes, they found an opening near Baron. Voyboy flashed in with Unstoppable Force, catching Alan¡¯s Morgana and Hai¡¯s Evelynn in the knock-up. Twitch unleashed Spray and Pray, and for a moment, it seemed like Green Tipped Bananas might crumble. But Alan stayed calm. His Zhonya¡¯s Ring negated Twitch¡¯s burst, and a perfectly placed Black Shield protected Tristana as she kited back. Balls re-entered the fight with a Rupture and silence onto both carries, allowing Hai to take out Twitch from a flank. Without their carries, Rock Solid collapsed. Clutch +2 ¡°Baron,¡± Alan called. ¡°This is game.¡± With Baron buff, Green Tipped Bananas methodically dismantled Rock Solid¡¯s base. Tristana¡¯s range and damage tore through turrets, while Morgana and Evelynn punished any attempt to engage. A final fight at the Nexus saw Balls land a Flash Rupture onto Scarra¡¯s Ryze, securing the ace. Victory
The Nexus exploded, and the victory screen lit up Alan¡¯s monitor in a triumphant flash of color. For a moment, the internet caf¨¦ was silent, the weight of what had just happened settling over the room. Then, the eruption came. Cheers and applause filled the space as spectators and staff alike celebrated the underdogs¡¯ victory. Chairs scraped against the floor as a crowd formed around the team¡¯s stations, congratulating them with handshakes, high-fives, and pats on the back. ¡°GG!¡± Hai shouted, throwing his hands in the air. He spun his chair around to face the others, his grin so wide it practically split his face. ¡°We freaking did it!¡± Alan leaned back, the adrenaline still coursing through him. He let out a deep breath, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. ¡°That¡¯s how you do it,¡± he said, his voice steady but full of pride.
Quest Completed: Claim the Crown. Finals Record: 2-1 versus Rock Solid Reward: 2000 Template points
The team sprang to their feet, the excitement overflowing into hugs and handshakes. BladeSong turned to Nior, his earlier frustrations forgotten. ¡°Nice healing, Soraka,¡± he said, sincerity in his tone. ¡°You really came through. Made up for Game 2 in a big way.¡± Nior, as always only present on Discord typed. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll keep improving.¡± ¡°Keep improving? You crushed it today. No one¡¯s stopping us now.¡±, said Hai. Balls leaned against his station, his grin uncharacteristically big. ¡°That lane swap call was genius, Alan. And honestly? I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d survive that dive. Glad I trusted you.¡± Alan chuckled, brushing off the praise. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just the call. You played out of your mind. That whole series? Every one of you was incredible.¡± The tournament manager sent an invoice for 100 dollars and a digital certificate over Discord. ¡°Congratulations, guys. That was something special.¡± Alan pulled up the message on his monitor, glancing at his team. The golden certificate wasn''t quite a trophy, but it was proof of what they could achieve together. ¡°We earned this,¡± Alan said, his voice steady. ¡°Every one of us.¡± The group gathered around for photos, as flashes from phones and cameras captured the moment. The pride and camaraderie were tangible, a feeling Alan knew would carry them forward. As the caf¨¦ emptied and the team prepared to leave, Hai slung an arm around Alan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So, what¡¯s next, Titan?¡± Titan smirked, his eyes gleaming with determination. ¡°Next? We keep winning.¡± BladeSong grinned. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear.¡± Titan infused all 2000 points into his status and checked his progress. Name: Alan Zhong Age: 18 Role: Mid Lane Overall Rating: 59 (+6) Template: Caps He was improving steadily, up 6 rating points from the template plus an additional rating point earned during the tournament matches. He could barely believe it, but he was rewriting his career right before his eyes. "I can really do it", he whispered to himself. Titan was one step closer to cementing his legacy as the GOAT. Chapter 17 - Invited to the Big Leagues The message from RiotAnya sat in Titan¡¯s inbox, the subject line simple but electrifying: ¡°Urgent: ESL Premier League Invitation.¡± He read it twice to make sure he wasn¡¯t dreaming. A last-minute dropout from the league meant Green Tipped Bananas had a golden opportunity¡ªa direct invite to compete in the ESL Premier League starting March 31st. It wasn¡¯t just another tournament; it was their chance to face the best teams in NA over a grueling three-month season. But two weeks? That was no time at all.
The team call buzzed to life as Titan relayed the news. ¡°Guys, we¡¯re in,¡± he said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through him. ¡°Stope Nation dropped out, and Riot wants us to fill their spot. First match is in two weeks.¡± A stunned silence hung over the Discord before Hai broke it. ¡°No way. That¡¯s huge.¡± BladeSong whistled. ¡°They must¡¯ve been desperate if they called us,¡± he said with a chuckle, though the excitement in his voice was clear. ¡°It¡¯s a chance, not a favor,¡± Titan countered. ¡°We earned this with our Go4LoL performances. But the time crunch is real. We¡¯ve got two weeks to get tournament ready.¡± Balls groaned. ¡°Two weeks? That¡¯s brutal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯ve got,¡± Titan said firmly. ¡°This isn¡¯t a casual tournament. The best of NA are here. If we¡¯re not prepared, we¡¯ll get steamrolled.¡±
The discussion kicked off with Titan taking charge, laying out the team¡¯s priorities. ¡°Nior,¡± Titan began, ¡°it¡¯s fine if you want to stick to ranged supports as your core, but we need more lane presence in drafts. Can you start learning Morgana, Zilean, and Annie? They can give us both lane power and utility in mid to late game.¡± Muted in the Discord call, Nior quickly typed a response: ¡°Got it.¡± Titan hesitated for a moment before adding, ¡°And one more thing, Nior. You and BladeSong have gotten really comfortable only duoing together. That¡¯s not a bad thing, but we need to mix things up. You should duo more with Hai more to build jungle-support synergy.¡± After a brief pause, Nior¡¯s reply popped up in the chat: "Understood." Hai chimed in. ¡°No problem. We¡¯ll get the vision game on lock. Easy.¡± ¡°Balls,¡± Titan continued, ¡°I want us to develop flex picks across top, mid, and support. Zilean, Morgana, and Annie should be champs all 3 of us can play. They¡¯re utility mages, and they¡¯ll give us the flexibility to pivot in drafts. You¡¯d play Zilean top if the draft calls for it, right?¡± Balls laughed. ¡°Fine by me. Just don¡¯t expect miracles the first few games.¡± ¡°Zilean top is the miracle,¡± Titan teased. ¡°If you can¡¯t carry with it, though, I¡¯ll take it mid.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Balls said with a grin. Titan smiled and shifted his attention to BladeSong. And BladeSong, your positioning is solid, but it¡¯s time to push harder in teamfights. With the rest of us focusing on utility and flexible picks, you¡¯re almost always going to get your hyper carries. That means your job is simple: maximize your damage. Play greedy when we¡¯re protecting you. In most comps you will be the main carry. If you¡¯re doing your job, we win fights.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. BladeSong¡¯s grin spread wide. ¡°Greedy? Now you¡¯re speaking my language. Don¡¯t blame me when I go 1v5, though.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll blame you if you don¡¯t,¡± Titan shot back. ¡°This plan works if you limit test and figure out your ceiling.¡± The team¡¯s energy began to build, the faint buzz of excitement mixing with the weight of the challenge ahead. They were starting to see the vision¡ªand with two weeks to go, every piece of the puzzle had to fit perfectly.
Practice started immediately, with intense scrims and targeted drills filling their days. There was no time to waste. One scrim against a mid-tier team stood out as a wake-up call. At 15 minutes, Hai¡¯s voice came through, sharp and clear. ¡°Mid¡¯s roaming bot. Nior, rotate now!¡± Nior reacted instantly, flashing in with Annie to secure a kill and shift the fight in their favor. But when the enemy team counter-ganked, BladeSong pushed too far, eager to clean up the skirmish. He overstepped, got caught out, and the result was a lost turret. After the game, Blade was a bit frustrated at his death earlier. Titan handled the situation constructively ¡°Blade,¡± he said, calm but encouraging, ¡°this is the time to push your limits. Don¡¯t hold back in scrims, even if it costs us a few fights. That¡¯s how you¡¯ll find your edge. BladeSong nodded, his confidence patched up. ¡°Got it. I''ll keep pushing.¡±
By the second week, tangible progress began to surface. Nior¡¯s mages opened up more dynamic modes for the botlane. Often they could crash a wave bot and rotate with Hai into the enemy jungle for kills or to steal camps. Nior was able to leave lane and setup vision more on these camps, allowing Hai to dictate jungle tempo and secure key objectives. The top and mid lanes found new layers of depth as Balls and Titan pushed their limits with flex picks. Zilean became a quick favorite, its utility and versatility opening up draft options that ensured BladeSong nearly always had his preferred hyper carries. In one scrim, Balls piloted Zilean mid against a high-pressure composition. Midway through the match, an aggressive dive targeted BladeSong¡¯s Tristana. Titan¡¯s perfectly timed Zilean ultimate turned what could have been a shutdown into a triple kill for BladeSong, flipping the fight on its head. ¡°Zilean¡¯s ridiculous,¡± BladeSong said with a laugh as they regrouped. ¡°Or,¡± Balls countered with a sly smile, ¡°you¡¯re finally playing like the carry you¡¯re supposed to be.¡± BladeSong chuckled. ¡°Fair enough. Keep throwing those ults, and I¡¯ll keep cleaning up.¡±
Late one night, after another exhausting scrim block, Titan sat alone, the soft glow of his monitor casting shadows across his room. His body screamed for rest, but his mind churned with thoughts that refused to settle. The ESL Premier League was their next step, but it wasn¡¯t the finish line. Far from it. He thought about Hai and Balls, players who¡¯d been dominant in the NA LCS during Seasons 3 and 4 but never broke past that regional ceiling in the original timeline. Now, starting two years earlier, with structured competitive play and a focus on active development, their potential felt limitless. If they could rise to the occasion, who knew how far they could go? Then there were Nior and BladeSong, totally unknown players. They had holes in their game but brimming with mechanical talent. If they can fix their weaknesses, they can be superstar players that rival the legends of the game. He leaned back, exhaling slowly. For a moment, doubt crept in. The teams they¡¯d face in the league weren¡¯t pushovers. They were disciplined, hungry, and battle-hardened. And this was just the beginning. Two months into the league, world qualifiers would start. If they made it through, they¡¯d face even fiercer competition from Europe. By August, the IEM tournaments would be underway, bringing tougher, international opposition. But Titan pushed the doubt aside. They¡¯d rise to the challenge¡ªthey had to. He turned his thoughts back to the big picture. Standing out in the first two seasons was important, but he knew the weight of those early victories was fleeting. The fragmented tournament scene meant those wins wouldn¡¯t carry the same legacy-defining prestige. No, the real challenge began with Season 3. That¡¯s when the game¡¯s history truly crystallized. Winning Season 3 Worlds would be the moment to rewrite everything. Titan¡¯s mind shifted to Faker, the towering figure of League¡¯s competitive history. Faker was untouchable at his peak, revolutionizing the mid-lane role during Season 3. But if Titan could claim Season 3, it¡¯d steal one of Faker¡¯s 5 crowns. A win in 2013 would change everything. Not just a title for Titan, but a subtraction from Faker¡¯s seemingly unshakable reign. He smirked at the thought, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. Faker was the greatest, the GOAT in every sense of the word. But even legends could bleed. Season 3 was a long way off, but it loomed large in Titan¡¯s mind. The work started here, with this ragtag team of underdogs. The summit was far, but step by step, they were climbing. And Titan wouldn¡¯t stop until they stood at the very top. Chapter 18 - The Silent Star The buzz from their Go4LoL victory still lingered, but for Titan, the real grind had only just begun. The day after their win, his usual 40-viewer Twitch stream suddenly surged to 80 viewers, a significant jump that made him sit up a little straighter at his desk. ¡°Hey, everyone,¡± Titan said into his microphone, trying to sound casual. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see so many people here today. Welcome to the climb.¡± The chat scrolled faster than he was used to:
GTB FANS HERE Titan for the win! Bro, that Kassadin play was insane! Can you play Zilean today? Loved your lane swap call!
Titan couldn¡¯t stop the grin from spreading across his face. This was what he¡¯d wanted¡ªvalidation for the effort they¡¯d put in, proof that Green Tipped Bananas was more than just a meme team. But as he glanced at his Discord overlay, he noticed something odd. BladeSong, Balls, and Hai were all live too, and they were pulling impressive numbers as well. ¡°Guys,¡± Titan called out in their team Discord. ¡°How¡¯s your stream going?¡± Balls¡¯s voice crackled in. ¡°Crazy, man. I¡¯ve got 60 viewers. That¡¯s, like, double my usual.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Hai added. ¡°People keep asking about our Evelynn jungle plays. I should¡¯ve started streaming years ago.¡± Titan smirked. ¡°I told you it¡¯d pay off. Audience growth is part of the grind.¡±
The team¡¯s energy was electric as they each juggled streams, ranked games, and interacting with their growing communities. But amid all the hustle, something strange kept popping up in the Discord chat.
Nior has 200 viewers rn. Why does Nior have more viewers than Titan? Nior¡¯s stream is just lofi music and no mic. Wut.
Titan blinked, pulling up Nior¡¯s stream on his second monitor. Sure enough, her stream displayed a muted screen with a simple overlay: her champion, her rank, and a small corner webcam showing nothing but her hands resting on her keyboard. Soft lofi music played in the background, and the viewer count hovered at 200, far surpassing the rest of the team. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Titan muttered. ¡°Yo, Nior,¡± Hai said in Discord, his tone half incredulous, half amused. ¡°How do you have 200 viewers? You don¡¯t even talk on stream.¡± Nior¡¯s reply came instantly but in her typical blunt, monotone way. "People like the vibe." ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re not doing anything. It¡¯s just¡­ chill music and gameplay,¡± BladeSong added. ¡°You¡¯re beating all of us in viewers. What¡¯s your secret?¡± There was a brief pause before Nior responded. "I play good." Balls burst out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s it? ¡®I play good¡¯? That¡¯s your whole strategy?¡± "Yes" Titan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Nior, we¡¯re over here grinding interactions, hyping up the chat, building narratives¡ªand you¡¯re just vibing your way to twice our viewership?¡± "Yes" The team dissolved into laughter, the absurdity of it all cutting through the tension of their usual grind. Even BladeSong, who¡¯d been competitive about their stream numbers, couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Man, we¡¯re doing it all wrong.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
The next few days were filled with the team¡¯s streaming routines, with Nior¡¯s mysterious popularity becoming an ongoing joke. ¡°Alright, stream,¡± Balls said during a match. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. I¡¯m going to queue with Nior and put on lofi music. Maybe I¡¯ll hit 200 viewers too.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Nior replied flatly. Despite the humor, there was progress. Each member of Green Tipped Bananas began carving out their niche. Titan found his audience growing steadily as he leaned into his analytical style, explaining key decisions mid-game and breaking down strategies from their matches. His chat loved the insight.
¡°Titan, why did you call for the lane swap in Game 3?¡± ¡°How do you decide when to roam as Kassadin?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your thought process when you pick Morgana?¡±
Titan answered every question, his focus on education paying off. The same viewers started returning day after day, and Titan noticed a familiar rhythm to their names in chat.
Meanwhile, BladeSong leaned into his personality, becoming the team¡¯s unofficial ¡°trash talker.¡± His chat was a flurry of banter, with viewers teasing him about his ¡°Travis¡± tag and random copy-pastas about how Balls was better than him. ¡°Alright, chat,¡± BladeSong said, grinning into his webcam. ¡°Next time Balls ints my lane, we¡¯re clipping it for the highlight reel.¡± ¡°You wish,¡± Balls shot back, his voice filtering through Discord. Even Hai found his groove, his calm and collected demeanor drawing in viewers who appreciated his calculated jungle play and dry humor. ¡°You¡¯re all here for jungle tips?¡± Hai said during one stream. ¡°Step one: don¡¯t be the guy who invades and dies level two. Step two: if your mid-laner ints, mute them.¡± But no one¡¯s rise was more baffling, or entertaining, than Nior¡¯s. Her stream, unchanged from its minimalist setup, continued to attract hundreds of viewers. The lofi music never stopped, the chat was never acknowledged, and yet the stream grew. One night, Titan finally asked. ¡°Alright, Nior. Seriously. What¡¯s your secret? How are you pulling 350 viewers now?¡± "They like it chill" The team erupted into laughter again, and Hai summed it up best. ¡°Nior, you¡¯re an enigma.¡±
As their streams grew, so did their influence. Clips from their matches and scrims began circulating on social media, drawing in even more fans. A short highlight reel of Titan¡¯s clutch Zilean plays hit the front page of Reddit, titled: ¡°Chronoshift King.¡± Another clip featured BladeSong landing a clean Tristana Rocket Jump into a Pentakill, with the title ¡°BladeBomber.¡± Even Nior wasn¡¯t immune to the spotlight. One viral clip simply showed her flawlessly kiting as Janna over lofi music, simply called: ¡°Janna Main Vibes¡± The team¡¯s growth wasn¡¯t just individual¡ªit was collective. Fans started recognizing them as a unit, spamming their team name in Twitch chats and social media. Slowly but surely, Green Tipped Bananas was becoming a brand.
One evening, Titan ended his stream and leaned back in his chair, exhausted but satisfied. The viewer count had peaked at 120, and the chat was full of regulars who now seemed like a small but loyal community. He switched over to Discord, where the team was still hanging out. The team laughed, their camaraderie stronger than ever. The excitement was palpable as they joked about Nior''s growing follower count and planned for scrims, the buzz of their growing streams a tangible reminder of how far they¡¯d come. But as the Discord call began to wind down, Titan found himself lingering in his chair, staring at his now-dark monitor. For a moment, the laughter and positivity faded, replaced by a memory that had been nagging at the back of his mind. He thought of his parents, sitting at the kitchen table, their concerned expressions etched into his thoughts. ¡°We just don¡¯t want you to regret this,¡± his mom had said, her voice soft but firm. ¡°College is a sure thing. This? It¡¯s not.¡± His dad¡¯s words followed, sharper and more direct: ¡°What happens when this doesn¡¯t work out? What will you have to show for it?¡± Titan ran a hand through his hair, exhaling deeply. Back then, he hadn¡¯t had the words to convince them. He¡¯d relied on his gut, on the hope that his second chance would mean something. But now? Now, things were starting to take shape. The viewer numbers, the team¡¯s win at Go4LoL, the small but growing recognition¡ªthey were all steps forward, proof that this wasn¡¯t just a hobby anymore. ¡°This is just the beginning,¡± Titan murmured to himself. ¡°They¡¯ll see.¡± He didn¡¯t need to prove them wrong; he wanted to prove himself right. That gaming could be more than just a pipe dream. That with enough hard work, he could build something real. The Discord call pinged softly as the others logged off one by one. Titan lingered for a moment longer, his thoughts racing ahead to the next stream, the next scrim, the next tournament. With a renewed sense of purpose, Titan shut down his PC, the faint glow of the monitor fading to black. The journey ahead was daunting, but for the first time, he felt like he wasn¡¯t just chasing a dream¡ªhe was building a reality. Chapter 19 - The Reckoning The internet was ablaze, and Titan¡¯s name was in the mix. A clip of Reckoner, a Twisted Fate player who Titan faced against in Go4LoL 1, had gone viral. In it, he leaned into his webcam, a cocky smirk on his face, and declared, ¡°I¡¯m hitting rank 1 this season. The other mids¡ªscarra, Reginald, bigfatlp¡ªthey¡¯re overrated. And Titan? Don¡¯t even get me started. He¡¯s a fraud. Dude lucked out with his Go4LoL runs. Let¡¯s see him try to outrank me this season.¡± The clip exploded on Twitter, Reddit, and even made its way into Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ Discord. BladeSong was the first to ping it. > Balls: ¡°@Titan he¡¯s coming for you ??¡± > Hai: ¡°Dude¡¯s ego is off the charts.¡± > Nior: ¡°Interesting.¡± Titan, sitting at his desk, watched the clip again. Reckoner wasn¡¯t just throwing shade; he was calling out the entire mid-lane ecosystem. It was bold, reckless even¡ªbut Titan couldn¡¯t deny it was working. Reckoner¡¯s Twitch viewership had skyrocketed, and the ranked ladder buzzed with anticipation. ¡°Fraud, huh?¡± Titan muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll see for myself.¡±
Later that night, Titan queued up for ranked. As the loading screen appeared, his eyes widened. The lobby was stacked. Blue Team: - Top: Hai - Jungle: Crumbzz - Mid: Titan - Bot: BladeSong - Support: Asylum Red Team: - Top: Valkrin - Jungle: Saintvicious - Mid: Reckoner - Bot: Aphromoo - Support: Nior Titan¡¯s heart raced as he realized what was about to happen. This wasn¡¯t just a game; it was a stage. Reckoner was on the enemy team, and the lobby¡¯s collective skill level meant this match would be analyzed and talked about for days. Before the minions spawned, Reckoner¡¯s trash talk began. > Reckoner: ¡°Finally, Titan. I¡¯ve been waiting to expose you. Free LP incoming.¡± BladeSong couldn¡¯t resist firing back. > BladeSong: ¡°You already got exposed when we beat you in Go4LoL 1. Guess you didn''t learn your lesson.¡± Titan ignored the chat, his focus narrowing. This wasn¡¯t about words¡ªit was about gameplay.
The game began with standard lanes, but it didn¡¯t take long for Reckoner to reveal his strategy. Playing Twisted Fate, he prioritized shoving the wave with Wild Cards and Red Card, then immediately looked for roams. In the first five minutes, he left lane twice, heading bot both times.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Titan, on Kassadin, made the call to match him with Teleport. The first roam ended in a one-for-one trade, with BladeSong securing the kill on Aphromoo. The second roam, however, caught Titan¡¯s team off-guard. Reckoner¡¯s Destiny Gate placed him perfectly behind BladeSong, allowing Aphromoo and Nior to clean up for a double kill. Reckoner taunted in chat. > Reckoner: ¡°Stay in your lane, fraud.¡± Titan shook his head, refusing to rise to the bait. ¡°Focus,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t let him tilt you.¡±
The mid-game was a chess match. Reckoner¡¯s Twisted Fate controlled the tempo, but Titan adapted, using Kassadin¡¯s mobility to match the roams more effectively. When Reckoner dove top to help Valkrin secure a kill on Hai, Titan pulled ahead in farm and experience. But Reckoner¡¯s map pressure was relentless. At 18 minutes, he coordinated with Saintvicious and Nior to force a 4v2 dive bot. BladeSong and Asylum narrowly escaped with their lives, but the turret fell. Titan typed in team chat: > ¡°They¡¯re playing for bot. Let¡¯s force top tower and trade.¡± Hai responded instantly: > ¡°On it.¡± The trade evened the gold difference, but the pressure was mounting. Reckoner¡¯s Twisted Fate was snowballing his side lanes, and Kassadin wasn¡¯t at his power spike yet.
The pivotal moment came at 26 minutes. Both teams converged at Baron. Reckoner used Destiny to scout, revealing Titan¡¯s positioning near the flank. ¡°Don¡¯t let Kassadin in,¡± Reckoner called to his team. The fight was chaotic. Balls¡¯s Malphite ulted into the backline, hitting Dyrus and Aphromoo, but Nior¡¯s Black Shield on Reckoner prevented him from being locked down. Titan found his opening, Riftwalking into the fray to burst down Aphromoo, but Reckoner peeled back, stunning Titan with a Gold Card and finishing him off with Wild Cards. The fight ended in a 3-for-3 trade, but Reckoner¡¯s team secured the Baron. > Reckoner: ¡°Sit down, Titan.¡± Titan smirked, adrenaline pumping. He¡¯d been outplayed, but the game wasn¡¯t over yet. Kassadin hit level 16. Kassa-win (Bronze) Activated: Clutch +5
By the 35-minute mark, the game was neck-and-neck. Titan had finally hit his power spike, and Kassadin¡¯s mobility made him a nightmare in skirmishes. In one pivotal fight, he baited Reckoner into overcommitting mid. Titan Riftwalked into a bush, playing around Reckoner¡¯s Gold Card, and deleted Aphromoo with a quick combo. With Aphromoo down, BladeSong cleaned up the fight with Tristana. ¡°Lets go!¡± BladeSong celebrated over comms. But Reckoner wasn¡¯t done. At 40 minutes, with both teams posturing around Baron, Reckoner made the play of the game. He teleported behind Titan¡¯s team with Destiny Gate, landing a Gold Card on Hai and forcing a chaotic split. Saintvicious followed up with Cataclysm, trapping BladeSong and Asylum. Aphromoo¡¯s damage tore through them. Titan tried to salvage the fight, Riftwalking into the backline to assassinate Reckoner, but Nior¡¯s timely Black Shield was too much. The fight ended in a decisive ace for Reckoner¡¯s team. Defeat.
The post-game chat was predictably explosive. > Reckoner: ¡°GG EZ.¡± > BladeSong: ¡°Delusional.¡± > Hai: ¡°ggwp.¡± Titan typed only one thing before leaving the lobby: > ¡°Well played, Reckoner.¡±
Later that night, Titan reviewed the replay. He studied Reckoner¡¯s roams, his wave management, and his positioning. Reckoner wasn¡¯t just a loudmouth¡ªhe was good. Titan¡¯s respect for him grew, even as he noted the mistakes that cost them the game. ¡°This isn¡¯t the last time,¡± Titan muttered, his eyes narrowing as he watched Reckoner¡¯s Twisted Fate close out the match. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll be ready.¡± The rivalry was just beginning. Chapter 20 - A Day for Nior The Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ usual soloque block was set to begin in an hour, but Titan¡¯s attention was focused on something else. A notification had popped up in their team Discord earlier that morning. Nior: ¡°I¡¯ll be on for solo queue later. No scrims, right?¡± Titan had replied casually at the time, but BladeSong had been the first to notice the small calendar icon next to Nior¡¯s name in Discord. ¡°It¡¯s their birthday,¡± BladeSong had whispered into their private team chat. ¡°They didn¡¯t even mention it.¡± Balls had chimed in. ¡°Typical Nior. They''ll probably just play ranked all day like it¡¯s any other Tuesday.¡± Titan leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s not just another Tuesday.¡±
When practice time rolled around, the team hopped into their usual Discord call. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hit solo queue,¡± Titan said, his voice steady but with a hint of excitement he worked hard to suppress. ¡°We¡¯ve got a grind ahead of us.¡± He was cut off by a ping in Discord. A message from BladeSong. BladeSong: ¡°Turn on your camera for a sec.¡± Nior¡¯s reply was immediate: "No." BladeSong groaned. ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s your birthday. We¡¯re just trying to say hi. Do you even exist outside this game?¡± Nior¡¯s response was predictable and blunt. "You know I don¡¯t." ¡°Fine,¡± Titan said, cutting in smoothly. ¡°Then let us say happy birthday like we do exist. We¡¯re taking a break from solo queue for a bit.¡± There was a moment of silence. Then Nior typed: "...Why?" ¡°Check your Discord DMs,¡± Hai said, laughing.
Ten minutes later, the team was piled into a virtual karaoke session, something Titan had set up on a whim. To his surprise, the others went all in. Balls was belting out an off-key rendition of a pop song, while BladeSong added dramatic flair, waving his arms in front of his webcam. Even Hai, who was usually less interested in anything beyond the game, chimed in with a monotone version of a meme song.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "This is ridiculous", Nior typed, but her presence in the call didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Nior,¡± Titan said, his tone mock-serious. ¡°We¡¯re not stopping until you pick a song.¡± Her reply came after a long pause: "No." ¡°Then at least let us do something for you,¡± BladeSong said. ¡°We¡¯ve got a surprise. Titan, you got it?¡± Titan grinned and shared his screen, revealing a custom graphic: a stylized team logo with Nior¡¯s name and a banner that read, ¡°The Backbone of GTB - Happy Birthday, Nior!¡± Below it was a message from the entire team. ¡°Nior,¡± Titan began, reading it aloud, ¡°we don¡¯t know much about you, and honestly, that¡¯s part of your charm. But what we do know is that you¡¯re one of the most dependable players we¡¯ve ever teamed with. You never tilt, you always focus, and your plays have saved us more times than we can count. Today, we just want to say thanks¡ªand happy birthday.¡± The call fell quiet for a moment before Nior¡¯s voice finally came through, soft but clear. ¡°Thank you.¡± BladeSong gasped. ¡°Wait. Was that¡ª?¡± "Shut up", Nior typed, once again muted in the chat.
The celebration continued with a casual ARAM game, something they hadn¡¯t done in ages. For once, they weren¡¯t analyzing strategies or trying to improve. They were just a group of friends having fun. Midway through the match, BladeSong suddenly spoke up. ¡°Hey, Nior. Can I ask something?¡± A pause. Then, Nior typed in chat: "What?" ¡°How old are you?¡± The question hung in the air for a moment, and the rest of the team waited. Finally, the answer popped up in the game¡¯s all-chat: "Nineteen." ¡°Wait, what?¡± Hai said, breaking the silence. ¡°Nineteen? That¡¯s it?¡± Another response appeared almost immediately: "Why does that surprise you?" ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± BladeSong replied, laughing. ¡°You¡¯ve got this whole mysterious vibe. I thought you were, like, a shadowy e-sports veteran or something. Maybe pushing thirty with a secret career in DoTA.¡± "Guess not." The simplicity of the reply set everyone off laughing.
As the night wound down, Titan reflected on the day. They hadn¡¯t learned much about Nior, but even the smallest detail felt like a victory. Nior had always been the quiet backbone of the team, and tonight, for the first time, it felt like they were getting a glimpse of the person behind the calm, unflappable gameplay. The camaraderie was palpable as the team said their goodnights and logged off. Titan lingered for a moment, staring at his dark monitor. They were growing closer, and for him, that connection was more important than any scrim or solo queue session. Green Tipped Bananas wasn¡¯t just a team¡ªit was becoming a family. And nights like this reminded Titan why he was so determined to make it all work. Chapter 21 - ESL League Begins Titan¡¯s monitor glowed with the ESL Premier League¡¯s official announcement. Seeing Green Tipped Bananas listed among the other teams felt surreal. For weeks, their world had revolved around scrims, solo queue, and fine-tuning strategies. Now, it was time to step into the spotlight. The ESL Premier League wasn¡¯t just another tournament. It was a proving ground¡ªthe first real test of how they stacked up against the best.
Titan pulled the team into their Discord call for a rundown. ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the deal,¡± Titan began, sharing his screen. ¡°This is what we¡¯re up against.¡± National ESL Premier League: Format: Weekly, online, best-of-three round-robin. Teams: 12 teams total, 8 invited and 4 qualifiers. Advancement: Top 6 teams move to playoffs. Prize Pool: $5,000. Hai let out a low whistle. ¡°Best-of-three round-robin? That''s going to be a lot of prep.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Titan replied. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to be unprepared. Every series matters.¡± The screen shifted to the team list.
- TSM - Counter Logic Gaming (CLG) - Rock Solid - CompLexity Gaming - Against All Odds (AAO) - HKEGG - Green Tipped Bananas - LowElo - WHALE - jpak and friends - Team Liquid - unRestricted eSports
The call fell silent for a moment as everyone absorbed the list. ¡°This is stacked,¡± BladeSong finally said. ¡°Like, holy crap. We¡¯ve scrimmed half of these teams, and they¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the favorite, you think?¡± Hai asked. ¡°CLG? TSM?¡± ¡°TSM,¡± BladeSong said without hesitation. ¡°Reginald¡¯s been trash-talking nonstop on Twitter, but, I mean¡­ he backs it up. They¡¯re fast, aggressive, and they don¡¯t let you breathe.¡± Titan nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve played them in scrims. They don¡¯t give you time to think. If we¡¯re not sharp, they¡¯ll run us over.¡± ¡°And CLG?¡± Balls asked. ¡°Completely different style,¡± Titan said. ¡°They don¡¯t rush you. They suffocate you. Their vision game is ridiculous, and sainvicious¡¯s shot-calling is top-tier.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Hai chimed in. ¡°Yeah, CLG feels impossible to break when they¡¯re ahead. They¡¯ll just bleed you out.¡± Titan shifted his focus. ¡°What about Rock Solid?¡± ¡°Scrappy,¡± BladeSong said. ¡°Remember our finals series? All of their players have too many pocket picks. Super hard to plan around. You never know when they might pull out something crazy.¡± A silence lingered before BladeSong added, ¡°UnRestricted¡¯s the wildcard, though. We haven¡¯t played them yet, but everyone¡¯s hyping their roster as the next big thing. If they are as good as people say¡­¡± Nior typed into the chat: ¡°They are.¡± Everyone paused, reading the message. ¡°You¡¯ve seen them play?¡± Hai asked. ¡°Watched DontMashMe and Doublelift on stream. Insane mechanics.¡± Titan exhaled. ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±
The team spent the next hour discussing matchups, strengths, and weaknesses. Titan took careful notes, jotting down insights from their scrims and speculation about teams they hadn¡¯t faced yet. In particular, on 4 rosters who he knew to be the top contenders in the original timeline: Team Solo Mid (TSM) ¨C TheRainMan, TheOddOne, Reginald, Chaox, Xpecial Counter Logic Gaming (CLG) ¨C HotshotGG, saintvicious, bigfatlp, Chauster, Elementz Rock Solid ¨C Voyboy, LOCUST, scarra, Imaqtpie, rambo unRestricted - Pobelter, Lapaka, NyJacky, DontMashMe/Doublelift, and Jsura Another team Against All Odds (AAO) diverged from the original timeline with the inclusion of Reckoner in mid. Titan made sure to document every detail in his notes. Hours passed until, one by one, the team logged off for the night. Titan lingered, deep in thought. He navigated to his Status screen and scanned the familiar interface.
Titan¡¯s Status Name: Alan Zhong (Titan) Role: Mid Lane Overall Rating: 58 (+2) Template: Caps Titan let the number sink in. It wasn¡¯t flashy, just two points higher than before, but it marked progress. Every small gain meant something. He scrolled down to the Quest Log, eager to see what new objectives the ESL Premier League had triggered.
New Quests: Make the Cut: - Finish the ESL Premier League regular season in the Top 6 to advance to playoffs. - Reward: +1500 Template Points. Top Dog: - Defeat TSM, CLG, Rock Solid, or unRestricted in a series. - Reward: +500 Template Points per win. Standout Performer: - Achieve a KDA of 5 or higher across three consecutive games. - Reward: Unlock a Silver Badge. Rising Brand: - Stream 50 hours during the ESL Premier League and hit 500 average viewers. - Reward: Unlock a Silver Badge.
Titan read through the list, his mind already ticking. Make the Cut was a straightforward but critical goal¡ªthey had to secure a playoff spot. Anything less would be a failure. Top Dog added an edge to their matches against the tournament favorites, and Standout Performer was a personal challenge he¡¯d relish. The last quest, Rising Brand, caught his eye. Branding wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d thought about much before, but the ESL Premier League brought new visibility. If they could build a fanbase here, it¡¯d only strengthen their position in future tournaments. Titan closed the menu and leaned back, letting out a long breath. The numbers, the quests, the team analysis¡ªit was a lot to take in. But rather than feeling overwhelmed, he felt a spark of determination. ¡°This is just the beginning,¡± Titan muttered. He stood up, stretched, and shut down his PC for the night. Tomorrow, the grind began in earnest, and he was ready to take the next step. Chapter 22 - ESL Match 1 vs CLG The ESL Premier League¡¯s first matchday arrived with a mixture of anticipation and nerves. For Green Tipped Bananas, it was a chance to test themselves against one of the best: Counter Logic Gaming. CLG¡¯s reputation as a macro-heavy team preceded them. Their ability to coordinate plays, punish mistakes, and snowball cleanly made them one of the most feared rosters in the league. Titan knew this would be their toughest challenge yet.
The team call buzzed to life an hour before the match. Titan shared his screen, running through CLG¡¯s recent drafts and playstyle. ¡°They¡¯re going to play for map control and punish us if we overextend,¡± Titan said. ¡°Saintvicious¡¯s Jarvan and Amumu are their go-to junglers right now. Both are strong initiators, and if we clump up or get caught out, they¡¯ll punish us hard.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Hai asked. Titan clicked through his notes. ¡°We can¡¯t give them any openings. Avoid risky plays, don¡¯t give up early kills, and force them into team fights where we can outplay them. Our draft will be focused on getting a hyper carry for BladeSong as usual. We can flex Morgana, Zilean, and Annie across top, mid, and support to keep us flexible in the other roles.¡± Nior typed: ¡°Feeling confident BladeSong?¡± BladeSong leaned back in his chair. ¡°I''m always comfortable on my hyper carries. Sivir or Tristana. If you protect me and set up the fights, I¡¯ll do the heavy lifting. Just make sure I don''t get dived and CC''ed into oblivion.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Titan replied confidently. ¡°Nior¡¯s Morgana Black Shields, Zilean¡¯s ults, and Annie¡¯s stuns will give you all the tools you need. Just like we practiced.¡± Balls nodded. ¡°So, play safe early, scale, and outplay them in teamfights?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Titan said. ¡°Stick to the plan, and we¡¯ll have a shot.¡±
Game 1 The first draft was tense. CLG banned Evelynn, Tristana, and Zilean, clearly targeting Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ core strategies. BladeSong was given Sivir to start off the draft. CLG, true to form, drafted for map control and teamfight dominance. Saintvicious took Jarvan IV, and bigfatlp locked in Annie, creating a devastating burst combo. Titan responded by locking in Morgana mid, with Nior on Janna for peel. CLG took HotshotGG¡¯s Cho¡¯Gath and Chauster¡¯s Taric. Balls takes Malphite top and Hai takes Nunu. CLG finished their draft with Kog''Maw, a hyper-scaling pick. From the first wave, CLG¡¯s precision was evident. Saintvicious repeatedly invaded Hai¡¯s jungle, leveraging Jarvan¡¯s mobility and dueling power to deny camps and disrupt GTB¡¯s flow. In mid, bigfatlp shoved wave after wave, using her presence to keep Titan pinned under turret. ¡°We need to stabilize,¡± Titan said, focusing on keeping the team calm. ¡°Play it safe and wait for mistakes.¡± But CLG didn¡¯t make mistakes¡ªthey capitalized on GTB¡¯s. At 15 minutes, a clean rotation saw CLG collapse bot lane with a textbook three-man dive. Saintvicious¡¯s Cataclysm locked BladeSong and Nior under turret, and bigfatlp¡¯s Tibbers secured the kills. CLG walked away with first turret, a dragon, and momentum firmly in their hands. Hai tried to counterplay, by counterjungling on the other side of the map but the small advantage couldn¡¯t offset CLG¡¯s snowballing gold lead. The critical moment came at 25 minutes. CLG grouped mid and executed their devastating wombo combo. Saintvicious dove in with Cataclysm, locking GTB in place, while bigfatlp¡¯s Tibbers landed perfectly. HotshotGG¡¯s Cho¡¯Gath flashed in with Feast onto BladeSong¡¯s Sivir, instantly removing GTB¡¯s main source of damage. The fight was over before it began.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°We can¡¯t win this,¡± Hai muttered as CLG marched down mid to claim the Nexus. Titan exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s one game. We¡¯ll adjust.¡± Defeat.
Game 2 The second draft showcased the tactical adaptability of both teams. CLG, intent on dismantling Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ flex strategies, banned Sivir, Zilean, and Annie. But Titan¡¯s squad had prepared for this, having practiced enough champions to remain flexible. CLG opened with Ezreal, signaling a safe, poke-heavy bot lane. GTB responded by picking Tristana an aggressive hyper carry and Morgana, keeping Morgana¡¯s role ambiguous as a three-way flex. CLG developed their comp with Amumu and Karthus. This was likely the mid-jungle duo however in theory both could be pivoted to support. GTB countered with Xin Zhao for Hai and Leona for Nior. Both picks have enough power to be unafraid of surprise enemy flexes. CLG¡¯s final picks, Malphite and Taric, underscored their focus on teamfight dominance and clarified where all of their champs would go. However, their comp had a weakness. Titan slammed his Kassadin, flexing Morgana to Balls in top lane. Titan was confident he could scale effectively against Amumu-Karthus, especially with Hai''s Xin Zhao backing him up. It was time to tie up this series.
From the opening minutes, the game was tense. Both teams avoided early fights, knowing how volatile the match could become with the crowd-control heavy compositions on both sides. Hai tried to pressure Saintvicious¡¯s Amumu in the jungle but was forced to retreat after a close 2v2 skirmish. The turning point of the early game came at the first dragon. CLG moved to secure it with their strong engage tools, but GTB contested fiercely. Nior¡¯s Leona landed a perfectly timed Solar Flare on Saintvicious as he began his Curse of the Sad Mummy animation, stunning him in place. Hai¡¯s Xin Zhao followed up, charging into the backline and knocking Ezreal out of position. Titan, still in his weaker Kassadin phase, focused on disruption, using Null Sphere to silence Karthus. BladeSong capitalized, securing a double kill with Tristana¡¯s Rocket Jump reset and earning GTB the dragon. The morale boost was immediate. ¡°That¡¯s the fight we needed,¡± Titan said, his voice steady but energized. ¡°Keep this momentum.¡±
Despite the win, CLG refused to let up. By the 20-minute mark, they had secured map control, taking two turrets and a second dragon. Bigfatlp¡¯s Karthus became a looming threat, his Requiem chipping away at GTB in every skirmish. HotshotGG¡¯s Malphite and Chauster¡¯s Taric coordinated engages that forced GTB into defensive positions. The game seemed to tilt in CLG¡¯s favor after a disastrous mid-lane skirmish. CLG caught Hai out of position, and Saintvicious¡¯s Amumu landed a three-man Curse of the Sad Mummy, leading to a double kill for Ezreal and a mid-lane turret. ¡°We¡¯re falling behind,¡± Hai admitted over comms. Titan kept the team grounded. ¡°We¡¯re scaling. BladeSong and I will take over. Just don¡¯t give them freebies.¡±
At 27 minutes, the game reached a critical juncture near Baron. CLG started the objective, baiting GTB into a fight. Titan teleported in, flanking the enemy team as Nior¡¯s Leona dove into the backline. Her Zenith Blade connected with Karthus, while Solar Flare stunned both Ezreal and Taric. Hai¡¯s Xin Zhao charged into the fray, using Crescent Guard to isolate Karthus from the fight. Titan¡¯s Kassadin, now fully online, wreaked havoc. Riftwalking over the terrain, he dodged Malphite¡¯s Unstoppable Force, silenced Karthus, and eliminated him before he could deal significant damage. BladeSong, untouched and positioned perfectly, shredded the remaining members of CLG with Explosive Charge. GTB aced CLG and turned immediately to Baron. Titan pushed the momentum. ¡°I got level 16 that fight too. We can win this!¡± Clutch +1 Kassa-win (Bronze) Activated: Clutch +5
With the Baron buff, GTB began their counteroffensive. Titan and BladeSong took the lead in skirmishes, while Nior and Balls ensured the team stayed safe. At 34 minutes, a final teamfight erupted in mid-lane. CLG went all-in, with Saintvicious and HotshotGG diving onto BladeSong. But Titan¡¯s Kassadin created chaos in the backline, Riftwalking onto bigfatlp and forcing Ezreal to retreat. Nior¡¯s clutch Solar Flare stopped Malphite before he could engage, and Balls¡¯ Morgana followed up with a perfectly timed Dark Binding on Ezreal. BladeSong leapt forward with a Rocket Jump, cleaning up with a quadra kill. ¡°Push mid!¡± Titan called. ¡°End it now.¡± With CLG¡¯s Nexus exposed, GTB marched forward, tearing through the remaining defenses. The Nexus exploded, and the victory screen lit up. Victory.
¡°That was insane,¡± Hai said. ¡°They had us early, but we pulled it back.¡± ¡°Props to Nior,¡± BladeSong added. ¡°Those engages? Chef¡¯s kiss.¡± Titan smiled, his voice calm despite the excitement. ¡°This is what we¡¯ve been building for. Let¡¯s keep it up.¡± The series was tied, and the tension was palpable as both teams prepared for the deciding game. GTB had proven they could match CLG¡¯s macro dominance with their own grit and adaptability. The stage was set for an epic conclusion. Chapter 23 - CLG Series Decided The tension was palpable as Green Tipped Bananas prepared for the final game against CLG. The stakes were high, but the team knew the odds were stacked against them. CLG''s attempts to expose GTB in draft were ineffective so far, but it was clear their gameplay was better. CLG opened with bans targeting Green Tipped Bananas¡¯ core strategies: Tristana, Zilean, and Kassadin. Titan responded by securing Morgana mid, while Balls locked in Malphite to counter HotshotGG¡¯s Renekton. Nior stayed on Janna, providing crucial peel, and BladeSong took Sivir. Hai rounded out the composition with Nunu, a pick they had used in countless scrims. CLG, however, drafted a comp that oozed dominance. Saintvicious locked in Jarvan IV, bigfatlp selected Twisted Fate, and their bot lane, Ashe and Leona, was built to wipe out GTB''s win condition: BladeSong''s Sivir. ¡°We¡¯ve played this comp so many times,¡± Hai said, trying to sound confident. ¡°We can do this.¡± Titan¡¯s voice was steady but cautious. ¡°Stick to the plan. They have lots of tools to try picks and dives so make no mistakes. If we let them snowball, it¡¯s over.¡±
From the opening minutes, CLG demonstrated why they were one of the best in the league. Saintvicious¡¯s Jarvan IV relentlessly pressured the bot lane, turning BladeSong and Nior into his primary targets. Every move seemed calculated, every play designed to exploit the smallest weaknesses. At 7 minutes, Saintvicious hovered bot as CLG¡¯s bot lane¡ªChauster¡¯s Ashe and Elementz¡¯s Leona¡ªcrashed a massive wave into the turret. ¡°We¡¯re going to need backup,¡± BladeSong called over comms, his voice tense. ¡°They¡¯re setting up a dive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± Hai replied, his Nunu trudging through the river. But CLG was a step ahead. As Hai approached, Saintvicious appeared from the tri-brush, flagging and dragging his way into the fight, catching Nior¡¯s Janna in his knock-up. Elementz immediately followed up with a Zenith Blade, locking Nior in place as Chauster¡¯s Ashe unloaded Volley and auto-attacks. BladeSong, trying to peel for his support, stepped forward to damage Saintvicious, but the move played directly into CLG¡¯s hands. As Nior fell to Chauster¡¯s autos, Saintvicious turned on BladeSong. The turret¡¯s shots weren¡¯t enough to deter the dive; Saintvicious using Golden Aegis to absorb extra damage before walking away. ¡°Double kill!¡± the announcer boomed as BladeSong fell, his Sivir crumpling under the coordinated assault. CLG didn¡¯t just stop at just the kills. Saintvicious lingered just long enough to help Chauster and Elementz shove the next wave into the turret, denying even more gold and experience before taking the first turret at 9:30.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°They¡¯re reading us like a book,¡± BladeSong muttered in frustration as his respawn timer ticked down. ¡°I can¡¯t even step up.¡± ¡°Focus,¡± Titan replied, trying to rally the team. His tone was calm but firm. ¡°We¡¯ve been here before. Just play to scale.¡± But CLG didn¡¯t let up. Bigfatlp¡¯s Twisted Fate used Destiny Gate to apply pressure across the map, appearing top to help HotshotGG secure a kill on Balls, then teleporting mid to collapse on Titan. Despite Titan¡¯s attempts to fend off the aggression with Black Shield and Dark Binding, the constant pressure was overwhelming. By the mid-game, CLG had a firm grip on the match. Their macro play was impeccable, with every move designed to suffocate Green Tipped Bananas. Saintvicious and bigfatlp coordinated beautifully, combining Cataclysm and Gold Card to force skirmishes that GTB wasn¡¯t equipped to handle. At the 20-minute mark, CLG forced a fight near the dragon pit. HotshotGG¡¯s Renekton dove into the backline, followed by Chauster¡¯s Ashe using Enchanted Crystal Arrow to lock down Nior. Saintvicious followed up with a perfectly placed Cataclysm, trapping BladeSong too and forcing him to burn both Flash and Heal just to survive. CLG secured the dragon and two kills, widening the gold gap to insurmountable levels. ¡°They¡¯re just everywhere,¡± Hai said, frustration creeping into his voice. ¡°We can¡¯t keep up.¡± At 30 minutes, CLG set their sights on Baron. Green Tipped Bananas had no choice but to contest, knowing that giving it up would seal their fate. The team grouped up and moved toward the pit, but CLG was ready. Saintvicious engaged with Jarvan IV¡¯s Cataclysm, locking down Hai and Nior. Bigfatlp¡¯s Twisted Fate followed up with a well-timed Gold Card onto Titan, preventing him from using Soul Shackles effectively. HotshotGG¡¯s Renekton and Chauster¡¯s Ashe cleaned up the fight, securing a decisive ace for CLG. ¡°They¡¯re too clean,¡± BladeSong admitted over comms as CLG marched down mid with the Baron buff. With their Nexus exposed, Green Tipped Bananas made a final stand, but it was futile. CLG closed out the game at 34 minutes in a dominant performance. Defeat.
The team sat silently in the post-game lobby, the weight of the loss settling over them. BladeSong was the first to speak. ¡°That second game was ours,¡± he said, his voice tinged with both pride and frustration. ¡°But let¡¯s be real¡ªif we played them again, we get swept 9 out of 10 times.¡± Hai nodded, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Their macro is just on another level. They punish everything.¡± ¡°They¡¯re better,¡± Titan agreed, his voice calm. ¡°Right now. But this is just week one. We¡¯ve got time to catch up.¡± ¡°Do we, though?¡± Balls asked, his tone skeptical. ¡°CLG¡¯s been playing together forever. They¡¯ve got synergy we can¡¯t match yet.¡± Titan¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°We wont just match them. We will surpass them. One step at a time.¡± Later that night, Titan opened his Status screen, the soft glow of his monitor the only light in his room.
Titan¡¯s Status - Name: Alan Zhong (Titan) - Role: Mid Lane - Overall Rating: 58 - Template: Caps
Quest Progress: 1. Make the Cut: - Finish the ESL Premier League regular season in the Top 6 to advance to playoffs. Progress: 0/6 2. Top Dog: - Defeat TSM, CLG, Rock Solid, or unRestricted in a series. Progress: 0/1 3. Standout Performer: - Achieve a KDA of 5 or higher across three consecutive games. Progress: 0/3 4. Rising Brand: - Stream 50 hours during the ESL Premier League and hit 500 average viewers. Progress: 8/50 hours.
The numbers weren¡¯t where he wanted them to be, but Titan felt no despair. Instead, he felt determination burning in his chest. CLG was a step ahead, but they were far from unbeatable. With time and effort, Green Tipped Bananas would close the gap and soon after, surpass them. Chapter 24 - ESL Match 2 vs. jpak and friends The second match of the ESL Premier League was only a week later. After their grueling series against CLG, the team dove deep into practice. Now, they needed a win to regain their momentum and their confidence. Their opponents, jpak and friends, were known for their quirky drafts and unconventional strategies. But one name stood out: Jatt. A solid jungler with a reputation for innovative pathing and impactful plays, Jatt¡¯s unique picks like Udyr and Singed could flip games if not handled carefully.
The team call buzzed to life as Titan began the pre-match breakdown. ¡°Alright, this isn¡¯t CLG,¡± Titan started, his tone measured. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can take them lightly. Jatt¡¯s Udyr and Singed are game-changers if we let them snowball. We can¡¯t give him room to take over.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Hai asked. Titan clicked through his notes. ¡°We ban Singed. It¡¯s too unpredictable, and we haven¡¯t prepped for it. We¡¯ll let Udyr through if it comes to that¡ªwe¡¯ve practiced against it enough.¡± ¡°What about the rest of their team?¡± BladeSong chimed in. ¡°Any standout threats?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Titan replied. ¡°Their mid-laner, jpak, is decent but not dominant. Their bot lane is solid but plays safe. If we pressure their weak points and avoid Jatt dictating the pace, we¡¯ll come out on top.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Balls said. ¡°We¡¯re not getting Singed diffed today.¡±
Game 1 The draft opened predictably. GTB banned Singed, Tristana, and Taric, while jpak and friends targeted BladeSong¡¯s hyper carries with bans on Sivir and Zilean and Hai''s Nunu. Jatt immediately locked in Udyr, signaling an aggressive early-game strategy. GTB responded with a scaling composition. Titan took Kassadin mid, Hai grabbed Xin Zhao, and Nior picked Leona for engage. BladeSong secured Tristana, and Balls went for Malphite top. jpak and friends rounded out their draft with a poke-heavy bot lane of Ezreal and Janna, Cho¡¯Gath mid, and a Renekton top for more frontline presence.
From the start, Jatt¡¯s Udyr was everywhere. He invaded Hai¡¯s jungle relentlessly, stealing camps and creating havoc. Hai tried to match the pressure, but Jatt¡¯s mobility and efficient pathing put GTB on the back foot. At 12 minutes, Jatt executed a flawless gank bot lane, flashing onto BladeSong and forcing his Rocket Jump. Nior¡¯s Leona tried to peel with Solar Flare, but Jatt¡¯s bear stance stun and follow-up from Ezreal secured a double kill for the enemy bot lane. ¡°They¡¯re controlling the map,¡± Hai said, frustration evident in his voice. ¡°I can¡¯t keep up with Jatt¡¯s tempo.¡± ¡°Play to scale,¡± Titan replied calmly. ¡°They¡¯re aggressive, but if we survive the early game, Kassadin and Tristana will take over.¡± But surviving was easier said than done. At 22 minutes, Jatt forced a fight at dragon, using Udyr¡¯s speed and bulk to dive deep into GTB¡¯s backline. The engage split GTB¡¯s formation, and Renekton followed up with a clean Slice-and-Dice, cutting down BladeSong. Without their main damage dealer, GTB couldn¡¯t contest the objective. By 30 minutes, jpak and friends had built an insurmountable lead. A decisive Baron call led to a clean siege, and GTB¡¯s Nexus fell shortly after.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Defeat.
Game 2 The second draft showed GTB¡¯s ability to adapt. They banned Udyr too this time, forcing Jatt onto Jarvan IV, a pick that, while strong, wasn''t a comfort pick for Jatt. Titan locked in Zilean mid, Hai returned to Xin Zhao, and Nior stayed on Leona. BladeSong opted for Sivir, while Balls took his signature Malphite as his top pick. jpak and friends drafted an aggressive comp, with Renekton for top, Karthus for mid, and their bot lane running back their Ezreal and Janna.
From the outset, GTB played more cohesively. Hai focused on securing vision and controlling objectives, while Nior¡¯s Leona roamed early, landing crucial stuns that gave GTB the edge in skirmishes. The turning point came at 15 minutes during a fight for the second dragon. Balls¡¯s Malphite landed a game-changing Unstoppable Force, knocking Ezreal and Karthus into Titan¡¯s Time Bombs. The chain CC left jpak and friends reeling as BladeSong¡¯s Sivir cleaned up with a triple kill. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± BladeSong shouted, the excitement clear in his voice. ¡°That¡¯s how we do it.¡± From there, GTB never let up. With Zilean¡¯s Time Warp speeding up Hai and BladeSong, GTB dictated the tempo, diving towers and forcing favorable fights. At 28 minutes, a Baron-powered push ended the game decisively. Victory.
Game 3 The final draft reflected the stakes. Both teams adjusted their bans, with GTB removing Singed, Udyr, and Karthus, while jpak and friends targeted Sivir, Zilean, and Leona. Titan locked in Morgana mid for utility and pick potential, Hai returned to Xin Zhao, and Nior picked Janna for peel. BladeSong took Tristana, and Balls went with Malphite for reliable engage. Jatt picked Jarvan IV again, but this time paired with LeBlanc mid for a long-range catch. Their bot lane, Ezreal and Karma, seemed to be a comfort pick for their players, while Renekton remained the top-lane pick.
The game started slowly, with both teams trading farm and avoiding unnecessary risks. But at 10 minutes, GTB struck first. Hai ganked top, helping Balls secure a kill on Renekton and allowing Malphite to accelerate his tankiness. By mid-game, GTB had found their groove. Nior¡¯s Janna consistently disrupted Jatt¡¯s engages, and Titan¡¯s Morgana landed key Dark Bindings that caught Caitlyn out of position multiple times. BladeSong scaled comfortably on Tristana, dealing massive damage in every fight. The pivotal moment came at 25 minutes in a fight near Baron. Jatt and jpak attempted their Flag-Chains-Cataclysm combo, but Nior¡¯s timely Monsoon disrupted the engage, scattering their formation. Balls followed up with an Unstoppable Force on Caitlyn, and BladeSong rocket jumped forward, securing another triple kill. With Baron secured, GTB methodically pushed into jpak and friends¡¯ base. A final fight in the Nexus turrets ended with BladeSong claiming a quadra kill, sealing the game. Victory.
The post-game comms were a mixture of relief and pride. ¡°We needed that,¡± Hai said. ¡°Jatt almost ran us over, but we adapted.¡± ¡°Good call banning Udyr,¡± Balls added. ¡°That pick would¡¯ve been a nightmare.¡± Titan smiled. ¡°One match at a time. We¡¯ve got this.¡± The team logged off one by one, their voices still buzzing with a mix of adrenaline and relief. Titan lingered, staring at the post-game stats on his screen. His KDA from the last three games caught his attention. Game 1: 2/0/3 Game 2: 3/0/10 Game 3: 5/1/9 His performance had been steady throughout the series, and for the first time in weeks, the numbers reflected his efforts. Titan opened his Status screen, curiosity tugging at his focus.
A soft chime rang out, accompanied by a notification. Quest Complete: Standout Performer Reward: Silver Badge - Chronoshift King (Zilean) Titan clicked the badge icon, revealing its details:
Chronoshift King Grants +5 Situational Awareness when playing Zilean after reaching Level 6.
Titan leaned back, letting out a slow breath. The reward wasn¡¯t flashy, but it was significant. Situational awareness was Zilean¡¯s bread and butter, enabling critical time warps and chronoshifts during chaotic moments. A small boost like this could be the edge he needed to elevate his play even further. With the badge gleaming faintly in his mind¡¯s eye, Titan whispered to himself, ¡°One step closer.¡± Then he powered down his PC, ready for the grind ahead. Chapter 25 - ESL Match 3 vs HKEGG The third match of the ESL Premier League saw Green Tipped Bananas up against HKEGG, a team known for their unorthodox strategy of running double bruiser bot lanes with champions like Dr. Mundo, Sion, and Cho¡¯Gath. While the strategy was considered outdated, it still had the potential to catch teams off guard and snowball out of control if not handled carefully. The team call buzzed to life as Titan pulled up HKEGG¡¯s recent drafts. ¡°They¡¯re doubling down on bruisers bot lane,¡± Titan began, his voice steady. ¡°Their whole strategy is built around forcing dives and creating chaos early. If they get ahead, they¡¯ll roll over us. But if we play smart, we¡¯ll outscale them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re relying on cheese,¡± Hai said. ¡°They think no one knows how to deal with it anymore.¡± ¡°We do,¡± Titan replied. ¡°Balls, you¡¯ll need to be ready to counter their dives. Nior, your job is to peel and stop them from isolating BladeSong. If we weather their early game, we¡¯ll run them over.¡± BladeSong grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s stomp these amateurs.¡±
Game 1 The first draft showed HKEGG¡¯s commitment to their bruiser bot strategy. They locked in Dr. Mundo and Sion for their bot lane, with Cho¡¯Gath top, Amumu jungle, and Twisted Fate mid. Their comp screamed early-game aggression and crowd control-heavy teamfighting. GTB countered with a scaling composition. Titan took Morgana mid, BladeSong locked in Tristana, and Nior picked Janna for disengage. Hai opted for Xin Zhao jungle, while Balls went for Malphite top.
From the opening minutes, GTB played cautiously, avoiding unnecessary risks. HKEGG tried to force early pressure in the bot lane, crashing a wave under GTB¡¯s turret at 7 minutes. Their Amumu jungle arrived for a dive, but Nior¡¯s Howling Gale disrupted the play, knocking back Sion mid-dive. Hai¡¯s Xin Zhao counter-ganked perfectly, turning the play into a double kill for BladeSong. ¡°That¡¯s how you stop a cheese comp,¡± Hai said confidently. From there, GTB took control. Balls¡¯s Malphite roamed mid to help Titan secure a kill on Twisted Fate, shutting down his ability to pressure side lanes. BladeSong farmed uncontested, scaling into a late-game monster on Tristana.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. At 25 minutes, GTB baited HKEGG into a fight at dragon. Balls landed a massive Unstoppable Force, knocking up three members of HKEGG. Titan followed with Soul Shackles, rooting Mundo and Amumu, while BladeSong rocket jumped forward to clean up. Ace. With Baron secured, GTB pushed into HKEGG¡¯s base, dismantling their defenses with methodical precision. The game ended at 29 minutes, a decisive victory. Victory.
Game 2 The second draft showed GTB¡¯s adaptability. They banned Dr. Mundo, Sion, and Cho¡¯Gath, forcing HKEGG onto a more traditional comp. HKEGG picked Ezreal and Karma for their bot lane, with Jarvan IV jungle, Renekton top, and Twisted Fate mid. GTB countered with a familiar scaling comp. Titan locked in Zilean mid, BladeSong returned to Sivir, and Nior took Leona for engage. Hai stayed on Xin Zhao, while Balls opted for his pocket Gangplank.
GTB seized control from the outset. Hai focused on controlling Jarvan¡¯s jungle, denying him critical camps and preventing early ganks. Meanwhile, Nior¡¯s Leona roamed effectively, landing stuns on mid and bot that allowed Titan and BladeSong to secure early kills. Badge Activated: Chronoshift King +5 Situational Awareness The pivotal moment came at 15 minutes during a fight for the second dragon. HKEGG attempted to force a fight, but Balls¡¯s Gangplank landed a barrel combo onto Twisted Fate and Karma. Titan¡¯s Time Bombs came out quickly, stunning Twisted Fate, and BladeSong rocket jumped in for a reset before jumping again to take down Karma too. ¡°They¡¯re falling apart,¡± Titan noted. ¡°Keep the pressure up.¡± GTB used their lead to secure Baron at 23 minutes. With the buff, they pushed into HKEGG¡¯s base, dismantling turrets and inhibitors. A final teamfight at the Nexus saw BladeSong secure a triple kill, ending the game in dominant fashion. Victory.
The team¡¯s comms were filled with relief and excitement. ¡°Easy,¡± Hai said. ¡°They didn¡¯t stand a chance once we shut down their cheese.¡± ¡°Props to Nior for stopping that dive in game one,¡± BladeSong added. ¡°MVP right there.¡± ¡°Good job, everyone,¡± Titan said, his voice calm but satisfied. ¡°We¡¯re growing. Let¡¯s keep this momentum.¡±
Later that night, as Titan reviewed the match stats, a new notification popped up in his inbox. The subject line read: ¡°Opportunity to Build Something Bigger.¡± Curious, Titan opened the email. The sender was anonymous, but the message was clear: ¡°I¡¯ve been watching your matches. Green Tipped Bananas has potential, but potential alone won¡¯t take you far. I¡¯m looking to start an organization¡ªa real esports brand. If you¡¯re interested, let¡¯s talk. The future is ours to build.¡± Titan leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. This could be the next step¡ªnot just for himself, but for the team. An opportunity to turn Green Tipped Bananas into something more than just a promising amateur squad. He closed the email, his determination renewed. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: this was just the beginning. Chapter 26 - Starting an Esports Org Titan stared at the email, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and trepidation. The sender was none other than Alex Garfield from Evil Geniuses, one of the most renowned figures in the esports industry. Evil Geniuses was one of the oldest orgs in esports, having been founded in 1997 as a Quake clan. By April 2011, they had expanded into various games, including World of Warcraft, DotA, StarCraft: Brood War, and StarCraft II. Their offer was enticing: a one-year contract with a $10,000 fund and a representative to handle travel, accommodation, and other logistics. In exchange, Evil Geniuses would acquire the roster, set the branding, and take a 30% revenue cut. But there was a big catch. Evil Geniuses reserved the right to make roster decisions, which could potentially split the team up and weaken their synergy. Titan knew that the strength of Green Tipped Bananas lay in their unity and the trust they had built over countless matches. Splitting them up would be a deal-breaker. He called an emergency team meeting to discuss the offer. The room was filled with a mix of anticipation and concern as Titan laid out the details. ¡°They want to acquire us,¡± Titan said, his voice steady. ¡°But they also want the right to make roster decisions. That means they could split us up.¡± Hai shook his head. ¡°No way. We¡¯ve come this far because we trust each other. Splitting us up would ruin everything.¡± Balls nodded in agreement. ¡°We can¡¯t let that happen. We¡¯re stronger together.¡± BladeSong leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with determination. ¡°I have an idea. I know someone who has money for stuff like this. An angel investor. If we can get him on board, we can start our own org.¡± Titan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You think he¡¯d be interested?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. BladeSong shrugged. ¡°Only one way to find out. Let¡¯s reach out to him and see what he says.¡± The meeting with the angel investor was set for the following week. In the meantime, the team began to rebrand themselves, preparing to become their own organization. They pooled their stream money, which amounted to $573, and BladeSong reached out to his contact. The day of the meeting arrived, and the team gathered in a small conference room. The angel investor, a man named Mr. Lee, listened intently as Titan presented their vision for the new organization. ¡°We want to build something bigger,¡± Titan said, his voice filled with passion. ¡°We want to create an esports brand that stands for unity, trust, and excellence.¡± They continued to discuss the growing market for esports and Titan''s perspective on how the player''s growing streams are an important asset to consider. Finally, a deal was made. Mr. Lee nodded, impressed by their determination. ¡°I like your vision. I¡¯m willing to invest $10,000 to help you get started. But I want to be a co-owner, and I want to see a return on my investment.¡± Titan smiled, feeling a surge of excitement. ¡°Deal. We¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t regret it.¡± With the investment secured, the team turned their attention to naming their new organization. "We need a name that represents our unity and strength," Titan said. "What about using the number 10? It could be represented by letter X. I just like how that sounds." BladeSong thought for a moment, then suggested, "What about SummitX? It signifies the peak, the top, which is where we aim to be." The team discussed the options, weighing the pros and cons of each name. After some debate, they decided to combine the ideas. "How about ApeX?" Titan proposed. "It incorporates both the X and the idea of being the best It''s unique and memorable." The team agreed unanimously. ApeX was officially born. The team worked tirelessly to set up their new brand, creating logos, designing jerseys, and setting up social media accounts. Titan reflected on the biggest orgs in the industry T1, GenG, G2, Fnatic, C9, and TSM. He felt a sense of pride knowing that ApeX would soon join their ranks. BladeSong clapped him on the back. ¡°We did it, Titan. We¡¯re our own org now.¡± Titan nodded, his eyes shining with determination. ¡°This is just the beginning. We have a long road ahead, but I know we can make it. Together, we¡¯ll build something incredible.¡± As the team celebrated their new venture, Titan couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: ApeX was ready to take the esports world by storm.