LOL: My talent is top-tier, my professional skills are unparalleled.

Chapter 501: For me, being a hero isn't enough! I'm a legend!

"Let's give a warm round of applause to welcome the two teams that have made it to the finals!"

Amid cheers from the audience, the big screen went black, and the trash talk segment began.

As the background music from Riot Games played, the iconic Taipei 101 building in Taiwan appeared in the frame.

Wunder: "I think the only thing that LPL and LEC fans agree on is that they absolutely cannot lose to each other."

Ah P's cheeky grin appeared on the screen:

"Today I will prove that we are the strongest team in the world, and that's exactly what we want!"

Ah P's witty remarks flowed effortlessly, instantly igniting the fighting spirit.

Immediately, the camera switched to EDG's side, where iboy, unusually calm, said, "I'm glad to see that we and G2 have both made it this far. Now we can fight!"

The camera showed an empty chair, with the EDG players standing on either side. Wang Yao was not among them; only his voice could be heard.
"People only remember the winners. I want to be number one, and always be number one!"

The scene shifts to a montage of kills from previous matches, featuring heroes like Xin Zhao, Jarvan IV, and Neeko.

"Kshine's Master Yi secured a pentakill and won the victory! He successfully led his team to crush SKT's revenge!"

The final image of Wang Yao's Sword Saint securing two pentakills is frozen in time.

When the camera panned back, Wang Yao was already seated in a chair, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked at the camera.
"For me, being a hero is far from enough."

"I will become a legend!"

The image freezes as the MSI Mid-Season Invitational logo lights up!

The decisive battle begins!
After the pre-match trash talk session, both teams had already taken their seats in the player benches, setting up their equipment and preparing for this ultimate battle of MSI.

The hosts for this year's MSI Mid-Season Invitational finals were the long-time duo Wawa and Miller, along with a special guest, JKL (Ah Shui).

The league is also stirring things up. Knowing that it was Wang Yao's competition, they invited Wang Yao's old rivals, ADCs Uzi and JackeyLove, to the semifinals and finals respectively.

It seems there's an intention to torture the two of them.

The equipment debugging process was straightforward, and we quickly moved on to the business process (BP) phase.

Miller seamlessly interjected with the commentary: "Alright! Here it comes, G2 vs EDG! Game 1 of the BO5 finals!"

"In the first game, EDG had the first choice of side and chose the blue side, while G2 was on the red side."

"G2 banned Neeko first. G2 is quite afraid of EDG's Neeko pick, so they banned Neeko right away."

Wawa chimed in, "Yes, the main thing is that EDG can be very flexible with Neeko. They can pick Neeko in the mid lane or in the jungle. G2 is a bit unsure about that!"

Ah Shui chimed in at just the right moment:
"I think G2 is more wary of Yao's Neeko. After all, I watched the game the day before yesterday, and to be honest, that Neeko ADC played much more professionally than the commentators!"

Ah Shui's words had a double meaning; the ADC players in the commentary booth included not only himself but also Uzi.

As expected, tours that go to Uzbekistan are great tours!

Miller glanced at him sideways and said, "What are you saying? My junior Scout's Neeko doesn't deserve a ban?"

"Oh! Sorry, I forgot about that. I hadn't even remembered that Scout used to play LeBlanc. He was playing utility mid lane every day during the Mid-Season Invitational."

Miller couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Hahaha! I bet this is also a tactical adjustment by EDG."

G2 continued to ban Galio, showing that they were afraid of EDG's flexible playstyle, as Galio could be used by EDG in both mid and support roles.

The last pick was Kennen. Not only SKT noticed this problem, but G2 also noticed it. EDG's top laner seemed to be a breakthrough point.

Then, during the subsequent business card discussion, the doll successfully changed the subject:

"EDG has banned Taric, which means they want to disable G2's Taric-Sona combo. To be honest, this combo is quite annoying."

Remember agreed, saying, "Yes, he has strong self-defense and poke damage capabilities. For teams like EDG that like to play a dive-in strategy, Taric's ultimate is very troublesome. Banning it is a good idea."

"Moreover, G2's Taric and Sona are different from those of other teams. They can be said to be the first professional team to use this strategy."

EDG used the last two bans on LeBlanc, cutting off Caps from a champion he was playing well with.

Jayce was banned again, showing respect for Wunder and relieving some pressure on Flandre.

Miller looked at it and said:

"Hey! The Prince and Sylas have been released! And Rek'Sai too!"

"Rek'Sai is a champion that both sides really like to pick, it's a very high priority! Which one will EDG choose as their first pick?"

EDG, being on the blue side, has the first ban and first pick advantage.

"Sylas! Locked in! Is Scout playing Sylas? Or did he pick it for Wang Yao? Wang Yao's Sylas is guaranteed!"

EDG picked Sylas as their first pick, which G2 clearly anticipated, and they immediately locked in Rek'Sai without hesitation.

Miller hesitated and said, "Rek'Sai is the jungler I personally think is a high priority, and the other one is Jarvan IV."

As expected, G2 wouldn't be foolish enough to let EDG get Rek'Sai and Sylas, two dominant mid-jungle duos; instead, they'd let one go and then pick the other.

G2 then locked in Varus.

"Varus? I think he's one of the most effective champions at the MSI Mid-Season Invitational right now, and I didn't expect G2 to pick two of them."

EDG didn't hesitate and immediately picked Kai'Sa and Nautilus.

Once the enemy Varus was locked in, Maokai's team could roughly guess what G2's bot lane duo would pick.

But you can't ruin your own lineup just to pick up the enemy's Tahm Kench. Kai'Sa and Tahm Kench don't really synergize!
As expected, G2 locked Tahm Kench on the third floor.

This support champion is considered the originator of disgusting gameplay, dominating the entire league with his ability to devour enemies, and is used by many players in both competitive and ranked games.

Moreover, it works very well with Varus. If the opponent doesn't pick Tahm Kench, Maokai will definitely be banned in the second round of bans.

In the second round of bans, G2 targeted Wang Yao and Flandre.

Banning Hecarim and Ornn narrowed down Wang Yao's hero selection range, while also denying Flandre the chance to get away with something.

EDG, on the other hand, targeted Caps' champion pool by removing Lissandra and Irelia, which G2 frequently uses.

Since Wang Yao switched from mid lane to jungle, all sorts of Jayce enthusiasts, Irelia pros, and Fiora veterans have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.

After all, Wang Yao spent a lot of time in the mid lane last year, playing warrior mid-lane heroes.

The second round of hero selection began, and as expected, G2 did not disappoint, choosing a hero that was both expected and unexpected.

The unparalleled swordswoman, Fiona!

"A sharp sword, a sharp eye."

After Khan, another Fiora enthusiast has emerged!
Wawa: "Wow! It's locked! Wunder is going to use Fiora in lane! Is this G2's hidden ultimate?"

Miller then analyzed Fiora's advantages: "If Flandre plays a tanky champion like a utility champion, Fiora does seem to have a significant advantage!"

"This will test Flandre's mentality and skill. This version is not suitable for playing tank heroes."

"But Kennen, who's playing well, is banned again, so it's up to Flandre to choose!"

The audience below the stage cheered enthusiastically when they saw Fiora.

That's right! What's there to be cowardly about? Let's face it head-on!

If you don't beat the other side's brains out, what am I supposed to do by buying a ticket?
The camera pans to G2's booth, where Perkz and Caps are still all smiles, and even Wunder is all smiles, seemingly without any pressure.

This appearance further convinced everyone that this was G2's trump card, and they expected to see a good show soon.

EDG's rhythm was not affected by G2. They steadily locked in Ryze and first confirmed a champion for Scout.

In the final move, Maokai and Flandre communicated for a moment, and a hero appeared on the screen.

Captain! Planck!

This is the hero that Flandre has been practicing hard recently, and it's also his long-hidden secret weapon.

EDG has confirmed the Sylas and Ryze mid-jungle duo as their AP carry, so the top laner must pick an AD carry.

Otherwise, EDG's AD damage output would be somewhat insufficient.

As expected, Flandre did not disappoint!
Finally, G2 added Caps's pick: Orianna!
The lineups for both sides are now finalized.

EDG (blue side) has Gangplank top, Sylas jungle, Ryze mid, and Kai'Sa + Nautilus bot lane!

G2, on the red side, has Fiora in the top lane, Rek'Sai in the jungle, Orianna in the mid lane, and Varus and Tahm Kench in the bot lane.

Seeing this, the doll was somewhat puzzled:
"EDG's lineup is still biased towards aggressive play and tempo, but G2 feels a bit strange."

"I don't quite understand this choice of Clockwork; it seems a bit out of place in this version!"

Miller's eye was sharper, and he reminded Doll, "Remove Sword Maiden."

As instructed, Wawa ignored Fiora. Upon closer inspection, he suddenly realized that G2 was clearly letting their top laner farm freely, aiming for a 4-1 composition.

Aside from Fiora, G2's other four champions have very strong sustained damage output, and Tahm Kench is there to protect their backline carries.

They weren't going to be completely overwhelmed by EDG's initiation; their lineup was well-structured, making Fiora seem redundant. It seems G2's strategy for this game was to have Wunder's Fiora in the top lane engage and hold off one EDG player.

剩下的人和EDG打4V4的团战，只要不是5V5的团战，貌似G2的阵容优势更大。

The reason is simple: their tightly packed formation is not something EDG's lineup can force their way through.

The two sides entered the game, and the commentators began the final lineup comparison.

Wawa: "Wunder picked Fiora, a champion with no way out. But I think Gangplank is still a 50/50 matchup against Fiora."

"When Fiora is laning against Gangplank, both sides have ways to counter her. Gangplank can just focus on farming. If Fiora is really struggling, she can just use her Q ability to poke."

Ah Shui, speaking from his perspective as an ADC, began to analyze: "Moreover, both Gangplank and Fiora can take Grasp of the Undying, this rune is too overpowered."

Miller chimed in, "Yes, the matchup between these two heroes depends entirely on the individual player."

"As long as it's not a captain like Zitai, where all the barrels are just extra income for the other side, then everyone has a chance to win!"

JKL didn't forget to take a jab at Captain Zizhi during his conversation.

That scene was truly unforgettable and enjoyable.

The commentators all focused their attention on the top lane matchup, believing that the key to winning this game lay in the top lane.

However, what they didn't know was that a certain "famous top laner" once said that if the top laner got crushed, it was all the jungler's fault!

Both sides went online normally and didn't do anything fancy.

Flandre's Gangplank was quite steady. After guarding the river in the upper jungle, he circled around his own jungle and returned to his own turret.

The captain was some distance away from the bushes along his own road.

Flandre was 80% sure that Wunder's Fiora was hiding inside him, and he was hoping that Wunder would come within attack range so that Fiora could use her Q to trade damage.

While Sylas also focuses on lane play, he is a burst damage champion. Once he finishes his combo, he becomes weak on the spot, making him difficult to play against Fiora before level three.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the canyon, Wang Yao's Sylas planned to start with the red buff with the help of his teammates.

Sylas has no healing effect when jungling, so solo jungle clearing can be quite risky.

Given Wang Yao's status as a jungler, it's no small matter for his teammates to help him clear the jungle!
It's already a blessing that they don't go online to steal minions and experience.

Wang Yao used Conqueror runes in this game, and Conqueror is really too strong in this version.

Combined with Sylas's W skill's healing, he's practically an immortal god of war.

The starting item is Hunter's Talisman, which can speed up Sylas' jungle clearing speed.

Both sides played very calmly in this game.

I don't know if it was because of the first game of the finals or for some other reason, but there were no conflicts in the first few minutes, and everyone was quietly farming.

Wang Yao's Sylas was also quietly farming the jungle, heading towards the upper half of the jungle.

Wunder's confidence in picking Fiora at this point is undeniable.

Upon reaching level three, taking advantage of the captain's auto-attack to last-hit minions, the Q skill was used to strike directly at the captain's weak point on the side.

He then initiated with his W skill, Laurent's Eye, which hit the captain, putting him under a massive slow effect.

Then, with lightning speed, he used EAEA to exploit another weakness, directly causing the captain's health to drop significantly.

At this point, the fight between the two sides was fierce, and both sides had run out of medicine.

At this point, the captain still had about half of his health left. He was slightly at a disadvantage in the trade, but he immediately used his W skill to recover some health.

However, to Flandre's surprise, Wunder, whose health was clearly not safe, showed no sign of retreating and was still there finishing off enemies.

"Have you guys seen the enemy jungler show up?"

Suddenly, seeing how fiercely Fiora was fighting, Flandre couldn't help but ask.

"No."

"No! No visibility was found in the river channel."

His teammates gave Flandre feedback.

The next moment, Wang Yao stated definitively, "The excavator is on its way!"

Wang Yao then performed a dazzling series of screen switches, observing the situation in the top lane and understanding Flandre's current predicament. He said directly:

"I'm going to counter-gank top lane!"

Hearing Wang Yao's words, Holy Gun Bro finally breathed a sigh of relief:

"Okay, Yao, you really need to come to the top lane and help me counter-gank this time!"

In League of Legends matches, the jungler position is the biggest variable.

When the economy is roughly equal, having an extra jungler can completely turn the tide of the game.

Now that we know G2's jungler will most likely gank top, there's no reason for them not to give G2 a big gift.

At that moment, Jankos' Rek'Sai was indeed crouching in the bushes on the top lane, very close to Gangplank.

He scanned his way in when Wunder was pushing lane and fighting, a tactic that G2 had confirmed before the match.

G2 isn't stupid; they know exactly where Fiora's strengths and weaknesses lie.

Strong in lane, but afraid of getting ganked.

Jankos will definitely need to help Fiora counter-gank in the early game to prevent EDG's jungler Wang Yao from finding another opportunity to kill Fiora and become a weak point.

G2 also did their research and discovered that Wang Yao seemed to have some grudge against the top lane, and especially liked to gank the top lane.

This kind of gank, reminiscent of a recruit training camp, won't stop until it leaves the enemy top laner with a psychological scar!
Moreover, Rek'Sai had nowhere else to go in this game except top lane.

The mid laner is an Orianna; just focus on farming and developing your character, no need to help much.

In the bot lane, Varus and Tahm Kench should wait until Varus reaches level 6 before attempting to use his ultimate for a lucky draw; otherwise, there's virtually no chance.

If we come early, we can still seize a chance to gank.

Rek'Sai had a good plan, but now the captain's position is always in the bushes, swaying within a Flash range of the excavator.

This made Jankos hesitate to make a move.

If the captain moves forward even slightly, he'll be instantly killed if he gets hit by the excavator's flash; even flashing won't save him.

At this point, the captain had already used his W skill, Orange, to recover health, and had no skills left to remove crowd control effects.

The cooldown of the Captain's level 1 W skill is very long, so it won't be ready so quickly.

If Rek'Sai can hold off the captain, Fiora can rush in and secure the kill.

However, if he doesn't manage to land a W flash, then things are hard to say, so Jankos is under a lot of psychological pressure.

He was afraid that the distance he teleported wouldn't be enough, and that he would not only fail to catch fish but also scare them away!
Jankos was getting increasingly anxious as the captain remained as steady as a rock, only a step away from the excavator's tip.

The child said worriedly:
"Jankos has already gotten right under the captain's nose. Can the captain dodge this gank? I feel like he'll at least be forced to use Flash."

Miller then began to analyze the gains and losses:

"Being forced to flash is a big loss. If you have to recall under the tower and then teleport back, it will take at least 15 seconds."

"Holy Gun will lose at least half a wave of minions and the initiative in the laning phase, but Rek'Sai is currently taking experience from Fiora, which is good news!"

"But Yao-ge's Sylas is here!"

Ah Shui and Wang Yao had been rivals for a whole year, so they were naturally very familiar with each other. On the minimap, Wang Yao's Sylas had finished clearing the Gromp and was already heading towards the top lane.

However, Wunder couldn't hold back any longer and urged, "Jankos! If you don't attack the captain soon, his W skill will be ready, making him even harder to kill!"

The captain's W skill, Orange, can both remove crowd control effects and heal, so no one knows if Flandre will be able to react in time.

If he can react in time, use his W skill to instantly remove the crowd control, and then use Flash, then Wunder himself will be the one to be destroyed.

Keep in mind that every second Sylas spends crouching in the bushes, he gains experience from Fiora.

For Fiora, level is the most important thing!
Clearly, Wunder didn't want to gamble on whether the elderly Flandre would react that way.

Unbeknownst to these two, Wang Yao's Sylas had already reached their own top lane turret, creating a vision advantage.

Meanwhile, they were positioned at the edge of the excavator's listening area, waiting for the two brothers to make their move.

Having already wasted ten seconds, the excavator listened to Wunder's incessant nagging, and Jankos, having heard this, gritted his teeth.

Seeing the captain take a step forward, he flashed and used his W ability to attack. The captain had already reached the maximum range of his flash, and he didn't want to wait any longer.

Even if you don't get the kill, trading your Flash for the captain is a good option.

The captain didn't use Flash, and for the rest of the time he didn't even dare to leave the tower to last-hit minions.

(End of this chapter)