This Lee Sang-hyeok is very strong, but he lacks self-awareness.

Is it a four-protect-one mid laner strategy?

So this is what it means for a mid-laner to have such a status!

Faker controlled Kassadin, his fingers moving lightly across the keyboard, but his mind involuntarily drifted back to his long professional career spanning thirteen years in the simulation.

Those were the years he struggled, sank, and was whipped around like a top in the world championships.

He couldn't help but recall the other mid laners in the LCK league during the simulation.

Although he is the GOAT of the LCK, having competed in the LCK for thirteen years and won eighteen Spring and Summer Split championships.

He has participated in the World Championship every year, and can be said to have single-handedly dominated half of the LCK.

However, there are many other excellent mid laners in the LCK as well.

For example, Showmaker.

This arrogant kid led a group of internet cafe players to the LCK and even made it to the World Championship.

When they headed to the World Championship, they shouted the slogan, "It is our duty to revitalize the glory of LCK."

Although ridiculed by many LPL fans

"What glory does LCK have? Ten years and not a single championship, just a bunch of losers getting spun around every year!"

"They just think they can steal a championship while Uzi and Clearlove are retired."

"Even if Uzi and Clearlove retire, playing in the LCK will still be a piece of cake!"

"It's a pity that Uzi developed diabetes at such a young age. Otherwise, if he could play for another ten years and win seven or eight championships, that would be amazing!"

"Even among spinning tops, there are differences in quality. If you really want to spin one, Fei Xiaodi has the best feel."

"This year's number one seed, TES, is indeed much weaker than RNG and EDG in previous years, but with JKL, they should have no problem beating an LCK team."

"Forget it, a genius AD carry is just one position. IG will still make it to Worlds without JKL. JKL is just a dog who only knows how to piggyback on the mid and jungle!"

However, Showmaker delivered an extremely impressive performance at the S10 World Championship.

That year, Faker's T1 was eliminated early in the World Championship.

Showmaker fought his way to the finals, where he faced TES.

That year's TES lineup consisted of Knight in the mid lane, 369 in the top lane, Karsa in the jungle, and Jackylove as the AD carry.

Although JKL won the championship with IG in S8, as the number one seed of LPL, they are still considered invincible.

Showmaker said in a pre-match interview for the finals,

I will do everything in my power because I have to consider whether this is the only chance I will ever have in my life.

In the match, TES, with a superior lineup across the board, dominated and took a 2-0 lead.

However, Showmaker displayed admirable resilience in the third and fourth games, picking Syndra twice in a row and forcing Syndra into TES's ban list.

In the fifth game, they used LeBlanc and even secured Baron Nashor, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2, bringing them very close to breaking LPL's monopoly on the World Championship.

But in the end, they were just one step behind, which became the starting point for the TES and JKL legend.

Faker has always felt that Showmaker, the mid-laner, is very similar to himself.

He in S10 is just like himself in S3.

The same high spirits, the same heroic youth.

They suffered the same defeat in the finals, and were slain by the LPL's superhumans.

However, there are also many differences.

Showmaker lost with style and backbone.

Unlike his own performance in Season 3, where he was outmatched in his lane, he didn't experience a gap in his matchup.

Showmaker experienced a stunning year before quickly plummeting, turning from a dragon into a maggot.

I don't want to always be in a state where I can see LPL superstars, but also get constantly whipped around by them.

They played for a full thirteen years.

Compared to Showmaker's meteoric rise and fall after only two years at his peak, which left countless LCK fans lamenting his fate,

Later in his career, Faker was criticized by countless LCK fans, who said that he was too old to die and that he was a thief!

In contrast, Faker truly doesn't know whether his long professional career in the simulation is a gift or a curse.

Besides Showmaker, another mid laner who impressed Faker was Chovy.

This talented mid-laner, who came from GRF, eventually reached the peak of his professional career with GENG.

Although he only won two LCK championships with Faker's T1 throughout his entire career,

But in Faker's mind, Chovy is stronger than him, the best mid laner in Korea.

There's no other reason than Chovy's impressive World Championship record!

Although Chovy was repeatedly defeated by Faker in the league

It even created the famous meme of Meng Huo being captured seven times.

But Chovy is different when he's at Worlds.

Chovy in the league is a cowardly slacker.

Chovy at the World Championship is a powerful player who delivers a heavy blow.

They eliminated the LPL's number one seed in the S-series knockout stage for three consecutive years from S11 to S13.

In S11, he eliminated JKL, who claimed before the match that he was the world's best AD carry with a gap in talent and wanted to win an LCK gyro (although it was later confirmed that this was a translation error).

In Season 12, he eliminated Bin, who claimed to be the world's best top laner, although Bin became the world's best top laner again the next day.

In Season 13, he eliminated the self-proclaimed world's number one tsar, toothpaste, forcing him into retirement and making revenge impossible.

Chovy was LPL's number one enemy during those years.

LPL fans during the Spring and Summer Splits can even choose not to watch their own team's matches.

But they insisted on switching to the Korean stream to watch Chovy's matches, to assess his biggest rival in this world championship.

Every time I see Chovy get spun around by Faker, and watch Chovy lose the league championship again, it's heartbreaking.

They would all pat their chests and say with ease:

"Great, Chovy messed up again!"

"This year is the year with the least hope for LCK!"

But when they were eliminated by Chovy again at the World Championship, the LPL's number one seed, they cheered again.

"I'll never trust Chovy again!"

"I don't believe Chovy will stop until the World Championship knockout stage next time!"

"Chovy: LPL brothers, trust me one more time!"

During those years, Chovy was arguably Faker's pillar of support, and even the pillar of support for all LCK fans.

Imagine facing that group of invincible League of Legends gods from the LPL.

Someone has repeatedly proven to you that they, too, can be defeated.

How can you not feel at ease?

How can you not feel envious of this person?

As long as Chovy makes it to the World Championship and launches an attack on the LPL, everything will be alright!

Although Chovy has never lifted the World Championship trophy, his glorious achievements over the years have already cemented his legendary status—a god without a title.

He is the only Korean in the pantheon of League of Legends!

Riot Games even released a championship skin for him, something that has never been done before in history.

Even Faker, who has reached the finals eight times but never won a championship, did not receive this treatment.

Faker, playing Kassadin, watched his teammates' minion composition revolve around him and couldn't help but think...

If Chovy had my teammates and played a four-protect-one mid lane, maybe he could win the championship?

If I had Chovy's performance in major tournaments, I definitely wouldn't have lost like that, right?

Do I really deserve it?

T1 assembled such a star-studded roster for me, played around me for eleven years, and yet they became the biggest laughingstock in the history of League of Legends esports.

Now, EDG is going to build a four-protect-one mid lane strategy around me. For this tactic, even Wang Mingkai, who plays Sejuani, Maokai, and Hecarim, is on the bench.

Perhaps I'm not worthy...

Faker's gaze became somewhat unfocused at that moment.

Recalling those scenes from the simulation felt like a series of rusty, dull knives, repeatedly ripping at his pride.

Even at the S7 LPL Spring Split Finals, the deep-seated sense of inferiority—a feeling of not being worthy—still lingered like a bone-deep wound, causing his hand holding the mouse to tremble slightly once more.

This tremor was quickly reflected in the game.

"WE has made their move! Taking advantage of Kog'Maw's initial power spike after completing Blade of the Ruined King and Hurricane, they grouped up and invaded EDG's blue buff jungle!"

I remember shouting at the top of my lungs from the commentary booth,

"This blue buff is crucial for Kassadin; if he loses it, his development speed will drop significantly!"

However, at this moment, Faker's Kassadin appeared extremely hesitant.

He manipulated the purple phantom, lingering uncertainly at the river's exit.

Every time he tried to look ahead, he would stop abruptly after taking just one step. His timid and hesitant manner looked ridiculous from the broadcast perspective.

"What is he dawdling about? Kassadin has his ultimate ability ready, he could easily skip over and take a look!"

Guan Zeyuan shook his head repeatedly, his tone full of disappointment.

"Faker is shaking again! Look at the close-up shots the director gave; his eyes are glazed over. How can someone with this mentality fight at this level?"

The live stream chat was instantly flooded with insults:

[He's shaking again! He's shaking again! I knew this Korean player had no mental fortitude; he's a total softie in big games!]

[What kind of trash even deserves to be called a Korean import? Can they even eat the leftovers of their predecessors in the LCK? They're just Korean imports!]

Is Kassadin just strolling around in the jungle? Is he paralyzed with fear?

[Is this what they call a "four-protect-one mid laner"? Someone who can't even get leftovers in the LCK, coming to the LPL to rip people off?]

[Abu, are you blind? Why are you refusing to use Scout and instead protecting this trembling coward?]

[Condi's Kha'Zix has already flanked! Kassadin hasn't reacted yet? He's doomed!]

At that moment, all Faker could hear were the insults and abuse coming from the simulation.

Those dark years spanning thirteen years overlapped in his mind—

There's the background noise when he was swept 3-0 in the World Championship finals, and the boos when he was displaced by an LPL rookie in the S-series.

"You are the sinner of LCK..."

"You'll only get whipped around by the LPL..."

"The most filial son in the LPL!"

"The spinning top that spins the most on its own!"

"Why do you have the most luxurious lineup, yet you feed us nothing but history every year...?"

The sounds twisted and intertwined, like a bottomless abyss, threatening to swallow him whole.

The mantis had already crouched low in the shadows, and Condi's eyes were cold, as if he were looking at a dead man.

Just as Kassadin hesitated and stepped into WE's encirclement, a golden light flashed!

"Lee Sang-hyeok!! Are you sleepwalking?!"

Lin Xiu's prince planted a flag directly at Kassadin's feet, his massive body blocking Kassadin from the WE team.

During a break in his actions, Lin Xiu even turned his head to the side, his eyes burning with anger and fighting spirit as he stared intently at Faker.

"Wake up! I watched two disgusting games from the sidelines, I didn't come on to watch you tremble here!"

"Look me in the eyes! I told you, we are your Sand Soldiers! Until all the Sand Soldiers are wiped out, the Tsar doesn't need to worry about whether he's worthy or not! You just need to develop!"

"You're Faker! You're the mid laner I picked! If you don't think you deserve it, then play until you do! Get in there and create space, break up the enemy formation! Leave the rest to me!!"

Lin Xiu's roar, with its unreasonable arrogance, forcefully dragged Faker out of that thirteen-year nightmare.

Faker shuddered.

He watched the prince on the screen, who was risking his life to buy him space, and Meiko's gem attack, which was ready to be unleashed, beside him.

In that instant, he suddenly understood.

Who cares about Chovy, who cares about Showmaker.

They are indeed very strong, but they are not here now! Sitting here is Lee Sang-hyeok, Kassadin!

"I see."

Faker's voice regained its extreme calm.

He moved.

"Walking through the void!"

With a leap, Kassadin landed right in the center of four WE players.

"What is he doing? Is he trying to commit suicide?!" I remember screaming.

But the next second, Faker made a lightning-fast movement the moment he landed, a small right-angle turn, and actually dodged the Titan's hook that was right in front of him.

Double jump! Just as Kog'Maw activated his W to prepare to unleash his breath, Kassadin flashed again, landing in Kog'Maw's blind spot.

He countered with an E skill, "Energy Pulse," which precisely slowed down three members of WE!

"He's holding them back! Kassadin's damage isn't quite at the kill threshold yet, but he's completely toying with WE's formation!" Guan Zeyuan was stunned. "That positioning... is he dancing?"

The brother-in-law was sweating profusely, frantically maneuvering his large mouth in an attempt to strike the nimble purple phantom.

However, Xiye discovered that Kassadin anticipated his movements with every jump. Xiye's Karma tried to use her W to bind him, but Kassadin used a precise R to create distance and even retaliated with a Q.

"He's holding them back! Kassadin isn't level 16 yet, so he'll definitely get melted if he goes in, but he's already done some damage!" Remember shouted.

WE's formation was in dire straits due to Kassadin's agile and almost humiliating harassment.

The brother-in-law wanted to turn around and spit, but found that Kassadin was always stuck in his blind spot. Xiye tried to control him, but Kassadin used his ultimate skill to pull him to the limit time and time again.

"Now! Take the dragon!" Lin Xiu roared.

Taking advantage of the moment when the entire WE team was distracted and their formation was scattered by Kassadin,

Prince Lin Xiu led Aisha into the dragon pit and killed the baby dragon.

Thanks to Faker's perfect control, WE's most fatal team fight potential was forcibly neutralized.

Although Zet was killed, the other four managed to escape successfully.

EDG not only secured the resources, but also escaped unscathed.

"This maneuver to contain the enemy was absolutely brilliant!" Guan Zeyuan was also stunned.

"Although he didn't kill anyone, Faker single-handedly held off four WE players for ten seconds, giving EDG a lot of space and allowing them to regain their rhythm!"

[Holy crap, what just happened? Was Kassadin's R dodging hook real?]

[That movement...it's like seeing a Dharma King ten years younger! So agile!]

[That last move, even Crown and Easyhoon couldn't have done it, right?]

[This performance is too inconsistent. If they could perform like this every game, it wouldn't be impossible for EDG to win the championship.]

Don't worry, these Koreans will be loyal to their country when they face LCK in the World Championship.

Faker's gaze also refocused on the screen.

All that has passed is gone.

Now his focus is on defeating his current opponent.

Although he didn't understand this terrible mid laner, he relied on a four-protect-one, Kog'Maw and Lulu system that he had long since mastered and understood.

How exactly did WE manage to become the number one team in the LPL?

But today, he wants to defeat WE and become the LPL Spring Split champion.

The champion of the world's number one league in League of Legends!