novelODS 041 Those who understand have already started laughing.
041 Those who understand have already started laughing.
Unfortunately, the opposing team did not surrender within the promised twenty minutes this time either.
It wasn't that RISE lacked dominance in this game; a 6,000 gold lead at 20 minutes was already quite impressive.
The main reason is that the NLB playoffs are only BO3, and this game was the last one for Najin Black Sword, so they might as well make a last-ditch effort.
Of course, it didn't struggle for long.
At 24 minutes, RISE pushed forward with the Baron buff, and Najin Sword was completely powerless to resist, crushed and wiped out like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"GG! Another 2-0 score! Congratulations to R1E for advancing to the finals!"
Lee Sang-hyeok took off his headphones, listened to the commentary, and let out a long sigh of relief.
It has to be said that today's opponents seem to be a bit stronger overall, no wonder they are the ninth-ranked team.
Thinking of this, Lee Sang-hyeok glanced at Lee Ji-haeng beside him.
In the second game, he played without any major flaws, and even a post-match review wouldn't be able to find fault with him.
Lee Sang-hyeok was also very afraid of Lee Ji-hyung's replay.
At this moment, Li Zhixing turned his gaze to the side, with a warm smile on his face.
Sang-hyeok quickly turned his head away, followed Lee Ji-haeng to the other side of the stage to give a high-five, then packed up his equipment and walked away.
At that moment, members of SKT's second team brushed past them.
Following closely behind, the battle between SKT K and Najin Shield also quickly began.
Both are second teams of top teams, but SKT has a more experienced mid and jungle player from the first team, which became the key factor in deciding the outcome.
Easyhoon and Horo, the two center-fielders, may not be as capable as their replacements, Dade and Bengi, in terms of cutting-edge skills.
However, the experience they gained in previous games on the same team is their sharpest weapon in the NLB.
The two didn't display any particularly exaggerated dominance in their matchups, but they were outstanding in their stability, like a stabilizing force that kept the overall situation in place and prevented their opponents from finding any opportunities.
As the game progressed into the mid-to-late stages, Impact in the top lane and Fumando in the AD carry position completed their builds, and the game was won with ease.
With a score of 2-0, SKT's second team also completed a sweep and advanced to the finals.
A murmur of discussion arose from the audience!
Before the quarterfinals began, perhaps no one would have imagined that none of the four OGN teams would make it to the NLB finals.
Before today, some people thought that the two Najin teams would meet in the finals.
After two best-of-three matches, Najin, who dominated half the series, failed to win a single game...
All I can say is, they truly live up to their reputation as SKT.
Not only does Team One dominate in OGN, but Team Two is also virtually unbeatable in OGN!
Viewers can already imagine the spectacular sight of both SKT teams simultaneously reaching the top ranks of OGN.
Now the question is, who will be stronger in the final?
It's worth noting that both teams won every game in the finals, never losing or even coming out on the losing end!
The competition hadn't even started yet, but it was already generating a lot of buzz.
Who will win the final?
[Is this even a question? Surely no one actually thinks R1SE can beat a powerhouse team?]
[How many top teams has R1SE beaten? MVP and Najin, haven't they?]
[Can these two compare to my SKT? Let me show you what true power and prestige really mean!]
[Fast forward to how SKT got completely crushed by Rise, that was so satisfying. Rise is really strong.]
Indeed, I watched Neo's video of the LG-IM match yesterday, and his command and micro-management were truly monstrous!
[Looking forward to today's update with a video of me fighting Najin Sword]
[Fake fans? It's been updated!]
......
The following day, January 16th, was the NLB finals day.
Since there were only two teams today, the RISE players no longer had to wait idly in the backstage lobby and were able to check into the pre-match lounge provided by the OGN arena.
After browsing the forum, Li Zhixing, seeing that the time was almost up, got up and took off his jacket, revealing a black and white baseball team uniform covered with "GG" logos.
At this moment, all four teammates were ready.
"You're all familiar with today's opponents, so I don't need to say more, do I?"
Upon hearing this, Kim Hyuk-kyu patted his chest repeatedly, "Don't worry, hyung! It'll be fine!"
Lee Ji-hyeong's first professional training match was against SKT's second team!
Coincidentally, all the RISE members were present at the time.
At the time, Kim Hyuk-kyu and Cho Se-hyung were teammates, while Lee Hyung-seok and Lee Sang-hyeok were opponents...
At the time, everyone thought it was nothing out of the ordinary, unaware that the gears of fate had already quietly begun to turn...
The RISE players are a bit apprehensive when playing against other teams, since they don't know them well, but they are exceptionally confident when playing against SKT!
At this moment, a staff member came over and knocked lightly on the door of the lounge, indicating that the competition was about to begin and that both sides needed to set up their peripherals in advance.
Since we've reached the finals, we should make it a bit more grand, with plenty of pre-match appearances and post-match interviews.
"Alright, let's go." Li Zhixing took out a mouse and keyboard from his bag and chuckled, "Let's go win our first championship."
The results of the matches after the quarterfinals will not affect the OGN spot, but since this is the first league match of his professional career, let's win the championship first.
If you can't even win a mere NLB championship, then don't even think about winning the World Championship.
Beforehand, go on stage to install the mouse and keyboard, and leave after completing the setup and testing.
Not long after, the Roaring Emperor appeared on stage in a suit and formally invited the two contestants onto the field.
It must be said that although NLB is a secondary league, the final match was actually quite high-level, even the highest-level match in the history of OGN.
After all, OGN has only played the winter regular season since its inception, and the playoffs haven't even started yet.
"First of all, let's welcome SKT T1 K!"
"Impact, Horo, Ezsyhoon, Piglet, Poohmandu!"
The audience erupted in applause. This powerhouse team, which already had its own fan base, had delivered a perfect performance in the first two rounds and naturally deserved such applause.
"And then, RISE!"
"Looper, Neo, Faker, Deft, Mata!"
The moment RISE stepped onto the stage and waved, a loud round of applause erupted from the audience, no less enthusiastic than that for SKT.
Regardless of RISE's actual strength, their phenomenal performance in the first two rounds, sweeping their opponents, has already earned them the respect of countless viewers.
Now that they've reached the finals, the audience just hopes this team's amazing performance can continue.
Because both sides had already tested their equipment in advance, they didn't have to wait long after taking their seats, and the first round of banning and drafting started quickly!
......
Meanwhile, inside the MVP training room.
Today, the MVP team unusually skipped training and instead sat together in front of their computer screens to watch the game.
RISE vs. SKT's second team. Those who don't understand are still looking forward to today's epic showdown, but those who do understand are already smiling.
For example, the MVPs who know the inside story.
MVP coach Edgar looked at the scene before him with anticipation in his eyes.
It's certainly disheartening that RISE eliminated them from the OGN, but the second team is made up of several backup players. They were just trying to get a spot anyway, not really aiming to achieve anything significant.
It doesn't matter if we can't get in this time; we can always try again next time.
Since things have come to this, we might as well be optimistic and place our hopes on RISE, hoping they can give SKT a big blow!
In esports, there is only one champion; the runner-up is the biggest loser.
Edgar can't wait to see SKT get swept by RISE!