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In the midst of everyone’s worries…

The third game finally began.

[SCV / GRS]

Top: Jason / Irelia

Jungle: Rek’Sai / Lee Sin

Mid: Malphite / LeBlanc

Bot Lane: Lucian / Jhin

Support: Nami / Leona

It seems that SCV pulled out their sword.

With Malphite, one of AllDay’s trump cards, Rek’Sai came out of the jungle.

I think they were originally planning to pick Pipo, but it looks like the ban from GRS changed the pick-and-ban phase.

‘Facing that composition, Rek’Sai isn’t a bad pick.’

Actually, it could even be considered good.

Rek’Sai is strong against melee champions like Irelia and Lee Sin, and also poses a decent threat to a bot lane like Jhin.

“Here it is! If they don’t use it now, they might not get another chance!”

“That’s right. AllDay’s Malphite has shown good performance against Rainbow’s LeBlanc before!”

“And now, the Rek’Sai from Vendetta has appeared. It’s not a common pick in the current meta… it seems like it’s coming out because of the opposing composition?”

“Exactly. Rek’Sai is certainly a limited pick in the current meta, but given the opposing composition, it won’t lose its strength as time goes on. It seems worth a try.”

The game began.

GRS started off with a strong mid-jungle duo, trying to achieve jungle kills like in the first two games.

But SCV was no pushover; they were a formidable opponent.

“Look at Jason’s movements!”

They quickly picked Jason, who is strong in early lane matchups, to prove SCV’s point.

– First Blood!

– Enemy eliminated!

When the enemy mid-jungle came to shut down Rek’Sai, Jason’s timely backup led to a 2:3 teamfight win.

“That’s right!”

“Wow, King just crushed it. Right?”

“Yeah, that was really well done.”

Unlike the first two games, the start was quite good this time.

According to statistics, GRS was fast at rolling, but they also fell quickly.

Having nailed the first step successfully, if they kept it up, there wouldn’t be any way for them to lose.

No matter what anyone says, SCV was a team that even defeated SY to claim the throne of LCKR.

And…

The game continued.

Nightmare, GRS’s mid laner, is undoubtedly a world-class player, but he’s not particularly known for his lane strength.

In some ways, he resembles a player with traits similar to AllDay.

Maybe knowing this, Nightmare straightforwardly played a jungle-focused game.

Even if he faced a bit of disadvantage in the lane, he kept on moving relentlessly.

If SCV hadn’t been overwhelmed by those moves, the eventual disadvantages would have piled up in favor of SCV.

However, GRS was anything but average.

“Bottom, bottom!”

Is this what they mean by “no tree withstands ten strikes”?

After persistent attempts, a gap finally appeared in SCV’s bottom lane.

“They’re setting it up like this!”

Of course, GRS also had its costs, and SCV’s side managed to scrape some mid turret plates and secure the Rift Herald, so it wasn’t a lopsided disaster.

Nonetheless, it couldn’t be denied that the game which had been heavily tilted towards SCV was now somewhat balanced.

When Vendetta attempted a dive at the top with the Herald, Irelia wisely chose not to take unnecessary risks and backed off.

Thus began the trade of top and bottom barriers.

However, considering both teams’ strengths were in their bot laners, it didn’t feel that great.

“Now the real game starts!”

The skirmishes raged on.

It was a fierce bout with neither side willing to yield an inch.

Whenever SCV seemed to have the upper hand, GRS expertly chased back, and conversely, if GRS made a bold move, SCV retaliated.

Maybe because both sides lacked a main tank in their compositions, flashy super plays dazzled the audience without a moment’s hesitation.

“…This is really crazy, insane. It’s thrilling.”

Even Kim Jae-min, who proudly considers himself a super play machine, was left speechless by the spectacle.

It seemed like Seo Yeon-woo, who had just joined, was also staring blankly at the screen.

“Really… both are doing so well.”

Four Dragon teamfight.

Baron fight.

Elder Dragon fight.

Amidst all those teamfights, the owner of the objects was determined, but the winner of the game was still undecided.

Game time had passed 40 minutes.

In a meta designed to obviously prevent long games, it was a rare and unusual occurrence.

“It’s a bloodbath, a bloodbath! SCV! They must keep their focus until the end! It’s not over yet!”

“That’s right. It’s a cycle of defeat, defeat, victory, victory! It’s not hard! Korean teams have done this before!”

Another Baron, I lost count of how many times it was.

Elder Dragon back again.

And then the final teamfight ensued.

“Uh, uh? Uh-oh!”

A scream erupted from the commentators or maybe someone nearby, breaking the tension,

──────!!!

At last, the winner of the third game was decided.

Game 3.

53 minutes and 41 seconds.

SCV wins.

“This is SCV! Just because they’re GRS doesn’t mean they are invincible. They have faced unnecessary losses in this MSL as well!”

“That’s right! SCV has stepped forward, so they must keep moving! They can do it!”

Though the feared 3:0 sweep didn’t occur, the mood was still at a level of “we barely caught our breath.”

“Ha…”

“I really thought we were going to lose.”

“Me too.”

SCV’s retaliation.

But why does it feel like that retaliation drained the last energy SCV had?

‘…Just a feeling, right?’

In reality, the game time was certainly more than enough to be called a bloodbath, but I tried to think positively.

“Wow… am I the only one feeling nervous?”

“I’m nervous too.”

Even Baek Seong-an openly showed his anxiety; SCV still felt unstable.

Maybe that’s why.

“Uh? SCV needs to focus right now. No matter how tough it gets, they mustn’t lose concentration!”

“This is going badly from the start… Ahhh!”

“MaBing is taking the first kill! GRS is really sharp!”

In the fourth game that soon began, GRS started to push SCV from the early game just like in the first two.

Had they exhausted too much energy in the third game?

Or were the players dispirited by realizing “is this what it takes to just win?” during the fierce long battle of the third game?

SCV began to crumble.

Much faster and more helplessly than in the preceding games.

“Ah…”

“Don’t! No! GRS is too strong!”

GRS’s champions burst the Baron just as they hit 20 minutes, but SCV had already lost the power to stand against them.

‘What is this?’

I wasn’t particularly cheering for SCV.

But how should I put it… It’s a puzzling feeling with no explanation since our nation’s team is losing.

And then,

All my ominous premonitions, like they tend to do, came to fruition as my foreboding became a reality.

The GRS champions, equipped with Baron buff, advanced.

The SCV champions faced them, but one by one they fell short, proving it wasn’t enough.

And finally, SCV’s Nexus was destroyed.

“This way, GRS becomes the protagonist of the MSL!”

“GG!”

With GRS taking the fourth game, they were crowned the winners of MSL.

“Ah, darn…”

“…So this is how it ends.”

Both Kim Jae-min and Baek Seong-an couldn’t hide their annoyance, feeling the same way I did.

“…What a shame.”

Seo Yeon-woo sincerely lamented their loss.

It felt like her own team had dropped out.

I had never understood how my father cheered for a baseball team, but now it makes sense.

I had been feeling increasingly irritated for a while now.

“…”

Maybe that’s why.

It’s the shameless words I would never utter in normal times that slipped out.

“…It’s okay.”

“What?”

“We’ll get them back next year.”

Upon saying this, all my team members except Kim Ji-hoon turned their eyes towards me, wide-eyed.

I wasn’t just saying it.

We would absolutely win this time in the second division promotion playoffs and play this year’s summer season in the second division.

And,

In that season, we would promote to the first division and seize the cup in next year’s LCKR spring season.

That way, we would be able to represent LCKR in next year’s MSL as the champions.

We would make up for this year’s humiliation in LCKR.

“That’s… um, yeah!”

Kim Jae-min seemed momentarily dazed, then cheered enthusiastically.

“MSL champions! We’ll do it!”

It’s nice to be so straightforward at times like this.

Looking at Baek Seong-an’s somewhat strange expression, I asked,

“What’s up? Is there a problem?”

“Um, well… not really?”

“Then?”

“What?”

“Are you confident?”

“Of course.”

There was a moment’s hesitation, but well, that’s just how he is.

“…I’ll help too.”

Maybe feeling like he couldn’t just stay quiet in this atmosphere, Seo Yeon-woo awkwardly chimed in.

C’mon, that’s a bit of a stretch.

“Alright, let’s do our best.”

Although SCV lost, we drew strength from that loss and grew more determined.

Now, the promotion playoffs are just around the corner.

*

Finally, the day of the promotion playoffs arrived.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Yes.”

“Uh, we can just go right away.”

“Yup.”

“Got it.”

“Then let’s go.”

We stepped toward the arena.

 

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