Chapter 65

### Chapter 65: Reunion

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Where is the world's strongest team?

When ordinary people are asked about the world's best laner, it often leads to numerous debates, but the world's strongest team is different.

There's no need for debate because the Red Cup, a proven stage, has already provided a clear and definitive answer.

The Red Cup.

The team that wins the Red Cup is the strongest team of that year.

So, which team won the Red Cup?

I knew the answer all too well.

It wasn't difficult because they were right in front of me.

───────────────

(C1) SY TheOne - Yasuo

(C1) SY YunGi - Ezreal

(C1) SY Rainbow - Sylas

(C1) SY Longbow - Yone

(C1) SY GuineaPig - Jarvan III

───────────────

SY.

The undeniable world's strongest team.

‘Hmm...’

Of course, this isn't the first time I've met the SY players.

TheOne, YunGi, Rainbow, Longbow, and GuineaPig.

I've met them countless times while playing solo queue as a prisoner.

If you ask if this is the first time I'm meeting all five SY players at once, it's not exactly true either.

For most professional teams, after the team schedule ends, players usually play solo queue unless there's something special.

Naturally, if the queue times are similar, the chances of being matched together in the first game increase.

Given the situation, since the SY players are among the top ranks in solo queue, I naturally met them quite often.

Even if it's hard for me to say it out loud, I've always been in the top ranks of solo queue.

So, this isn't the first time I've met all the SY players at once.

However, this is the first time I'm facing the complete SY team.

‘...But, meeting them in normal games?’

And not just any normal game, but a low-level game where the players are below level 30.

A situation that is hard to understand logically.

‘Is this a bug?’

No matter how many consecutive wins or how high the win rate, this doesn't make sense.

‘The only fortunate thing is that they're not in their usual roles...’

I'll know for sure once the game starts, but from the champion compositions and spells, it seems they're not in their usual roles.

‘Well, it's just a normal game.’

The purpose of a 5-man normal game is usually for fun or enjoyment among friends, so even professional players wouldn't have a different goal.

Especially for the world's strongest team, SY, it would be even more so.

‘Still, let's check their records once.’

I immediately searched for the SY players' records.

To see which lines they were going to.

‘They might go to different lines, but more information is always better.’

Even if I lose a game or two, it's fine, but seeing them made my heart race after a long time.

The five members of SY.

The complete team.

I'm facing them.

Even if they're just playing for fun, my heart can't help but race.

‘If I can maintain a 100% win rate, that would be great.’

Honestly, I didn't expect such an extreme win rate when I first created the alt account.

But since it happened, maintaining a 100% win rate might not be bad.

‘Hmm, GuineaPig has Smite, so he's definitely the jungler. YunGi and Rainbow are bot duo, and TheOne and Longbow are top and mid, it seems...’

Yasuo and Yone.

Typically, TheOne, who is usually a top laner, would go top with Yasuo, but with the positions mixed up, it's hard to be certain.

‘In the previous game, TheOne was mid.’

So, it's likely that I'll face TheOne's Yasuo.

‘Not a good match-up.’

Statistically, the match-up between Raze and Yasuo is one of the most extreme.

Yasuo is strong in lane and his skill set is particularly effective against Raze.

‘Well, Yone isn't much better either.’

Both Yasuo and Yone are difficult champions to face with Raze.

While Yone might be slightly better than Yasuo, it's still a tough match-up.

A counter is a counter.

Soon, there was no need to ask the Chinese pro player, who doesn't speak the same language, for a lane swap in a normal game.

‘Given that the opposing jungler is a strong ganking champion like Jarvan, going top with Raze isn't a good choice.’

The current Raze is not the tanky champion from the old days who could deal damage with defensive items.

The current Raze is fragile.

A typical mage.

Naturally, it's not a wise choice for a squishy champion to go top.

‘To have a favorable lane against Yone with Raze, I'd have to push the lane. But if I push, I'll definitely die.’

Not necessarily from a gank, but from a solo kill opportunity.

Therefore, my judgment is that it's better to go mid, which has a shorter lane.

Welcome to the Summoner's Rift.

While checking the champion match-ups and eyeing the screen, the game started.

The theory of relativity was correct.

My time seemed to be moving faster.

There were no significant pings in the normal game.

Just a bit of commotion.

[All] [IlIIIIIllIlIll (Lissandra): ???]

[All] [IlIIIIIllIlIll (Lissandra): Why are you guys here...?]

[All] [Nunnaheee (Ziggs): ????? For real?]

[All] [Nunnaheee (Ziggs): No way, what team has a pro player, and the opposing team is lol kek]

[All] [Nunnaheee (Ziggs): Wow... I'm a real fan. It's an honor. Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow!]

[All] [NyaMaster OdaHye (Nami): Wow;;]

[All] [NyaMaster OdaHye (Nami): Please play well]

Regardless, I ignored it and, as usual, checked the invade compositions.

+

[Allies / Enemies]

Top: Karma / Yone (?)

Jungle: Lissandra / Jarvan III

Mid: Raze / Yasuo (?)

ADC: Ziggs / Ezreal

Support: Nami / Sylas

+

‘Hmm.’

Looking purely at the invade compositions, it doesn't seem like we have a significant advantage, but we're not at a disadvantage either.

However, it's best not to create unnecessary skirmish opportunities.

‘Except for top and mid, the tier difference is clear.’

Inducing a 5v5 skirmish would only result in a bloodbath.

A very brutal one.

‘The only fortunate thing is that we have a Nightmare on our team...’

It's a relief to have someone to rely on.

‘So, first things first.’

As I went mid to gain vision, Rainbow's Sylas appeared as if he had been waiting for me.

‘Rainbow.’

Meeting him again like this...

It was a meeting I never imagined.

‘

Rainbow recognized me and greeted me with the same playful demeanor as before.

‘

Sylas didn't seem to have any intention of leaving mid, as if he owned it.

‘You're not mid, you know.’

Sylas was even holding a support item.

While it's possible in a normal game to take a support item and go mid with the ADC, it didn't seem likely.

‘At least, it looks like you're doing well.’

Seeing Rainbow again made me feel a bit melancholic.

When I broke up with Rainbow as a prisoner, I regretted that decision for a long time.

Why did I do that?

Even now, I don't have an answer. I just thought I should tell him as a friend, but it seemed to have placed an unnecessary burden on Rainbow.

‘But it looks like you've moved on.’

It was a bit disappointing that I, as a prisoner, could be so easily forgotten, but since we didn't even know each other's faces, it wasn't surprising.

Standing mid against Rainbow, I couldn't help but recall a past incident.

“Excuse me.”

“...Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Drink this.”

“Huh?”

“You look dehydrated.”

‘...Let's forget it.’

Recalling what happened after that would make me feel ashamed.

“Isn't a bottle of water a thousand won these days?”

“Huh?”

“I heard it was a thousand won.”

“Oh...”

“I, uh, bought some gum.”

“Really?”

Why did I make such an excuse?

I still kick the covers off in my sleep when I think about that day.

The strange smile my mother gave me then... Ugh, I don't even want to think about it.

...Phew, inner peace. Inner peace. Peace of mind.

30 seconds until minions spawn.

Standing mid, we killed some time, and eventually, Rainbow's Sylas naturally moved down.

As expected, he was a support Sylas.

And...

Not long after, a champion I never wanted to see appeared in the mid lane.

Yasuo.

TheOne's Yasuo.

‘TheOne.’

SY's top laner, known as the strongest shield.

True to his nickname, TheOne is a player who excels at the unique, solid playstyle of a top laner.

No wonder one of the reasons GRS quickly collapsed in the second game of the Red Cup was due to a reverse snowball from a reckless top dive.

‘Let's see how well you can control distance.’

Most Yasuo players take Q at level 1.

In other words, they have no gap closer.

Thus, even if the match-up is unfavorable, I can still leverage the advantage of a ranged champion at level 1.

Auto, W, Auto, Auto, Auto.

It was a one-sided damage exchange, but it wasn't a significant gain.

I took quite a bit of damage from minions while aggressively following and hitting Yasuo.

Of course, there was some progress.

TheOne, who was initially very aggressive and pushed the lane hard, became much more passive.

‘He seems flustered.’

The reason TheOne was hit so easily by me early on is likely because this is a normal game.

He was complacent.

Normal games are for casual enjoyment, and he probably didn't expect me to play so intensely.

‘But now he knows.’

He knows that if he's not careful, the shield might break.

‘So, let's see.’

It's time to break SY's shield.

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