LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

The day of the decisive battle arrived as scheduled.

In the mornings in Reykjavik, the sky is a clear, deep blue, like a giant sapphire.

The air is cold and pure; inhaling it into the lungs can instantly refresh one's mind and body.

The EDG players had already finished their morning training and breakfast, and were now sitting quietly in the hotel's tactical conference room, conducting their final tactical review.

The playful banter of the previous days was gone, replaced by a solemn atmosphere.

Everyone knew that today, they were about to face one of the greatest milestones in the history of gaming.

Abu stood in front of the tactics board, explaining again and again: "T1's tactical core is still Faker. But we must be clear that T1 is no longer just Faker's team. Oner's aggression, Gumayusi's consistent output, and especially Keria's roaming are all things we need to focus on preventing. Remember, don't let them lead you by their pace, play our own game, and trust everything we've practiced over the past few months."

His gaze swept over each team member, and finally landed on the figure who had been resting with his eyes closed the whole time.

"Brother Mozi".

Su Mo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm as still water, yet unfathomable.

"Today, it's all up to you." Abu's voice carried a hint of seriousness that was barely perceptible.

Su Mo didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly.

These two simple actions seem to possess a magical power to calm people's hearts.

Jiejie took a deep breath, nodded vigorously, and the last trace of tension in her eyes was replaced by a soaring fighting spirit.

On the other side, the atmosphere in the T1 lounge was equally somber.

Legendary coach kkOma was making final tactical arrangements, his voice hoarse but full of passion, trying to get the players into top form.

Faker sat quietly in his seat, arms crossed, eyes closed, like a meditating statue.

He blocked out all external noise, his mind rapidly replaying all of Mo's match recordings since his debut.

From Fiora's Grand Challenge to Kennen's Thunder Prison, and those unbelievable solo kills in lane...

He encountered countless geniuses throughout his life, and also defeated countless geniuses.

But the opponent before him seemed to have transcended the realm of genius.

He's more like a... bug.

An existence that has taken this game to another dimension, one that cannot be understood by common sense.

“Sang-hyeok,” kkOma’s voice pulled him from his reverie, “Are you ready?”

Faker opened his eyes, and in those eyes that had witnessed the rise and fall of three dynasties, there was no fear, only pure and unadulterated fighting spirit.

"Yes," he replied calmly.

……

The dedicated bus leading to the stadium slowly drove into the venue amidst a huge crowd of fans.

As the five EDG players stepped onto the player tunnel leading to the main stage, a deafening roar of cheers swept over them like a tidal wave.

The stage lights shone like a galaxy, and the giant Summoner's Cup stood quietly in the center of the stage, reflecting a dazzling light, as if waiting for its new owner to be crowned.

Amidst the intense anticipation of the crowd, both contestants stepped onto the center stage.

Su Mo and Faker, two players from different eras but both standing at the top of the pyramid, finally shook hands in a historic moment on the highest stage of the World Championship.

Faker's eyes held a calm composure born from experience and a burning desire for victory.

Looking at the young man in front of him, who was a little younger than himself, he seemed to see a reflection of his own youth, but one that was sharper and more... invincible.

Su Mo's eyes remained calm.

Looking at the man before him, he felt a surge of excitement, as if he had met his match.

This is not just a competition, but more like a dialogue that transcends time and space.

"Keep it up," Faker said softly in slightly broken Chinese.

“You too.” Su Mo nodded in response.

No further words were needed; the wills of the two deities clashed at this moment.

"Alright viewers! Welcome to the final battle of the 2021 League of Legends World Championship!" Miller's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "New kings and old gods! Legends and myths! Everything will be decided today, here!"

Wawa excitedly added, "On one side is Mo, who debuted at his peak and reigned supreme with invincibility until now! On the other side is Faker, who has won three championships and returned to the finals stage after four years, determined to rebuild the glory of his dynasty! This is definitely the most talked-about and most anticipated ultimate showdown in the history of the S-series!"

Guan Zeyuan adjusted his glasses, forcing himself to calm down: "Let's focus our attention on the draft! This battle of the century will begin from the very first second of the ban!"

Amidst the passionate analysis of the three commentators, both teams took their seats, and the huge screen instantly switched to that heart-pounding interface.

Game 1, let's begin the draft phase!
EDG is on the blue side and has the priority to choose sides.

"EDG banned Lee Sin on the first floor!" Miller said rapidly. "Very decisive! They directly shut down Oner's engine that played a crucial role in the semifinals!"

"T1 banned Kennen on the first floor! Even though they know Mozi's champion pool is unfathomable, T1 definitely doesn't want to experience that devastating lightning strike again!"

The two sides traded business plans back and forth, full of calculations and strategic maneuvering.

T1 banned Jayce and Irelia in the top lane, attempting to limit Su Mo's champion pool as much as possible.

EDG, on the other hand, banned Ryze and Thresh to counter T1's mid-jungle-support synergy.

"First round of bans and picks is over! Blue side EDG gets the first pick!" Miller's voice suddenly rose, "What will they pick? Is it the meta pick, Miss Fortune?"

The hero icons flashed rapidly, and in the end, EDG did not hesitate and directly locked in the hero that was either banned or picked in this World Championship!

"Lucian, the Purifier!" Miller shouted, "EDG first-picked Lucian! Are they going to play a top-mid flex pick? This pick is very confident, putting pressure on T1!"

T1's coach kkOma frowned slightly; EDG's move had disrupted his original plan.

Ultimately, T1 secured Jarvan IV and Rakan in the first and second rounds, a jungle-support duo with extremely strong initiation capabilities.

Meanwhile, EDG secured Nami and Xin Zhao on the second and third floors!

"Luna! EDG has confirmed the Luna duo in the bot lane!" Wawa instantly understood EDG's intention. "They want to exert absolute lane dominance in the bot lane! At the same time, Xin Zhao can ensure the strength of the jungle skirmishes in the early and mid-game!"

In the second round of the ban/pick phase, T1 once again banned Gwen and Fiora for their top lane.

Ban five top laners!

The entire stadium erupted in an uproar!

Five bans on top laners! Is this the treatment the world's best player receives? Even Faker hasn't enjoyed this kind of treatment!

[T1: I don't know how to win, but I know how to make you uncomfortable!]

[Is Mozi going to pull out a Garen top laner...?]

Faced with T1's "ruthless" targeting, EDG's final ban was on Orianna.

Finally, the lineups for both sides were finalized!

Blue side EDG:

Top Lane: Graves, the Outlaw
Jungler: Xin Zhao, the Grand Marshal of Demacia
Mid Lane: Vigus, the Messenger of Sorrow

Marksman: Lucian, the Purifier

Support: Nami, the Tidecaller
Red Team T1:

Top Lane: Gragas the Barrel
Jungler: Jarvan IV, the Prince of Demacia
Mid Lane: Twisted Fate

Marksman: Jhin, the Virtuoso

Support: Phantom Feather - Luo

"The lineup is finalized!" Miller summarized. "EDG has brought out a lineup with explosive early and mid-game fighting power! All three lanes have extremely strong laning capabilities! And Mozi, despite having his top lane banned five times, confidently picked Graves! He's going to use his absolute individual skill to crush T1's targeted strategy!"

"T1, on the other hand, has chosen their most classic global support system!" Wawa added, "Twisted Fate, Gragas, and Jarvan IV—all three can instantly support the side lanes! Their goal is very clear: to avoid a direct confrontation with Graves and use the most extreme macro-management to wear down EDG!" An ultimate showdown has officially begun!

Game start!
Welcome to Summoner's Rift!

The moment the game loaded, the entire venue fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even louder, deafening cheer!

In the top lane, Su Mo's Graves and Canna's Gragas began their first probing attack the moment the minion waves met.

Canna was filled with vigilance as the Graves was pulled out after being targeted five times.

He played extremely conservatively, only daring to use the edge of his Q skill, Rolling Barrel, to last-hit minions.

However, Su Mo's suppression remained all-pervasive.

He used Graves' unique auto-attack mechanics to whittle down Gragas' health by exploiting gaps in the minion wave with his Q skill and auto-attacks.

Canna felt as if he were back in Khan's perspective during the semifinals, experiencing the suffocating feeling of having every move seen through and every last hit costing him health, which sent chills down his spine.

"Mozi's laning pressure is terrifying," Wawa exclaimed. "No matter what hero he gets, he can always find the most extreme way to suppress the opponent. Canna's laning phase is going to be a long and agonizing experience."

Meanwhile, in the mid lane, Scout's Vigus and Faker's Twisted Fate also engaged in a fierce battle.

Faker constantly used his red card and Q skill to push the lane, putting pressure on Scout, while looking for opportunities to support the side lanes.

However, Scout responded equally well, using Vigus's passive and skill fear effects to repeatedly break through Faker's pressure and lock him firmly in the mid lane.

The first turning point of the game came at 6 minutes and 30 seconds.

Faker's Twisted Fate reached level six, activated his ultimate, and flew directly to the bottom lane!

"Faker has flown! His first ultimate was used on the bot lane! T1 is about to make a move against EDG's strongest Luna duo!"

At the same time, Oner's prince also used his EQ combo to burst out from the bushes behind him, aiming straight for Viper!

However, just as T1 was about to form a four-man gank on the second lane, EDG responded with incredible speed!
Meiko's Nami landed a perfectly timed ultimate ability, "Raging Tide," knocking up both the landing Twisted Fate and the charging Jarvan IV!

Jiejie's Xin Zhao seemed to have anticipated this scene, instantly emerging from the river bushes and unleashing a powerful ultimate that scattered T1's formation!
"EDG's counter-attack! It was so beautiful!" Miller exclaimed excitedly. "They seemed to have completely anticipated Faker's first ultimate! It was a perfect trap!"

Viper's Lucian seized the opportunity, executing a smooth combo of skills, combined with Xin Zhao's damage, instantly killing T1's support Keria!

First Blood!

Viper took the first blood!

Seeing this, Faker and Oner had no choice but to use Flash to escape in a sorry state.

T1's first wave of attack was not only perfectly neutralized, but also gave up the first blood!

Inside EDG's rest room, Abu and Clearlove exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of a smile in each other's eyes.

"Just as we expected," the factory manager said softly. "T1's most relied-upon tempo point is Faker's first ultimate. As long as we can defend against this wave, our early game is secure."

From this moment on, EDG began to gradually take control of the game's pace.

After securing First Blood, the Luna duo in the bottom lane exerted even greater pressure, quickly taking down T1's bottom lane tower.

Meanwhile, in the top lane, Su Mo's Graves had Canna's Gragas pinned under the tower, unable to move, and the CS difference had widened to a terrifying forty CS.

T1's global strategy was completely ineffective against EDG's strong laning capabilities across all three lanes.

Every time Faker's Twisted Fate tried to unleash his ultimate, he found that the EDG players were already prepared.

The turning point of the match occurred in the Rift Herald team fight at the 15-minute mark.

EDG took the lead in controlling the river thanks to their tower-pushing advantage in the bottom lane.

T1 was forced to come and pick up the group.

Just as the two sides were grappling in the river, Su Mo's Graves made a move that surprised everyone.

He abandoned a large wave of minions in the top lane and went directly from the middle lane to the back, appearing on the flank of T1's formation!
"Mozi has flanked! Who is his target? Is it Faker's Twisted Fate?"

Faker immediately used Flash to try and create distance.

However, Su Mo's target was not him at all!
flash!

E Skill: Quick Draw!
Graves' figure transformed into a blur, charging directly towards T1's core backline damage dealer—Gumayusi's Jhin—with an unreasonable attitude!

AQA's ultimate move - [Ultimate Bomb]!
"boom--!"

A bomb exploded at near-zero distance, slamming squarely into Jhin's face!

Gumayusi didn't even have time to react before his health bar evaporated instantly!

"Instant kill!! Mozi flashed in and instantly killed T1's ADC!!!" Guan Zeyuan practically jumped up from the commentary booth, his voice cracking with excitement!

Without their ADC, T1 suffered a crushing defeat in team fights.

In the end, EDG pulled off a perfect team fight with a 0-for-4 exchange, and took the Rift Herald!

The economic gap was instantly widened to five thousand!

"It's over, basically over." Miller breathed a long sigh of relief. "Mozi used the most unreasonable way to tell T1 how fragile so-called operation and tactics are in the face of absolute strength. Banning the top laner five times resulted in a Grim Reaper roaming the entire map."

The rest of the match was completely dominated by EDG.

Twenty minutes later, EDG secured Baron Nashor.

At 23 minutes, EDG, with a huge minion wave advantage, stepped onto T1's high ground.

With the crisp sound of the main crystal exploding, the first game of this highly anticipated finals came to a crushing victory for EDG.

【VICTORY】

When the victory emblem lit up, the EDG players calmly took off their headphones and high-fived each other.

On the other side of the stage, in T1's battle area, the atmosphere was frozen solid.

Faker slumped back in his chair, his eyes filled with disbelief and bewilderment. He felt that his proud understanding of the game had been utterly shattered in front of that Graves.

The feeling was like a skilled chess player encountering an opponent who simply overturns the chessboard.

All the planning and scheming became meaningless.

……

In the rest room, kkOma looked at the identical confusion on the faces of his teammates and felt a deep sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.

He knew that this was not a tactical or operational issue, but a cognitive one of dimensional reduction.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made an incredibly difficult decision.

“Next game,” he said slowly, “we’ll… play it a different way.”

His gaze swept over Canna, over Oner, and finally landed on Faker, who had kept his head down and remained silent the entire time.

"Sang-hyeok, in the next game, play whatever you want. Forget all our previous tactics, forget about strategy, forget about tempo. Just play the way you like best and are most good at. Let's... go crazy one last time on this final stage."

Faker suddenly looked up, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. Then, the extinguished flame was rekindled.

Inside EDG's rest area, however, the atmosphere was relaxed.

"Next game, I bet they'll be going to try and outplay us in terms of skill," Su Mo said casually, taking a sip of water.

Abu smiled and said, "That's perfect, let's see whose fist is harder."

He turned to Su Mo and asked, "Brother Mo, what are your thoughts for the next round?"

Su Mo smiled, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Since he wants to fight, then we'll fight him."

"Next game, pick Yasuo for me." (End of Chapter)