LPL didn't want me? I joined SKT instead!

They were able to sweep the then-dominant KZ 2-0 with overwhelming force. In that match, TheShy's Fiora dominated the field, Peanut's Lee Sin took off, and SKT displayed suffocating offensive firepower.

But then again, when facing weak teams ranked at the bottom, they might inexplicably lose a game or even suffer a shock defeat in a best-of-three series due to aggressive tower dives by their top and jungle players or lapses in vision control.

With the first round of the Spring Split halfway through, SKT's record is an embarrassing 5 wins and 3 losses, ranking fourth in the standings.

This is simply unacceptable for a team that was expected to achieve great things.

On the South Korean esports forum Inven, discussions about SKT have completely exploded.

"This is what they call an invincible lineup? Aside from the mid and bot lanes, the top and jungle are a disaster!"

"What exactly is TheShy? A solo queue king shouldn't be playing pro. What can he do besides pushing lanes and feeding? He has absolutely no awareness of ganks, he's a walking time bomb!"

"I strongly demand that TheShy be replaced and Untara start! We need a team-oriented top laner who can win games, not a clown who just shows off his skills!"

"Peanut is useless now. He has no idea what he's doing and is like a headless fly. He's not a good fit for SKT's system at all."

"My heart aches for Xiao Yanshen. He gives his all in every game, win or lose, and his stats are always the most impressive, with an advantage in lane. SKT is wasting his prime!"

"Why choose TheShy at all?! TheShy is a cancer right now!"

The media also began to fuel the flames. The Seoul Sports Daily even published a front-page article titled "The Sunken Galactic Battleship: The Arrogance of Genius and the Collapse of the System," sharply pointing out that after SKT brought in TheShy, they completely lost their once-proud operational capabilities and became a second-rate team that could only play chaotic games.

In a post-match interview, a reporter even deliberately stirred things up by asking Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, your stats this season have been near perfect, but the team's performance has been disappointing. Many people believe that top laner TheShy's aggressive playstyle has dragged the team down. What are your thoughts on this? Do you miss your former teammates?"

This tricky question made the SKT staff in the audience hold their breath. If Xiao Yan expressed any dissatisfaction on camera, the internal conflicts within SKT would be completely exposed.

However, Xiao Yan, standing under the spotlight, showed no emotion whatsoever.

He adjusted the microphone, his deep eyes exuding an aura of authority that made it impossible to look directly at him.

"I don't know where you get this idea of ​​'dragging down' from." Xiao Yan's voice was calm yet powerful, resonating throughout the entire venue through the speakers. "League of Legends is a five-player game. If we win, it's the credit of all five of us; if we lose, it's the responsibility of all five of us. No matter how good my stats are, if the base crystal explodes, they're meaningless numbers."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group of reporters below the stage.

"As for TheShy... SKT doesn't need a role player who can only withstand pressure. What we need is a god of war who can single-handedly tear through all defenses on the world stage. Give Seung-rok some time, and he will prove to the world what true top lane dominance is."

Finally, Xiao Yan looked directly at the reporter who had asked the question and said, word by word, "SKT's current roster is the most perfect roster in the world. We haven't lost our way; we're just evolving. To those who are currently mocking us, I hope you'll still be making the same noise by the end of the season."

This domineering interview instantly went viral online.

Xiao Yan's absolute trust and protection of TheShy moved countless fans, but also fueled the attacks from his haters.

There are many conflicting opinions from the outside world, and the situation is turbulent.

However, inside the SKT club, there was an eerie, suffocating calm.

There were no arguments, no accusations, and even coach kkOma didn't show excessive anxiety about the recent results.

It was late at night, 3 a.m.

Heavy snow began to fall in Seoul.

The lights were still on in SKT's training room.

TheShy, wearing headphones and with bloodshot eyes, stared intently at the screen. He was playing solo queue on the Korean server, using Jayce, a champion he had recently struggled with in matches.

"Victory!"

As the enemy crystal exploded, TheShy let out a long breath and leaned back wearily in his gaming chair.

A steaming cup of black coffee was gently placed on his desk.

TheShy turned his head and saw Xiao Yan pulling out a chair next to him and sitting down.

"Senior...you're still awake?" TheShy sat up a little awkwardly.

"You weren't asleep either, were you?" Xiao Yan picked up his coffee, took a sip, and glanced at TheShy's stats panel. "Fifteen-game winning streak. How's it like being number one on the Korean server?"

TheShy gave a wry smile: "What's the use of playing well in ranked games? Once I'm in a match, I'm like an idiot getting played by the enemy. Senior, am I really not suited for SKT's system? Maybe... Untara is more suited to be the starter."

The pressure from public opinion during this period weighed heavily on this eighteen-year-old boy. The vicious insults and doubts caused a crack in his once unwavering confidence.

Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at TheShy intently.

"Chenglu, why do you think we lost all this time?" Xiao Yan asked.

TheShy lowered his head: "Because I'm too easy to gank, because I disrupt the team's rhythm..."

"Wrong." Xiao Yan interrupted him mercilessly.

TheShy looked up in surprise.

"The reason we lost is because we were using the regular season points as an experiment." Xiao Yan's voice was soft, but it exploded in TheShy's ears like a thunderclap.

"To conduct...an experiment?"

"Didn't you notice that neither Sang-hyeok nor I gave commands throughout the entire match? We only gave commands during the dragon fight, didn't we?"

"Otherwise, if we were to give the orders, would the enemy jungler be able to kill you so easily?"

TheShy was stunned. Upon careful reflection, he realized that in recent matches, the team's vision control had been almost entirely focused on the bottom half of the map.

He was like a completely isolated island in the top lane, with no vision protection and no counter-ganking from the jungler.

"This was a decision made jointly by the coaching staff and me," Xiao Yan said slowly, looking at TheShy's shocked expression. "This is called 'extreme pressure' training. During the match, we deliberately cut off support to the top lane, completely exposing you to the firepower of the enemy jungler and mid laner."

"Why?!" TheShy asked, puzzled.

"Because only under the high pressure of a real match, in the fear of being endlessly targeted and possibly dying at any moment, can you truly hone your own 'anti-gank instincts.' In ranked matches, you can dodge skills with your extreme reaction speed. But in top professional matches, when you see the enemy jungler appear, you're already dead."

"What you need to learn isn't how to maneuver when you're surrounded, but how to retreat to a safe position the moment the enemy even considers surrounding you. Or... how to clearly calculate how to kill them all when they come to gank you!"

"SKT's Spring Split performance is your tuition fee for growth. What does losing a few regular season games matter? What we want is the S8 World Championship title!"

"What do you think those people outside know? They only see your stats, but they don't see that in the last two games, although you still get caught, your chance of using Flash to escape has increased by 30%, and your chance of trading kills with the enemy top laner before you die has increased by 50%. Your positioning is becoming more and more like that of a true top laner."

Xiao Yan reached out and patted TheShy's shoulder heavily.

"Don't read those trashy comments online. You are the sharpest blade in this team; your job is to sharpen it. As for everything else, I, Sang-hyeok, and everyone else will cover for you."

The pressure from public opinion during this period weighed heavily on this eighteen-year-old boy. The vicious insults and doubts caused a crack in his once unwavering confidence.

Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at TheShy intently.

"Chenglu, why do you think we lost all this time?" Xiao Yan asked.

TheShy lowered his head: "Because I'm too easy to gank, because I disrupt the team's rhythm..."

"Wrong." Xiao Yan interrupted him mercilessly.

TheShy looked up in surprise.

"The reason we lost is because we were using the regular season points as an experiment." Xiao Yan's voice was soft, but it exploded in TheShy's ears like a thunderclap.

"To conduct...an experiment?"

"Didn't you notice that neither Sang-hyeok nor I gave commands throughout the entire match? We only gave commands during the dragon fight, didn't we?"

"Otherwise, if we were to give the orders, would the enemy jungler be able to kill you so easily?"

TheShy was stunned. Upon careful reflection, he realized that in recent matches, the team's vision control had been almost entirely focused on the bottom half of the map.

He was like a completely isolated island in the top lane, with no vision protection and no counter-ganking from the jungler.

"This was a decision made jointly by the coaching staff and me," Xiao Yan said slowly, looking at TheShy's shocked expression. "This is called 'extreme pressure' training. During the match, we deliberately cut off support to the top lane, completely exposing you to the firepower of the enemy jungler and mid laner."

"Why?!" TheShy asked, puzzled.

"Because only under the high pressure of a real match, in the fear of being endlessly targeted and possibly dying at any moment, can you truly hone your own 'anti-gank instincts.' In ranked matches, you can dodge skills with your extreme reaction speed. But in top professional matches, when you see the enemy jungler appear, you're already dead."

"What you need to learn isn't how to maneuver when you're surrounded, but how to retreat to a safe position the moment the enemy even considers surrounding you. Or... how to clearly calculate how to kill them all when they come to gank you!"

"SKT's Spring Split performance is your tuition fee for growth. What does losing a few regular season games matter? What we want is the S8 World Championship title!"

"What do you think those people outside know? They only see your stats, but they don't see that in the last two games, although you still get caught, your chance of using Flash to escape has increased by 30%, and your chance of trading kills with the enemy top laner before you die has increased by 50%. Your positioning is becoming more and more like that of a true top laner."

Xiao Yan reached out and patted TheShy's shoulder heavily.

"Don't read those trashy comments online. You are the sharpest blade in this team; your job is to sharpen it. As for everything else, I, Sang-hyeok, and everyone else will cover for you."

Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at TheShy intently.

"Chenglu, why do you think we lost all this time?" Xiao Yan asked.

TheShy lowered his head: "Because I'm too easy to gank, because I disrupt the team's rhythm..."

"Wrong." Xiao Yan interrupted him mercilessly.

TheShy looked up in surprise.

"The reason we lost is because we were using the regular season points as an experiment." Xiao Yan's voice was soft, but it exploded in TheShy's ears like a thunderclap.

"To conduct...an experiment?"

"Didn't you notice that neither Sang-hyeok nor I gave commands throughout the entire match? We only gave commands during the dragon fight, didn't we?"

"Otherwise, if we were to give the orders, would the enemy jungler be able to kill you so easily?"

TheShy was stunned. Upon careful reflection, he realized that in recent matches, the team's vision control had been almost entirely focused on the bottom half of the map.

He was like a completely isolated island in the top lane, with no vision protection and no counter-ganking from the jungler.

"This was a decision made jointly by the coaching staff and me," Xiao Yan said slowly, looking at TheShy's shocked expression. "This is called 'extreme pressure' training. During the match, we deliberately cut off support to the top lane, completely exposing you to the firepower of the enemy jungler and mid laner."

"Why?!" TheShy asked, puzzled.

"Because only under the high pressure of a real match, in the fear of being endlessly targeted and possibly dying at any moment, can you truly hone your own 'anti-gank instincts.' In ranked matches, you can dodge skills with your extreme reaction speed. But in top professional matches, when you see the enemy jungler appear, you're already dead."

"What you need to learn isn't how to maneuver when you're surrounded, but how to retreat to a safe position the moment the enemy even considers surrounding you. Or... how to clearly calculate how to kill them all when they come to gank you!"

"SKT's Spring Split performance is your tuition fee for growth. What does losing a few regular season games matter? What we want is the S8 World Championship title!"

"What do you think those people outside know? They only see your stats, but they don't see that in the last two games, although you still get caught, your chance of using Flash to escape has increased by 30%, and your chance of trading kills with the enemy top laner before you die has increased by 50%. Your positioning is becoming more and more like that of a true top laner."

Xiao Yan reached out and patted TheShy's shoulder heavily.

"Don't read those trashy comments online. You are the sharpest blade in this team; your job is to sharpen it. As for everything else, I, Sang-hyeok, and everyone else will cover for you."

Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at TheShy intently.

"Chenglu, why do you think we lost all this time?" Xiao Yan asked.

TheShy lowered his head: "Because I'm too easy to gank, because I disrupt the team's rhythm..."

"Wrong." Xiao Yan interrupted him mercilessly.

TheShy looked up in surprise.

"The reason we lost is because we were using the regular season points as an experiment." Xiao Yan's voice was soft, but it exploded in TheShy's ears like a thunderclap.

"To conduct...an experiment?"

"Didn't you notice that neither Sang-hyeok nor I gave commands throughout the entire match? We only gave commands during the dragon fight, didn't we?"

"Otherwise, if we were to give the orders, would the enemy jungler be able to kill you so easily?"

TheShy was stunned. Upon careful reflection, he realized that in recent matches, the team's vision control had been almost entirely focused on the bottom half of the map.

He was like a completely isolated island in the top lane, with no vision protection and no counter-ganking from the jungler.

"This was a decision made jointly by the coaching staff and me," Xiao Yan said slowly, looking at TheShy's shocked expression. "This is called 'extreme pressure' training. During the match, we deliberately cut off support to the top lane, completely exposing you to the firepower of the enemy jungler and mid laner."

"Why?!" TheShy asked, puzzled.

"Because only under the high pressure of a real match, in the fear of being endlessly targeted and possibly dying at any moment, can you truly hone your own 'anti-gank instincts.' In ranked matches, you can dodge skills with your extreme reaction speed. But in top professional matches, when you see the enemy jungler appear, you're already dead."

"What you need to learn isn't how to maneuver when you're surrounded, but how to retreat to a safe position the moment the enemy even considers surrounding you. Or... how to clearly calculate how to kill them all when they come to gank you!"

"SKT's Spring Split performance is your tuition fee for growth. What does losing a few regular season games matter? What we want is the S8 World Championship title!"

"What do you think those people outside know? They only see your stats, but they don't see that in the last two games, although you still get caught, your chance of using Flash to escape has increased by 30%, and your chance of trading kills with the enemy top laner before you die has increased by 50%. Your positioning is becoming more and more like that of a true top laner."

Xiao Yan reached out and patted TheShy's shoulder heavily.

"Don't read those trashy comments online. You are the sharpest blade in this team; your job is to sharpen it. As for everything else, I, Sang-hyeok, and everyone else will cover for you."

Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at TheShy intently.

"Chenglu, why do you think we lost all this time?" Xiao Yan asked.

TheShy lowered his head: "Because I'm too easy to gank, because I disrupt the team's rhythm..."

"Wrong." Xiao Yan interrupted him mercilessly.

TheShy looked up in surprise.

"The reason we lost is because we were using the regular season points as an experiment." Xiao Yan's voice was soft, but it exploded in TheShy's ears like a thunderclap.

"To conduct...an experiment?"

"Didn't you notice that neither Sang-hyeok nor I gave commands throughout the entire match? We only gave commands during the dragon fight, didn't we?"

"Otherwise, if we were to give the orders, would the enemy jungler be able to kill you so easily?"

TheShy was stunned. Upon careful reflection, he realized that in recent matches, the team's vision control had been almost entirely focused on the bottom half of the map.

He was like a completely isolated island in the top lane, with no vision protection and no counter-ganking from the jungler.

"This was a decision made jointly by the coaching staff and me," Xiao Yan said slowly, looking at TheShy's shocked expression. "This is called 'extreme pressure' training. During the match, we deliberately cut off support to the top lane, completely exposing you to the firepower of the enemy jungler and mid laner."

"Why?!" TheShy asked, puzzled.

"Because only under the high pressure of a real match, in the fear of being endlessly targeted and possibly dying at any moment, can you truly hone your own 'anti-gank instincts.' In ranked matches, you can dodge skills with your extreme reaction speed. But in top professional matches, when you see the enemy jungler appear, you're already dead."

"What you need to learn isn't how to maneuver when you're surrounded, but how to retreat to a safe position the moment the enemy even considers surrounding you. Or... how to clearly calculate how to kill them all when they come to gank you!"

"SKT's Spring Split performance is your tuition fee for growth. What does losing a few regular season games matter? What we want is the S8 World Championship title!"

"What do you think those people outside know? They only see your stats, but they don't see that in the last two games, although you still get caught, your chance of using Flash to escape has increased by 30%, and your chance of trading kills with the enemy top laner before you die has increased by 50%. Your positioning is becoming more and more like that of a true top laner."

Xiao Yan reached out and patted TheShy's shoulder heavily.

"Don't read those trashy comments online. You are the sharpest blade in this team; your job is to sharpen it. As for everything else, I, Sang-hyeok, and everyone else will cover for you."