IRAJAS Chapter 136

Amidst all the cheering from LPL fans, Qi Mo was sweating profusely and breathing heavily.

The extreme operation just now seemed to have taken away all his vitality. The brief rest did not help him recover much.

He struggled to move forward, facing the final battle of this game.

Perhaps this was the closest he had ever been to his dream.

Yet, it also felt like the farthest.

In this game, he exerted all his efforts, reaching unprecedented peaks and catching a glimpse of the true face of god.

Kuien seemed like an insurmountable mountain. When he displayed his full strength, any struggle before him seemed trivial and ridiculous.

The immense pressure stimulated every nerve in Qi Mo’s body. He fought hard, trying to move forward. But no matter how much effort he exerted, his steps were always forced backward.

Under the overwhelming pressure, Qi Mo felt utterly exhausted, reduced to a tiny speck of dust, while Kuien remained an immovable mountain, unaffected by his efforts.

Suddenly, a brief ringing sound echoed in his headphones. After the ringing ceased, chaos ensued. All his perseverance and hard work turned into smoke in an instant. He witnessed the YK team stepping over their bodies, advancing triumphantly.

Despite breaking his own limits and giving his best, he still couldn’t make a dent.

Could this be… the difference between mortal and god?

ENG lost.

Lost in the crucial moment.

And not just by a small margin, but completely crushed by the opponent, with no chance of turning the tide.

The LPL esports community erupted. The audience, who had been united in cheering them on, instantly divided into countless factions.

Some bitterly criticized their coaches, claiming they lost from the very beginning with the drafting phase.

Some blamed their jungle player, accusing him of sleepwalking through the game, utterly ineffective.

Others blamed their top and bot lanes, claiming they were invisible during crucial moments.

And there were even more criticisms directed at Qi Mo. Despite being at his peak, he was mercilessly crushed by the opponent…

Faced with these accusations, ENG had no defense.

Defeat became the only color on them, overshadowing any effort or highlight that might have existed.

Watching Qi Mo on stage, lost and despondent, Zhang Chao crying uncontrollably, and the other players wiping away tears, many reluctant fans had to accept the truth: ENG’s Worlds journey had ended.

They came with ambition and determination, only to return in defeat.

They had prepared countless days and nights and faced numerous challenges. Yet in the end, they only made it to the semifinals like last year, leaving with regret.

Worlds will continue, year after year.

But there will never be another peak ENG…

Lin Lan suddenly found himself unable to bear watching such scenes. He stood up and left the stifling resting room, feeling a deep pang of sympathy for Qi Mo’s failure.

A large hand fell on his shoulder, it was Xiao Shengjing.

He didn’t say anything, just stood silently behind him, offering comfort without words.

With his head bowed, Lin Lan spoke softly, “Captain, do you think a player who hasn’t achieved glory in their prime still has a chance in the future?”

Xiao Shengjing’s hand paused for a moment. He didn’t answer, nor did he need to, because both of them knew the answer.

Lin Lan’s breath became uneven, he cleared his throat and continued, “I just watched the duel between Qi Mo and Kuien. I suddenly realized that the glory I achieved in that world might not be because I’m exceptionally talented, but simply because I avoided their prime. If I were to face them at their peak…”

Suddenly, he was enveloped in a hug from behind. Xiao Shengjing held him tightly, pressing his hand against Lin Lan’s forehead, and guiding him to lean against his chest. “Don’t speculate blindly. Whether you can win or not, only the game will tell. Have you ever thought that perhaps the reason you came into this world was to meet them at their peak, and then prove yourself?”

Xiao Shengjing’s voice always had a way of warming the heart.

He could see through the emotions Lin Lan was hiding behind his back and would try to resolve them in his own way.

Perhaps his words didn’t truly dispel Lin Lan’s doubts, but Lin Lan had to admit that he had indeed sparked his fighting spirit.

Whether they could win or not, they would only know once they fought.

Although ENG had been eliminated, they didn’t leave immediately. Instead, they decided to stay and continue training with DT until their World Championship journey ended.

This decision moved many fans online to tears. [What kind of fairy tale love is this?]

[ENG and DT, I’m so emotional…]

[These two teams are truly the best teams I’ve ever supported!]

[Despite losing the game, ENG decided to stay and finish the journey with DT.]

After shedding tears over this perfect love story, fans also had a very significant worry: would DT crash and burn against TO?

Everyone is saying that this year is the strongest year for the LPL. If both teams fall in the semifinals, it would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to the LPL!

Following the trending topic of ENG’s defeat in the semifinals, the topic of whether DT can defeat TO also dominated the discussion overnight.

Countless individuals expressed their opinions, and major commentators kept cheering for DT because DT represents all the hopes and the last dignity of the LPL.

This is not just DT’s war.

It’s the entire region’s war!

On the day of the match, countless fans had already started camping two hours before the match to watch. They discussed everything from the players’ mental state to feng shui.

In short, the consensus was that DT must win today!

As both teams entered the arena, it was evident that TO was all smiles, without any pressure.

They had mentioned in their pre-match interviews that winning against DT would be a breakthrough, but losing wouldn’t be a loss either. So they approached this game very relaxed.

This makes people worry about DT’s situation. Under such immense pressure, can the players still bring out their best performance?

When the DT members entered the stage, sharp-eyed viewers noticed that Jiang Jin actually brought his stuffed cat doll. As soon as he sat down, he took it out and placed it next to his computer, murmuring to it just like he does at home.

The domestic commentators jokingly remarked, “This behavior of Morri is what we usually call a psychological tactic for victory. Seeing how confident he looks, today’s game should be a sure win!”

The audience chuckled nervously amidst the tension, keeping their eyes glued to the screen, afraid to miss any detail.

As the game officially began with the commentary, both sides entered the ban-pick phase swiftly, banning three champions each.

DT, on the blue side, locked in Gragas first.

This is a flexible pick, suitable for both top and jungle, and it’s also a strong move for DT.

But it was clear that TO didn’t regard their move highly. They prioritized picking Urgot for the top lane, forcing Gragas to the jungle.

DT seemed to have anticipated this, swiftly picking their next two champions: Twisted Fate and Kai’Sa.

As things progressed to this point, TO already had a sense that their opponents were about to fall into their trap, smiling confidently in front of the camera. They swiftly picked the classic bot lane combo: AD Varus + support Miss Fortune.

This was also a move that TO used to torment YTF to death.

The disgusting aspect of the Miss Fortune support lies in her lane harassment and wide-area slowing abilities. Coupled with Varus’s ultimate and Miss Fortune’s ultimate, they seamlessly combine. As long as Varus flashes and uses his ultimate, while Miss Fortune follows up with damage, it’s practically a kill every time. Even if someone has Flash, they won’t be able to escape.

Moreover, by choosing Kai’Sa, Xu Shengwei didn’t have good survival skills. Before level six, he would constantly be harassed, and after level six, he would face the dilemma of not daring to farm.

What’s more ruthless is that after TO picked this combo, they immediately banned two support champions, leaving Jiang Jin in a predicament without any support options.

The domestic commentators, upon seeing this, suddenly felt a chill. “Is TO going to play this combo again? This combo is too disgusting, and Kiner hasn’t played burst mid-liners. How are they going to deal with this combo in the mid-game?”

Back then, YTF couldn’t deal with it. They were harassed endlessly by TO in the early to mid-game, then TO took consecutive dragons, and within two waves, they were pushed to their high ground.

Is DT going to repeat the same mistake now?

The drafting rights returned to DT’s hands once again, with their final two picks remaining. The domestic commentators made a rational analysis: “I think they can try using Zilean. Morri’s Zilean is still very strong and can withstand the early to mid-game. If they can drag the game into the late game and rely on Kiner’s roaming to deal damage, I think there’s a chance!”

However, DT’s picks were very unexpected.

They actually picked Gnar for the top lane and Jarvan IV for the jungle.

A sea of question marks instantly filled the barrage; nobody understood the meaning behind these picks. Seriously, why not pick a support?

This pick not only confused the audience but also puzzled the opponents. They hesitated for a long time and then picked Viktor for the mid-lane, still not grasping what DT was thinking.

With both sides finishing their selections, they exchanged champions.

Amidst the intense exclamation from the audience, Gragas was handed over to Jiang Jin.

“What?” The commentators thought they must have misread, “Is Morri going to play Gragas?! After DT chose Gragas for both top and jungle, now, are they going to play Gragas for support as well?”

This ultimate bait-and-switch maneuver ignited a wave of excitement in the game, also letting the audience understand that DT did not come unprepared!

They prepared an excellent system to deal with TO’s tricky strategies!

After the lineup was confirmed, all members of DT smiled in front of the camera. Shi Quan also smiled as he shook hands with the opposing coach and left the stage, seemingly satisfied with the outcome.

The domestic broadcast commentators reviewed the previous pick and ban phase, also baffled by the strategy, “So, was DT digging traps from the beginning? From Kiner’s pick of Twisted Fate, DT was already setting traps. Does anyone remember how YTF lost? They also chose a roaming mid laner, but couldn’t handle TO’s bot lane combination, being endlessly harassed. But today is different because DT has brought out Gragas support to break the pattern.”

Gragas support was crucial in breaking through the opponent’s bot lane combination. Coupled with Jarvan IV jungle support, it also reduced the margin for error for this lineup.

DT’s pick and ban phase can be said to be a complete success!

The audience watching the review with the commentators excitedly screamed in front of the screen; DT’s pick-and-ban phase never disappoints. Coach Shi really has something up his sleeve!

TO on the other side obviously realized this issue. They were all smiles before the start of the game, but instantly became serious after the picks, discussing something solemnly in front of the camera.

The domestic commentators chuckled, “I guess TO has realized something’s not right and is quickly discussing countermeasures. But we, DT, came prepared!”

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