"Ah, Why the Hell Is This Bastard Showing Up Here?"
“Ah, why the hell is this bastard showing up here.”
“Gasp? What kinda gasp is that? Nah, uh, well, argh, whatever. Just a casual way of saying it.”
I panicked for a second and let a harsh word slip out without thinking. We were always super casual with each other, so it came naturally, but the viewers latching onto it that fast was impressive.
Anyway, what tier was this guy on to get matched with me? I checked—Challenger tail-end. Top Challenger would've never matched with me, so it made sense, but still, was a Challenger really matching with me?
For reference, Phantom's tier was Grandmaster. Not even top Grandmaster, a bit below. Kinda low for a pro from season 1.
“Who's top?”
Nickname... AramdongSharpEyes?
Coincidence, but it reminds me of Arang.
Ah, Sharpness. I knew the name. Top laner who'd been in China until last year—not bad, but too defensive, so not highly rated.
After dropping out in Eld Cup quarters, basically cut from the team, no news since. Guess he's still playing.
“This ain't easy.”
[OK I'll carry]
“Yeah yeah, count on you.”
I didn't think we'd lose from the start, but it was gonna be tough. Basically three pros on enemy team. Tier's a bit low, but everyone knows that doesn't matter much for pros.
“Matching feels off though? How do three pros get queued together.”
“Grandmaster's right there, who cares?”
Beating three pros with Arang... Honestly, at this point, I'd half-given up. Not fully, but close.
Losing to Yuseung stung a bit, but I was past getting highs and lows over one game.
Anyway, I'd picked Shrine Maiden to support Arang's Bladesword. Bladesword gets great survival no matter the weapon, but damage is low—Shrine Maiden fixes that.
Normally I'd snowball top with this combo, but Arang piercing Sharpness? Nah.
She picked Berserker instead of his usual champs, so slim hope maybe.
Guess I'd have to shut down Jesus with macro.
Jesus picked Martial Artist, our jungler Thief. Thief's fast and great at counter-jungling, but killing Martial Artist? No chance against Jesus, even at Grandmaster.
Just don't die, please.
Mid laning was slight edge. Holding lane vs Grandmaster Astrologer meant my practice paid off.
Top slightly pushed, bot even... or so it seemed.
Not even close.
No bot kills yet. But Phantom was holding bot solo purely on laning, while enemy support roamed mid/top.
They took all small objectives. Games like this were losses already.
Thief tried ganking solo bot for a kill, but enemy blocked angles perfectly. CS even—pro is pro.
“Not getting crushed, but game's slogging like quicksand.”
“Enemy ADC's good. That's why.”
“His pathing's predictable.”
I'd warded off my laning edge to track Jesus—no effective ganks. Map controlled by their support/jungle, Thief falling behind.
Our comp stronger laning/mobility, yet even or losing? Game tilting slowly but surely their way.
Next fight at 14-min Apostle of the River. Lose teamfight, game's over. Win, spark of hope. Last chance.
Prepping fight, lost Jesus's Martial Artist—pops from fog behind. No time to react, ult hits Thief, CC locks him.
Could interrupt ult to save, but used CC for poke, on cooldown.
Enemy Astrologer flashes in, full combo on Thief. We CC Martial Artist, but he survives, Thief dies.
Enemy support Lighthouse Keeper joining from behind.
2v4 with skills down—back off. Pinged retreat, Arang listened for once.
They didn't chase hard, took respawned Apostle. Smart, our jungler dead.
Game over. No weak spots ahead.
Heading back to lane, weird feeling hit—powerlessness, disgust, frustration like clogged drain.
Plus weird high.
Dragging it out, low comeback odds. Better than all-in now, but so what? Not tourney, just soloq. Grandmaster promo tho.
Just soloq, fuck it. Annoyed, whatever happens.
Their support Lighthouse Keeper too—slow boring starve death.
What if... all-in instead?
No basis, pure gamble. Good thing I like gambles.
Told Arang.
“Arang, just go in.”
Thankfully, Arang listened again. Absurd angle even she question-pinged, but dove in. Bladesword bursts from bush, pulls aggro.
Apostle tanky for early, decent damage. Martial Artist half HP, Lighthouse Keeper backs off thinking done.
Bladesword reveals vision—Astrologer skill whiffs on Apostle.
Winrate up. 1% to 3%.
Buffed Arang's damage, eyed backline Martial Artist. World slows—see Apostle's airknock pattern incoming.
Aimed at Martial Artist, but just misses. He dodges sideways anyway.
Tentacle lifts him—I ult straight there. Shrine Maiden ult strong damage/CC but long windup, hard to land. But he's airborne.
Arang dashes, grabs his back.
Berserker chases her, Astrologer abandons cover for me. Martial dead anyway, Berserker finishes Bladesword—smart.
But ult lands—blue dragon ascends, devours Martial Artist. Splashes Berserker hard.
Astrologer full combos me, no skills left—flash back. His flash down earlier, can't chase.
Aranggaiger (Bladesword) → E Revo JESUS (Martial Artist)
Arang got the kill. 1-for-1, but loss overall. Apostle to them, Berserker kills Arang, me flashing away.
But,
PudgeDice has slain the Apostle of the River.
Miracle.
Relic steal meaningless if enemies take it. Just minor movespeed buff for me.
But,
Aranggaiger has acquired the River Relic.
Arang, who should've died, stole relic. Bladesword survival—invuln then counterattack. Tanked Berserker burst, grabbed relic.
Couldn't last, but relic-empowered, clung to Berserker. Couldn't beat lifesteal tho—Astrologer/Lighthouse finish her.
AramdongSharpEyes (Berserker) → Aranggaiger (Bladesword)
And,
WhyMeThisWhy (Frost Archer) → AramdongSharpEyes (Berserker)
Our ADC ult from bot freezes Astrologer, low-HP Berserker AOE'd to death.
I rush frozen Astrologer—fish buff speed. Dump all skills. He counters post-CC,
PudgeDice (Shrine Maiden) → IronyNoSense (Astrologer)
Too late.
Even I was stunned—miracle plays and luck, we won tf 1-for-3. Bladesword got relic too.
I couldn't believe it.
Game swung our way as reward, but still no easy win vibe.
Does it matter?
“LoE is so fun.”
“Easy. Sigh, that's why they're in div 2.”
“Jesus? You're nothing special. Practice more.”
[Sharpness? You're nothing special. Practice more]
“Why not get hyped? Dopamine overload.”
“Called shots, landed ult, stole fish, nabbed Astrologer.”
“All on purpose.”
Not all, up to midway. Wasn't even trying to win—pure luck.
But luck's skill too.
By now, win/loss didn't matter much. Hadn't given up, now winnable, but that tf dopamine massive.
Game wasn't easy like I thought. But relic Bladesword + Shrine synergy exploded. 40+ min slugfest, we won.
[Aranggaiger (Bladesword): Nickchange to AramdongSharpEyes go go]
Victory screen hit—ignored Arang's allchat aggro, screamed without thinking.
“Yessssss!”
“Ah sorry. Just so hyped. Haven't had fun game like this in ages.”
This game I alternated best and peak plays. Shrine not mechanical champ, but maxed what I could, macro win.
Apostle tf pure luck, but luck's skill.
Honestly, won cuz Jesus underperformed. Did all jungle stuff, but Challenger should've done more? We had two mids (me/Arang).
I'm not real mid tho.
Should've pressured all lanes early instead of safe macro—unlosable.
I shut it down tho.
“Ah, feels so good.”
Yuseung? You got talent. Grind. Gonna roast him in chat later.
“Alright, let's check. Ah, Arang hit Grandmaster too? Heh.”
Dopamine high, lingered on victory. Challenger enemy = big LP gain. Thought GM for sure, checked lobby.
...Huh?
“This is bullshit, fuck.”
“Fuck, beat Challenger jungler and only this LP? Wtf!”
If Yuseung gave 1 more point!!
Not his fault, but blamed him anyway.
“Was so good, now deflated...”
“Sigh, yeah. Arang you hit GM? Nice.”
Checked—yep, Grandmaster. First time on this account, but Arang's not newbie. Was low GM when we met. Dropped quick tho.
Why no chat from Arang? Issue?
“Why quiet? Problem?”
[I don't listen to weaklings weaker than me.]
??
[Mid, quiet.]
...Kicked Arang.
GM now anyway, no duo.