Division 3 Promotion Battle (4): The Forest Minion Prison
"Alright, Hayoung. Your role in this game is the most crucial. You'll have to make a lot of sacrifices, but you can handle that, right?"
"Yes! I'm fine with it!"
"You can't make even a single mistake. Remember everything we practiced."
"That... I dream about it so much, I won't forget it no matter what."
"Yuna, you'll be on the receiving end of the lane the whole time. Manage your health carefully so you don't get dove and die. If push comes to shove, let the tower take a bit of damage—just don't die."
"Don't worry. Who do you think I am?"
"Seona, Sera. If the enemy runs out of options, they might head your way. Sera, be extra careful since Hayoung won't be around for a while. Eunjae, focus on protecting Sera this game instead of roaming. Seona, Hayoung will be busy with her job, so it might be hard for her to control you. Please, for the love of god, don't cross half the mid lane, okay?"
"Ah~ Coach, don't you know me? I'm Seona, Kim Seona."
Seona, who had been oddly cold to me for a while after that drunken night, was back to her usual self now that her mood had cleared up.
It must've been because of that day, after all.
"That's exactly why I'm saying it. If you cross the mid line this game, you're begging to die. Play safe, safe."
"Hmph! You always pick on me!"
"Players, time to get ready for the match!"
The moment I finished giving all my instructions, a staff member flung open the waiting room door and shouted.
"Alright, time to wrap up this season's farming! Win this and head to the winners' bracket to prep with peace of mind! Shining Star!"
"Fighting!"
The players headed to the arena capsules, while I slipped into the in-game coach spectator seat using the waiting room capsule early.
Picks began soon after, and Team Riddle pulled out their most-picked extreme push comp without any pretense of hiding it.
Siren, Trent Master, Reformed Shaman came out in order, and on the 4th pick, Celestial Wolf Lord appeared—the exact comp we'd seen in their replays.
And our team showed no hesitation either, whipping out Land Crusher.
- Ah, Land Crusher's out. Shining Star's never used it before!
- Makes sense! Land Crusher's ult is a hard counter to that kind of swarm pressure.
- But here's the thing. Team Riddle's push comp is one they've spammed a ton, so their skill mastery is sky-high. Shining Star's Land Crusher mastery? Total question mark. On paper, it's a hard counter, but if the mastery gap's too wide, it won't deliver the expected results.
- Let's see it play out, then. Shining Star's Land Crusher! They must have a plan.
├─ Earth Fissure (Q): Creates an impassable fissure in a straight line, dealing damage and stunning nearby enemies. Fissure lasts 10 seconds.
├─ Extreme Empowerment (W): Next basic attack deals massive damage.
├─ Aftershock (E) (Passive): Skills deal damage and stun in a small area around self.
└─ Land Crush (R): Weak damage in a wide area around self. All enemies in range resonate, passing extra damage to nearby allies.
"Land Crusher, huh?"
"They've never used it before. Pulling it out against our push comp?"
"Dunno how mastered it is, but at average level, our summons and clones won't die."
"Still, don't get cocky. These are the guys who fished that level 1 Rosie and spread Lightning. Who knows what they'll pull."
"Got it. I'll be careful when pushing. Supports, keep eyes on Land Crusher's position always."
"Okay."
Team Riddle's players dismissed Shining Star's Land Crusher but stayed sharp, starting the game with full focus.
After 2 minutes of prep, the horn signaling minion spawn echoed across the map. Both teams took their lanes, waiting for the incoming waves.
30 seconds later, minions clashed everywhere without issue. Except one suspiciously peaceful spot.
Top lane, where Blue side Shining Star's offlaner Cha Yuna faced Red side Team Riddle's carry. Instead of clashing, the lane was pulled hopelessly toward Yuna.
Because Shining Star's minions hadn't shown up. Unopposed, Team Riddle's wave slammed straight into Yuna's tower. She leaked a few CS but cleared them easily.
Another 30 seconds. No Shining Star minions again. Riddle's wave hit the tower once more.
"What the hell? No minions coming?"
"Bug? Check with pause."
Team Riddle paused immediately. In the frozen world excluding themselves, someone popped up next to their carry.
"Yes, Team Riddle? What's the issue?"
"No top minions. Isn't this a bug?"
The admin went silent, looking awkward. After a moment:
"What? Not a bug?"
"Nope. Everything's normal—proceed. Replay will explain."
"...What?"
- Match underway! Promotion game 1: Shining Star vs. Team Riddle! Shining Star pulls never-before-seen Land Crusher, but...
- Huh? Hayoung's items—what's that?
- One Lumber Axe and seven mana regen pots? No wards, no health items...
- And she's not going bot? Heading top?
- Offlaner's Wave Sorcerer is tanky, so no real setup needed to hold. But this leaves Sera exposed?
- Let's watch. What's the plan!
Assuming Hayoung pulled it off perfectly, in about 3 minutes, those casters' voices would fill with shock again.
Listening to their confusion now, I couldn't wait for those 3 minutes.
And then, 3 minutes in.
- Shining Star!!!
- No way—they prepped this?!
- Map's huge, but they found that one spot perfect for it. Like the level 1 Rosie fish, Lightning new meta—they're a generational monster rookie team!
- Team Riddle pausing. Minions not spawning—thinks it's a bug...
- Totally understandable from their side. But it's not!
- We can't believe our eyes—imagine being on the receiving end!
- Resuming quick. Not a bug!
- ...Team Riddle, when will they catch on? They'll faint when they do!
Hayoung spent her starting 600 gold on one Lumber Axe and seven mana regen potions, then rushed top with Yuna.
Increases basic attack damage to minions.
Lumber (Active): Chop a tree.
"Sera, hold the line."
"Got it."
"Hayoung, no mistakes. I really wanna see their faces."
"Don't worry, unnie. Coach drilled us to death— I can see the map with my eyes closed now."
"Puhuhu, they'll be shocked~?"
"Hehe, me too, super excited. Sera, I'll take good care of ya."
Hayoung activated the Lumber Axe on the trees just past their tier 2 top tower.
An item that added minor damage to minions/jungle mobs and let you chop trees. Pros could CS without it, so no one bought it in pro scene.
But Hayoung kept going, carving deeper into the tree line at the map's edge.
She felled the trees in the densest thicket center. A minute later, a clear clearing emerged where they'd stood.
The moment it was done, the minion spawn horn blew.
- Horn sounds, 15 seconds later. Use when the wave's tail passes our tier 2—perfect timing.
- Don't fissure that way! Angle wrong, gap lets 'em leak!
- Angle slightly downward from horizontal! Tilt toward our tower!
- Don't chop that tree! No gap between—keep it to block escape!
- Clearing too narrow! They escape on next fissure cooldown!
- Too late! Ignore timing for width? One more chop after horn—then only fissures!
Remembering that hellish week with Yuseong, Hayoung shuddered involuntarily.
'13... 14... 15, now!'
She slammed her totem down with all her might. The earth-vibrating Land Crusher totem glowed, carving a razor-sharp rock fissure in a straight line—an instant impassable terrain.
'Block the path, then open the clearing entrance. Mana pot one.'
She sidestepped. The narrow entrance to her handmade clearing. With the main path blocked, minions funneled right in.
'One, two, three, four, five, six. Good!'
One wave: six minions. All inside confirmed, Hayoung body-blocked the entrance.
AI minions seek the furthest advance point. Her clearing was deeper than the fissure. Blocked, they pushed to the back naturally.
Level 1 Land Crusher's weak mana: one fissure only. Hence cheap mana pots. Hayoung recovered slowly during cooldown.
'30 seconds later... now!'
She stepped aside to fissure. First wave tried escaping but got blocked again, retreating deep. Second wave followed into the crowded clearing.
Blocked again.
One pot per wave trapped.
Plus natural regen for one extra fissure—nine waves total locked in the tree hollow.
"Ugh... out of mana..."
"Kya~ CS tastes so sweet~"
Always pushing as offlaner, Yuna savored the rare honey farm.
'Time's almost up...'
- 10th wave tail passes tier 2, step out.
- Release then?
- No, no need to block anymore.
10th wave passed tower—Hayoung stepped aside.
Minions surged out... but failed.
Chopped trees regrow in 5:30.
Hayoung bought and started chopping ~1 min before horn. Held 9 waves for 4:30.
She moved—trees regrew, sealing nine waves permanently in the forest.
Over 5 minutes since spawn. In pro play, 5 minutes was lifeblood. Team Riddle's carry hadn't even glimpsed a minion face.