Crushing A1 and the Road to Domination
Right after the match ends.
"Hah, we got fucking wrecked."
Ryu Jin-seok lets out a hollow laugh.
He gazes beyond the glass of the capsule booth.
In the stands, a massive crowd of Kaiserst fans waves cheer sticks, while A1's supporters trudge out of the arena, faces full of disappointment.
In a match watched by all these people, he'd been utterly defeated by Lee Siwoo. No excuses. He'd been solo-killed two sets in a row.
It was humiliating.
He hadn't lost like this even to GZ, who were on a streak of league wins, or to their ace, Shin Jin-woo.
The shock hits hard.
Lee Siwoo's dominance, shattering OCK's ecosystem—it was something he just couldn't adapt to.
He looks around.
"Hah."
"Never seen a guy like that before."
"What the f...?"
His teammates react the same way. Some are dazed, others sigh in empty defeat.
Siwoo's performance had been on another level—straight-up human rights violation territory.
But A1 couldn't resist. The gap in mechanics and instincts was overwhelming.
Did that mean they could focus him down? No way. His positioning was too precise; he couldn't be easily targeted.
Truly—
Is this what real talent looks like?
Ryu Jin-seok smiles bitterly.
There were still two rounds left, but he couldn't imagine beating the guy. Losing to him as a sniper was one thing; getting crushed as a rifle attacker too?
The other attackers must feel the same.
Probably. Even he, who rarely felt like he was hitting a wall, was thinking it now.
Lee Siwoo had surpassed Masters level by a mile.
If they didn't go overseas after Round 1 and Kaiserst's players kept growing, they might snag the Masters title this year.
But.
...Gotta do it anyway.
Ryu Jin-seok couldn't give up.
It was his way of repaying the fans who believed in him.
He wouldn't lose Round 2, no matter what.
He'd get revenge.
He was still growing, after all.
WAAAAAAAAAAH——!!
A storm of cheers erupts from the stands.
The casters spit as they shout.
The chat explodes upward.
Kaiserst beating A1 was that big of an upset.
A1 had always been a top contender; Kaiserst was winless last year.
Sure, Kaiserst had rebuilt with an all-new roster and was on a win streak, but a perfect score against A1? Shocking.
There was an uncrossable gap between OCK's big three and everyone else.
Starting with player salaries.
WAAAAAAAAAAH——!!
As Siwoo emerges from the capsule booth, the fans roar. Half the seats are empty now that A1 fans left, but it's still deafening.
"Today's match POM! We have player Lee Siwoo!"
The interviewer beams and greets him.
"Lee Siwoo here again today."
Siwoo takes the mic, flashes a light smile, and waves to the fans.
WAAAAAAAAAAH-!
The cheers swell even louder.
"Player Lee Siwoo's popularity never fades! So many awesome moments today!"
The interviewer grins.
Truth be told, this hype wasn't pure love. It was fickle—gone the moment they lost.
That's sports.
Win, and even haters love you; lose, and they vanish like ghosts. Even those chanting your name yesterday.
Fans call them "big-team simps."
They love winners, chasing the glory without real loyalty to team or player.
But Siwoo wasn't worried. If it's love that can flee anytime, just keep winning to lock it down.
"First question! You beat A1 for your 7th straight win! Thoughts?"
Siwoo grins.
"Thrilled. Round 1 isn't even over, playoffs are ahead, but our league win odds are up, right? Feels like the goal's getting closer—motivates me."
League title from Siwoo's lips amps up fan expectations.
With 7 straight wins, Kaiserst was closest to the crown.
"Haha, right! Could make it a perfect Round 1 too!"
A perfect Round 1 sweep.
A record worth chasing.
Winning beats losing, after all.
Sure, pressure comes with it, but Siwoo ignored that.
Just play like in practice—no need for pressure.
His teammates might feel it differently.
"Next question! Two straight solo kills on Ryu Jin-seok? Any words?"
Siwoo faces the camera.
"Yeah, league's third-ranked attacker. Tougher for sure. But not that hard."
Ryu Jin-seok was a cut above others.
Fine movements, skill sense, snap judgments. And no fear of failure—that made him tricky.
Hard to handle? Coldly, no.
Viewers who didn't know better took it differently.
"Got it! Can't skip this: Next up after A1 is Hanhaseong, league 3rd and one of OCK's big three! Can we expect more of the same?"
Hanhaseong.
No slouch, like A1. Backed by a Korean conglomerate with a stacked roster. Average salary around 2 billion won, right?
Key pro to watch: Choi Woo-jin.
One of the four great attackers, maybe trickier than Ryu Jin-seok. Blended Shin Jin-woo's stability with Ryu Jin-seok's aggression.
Still.
"Yep, Kaiserst wins again, just like today. I'll carry, like always."
Siwoo chuckles lightly. Beating A1 and Ryu Jin-seok has his confidence maxed. No backing down now—not manly.
"WAAAAAAAAAAH——!"
"Lee Siwoo! Lee Siwoo! Lee Siwoo!"
The remaining Kaiserst fans erupt.
The arena's central screen chat scrolls wildly.
"Such confidence! You're topping POM rankings!"
"Haha, thanks."
The interviewer smiles brightly.
"That's it for today's interview! Player Lee Siwoo!"
Meanwhile.
The shock of Kaiserst's performance didn't fade easily after the game.
(Ryu Jin-seok solo kill 1)
(Ryu Jin-seok solo kill 2)
(Ryu Jin-seok solo kill 3)
(Siwoo teleport dash into smokescreen)
(Ryu Jin-seok solo kill 4)
(Siwoo massacres A1)
…
…
…
Too many, brought 'em all.
└Scouter-level analysis whoa
└Fact) True
Overlant boards buzzed most about Siwoo's performance today.
Solo-killing Ryu Jin-seok wasn't enough—he dismantled A1 entirely.
Shattering OCK's big three dominance was shocking; obliterating them kept fans reeling.
Still.
Ryu Jin-seok solo'd twice in a row;;
Feels like he's really #1
Shin Jin-woo couldn't do this lolol
The so-called "big-team simps" clashed with hardcore Kaiserst fans, turning Overlant boards into a "rivalry World Cup."
This wasn't unique to OCK—baseball, soccer fans did it too.
Fights and comparisons were their fun.
Fan expectations for Siwoo skyrocketed as a bonus.