Rise

screen towards the top-side Jungle from the Red team. Level 2 invade on their Red Buff! Yeah! 

An Xin’s Rengar stalked through the Jungle, running between brushes down a practiced path.
He dodged the wards and vision from Zhejiang University and slipped into the brush next to Red team’s Red Buff Camp.
Maokai had just arrived and was attacking the Red Brambleback.
He was slowly whittling its health down, while taking substantial damage himself.

An Xin smiled. He isn’t expecting me at all.
I can just wait. She watched Zhejiang’s Maokai fight until the Red Brambleback was down to half health. First blood! She clicked on Maokai! Rengar leapt from the brush and struck out with his claws!

Zhejiang University’s Jungler hadn’t expected the gank at all.
His eyes went wide and he slammed down on the D key before he even realised he had.
A mottled flash of light wrapped around his Maokai and carried him a short distance.
But Rengar followed right behind him with a Flash of his own. ShitShitShit!

《First Blood!》

“OH MY GOOOOOOOOD! WOOOOO!”
“WOOT WOOT! FIRST BLOOD FOR BUNBUN!”
“WOOOOOOOOOOO!”
“TEAM SHANGHAI FOR THE TURNAROUND!”
“SICK GANK! HAHAHA!”

Inside Team Shanghai’s soundproof booth, An Xin breathed out and relaxed.
She then turned to look at Lin Feng and teased, “Watch out.
I’ve already got a lead on you.”

✹

Zhejiang’s Toplaner raised his brows and turned his head to look at his Jungler.
He shook his head and said over the team’s voice chat, “Really, dude? Really? How the heck did you get caught there?”

The Support sat all the way on the other end of the long desk.
He leaned back a bit to look at his Jungler and added, “Be a little careful! Shit! You wanna play against a fed Rengar or something?”

Sun Ruinian narrowed his eyes and interrupted, “Guys.
Focus! Don’t be careless, please.”

“Fuck! Sorry, guys…” Zhejiang’s Jungler shook his head and kicked against the back of his desk.
He grimaced and continued, “I just… Fuck! I really didn’t see it coming! She was so bad the last two games! Why the fuck is she suddenly invading? Dammit! I should’ve been more careful.
One ward would’ve helped me survive there.
And I even panic-flashed.
Seriously, I’m stupid.
Sorry, I’m really sorry.”

Shi Hang scrunched his nose and tilted his head. This feels, it feels wrong.
He’s on LeBlanc and after that Lee Sin, she goes with Rengar? It’s all wrong. He said over the team’s voice chat, “Calm it.
That Rengar is more aggressive than before, so let’s be ready for it.
Get some wards up and don’t rush back to your Red Buff.
She might still be there.”

Maple.
Maple, Maple, Maple. Shi Hang focused his attention back on the LeBlanc he was playing against in the mid lane. She always stood behind you.
I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen her play.
The girl with the pigtails.
Everyone knew her.
She was the genius! But she never played.
She just followed after you.
I’m starting to get really curious to find out just how good she is. He grinned and narrowed his eyes. I saw that kill on Maokai.
But I was too late.
I couldn’t collapse on her.
She played that really well.
If she starts playing like that… It’ll be interesting again!

✹

“Well, that was a great invade by Rengar!” Silent Reed said into her microphone.
She shook her head and continued, “Such a nice first blood! I’m really impressed! And look at this.” She pointed at the large LCD screen, which showed Zhejiang’s Jungler carefully entering his Jungle and placing wards in every brush, and continued, “Rengar has already returned to her own Jungle.
But Zhejiang’s wards didn’t catch her, so they’re probably thinking she’s still in their Jungle! It’s such a nice play!”

Rollfire grabbed his microphone and argued, “Nothing wrong with being careful! See how they’re placing down wards and getting up some good vision around their Jungle? That’s exactly what Fuzhou Tech should’ve done to stop Team Shanghai in the previous round! Then it’d be Fuzhou Tech facing off against Zhejiang University here today!”

Silent Reed turned her head to look at Rollfire, annoyed. Shut up! She breathed out loudly and then leaned back towards her microphone.
She said, “Enough about that! Let’s see how the other lanes are doing! We’re starting with the top lane where we have a Dr.
Mundo versus Irelia matchup!”

✹

Zhang Hao was completely focused on his monitor. I can’t beat him in a 1vs1.
He’s the better player.
But I don’t have to fight him! I just need to farm and not give anything away.
No one beats Mundo in the late game! I’ll throw cleavers at them all day and all night! He grinned and activated Infected Cleaver! His Dr.
Mundo hurled his cleaver at Irelia! The attack didn’t just deal damage, but also slowed Irelia.
It slowed her enough that she missed a last hit on a minion! Hehe! That’s the way! I’ll make her miss last hits and win this lane!

Dr.
Mundo was a purple monster who took great pleasure in watching his victims suffer.
It was to such an extent that when he hit a target with his Infected Cleaver, he healed himself a little bit.
Zhang Hao used this to keep his health up while interrupting Irelia. I just gotta play it safe.
Throw cleavers and get CS! And then I just need to look for opportunities to make a Teleport Gank! He nodded at himself and smiled. I’m not going to drag the team down this game, no matter what!

✹

“Huh?” Sun Ruinian mumbled.
He scrunched his nose and turned his head to look at his Support.
He asked, “You seeing that?”

“Yeah,” Zhejiang’s Support replied.
He shook his head and added, “I’ve tried to hit her with my Howling Gale twice now, but both missed.
She’s suddenly dodging my skills!”

“Hmm…” Sun Ruinian responded. Something has changed.
That Vayne is playing far better than in the previous two games.
It isn’t even just dodging the Howling Gales.
Those things take time to charge up.
It’s not so hard to dodge.
But she’s also cancelling my Jinx’s auto attack animations! Every time I try to go in for some poke, she knows exactly how much range I need and makes sure I don’t get that. He chewed on his lips and glanced at the soundproof booth across the stage. It’s like I’m playing a different player.
She’s actually good this game…

In Team Shanghai’s soundproof booth, Tang Bingyao sat on the edge of her gaming chair.
She was leaning forward, close to her monitor, and was clicking rapidly on her mouse. Mhm! I can do this! WinWinWin! The Lin Feng way! My mechanics and reflexes are the best! Go full on them! Auto attack! Range! Dodge! Mhm! I got this! She kept making the smallest adjustments to her positioning, just enough to stop an auto attack from Jinx while still getting the last hit on a minion.
She played it perfectly, her complete focus on her Vayne.

Zeng Rui glanced at Tang Bingyao and smiled. That’s more like it! You’re great! He then looked back at his monitor, at the minimap in the bottom right corner of his screen. BunBun is coming down for a gank. He said over the team’s voice chat, “Tang Tang, get ready.”

An Xin pinged on the Janna and added, “Kill Janna first.”

“Mhm!” Tang Bingyao replied.
She glanced at the minimap and judged how long it would take An Xin’s Rengar to arrive in lane.
Then, just at the right moment, she pushed forward.

Zhejiang’s Janna saw the change in Tang Bingyao’s Vayne right away and cast Howling Gale! A storm started brewing on the Rift, slowly gaining in power until it erupted into a powerful tornado! It carved a path straight ahead!

Tang Bingyao’s Vayne Tumbled to the side and the Howling Gale blasted past her. Another dodge! She looked at Janna and Vayne who were already running away, and knew she had time.
Zeng Rui’s Leona had flashed through the Howling Gale and arrived right in front of Janna.
He’d followed up by smashing his Shield of Daybreak into her! Janna was stunned!

Tang Bingyao had her Vayne walk towards Janna and fired an empowered auto attack! She then ran past Janna, firing a second silver bolt! And finally, when the angle was just right, she activated Condemn! Vayne pulled the large crossbow from her back and squeezed the trigger! A thick, massive bolt shot at Janna and pierced through her! Janna got knocked off her feet and pinned to the wall behind her! A third silver ring appeared beneath her and exploded for massive true damage!

“Almost there!” An Xin said over Team Shanghai’s voice chat.