Chapter 619: All rise!

"Among the three starting items, the upgrade quest for the Relic Shield of melee supports is the easiest, while the quest for the Spellthief's Edge starting item of the most popular poke-type soft support last season was the hardest, so in this patch, the standing of pure poke Janna plummeted, while melee tank supports began to rise in popularity."

"Why is Thresh so popular?"

"It's simple: he's the only melee support with a long range, making it easier to proc Relic Shield than other tank supports."

Wawa chattered away on the analyst desk, then looked left and right smugly, waiting for others to praise them a couple of times.

Their old partner Miller pretended not to notice, because although Wawa was right, it wasn't the whole story.

"Yes, and in this patch the early Rift Herald is relatively important, so as long as the bot lane farms safely, warding supports are more valued than aggressive ones; Thresh not only has a lantern to protect allies but also a hook that can snag a lucky pick, making him overall more suitable than other tank supports—truly the patch's heaven‑chosen support."

Realizing the two had somewhat misunderstood their meaning, they hurriedly said:

"Yes, but actually if we go by the LCK mainstream priority understanding, the two picks VG took are clearly higher, yet why do I feel EDG gained a little? Because I think if Meiko gets his signature champion he'll have a certain bonus, and Ashe is also an ADC with excellent anti‑gank capability, so Blind Monk's impact will be reduced."

"But according to what you're saying, Blind Monk is also Jiao Shen's signature."

"Uh…… that's also right."

After a few minutes of chattering here, the on‑stage ban/pick had already proceeded to the second rotation.

Wang Ji looked up and exclaimed: "Huh? EDG's mid‑jungle!!"

Miller instantly looked at the screen, eyes wide: "Huh? Lion Dog plus Kassadin?! EDG these two picks are indeed… how to put it, subtle?"

Wawa: "Emmm…… does EDG feel a bit weak? Feeling they can't match VG's raw strength, so they're pulling a surprise?"

Wang Ji: "But the spring split already proved it—playing against VG, the weirder the comp, the slower you win; it's the opposite!"

Miller: "That's not entirely true either; since the spring split opened, VG has only lost two small games at MSI, both to KT, and KT's comps in those games were quite abnormal."

"So is EDG supposed to imitate that?"

"Hard to say; maybe they also have their own understanding of the patch."

"But I still think Kassadin is fine, while Lion Dog is a bit lackluster, because in this patch Lion Dog's ability to revive is important largely because he can surprise‑bring Orianna into fights, and EDG's comp lacks Orianna, so picking Lion Dog seems pointless; purely on champion power, it's not impressive."

"Yeah, Spider's still around—why not pick Spider?"

"Can't make sense of it…… alright, the fifth pick is also locked, the barrel, can only say it's expected—this is the champion Mouse would pick……"

"VG's final pick is also locked—Kalista!"

"Hiss——"

"Ma Ge is about to unleash his might."

"Moreover, VG's comp looks more reasonable at a glance compared to EDG's……"

Both sides' lineups are now completely locked.

EDG, Blue Side

ban: Fiora, Orianna, Karma; Varus, Caitlyn.

top: Mouse, Gragas

jungle: Fireloli, Lion Dog

mid: Scout, Kassadin

bot: Zet, Ashe

support: Meiko, Thresh

coach: Nofe

VG, Red Side

ban: Zac, Shen, Syndra; Jayce, Ahri.

top: Flandre, Kennen

jungle: Firrrrrre, Mang Seng

mid: Zz1tai, Orianna

bot: Smlz, Kalista

support: Caveman, Bu Long

coach: Loong

During the map‑reading phase, fans from both sides began cheering.

VG's fans were clearly more numerous than EDG's, whereas in the spring split the situation was reversed.

When the Summoner's Rift appeared on the big screen, Wawa couldn't help but remark:

"It feels like there are more VG fans on site, and it's not just a few more—maybe about half again as many."

"That's inevitable……"

Miller wanted to say something, but hesitated and ultimately didn't dare to speak.

"Alright, back to the topic!"

Wawa suddenly turned solemn and spoke sonorously:

"The spring split is over, MSI has ended, our LPL region has after two years lifted the Mid‑Season Champion trophy again, and the VG team, bearing the double halo of LPL spring champion and MSI champion, has returned to this stage! And today, the opening match of the summer split, standing before us is still that... how to put it——"

"It's still that team that's won a bit too much!"

"That's right! VG won the spring split undefeated, and at MSI they only lost two small games; using Jiao Shen's words, they really have won too much—winning to the point other teams don't know how to play against them, winning to the point fans start sympathizing with opponents…… but!"

Wawa paused briefly, then his tone suddenly rose:

"But the summer split is a new season, a new patch, a new challenge!"

"And VG is undoubtedly that tree that invites the wind, now becoming the target of everyone's ire!"

"Every team is eyeing VG, every team is studying VG, every player wants to be the first to pull Jiao Shen down from his throne!"

"So the question arises——"

"On this ruthless stage where survival is a zero‑sum game, will VG keep winning, or will someone make them taste defeat?"

"We, let's wait and see!"

This year's director likes to throw in some fancy tricks; the camera enters Summoner's Rift from high altitude, after a dizzying 3D camera move, it finally sweeps from the blue side Quan Shui all the way to the red side Quan Shui, coming to rest on Mang Seng standing beside the spring.

Today marks the debut of the Mang Seng champion skin from the S6 World Championship on the professional stage.

And its user is precisely the owner of that champion skin.

The on-screen comments have already erupted:

【I jumped up at the slap】

【Everyone rise!】

【One kick five, a timeless classic—I couldn't help buying it even though I don't play jungle.】

【Champion skin debut!】

【SB director, what are you doing flying a plane here? I'm dizzy.】

【Handsome Handsome Handsome】

【This is damn too handsome.】

【I got it the day it launched; I think the most fun part of this skin is the recall animation, hahaha.】

【Already got it, let everyone know: this skin's recall animation is a wind-up ball; the final kick sends the ball into Quan Shui, and Mang Seng takes off from the throne—the throne is the one Faker sat in the S6 theme promotional video. I can only say… the officials really know how to play.】

【Faker: My lifelong fame……】