Chapter 869

After losing to GAM, TSM's first-round group stage schedule ended in three straight losses.

How did they lose?

GAM unleashed their ultimate finisher: the Sacrifice Jungle Core playstyle.

As everyone knows, GAM is a team with jungle Levi as their absolute core. Last year's ROX also claimed to be a jungle-core team centered on Peanut, but in front of GAM, that was mere witchcraft seeing true sorcery—GAM's jungle core is the real jungle core.

GAM demonstrated this point to the fullest in this match.

GAM's lineup in this game: top laner Galio, jungler Mordekaiser, mid laner Orianna, bot lane Xiao Pao + Lulu.

Aside from using only one Galio as the frontline, this lineup wasn't particularly strange, and it bore an uncanny resemblance to the lineup AHQ used against C9 yesterday.

When the battle began, people were nonetheless greatly surprised.

Jungle monsters respawned, and GAM top laner Archie's Galio actually helped Levi pull F6, while the mid laner Orianna also threw a ball over.

Galio returned to lane, missed two frontline minions, finished clearing a wave, then actually turned back and headed into the jungle to help Levi fight the Stone Golem!

After helping pull the jungle twice, Galio lost four frontline minions, and in lane was directly pressured a level by TSM's top laner.

When Levi cleared to the lower half, GAM's bot lane was just being pushed into the turret, support Nevan directly abandoned the AD, leaving Xiao Pao alone to eat turret minions, while he himself ran over to help Levi fight the Blue Buff and Magic Swamp Frog!

GAM paid such a huge price, gaining Levi's jungle clear progress nearly three jungle monster groups faster than TSM's jungler.

The North American caster incredulously clutched his head, shouting in shock: "OhmyGod! Svenskeren just finished clearing half the jungle, and Levi has already cleared the first round!"

Then Levi, without a doubt, ate the Double River Crab and followed by running to mid lane to soak up half a wave.

Because the first round was cleared quickly, GAM's second-round jungle monster respawn time was also much faster than TSM's.

In less than six minutes, Levi finished clearing the second round of jungle monsters and reached level six.

A level-six Mordekaiser in just over five minutes—while the top laner was still level five—its effect is understood by all who understand.

Levi's first strike was a great success, coordinating with Galio to successfully dive the tower and kill TSM's top laner Nal.

After securing first blood, Levi immediately returned to base to change equipment.

Galio finished clearing the lane and followed by returning to base.

Levi went straight down lane upon leaving base, the support had already flanked and placed a ward, then Galio TP'd down……a wave of four-man gank on two, TSM's duo was wiped out, and Mordekaiser took another kill.

With a two-level advantage and a lead of two kills, Levi began to do as he pleased in TSM's jungle, his ultimate coming off cooldown and flying directly from TSM's jungle to mid lane.

Bjergsen flashed immediately, yet still couldn't escape; Mordekaiser's ultimate landed and he lost half a health bar, then followed flash with two strikes and was sliced to death.

From here on, the match entered the rhythm of "every time Mordekaiser's ultimate comes off cooldown, TSM must die at least once."

At twenty minutes, the kill ratio was 14:3, with GAM leading by over five thousand.

"Holy shit, so brutal!"

"So exaggerated, oh my god!"

"This move is indeed awesome, feels like we can learn a bit, brothers."

The VG members watching backstage couldn't help but sigh.

Lastly, the match result was no surprise: at twenty-nine minutes, GAM destroyed TSM's base, handing TSM three straight losses while also securing their own group stage first win.

When Liang Yan was with G2 last year, he also used similar tactics, but never executed them this thoroughly—GAM's game was the purest jungle core.

They tailored a Sacrifice Jungle tactic for Levi, early game everyone served only one goal—let Levi reach level six as fast as possible. To achieve this, whether top laner, support, or even mid laner, all could sacrifice!

This is the true jungle core—everyone revolves around Levi!

Poor TSM, turned into GAM's stunning background board.

European netizens and a large number of European streamers broadcasting the match laughed hysterically—who said Group B was Dragon Pearl and TSM's welfare group? This group is clearly TSM's hell!

After consecutive losses to wildcards, TSM threw away the face of the North American region.

North American netizens performed warrior's self-amputation, many originally diehard cult followers began cutting ties, saying sorry, I was blind as a bat before—turns out TSM isn't ours!

Now it's settled—TSM was directly expelled from the region.

……

Third match, D Group's game.

VG versus C9.

Perhaps infected by the previous GAM match, VG members took the stage unusually excited, and inspired, they actually picked a pure jungle core lineup.

After picking the lineup, C9 faced a formidable foe, and once the battle began they fought with extreme caution and conservatism.

But facing the universe's number one jungler, the Uncrowned King—champion trophy collector, though lacking FMVP, possessing both beauty and talent, beloved by all, flowers bloom at his sight, wildly handsome and cool, insanely powerful, Foot God—despite teammates slightly sacrificing early interests to accelerate his development, giving him a huge lead in jungle matchups, C9's defense was as good as nonexistent.

And as the Wukong's spear repeatedly pierced C9's jungle spider's buttocks, and teammates intentionally fed kills, Liang Yan's personal economy grew like an F1 with modified off-road tires racing in a rally—leaving others in the dust.

(Ps: Just playing a meme, Horizon players don't imitate!)

At sixteen minutes, the Wukong achieved the Godlike Achievement.

At twenty-six minutes, C9 was defeated, VG fought a thrilling and satisfying battle—mainly the thighs felt great—and ended the first round matchup with a three-win streak.

Liang Yan's fans rejoiced and spread the news.

Right, right, let's start killing!

Foot God went shark crazy!

This is exactly the S7 they wanted to see!

"A dozen or so kills and still no pentakill—still lacking a bit." A certain jungle player with pockmarked face, who lost his S7 spot to RNG and didn't even make the practice squad, was streaming from a rental apartment, sitting in front of the computer webcam, facial twitching as he spoke.

The audience in the live stream watching the excitement exclaimed how sour, the Jiangxi netizen said my mom's yearly vinegar for cooking is all here, my teeth have been eroded by acid.

……

Fourth match, still D Group's game.

MSF versus AHQ.

I don't know if it's because yesterday they brought out the big killer Mordekaiser lineup and still couldn't handle C9, today AHQ looks a bit listless, each time they go on stage they appear lethargic, the match is even more lackluster, no matter what MSF wants, AHQ just says one word: yield!

MSF mid laner walked down, looking like he wanted to dive the tower, yield!

MSF Jungler entered the jungle, looks like they want to counter-jungle, let them!

MSF wants Dragon, let them!

After letting Xia Gu Xian Feng, they let the First Blood Tower...

In the end, there was nothing left to let, could only hide behind the big crystal and watch MSF destroy the base.

Thirty-Two Minutes, AHQ Defeated, harvesting a three-loss streak.

Taiwan Netizen said: "No Face Left."