Chapter 89: Look well, I will teach only once

For veteran commentators Quickshot and Deficio, FNC was indeed their former faith; this team had also brought them many emotions and pride.

But the times have changed; since this spring began, FNC's decline has become a fact.

People strive for higher ground; as commentators, they cannot stay in the past forever. Their remarks, to a certain extent, guide the public opinion environment across Europe. For the future of the entire region, regardless of whether they personally wish it, they must draw more popularity toward the truly strong teams that have risen later, to nurture these teams capable of reviving Europe's glory so they can grow strong. In fact, this is also the role that the European League expects commentators to fulfill.

But regarding whether G2 possesses such ability, the commentators still maintain a cautious attitude, after all the painful 2-8 loss is still fresh in memory; during the period when public opinion was most turbulent, these commentators who vigorously promoted G2 for a season were similarly affected. Even to this day, whenever they praise a team on Twitter, the comment section still has people mocking them.

And those European netizens venting their anger at them are actually also suffering from the unrestrained mockery of NA people.

That's what "one loss, all loss" means.

The second game's ban/pick phase begins for both sides.

Just now in the resting room, Ka Lao Si half-jokingly suggested, "Let's play a game with an excavator tutorial to open the other side's eyes?" Liang Yan replied, "If you come, I'll come."

Thus, in this game, G2 on the blue side, after banning champions, instantly locked in the excavator on the first pick.

When this scene appeared on the live broadcast, the person streaming from the H2K Ji Di, Yangkou Si, burst into crazy laughter.

In the official match broadcast chat, then:

【ohhhhhh!】

【Kill kill kill!】

【Tutorial game, start!】

【Firrrrrre: Look well, Spirit, I will teach only once】

【A certain H2K starting jungler recalled painful memories】

【Jankos: Spirit, watch and learn well; after I learned his Thresh last time, I have never lost again】

【T3 subscribers are willing to testify, Firrrrrre is indeed a good teacher】

In the FNC player bench, Spirit's face turned the color of pig liver.

But after thinking about the terrifying power of picking that excavator fellow, he couldn't help but start feeling a chill in his heart, yet some things seem already destined to be unavoidable…

"Give me Graves!"

Spirit said through gritted teeth.

Graves was not in the system that coach Deilor had envisioned for this game, nor was it within the range of choices discussed before the match, but at this moment Deilor looked at Spirit's side expression, knowing Spirit was on the verge of breaking down; if he refused his request, this game would likely be disastrous.

"Alright."

The well-prepared plan was completely disrupted by Spirit's willfulness; Deilor simply closed his notebook, lightly agreed, and then said, following Spirit's temperament:

"The enemy has already locked the jungle position; we'll take something else first and put Graves in the later picks, okay?"

Spirit remained silent for a few seconds, then hummed.

Deilor let out a sigh of relief, letting our first and second picks take Lulu + Bard first.

That's right, this is the Xia Lu combination used by G2 in the previous game.

Caitlyn plus Jinx was originally Deilor's special trump card prepared for today, but the enemy easily countered it with a lane-swap strategy plus jungle targeting, so although the enemy didn't ban Caitlyn this game, and the Caitlyn system actually complements Graves's Wild Core system, Deilor no longer intends to pick it.

Besides Caitlyn and Jinx, Lulu + Bard is undoubtedly one of the strongest bottom lane duos in the current version; with Lucian already banned by FNC, even the "one of" can be dropped—unless the enemy also comes up with some weird combo, the bottom lane will surely be easily dominated.

If Spirit wants to take Graves, let him play with it himself, just treat it as an output accessory; FNC's hope still has to rest on Rekkles.

When it was the blue side's second pick, Ka Lao Si instinctively wanted to give AP the vampire, but AP instead said:

"No no no, I want Viktor!"

At the end of the previous match, AP's Viktor was almost godlike; it seems this kid has developed a habit of playing him, which is a good thing—Viktor, as the version's core, naturally benefits from higher proficiency, so Ka Lao Si certainly wouldn't refuse.

"OK, then you choose later. Any thoughts on the Xia Lu?"

"Well, I want to unplug the network cable again."

Zven said with a laugh.

Ka Lao Si lightly replied:

"Fine, then go ahead and unplug it—do it now."

Zven could hear that Ka Lao Si was already a bit unhappy, so he didn't dare to be cheeky anymore; after thinking seriously for a while, he tentatively said:

"How about giving me an Ezreal to mix in?"

"Mix mix mix! All you know is mixing! Can't you have some ambition?!"

Ka Lao Si didn't hold back, unleashing a barrage of insults; if not for the camera pointing at him, he might have already smacked Zven's head with his notebook.

Zven remained silent, letting Ka Lao Si scold him, feeling utterly wronged.

——Back when they recruited him, it wasn't like this; if he had known Ka Lao Si would become like this, he wouldn't have come, waa waa waa…

Mithy couldn't bear to see his old partner being scolded, so he spoke up to help mediate:

"Actually I think Ezreal really works; I'll pair it with a support, and although the enemy can pressure us, they can't gain any real benefit."

Upon hearing that, Ka Lao Si angrily walked away from behind Zven to behind Mithy, half-believing, half-doubting, and asked:

"Are you sure? Anna suggested we should avoid taking Ezreal as much as possible."

"It's just a matter of trying; although Warheart's nerf caused Ezreal's strength to plummet, it's not absolutely unusable—Ezreal's skill mechanism is right here; even though its damage was nerfed, its solo-lane self-preservation ability remains unchanged; otherwise we'd truly have nothing good to pick, you know how strong Sivir + Bard lane is."

"Hmm, I also think we can take it."

That last sentence was said by Liang Yan.

Ka Lao Si immediately nodded:

"Alright, then shall we take Ezreal first?"

"Either way is fine, anyway they won't fight over weapons. I'll lock the support first."

"OK, you lock it."

Liang Yan then helped Mithy secure the support, after which AP himself locked Viktor.

As for the enemy side, as expected, the third pick took the vampire, and the fourth pick took Graves; it seems they wanted to leave the last pick for Kennen to give to top laner Kikis.

Although Graves isn't exactly hot pick, it's still a common presence in this version's battlefield; FNC picking it didn't cause much of a stir.

But then, FNC's engage burden would almost entirely fall on the top laner, unless YellOwStaR's Bard could play as well as Mithy's.

Bard is Mithy's signature pick, while YellOwStaR's signature heroes are Thresh, Nautilus, and Annie; as a soft support, he's just average.

Isn't Annie a soft support?

Annie has to be a hard support!

Alright...

I feel like I've seen this FNC lineup before; does the top laner have to pick Centaur?

It's possible.

But after G2 locked in Jax on the fifth pick, Kikis backed off and finally picked Nasus.

Lao Zhang instantly laughed.

Playing spear against Nasus is one of his best matchups; this game is a free win!