Chapter 384: Prepared?

"V5 won the coin toss for the first game and chose the blue side. They immediately sent Aatrox to the ban list!"

The Roaring Emperor at the home commentary desk looked full of energy: "This is respect! Even after a season, Kingen's Aatrox is still a choice worthy of respect!"

However, the guest commentator P-Xiao-Jiang, who was sitting next to him and had just attended the "S13 Night" yesterday, was unimpressed.

"To be honest, Aatrox, Renekton, and Jax are naturally the strongest top-lane champions in this patch; everyone would ban them!"

"The Akali and Sylas bans from Hanwha, on the other hand, are clearly not strong choices in this patch. That is true respect."

Hearing the rebuttal, the Roaring Emperor felt slightly awkward but brushed it off: "Haha, indeed. But we were just saying that if any team were to let Akali through at this year's World Championship, it would likely be HLE. After all, Akali and Sylas are also Zeka's signature champions!"

Unfortunately, P-Xiao-Jiang didn't take the bait: "Well, the facts prove he wouldn't dare let them through."

The chat was filled with: [Hate! So much hate!]

Fortunately, Nuguri, sitting on the edge, spoke up to help ease the tension: "This ban was likely made considering the opponent might snatch them up and burn them. After all, as signature picks for both sides, the advantage of being on the blue side in the first game is quite significant."

First round of bans for both sides:

V5: Aatrox, Renekton, Jax

HLE: Akali, Sylas, Neeko

"V5 still locks in K'Sante first. This champion, initially thought to be no longer strong due to heavy nerfs, has become hot again because of the emergence of lane-swap strategies. After all, this is the easiest champion for top lane to withstand pressure in a 1v2!"

"And HLE grabs Gnar + Alistar! Alistar is also the latest popular champion born from the Swiss stage patch!"

It must be mentioned that the changes brought to the game environment by the lane-swap understanding are definitely not just about tactical maneuvering within the match.

It is a global change.

This includes a sudden shift in the "popular champions" for every lane.

Just like the previously lukewarm support Alistar, who suddenly became the strongest hard-engage support in the current patch under the recommendation of many teams.

————The reason lies in Alistar's ultimate after level six, which provides a "tower-diving ability" that can be called unique in the entire league, enough to break through any defense under the tower in a 1v2 lane-swap environment!

There are many similar influences and changes, and there is still no consensus on the current competitive understanding of the patch.

"V5 continues to grab Jarvan IV + Ashe. These first three picks on the blue side are very comfortable!"

"And HLE on the third pick gets... Evelynn!?" The Roaring Emperor exclaimed in surprise: "Canyon is drawing his sword in the very first game! He has directly pulled out his signature Evelynn, which he once used in the World Championship finals!"

"Nuguri, do they have a secret strategy here?"

Asked, Nuguri showed a nostalgic emotion: "Jianfu's Evelynn is indeed well-understood, and usually, when it's pulled out, it's part of a combo system. When we picked it in the S10 finals, it was to pair with ShowMaker's mid-lane Lucian for absolute mid-jungle invasion."

And P-Xiao-Jiang muttered inappropriately on the side: "I seem to have some memory of that, Brother Xiaquan, was that the only game you lost in that best-of-five?"

"..."

One sentence silenced Nuguri, who was still lost in pleasant memories.

Can this kid even hold a conversation!?

No wonder this kid got into that mid-top drama at DRX...

"That was different. Back then, it was because we didn't expect the opposing jungler to hide a Rengar pick. Rengar's stealth-breaking mechanic counters Evelynn too hard. That was a champion pool choice completely outside our expectations, and we were caught off guard."

After explaining, he paused and continued: "But this Evelynn definitely has a point, especially after seeing the opponent pick Ashe!"

"As far as I know, Evelynn is absolutely not afraid of Ashe; rather, Ashe is afraid of Evelynn! This is an understanding we already had back in S10!"

"You could say HLE is definitely prepared today!"

At first thought.

Ashe has the E-skill [Hawkshot] that can detect vision across the map, and occasionally "peeping" at the jungler should be very effective against a hero like Evelynn who specializes in "sneaky" things.

But Ashe's E cannot reveal Evelynn's {Camouflage}!

Not only that.

A soft-support champion like Ashe, who has no mobility, no stable hard crowd control, and is extremely fragile, is actually extremely afraid of these types of burst assassins!

Especially burst assassins that can easily get close!

V5 had used support Ashe to great effect in their Swiss stage match against G2, appearing as if they were cheating in lane-swap maneuvers, so it was not hard for HLE to anticipate the opponent would pick this champion.

Second round of bans for both sides:

HLE: Varus, LeBlanc

V5: Kalista, Ezreal

"V5's intention here is very clear. They banned two ADCs with mobility, clearly wanting to let Jarvan IV's ultimate exert its maximum power. This makes it actually very difficult for HLE's ADC to choose, and the counter-pick slot should still be reserved for the mid-laner..."

"Twitch!?"

"It's confirmed! HLE is really prepared today! In the first game, two previously extremely rare champions, Evelynn and Twitch, have appeared!"

Excited cheers came from the audience below the stage.

Regardless, at least the LCK fans saw first that HLE was clearly prepared and definitely not here to just give away the game!

"Choosing these two..." Ye Bo seemed thoughtful: "Help me pick Azir."

"Master Ye, they look like they really, really, really want to play dirty again," Beryl reminded him from the side, feeling that Azir might be easily targeted.

But a mysterious smile appeared on Ye Bo's face.

"It's fine, let them target me this game. I'll absorb the fire... just in time to test that line of thinking."

V5's fourth and fifth picks were quickly locked in, choosing the Azir + Caitlyn combo.

This immediately made the home commentary desk a bit surprised————not surprised by anything else, but feeling it was a bit too "conventional."

After all, by comparison, HLE's lineup could be described as extremely unconventional.

However, in the eyes of the HLE players, this was of course great news, especially the mid-laner Zeka under the camera, who couldn't help but laugh.

"Zeka finally picked Qiyana on the fifth pick! HLE is still drawing their sword!"

Both lineups are confirmed————

《Blue Side: V5 vs Red Side: HLE》

【Top: K'Sante vs Gnar】

【Jungle: Jarvan IV vs Evelynn】

【Mid: Azir vs Qiyana】

【ADC: Caitlyn vs Twitch】

【Support: Ashe vs Alistar】

The Roaring Emperor was analyzing the lineup: "Just as Nuguri said last night, this lineup looks 'very HLE.' Anyone who has followed their matches this year knows that even if you cover the team name, you can tell this is HLE!"

"An extreme offensive lineup in the true sense; it's almost like all four lanes are offensive champions. In the LCK region, it's definitely one of a kind!"

"Of course, V5's BP on the blue side also exerted its advantage, choosing a very standard, strong lineup for the current patch!"

However, the chat had a different opinion.

[Where is the offense? I only see a few lecherous creeps!]

[《True Sewer Lineup》!]

[It really is. If you lift the manhole cover and go for a spin in the sewer with these champions, you'll definitely bump into a few. It's too damn dark!]

[Damn, three stealth monsters. Why didn't the support pick Shaco? I ask you, what are they here for!]

[Azir vs Qiyana, this matchup seems a bit familiar? Has Master Ye played this before?]

The coaches from both sides came to the middle of the stage to shake hands.