Rise (Web Novel CN)

ShoutingFoliage:「hahaha yeaaah. makes me want to switch from a Kindred main to Olaf...」

Xurgati:「hehe, i’d jungle too, but I think i’mma stick to support if I i have to deal with that kind olaf in my games」

SlashSkewer:「the kid’s good but my Mundo’s better! I’d like that olaf try that kind of invade on me! I’d shove a cleaver up his ass!」

LuciferBarb:「i came in to see what’s all the commotion’s about, no idea what’s going on, but it seems pretty exciting! maybe i should pick up league too?」

Prinsz:「hahaha, nbody no if that jinx streams? id luv to support her with my Blitz. I’d be real catch! Get it!? Cuz i’m a hooker.」

These were all famous names. Everyone knew them. There were thousands of viewers who forgot about the game and focused on their idols instead, flooding the chat with messages directed at them.

「OMG! IS THAT DOOKIE! IM A BIG FAN! AND LOOOOOOL 100% AGREED!」

「Xurgati too! love the trap cosplays! You go QUEEEN!」

「wow it’s a streamer party over here!」

「haha! Yeah, the stream is blowing up on Huya’s font page! I’m not surprised!」

「+1 GAZILLION !!!!!」

「i know right, even the Just Chatters are here!」

These famous streamers were indirectly providing more viewers for the Shanghai 16 School Tournament. Su Xue was one of them. She watched the stream together with her viewers in amazement. Lin Feng had utilized Olaf to his fullest potential. He knew exactly how aggressive he could be and what he could get away with. The Orianna kill was a good example of this. He knew how much damage he dealt and how long he could survive. He knew he wouldn’t have a lot of health left, but that he could kill her. He knew there were monsters in the nearby Raptor Camp, giving him a way to lifesteal his health back. It was all planned out. He’d left nothing up to chance. That was how he approached this game. And the people who occasionally watched him appear on Su Xue’s stream recognized this. They continued spamming her chat.

「6666666666!!! that’s our lil bro for you! Never seen him not carry a game!」

「Has lil bro ever lost a game??????」

「LIL BRO IS GOING TO THE FINALS>???? AWESOME OPOSSUM!」

「anyone else think olaf is super sexy? they should make a calendar for him….」

「this game right here! that’s why you’re the maid xue xue!」

「How is he so good;... its like.. Idk guys, how in the world does he keep doing this?????」

Su Xue relaxed back in her gaming chair, smiling. Her eyes were sparkling. Good job, kid. You’re making me proud. She grinned and said, “See, what did I say? He’s really good at Olaf too! I don’t know why they would let him have that Champion… Those Shanghai International guys were basically asking for a beating!”

✹

Yan Liang gritted his teeth, grim. They’d banned Annie in Game 2, only to be hit with Twisted Fate. They’d banned Annie and Twisted Fate in Game 3, only to be faced with Olaf. A team could only ban three Champions. That was clearly not enough to stop Lin Feng. Yan Liang chewed on the inside of his cheek, trying to think of a solution to their problem. But that was easier said than done. Finally, he shook his head and said, “Stop forcing things! The Olaf will just punish us! We have to drag this out! We’re going for the late game! That Olaf is just strong because he hit a power spike. Let him fall off!”

Shanghai International’s team believed that High School 13 really wasn’t that good. This belief was only reinforced as they played more versus High School 13’s individual players. High School 13’s team comprised three mediocre players, a good player, and an Olaf. Shanghai International’s players were confident in winning against the mediocre and good players, but the Olaf… He was single-handedly winning the game for High School 13. They had to take him out of the picture. But to do that, they first had to level the playing field. That meant catching up to him in terms of levels and items. It would take time to get there. But when they did, Shanghai International’s players were confident they could force a victory.

Shanghai International’s players started freezing the minion waves in their lanes as close to their own towers as possible. This was a delicate work. Attack a minion too early, and the whole wave would start pushing towards High School 13’s side. Attack a minion too late, and the whole wave would crash into their own tower. But Shanghai International had five very talented players who could freeze a minion wave in one specific spot. On top of that, they also warded up their entire Jungle and gave the Jungle Camps to Yan Liang’s Orianna and Liu Zhengjie’s Tristana. Their carries needed to get every little advantage they could get if they were to turn this game around.

✹

At 15 minutes, Lin Feng helped High School 13 secure the second Dragon. This gave all members of the team increased damage against towers. Shanghai International didn’t make an attempt to stop them from taking it, much less contest it. The risk to reward ratio wasn’t worth it. Besides, they were in no position to enter into a teamfight right now anyway. Their only hope was to continue dragging out this game for as long as possible. If they could get the time for their Orianna and Tristana to obtain a few more levels and items, they could get back in the game. That was the only thing on their minds.

Silent Reed looked at the large screen above the stage and said, “That’s Yan Liang for you! He never gives up! And he won’t let his team give up either! I bet he picked Orianna expecting this game might become difficult. Her ultie can change a fight around! They can still win this!”

Westwind laughed and grabbed his microphone. He put it close to his mouth and said, “But I doubt High School 13 will just let that happen. Isn’t that what we’re all thinking? High School 13 is probably preparing for their next big play RIGHT NOW! Let’s watch it happen!”

Yang Fan looked over the edge of his screen. Why are they cheering? He shook his head and turned his attention back to his screen. It can’t go on like this… “Hey, guys,” he said over the team’s voice chat. “We need to force them into a teamfight!”

Chen Ze nodded and said, “Yeah, their Orianna and Trist are scaling up very quickly. They’re getting too much CS. I think the Rek’Sai basically gave up half her jungle to them. We can’t have them get much stronger, or it’s going to be very hard to win teamfights...”

“It’s only going to become more difficult anyway. We don’t really have a way to force an engage,” Wei Dong added.

It wasn’t that High School 13’s team didn’t have the Champions to force a teamfight. They had Jarvan IV, Lissandra, and Thresh. All three of them could start a fight by jumping onto Shanghai International’s team. But just jumping in wasn’t enough. They had to burst down the Orianna and Tristana. That was where it became a lot trickier. The Tristana could wait far in the backline and only jump in after High School 13 had wasted their skills, while the Orianna had her ultimate skill–Command: Shockwave! She could completely displace High School 13’s team. If High School 13 wanted to win a fight, they had to be very certain that they could quickly kill the Tristana and Orianna.

Lin Feng, however, wasn’t at all concerned about any of this. He shrugged and said over the team’s voice chat, “Don’t worry so much, guys. It’s fine. Just find an opening and we’ll fight.”

✹

At 20 minutes, the third Dragon was about to spawn. Shanghai International had no intention of giving up on this one. They wanted the first Dragon buff that granted bonus attack damage and ability power, and they were finally ready to fight for it. Their Orianna and Tristana had reached a point where they were real threats in teamfights, while the Olaf was starting to fall off. This was the moment in the game that Shanghai International had been waiting for!

Westwind turned to Silent Reed and said, “Shanghai International has stalled long enough. Seems like you were right. They can get back into this. Now, let’s see them do that!” A low buzz was the response from the crowd.

There was still roughly a minute left until the Dragon spawned. Both teams grouped up in the mid lane for a little foreplay. They threw their skillshots at each other, trying to get in as much poke as possible before the actual fight. Shanghai International used this to boost their confidence. They were the individually better players, so they landed more skillshots overall. They were back in the game. If they won this next teamfight, they could really start the comeback.

Shanghai International’s team danced around the mid lane, firing off their skillshots and dodging the skillshots High School 13 fired back at them. They were healthier than the opposing team. They were winning this exchange! Yan Liang grinned and glanced at the players from High School 13. Then he stopped. What! He blinked and looked again. His heart stopped. “W-WHERE’S OLAF? OLAF! OLAF!” he shouted over the team’s voice chat. He moved his mouse and had his Orianna retreat back towards the outer tower. If they didn’t know where the Olaf was, he could catch them off guard. That could really screw them over. “BACK! BACK! RETREAT, GUYS! RETR—”