The Go4LoL tournament was relentless—a single-elimination, 32 team gauntlet with no room for error. The bracket only became best of three starting in top 8. That meant for the coming match, one loss, and their journey would end. Every match felt like walking a tightrope, the stakes impossibly high. For Alan, this wasn’t just about winning a bracket; it was about proving that his second chance was more than a fluke.
As the lobby loaded, Team Liquid’s names lit up on the screen. Alan scanned their roster. None of the names were familiar—not yet. This wasn’t the Team Liquid that would become synonymous with dominance in future years. This was the 2010 version, raw and untested. But they had potential, and their aggression in earlier rounds had proven they weren’t amateurs.
Balls:
“Alan, these guys are solid. Keep it clean.”
Alan leaned back, his confidence unwavering.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
The ban phase passed quickly. Alan hovered over Kassadin. The champion had carried him through the previous game, but repeating the same pick could be risky. Still, Alan trusted himself. With the system’s guidance sharpening his edge, Kassadin wasn’t just a scaling pick; it was his signature.
Locked In: Kassadin
Opponent: Ezreal
Alan’s expression flickered with a mix of surprise and respect. Ezreal mid. It was an unconventional pick but not unheard of in 2010. A champion with high mobility and the potential to punish Kassadin’s weak early game. Ezreal would poke relentlessly, forcing Alan to play defensively. Alan adjusted his headset and cracked his knuckles.
“Smart pick,” Alan thought. “But I’ve seen better.”
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Quest: A New Level of Skill
Objective: Win your first series in Go4LoL to unlock the Rookie Badge.
Reward: Rookie Badge.
Failure: No Reward.
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The game began, and Alan’s focus narrowed to the screen in front of him. The café seemed to fade, its bustling noise replaced by the quiet hum of the game. Everything else—time, pressure, the crowd—disappeared. Only Kassadin and Ezreal remained.
From the first wave, Ezreal’s aggression was clear. Every auto-attack chipped at Alan’s health pool, and Mystic Shot bolts zipped past the minions, finding their mark more often than not. Alan stayed just outside range, relying on his system-enhanced instincts to secure farm while avoiding unnecessary damage.
“Farming first,” Alan muttered to himself. His system pulsed faintly, syncing with his movements. Each minion kill delivered a subtle rush, like hitting the sweet spot on a well-timed skillshot. The numbers on his gold counter climbed steadily.
At five minutes, the pressure intensified. Ezreal landed a precise Arcane Shift into a Mystic Shot combo, forcing Alan to burn Flash. Moments later, the enemy jungler appeared—a ganking Warwick. Alan’s system flickered a warning, and he barely escaped under turret with a sliver of health.
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Balls:
“Mid needs a gank?”
Alan exhaled sharply. “Not yet. Just focus bot side. I’ll scale.”
Patience was Kassadin’s mantra. He didn’t dominate early; he endured. Ezreal had the advantage now, but Alan knew the tides would shift. He just needed to survive until level six, when Riftwalk would tilt the balance.
By 12 minutes, Alan hit his first power spike. Ezreal’s relentless poking had slowed, and Warwick’s jungle pressure waned as Liquid’s focus shifted to Dragon. Alan took the opportunity to reset, returning to lane with a Catalyst the Protector. His gold count lagged behind Ezreal’s slightly, but the gap was manageable. More importantly, Alan was alive—and Kassadin with items was inevitable.
The minimap lit up as Liquid’s bot lane shoved their wave under turret. Travis and their support scrambled to clear it, but the enemy duo lingered dangerously close. Alan’s system nudged him with a faint pulse.
“They’re overextended,” Alan muttered, pinging twice. On My Way.
He Riftwalked into Liquid’s jungle, moving deliberately to avoid common ward spots. His instincts and the system worked in tandem, each movement precise. As Alan approached bot lane, he spotted his targets—Liquid’s bot lane, obliviously farming just outside turret range.
The moment was perfect. Kassadin blinked into the lane, unleashing a Force Pulse that slowed both players. A quick Nether Blade followed, and the enemy ADC fell in seconds. Their support tried to escape, but Alan Riftwalked again, the cooldown barely a blip in his mind. Another Void Pulse sealed the deal.
“Double kill!” the announcer’s voice boomed.
The café erupted with cheers, spectators gathering behind Alan’s screen to watch the unfolding carnage. Alan barely acknowledged them, his focus shifting back to the map.
Alan:
“Bot’s even now. Rotate for Dragon.”
By the mid-game, Alan’s Kassadin had transformed. Every Riftwalk was cleaner, his roams more efficient. The system didn’t just enhance his skills—it amplified his decision-making. He could feel the Caps template subtly shaping his playstyle, nudging him toward the fearless aggression that defined the legendary mid-laner.
At 20 minutes, Alan spotted his opening. Liquid’s Ezreal grouped mid with his team, pressuring the outer turret. Alan noted the absence of Ezreal’s Arcane Shift in the previous skirmish.
Alan:
“Engage now. Ezreal’s E is on cooldown.”
Balls’s Cho’Gath surged forward, landing a perfect Rupture on Ezreal and the enemy support. Alan Riftwalked in, unloading a devastating combo that shredded the backline. Ezreal fell instantly, followed by Warwick moments later.
“Triple kill!”
Alan’s system pulsed faintly: Clutch +1.
By the 30-minute mark, Alan’s Kassadin was an unstoppable force. With Rabadon’s Deathcap and Zhonya’s Hourglass in his inventory, his damage was absurd. Every Riftwalk was a surgical strike, dismantling Liquid’s strategy one blink at a time.
Liquid made a desperate attempt to contest Baron, but Alan flanked from the jungle, landing a perfect Force Pulse that slowed their entire team. The ensuing fight was a rout. Green Tipped Bananas secured Baron and stormed Liquid’s base.
The Nexus exploded moments later. Victory.
Alan leaned back in his chair, his pulse pounding with adrenaline. The scoreboard gleamed on the monitor: **15/1/6**. A stat line that screamed dominance, a glimpse of what Alan could become.
Balls:
“Dude, you’re insane. That Kassadin is illegal.”
Travis:
“If they don’t ban you next game, they’re trolling.”
Alan chuckled softly but said nothing. His focus wasn’t on bans or trash talk—it was on the faint notification blinking in his mind.
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Quest conditions met
"Rookie Badge unlocked. Please check your system.”
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Alan stared at the glowing notification for a moment, his lips curling into a faint smile. This was just the beginning.