Chapter Three: Starting from the Team Nobody Bet On

Another framed it as a regional problem: North America had been missing teams that could maintain detail under pressure, and when European discipline or Southeast Asian tempo hit the midgame, NA usually got lost. “If they make it to the group stage,” he said with a smile, “that’s already overperforming.” Marcus muted the broadcast in the strategy room. “Good,” he said. “Now we know exactly what the world thinks.” “And then?” Nick asked. “Then we make it wrong, one game at a time.” Their first opponent was Vesper Legion, an old European powerhouse known for discipline, warding patterns, and almost irritatingly clean team fights. The opening ten minutes were a slow suffocation.